Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 390

“Therefore, in the process of converting pure elemental magic, increasing the understanding of the system and attributes is….”
A cold, unfeeling impression, as if not a drop of blood would come out even if pricked.
A cold expression and a resolute tone. An appearance that seemed perfectly suited to sternly guide students as an educator.
Lenok, leaning against the back of the lecture hall with Cassia, was looking down at Baila teaching the students.
“How is it?”
Cassia, who had turned her head slightly, asked.
Lenok asked back.
“What do you mean?”
“I was wondering how our director’s lecture compares to Professor Aris’s.”
She couldn’t hide her boredom and asked about that. Lenok chuckled, understanding her feelings to some extent.
Cassia was a level 5 magician who had not yet reached the realm of a grandmaster, but her knowledge and research level were enough to make her the second-in-command under Baila.
Considering Baila’s strict nature, she must also be an excellent talent with considerable skill and knowledge.
It was natural that the lecture content, tailored to the level of undergraduate students, did not catch her eye.
“I’ve been looking around here and there, and I found out that Professor Aris is as good at lecturing and has a great reputation among students as he is in skill and talent.”
Cassia’s face was full of curiosity.
“I’m not close to him, so I’m even suspicious of how such a perfect person can exist.”
It was not unreasonable for Cassia to think that way.
In fact, Cassia and Aris were not that far apart in age, but their levels were more than two ranks apart.
It was not that Cassia was not excellent, but that Aris’s level was abnormally fast for his age.
Considering that most of the transcendents who reached level 6 in this city had lived for well over 40 years, it was a matter of course.
However, Lenok had never thought of Aris as such a perfect person.
“Hmm, perfect….”
Aris’s talent and nature were truly outstanding, but in Lenok’s opinion, his good nature was far from perfect.
To complete oneself means to delve deeply into one’s inner self.
From that point of view, Aris, who was interested in nurturing younger generations and developing the talents of others, was a rare type among the magicians Lenok knew.
Of course, he knew that he had reached the level of a Saint-level magician because he had not lost sight of the essence, but
The carelessness of leaving out one important experimental tool every time he conducted research with Lenok was far from perfect.
However, instead of continuing that thought, Lenok cleverly changed the subject based on what Cassia had said.
“She’s much more excellent than I thought.”
“Yes?”
“I’m talking about Director Baila’s lecturing skills. Or rather, should I say her attitude?”
Lenok said quietly, looking down at Baila tapping the blackboard.
“It wouldn’t be strange for a sorcerer who has reached such a position to have a somewhat dogmatic nature, but the content of the lecture the director is giving now does not deviate significantly from the existing curriculum.”
“…….”
“No, rather, it seems like she’s trying to conduct the lecture based on our professor’s thesis rather than her own. The overall lecture content is thoroughly focused on the conversion and understanding of elemental magic.”
After saying that, Lenok turned to Cassia, who had her mouth slightly open.
“Is there anything wrong with what I said?”
“……No. I’m just surprised at how accurate you are.”
Cassia, who shook her head slightly to regain her senses, said.
“What you just said was almost exactly the same as what the director said to me right before she took over the lecture.”
“It’s not difficult. Anyone who knows both of you would think so. It’s just that I didn’t know the director would respect Professor Richelren’s curriculum to this extent.”
Even Lenok, who did not think well of Baila, had to admit that she was thoroughly following the curriculum that Aris had been conducting.
Since the lecture was conducted on a semester basis, it was impossible to know what Aris was actually trying to teach this semester.
At least, she was trying to teach the principles and knowledge based on the achievements Aris had made through his thesis and to apply them.
That was something that would not have been possible unless Baila recognized and respected Aris that much.
‘Were those words she said to me back then just because she was worried about Aris? So she’s not that selfish.’
If Aris had entrusted his professorship to her, it must have been because she was a person he could trust.
If Lenok was going to continue to frequent this university while Baila was in the temporary professorship, he needed to let go of some of his prejudice against her.
Baila glanced at Lenok and put down the pen she was holding and said.
“Let’s take a short break. Assistant Professor Evan, come forward.”
“…….”
The quiet lecture hall instantly became noisy, but Baila did not scold them for it.
Judging by the slight frown on her face, it seemed like she was bothered, but was she forcibly holding back her reaction?
Lenok, who was staring at her, asked.
“It seems like the chronic illness you were suffering from has gotten much better.”
“What?”
“The phenomenon of the disconnection of magic power within the body. It seems that your condition has improved significantly compared to before.”
“…….”
Baila closed her mouth instead of answering.
She also remembered that Lenok had noticed her long-standing illness and had given her advice.
“Since the disconnection phenomenon, which worsens as blood vessels become blocked over time, could not have improved by chance, it seems that you received treatment at the right time.”
Lenok smiled, turning to Cassia, who was standing next to Baila.
“It seems that another researcher who respects the director has done a great job.”
“Ahaha….”
Cassia smiled with a troubled face.
Considering that Cassia’s purpose in heading to the autonomous territory, away from the eyes of others, was to treat Baila’s illness, it was reasonable to interpret that she had found an effective medicinal herb in the autonomous territory.
Of course, Cassia did not know that Lenok was the person she had encountered in the autonomous territory at that time, but it was not difficult to piece together the facts from the circumstances.
“……Huhu, you still have a good eye for useless things. It seems you were helping Aris with that trick here as well.”
Baila scoffed and turned her head away, asking.
“So, have you come up with a plausible excuse for not showing up at the lab while I was lecturing?”
“I have received a confirmation document for conducting a research project in cooperation with an external institution.”
“…….”
Baila’s expression changed slightly as she looked at the document Lenok handed over.
The seal stamped at the very bottom. She recognized that it was the mark used by the city government’s elite special task force for external purposes.
An alibi created with the help of Evelyn.
Although the name of the agency, Agent, was not revealed, it was sufficient evidence to be treated as a legitimate justification in this city.
“……Okay. I’ll let the record of your unauthorized absence slide with this. But you should be careful in the future.”
“…….”
“Seeing that you’re still in the position of assistant professor, it seems that Aris cares for you quite a bit… But I have no intention of keeping a magician who is not helpful to my lectures as an assistant professor.”
Baila gestured with her chin towards Cassia, who was standing behind Lenok.
“That’s also why I brought in Deputy Researcher Rubenil.”
“I see.”
“If you don’t do your job properly, you’ll have to give up a significant portion of the authority you have as an assistant professor.”
“……”
“I don’t want to infringe on Aris’s personnel rights, so I’ll keep the position intact, but I’m a demanding person.”
Baila’s eyes shone sharply as she looked at Lenok.
“If you can’t prove that you have the ability to match your position, I’ll have to handle it my way while Aris is on sabbatical.”
“Hmm….”
The way she spoke was a bit prickly, but it wasn’t entirely wrong.
If he didn’t do his job properly as an assistant professor, she would take away his authority and hand it over to Cassia.
Frankly speaking, Lenok was not interested in any authority other than access to the central library and database of this university.
However, he was very interested in the Carlyle Research Institute, where Baila was the director.
“Then, how about we do this?”
“What?”
Could it be that she didn’t expect Lenok to make a counter-proposal?
“If you think I don’t have the qualifications to be an assistant professor, I’ll transfer all my authority to Researcher Cassia right here.”
“……Huh?”
Lenok, ignoring Cassia who was pointing at herself with a slightly embarrassed expression, said.
“But if I prove that I have that much ability, you just have to grant me one request.”
“……A request.”
A cold smile formed on Baila’s lips as she looked at Lenok.
“That would be a request to me as the director of the Carlyle Research Institute, not as the temporary professor of Lavatenon, right?”
“…….”
A sharp point. Lenok smiled instead of answering.
Perhaps her confident attitude was what she liked, Baila, who had a thoughtful expression for a moment, readily nodded.
“Does that mean you’re okay with leaving even that method to me? Whether it’s arrogance or confidence, if you’re trying to make me test you, that’s quite a way of speaking. Cassia!”
“……Director?”
Looking at her, who walked out with a slightly sullen expression, Baila said.
“Our assistant professor says he feels like working for the first time in a while, so you’ll have to help him.”
Baila glanced back at Lenok and gave a meaningful smile.
“I’ll see how well you’ve been assisting Aris as an assistant professor. Since it’s a thesis that Aris published, you must understand its contents, right?”
* * *
Above the lecture hall podium after the break.
Lenok and Cassia stood side by side in front of the undergraduate students who had returned to their seats.
“Everyone, pay attention.”
Baila lightly tapped the podium to draw attention and then opened her mouth.
“Before resuming the lecture, there will be a demonstration by the two assistant professors regarding the conversion and application of elemental magic that we have discussed so far.”
She walked slowly in front of Lenok and Baila, explaining.
“The biggest issue in the Department of Elemental Studies recently is the organic conversion of magic power and electric power. It’s about reducing the cost incurred in that process to the extreme and essentially handling the two power sources on the same level. You all know that, right?”
Baila scanned the undergraduate students with a blank gaze.
“Professor Aris Richelren’s recent thesis that shook the academic world deals with this very theme.”
“…….”
The undergraduate students swallowed hard with slightly nervous expressions.
“Since the thesis became a hot topic, it has undergone a tremendous amount of verification, and it is now a topic that is being established as a theory. It will soon be officially incorporated into the curriculum you will be learning. You can think of today’s demonstration as a preview for that.”
‘She’s good at making plausible excuses.’
Lenok listened to Baila’s words with a nonchalant expression and looked down at the heavy machine in front of him.
About the size of a large dog. The machine, with all sorts of pipes and suction tubes intricately intertwined, was writhing and breathing out like a living creature even at this moment.
And there was another machine that looked exactly the same in front of Cassia.
“This equipment was procured through the sponsorship of the Carlyle Research Institute, and it is a hybrid magic-nuclear fusion engine designed to increase efficiency through the combined use of magic power and electric power.”
Baila said, pointing to the two machines placed on the podium.
“The performance itself is excellent, but it’s a tricky thing that won’t work properly unless a high-level sorcerer starts it up.”
Only then did Lenok realize what Baila was trying to make him do, and he tilted his head slightly.
Cassia looked back at Lenok with a slightly apologetic expression.
“From now on, these two assistant professors will show you how they breathe life into this tricky thing. We have installed internal observation cameras, so everyone can watch it clearly.”
At the same time, a projector turned on on the white wall above the blackboard, revealing the internal structure of the two engines.
They were only repeating the minimum maintenance operations, and there was no power inside at all.
Lenok looked up at the scene and was a little impressed.
‘It’s much more plausible than I thought.’
This was because the method Baila had chosen to test Lenok was much more reasonable and student-oriented than Lenok had thought.
With this method, it was possible to clearly show the undergraduate students the process and effectiveness of the conversion of magic power and electric power that had actually been presented through Aris.
It was also possible to prove that capital could be moved and practical aspects of magical engineering development were possible through this method.
Was it that she was doing her job properly, separate from not liking Lenok?
At the same time, she was taking her own victory by putting Cassia, who had already handled this engine several times, as her opponent.
Considering that all of these series of events had proceeded naturally like flowing water, Lenok could not help but laugh.
Baila’s attitude of not liking Lenok was not very pleasing, but her competence in distinguishing between public and private matters while not forgetting her position was satisfactory.
If she had this level of skill and passion at the same time, she would do her best to guide the undergraduate students, even if it was only a temporary position to replace Aris.
Aris must have been aware of this to some extent, which is why he left the professorship to Baila, and no one else.
“Assistant Professor Evan, are you ready?”
Baila’s face, looking back at him, had a strange smile that was already convinced of victory.
Lenok nodded, smiling without hesitation.
“Of course.”
However, if there was one fact that Baila, who had thoroughly considered all these possibilities and entered the contest, had not considered,
It was that the person who had taken charge of writing this thesis from beginning to end was none other than Lenok himself.
“Then let’s begin.”
Since she had brought up this theme, it was impossible for Lenok to lose this bet.