Proposal (2)
Chapter 63
“Let me take the initiative…”
“Ah, just a moment.”
I interrupted Professor Ropheiren’s words and pulled back the blackout curtains in the laboratory.
Beyond the windows, etched with incomprehensible mana circuits, the view of the Royal Magic Tower sprawled out at a glance.
It didn’t make sense.
Even in this civilization, which had developed to a limited extent, I never imagined that someone at the level of an undergraduate student could boast about great truths using only basic mathematical knowledge.
The foundation of magic is the rune script.
It’s a concept difficult for me to accept.
The study related to runes always felt like a kind of theology to me.
However, it was absurd to say that mathematics had regressed because of runes.
While runes were a concept limited to magic, mathematics was the basis of all engineering.
“Even considering paradigm shifts…”
We are like dwarves standing on the shoulders of giants, so we can see further and more than the ancients did.
That’s an Earth proverb.
When a genius of centuries builds theories based on decades or centuries of accumulated data, a paradigm shift occurs.
Whether or not it applies to this world, the groundbreaking theories of 20th-century Earth should be revolutionary here as well.
For instance, something like the Theory of Relativity.
But how could mathematical theories discovered in the 17th to 18th centuries on Earth still not even be discussed here?
It was hard to believe.
I skimmed through Ropheiren’s research journal again.
Ropheiren was undoubtedly far more brilliant and talented than me—a genius scholar.
Even though her answers might have been wrong, she explored various ideas to find the truth. It was exhausting trying to follow her formulas, even after using my abilities.
If left alone, she would have found the answer without much time.
I thought it was highly likely that the concepts Ropheiren was studying had already been discovered.
However, they were probably being monopolized in a thoroughly controlled environment.
Considering that magic towers use different symbols and encrypt magical and mathematical formulas individually, it was entirely plausible.
Why go to such extremes?
Perhaps it was because of the existence of magic.
In a world where magic acts as a form of power, mathematical knowledge closely tied to magic would naturally hold a monopolistic position.
After organizing my thoughts, I looked at Ropheiren again.
Her complexion didn’t look good.
“Did you come here to kill me?”
“No, that’s not it. We’ve met once before at Obelisk, right?”
Ropheiren twitched her eyes slightly while fidgeting with her hand hidden behind her back.
I immediately drew my sword from my waist and threw it towards Ropheiren.
“I’m not here to harm you, Professor. Although, it would be preferable if you kept our encounter at Obelisk a secret. I only recently discovered I have a peculiar constitution.”
Ropheiren narrowed her eyes.
“Stop pretending to be innocent and get to the point.”
“I came here with a proposal.”
Had there been more time, I would have carefully considered and chosen the right person to approach with this proposal.
But due to the incident at Obelisk, Ropheiren became someone who either needed to be eliminated or coaxed into cooperation.
“Would you like to hear it?”
“…Speak.”
To summarize the offer I made to Ropheiren:
Alesya and Florya came to the Royal Magic Tower for short-term studies. They won’t stay long.
After they return home, they’re looking for an excellent teacher to continue teaching them magic.
You seem to be the perfect candidate, so the Count’s territory will ensure your safety.
In return, discard the controversial research and settle down in the baron’s territory to faithfully teach the young misses.
“Isn’t it a bad deal?”
“Shut up. Are you telling me to grow old teaching kids in some rural area?”
Ropheiren gave the expected response.
“You should cooperate with me instead. Unless you want it known that someone managed to infiltrate Obelisk.”
Her fanatical desire for exploration wouldn’t allow her to choose a safe and comfortable retirement.
I’d heard enough about Ropheiren’s tendencies and had pondered several incentives that might entice her.
But my thoughts changed when I entered her lab.
“Is the pressure from the magic tower because of the research you’re conducting here?”
“…”
Ropheiren furrowed her brows intensely but soon relaxed her expression.
It seemed less like she had composed herself and more like she’d given up.
“That guy who originally researched this stuff is dead!! And I ended up like this just because I exchanged a few letters with him!!”
“Who pressured you, Professor?”
“Don’t know!! Probably one of the powerful magic towers!! Since you’ve seen my research too, you’ll become a target just like me!!”
Her suppressed anger burst forth mixed with her rapid breathing.
I idly tapped the desk while ignoring the loud shouts echoing through the lab.
Even if the magic tower targeting Ropheiren was one of the top five in the Empire, there were ways to resolve the issue smoothly.
Mages could gain trust through contract imprints.
All I had to do was convince Ropheiren.
“I’ll provide you with a new interpretative perspective on the concept you’re currently researching. And after you move to Phillips County, we’ll support your personal research.”
Ropheiren snorted derisively.
“This ignorant knight thinks he can deceive me.”
Just as Ropheiren impulsively began to unleash her mana—
A faint knock echoed in my ears.
Knock knock!
If my plan hadn’t gone awry, there was only one person who could be knocking now.
“It’s Lady Florya.”
Before the flustered expression on Ropheiren’s face disappeared, I took the initiative.
“Calm down and hear me out.”
*
Splash!
Three days had passed since Ray finalized things with Ropheiren.
Jenkins, finding the communal bathhouse within the Royal Magic Tower, submerged his body in the hot water.
“Hmm…”
Jenkins’ lips relaxed with pleasure.
The system of the bathhouse, with water spurting up and down, remained fascinating no matter how many times he saw it.
The grand and luxurious bathhouse of the Royal Magic Tower subtly showcased the technological prowess of the Empire.
Leaning back against the edge of the tub, Jenkins stretched his body leisurely.
Splash!
Opening his eyes upon hearing a splash from the opposite side, he saw Ray submerging himself into the water.
Having received Ray’s greeting, Jenkins hesitated briefly before speaking.
“Are you sure you’ve secured Ropheiren’s cooperation?”
“Yes, Master.”
“That’s a relief. After Lady Alesya and Lady Florya finish their studies and return home, they’ll be able to continue learning, won’t they?”
Jenkins mentioned the external reason for recruiting Ropheiren.
Since it was a public bathhouse, there were plenty of ears listening.
Ray and Jenkins were deliberately spreading word about Ropheiren’s situation.
“When will you inscribe the contract seal?”
“It will be scheduled within ten days.”
Mages leaving the Royal Magic Tower are bound by strong contract seals to prevent the leakage of knowledge outside.
Though Ropheiren has been asked to serve as a private tutor, the conditions of the contract seal will be slightly complicated, but the long history of the magic tower has seen countless similar cases.
Following the appropriate procedures, once Ropheiren leaves the Royal Magic Tower, other magic towers will lose practical reasons to keep her under surveillance.
High-ranking nobles offering to protect her wouldn’t unnecessarily escalate tensions for emotional reasons.
‘Probably, anyway.’
The reason Ray and Jenkins continued this conversation was to test the waters.
If unexpected pressure arose after spreading rumors about bringing Ropheiren to Phillips County, the plan would need to be canceled.
After sufficiently talking about Ropheiren, Ray and Jenkins fell silent.
Their prepared dialogue had run its course.
“…”
“…”
Ray and Jenkins weren’t close enough to maintain a harmonious conversation.
Caught in an awkward silence, Jenkins splashed water onto his face absentmindedly. Lowering his head, he was startled.
“…Boy.”
“Yes?”
Jenkins’ gaze shifted toward Ray’s lower half.
Although distorted by the water, a knight’s instincts allowed for sufficient correction.
“Small build, but quite well-endowed, aren’t you?”
What an embarrassing topic to bring up.
As Jenkins frowned in self-loathing,
Ray sighed, tilting his head back after glancing down at himself.
“Hmm… It’s all thanks to genetics, isn’t it?”
“Genetics?”
“That means half of my genes come from the Golden Sun, and the other half from a courtesan.”
“Golden… What? What does that mean?”
“The biological parents were bastards, alright?”
Ray shook his head from side to side.
‘Shit, causality regarding size below the waistline?’
Such a ridiculous world.
“Considering how shitty my genes are, I turned out pretty decent, didn’t I?”
“It’s all because my soul is pure,” he chuckled.
Watching Ray mutter to himself, Jenkins made a wry face.
Looking up at the ceiling and muttering, Ray poured water over his head.
“Haa… Master, I feel dizzy every morning. Do you know why?”
“No idea.”
“It’s because too much blood rushes down there, leaving insufficient blood for my brain.”
“Hahahaha…”
Whether in the previous life or this one, crude jokes were always easy ways to provoke laughter.
After laughing and making silly comments for a while, Ray and Jenkins exited the bathhouse.
While changing clothes in the private locker room, Ray, whose hair was still damp, glanced backward.
“You can leave Obelisk too?”
[Please enter Obelisk. Due to security restrictions, information deliverable from the outside is extremely limited.]
“Sorry, but if I enter and get caught, I’ll be captured and killed.”
[We will assist in concealing the successor’s traces as much as possible. Please come. The successor needs to know certain things. This is not a suggestion.]
“Guess I’m getting threats from my grandmother who died 600 years ago.”
Since I’m hooked, I guess I’ll have to go check it out.
Ray clicked his tongue.
“Wait a few days.”
*
Whoosh!
Paper, still damp with ink, instantly turned to ash.
Ropheiren sat deep in thought, burning volumes of materials without hesitation.
Three days ago, Ropheiren had formed a contract seal with Florya.
If Ray could provide the “answer” Ropheiren sought, she agreed to keep that day’s events confidential and positively respond to Ray’s proposal.
Ropheiren believed Ray was lying.
She thought this ignorant knight was trying to deceive her with mere words.
Ropheiren mocked and cursed Ray.
Yet, despite this, she accepted the contract in resignation. After all, it was a contract that offered no disadvantage.
And when Ropheiren received the answer from Ray, she couldn’t help but tremble.
What Ray handed over was a small idea and a way to view numbers from a twisted perspective.
‘This isn’t a new concept.’
The concept of complex numbers. And the complex plane.
A concept that wasn’t fully established on Earth until the late 18th century to the early 19th century.
Upon seeing the answer, Ropheiren recalled traces of this concept in some encrypted magical theories.
‘They were the Silver Tower bastards.’
She had an idea who interfered with her research.
The Silver Tower, which primarily explores space-related magic.
Unlike elemental magic, which relies heavily on runes and experience, spatial magic requires complex mathematical calculations.
By developing concepts starting from the complex plane, spatial magic could be implemented more efficiently and quickly, and Ropheiren judged that it was already happening.
‘So, that’s it… then this is…’
You see what you know.
Though Ray lacked extensive magical knowledge and didn’t understand how these concepts could be applied to magic while sharing them,
the mathematician Ator, who was researching this concept, unknowingly wrote letters to Ropheiren.
But Ropheiren understood.
‘This is deadly poison.’
The Empire and the Royal Magic Tower encourage the sharing and development of magical knowledge to counteract monopolization by other magic towers.
Thus, the Royal Magic Tower should have protected Ropheiren.
Ropheiren initially thought a powerful magic tower was indirectly pressuring her, but now she realized otherwise.
The Royal Tower and the Silver Tower were one entity.
The Royal Tower was extremely cautious about knowledge related to spatial magic leaking outside.
‘So, this is something the Empire would pathologically guard against.’
There are two major spells in the spatial category that, if attempted without permission, result in immediate execution for treason.
One is Gate.
The other is-
“Meteor.”
A destructive spell capable of wiping out several territories.
Even when multiple Archmages gather, preparing Meteor takes a long time.
But if spatial magic theory advances, the conditions and time required to cast Meteor will inevitably decrease.
The Empire panicked.
If advanced magical knowledge leaked and hostile Archmages used Meteor to strike preemptively before the Empire could prepare, several cities would be annihilated instantly.
‘Will the Empire let me go?’
All research journals have been burned, and Ropheiren plans to faithfully form the contract seal.
Though it will be impossible for her to leak knowledge, if the Empire remains uneasy about her, there’s no telling what they might do.
Of course, the now-calmed Ropheiren had no intention of sharing these facts with Ray.
She could only hope the Empire would be broad-minded.
