Peaceful lecture time.
Rachel Professor had arrived.
...
What the hell.
Why'd she come here.
"Sorry, Professor Peter. Is there a student named Rain Ortiz here?"
"Pardon? Rain Ortiz?"
The classroom started buzzing.
"Rain—that's the guy from the entrance ceremony, right?"
"Oh yeah, him."
Damn it. I'd worked so hard to fade into the background.
Why spotlight me all of a sudden?
Sudden situation. Should I pretend I'm not here? Or step up voluntarily?
If I hide, no attendance credit. But if I go out...
Ah, forcing a choice on me.
"Fuck..."
Attendance or drawing aggro.
A serious dilemma.
In the end, I chose the latter and carefully stood from my seat.
"Uh, that's me. Rain Ortiz..."
"Ah, that's the guy?"
"He looks pretty average."
My voice crept out, proof of my nerves.
I'd hated attention even in my past life. This was the worst.
Who enjoys hearing people whisper about them? Part of me wanted to yell and vent my anger.
"Student, come with me for a moment?"
But it was a professor calling me.
Anxious.
Insanely anxious.
She not only knew my name but came looking for me personally?
What greater horror could there be?
I endured the focused stares and followed Professor Rachel out.
"Mind if I ask what this is about...?"
"Wait. Let's talk in my lab."
...Have to go all the way to her lab?
My anxiety spiked.
An awkward silence followed. To the point where I wanted to die while walking.
"Here we are."
A neatly organized room. Books perfectly aligned, chairs all fixed facing forward.
It perfectly reflected Professor Rachel's personality.
"Sit there. Want some tea?"
Tea poured by a professor in this situation.
Might be more toxic than poisoned black tea. Mentally speaking.
"No thanks, I'm good. More importantly, what did you want to say...?"
Professor Rachel stared at me for a long while before fetching a sheet of paper and placing it in front of me.
My assignment.
In that moment, all my doubts cleared.
Oh, damn.
How bad must it have been for her to come confront me personally?
Punishment for my trickery.
"Rain Ortiz."
"...Yes."
"How did you discover it?"
"Pardon?"
I wore a baffled expression.
...Discover what?
"This circuit. How did you find it?"
"...?"
"No, not find—invent it."
What was she talking about?
I stared blankly before checking my assignment.
"Ah."
Thinking back, Magic Engineering wasn't all that advanced.
Current magic circuits only handled 'extraction' and 'conversion.' In simple terms, extract mana from a magic stone and trigger a pre-set spell. Hardly worthy of being called circuits.
But according to my report, you could produce magic-like effects without spells.
In other words...
I'd invented direct current and alternating current.
This is insane.
I never imagined that damn AI would insert brand-new concepts.
No matter how busy, I should've checked before submitting...
"Rain Ortiz."
"Ah, yes."
"Not going to answer?"
"Well..."
"Yeah, can't blame me for doubting."
"No, that's not it."
Professor Rachel took a step back. Then closed her eyes.
"I swear on my heart. I won't steal your achievement."
She outright unleashed a 'vow.'
What was a vow?
A promise backed by mana. Fail to keep it, and whatever was staked as collateral transfers ownership to the other party.
She'd put up her heart. No different from wagering her life.
A blue aura settled over Professor Rachel's chest. Once it faded, she opened her eyes again.
"No, you didn't have to go that far..."
"Hurry and answer."
Now I couldn't stay silent. Damn it, already confused, and no time to think.
For a split second, I considered letting the system answer for me. But relying on it again might make things even worse.
In the end, I started answering off the cuff.
"I thought existing circuits were inefficient."
"Why?"
"Spells are essential for current magic circuits. That's the problem. Even for one magic tool, you need an engineer and a mage. Magic Engineering tech stays expensive and never commercializes."
"...Go on."
"That's when it hit me. What if we could get magic-like effects without magic? Magic stones hold mana, and mana has infinite possibilities. If we can properly control it, anything's possible, right?"
Professor Rachel fell silent for a long time.
Then she finally spoke.
"So... you made this?"
"Yes."
"To control mana flow and pressure?"
"That's right."
"For a mere assignment?"
"...You assigned it, Professor."
Professor Rachel staggered. Clutching her head, she let out a hollow laugh.
"Ha, haha... This is a revolution. Do you get it? Rain Ortiz, you've made a tremendous invention..."
"I-is it that big a deal?"
"Yes! Big enough to etch your name in the empire's history books and still fall short."
Professor Rachel got excited and started muttering to herself.
"With this, Magic Engineering could become a major subject. Haha! Those Magic Department bastards who looked down on me will..."
"...Professor?"
"Ah, sorry. I'll contact you later, so you're free to go today."
I quickly slipped out of the lab.
...Felt like something was off.
But I'll get good grades, so it's fine?
Yeah, think positive.
Living normally is still no problem. Just hand the tech over to Professor Rachel.
Vows can be mutually canceled.
"Glad I salvaged it..."
I need to hold back on using the system from now on.
"Anyway, I left mid-lecture... hope it counts for attendance..."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Magic Engineering Professor Rachel Arte was an elite.
Always top of her class in the academy.
Appointed professor at the youngest age on record.
Swept awards, elevating the field of Magic Engineering itself.
Above all, she was the star engineer who'd created the current magic circuits.
Yet Magic Engineering remained an unpromising discipline.
People around Rachel always said it: why not major in magic instead?
Rachel had loved Magic Engineering since childhood. That's why she'd devoted herself to this dark-future field. What was wrong with pursuing what you love?
In truth, it was a problem. Magic Engineering's chronic stagnation in progress was the issue.
The reason it was bleak? Clear limitations. Even genius Rachel of the century hadn't found a way to break them.
Until today.
'Impossible.'
One student had solved everything overnight. A first-year freshman, no less.
Can you imagine how monumental that is?
Rachel started getting excited.
New research material. New inventions possible. Catching up to other fields was just a matter of time.
Magic Engineering would change the world.
"Haha, hahaha..."
So she dove into research.
Canceled all scheduled lectures, ran experiments nonstop for two days without sleep.
Professor Rachel was a genius. Inferior to Rain's DC and AC, sure, but creating the existing circuits was an achievement in itself.
What happens when she focuses?
In two days of experiments, Rachel formalized DC and AC theory and produced several prototypes.
No time for sleep. No need for it.
It was fun. Truly. Academic passion she hadn't felt in years.
Rain Ortiz.
All thanks to Rain Ortiz.
"What an amazing student..."
Rachel made one resolution.
When Rain Ortiz graduates, she'll recruit him no matter what.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
My spine chilled. What the hell? Why this ominous feeling...
Ah, no time for that. Next class starts in under a minute.
I sprinted to the classroom as fast as I could.
"Hoo, made it."
I opened the lecture hall door and stepped in.
All back seats taken, of course. Only spot left was front row... perfect for eye contact with the prof, so everyone avoids it.
"..."
No choice. Can't stand through lecture.
The moment I sat, the professor entered.
This was a liberal arts class. 'Understanding Magic Operations'—honestly, boring as hell.
Can't be helped. My fault for picking poorly.
The lecture began.
"Sigh."
Muscles relaxing?
Thud.
"...Ah."
A bit sleepy.
Drooling, head thunked down.
This was ridiculous.
Damn, can't sleep.
All Professor Rachel's fault.
Giving weird homework that kept me up all night.
Then barging in and stressing me out.
"..."
Ended up dozing off briefly.
At the worst possible timing.
"Student."
"Gah!"
"Student, what's your name?"
Oh my god.