Chapter 2

Disgrace of Melvinger family (2)

"..."

Sean quickly scanned the surroundings to confirm if anyone was paying attention to them, before speaking with a serious expression.

"Be careful with your words. Do you think the exploration team was formed for no reason? The academic community decided on this possibility after presenting, discussing, and reviewing dozens or hundreds of papers."

"I know."

"You know, and still saying such things?"

Sean, who had raised his voice, quickly lowered it.

"Do you know how many professors are involved here? You're poking at all those old-timers."

"But what if it's the truth?"

When Elric shrugged, Sean narrowed his eyes.

He knows Elric is a genius.

However, he could not understand why Elric was questioning the research conducted by hundreds of renowned scholars over several years. 

"Explain."

Elric pointed to a spot on the map attached to the proposal as if waiting for it.

"This spot here. It's a crack created by the collision of two strata. It's like a cliff that drops straight down. Geological surveys suggest that it is at least a hundred thousand years old, so if there's a dragon's nest, it must be here."

The massive mana generated when the two strata collide.

It would have settled and condensed in the crack over thousands of years.

The theoretical basis was sufficient.

-From high to low.

The crack was much lower than the surface.

So deep that the end was not visible.

-From hot to cold.

Since the sun did not reach it at all, it would be much colder than the surface.

-From wide to narrow.

The end of the crack had to be very narrow.

The magic scholars, who discovered traces of dragons, eliminated one by one all the impossible places for a nest based on every hypothesis, until only one place remained.

That's how they concluded that the dragon's nest was here.

"But this crack has one element that defies three laws of mana stream."

"Don't beat around the bush."

"The underground here is hot."

Sean frowned.

"What? There are no volcanic zones here. It's 300 meters underground, and sunlight doesn't even reach here."

"But there's very hot groundwater that originates from the lava of the volcanic zone."

"Volcano? Where on earth is there something like that here?"

Elric pointed to a spot on the map.

And Sean frowned again.

The place Elric was indicating was the Akran Volcano, located far to the north in the 'Ring of Fire,' a restricted area that is far from the dragon's nest located at the southern tip of the continent.

Elric began to speak rapidly.

"The water originating from the Akran Volcano penetrates beneath the continent without passing through the sea due to the unique terrain of the 'Ring of Fire'. Some of it is the dragon vein points used as a water source in the villages formed along the eastern coastal area. So..."

As Elric pointed out the terrain one by one, Sean's gaze followed suit, and gradually, his complexion grew paler.

"So, considering all these conditions, there's no other area where groundwater could flow down so many layers like this."

Elric drew a large circle around the area where the dragon's nest was located with his pen.

"...But as you'll see in the last pages, we also successfully recorded the mana wavelength of the dragon in this vicinity."

Sean said in a refutational tone, and Elric chuckled in response.

"I never said there wasn't one, did I?"

"What?"

"There will be one. Obviously. After all, it's a spiritual place where mana must condense. Here."

"So where do you think the nest is?"

"Here."

Elric pointed to an unnamed cave much further west from the original location.

"It's definitely here."

His voice was resolute.

***

"Damn it. How the hell do I explain this to the old man?"

Sean nervously scratches the back of his head all the way back to the research lab.

The more he mulled over the information Elric had provided, the more convinced he became that it was accurate. 

And the fact that there might really be a dragon's nest at the location Elric specified at the end.

That was what made it even more of a problem.

From now on, it was entirely his responsibility to confront the professor.

Sean's professor was a powerful figure, even mentioned as the next headmaster.

He enjoyed political games more than research, and he loved his official position more than thesis.

He had brought Sean under his wing to maintain a good image with Sean's family.

So, the professor had despised anything that tarnished his authority.

Considering that the professor had been at the forefront of planning this exploration mission, it was obvious he would be furious upon hearing there was no nest.

"Should I just pretend I don't know and let it go?"

But then again, this opportunity was crucial for Elric.

If it became known that Elric had actually pinpointed the nest's location, it could be a game-changer. He might even get published in a professional journal.

"Let's give it a try."

Sean hesitated for a while in front of the professor's office, then gathered his courage and knocked on the door.

***

"Um! So, Sean, what you're saying is that the nest might be in a completely different location?"

Professor Berex, with a conspicuously displeased expression, looked at Sean.

"It's not that, but I was wondering if there might be a possibility it could be here, so I sought your opinion, Professor."

Sean tried to speak without upsetting Professor Berex as much as possible. However, Berex's gaze was fiery enough to roast him on the spot.

'Damn it! This is why I didn't want to come here!'

If it wasn't for Sean's background, Berex would have thrown the ashtray at him by now.

"You'll have to persuade me why you've come to such a conclusion. And If you can't….. I won't just let it slide even if you're a son of the Neresta family."

Sean's mouth went dry, but he continued to explain while clenching his fist.

And as expected, Professor Berex's expression gradually changed throughout the explanation, unlike his initial reaction.

"...This is the speculation we have."

After the entire explanation was finished.

Tap.

Tap.

Professor Berex silently tapped his desk with his index finger, a habit he had when he was lost in thought. As the lines on his forehead deepened.

"Whose opinion is this speculation based on?"

"I-It's based on Elric Melvinger of the Elemental Magic Department!"

"Disgrace of the Melvinger family, right? Then there's no need to think about it any further."

Professor Berex let out a smirk.

"Professor..."

"It's certainly a plausible speculation. I even had my doubts for a moment. The insight and perspective that isn't easy for a mere student to come up with."

"But…!"

"But! That's all there is to it. Have you considered the losses that occur as the groundwater flows to the south? Moreover, everything you presented as evidence is just speculation, isn't it? You don't have a single piece of evidence. It's nothing more than a well-crafted patchwork of various theses available out there."

Professor Berex lightly chuckled as he continued.

"I heard that disgrace of the Melvinger family received another academic warning this time, and is on the brink of expulsion, right? There's no way that moron will pass supplementary exams with a body that can't even store mana, let alone condense it... quite a desperate plan."

Moron.

Sean's fist tightened at that word.

Whether he knew Sean's reaction or not, Professor Berex waved his hand as if he didn't want to hear any more.

"It seems like he was trying to trick the naive one here, but he can't fool my eyes."

"If...?"

"Hmm?"

"If… Elric Melvinger's speculation turns out to be correct?"

Sean asked with a tone as if he was holding back.

Professor Berex was about to scold him for talking nonsense, but he looked Sean up and down and suddenly gave a warm smile.

"Well, sometimes unexpected things happen in this world. As a dean, I can't simply ignore the opinion of a student who hasn't even been expelled yet."

"Then...!"

"So, here's my proposition."

"...What do you mean?"

For a moment, one corner of Professor Berex's mouth twisted into a wide grin.

"I'll give you a chance on behalf of the department. How about a bet?"

***

"A bet? Alright, I'm in."

Elric raced to his dormitory and nodded when he saw Sean, who had been ranting about what happened with his professor.

Sean frowned and shouted with a twisted expression.

"Hey!"

"Oh, my ears are going to fall off. The next room can hear you. Keep it down."

Sean paid no heed to Elric's words.

"Aren't you even angry?"

"About what?"

"That the dean is basically taking away the family heirloom from its department student….!"

Sean couldn't forget the proposition Professor Berex had made at the end.

-I'll delegate to you all the authority necessary to form the exploration team. Elric Melvinger's speculation seemed quite plausible, so why not confirm it?

-However, as you both know, the department's budget is not particularly generous. So, we will need convincing evidence to persuade the budget department. In case the expedition fails, we need something to cover the expenses...

-So, here's the thing. I heard that Elric Melvinger always treasures the heirloom of our founding headmaster. How about using that as collateral?

The founding headmaster of the Usdun Academy, Usdun Melvinger, was grandfather to Elric.

Elric had never met him in person because he had passed away long before Elric was born.

However, because he had left such a significant mark in the continent's history, Elric knew his face through statues and was aware of his achievements through legends.

Such a revered grandfather had left behind a single heirloom, or rather, it was the family heirloom passed down from generation to generation to the head of the Melvinger family.

A faded pendant in the shape of a swastika commonly known as the "Magical Amulet."

Elric had always worn it, so he occasionally forgot how precious it was.

But for those who revered Usdun Melvinger and worshiped the prestigious magic family, it held a unique significance.

Professor Berex was asking for this very pendant.

He had used the pretext of a "collateral," but it was obvious who would receive it in the end.

If it were other nobles who valued their family honor above all else, it would have been an insulting proposal that could have easily led to violence.

Psst.

Elric couldn't help but smirk.

"That gentleman has been eyeing this thing for a while now."

"Are you calling that a thing...?"

"Still, thank you. In the end, you took my side to the very end, right?"

"Damn it."

Sean slumped in his place.

He had been the one to vent his frustration all along, but now that he saw Elric's reaction, he couldn't help but feel even more drained.

Elric, on the other hand, looked at his friend with a contented smile.

"… So what are you going to do now? Are you really going to accept it?"

Professor Berex had attached a condition that if the nest was indeed discovered at Elric's speculated location, he would exempt him from the academic warning.

In the end, it was do or die.

"Yeah, we have to fight it out."

"Sigh! In the end..."

"But there's one thing missing."

"...?"

"On one side, he is putting up my family heirloom, but on the other side, he is only offering exemption from the academic warning? That doesn't balance the scales."

"So?"

At that moment, Elric looked as wickedly amused as Professor Berex in Sean's eyes.

"The dean has to wager his career, right? It wouldn't be fair otherwise."

"...!"

Only then did Sean remember another nickname for Elric that had quietly spread among the students, aside from "Disgrace of the Melvinger Family."

The freak of the Melvinger family.