第１６８３堀：研究者の性 (Part1)
Chapter 1683: The Nature of Researchers
Side: Prol
The interior of the Magic University, while not quite on par with Weed, makes generous use of its inherent magical technology. The lighting, for instance, is not significantly inferior to electrical systems.
Regarding the architecture of the school buildings, they aren’t as chaotic as the Lancer Magic Academy, though there is still a distinct sense of old structures being patched and repurposed over time. Well, considering the university’s long history, that is perhaps unavoidable.
As for the foundational curriculum, they certainly offer classes with more detailed content than what we cover in Weed’s schools. However, their arithmetic only reaches about a middle-school level, so they don’t quite measure up to Weed there. It is also surprising that they lack a field for science—or rather, natural philosophy.
Nevertheless...
"Changes in matter and the like are considered a part of magic, so we touch upon them briefly in our foundational courses and investigate them in dedicated laboratories. Specifically, through alchemy," Ruhau-san explained.
It seems that fields like science are categorized here as branches of magic. And alchemy, at that. Turning lead into gold sounds like a tall tale, but... if I recall correctly, Yuki-sama once mentioned that there are ways to create diamonds artificially. By subjecting carbon to high compression... Does that mean alchemy is, in fact, science?
"Huh, alchemy, is it? The transformation of matter—that falls under the scope of chemistry, I suppose."
"Hmm. Is what Yuki-sama is referring to a specialized discipline taught in Weed?"
"Ah, you know about that?"
"I know of it, though only by hearsay. We haven't had an official visit to Weed yet."
"Oh, I see. So Ruhau hasn't been there yet?"
"No, I have visited for tourism. But I haven't had the chance to see the research labs."
I see. Indeed, if one is within the Rogari Continent, and given that this is a land of magic, travel to Weed via Gate is quite simple.
"I see. So the reason there were no formal greetings back then was because it was just for tourism."
"Naturally, we couldn't very well summon Yuki-san and the others just for a student visit."
"Well, that’s true."
That much is unavoidable. Yuki-sama is busy every single day, and his well-being must be prioritized. If he were to greet every single tourist, his days would be consumed entirely, and it is easy to see how that would take a toll on his health.
"Anyway, putting aside the topic of visits, could you explain the research being conducted?"
"Certainly. As Ruhau-kun mentioned earlier, we have alchemy, offensive magic, defensive magic, support magic, daily-life magic, and foundational magic."
"Hm?"
Yuki-sama seems to have a question regarding the Principal's statement.
"Is something the matter, Yuki-sama?"
"No, I just assumed that 'research' meant that detailed studies were being conducted within those specific subjects, right?"
"..."
The university staff tilt their heads at Yuki-sama’s question.
"How should I put this... Alchemy might be a bit complex, but to put it simply, for offensive magic, for example, do you have a laboratory specifically for fire-based offensive magic?"
Ah, I see. That makes sense. Offensive magic covers a vast array of types. I can understand that researching all of it at once would be difficult. After all, individuals have their own strengths and weaknesses regarding elemental affinities.
"Ah, I understand what Yuki-san is getting at. We do indeed divide our laboratories by those attributes."
"I thought so."
"As for the finer details, we submit them in summary reports, so I cannot say for certain..." the Principal replied.
Well, it is unlikely that anyone knows the exact research content of every single laboratory. Even I am not privy to the specifics of the research Comet-sama or Narjia-sama are currently undertaking.
"That can't be helped. It is rare for research to yield dramatic, visible changes. For instance, if someone says they’ve increased the duration of a certain spell by ten percent, some might say, 'Only ten percent?' but..."
"To those who use magic, that is a staggering achievement. Even a mere one percent is astonishing."
"Indeed. Normally, magic has a fixed activation time. If you try to force it to last longer, the mana consumption skyrockets, sometimes rivaling that of higher-tier spells. Therefore, one would usually opt to use a higher-tier spell instead... but if the mana consumption for the lower-tier spell were to decrease..."
"The value of that spell would skyrocket. It might even approach the utility of higher-tier magic."
Hmm, I understand what they mean. Even if the numerical increase is slight, it is undeniably a result—a testament to the research. To a layperson, it might seem trivial, but to an expert, it is a monumental feat. And that applies even among experts; as fellow researchers, if the subjects differ, it is difficult to accurately judge the value of the results.
"The next step is how you present those results. Like we just said, 'one percent' doesn't really hit home, but if you explain that something which previously required 1,000 mana now functions on 990, that’s a significant difference. It means other magical tools can be utilized instead."
"Indeed, that is incredible. And since there is natural mana recovery, the impact is even greater."
"I see. So it’s a matter of how it’s introduced."
That is a difficult hurdle. How can the research results be applied? If that isn't clearly demonstrated, it becomes difficult to gain support.
"Of course, we also consider whether the submitted research results will benefit the nation, but we would be grateful if you could present how they can be utilized from the start."
Nonoa-sama said as much. It is true; even we look at the information brought to us by our subordinates and explore whether it can be leveraged for the national interest.
"Though, in the end, it all comes down to cost-effectiveness."
"Cost-effectiveness?"
"It’s exactly as it sounds: the effect gained relative to the cost incurred. To put it simply, how much result can you get for the money you spend? Or, to make it even easier to understand, it’s about framing it as how much you can buy with that money."
"Ah, that is very easy to understand. In the end, rather than saying how much the performance of a certain thing improved through research..."
"It is better to talk about how much funding can be saved or how much more output can be gained."
"Exactly. Nonoa, you’d agree that’s better, right?"
"Ahaha, I am a seeker of magic myself, so I wouldn't want to say it should be all about money, but in reality, a nation cannot function without it."
Nonoa-sama and the Principal offer bitter smiles, yet they affirm Yuki-sama’s words. Yes, money is absolutely essential to maintain a nation.