“Lennok, it appears that the academic affairs office is flooded with inquiries about you,” Aris Richellen informed Lennok.
Having already heard whispers from Priscilla, Lennok was surprised that Aris had caught on so quickly.
In hindsight, it made perfect sense.
Aris Richellen was neither inept nor oblivious. She was not the type to turn a blind eye to a conspicuous issue.
The office exuded the rich aroma of wood and boasted a lively ambiance with various potted plants. Bookshelves were crammed with an array of texts, and the desk was stacked with indecipherable documents.
“Ahh…”
Aris sighed deeply, battling a headache.
“This is my fault.”
“What do you mean?”
“When I brought you into my lab, I didn’t think through the consequences… I never expected the reactions to be this intense. It was my mistake.”
“Hmm…”
Lennok couldn’t deny her words, but he never imagined she would have considered all of this from the outset.
She had invited him to her lab solely based on his abilities, even when she believed he lacked mana. She was the type of person who saw others for who they truly were.
Such a person, one who approached issues with good intentions, might have struggled to anticipate the negative emotions from fellow students.
“I’ve informed the administration, and they will make a public announcement to the students. They have decided to impose sanctions, up to and including expulsion, in cases where harm is done to ordinary people without mana.”
“That’s quite bold.”
“There’s no reason for your abilities and talents to go to waste. It’s my duty to protect my researchers from such consequences.”
A cold glint flickered in Aris’s eyes.
“Furthermore, I will ensure that incidents like this do not happen again.”
She was inherently kind, but she wasn’t always docile and gentle.
Rather, akin to a high-level wizard, she naturally adopted a ruthless attitude towards those she saw as adversaries.
However, Lennok shook his head at Aris’s words.
“I’m sorry, but if you intervene directly, public opinion may worsen.”
“….What?”
Regardless of how much Aris scouted Lennok based on his theoretical research abilities, as an assistant professor, there were certain responsibilities he had to fulfill.
He would assist her in preparing for class, gather and organize data for related experiments or samples, and explain them during lectures.
As long as he was part of the university, it was natural for him to interact with other students.
While an official notice from the administration could help, blatant support from Aris might breed resentment even among those who held no particular feelings towards him.
Instead, it would be more prudent to let things be for now and allow time to weed out those who didn’t favor Lennok.
Aris also comprehended Lennok’s perspective and immediately nodded.
“Indeed… you’re considering my reputation while seeking a realistic solution. I didn’t misjudge you.”
She seemed slightly moved by Lennok’s consideration, although it wasn’t a particularly challenging thing to do.
She simply found it difficult because she couldn’t easily see students in a negative light.
“Yes, as the professor suggested, it won’t be too difficult if you provide me with a defensive artifact.”
In doing so, Lennok might also obtain a decent artifact from her.
In the end, Lennok left her room after receiving a very satisfying confirmation from Aris.
***
Today, Aris’s lecture was scheduled in Lecture Hall 3.
Although Lennok needed to prepare several items necessary for the magic demonstration, he didn’t anticipate any major problems since he had memorized the entire manual.
As he was about to enter the lecture hall, pushing a cart loaded with gem catalysts for the demonstration, someone suddenly called out to him from the side.
“Assistant Professor Vylun.”
A female student, whom he vaguely recalled as Beira, smiled awkwardly at him. She had been present in the lecture hall before.
“Do you need something?”
“Yes, I believe there’s an issue with today’s demonstration stage. I would appreciate it if you could check it out, Assistant Professor.”
Lennok couldn’t help but notice that there was something off in her tone; she seemed to have an ulterior motive. His smirk made her polite smile twitch slightly at the corners of her lips.
However, aware of the other students’ gazes in the lecture hall, Beira maintained her composed demeanor and guided Lennok.
Following the swaying hem of her blouse, Lennok’s attention was drawn to a large piece of equipment, roughly the size of a bed, situated beneath the spacious blackboard in the lecture hall.
The device had a white metallic body emitting a soft glow, with black matte joints and blue magic light seeping from the glass, illuminating the interior.
Having studied the manual beforehand, Lennok had a rough idea of what this equipment was.
It turned out to be a magical engineering product designed by Aris Richellen to demonstrate the principle of elemental cycle magic. The device could visualize the process of splitting and combining infused mana, making it observable to the naked eye.
Lennok was surprised that Aris possessed enough knowledge in magical engineering to create such a complex and high-tech apparatus. Moreover, it was truly impressive to see her dedication in going this far to benefit her students. It was no wonder many admired her and sought to join her lab.
Other students had gathered around the equipment, attempting to fix it before the lecture. Evidently, they had accidentally caused a problem while trying to operate it, and if left unresolved, someone would have to take responsibility, whether through payment or penalties.
As the assistant professor, Lennok found himself the center of attention, with all eyes on him.
He noticed Priscilla standing a little apart from the students, arms crossed, observing the situation. Then, he returned his attention to Beira.
“So, you want me to check this equipment?”
“Yes.”
As Lennok observed Beira’s smiling face, he pondered the situation.
‘She didn’t break the equipment herself.’
In a world where magic prevailed, leaving behind any traces of tampering would only make her an easy suspect. It seemed like a cunning attempt to naturally involve Lennok and share the responsibility.
‘Is she trying to exploit the situation to achieve her goals? Quite fitting for a wizard.’
The problem was that he didn’t know the severity of the equipment issue.
‘This should be fine.’
Lennok estimated the distance to Aris, then swiftly summoned his mana.
His ability to manipulate mana, honed through countless battles, was sharper than a blade and quieter than a whisper. Neither Beira nor the other students could perceive that Lennok was manipulating his mana right in front of them.
Sizzle……!!
With ease, he extended his mana into the equipment, thoroughly inspecting it and delving into the inner circuitry.
Lennok’s combination of understanding magical engineering and his ability to manipulate mana allowed him to assess the condition of the equipment in just two seconds.
While he didn’t know the specific parts and names of the apparatus, recognizing which function had encountered a problem took mere moments.
The internal setup of the device, personally designed by Aris, was incredibly precise and sensitive. When she operated it herself, there would be no issues due to her excellent mana manipulation skills. However, it seemed that a mishap had occurred when the students fiddled with it out of curiosity.
“Do you know where the problem occurred?”
“The transformation circuit, which allows us to visually monitor the mana infusion process, seems to be entangled. It appears that an error occurred during the process of infusing mana beyond the capacity it can handle.”
“…Huh?”
Beira’s response was slightly delayed.
And the faces of the other students who were looking at Lennok showed bewilderment.
Only after catching a slightly bewildered expression on Priscilla’s face from a distance, Lennok realized his mistake and inwardly clicked his tongue.
‘I should have pretended to touch the equipment, but I made a mistake.’
The internal design of the equipment had intrigued him, causing him to momentarily forget about his surroundings. Lennok knew that even in confrontations with wizards, his curiosity and inquisitiveness could sometimes get the better of him.
To regain control of the situation, Lennok calmly continued speaking.
“Although it appears fine on the outside, if you listen carefully to the sounds coming from the equipment, you can identify the problem.”
He naturally bent his waist and lightly touched the equipment. Upon tapping the empty space inside using mana, a loud resonance sound erupted as if waiting to be released.
Vroom……!!
“Ugh!”
“Why does it sound like that…”
“Doesn’t this seem like a big problem?”
As the students grew flustered by the strange noise, Lennok extended his mana straight into the device.
“Anyway, the core operating principle is a part that artificially implements elemental magic. If that part is undamaged, you can solve other problems to some extent by adjusting from the outside.”
Lennok diverted their attention by explaining some theories he had in mind.
“The fundamental principle of transporting mana that has escaped the control of a wizard is artificial propulsion. The goal is to retain as much of the initial transmitted power as possible by alternating expansion and contraction.”
With a mana branch extended through his manipulation, he began making subtle adjustments, skillfully pushing and pulling the mana around the equipment.
He sent mana into the circuit, untangling the tangled parts and expanding the usable area by replacing the worn injection area.
“There is a possibility of damage if the circuit, which delivers mana, has a problem and cannot withstand the expansion and contraction that occurs during transportation.”
While some parts were beyond repair due to wear and tear, the device’s performance was not compromised if he focused on improving the injection port.
As soon as Lennok came to this conclusion and removed his hand from inside the device, the equipment, which had been shaking noisily, started producing a pleasant rotating sound.
Whirring……!
“Therefore, it would be better for the students not to recklessly tamper with the necessary materials for the class.”
Lennok dusted off his knees and stood up.
The students stared at him with surprise, unable to say anything.
Fixing a simple device was one thing, but to touch a magical engineering device designed by Aris herself was a feat that even the talented magic students at the university couldn’t achieve.
Everyone present understood that fixing the problem on the spot without an in-depth knowledge of magical theory and magical engineering was nearly impossible.
Lennok felt the gazes upon him change in an instant, but he didn’t stop there.
He erased the serious expression he had been wearing and laughed.
“I don’t know who did it, but I’ll keep it a secret from the professor. Just be more careful from now on.”
“Th, thank you!”
Laughter erupted along with the somewhat naive gratitude of a young student.
“You’re a mischievous one; I told you not to play pranks!”
“You’re always doing strange things to impress the professor.”
“Just focus on your classes, dummy!”
Would such a minor incident change the way others looked at Lennok?
He didn’t think so.
After all, Beira’s expression, hidden behind the other students, showed surprise and displeasure rather than satisfaction.
However, for most of the students who had no particular feelings towards him initially, Lennok’s actions left a positive impression.
Thinking so, Lennok stepped back and slowly scanned the lecture hall.
He wanted to observe how the other students reacted to this small incident.
Priscilla seemed indifferent, casually turning her head away, while a young male student calmly shook off his surprise.
Even the burly man with buzzed hair, who was playfully jesting with the crowd around him from a distance.
The students varied in their responses, but Lennok’s goal was straightforward.
The process of distancing himself from those who interfered with his research life was slowly but surely taking shape.
(To be Continued)
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