555 – Metamorphosis (2)

True scientists enjoy not knowing, they are often fascinated by it.

Especially if it is a field that you specialize in, it is common to dig deep even if it means staying up all night.

Are you jealous of your disciple’s achievements or are anxious about stealing them? Surprisingly, such people are extremely rare.

If a student comes up with a very interesting topic for a paper, what professor wouldn’t be interested in it? Why don’t we just study it together?

Professors are very passionate because they are full of people who ‘do what they want to do’. But sometimes, they get into trouble because of that passion.

So, one thing here. What about the graduate students who are described as the professor’s legal slaves?

“Graduate students? They’re like parts in a factory.”

“Can you say that?”

“Are you really being treated like that?”

“··· ···”

Let’s take a moment to express our condolences to graduate students. It seems that graduate students are treated the same way now as they were in the past.

Anyway, the reason I say this is because Professor Metro was ‘serious’. He was just as passionate about the steel suit as Jane.

He could gain knowledge he didn’t know before, and just by looking at it, the universe unfolded in his head, etc.

He was showing all the face of a true professor, even though he had stolen.

Looking at it this way, even Jane couldn’t help but react ambiguously.

She linked arms with Professor Metro, who was happily browsing through the research materials.

“Hmm······”

“Student Jane. I’m really sorry, but may I ask you a question?”

“Yes? Ah······ Yes. Go ahead and ask.”

“I don’t understand this part. This is clearly a magic spell, so how did you graft it together?”

If it was a professor’s question, it was a professor’s question. And it was a question from a very knowledgeable professor.

Normally, questions like “What kind of theory is this?” or “Is this a magic theory?” would come up.

However, Professor Metro asked the question knowing that it was a magic-related technique. He is not a professor for nothing.

“Wouldn’t this cause an energy conflict? There have been many attempts to graft magic onto machines, but their efficiency has been seriously reduced.”

“Oh, yes. That’s why I made something special. It’s a replacement for the magic stone.”

“What, what, a replacement for the magic stone? Is, is that possible?”

“Isn’t that possible?”

This time it was Jane’s turn to tilt her head and ask back, asking why this wouldn’t work.

He even kindly explained that it wasn’t a particularly important part. Professor Metro’s mouth dropped open after hearing the theory.

“That, with such a simple theory? The theory itself may be valid, but wouldn’t it be inefficient?”

“That’s why we need the terium written there. The terium increases energy efficiency.”

“Terium? That stuff that often comes out under the lawless zone?”

“I’m not sure about that, but I think it’ll be right.”

“her······”

Professor Metro looked back and forth between the research materials and Jane with a complicated expression.

The material Jane discovered and created from it will take the world to the next level.

For Metro, it was a truly great material that could make dream-like theories a reality.

But the problem is that he himself doesn’t know that at all. He probably thought it was a very easy theory.

An invention far greater than the steel suit was unfolding before our eyes.

‘By the way, it often appears under the lawless zone······’

Professor Metro’s words were not easy to ignore. It seemed as if he had found the crucial reason I had missed.

After Jane is captured, the Santiago government launches a large-scale crackdown operation to wipe out the lawless areas.

At the time, the lawless zone was where the headquarters of the resistance group was located, so the justification was clear.

On the surface, I thought it was just a dirty political fight, but I had no idea there was such a hidden truth behind it.

‘Even a steel suit needs resources in the end.’

Without the ability to refuel, the steel suit is just a heavy tin can. Plus, it’s hard to repair if it breaks.

I could have taken all of Jane’s research materials and manipulated them to some extent, otherwise I would have just left it alone.

Moreover, an item that is considered a miracle invention is located in a lawless area? It wouldn’t be strange if it were swept away right away.

‘Appropriate force and appropriate justification. These two things coincidentally came together.’

I thought it was simply because of government greed. But it really was because of greed.

So what I have to do now is to prevent my superiors from noticing.

I whispered in Jane’s ear to discuss this for a moment.

“Jane. Talk to me.”

“Huh? Oh, yeah yeah.”

“Now, wait a minute. Are you also a partner?”

Just as he was about to take Jane away, Professor Metro suddenly stopped him.

He’s a partner. Strictly speaking, he’s a partner, but more accurately, he’s an investor.

At this, he shook his head and opened his mouth.

“investor.”

“Two, investor? Are you saying you invested in student Jane?”

“yes.”

“Wait a minute. Now that I think about it, you······”

Professor Metro’s eyes narrowed and stared at me intently. It seemed as if he finally knew who I was.

It’s the hottest potato in the Academy, so you should know about it. Even if you just hear rumors, you probably know something.

“Oh, you’re the wildling from the Forest of Chaos. You invested in Jane?”

“yes.”

“When did you realize your true worth as a student, Jane?”

“As soon as you see it?”

Professor Metro’s face became even more confused at that answer. What can I do if it’s true?

I asked him to wait a moment and then moved to discuss it with Jane.

I also took my research materials with me, just in case Professor Metro stole them.

“Oh, no! I haven’t seen it all yet!”

“Just a moment. Just a moment.”

It’s not yours anyway, I said to myself as I discussed it with Jane.

Jane still looks perplexed, perhaps not yet aware of how groundbreaking her research is.

First of all, we need to make them aware of reality. If they continue to be treated like fools, they might end up following the original story.

“What are you going to do?”

“··· ···”

A question with many implications. Jane’s mouth moved in response to the question.

Judging by her reaction, it seems Jane has already figured out how amazing her invention is.

I want to use this for good intentions, but······ things in this world don’t always go as you want them to.

Moreover, hadn’t he been receiving advice from Seolhwa until recently?

Being dangerous means being powerful, and it can be a weapon rather than a toy.

Even if Jane doesn’t understand reality, she knows that there are problems with Santiago’s higher-ups.

In the original, there was no money or leisure, so they were desperate, but not anymore.

“······I just want to do research.”

And Jane turned away from reality. Or rather, she wanted to turn away from it.

But now that Professor Metro has found out, rumors are bound to spread somewhere.

If rumors spread, you’ll definitely have to suffer more than you are now. There’s a limit to how much I can protect you.

“You know it’s hard, right?”

“yes.”

“It’s hard, at least for now. You can’t go alone.”

Even if you go, you must go with me. That way, I can protect you.

Jane looked at me with a slightly confused expression at my words.

A deep question settled in his blue eyes behind his glasses.

“Why······do you do that?”

“Why?”

“Isn’t there a need for Shivar to go that far?”

Why isn’t it there? Rather, I don’t understand this one even more.

“Because I invested.”

“··· ···”

“I have my share too. I don’t want it taken away from me. Got it?”

Shouldn’t I, who invested, have a share? I am clearly an investor in Jane.

Jane made a dumbfounded expression upon hearing what I said, then snickered. Then she pushed up her glasses that had been slightly slipping down.

“I understand. If that’s what you want, Lord Shivar.”

“What do we do now?”

“We have to hold on. For now. And······”

Jane looked at Professor Metro. Professor Metro was still nervously watching us.

“I’ll start by persuading the professor. At least he seems sincere.”

“Can you believe it?”

“No. Instead, I will put a condition on it.”

As Jane said that, she approached Professor Metro. I had some doubts, but followed her anyway.

Jane finally stood confidently in front of Professor Metro. Professor Metro was squirming as if his feet were numb.

“If you feel uncomfortable, you may sit down.”

“Is that okay?”

“Yes, it’s okay.”

“Thank you very much. I’m getting older and my body is not so······”

He certainly looks older. I’d say he’s roughly the same age as Lord.

Lord is unmanned and has become younger due to the influence of Hae-joo, but this person is not like that.

“First of all, I will pretend that the trial never happened. Professor Metro is not the type of person to mess up something because of greed.”

“I’m really grateful! I never thought you’d see me like that······!”

“Instead, I ask that you keep your mouth shut. If any rumors come from anywhere, I will assume that Professor Metro started them.”

Actually, quite a few people know about the existence of the steel suit. Don’t the people around me know about it right now?

But most people keep their mouths shut and have a lot to worry about, so there’s a high chance that they’ve completely forgotten about it.

This is the same for Luna. She has fire (snow flower) on her feet, but she has no time to worry about it.

“That’s a given. I swear I won’t open my mouth even after I die.”

“Thank goodness. I plan to destroy all research materials as soon as word gets out. That includes the disposal of the steel suit.”

“That, that······!”

I was surprised by the super-heavy rain, even though I didn’t think about discarding the steel suit.

It seems that the advice from the last story has changed Jane’s mind. Being powerful means being dangerous.

If you wield that dangerous thing recklessly, it will cause great damage. In that case, you should just discard it.

“I hope you make a wise choice. That’s all for now.”

“Umm······Can I ask you a question?”

“Please speak.”

“That wild… ahem. You said the student was an investor?”

Professor Metro points at me politely and asks. It’s impressive how he is polite and not ignoring me.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I heard you invested as soon as you saw it. Is that true?”

“I’m not lying. I begged and pleaded with you.”

“Because that student just entered school?”

“yes.”

“Why on earth? Why did you invest? I don’t understand.”

Professor Metro’s question was perfectly reasonable. Jane and I had no connection until just before the investment.

As soon as he heard the rumor that I had made a lot of money, he came to me out of the blue and bowed his head.

I may have invested because I knew the future, but it would have looked very strange to other people.

In fact, didn’t Lize come to me in person because she was worried that I might have been scammed?

I just found out that Jane was chosen by Chaos. I suddenly miss Ragnarok.

‘What should I say······ Ah.’

Just then, a suitable excuse occurred to me. I stared at Jane.

She made a flustered expression when I looked at her, and then her face turned slightly red.

I don’t know if it’s because of the heat of the workshop or some other reason. Either way, I have to answer.

“Because you feel bad?”

“Poor······because?”

“Yes. I was a beggar back then.”

A shabby shirt and worn-out pants. This is how Jane looked at that time.

Actually, it’s not that different now. I only wear the clothes Ellie bought me, and I don’t have any clothes that I bought myself.

“And it’s pretty.”

“······what?”

“Because it’s pretty.”

He even said something that was useless but had some merit to it. Jane’s face turned even redder at that.

Even though my glasses were slipping down, I didn’t even think about raising them. I shrugged my shoulders because it was half-serious and half-joking.

“······Somehow I can understand that.”

“Huh, professor?”

“I can’t cheat with that face. Is that what you’re saying?”

“yes.”

As expected, Professor. You interpreted what I meant.

“This, this······ No. Why······?”

But Jane’s face actually turned redder.

******

Time passed like that.

“Ah. I don’t want to go to class.”

“professor?”

“why?”

“I am that student.”

“embrace.”

The school day is approaching.