The Magic Academy's Physicist-Chapter 277: The Elemental Spring (3)

Chapter 277: The Elemental Spring (3)
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mazing. Out of all the things I’ve created, there has never been one quite like you. I’m very pleased.]
Greatly pleased, the Goddess typed a few lines of compliments.
Why a Goddess was being like this towards me, I didn’t know. But anyway.
This kind of attitude basically meant that she was soon going to save Lotte. To borrow religious phrasing... yeah. My prayer had been heard.
[root@Le’Cuiness:~# But a minimum price is required because of the rules.]
“A price?”
[root@Le’Cuiness:~# Yes. There’s a cost to reviving that girl.]
[root@Le’Cuiness:~# If this isn’t paid, the code becomes a great mess later on. It’s commonly known as a spaghetti code, which I really hate.]
Then the Goddess told me how each wish was paid for.
In most cases, they would lose their lives, because it was the simplest and most straightforward way.
Rich people could have all their possessions taken and those who were famous could lose their honor. For that reason, there were some gaps in history, said the Goddess.
[root@Le’Cuiness:~# As an extreme example, if the person is dead but you really want to bring them back, then I could send them to another world or make them into an Elemental, you see.]
“I thought you couldn’t bring them back if they’re dead.”
That was what I had heard from Secuel.
[root@Le’Cuiness:~# Normally, yes, but there is a way to do it.......]
When the Goddess told me what that was, I unconsciously closed my mouth.
I could understand why they said that a dead person couldn’t be raised even with the Goddess’ powers.
[root@Le’Cuiness:~# Anyway, this doesn’t have to do with you. Since neither of us have much time, let’s get to business.]
It was finally here.
Rubbing at where my skin was touching the spring waters, I resolved myself.
[root@Le’Cuiness:~# The rules are absolute. If you wish to revive your friend, I will put a time limit on you. Whether you follow this or not is completely up to you.]
“I’ll follow.”
I couldn’t let go of this child who could throw herself away for me.
If Lotte died, defeating the Demon King wasn’t going to mean much. I’d be in agony for the rest of my life, and I didn’t want to have that kind of regret.
With a grinning emoji, the Goddess sent an answer.
[root@Le’Cuiness:~# Okay. The moment you leave this place, there will be a limit of one year on your life.]
A year, eh.
“Understood.”
[root@Le’Cuiness:~# Is it enough time to defeat the Demon King?]
“It is.”
For the completion of Dark Day.
And, for saying goodbye to this world. It was more than enough to do all of these.
[root@Le’Cuiness:~# You do not need to worry so much about dying. The time limit is merely figurative; it just means that you won’t be able to stay in this world anymore.]
[root@Le’Cuiness:~# There can’t be two of the same person under the sun, anyway. This is all to save on data, so I ask for your understanding.]
Saving on data? I didn’t know what it meant, but....
It probably wasn’t that important. With a nod, I go up from the spring.
“I appreciate your consideration.”
I was just grateful that my very existence wasn’t going to disappear.
In a year, however, I wouldn’t be able to see everyone, including Lotte, forever.
It was a bitter thing, but what could I do.
The original me had been dying to leave this continent.
And now she was saying that I could go back to Earth after a year. If I thought about it, there couldn’t be a better deal.
[root@Le’Cuiness:~# Then, I wish you the best.]
Flash.
With that message, the communication stopped.
“...It’s done, sister.”
Having watched the conversation with bated breath, Alice carefully showed herself and spoke, her voice filled with worry and sorrow.
“Yeah, it’s done.”
It was coming to an end.
This journey.
Moving slowly so that I wouldn’t collapse from dizziness, I stepped out of the spring.
“...Ugh.”
There wasn’t a single part of my body that didn’t hurt.
My arms and legs were shaking. My neck was stiff, and it felt like my organs were twisting up.
“......!”
Feeling something coming up, I covered my mouth and coughed.
“
Cough, cough
.”
My palm was filled with black-red blood.
“...So it starts.”
The contract with the Goddess Le’Cuiness.
Exactly 8760 hours from now, I would disappear from this world.
**
When I got dressed and came out of the World Tree, Vermel was waiting.
“So you went in, after all.”
“.......”
“Why aren’t you saying anything?”
I guess it was expected that I’d be found out since I wasn’t around for 24 hours.
Vermel looked exhausted, just like an officer worker who had pulled an all-nighter.
With a nod, I asked.
“How long were you waiting here?”
“Does that matter right now?”
“A guy who has tons of things to do shouldn’t be waiting here for so long.”
With a smirk, Vermel gave his answer.
“22 hours.”
“Bullshit.”
“.......”
“...For real?”
The fuck was wrong with this guy.
“It’s a year, isn’t it.”
“No?”
“What do you mean ‘no’.”
“I was pretty damn persuasive with the Goddess. She didn’t ask for my life.”
I puffed out my chest and said confidently.
Despite acting normal and not looking like I was in pain, Vermel didn’t let go of his doubt.
Bastard, he was beating the Demon King with how skeptical he was.
“I could ask the Elementals.”
“Do it if you want.”
I feigned calm.
I had already talked with the other Elementals like Alice or Secuel, so they were never, ever going to tell Vermel the truth.
–was what I thought.
“Elementals can never lie, so you better tell me yourself while I’m being nice.”
“.......”
Ah, right.
Although I was quite flustered inside, I maintained an expressionless face on the outside. Poker faces were a specialty of mine.
Whether he knew that or not, Vermel raised his head a bit instead of looking at me, and there sat Alice chewing on her lip.
“O King of the Elec Realm, I wish to ask you something.”
“I will answer the best I can.”
Vermel’s words were very direct.
“Will Aether disappear from this world in a year?”
“.......”
Instead of outright confirming, Alice chose to remain silent.
“Unfortunately, I cannot answer that one.”
“......Haaa.”
Seriously, this blockheaded sister. So damn clueless.
No, maybe it was my fault.
With a sigh, I waved my hand.
“Don’t overthink it, there are only two things that matter right now.”
One was meeting Lotte, and the other was finishing Dark Day within the time limit.
The latter especially was a time attack for each other.
If I didn’t finish Dark Day until the Demon King invaded, the world was going to be under his rule. Every Elemental was going to be executed, and the Goddess might lose control over Ahrens continent.
The worst thing that could happen would be that she inputs the command that deleted the whole directory that was this world.
If they didn’t get here by the time I finished Dark Day, on the other hand, it would be the Demon Army’s defeat.
The Demon King would die from my magic, and those who sided with him would all lose their heads.
There would be peace in the world again, but it wasn’t going to be pretty for the perpetrators still alive after the Demon King’s death.
Of course, the latter was better than the former. With the former, we could spare at least the decent, gentle guys from the Demon Army; the latter overwhelmingly guaranteed a bad ending.
“Vermel, if you have time to worry about me then help me put together a research group.”
“Research group?”
“We have to finish Dark Day.”
It was going to take a long time if I worked on it alone.
One year. In order to finish within that time, I needed the help of other geniuses and talents.
“Vouch for me. If I can get research personnel and a budget, I can start testing within half a year.”
In fact, the plan for doing it on my own had been for between eight months and two years. Now, there were only a few steps left to Dark Day.
Materials, budget, time, and labor. If all four of these fell into place, it could even be done within three months.
“Alright, I’ll do what I can.”
With a pensive face, Vermel continued.
“So don’t go dying early.”
“Probably gonna outlive you.”
And as we were exchanging half-serious jokes–
In the distance, Secuel poked her head out from the entrance of the World Tree.
She waved her hand at me then slipped back inside.
It must mean for me to go over there.
“...I’ll take a quick trip inside.”
After saying that to Vermel, I followed Secuel to the heart of the World Tree.
“Go up the altar.”
On top of the altar, there was a glass casket decorated with flowers.
Settling my pounding heart, I climbed the steps.
Within the casket was a girl who looked to be sleeping comfortably.
It was an all-too-familiar face.
I checked her complexion and chest.
Her complexion was no different from a regular person, and the pulse I took was also normal. The many holes in her chest were already gone.
A miracle indeed.
The Goddess had performed a miracle.
“......Mmm.”
As I approached her, the girl’s eyes fluttered open. Soon, groaning, she turned her eyes towards me.
“Aether...?”
She sprung upright.
She could’ve groaned with how fast she got up, but she showed no signs of pain. Relieved, I slowly went up to her.
It had only been a few days, but it felt like I hadn’t seen her in ages.
Should I be laughing or crying here?
I didn’t know what kind of face to make.
But, Lotte’s face when she saw me gradually filled with shock and panic.
And sensing something was off, I immediately stopped in my tracks.
In the next moment, tears spilled from Lotte’s orb-like eyes.
“What, the heck is this.”
Lotte suddenly started to well up.
Trying to step out of the casket, she collapsed on the spot.
“Why, why did you die, too! Why......!”