I left the detailed design of the domed stadium to the experts. After all, my specialty was particle physics. I didn't know the exact tensile strength of the common mortar or bricks used in this world.
Trying to do everything by myself is a fool's errand. If you don't leave it to the experts at a time like this, when would you? A few days later, I saw a new nameplate right next to our school's research lab.
[School of Ideal Gas Magic] "Oh?" ...
Since a new school had been established, it was only natural that it should have a research lab in the capital. But for it to be right next to our lab? The person who opened the door and came out was Professor Gedrick.
"Professor Gedrick... have you moved to the capital's Magic Tower?"
"A school may not have a head, but it must have an acting head, wouldn't you agree?"
Ah.
So he became the acting school head. I bowed my head respectfully.
"It is an honor to see you again like this."
"What honor? It's a school that gained its independence thanks to you."
"..."
He was right, but it was a bit embarrassing to be praised so openly. I changed the subject tactfully.
"But, this is unexpected."
"What is?"
"I thought that since you became independent from a major school like Wind Magic, you would start on a much higher floor from the beginning."
"... It's customary for newly independent schools to start on the lowest floor."
"..."
I don't think so. I seem to recall seeing a few counterexamples in the 'History of the Magic Tower' book.
"You didn't intentionally come to a lower floor, did you?"
"What a thing to say! ... Are you perhaps displeased that our school is right next door?"
"No, no. Not at all. I'm very happy about it."
"Right?!"
Gedrick's expression brightened. A moment later, he asked me.
"Come to think of it, it's almost time to recruit new researchers. Has your school received any applicants?"
"Ah. Now that you mention it, it is that time already."
Our school needs to recruit more people too. I plan on bringing in some promising slaves, I mean, juniors, not the dregs.
When I entered the lab, the school head Doloren was nowhere to be seen, and only Senior Giuseppe was there. Giuseppe was reading a newly published paper. I asked him.
"... Where is school head Doloren?"
"She said she'd be caught by the Dean if she stayed here, so she went out somewhere."
"What?"
"Why do you think Sir Valerius ended up in charge of the special lecture?"
"Don't tell me... he was caught by the Dean?"
"So it seems."
"..."
Should I... not aim to become a school head? Should I aim higher?
Anyway.
There's something more important than that right now.
"Senior. Aren't we forgetting something big?"
"Hm? What is it?"
Giuseppe seemed to have completely forgotten about recruiting new students. Well, considering there had been no applicants for five years straight before me, it was understandable. I said to Giuseppe.
"We need to bring in new members."
"Nah. Of course, there won't be any this year..."
Giuseppe's gaze shifted to me.
He continued.
"I guess not... The situation is different now."
"Should I go to the administrative office and get the applicant data?"
"No. I'll get it."
[Applicants: 1,253] "Over a thousand?"
"..."
"There are this many applicants...?"
"..."
"Really 1,253 people...?"
Senior Giuseppe had broken down. He had been staring at the number of applicants for several minutes now, muttering similar words. To be honest, I was a bit flustered too.
The number of applicants to the Magic Tower per semester is roughly between 2,000 and 3,000. To exaggerate a little, one out of every two applicants applied to our school. 'I didn't think it would be this many...' Even I was at a loss for words, so how must Giuseppe, who had suffered alone for ten years, feel?
"A thousand... A thousand juniors..."
Yes.
It was no wonder he'd broken down. I prepared a cup of tea to help my senior calm his nerves.
"Have a cup and calm down."
"Th... thank you."
Sip.
Giuseppe sat down and slowly drank his tea. Even so, he kept muttering, "A thousand... a thousand..." I asked him.
"With so many applicants, we'll have to filter and select them, right?"
"... That's right."
"What's the total number of people we can accept?"
"Let's see. I used to make the decision as the acting head... but now that the school head is back, I'll have to ask her directly."
Giuseppe decided to go find Doloren.
"Do you know where she might be, Senior?"
"I have a few places in mind. I'll be right back."
Less than ten minutes later, Giuseppe returned, dragging Doloren with him.
"Ah... Don't lie, Giuseppe. What do you mean a thousand people?"
"I'm telling you, it's true."
"Is it really necessary to drag someone who was resting in the annex all the way here for this?"
So she was in her old lab. It is a nice place. Doloren turned her gaze to me.
"Isaac. You're in on this too, aren't you? The two of you are plotting to hand me over to the Dean."
"Of course not."
I handed Doloren the list of applicants. Doloren reluctantly picked up the parchment. The moment her eyes landed on the first line, the 'Total Number of Applicants' section.
Freeze.
Her movements stopped.
"... 1,253 people?"
Her eyes widened, and her mouth fell open.
Surprise. Astonishment.
That was roughly her expression. It was the first time I had seen Doloren like that. 'Didn't this person just smile even when I deployed the isolated system...?'
My pride was a little hurt.
The School of Fire Element Magic boasted, in name and in reality, the highest competition rate of any school. But this year was a little different. Gwendolyn found the heavy, sunken atmosphere of the research lab a bit awkward.
She spoke.
"Is something wrong, Senior?"
At her question, a master's researcher let out a deep sigh.
"I just came back from checking the new student recruitment."
[Applicants: 316] "It seems this year's recruitment is a failure."
"..."
Gwendolyn recalled the number of applicants from the semester she had just entered. It was definitely around 900. 'It's dropped to a third...'
Scratch, scratch.
The senior scratched his head furiously.
"What if our research funds get cut because of this?"
"Come on. It's not like we didn't meet the quota, so it should be fine."
"Why on earth did this happen? Did the professors go and do something strange somewhere?"
"... Let's not speak so loudly."
"..."
Gwendolyn was lost in thought for a moment before she spoke.
"Have you... by any chance checked the number of applicants for the School of Magical Surveying?"
"The School of Magical Surveying? They won't have any applicants anyway... Ah! Isaac Upperhills."
The senior ran to the administrative office as if he had realized something. A moment later, he returned with a dazed expression.
"This is crazy... They all flocked there. It's over 1200."
"Wow..."
A proud smile spread across Gwendolyn's lips without her realizing it. It was the feeling of a horse race bettor whose ticket had just hit the jackpot.
"You... seem really happy about it?"
At her senior's words, Gwendolyn quickly straightened her expression.
"I will correct my behavior."
"No, no! I wasn't trying to say anything."
The senior saw the phantom of Count Everglow behind Gwendolyn's back.
"It's true, Gwen! Really! Believe me!"
"Hmm..."
While her senior was flustered, Gwendolyn was thinking about something else. 'It's good that there are many applicants... but how on earth do they plan to choose?' The School of Fire Element Magic conducts interviews every semester, assembling a panel of professors.
It was quite a large-scale operation. However, the School of Magical Surveying probably didn't have enough people to serve as interviewers. '... I'm sure he'll handle it fine without my worrying, right?'
Of course.
It was Isaac, after all. He must have prepared a plan long ago.
Total members: 3. Current members: 3. The School of Magical Surveying's emergency strategy meeting began. There was only one item on the agenda. Who to pick, and how many, from the 1,253 applicants.
Doloren spoke first.
"I don't particularly want to set a limit on the number of people... but according to the Magic Tower regulations, a single doctoral-level mage can have a maximum of 20 researchers under them."
"Then the maximum is 20. 20 out of 1253."
"Even if we conduct interviews, we'll need a mechanism to filter them out in a first round before that."
"Do you have any methods in mind?"
Doloren asked me.
"Hmm... How about we give them a problem, and those who solve it pass the first round?"
"... Just handing out test papers to over 1000 people will be a chore."
I silently pointed to 'Excel'.
"Ah. Right. Let's go with giving them a problem then."
Doloren leaned back in her chair, propped her chin on her hand, and said as if tossing out an idea.
"Then the question is... 'Is the world spatially infinite?' How about that."
Glare.
Giuseppe glared at Doloren.
"Professor, that's your research topic. How can you make that an entrance exam question?"
Doloren pouted her lips.
"Well... I can't really think of anything else. Do you have any good ideas?"
"... Does the smallest unit of mana exist naturally?"
"That's your research topic too!"
When Doloren flared up, Giuseppe slyly shifted his gaze to me.
"Ahem. Junior, do you perhaps have a brilliant idea?"
"Hmm..."
We have to select talent suited for the School of Magical Surveying, so we can't just make up a problem randomly. An idea just came to mind.
"Let's ask them for the reason why the orbits of planets are elliptical."
The astronomy of this world was surprisingly advanced. They must have used magic to create something similar to a reflecting telescope. The researchers of this era had discovered that planetary orbits appeared as ellipses, not perfect circles.
Now, if they just took one more step from there, they could reach Kepler's laws, and further still, Newton's law of universal gravitation. The tool of calculus had been provided, so anyone could do it if they set their mind to it. Among these 1253 people, might there be at least one person who could achieve that?
Just as Gedrick and Valerius had reached 'The Arithmetical Measurement of Atmospheric Pressure' and the 'Method of Continuity' without my help. I can't just hog all the glory for myself if such talent is hidden away. I was planning to at least put their name as a co-author on the next paper and research together.
It was about time to establish classical mechanics. Doloren and Giuseppe showed interest in my proposal.
Giuseppe spoke.
"Planetary orbits, you've chosen an interesting problem."
"Right? It feels perfect for the School of Magical Surveying."
"Why God's creation, the celestial bodies, 'appear' not as perfect circles, but as distorted ellipses. An interesting question indeed."
"..."
Appear...?
At Giuseppe's words, Doloren nodded and added.
"Even if no one gets the right answer, we'll be able to judge their approach to the problem."
I remained silent for a moment, listening to their conversation. What are they talking about?
"You two seem to be under a grave misunderstanding..."
"Hm?"
"The orbits of the planets don't just 'appear' elliptical."
I said to the two of them.
"They are actually elliptical."
"No way."
Doloren smiled and waved her hand dismissively. I just stared at Doloren without a word.
"..."
"... For real?"