Episode 172

“What brings you here?”

“I’m here for a visit.”

“…Please come in.”

At Stellarium Military Academy, I had come to meet Rustila. I knew it would take some time to see her.

“The first three weeks are dedicated to basic military training. Cadets are quite busy, so meetings are only possible during meal times or free periods before lights out.”

“Then I will wait.”

I settled onto a bench overlooking the grand field, observing the cadets in training.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

At the instructor’s signal, the cadets who had been running in perfect synchronization quickly assembled into formation.

“Now that we’ve completed yesterday’s physical fitness test, today we’ll assess your Sponsor communion and Ether proficiency. Everyone, infuse ether into your plasma swords and line up before the measuring equipment.”

Ether. Measuring equipment. These are just two words that immediately set the scene.

One by one, cadets stepped forward, striking their targets with their swords. The equipment calculated various metrics, including ether density, to determine their overall capability.

“B rank, B rank, B rank, A rank, B rank… S rank?”

The instructor’s voice rose in surprise at the last reading.

A female cadet with a bun hairstyle had achieved an S-rank swordsman rating. She returned to her position with a satisfied smirk.

“There are three Constellations?”

“As expected of General Pardemon’s daughter.”

The whispered conversations revealed her identity - Rustila’s rival.

Suddenly, a thunderous boom shook the ground.

“What’s happening?”.

“The ether density is too high - the equipment’s malfunctioning!”

I had anticipated this. There was only one person who could cause such an event.

“Impossible - a ‘condensation’ phenomenon!”

“How many Sponsors would it take to liquefy ether like this?”

Through the settling dust cloud, a female figure emerged, her head slightly bowed. A familiar voice spoke:

“I apologize. Should I pay for damages?”

“No need, Cadet Kersil. You bear no responsibility.”

It was Rustila Kersil, effectively stealing the spotlight from the bun-haired cadet. The previous S-ranked student now stood nervously, biting her nails. Clearly, a rivalry was brewing.

“We’ll need to assess Cadet Kersil differently.”

“Let’s evaluate her grade through sparring with the instructors.”

After clearing away the damaged equipment, the instructors activated the ether veil.

Following instructions, Rustila readied her sword and gave it a gentle swing. Condensed ether cascaded down the blade like flowing water, dripping from its tip.

“…Remarkable. She’s using both <Corporeal Form> and <Liquid Sword>.”

The sparring match with the instructor began.

And just as quickly, it ended.

Her swordsmanship was too swift to follow. The moment the match started, the ground beneath them cratered, and the instructor was sent flying.

Though the veil had prevented any physical injury, the instructor’s psychological shock was evident on his face.

“…F-final grade: Omega.”

It was clear - there wasn’t a single inspector in the military department who could match her strength.

I waited two hours longer than expected.

When Rustila finally arrived, I barely recognized her. The military uniform she wore was immaculate, lending her an air of dignity and discipline I hadn’t seen before.

Her face lit up as she entered the drawing room.

“Aidel!”

We exchanged a brief handshake before I gestured for her to sit down.

“How’s military life treating you?”

“I’m so happy right now.”

Rustila replied with a forced smile. Her words seemed only half-sincere.

“Why were you so late today?”

“I was meeting with the higher-ups. They’re arranging a different schedule for me compared to other cadets.”

It made sense. Rustila was a prodigy with the sword. She had calmly dispatched monsters since her academy days and even earned a place in the Zodiac 12 Troops. There wasn’t a single cadet or soldier in the corps who could match her abilities.

“They’ve waived my basic military training. They’ll reassess once a Great Omega-level inspector arrives. Until then, I only need to attend theoretical classes.”

“That’s wonderful!”

I was genuinely pleased. Initially, I had planned to request her help with research only on weekends, but now it seemed she might be available to work full-time.

“Aidel, this is all thanks to you.”

“Thanks to me? What do you mean…”

“From our very first meeting until now, you’ve been my only constant support.”

She paused before continuing.

“I think I know why you’re here. It’s about the research, isn’t it? I’m happy to help in any way I can.”

“Well then…”

I began, my lips twitching slightly.

The starlight flickered in the air as a shard of the Constellation materialized.

It was Virgo.

“Does anyone write just one paper?”

I shot back immediately.

Virgo sighed deeply.

Her logic made sense, but it didn’t feel relevant to our current situation.

“No one knows when that person will arrive.”

Indeed. The ‘end’ moved independently of Ire’s regression.

Laplace’s interference with causality meant there was no guarantee that the 1st and 100th iterations would unfold similarly, even with identical initial conditions.

Their involvement resembled quantum mechanics in its unpredictability.

“In situations like this, we should address immediate crises first.”

“Yes, there is.”

I carefully adapted my future knowledge.

“We’ve observed unusual activity in the South recently. The Ether Belt might soon be destroyed by a Tempest.”

Got her.

Virgo’s voice was thick with anxiety.

“The Constellation’s view of the world differs from humanity’s. We understand the universe through scientific observation. If this prediction is correct, the most powerful black hole in the Darwin Legion will manifest.”

I continued my logical explanation.

“The Darwin Legion is vast, with a clear hierarchical structure. Higher-ranking Outer Gods use lower ranks as slaves. They’ll likely use these slaves to trigger the ‘Tempest.’”

Tempest.

It matched the phenomenon previously caused by the Outer God Safaul.

However, Safaul was merely an upper-class Outer God. The one approaching now stood at the pinnacle of their hierarchy, operating on an entirely different scale.

This marked the point where the original work’s tone turned genuinely dark.

“We need a weapon capable of containing… no, completely opposing a Darwin-class Outer God.”

“Production takes too long. Surely you understand engineering? We need to research crystal-based solutions that are cost-effective.”

This approach had been humanity’s key to survival.

“Research on Darwin-class crystals is already in full swing. We have substantial support, and interdisciplinary studies are flourishing. The success rate is promising. So, dear Constellation, I’ll be borrowing Rustila for the time being.”

Virgo sighed in resignation and turned away, apparently deciding further discussion would be futile.

But the Constellation remained completely oblivious.

They had no idea that my research ambitions extended beyond merely countering the Outer Gods.

I decided to bring Rustila along after convincing the senior ROTC members.

When I opened the lab door, I found Merlin focused intently on etching a crystal.

“Oh? Rustila, is that you? Hello! Hehe.”

“…Aidel?” Rustila’s gaze was piercing.

I cleared my throat and began introducing everyone.

“You already know Merlin, and this is Ire Hazlen, a physics junior who’s a year above us. You might remember her from the professor’s wedding?”

“Ah, yes…”

Rustila nodded before adding.

“…the one who caught the bouquet?”

“Bouquet? Oh…”

Ire, who had been adjusting some equipment, visibly stiffened at those words.

An awkward silence filled the room.

“Why are there only women in this lab?”

Rustila asked, her tone carrying a hint of displeasure.

“Well, I just happened to recruit the most capable people…”

Rustila sighed.

“I can understand Merlin’s presence since we were academy classmates.”

The atmosphere grew tense. Although she hadn’t officially confessed her feelings, Rustila and I were in a relationship of sorts, and she was clearly uncomfortable seeing me work closely with other women.

However, I genuinely needed their expertise for this project. That’s how we ended up in this situation.

I gave her a slight smile and whispered.

“If I publish a paper, I’ll list you as the second author.”

“Second author?”

Rustila’s ears pricked up with interest.

At least, that seemed to catch her attention.

“Shouldn’t I actually contribute something to be listed as an author? Getting credit without helping would violate research ethics, wouldn’t it?”

“Remember the crystal research from before? This is an extension of that work. Your help is absolutely essential, so you’re more than qualified to be an author.”

“……”

“Think about it - how many papers have we written together? Two, right? Look around. You’re the most senior person here with me. This lab wouldn’t function without you.”

Rustila, who had been pouting slightly, turned her head away.

She cleared her throat, her expression softening.

“Ten papers.”

“Pardon?”

“We need to write at least ten more papers together.”

My goodness, listen to how demanding she’s become.

If this isn’t a love confession, I don’t know what is.

I agreed without hesitation.

“What can I help with now…?”

“First, let’s get you familiar with the equipment. Ire and Merlin will show you how to use everything.”

“Alright. And?”

“I hope you and Ire can become close.”

Building trust between the protagonist and the Sword Saint was crucial for what lay ahead.