Chapter Text
1oz Silver Bar: buy online?
2*4 wood planks: 1 Ft of whatever available
7075-T6 Aluminum: 1Ft of 2" solid bar
1" Solid Brass Bar: 1 Ft
12mm Iron Bar: 1 Ft
3" by 3" Galvanized Square Steel: 1 Ft
AMAS' front armor (Lv. 4+?): ask engi dep
Pieces of Rai-chan's armor: ask Utaha
Several dead & intact Automaton (~3): ask engi dep. / check the ruin
Huh? Initially comes the confusion.
Yuuka glances into the message box of his sent this morning with a question mark floating over her head.
Huh. Subsequently, curiosity. "What the hell are all these for?" She blurts out.
Is he doing some sort of experiment? Or testing? But he's buying mostly just raw materials?
The treasurer part in her raises the alarm. These cost! What is he thinking!?
Yuuka types into her phone with near inhuman speed and precision.
Sensei?
Is this a shopping list?
Are you doing an experiment?
What are these materials for?
It is until the now does Yuuka realize that she's pressing maybe a bit too hard.
Sensei deserves some privacy, and perhaps some financial freedom.
But he lists entering the ruin of Millennium! That's very much Seminar's business!
Her phone buzzes; Yuuka almost drops it like it's a bomb going off.
Mis-sent it
Disregard the message
And for the record, yes, it's for an experiment
Something I've wanted to try since I got to Kivotos
Cyan eyes freeze at the last line. Something he've wanted to try since he got here.
This by extension, means it's related to Sensei's true identity beyond... well, a Sensei.
Her wandering thoughts anchor down at this one thing she's interested the most.
And she can be the first to know about it. Now that's something that simply can't be ignored.
I can help you gathering these materials
At reasonable prices
If you'd like
Is she making it too obvious?
That would be great
I'm sensing a but?
Yes she is. Yuuka grumbles at her hastiness silently.
Uhm
Can I be an audience of your experiment?
In return
Of course if it's something private then
BigBadAub02 is Typing...
But really, what kind of experiment will it be anyway?
He's not buying experiment-related items like beakers or scales; perhaps Schale already has them?
And most of these raw materials are metal; so it's something related to metalworks?
All the questions are bubbling up in The Treasurer's mind, and none of it can be answered by talking to herself.
Sure
But you may not perceive me the same as who I was
It's something
Unscientific
And I can't guarantee you safe
Are you certain?
Yuuka looking at the message as if the adult just sent her the nuclear bomb code.
If it's just regular experiment accidents, she can take care of herself no problem.
And she's convinced that Sensei is aware of that as well. But then...
Is it that serious? If that's the case, why would he risk doing this?
Yuuka is trying her best to make sense of it. Is the reward outweighing the risk that much?
She takes a deep breath, and types in with determination.
Yes
I'll be by your side
If it is, and he's willing to take the risk, then it's best that Yuuka is beside him.
She knows how to handle experiment hazards. Plus, she has her shield, for her, and for him.
That's good to hear
I'll go visit you
At Seminar's office tomorrow
About the details
Thanks
A rushing sense of achievement goes through her mind as she pumps her fist in the air.
She gets to participate (sort of) the experiment AND Sensei will meet her tomorrow. Yes!
Okay
See you soon then, Sensei
The happy Treasurer turns off her phone screen; her pink cheeks are visible in the reflection.
She tries to clear her throat and adjust herself back into work mode as she proceeds with her daily tasks.
Unaware of the last message he sent her.
Oh and the whole beside me thing
Trust me
If it goes well
You do not want to
The following day is... kind of uneventful, much to her disappointment.
They meet; they talk; they go to Engineering Club and Material Engineering Club for the materials.
To no one's surprise, people don't really argue about the price at the face of Sensei of Schale, and The Treasurer of Seminar.
No sane researchers will risk their project budget and the chance of being hated by Sensei for some raw materials.
Until they get to Engineering Club, who demanded another few audience seats at the experiment, in exchange of the related items.
Because Rai-chan's exterior armor is made of composite materials with a top-secret formula; similar case goes for AMAS'.
It's a reasonable request, so the adult agrees immediately; under a condition, of course.
"Sensei, this is...!" Yuuka scans through the fine prints, her red pupil is struggling to see any ulterior motives.
"Is it what I think it is?" Utaha prods semi-unbelievably, raising her purple eyebrow.
"Yup. Take it or leave it." Sensei nods in response. "It is formal, legal, and most importantly, permanently effective."
Hibiki tucks her fluffy tail between her legs. "NDA... We've dealt with this before, but coming from Sensei..."
"I feel like we just got caught in something beyond our reach..." Kotori's facial expression is matching that of her glasses'.
The adult checks the cart full of his listed goods. Don't want to say this but, yes you are. He remarks quietly.
"One last chance. You can still take these plates and robots back now." The rings of silver pierce into the opposing lavender.
Utaha closes her eyes and ponders for a full second. NDA is nothing special, if anything, Engineering Club already has several under their name.
Another one wouldn't hurt. The Trio traded looks for a second and Utaha draws a conclusion.
"We're in. To think the inspiration we can draw from this, it's worth it." And gaze back into the seemingly gleaming silver.
And they blink in return. "Very well." Something mixed within that look, Utaha is not emotionally perceptive enough to tell what that is, however.
"Oh! If that's the case," Sensei claps his hand ceremonially. "I'd like to use one of your testing fields. It will be much safer for both me and you."
He goes on, "The more frequently-used one, the better. Is that okay with you?"
Utaha shrugged. "Sure, might as well." An odd additional request, but oh well.
"A chance to see Sensei's secret experiment... Sounds exciting." Hibiki seems more relaxed now; her ears are uncurled.
Kotori's energy is returning. "I'll explain to you the details properties of our testing fields then~"
"Fantastic. I notify you gals the date when I'm ready." He finally smiles whole-heartedly. It makes the bystanding Yuuka warm.
"Oh, one last thing." Sensei speaks up. "No video or audio recordings, even for private research purposes."
"""Aw..."""
Kivotos is an odd place. The adult Type Blue lets his mind wander back to the basics.
EVE, or Elan-Vital Energy, is in layman's term, mana particles; the fuel of thaumatology.
Everyone or everything alive radiates EVE; the more intelligent and/or paranormal the subject is, the stronger their EVE radiation is.
His eyes are capable of capturing the colors and shapes of such energy; courtesy of... well, the "REDACTED" reasons, so to speak.
They tell him who they are, where they are, how they feel at the moment, and how strong their mystics are; it's practically cheating.
His students often jokingly say that Sensei is a mind-reader; he's not quite that, he's more of a life-energy reader actually.
Furthermore, the air of Kivotos is rich with wild EVE; instead of ~100 Caspers in his world, it's about 800-1000 Caspers based on his rough estimation.
At this point, he in theory can simply gather them to cast instead of using his own blood, but he's playing safe here, his students are present.
And speaking of students, seemingly everyone in Kivotos is to a degree, a weak, subconscious Type Green. Those who has a halo above their head are that but stronger.
It shocked him at the beginning, and for the first few days here he lived in a rather skittish state.
Perhaps that's one of the reasons why the gals are bulletproof superwomen with power discrepant to their physique.
Except Shiroko Terror; her EVE is barely readible compared to her current world counterpart. Every time he sees that, it hurts him inside. Type black.
He continues to recall his lessons, a Type Blue is a thaumatologist; simply put, a magic practitioner. Like himself.
A Type Green on the other hand, is a Reality Bender, or someone who can do the impossible without suffering the consequences.
And Type Black-
"Sensei?" Yuuka calls from behind the glass panel of the control room.
The adult snaps back to reality. "...Yeah?"
"Whenever you're ready." Utaha give him a thumbs up.
In front of him, at the center of the empty concrete square called the testing field, lies the subjects of the experiment:
Multiple components from his collection of guns; charging handles, bolt carriers, barrels and so on.
And a tomahawk; a commission from Sensei to Engineering Club a while ago as a birthday gift for himself.
Within his hands, a silver ingot, a small secespita, and The Web of Wyrd sigil carved on a small basalt slate.
He kneels as he puts the silver ingot before the subjects, and the slate right between his knees.
"Last reminder, girls. I need complete focus for this; no sudden sounds, moves or entering the testing field, understand?"
He glances at the glass panel and the people behind them, demanding an answer.
"Copy." "Mhm." "O-Okay...!" Utaha, Hibiki and Kotori replies.
The Treasure, however, hesitates. "Sensei, are you sure-"
"-I am sure, Yuuka. I got this." Sensei assures her in a composed tone.
And how can she say no to that, coming from him? "...Alright."
The thaumatologist nods curtly in return, before bringing his silver sights back on the subjects.
Here we go.