The Genius Professor Wants An Easy Life - Chapter 185
I quietly observed the President for a moment.
‘As expected.’
A passionate person will not be dissuaded by any story.
However,
“Although I respect your intentions, Your Excellency, it is nothing but a reckless endeavor. You will only meet a vain death without achieving anything.”
“!!”
Silence fell over the room.
Chief Secretary Eckmann’s complexion turned pale, and Hans also glanced around with a ‘Professor, why would you say that?’ expression.
What was unexpected was President Arlmen’s reaction.
I had anticipated an outburst of anger, but he was surprisingly calm.
He just sent a strange look with his eyes lowered.
“What exactly are you trying to say? Stop beating around the bush and provoking me, and speak plainly.”
I was slightly impressed.
It was fitting for someone who rose to the position of President from the bottom, and moreover, from a minority fairy tribe.
The thought that it would be a shame to let him die just like that briefly crossed my mind.
‘If he continues to survive, he might help prevent a catastrophe between the Republic and the Empire.’
With that thought, I advised him earnestly.
“Please withdraw from this project, Your Excellency.”
“Professor Van, this is highly inappropriate! At this rate, you’re not becoming a legend for your prowess but infamous for your lack of manners!”
Unlike the flustered Eckmann, the President seemed to understand what I was saying. He countered with this.
“Are you telling me to withdraw? To hand over the project to someone else?”
“Something like that. If things continue as they are, you will become a target, sir.”
“It’s meaningless. Regardless of who the Republic’s government puts forward, ultimately, I will be the one held responsible. The mafia isn’t that foolish.”
“The Republic’s government should entirely withdraw from this project.”
“What nonsense are you spouting? How could it be possible to purify the river if the government withdraws?”
“With the abilities of I, Van the Legend, it is possible.”
“…What?”
I looked directly at the President and said,
“I, Van the Legend, will take care of purifying the river by myself. The President and the Republic’s government should just watch from behind.”
“!!”
The President and Chief Secretary Eckmann wore bewildered expressions.
“Do you know how much resources are needed to purify the river?”
“Resources are unnecessary. I plan to completely scrap the current project plan. Frankly, the existing project plan is too inefficient. I will purify the river in my way, Van the Legend’s way.”
The President and Eckmann looked at each other.
Still, their faces were full of disbelief.
That’s when,
“Tsk, it’s regrettable. That you don’t know why Professor Van is called Van the Legend in the Empire. A situation where even kneeling and offering prayers of gratitude would be insufficient.”
“…And you are?”
“If I may say so myself! I am the faithful assistant of Professor Van, and the professor at the continent’s most prestigious Ruby, Hans.”
Hans said with a blazing look in his eyes.
“Your balding head, sire, must be a trace of your passion towards the Republic, much like my bald head is a symbol of my longing for magic.”
“…No, the President’s baldness has always been…”
“It is with respect towards you, sir, that I say this. Accept Professor Van’s proposal right now. You will witness miracles deemed impossible, all in the name of Van the Legend.”
Both fell silent.
Surprisingly, Hans’s passionate speech had an effect!
“…Fine. Since the Republic has nothing to lose even if you fail. How much time do you need? Half a year? A year? We can’t wait indefinitely….”
“Two weeks will suffice.”
“What?”
“Ah! Do not doubt us! In two weeks, sire, you should contemplate how to reward Professor Van! And do not forget about my share as well! For your information, the price of having Hans from the great Ruby as a professor is quite steep.”
…I wondered why Hans was so fired up, but it seemed he was interested in the spoils he would get later.
Well, I’m no different.
I have my desires, too.
“However, there is a condition.”
“Are you asking to solve the patent issue with the automobile?”
“You knew.”
“It’s been a while since the Royal Family started playing with the media. They are rather propagating that it was your side who leaked their technology.”
The President shook his head.
“Unfortunately, it’s difficult for me to solve your problem with my power. The mafia is different from the villain groups of the empire. Even the courts are under their control.”
A voice tinged with helplessness.
It was as expected.
It didn’t matter.
I could retrieve what was stolen.
All that was needed was a bit of audacity.
“Please bestow upon me the title of Meister.”
“!!”
Everyone’s eyes widened.
It was a title given only to the highest magitech mages.
“That is….”
“Isn’t it possible with your authority, Your Excellency? The Republic’s government also has the authority to award the title of Meister.”
The criteria for a Meister were complex.
Lv, knowledge, development achievements, among others, were comprehensively evaluated.
The institutions that bestowed the title varied as well.
Usually, the Mage Towers took on this role, but the Ran Republic, proud of its magitech engineering, independently awarded the Meister title.
“Isn’t it cheap to be satisfied with just a title?”
President Arlmen let out a scoff.
“Can you handle it?”
“…….”
“I don’t know if you’re aware, but appointing a Meister is the last pride of the Republic’s government. It’s not given to just anyone. It carries the highest authority.”
He was right.
In fact, it carried more weight than titles given by the Mage Towers.
A ‘country bumpkin’ from the Empire suddenly receiving such a title?
It would be a public mockery for all magitech engineers in the Ran Republic.
But,
“Do not worry.”
I lifted the corners of my mouth.
“The Ran Republic’s government will consider it the highest honor to have bestowed the Meister title upon me.”
It won’t take long.
Soon, the magitech expo will be held.
The place where the Royal Family intends to announce the patent they stole from me as their own.
There, I plan to ‘bombard’ not just the Royal Family, but also the Ran Republic’s magitech community indiscriminately.
The stage was being set.
* * *
A colossal building located on the outskirts of Steam City.
It was the convention center where the expo was being held.
The scale was immense, showcasing the stature of the Republic’s magitech community.
Not only from the Republic but also mages from the Empire and various other places came to visit.
It was so prestigious, it was considered one of the four major magic events on the continent.
But an unexpected sight came to view.
A noble girl in splendid attire was having an argument.
“How could my work be rejected?!”
“Let’s see, what was your name?”
“Joan! You don’t need to know the family name! It’s not a family that you insignificant people need to know.”
The receptionist had a ‘What’s with this silly girl?’ look.
But, given that this wasn’t the first instance of such behavior, she responded adeptly.
“You’re not on the list of exhibitors who passed. You’ve been eliminated in the preliminaries. The reason for elimination is the substandard quality of your work, so I advise you to strive harder.”
“Ha! That’s absurd! How could that be?!”
“Next, please. We’re busy here.”
The noble girl, Joan.
Or rather, Joanna, stomped out.
‘I knew the Republic’s magitech community was corrupt, but to dare reject my work.’
Joanna was confident.
She might not win, but she was sure her work was good enough to rank highly.
‘This can’t be happening. I sneaked out to attend, and if it gets out that I was eliminated in the preliminaries, Mother won’t leave me be.’
Joanna bit her lip hard.
Duchess Beth had been unable to lay a hand on her recently due to recovering from an injury she sustained from Van, but she was gradually getting better.
‘I wanted to achieve excellent results at this expo to prove my worth to Mother.’
As expected of you, that’s just like you. You really do need more proper education.
As the image of her mother, almost like a nightmare, came to mind and her complexion turned pale, another voice echoed in her thoughts.
You’ve done nothing wrong.
‘Presumptuous.’
Joanna clenched her fists tightly.
That professor who always looked at her with undue concern every time they saw her.
She had wanted to prove at this expo that she was not someone to be pitied or looked down upon.
‘I can’t just sit down and accept this. I must find a way. My work is perfect.’
The simplest solution would be to reveal her identity and remove her disguise.
Even in the Republic, they couldn’t ignore the name of a renowned magical family.
But then, even if she won an award, its value would diminish. Her mother wouldn’t acknowledge it, nor would it bring down Professor Van’s arrogance.
‘Damn it, this is all because the Republic is so corrupt!’
As she was seething with anger again, a comment that grated on her nerves reached her ears.
“Did you hear about that country bumpkin from the Empire?”
“Oh, yes, I’ve heard. Was it Van the Legend?”
Joanna paused.
“To bestow the title of Meister on such a bumpkin. What is the Republic thinking?”
“That bumpkin, just by entering the expo, would be dazzled by the advanced magitech of the Republic.”
“Lacks the discerning eye to even recognize how remarkable it is.”
“Really, the President must have lost his mind completely.”
“The crazy ones are you guys.”
“What?”
The people excitedly gossiping were taken aback.
Joanna, with a sharp expression, glared at them.
Though disguised, her noble aura was unmistakable, prompting cautious inquiry from the people around her.
“And who might you be, miss?”
“Listening to the nonsense you’re spouting, it seems you lack both eyes and ears. Why would knowing who I am matter to you?”
“!!”
“Seeing you speak so carelessly without knowing your place, it’s clear what level the Republic is at.”
The room became noisy.
Joanna was aware she was causing a scene but didn’t stop.
This wasn’t about standing up for Professor Van.
It was simply that she found the people of the Republic disagreeable.
Really. Truly.
“Seems like a girl from the Empire. Do you have any connections with Van the Legend?”
“No connections. Rather, I hate him.”
“Then why?”
“Seeing creatures not even worthy to touch the hem of Professor Van’s cloak blabbering on irritates me. If you don’t want to get humiliated, you better retract what you said about Professor Van just now.”
The people wore puzzled expressions.
‘Are they really on bad terms?’ that’s what their faces seemed to say.
Regardless.
“It seems you’re the one who should be put in your place. You owe us an apology.”
The atmosphere turned menacing.
Given that everyone here was already grinding their teeth against Van, defending him wasn’t going to be seen in a positive light.
Anyone sensible would have known to step back quietly in such a situation, but unfortunately, Joanna was not known for being the most temperate lady.
“The audacity. No matter how hard you try for the rest of your lives, you’ll never reach Professor Van, let alone my feet.”
“…You won’t regret this.”
Two men stepped forward with angry expressions.
Swooosh.
Their aura flared threateningly.
Both were at the level of Lv. 4.
It was a stretch for Joanna, still at Lv. 3, to take them on.
‘No matter. I’ll land a blow.’
Joanna also gathered her energy in response.
She felt she wouldn’t be satisfied unless she managed to strike them at least once.
So, to reiterate, this wasn’t for Van’s sake but because she was infuriated. Really. Truly.
The sharp intensity of Joanna, not typical for a Lv. 3, made the two men’s faces stiffen.
“Be prepared.”
Flash!
The two men unleashed their magic simultaneously.
Joanna manifested her magic in retaliation, and they were about to collide.
Then, something astonishing happened.
Flash.
Suddenly, light flickered, and the three’s magic disappeared as if erased by an eraser.
Realizing that someone of a much higher level had intervened, the men wore faces filled with fear.
“What is this? Which high-level mage?”
And then,
“Step away from my student, you worthless beings.”
A presence that seemed to dominate the entire room.
Van the Legend had appeared.
