Surviving As The 5Th Prince Of Hellman Kingdom [EN]: Chapter 68

068

((Now, we will have the presentation by the Yellow Tower Master, Lodius Han Hais. Please, everyone, be quiet.))

The refined Runic language of the Horizon host echoed throughout the presentation hall.

I observed the Yellow Tower Master standing on the platform.

With his half-gray hair, lean frame, and sharp eyes, he presented a terribly cold impression.

He appeared to be around his 50s, but his actual age was known to be well over 80. I glanced at Fran next to me.

Was she an older sister or a younger sister?

Noticing my gaze, she glared at me and whispered in my ear.

“You… shut up and listen to the presentation.”

“I didn’t say anything?”

“I’m telling you to keep it that way.”

That’s a bit unfair, isn’t it?

I shook my head and turned my gaze back to the Yellow Tower Master.

((Greetings, everyone. I am the Yellow Tower Master. It is an honor to be in charge of the first presentation of this Horizon. Everyone knows me to some extent, so I will skip the introduction.))

The Runic pronunciation was mixed with the unique accent of the Hamel Empire language. It wasn’t unintelligible, but it was a bit irritating.

Clack-!

As he snapped his fingers, the screen was filled with ‘Runic’ characters created with magic.

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Lodius Han Hais.

The 18th Master of the Yellow Tower.

Advisor to the Hamel Empire’s Imperial Magician Corps.

Chairman of the Hamel Empire’s Imperial Magic School.

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The Yellow Tower Master is a manufactured magician.

I know he’s been force-fed all sorts of rare elixirs under the support of the Hamel Empire’s Imperial Family.

Of course, he must have some talent of his own.

Not just anyone can handle eight stars just by eating elixirs like that. If he were an ordinary magician, his head would have exploded from the unbearable energy!

I know because I’ve consumed Sky Flowers myself.

‘His weaknesses are also clear.’

It’s like taking a train to a place that would take a full month to reach on foot, arriving in just one day. You miss a lot in the process.

Not only that, but the road to the next destination becomes several times more difficult. Unless, like me, you already have a railway laid out.

The reason why the Yellow Tower Master is ranked at the bottom among the 8-star magicians in the continent’s power rankings that circulate discreetly is because of that.

Even as I was thinking that, the presentation continued.

((…Everyone knows what this is. It’s a staff made of Mythril, the mythical metal with a magic loss rate close to zero.))

– Oh, is that the Staff of Earth passed down to the Yellow Tower Master?

– They say it’s made entirely of Mythril?

The appearance of the staff, considered a treasure on the level of [Varisada, a legendary artifact], filled the eyes of those gathered at the presentation hall with greed.

((As everyone knows the properties of Mythril, I will briefly introduce a few things…))

The Yellow Tower Master gave a few demonstrations using the staff.

Applying strong pressure or cooling it to the point where the hall felt chilly, causing it to float in the air, was typical.

This is also called the ‘Mice Effect,’ named after the great magician of the past who studied the properties of Mythril.

There is also a famous person who wields eight Mythril swords, using the Mice Effect to perform sword techniques. He is the prince and knight of a wealthy resource-rich country located west of the Hamel Empire, traversing the desert.

((…So, we have been calling metals with these properties Mythril. As everyone knows, the price of Mythril is astronomical.))

A fist-sized Mythril ore can build a decent lord’s castle, so it is indeed expensive.

((Therefore, I have been researching day and night to find a substance that can replace Mythril. As a result! I have finally succeeded in creating an alloy with properties similar to Mythril! Let me introduce it! The new material that will lead the revolution in magical engineering, ‘Lark’!))

A magician assisting the Yellow Tower Master brought out a fist-sized, silver-gray metal.

– Oh…

– Is that truly a substance similar to Mythril?

The hall buzzed.

((I have decided to call all alloys with the properties of Mythril ‘Magical Superconductors’! Lark is the beginning of that. Watch closely.))

The Yellow Tower Master clenched his fist tightly.

Crackle─ Whoosh.

An enormous pressure and cold air surged around Lark.

And Lark slowly floated up.

– Ooh!

– I, it’s real! The Mice Effect!

The presentation hall was in an uproar.

Some people even jumped up from their seats.

After the commotion continued for a while and subsided a bit, the Yellow Tower Master continued his presentation. He reproduced many of the things that only Mythril could do through Lark, in addition to the Mice Effect.

It was truly a revolution.

((It is still in the research and development stage, but I thought it was good enough to present at Horizon, so I submitted a paper. Lark’s magic loss rate is 30%. It is only at the barely acceptable level to cause the Mice Effect. In addition, it has the disadvantage of being too soft compared to iron. I believe that the ‘interest’ and ‘investment’ of countries around the world are needed for the development of magical superconductors. I will be at the Erangel branch of the Yellow Tower today, so please keep that in mind.))

The Yellow Tower Master’s presentation ended, and the Horizon host continued.

((Now, we will have a Q&A session on the Yellow Tower Master, Lodius’s presentation on magical superconductors. If you have any questions, please raise your hand.))

The Yellow Tower Master finished his presentation, and many magicians raised their hands.

It wasn’t my turn yet.

Since magicians and magical engineers presenting at Horizon are given the benefit of priority questioning, I was planning to do it last.

It was a plan to crush that thick face full of superiority at that moment.

“That’s… honestly amazing. It might be even better than the Stella I was researching.”

I was thinking that when Fran muttered quietly next to me.

“That’s right, Lark is a very amazing material.”

Fran frowned at my sarcastic tone.

“You, did you know about that in advance?”

“Just watch. Something interesting will happen soon.”

She made a very awkward expression at my smiling face. She looked like she would run out of the hall right away if it weren’t for the Magnetron presentation.

((…Besides Lark, other magical superconductors…))

((The answer to that question is…))

((Already receiving investment…))

((That’s not something to talk about here…))

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Many questions and answers were exchanged.

It seemed like it was time for me to step in.

((Now, we will take the next question.))

I raised my hand high.

Since I was the only one raising my hand from the designated seats for presenters, naturally everyone’s attention was focused on me.

The host, after briefly confirming my position, immediately opened his mouth.

((We will have a question from Franken, who will be co-presenting the Magnetron today.))

Slowly rising from my seat, I stared intently at the Yellow Tower Master. As I stood there silently for a moment, the presentation hall, which had been intermittently whispering, became quiet.

It was the perfect atmosphere.

Just before the host could say anything, I finally opened my mouth.

((Yellow Tower Master, how did it feel to steal someone else’s research and present it?))

– Steal?

– Did he just say the Yellow Tower Master stole someone else’s research?

– Is it true? Who is it? Franken? I’ve never heard of him.

The presentation hall became even more chaotic than when the magical superconductor Lark appeared.

The Yellow Tower Master initially had a bewildered expression.

For a fleeting moment, he showed a flustered expression, but it disappeared in an instant. Soon, his face turned red, and he raised his voice.

((Steal? Are you saying that I, the master of the Yellow Tower, a member of the Hamel Empire’s Imperial Family who wields eight stars, stole research!!))

((Please don’t speak informally. This is neither the Yellow Tower nor the Hamel Empire. It is a sacred place where magicians who seek the truth of the world present ‘their’ research results.))

((You scoundrel!!))

He trembled.

If this place wasn’t Horizon, he looked like he would tear me apart right away.

((Mr. Franken! You must not insult the presenter with unconfirmed information!))

The Horizon host quickly shouted at me to control the situation.

I glanced at him.

((Unconfirmed information, you say. I see. It would be wrong to insult the presenter with such things. You are saying something obvious.))

((…Are you saying you have definite information?))

((Of course.))

I took out a letter from my pocket.

((This is a letter that my friend ‘Cameo’ sent to me. I will read only the important parts.))

The Yellow Tower Master’s expression remained unchanged even at the name I emphasized. He really is… thick-skinned.

((Lionel Kingdom Calendar 490, May 4th, To my dear Franken. Franken, I ultimately failed to create gold from copper. But, I have created an even greater alloy than that. It even showed the properties that only Mythril had. It caused the Mice Effect when rapidly frozen! Can you imagine how surprised I was when the alloy floated in the air?))

Cameo is a person who ‘existed.’

He was a magical engineer and alchemist who dreamed of making gold from copper. He resided in the Beyren Marquisate, which was my mother’s family.

((Franken, I really struggled with what to call this alloy. Then I decided to call it ‘Magical Superconductor.’ And I gave the name ‘Lark’ to the first magical superconductor I created.))

I stopped reading the letter and looked at the Yellow Tower Master.

((Isn’t it really interesting? That my missing friend created a metal with the same name, ‘Lark,’ as the ‘Magical Superconductor’ that the Yellow Tower Master presented.))

Of course, I have never met Cameo.

The letter was also fabricated by me. However, 90% of the content is real. It was written based on peeking at Cameo’s research journal through the [Library, a place where one can see the past].

I took out another letter and read it.

((Franken, I succeeded in finding an investor. A high-ranking official from the Yellow Tower showed great interest in the ‘Lark’ I created. I think I will be traveling to the main tower of the Yellow Tower in the Hamel Empire soon.))

There is one thing I haven’t figured out.

Why did the Yellow Tower Master use the name ‘Lark’ as it is? Is it the same psychology as murderers keeping parts of their victims’ bodies?

After reading all the letters, I raised my head.

((This was the last letter. That’s when Cameo’s contact was cut off.))

The Yellow Tower Master’s expression did not show any signs of embarrassment.

((Are you trying to deceive the Yellow Tower and me, the master of the Yellow Tower, with such fabricated letters?))

Well… it is true that they are fabricated, but I think I should acknowledge his ability to not change his expression even when he doesn’t know whether the letters are real or fake.

At the Yellow Tower Master’s appearance, many of those gathered at the presentation hall looked at me with suspicious eyes.

I felt the need to quickly push forward.

((What do you mean fabricated? Is there any way I could have known in advance that there was a metal called ‘Lark’ that causes the Mice Effect?))

– That’s true. You can’t know the presentation contents in advance.

– Could it have leaked from the Horizon paper review committee?

– Nah, no way.

– That’s right, it wouldn’t be. The magicians on the committee are all 8-star magicians.

– Then did the Yellow Tower Master really steal the research?

I heard whispering here and there, and the suspicious eyes shifted towards the Yellow Tower Master.

I walked from my seat to the platform.

Step, step.

Perhaps because of the unprecedented situation, the Horizon side did not stop me. Well, there’s no way there would be a manual for such a situation.

Standing on the opposite side of the Yellow Tower Master, I rummaged through my pockets. And I took out a fist-sized, dark gray metal.

I made it using ore that could be easily obtained in the northwestern Lionel Kingdom, which was occupied by the Hamel Empire.

Holding it, I looked at the audience.

((Let me introduce it. This is an alloy I created through the research that my missing friend, Cameo, shared with me.))

I designed, constructed, and manifested the formulas for [Pressure] and [Cooling].

Crackle─ Crack.

Like the ‘Lark’ that the Yellow Tower Master presented, it floated in the air.

– It floated!

– The Mice Effect!!

– Did the Yellow Tower Master really steal another researcher’s research?!

((The name is ‘Lark9.’ Since the magic loss rate is as high as 20%, I am too embarrassed to call it a magical superconductor yet. I was planning to present the Magnetron at this Horizon and present it at the Horizon in 5 years. With my missing friend Cameo’s name listed as a co-researcher.))

A superior magic loss rate than what the Yellow Tower Master presented. Of course. This is something that will be created a few years later, after he attracts a huge investment.

((A magic loss rate of 20%!! Th, that can’t be!))

Only now did the thick face of the Yellow Tower Master begin to fall apart. I threw Lark9 at him.

((Why don’t you check it yourself? Isn’t the magic loss rate measuring tool you were using earlier over there?))

He hurriedly put Lark9 on the measuring tool and poured magic into it.

The result was, of course.

– It’s really 20%!

– Isn’t it almost 19%?

– Is it better than what the Yellow Tower Master presented?

The magic loss rate of iron is close to 50%.

30% was a revolution, but 20% is a great revolution.

All the audience’s attention was focused on me.

((I doubted my eyes when I found the topic of magical superconductors on the presentation schedule. How could my missing friend’s research, which could change the world, be presented under your name! Please explain.))

Now, tell me.

Hurry up and come up with some extraordinary logic.

((…))

The Yellow Tower Master was speechless with a flushed face.

A little bored, I briefly took my eyes off him and looked at the audience.

‘Cameo’s daughter, she must be somewhere here…’

I was very curious to know what she was thinking as she watched me cornering the Yellow Tower Master, who had murdered her father and stolen his research.