C220: Research results (2)
âHey, did you hear that?â
âYou mean the Mana Emissions Study?â
âYes, I found out that it was true.â
Rumors spread in Theon that the research to increase mana emissions ended with successful results.
Originally, no one should know until the results of the study were published but the reason it was known in Theon was because someone leaked the results.
There were people at the monitoring station beside the observers who saw the results of the increase in mana emission and they couldnât stop everyone from speaking.
Those who went as observers will also testify what they saw after returning, so it was a set procedure anyway. It was only pulled forward a little.
The students who heard the news naturally responded enthusiastically.
âI shouldâve done it if I knew this would happen!â
âI canât believe it was real!â
The students who did not apply for Rudgerâs research regretted their choices. Of course, even if they said so, their judgment at that moment was definitely right because the purpose of the study itself was absurd.
But who knew it would actually succeed?
However, it was too late for regrets so the studentsâ interest shifted to the other side.
If they couldnât participate in Rudgerâs research shouldnât they ask the students who participated in it?
As many as six applicants participated in the study and they might be able to get information from them but they didnât approach anyone.
First of all, there were people whom they couldnât talk to like Flora Lumos, the second-grade genius and the daughter of Duke Lumos, Erendir von Exilion, the third princess and the eldest son of Duke Ulburg, Freuden Ulburg.
They were all people with prominent families and, above all, extremely unfriendly relationships with others.
If Erendir had heard it, she would have cried out why she was on that list, but that was what most of Theonâs students thought.
As a result, their target was narrowed down to first-year students.
Julia Plumhart, who was the first-year top student, was like an iron wall so she was excluded.
Most of the time she responds with a smile when spoken to, but the reluctance felt in her smile bothered people.
As a result, Aidan and Line became the easiest targets.
âHi. Are you going to class now?â
âWhat?â
As she was heading to class some students suddenly approached Rene.
They werenât interested in her, but you suddenly approached her pretending to be friendly. Did they suddenly want to get close?
âNo way.â
Rene was not naive.
There must be a plot behind the sudden change of attitude and Rene knew exactly what they were after.
âIf you have time, letâsâ¦â¦.â
âIâm sorry, but I canât tell you the results of Mr. Rudgerâs research.â
Rene flatly refused.
There are some things that she didnât know that much, but she didnât intend to tell them even if she knew.
Itâs not because she signed a magic contract but because she promised and didnât want to betray Rudger.
The students who tried to aim for Rene while Erendir was away had no choice but to open their eyes at the sharp rejection.
Rene passed by the students who called her up.
âAh, no luck.â
She tried to ignore the voice from behind. Rather, the eyes of other students who were interested in this were sharp.
Now that rumors were already rampant and they wanted to find the secret of increasing mana emissions from Rene somehow.
âGo to the classroomâ¦â¦.â
As soon as Reneâs steps were about to get faster, someone blocked her path.
âAre you a freshman?â
She looked at the name tag and it was a third grade student.
âI want to talk with you. Follow me.â
ââ¦â¦I donât want to.â
It was not a subtle suggestion, but an order to follow.
Rene naturally backed away, but his opponent wouldnât tolerate it.
âLook at this guy. Are you talking back?â
âWhen did I?â
âThis is why commoners donât do it. You canât understand if I say it nicely.â
When did you ever say good things?
Rene tried to argue, but the opponent strode up first. She did not panic, but rather stared at her opponent strongly and the third grade aristocrat didnât like it.
âWhatâs with your eyes? How dare you look up to the aristocracy when you are a commoner?â
âWhat?â
âI wonder if you can keep that attitude going after this.â
It was then that a third party intervened.
âIâm curious about that, too.â
âWhatâs going on?â
Annoyed by the sudden interruption, the third-grade nobleman stared at where his voice was heard and when he saw the person standing there, he froze.
âRudger Cheliciâ¦â¦.â
âYou call a teacherâs name recklessly when youâre a student.â
The third-grade aristocratic students froze, perhaps because they didnât know they would face Rudger in a place like this.
Rudger looked at the frightened Rene and the frozen seniors with a knife-edge stare.
It was easy to see how the situation was going without needing an explanation.
âI canât believe third grade students are doing this since early morning.â
âWhat are you talking about? We havenât done anything.â
âYou didnât?â
âYes. We just talked to the junior here for a while.â
It was just an attempt anyway.
âWhat are you going to do if itâs nothing?â
The other two naturally nodded at the words.
âThatâs right. The teacher misunderstood.â
âItâs just a joke, a joke.â
Rudger squinted at them.
âYou are joking?â
âYes, weâre just kidding.â
Rudger released his magic and a huge amount of mana spread around him.
âAh!â
At the pressure the faces of the third-grade nobles turned white like corpses.
âWhy, why the hell?â
âWhatâs wrong with you? Iâm just kidding.â
âWhat kind of joke is thisâ¦â¦?â
âIsnât this the kind of joke you like?â
Under increasing pressure, the third-grade students could not even answer.
âDid you think it was funny enough if I would have fallen for a lie that even a child would not have been fooled by?â
âUhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhâ¦â
âSince you are aristocrats, you must have thought that if you put it around properly, I would let it go.â
âAgh!â
âThatâs just stupid.â
Despite the stifling situation, Rene felt strangely relaxed.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
âThatâs strange. I donât think Iâve ever seen my opponents as aristocrats. Should I remind you where you are again?â
The violent energy flowing out of Rudgerâs body made the third-grade nobles go blank. They couldnât think of any excuse to make, and they couldnât even speak.
All they were allowed to do was tremble like a mouse standing in front of a predator.
âMr. Rudger, please stop there.â
Rene reached out and dissuaded Rudger.
âThere was a minor misunderstanding.â
At those words the pressure weighing on the third-grade nobles disappeared.
Ignoring the students who were out of breath, Rudger looked at Rene and she looked back at him with clear eyes that were as pure as a childâs.
âReally?â
âYes, Iâm telling you the truth. You think so too, right?â
The third graders, who got the redemption rope at her words, nodded hurriedly. Of course, their drooling looks were not normal to anyone.
âRene, now that you say so, I will not argue about this anymore.â
âThank you, sir.â
âEven so, you donât know the future. If anything happens later, come to me.â
Rene opened her eyes wide.
âWhat?! Itâs okay. You donât have to do thatâ¦â¦.â
âAlthough it was purely your will to participate in the study, itâs also my duty as a teacher to help you if you have troubles.
Rene opened her mouth at the words and soon smiled.
âYes, sir. I will.â
âYouâll be late for class. Follow me.â
âWhat about those seniors?â
âLeave them alone, they will recover on their own.â
Rene didnât defend the seniors any more.
They made a mistake first and paid the price for it.
âFollow meâ¦â¦.You were going to my class, werenât you?â
âAh yes. I was.â
âSo letâs go together.â
âYeah?â
For a moment, Rene thought that her ears werenât working properly.
* * *
Aidan was also targeted by other students.
âAidan, did you eat? Do you want to eat with me?â
âAidan, why donât we go to the study room together?â
Aidan. Aidan. Aidan!
His name was called everywhere and Aidan was dizzy for the first after hearing his name being called a lot.
At first, he was happy to think that he would make a pure new friend, but his thoughts quickly changed.
âEveryone wanted to ask me about the research process.â
âOf course they want to. You havenât had much contact so far, but now theyâre suddenly talking to you, so what other purpose is there than that?â
âNo, I thought it might be because they just wanted to get close all of a sudden. Itâs a bit of a shame.â
ââ¦â¦you. What a flower bed your head is.â
Leo shook his head and sighed and it was the same for Tracy.
Aidan is too white compared to other black-hearted guys, thatâs why she couldnât leave him alone.
Had Leo, Tracy, and Iona not been able to stop the countless students a while ago, Aidan, who has a good personality, would have accepted everyoneâs questions.
That was a terrible thing to imagine.
âAidan ignore everything. Theyâre not talking to you because they like you anyway. Itâs because theyâre all after something.â
âYes, I should. Iâm the reason why you guys got swept up. Iâm sorry.â
âYou donât have to apologize. I was worried that you wouldnât have been prepared to do this at the time I wasnât with you.â
Aidan was deeply moved by the words.
âThank you, everyone!â
ââ¦â¦Why are you so moved? I didnât compliment you.â
Tracy replied curtly.
Even if she said so, it was her who was attacking the people who were approaching Aidan like an angry cat more than anyone else. In particular, when the female students approached, her reaction was the most intense, and Leo did not bother to point that out.
The important thing is that the class will start soon so theyâll be safe for now but what about class?
They were already worried about how many people would come.
Then Iona said in a blunt tone.
âBut I understand their reaction, too. Everyoneâs trying to be strong.â
That was something Leo and Tracy agreed with but there was a limit.
Tracy asked, twisting the ends of her braids with her fingers.
âSoâ¦â¦ Aidan. Is the rumor true?â
âWhat rumor?â
âThe fact that you secretly participated in Mr. Rudgerâs research this time.â
âOh, Iâm sorry about that but I really wanted to do it.â
âOkay. We donât mean to say anything to you about the past, you wouldnât have stopped even if we said something.â
âOh.â
âThe important thing is that the rumors are spreading now, so is Mr. Rudgerâs research true?â
âUh⦠Thatâs true, as youâve already seen other peopleâs reactions.â
âReally?â
âBut I canât tell you more than thatâ¦â¦.â
âAll right, thatâs it.â
Aidan, who thought they would ask more questions, was dumbfounded by the unexpected answer and the sight made Tracy wince.
âWhat? Did you think we were going to ask a difficult question under the pretext of friendship?â
âOh, no, so thatâsâ¦â¦Yeah. Sorry. Honestly, I knew it.â
âWhat do you think we are?â
âIâm sorry.â
âHmm. You apologized honestly, so Iâll let it slide this time. You canât say it even if you want to.â
âThatâs right. I signed a magic contract.â
âThatâs why I donât want to bother you for no reason, so I wonât ask. If the research is successful anyway, it will be published later and weâll check the results then. Well, those idiots who still keep an eye on us donât seem to care about that at all.â
At those words, Aidan realized that his friends were very considerate of him.
Leo murmured.
âThis is very surprising. Mr. Rudger hasnât even finished giving away the framework for the Source Code and he came up with something even more interesting. What the hell was Mr. Rudger doing?â
At this point, he should be used to being surprised, but he couldnât do anything about Rudger.
âHeâs not just a normal teacher.â
Doubts have sprung up inside Leoâs heart.
ââ¦â¦I really hate to ask the Liberation Army, but I have no choice but to ask them to find out about this.â
It seemed necessary to clearly confirm Rudger Chelici origin and family.
At that time, the students sitting by the window talked.
âHere comes Mr. Rudger!â
At the word that the owner of this classroom and the party that is receiving the most attention right now was coming, the students quietly took their seats.
At that time, the back door opened and Rene entered at the same time as Rudger was entering through the main door.
âWhat? Why is she coming in now?â
Most of the students were not interested in Rene because they only cared about Rudger but Flora Lumos was different.
Maybe itâs because sheâs been conscious of it for a long time, but she noticed that Rene came in at a similar time as Rudger.
âWhat is this? Are you two here together?â