Chapter 313

Chapter 313: Shadows in the Laboratory

The teacher dressed in black heard this and did not find it strange. He casually walked over to the fireplace, picked up the teapot, and poured himself a cup of hot black tea. Then he returned to his seat, gently blowing on the cup before taking a small sip.

“Now that you’re so high and mighty, you don’t even respond to my messages,” the teacher said again, but it didn’t seem like he was truly angry; rather, it felt more like playful banter between friends.

“No, it’s just that explaining this is a bit complicated, Berg.”

“Go on, Raleigh. I’m almost done with my report. Since there are no classes tomorrow, how about we go out for a drink tonight?”

Holding the teacup, the teacher blew on it again, took another small sip, and then slowly spoke.

“This child is different from others. For our nation’s noble girls, I can patiently provide guidance and advice. But with this child, if I were to show kindness, she might perceive it as pity, which could hurt her pride.”

“That makes sense. With your title as an imperial viscount, she might easily interpret it as condescension.”

“Yes, I say it’s punishment, which actually makes her work harder on that thick textbook.”

“You’re not worried she’ll get discouraged and give up?”

The man in the white shirt finished writing, pushed up his glasses, and walked over to the fireplace to pour himself a cup of hot tea.

“No, her eyes are exactly like Siren’s were back then. She comes from the harsh mountainous areas; her will is stronger than that of pampered noble children.”

“Besides, you always step in when needed. If it doesn’t work, you can always play the good guy. Isn’t that what you do?”

“Hahaha, is that really you, Raleigh? I wouldn’t have guessed you were such a kind and dedicated person now. You used to be such a playboy.”

“I am who I am. I still love beautiful young ladies. Look at those foolish students; do I care about them?”

“Now you only talk about it, but I know better,” the teacher in the white shirt said calmly.

“You’ve been single for so long, you must still be thinking about Siren. Otherwise, why would you give up being a viscount to teach here?”

“Forget it, let’s not talk about this anymore. Let’s go, I’ll buy you a drink tonight.”

“Sure, I wouldn’t miss a chance to have someone else buy drinks.”

“You’re so wealthy, those guys in long robes really charge a lot for their wine.”

“Haha, didn’t you look down on your classmates who joined the church back then? Are you regretting it now and feeling envious?”

As the sky darkened, the two middle-aged teachers closed the office door and walked downhill. Under the pale yellow streetlights, several magitech vehicles were parked by the roadside, picking up students and teachers after school.

—

In the Northern Region’s Tower Academy, in Room 407 of the Eagle Beak Experimental Building.

A full moon hung in the sky, its silver light illuminating the granite exterior walls, giving an eerie chill. Most of the lights in the experimental building had been turned off, but a few laboratories still had lights flickering inside.

Jack, dressed in the deep blue robe symbolizing his magic sequence, stood beside the workbench, carefully assembling metal components. He frequently checked if the inscriptions on them were aligned and occasionally powered them with magic to test them.

The quiet laboratory was empty except for him. His classmates had long returned home. Fortunately, the school’s laboratories remained open all night as long as he cleaned up before leaving and locked the door behind him.

With the final screw tightened, a half-meter wide silver apparatus came together. The main body was a horizontally placed cylinder, with thin pipes and gear transmission mechanisms around it, resembling some kind of magitech power reactor.

He mixed the red and black powders he had ground and paired, rolled them into paper, tilted it slightly, and carefully poured them into one of the circular holes. Then he added blue lubricant to the other side.

Afterward, he cleared the table, first raising a faint blue barrier around the mechanism before cautiously turning the crank. A spark flashed, followed by a roar and explosion inside the mechanism, causing it to tremble slightly. The sound of rotating blades echoed inside.

Hearing this pleasant sound, Jack felt a surge of excitement.

Unfortunately, the good times did not last. Perhaps due to excessive pressure or design flaws, a bright light flashed, followed by a burst of flames. The shock wave, heat, and shattered metal fragments exploded within the barrier.

Fortunately, Jack reacted quickly and reinforced the barrier just in time to prevent the internal explosion from damaging the other instruments in the lab.

After a while, as the flames gradually subsided, he released the barrier. The smell of burnt and metallic odors filled the air, forcing him to step back a few paces and open the window for ventilation.

The previous experimental device had shattered into pieces, with nearly half of the main body scattered, revealing the gears and transmission structures. Silver metal was covered with scorched black marks and broken edges.

It failed again? Although he was somewhat prepared, Jack felt a hollow emptiness inside, his hands hanging despondently. Looking at the device he had painstakingly built with countless credits and savings, destroyed in an instant, he found it hard to accept.

He was

The third-year student at High Tower Academy, who had already repeated his grade twice, would have to leave Emanas by the end of the year if he couldn’t advance this time. This was also why he had been working so hard since last year, but unfortunately, he was not someone with great natural talent or exceptional intelligence, nor did he have any family background or connections to rely on; he could only depend on himself.

Perhaps he truly lacked natural talent.

Jack found a place to sit and stared blankly at the fragments in the light. In the shadow, his face showed no expression, only a dark silhouette.

Why? Even though he had worked so hard.

After more than five years at Emanas, he remained stuck at Sequence 5 and had achieved nothing in various competitions and events.

Recalling the vigor and bold declarations when he first entered the school, his heart filled with bitterness.

As a student in the magic sequence, he was indeed skilled in alchemy and machinery, but this world was like that—while you moved forward, others were advancing too. If you didn’t strive to be at the forefront, you’d only become an unremarkable nobody.

The effort and dedication Jack put into experiments and research weren’t less than those at the top of his grade, and perhaps even more.

But sorry, research seemed not to be decided by effort alone. It might rely more on luck and talent.

In the unknown darkness, who could know if their direction was right? Often, beside a brilliant achievement, there lay countless failures, unknown and unnoticed.

Unbeknownst to him, his eyes gradually welled up. Jack curled up in the corner, looking at the fragments under the light, his vision blurring.

Could he only end his studies in mediocrity?

It was truly unbearable, seeing such a wonderful world.

I want to stand alongside those dazzling geniuses, even if just once.

His hands clenched tightly, his voice choked with emotion. Jack slowly lowered his head, no longer daring to look at the light. In the night, the blue robe he wore was stained with a few wet drops.

Over these years, he had tried every means to improve his strength, delving into obscure technologies, hoping to find a breakthrough.

Alas, this was merely a dream.

The laboratory was silent, the only light dimming gradually, but the person sitting in the corner remained motionless, watching it fade away quietly.

The light went out.

Moonlight filtered through the curtains, dyeing the room in an indescribably dark blue.

A blurry figure gradually appeared in the laboratory, as if she had been standing there for a long time.

(The End of Chapter)