Chapter 189: Fire Is Originally Hot (1)
In the Magenta Hall dense with laboratories.
Professor Reynold’s laboratory.
“I don’t know what you need, but I would appreciate it if you could finish quickly. I have another class in an hour.”
Gracie, seated with her legs crossed on the guest sofa, said as she slicked back her glossy, gray hair. It was hard to tell whether she was a student or a parent from her demeanor, but the man facing her nodded without any disturbance.
“Of course, student Gracie. I assure you it won’t take long.”
The man’s name was Berian, the senior assistant in Professor Reynold’s lab, who was not present.
“I just want to clear up a misunderstanding.”
“…Misunderstanding? What are you talking about?”
“Last dawn, while I was sorting out the professor’s things, armed officers came to the lab with a hastily written search warrant.”
“…”“They asked me why they were doing this, and absurdly, they accused me of being the suspect who assaulted the professor.”
“Why are you telling me this now?”
Gracie unfolded her legs and placed her hands on her knees. Until a moment ago, she had been the epitome of a haughty noble lady. Though she did not stutter, perhaps she felt guilty about something, as her gaze slightly shifted sideways.
“Why, indeed?”
Teaching assistant Berian stared intently at Gracie. Unlike earlier, when he was expressionless, now a hint of difficulty could be sensed.
“It’s not the first time something like this has happened.”
“…”
“Let me tell you, this was the seventieth time. So by now, you’d think I’d have figured out who might be reporting me.”
“Ahem. It was just out of concern that I reported. It’s not personal, it involved a lecture that my graduation depends on. I followed all the proper procedures.”
Gracie admitted frankly that she was the reporter. The musty smell of paper and ink filled the lab, and being in a narrow room with a strange man was quite a burden for a girl in her prime.
“Yes, thanks to following the proper procedures, I was able to face you all.”
“…”
“Thank you for not abducting me to a warehouse on the outskirts and interrogating me, Lady Gracie.”
Was that sarcasm? The thought briefly crossed her mind, but both Gracie and Lucia promptly dismissed any rude thoughts. The complex emotions that surfaced on their pristine faces conveyed enough without needing to probe further.
“It seems there was such an incident.”
Instead of the blushing Gracie, Lucia continued the conversation.
“Just once or twice, but fortunately, someone supporting our lab helped us out immediately. I thought I was going to die then.”
“Did that supporter help out this time too?”
“No, no. Why would they?”
Teaching assistant Berian, startled, waved his hands.
“The honorable officers of the empire do not want any innocent victims… It was resolved without the need for the supporter’s intervention.”
“Why?”
“It’s simple. I can’t use magic.”
Teaching assistant Berian held out his hands as if to show them. It was meant to feel for any qi or magic. Gracie checked first.
Gracie blinked.
She felt no mana from the hands she held.
“Oh…”
“Being this way, I can’t use not only magic but also internal energy or sword qi. To harm esteemed Professor Reynold, someone else would need to intervene. Of course, the past investigation records stored here also support my innocence.”
“…”
“Has the misunderstanding been cleared?”
“I… I’m sorry.”
Gracie bowed deeply. Earlier, she had acted as though she was above reproach, but realizing his disability, she felt incredibly inappropriate.
Teaching assistant Berian, not knowing what to do with the apologetic Gracie, smiled reassuringly.
“It’s okay. It’s not the first time.”
“But still…”
“It’s not just you, student Gracie. Many have misunderstood me. Perhaps it’s not your fault but rather that this situation itself is an utter disaster?”
By now, it seemed like fate. Teaching assistant Berian spoke calmly, having reached a state of enlightenment. Gracie, unsure of what to do, kept bowing and apologizing.
“The misunderstanding is cleared, so my business here is done. Any more questions?”
“No. I apologize for the intrusion.”
With a bow as deep as right angles, Gracie cautiously left the laboratory.
However, Lucia remained seated, her business apparently unfinished. Berian smiled at the girl who subtly showed her discontent.
“Isn’t student Lucia leaving?”
“Why did you call me?”
Unlike Gracie, Lucia did not show any sign of apology. Instead, her face displayed dissatisfaction towards Berian.
“You were only talking to Gracie earlier.”
“Ah, that’s because…”
Berian chuckled briefly before exhaling deeply.
“I needed a witness.”
“A witness?”
“Yes. It’s not exactly pleasant to explain the internal affairs of our lab to many students. Yet, I wanted to prevent misunderstandings from spreading. That’s why I called not only Lady Gracie but also student Lucia.”
His response was quite blunt and calculated.
“I understand you might feel bad, but it’s unavoidable. The professor is absent due to an attack, and we are short on research staff. I hope you, generous Lucia, can understand.”
“Is this a request?”
“Should we be nitpicking at such trivialities now? I just don’t understand you.”
“I might be saying this about myself, but I have good intuition.”
Lucia spoke brusquely.
“So, I need to confirm a few things.”
“By all means.”
Berian narrowed his eyes and nodded.
“Why did you specifically pick Gracie? What exactly is your method?”
Lucia had been bothered by this. When Gracie was initially sharing her suspicions, she had been careful to ensure no one else was around. Lucia had also extended her senses, but there had been no one else within earshot.
“That’s a tough question. It’s practically our lab’s lifeline.”
“So, you won’t teach me?”
“Well, if Lucia promises not to tell anyone else, teaching her wouldn’t be difficult.”
“I promise.”
‘It’s just about keeping silent.’
Lucia stated this without breaking eye contact with Berian, who shrugged as though conceding he had no other choice.
“It’s nothing special, just a precaution.”
“…Yes?”
“There are many staff members at the Academy, and numerous eyes watching. It’s easy to notice which student frequents the west block, barely three blocks from the Academy.”
Lucia was taken aback by his casual response. She couldn’t maintain her serious demeanor and relaxed her arms.
“So…”
“By the way, the seventieth time thing was a lie. The actual number of times officers have burst in is only about seven, merely a tenth of what I claimed.”
How could someone be like this? Lucia was dumbfounded, realizing he had been effortlessly spouting lies.
“What about the patron? Was the story about being kidnapped also fabricated?”
“That part is true. Our lab’s staff did get dragged away once… maybe about 50 years ago. I thought I was really going to die then.”
“Who is this patron?”
“Aren’t you asking too many questions? The patron prefers to remain anonymous.”
“That only makes me more curious.”
“While I understand Lucia’s curiosity, I am bound by various contracts and cannot disclose their identity, even under threat.”
“…”
“However, if Lucia joins our lab, I can tell you anything you wish to know.”
“Are you in a position to make that decision?”
Lucia adjusted her expression. She had been trying to pinpoint what was bothering her, and it was Berian’s authoritative attitude.
“The head of this lab is supposed to be the professor.”
“But isn’t the current head in the hospital?”
“And Professor Reynold is still in his twenties. Listening to you, it seems like this lab has a long history… and the patron appears to have a lengthy lifespan…”
“What are you curious about? Just say it.”
“Professor, can you swear you haven’t harmed anyone?”
Lucia turned her head sharply and fixed Berian with a glare.
“I hear not only Professor Reynold but also several wizards have passed through this lab. If this continues, more victims will emerge. What is the department head doing? And the chancellor?”
“Why are you speaking informally, Lucia? I am hundreds of years older than you. Isn’t that rude?”
“How old are you?”
“Over four hundred.”
Lucia snorted at that. This man must really be an elf.
But there was another reason Lucia laughed.
“Then I’m older.”
Lucia placed her foot casually on the coffee table.
“I’m four hundred and forty-two.”
“…?”
“A hundred years younger than me, and here you are, a young kid messing around.”
“Is that true?”
Berian, unusually for him, looked flustered. Then, his gaze shifted to Lucia’s ears, which showed no signs of cosmetic adaptation to human society.
“But surely you’re not a demon, as there wasn’t even a trace of demonic energy. Lucia was purely human, with a purity of ten tenths.”
“Exactly, you’ve just been fooled all this time?”
However, that fact was not important to Lucia.
She had been friends with Seira, who was 700 years old, and had spent most of her life, including previous lives, in eras where the strong ruled as brothers and fathers.
Moreover, if you include the age from her previous life and add the time taken to reincarnate, Lucia felt no shame in how she treated Berian because technically, she hadn’t lied.
“And you, do you know who my father is?”
“…Hugo?”
Berian involuntarily mentioned the name of the Empire’s greatest swordsman. From the time Lucia Prient and Siriel Prient enrolled, everyone among the academy staff knew them because of Hugo’s fame.
“Not him. Glen Prient, you know?”
“…I don’t know.”
“This kid has wasted his life. What do you know after living for 400 years? And, uh? My brother…”
Lucia stopped speaking. Berian, finding her odd, cautiously asked.
“Why did you stop speaking?”
“It’s none of your business.”
Lucia growled and clicked her tongue. Just the mention of Siriel’s name caused her chest to tighten. The engagement. His relationship with Siriel. The future. The question of whether he could spend his entire life with Siriel tormented her mind, adding to her frustration.
“Anyway! Who is the patron, and why are they sponsoring this lab?”
“Are you an idiot? Haven’t I mentioned it before? I cannot speak of it to anyone outside the lab family.”
“Is that so?”
Lucia turned away from Berian and strode toward the door.
“You don’t have to tell me. I’ll find out for myself.”
With those words, Lucia abruptly left the lab.
“Ah…”
It felt as if a storm had just passed. Unusually, Berian sat on the sofa, stunned, for a long time.
He remained lost in thought for a while.
He sighed deeply, overwhelmed by a sense of injustice.
“…It’s frustrating.”
As the research on teleportation neared completion, it was always like this. Over the past few centuries, magicians on the verge of mastering teleportation had either gone insane or fallen into comas. And since Berian had closed his energy centers, he couldn’t demonstrate the magic himself.
Yet, the patron had no intention of letting Berian go.
With a stern face, Berian gazed out the window at the red castle.