The Magic Academy's Physicist
Chapter 289: Locking The Door After The Horse Is Gone (11)

Chapter 289: Locking The Door After The Horse Is Gone (11)

0% “What do you mean we’re going to lose?”

“The magic in that photo is indeed made by Aether, but it isn’t ‘Dark Day’.”

Vermel folded the last finger, spitting out his words. His tone was now becoming fierce.

“Dark Day is Aether’s Innate Magic, and it’s something that has hundreds, perhaps even thousands of times the destructive force of that. If she can develop it, this war is a sure win, but if she doesn’t and you leave her in prison, it’ll be a guaranteed loss.”

Right now, the Demon Army could make atomic bombs and fire them again.

But what did the elves have, on the other hand?

The protection of the Elemental Kings? Great economic power?

It was all pointless.

Even an Elemental King could die if they were nuked hundreds of times. And even if they survive, the humans and elves would be exterminated.

“Then we just need to acquire the technique that makes that mushroom cloud, no?”

“Will that be possible?”

“It’ll work somehow.”

Vermel had to desperately hold back his laughter. They were just too complacent.

“Minister of Administration, do you know what is the mechanism behind that spell?”

“That would be up to the mages in charge of scroll-making to figure out.”

“It’s Elec Magic.”

At that, the minister closed his mouth.

“It operates on the interaction of a magic element called an ‘electron’. That is, it’s the magic of Golden-Eyeds.”

Actually, Vermel wasn’t sure about how atomic bombs worked, either. He just figured that it would run on electrons because it was Elec Magic. He had no choice but to exaggerate a bit on this part.

Yet words were such that they were more convincing when consisting of 99% lie and 1% truth rather than 100% truth.

“And it doesn’t end there. In order to make that bomb, pitchblende is required. The pitchblende mana stone isn’t common in this country, since most of it comes from the west part of the Empire.”

“.......”

“This has become the Demon Army’s territory. Even if you have the technology, you wouldn’t be able to create the same thing without the materials.”

Vermel spotted the Minister’s flustered face, and continued on the offensive.

“‘Dark Day’ is different, however. From what I know, it only requires seawater.”

“Then we can make that Dark Day or whatever it is in our country.”

They still weren’t getting it after all he said.

Huu–Vermel sighed. Shaking his head, he argued back.

“Dark Day is also based on Elec Magic. It cannot be made if you aren’t a Golden-Eyed. And it’d have to be a Golden-Eyed who’s well-versed in magic. From what I know, I heard that the Golden-Eyed in the south who live in a shanty town are lower class who have difficulty making a living. So who’s left?”

It was obviously Aether.

“The best technician.... No, the creator of that magic is there waiting. But are you not willing to believe her?”

“As if a Beast can be trusted.”

“Is that so? Then I also have something to say about that.”

Vermel decided to throw the Minister of Administration’s words right back at him.

“Kaurelia is a country with church and state separated, meaning that Elementals are not involved in political decision-making. If so, who defines what a Beast is?”

“......!”

“Elementals decide whether someone is a Beast or not. But oh, isn’t that strange? It would have been the Elementals who defined her as a Beast when Aether was a Heaven.......”

Aren’t you contradicting yourself? Vermel fired back at the minister gently with a smile.

“Let me conclude. The fate of the country–no, the continent is at stake. Do not let your dichotomous thinking cloud your judgment. Dear authorities, your decision will determine the rise or fall of Kaurelia.”

With that, Vermel ended his speech. And the other elf countrymen simply pursed their lips, unable to really say anything.

They were completely convinced.

Minister Pecton, who had been listening quietly, twisted his lips.

“Heh, huhahahaha!!”

Then he started laughing out loud.

“Oh dear, I didn’t recognize a hero. What a master of words!”

Minister Pecton abruptly rose to his feet, then marching up to Vermel, he grabbed him by the shoulders.

Vermel was well aware of Pecton’s personality; he hated cowards very much.

On the other hand, he liked those who didn’t back down even before higher-ups, thinking them courageous.

And so Vermel stood tall and stared hard at that foul face.

“Well, well! Look at the fire in his eyes!”

Everyone else just blinked at Pecton’s attitude that had done a 180.

“Right! If you were born with balls, this is how you should be! Apparently I have a poor eye for people. Alright, lad! What is your name again?”

“Vermel Horde, sir.”

The eyes of the Minister of Defense flashed as he looked at him. No, it was closer to madness than a glint.

Wait.

“From now on, you will be part of my unit!”

“......?”

Something was wrong.

“Fuuuck, it’s finally a war!!”

Come to think of it, Minister Pecton was a battle-hungry war fanatic who’d even forget his position.

And so he liked aggressive people just as much.

It seemed that Pecton was taking him for a combative person.

In other words, his current situation could be summed up in one line.

Looks like I’m going to the army twice.

He was screwed.

“Fuck.”

He was told that he was enlisting next week, and that he should prepare to be separated from the people he loved for a while.

Minister Pecton was dismissed from his position by the President. On the surface, it was due to ‘diplomatic disrespect and verbal abuse’. But the reality was something completely different.

He’s seriously crazy.

Who the hell quits being a minister because you want to be a field commander?

I didn’t expect that that war fanatic would pull that shit even at a meeting.

Vermel reluctantly accepted Pecton’s enlistment offer.

He couldn’t have possibly refused in that position, because if he kept resisting joining the army, he’d have lost his sincerity and cursed to hell and back.

He had to agree in order to convince everyone including the President.

In fact, the elves all stood up and applauded him when he said he’d go to the army.

─ Thank you very much for your decision.

He was even saluted by the President right then and there..

Not just anyone else but someone who was the head of the administration!

Is it a good thing, rather...?

Although it restricted his movements, he couldn’t meet Aether.

He had to enlist to defeat the Demon King, anyway. That was the usual route even in the game, because it was difficult to take down the Demon King without military help.

Since it came to this, Vermel decided that he’d persevere on the battlefront until Aether finished Dark Day.

But first, in order to do so, the Aether sisters had to be released from prison.

“The Minister of Justice has asked the Chief Justice and Prosecutor General if they could get those two out.”

“How long will it take?”

“It should be done within a week at the latest.”

The wait wasn’t long.

They received news that the Demon Army crossed the Bruglium River. With that news, the administration came to an agreement to release them.

Vermel knew that the intention behind it wasn’t pure.

It’s to protect themselves.

The bureaucrats were afraid of the atomic bomb.

Because they might have their lives cut short in a nuclear shower like the Philiut Empire. Because they might disappear from the face of the world without a trace.

Even those stubborn High Elves were releasing the two Golden-Eyeds now that they were in danger.

But.

But.

[This is John Folton, the Minister of Justice. We decided to dismiss the arrest warrant for defendants Aether and Akasha after amicable discussion with the prosecutor’s office. Given that we are in dire times, we will cease all investigations of the two as of today. We ask citizens for their understanding in this.......]

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

It wasn’t the first time the government and the people didn’t agree on something.

“They’re in cahoots with those Beasts! Tsk, tsk.”

“And so Kaurelia falls.”

“Mom, is Mr. President a bad person? Why doesn’t he put the monsters in jail?”

He might have convinced the government, but not the people.

This was out of Vermel’s control.

“Hey, I heard that the war started because of that Golden-Eyed.”

“We already have a lot of people.”

“Good. We can send them to the front line first.”

Crazy bastards.

Vermel knew that people could be worse than Beasts.

It was like this even for a third party like him, so how would it have been for the Golden-Eyed? He couldn’t even imagine the suffering Aether would have gone through.

Yet she decided to stand with the humans and elves in the end. This wasn’t for the unspecified majority like them.

Because she didn’t want to see Lotte die.

Because she didn’t want to see Freyr sad.

Because it would be far worse for her beloved pupils, for those who would believe in her to suffer together.

“Hey, you came.”

Because while she hated the world, she didn’t hate people, hence being able to be calm even in prison like this.

“What took you so long, you bastard.”

Glossy black hair, and eyes like the brightest of moons.

Aether was the same as when they had first met.

“Sorry, something came up.”

“Ah, that so?”

Aether curved her eyes into crescents. They were cold, but Vermel didn’t shrink back and stepped forward.

The fact that he was able to come in here meant that she was soon going to be released. Because non-family visits wouldn’t have been possible until now.

“You can get out of here in about thirty minutes.”

“......Yeah?”

“Yeah. Not just you but your twin sister also.”

“Come here for a sec.”

Aether crooked her finger from between the bars. Then she pulled out her caliper from the hardcover.

They did make this promise once, come to think of it.

If you act without informing, the one in the wrong takes a hit.

Realizing this, he knelt like a sinner. Slowly relaxing his hands, he bowed his head, and awaited his fate.

“Hit me as much as you want.”

“Really?”

Akasha, who’d now seethe whenever she’d see an elf, smiled brightly and pulled out her staff. It looked like he was in for a double-beating.

“You don’t have the right to hit him.”

“But Ther.”

“This is a promise between me and him. It’s not your business.”

“What the fuck kind of promise did you make?”

“Something.”

The sisters argued, which ended with Aether winning. Akasha reluctantly put away her lightning rod.

Yeah, at least a caliper was way better than a lightning rod.

“I’m going to hit you as much as I’m angry.”

Vermel awaited his punishment with his eyes closed.

And then.

Bop.

“......?”

“There, done.”

“What are you doing?”

He didn’t fail her just once or twice. There were many times he hadn’t communicated properly.

Even now, his head should have been bashed in.

“I said as much as I was angry.”

The girl gave a faint smile and put her staff away.

And for the next thirty minutes, Vermel couldn’t say anything.

“Aether, Akasha, the two of you are completely released from this time forth.”

Shiing!

The bars opened while he was zoned out.

There.

Now that Aether was out, all that was left was to hold out until Dark Day was developed.

And once the Demon King was killed and everything was over, he would no longer be in this world, but if the girl in front of him could be happy...

If that could happen, he’d gladly get all the way to the ending.

With a bittersweet smile, Vermel opened the door that led outside.

“Idiots, should have done this sooner. It really is as you said, sis–locking the door after the horse is gone.”

“.......”

“Well, Ther. Let’s go. We have to stop everyone from being screwed.””

“...Heh.”

“......Aether?”

Aether seemed to be pondering something, then not long after, she went deep into the cell.

Both Vermel and Akasha first thought that she was getting something she had forgotten.

But unexpectedly, Aether just laid down on the bed. Then she pulled the covers to her waist and curved her eyes in a smile.

She stuck out her lips and spoke.

“I’m not going.”