"What are you planning to do after graduation?"
A chill ran down my spine.
Goosebumps prickled across my skin, my heart started pounding, and my pupils quivered like there was an earthquake in my eyes.
This question.
Was it the one I was thinking of?
"...Why do you ask that all of a sudden?"
"You're the most promising person I know, Rain. I was just curious about the future of such a talented individual."
Lies. Those weren't the eyes of someone with mere curiosity.
They held something darker, more frightening.
"If you don't have any particular plans for the future..."
"I do."
"Oh?"
"I'm planning to inherit the family business."
"The family business?"
I had to choose my words carefully here. I couldn't afford a single mistake.
"I'm the only son. No younger siblings, no older brothers either."
"So?"
"That means I'm the only one who can become the next family head."
I never imagined I'd be using this to my advantage.
But hey, if it helps, great.
"Hmm..."
Professor Rachel furrowed her brow.
It wasn't irritation, just disappointment. Thank goodness.
"Is that so? Well, nothing to be done then."
What would she have said if there was something to be done?
I decided not to dwell on it.
There's that saying, right? When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back...
"Got it for now."
I should be safe for the time being.
The problem is dodging this for four whole years.
How did I end up in this mess...?
A wave of injustice washed over me, but on second thought, it was all my own doing.
Damn, I didn't even have the right to feel wronged.
"We got sidetracked. Time is money, so shall we get back to it?"
"Sure."
The research with Professor Rachel continued through the night.
I kept eyeing escape routes in between, but they were all blocked. Despair set in.
Even though I wasn't much help, she had no intention of letting me go.
She must have thought I'd come up with another breakthrough.
"...Professor, the sun's already rising."
"It's fine. Not my first all-nighter."
All-nighters were routine for Professor Rachel.
Not for me. Right now, all I wanted was to crawl into my dorm bed.
In the end, I had to make a decision. It had been 14 hours since she'd dragged me here.
"Professor."
"Yes?"
"There's something I want to say."
[The current machine requires two power sources to use both DC and AC circuits...]
I borrowed the power of AI.
To throw her a new research topic.
"It's got all sorts of add-ons. Are you using two separate circuits by any chance?"
"You just now figured that out...? Did you come up with a solution?"
"...Yes."
DC and AC circuits each have different ideal uses. Yet Professor Rachel was forcing both into one machine.
It was her greed for new technology.
[However, it also looks like the pinnacle of what current technology can achieve.]
Even so, Rachel's genius was undeniable.
Anyway.
"This is wasting magic stones. You're forcing two circuits too much."
"And?"
Each mana circuit requires at least one magic stone, big or small. Two circuits mean wasting them, obviously.
"I think we can combine the DC and AC into one circuit."
"I already tried that."
"There's another way."
There was something called a 'rectifier.' A machine from my past life that purified mana itself to create the right pressure and flow—easy to think of it that way.
With this, she could make a circuit using both DC and AC as desired, while maximizing efficiency. It would be easier to commercialize too.
This aligned perfectly with her goals. She'd have found it eventually even without me, but shortening that time made it worthwhile.
"What to call it...? Hmm..."
The problem was, the rectifier's principle was pretty complex. Hard to explain verbally right now.
In about an hour, maybe, but no time for that.
"Do you have any spare paper and pen? Bigger paper the better."
"Hold on."
Rachel hurriedly fetched paper and a pen.
'Show me the blueprint for a rectifier that can be built now.'
There was a print function. It could output drawings or text as desired, but hard to use with Rachel watching.
So I'd draw it myself.
I copied the blueprint the system showed me exactly. My design experience hadn't faded; I replicated it almost perfectly.
"This is..."
"Let's call it a rectifier, roughly."
Professor Rachel stared at the blueprint intently.
Checking every detail...
I started getting nervous myself. Felt like she was grading an assignment right in front of me.
Even though all I'd done was copy it.
"Rain Ortiz. I knew you'd show something, but..."
She grabbed my shoulders.
"I didn't expect this level."
"Thank you."
"So, here's the thing."
"Yes?"
Her voice was higher-pitched than usual.
"Be my assistant after all!"
"Sorry."
"Just once."
"Sorry."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Sleepy.
Obviously, after pulling an all-nighter. At least no morning classes, so I got four hours of sleep.
I arrived early and claimed the back seat by the window. My favorite spot—peaceful.
"If this keeps up, it'll be a problem..."
When I left the lab, Professor Rachel looked seriously disappointed.
From her expression, she'll summon me whenever she has time.
I'm not a grad student. Constant all-nighters would wreck my health.
Live normally and healthily—that's my goal. Gotta avoid this.
"What excuse would work...?"
Rachel's no ordinary person. Even setting aside her genius.
Her stamina was weird. Fatigue built up visibly, but the moment she got interested, she forgot it all. Probably why she could skip meals and sleep for research.
Anyway, not normal, so normal excuses won't work.
Damn, what to say?
"...No idea."
Plenty of time, but no excuses coming...
Tired. Just nap a bit. Five minutes tops.
—Student, what's your name?
"..."
Bad memory surfaced. I sat up and rubbed my eyes to shake off sleep.
Don't sleep in the classroom. Who knows what'll happen.
"Gotta be careful."
I killed time reviewing notes.
About 20 minutes passed.
Five minutes before class, the room started filling up.
"Did you hear?"
"About the demons, right?"
More interesting talk caught my ear.
"Yeah. Even with the Demon King dead, they're rampaging again."
"Smashing places everywhere. Kinda scary, no?"
"Scary? It's got nothing to do with us."
Conversation about demons.
I don't like eavesdropping, but the topic was too intriguing.
I listened in secretly.
"You never know! The academy hasn't been hit yet."
"So what?"
"Idiot, didn't you hear? They're destroying imperial facilities 'one by one.' Something symbolic about it."
"Nah, coincidence and speculation. Even if they come to an academy, it'd be Pellit Academy, not here."
"...Yeah, true."
That's exactly when they show up.
"..."
Wait, no way?
I jumped up and looked out the window.
"Nothing."
Nothing there.
Not even the demons' 'ma' aura.
Right, no reason they'd come suddenly.
"...No way?"
Look again.
Still nothing.
Flags are sensitive for a transmigrator craving extras.
Always be cautious.
Looked like a false alarm this time.
"Phew..."
Demons, huh. Use that as an excuse?
Scared of demons attacking!
"Nah, that's lame."
Not just pride—truth is, nowhere safer than next to Professor Rachel. She's not just a genius in magic engineering.
Her protective magic must be top-tier too.
"Hello, everyone."
The door burst open as Professor Peter entered. Got lost in thought; class time already.
"Did you all have lunch?"
As always, Professor Peter started with chit-chat. Personal stories, morning anecdotes.
Every day like this.
But he dives into the main topic in a flash, so stay focused even now.
"Haha, the season's finally here."
Like right now.
"You'll all have to work hard."
What?
Sudden talk of hardship...
Oh.
Oh?
"No way."
Come to think of it, the real terror wasn't demons.
A college student's greatest enemy...
"I'll announce the midterm exam scope."
Exams.