[Direct Message]

[Rustila: Tonight was nice. See you tomorrow.]

[Professor: Today's discussion was good. Let's do it again tomorrow.]

I was about to return to my dormitory after spending a cozy evening with Rustila and Professor Feynman.

"Hey, you there!"

Two police officers appeared.

"Huh?"

Before I knew it, handcuffs were slapped on my wrists.

"Eidel von Rheinland."

"We're arresting you on suspicion of collusion with foreign gods."

***

How did things come to this?

Me, colluding with foreign gods?

And they arrested me for that?

This is absurd.

Although I haven't even started yet, I'm struggling to drive the foreign gods out of this universe. I'm clearly on humanity's side.

While I was thinking about various excuses, it happened.

Bang!

Detective Terrence slammed his hand on the desk and spoke.

"It's been a while, Eidel."

"Hello, Detective."

Detective Terrence. A capable space police officer who had been promoted while dealing with the troublemaker Eidel since childhood.

He used to be in the violent crimes division but was transferred to the youth division thanks to my meteoric appearance.

I never thought I'd encounter this person again.

Is this a blessing in disguise?

The detective took out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, sighed, and began speaking.

"...Did you hit someone again, Eidel?"

"No?"

"What do you gain from hitting people?"

"I didn't hit anyone."

"What exactly do you get out of this behavior?"

Come on, please listen when someone is talking.

Damn it. I was wrong. When the speaker is Eidel, they won't listen to anything I say. While I was inwardly clicking my tongue, Detective Terrence got to the point.

"Anyway, Eidel, I called you here today because investigation results show you're connected to Laplace's foreign god."

"...What? Me?"

"Yes, you. About the gear you used during the midterm evaluation—everyone who sparred with you, except one person, passed out after just three or four exchanges, right?"

I nodded. I had briefly pummeled them with the Calipers of Wisdom to extort a large number of practical points.

"Passing out after experiencing a severe shock in virtual reality... Hologram shock isn't unheard of. The hospital examination results also gave that diagnosis for everyone. It's not actually that rare a symptom."

"Right. So..."

"But I thought something was strange. The central government contacted me. They asked me to investigate you a little."

And they reached a conclusion.

"In just one place—Capsule 54, where you knocked out five people with a single blow—large amounts of Laplace-type prons were detected."

After hearing that, I thought for a moment and then nodded. I had a rough idea of what had happened.

Laplace's Forces?

It definitely wasn't me.

Even though I borrowed Cartesia's power, the remaining prons should have been of the Descartes type. This means another foreign god besides Cartesia had invaded that space.

"You'll need to answer the questions I'm about to ask."

"Understood."

Whatever the case, I had only one thing to do now.

Cooperate diligently with the investigation.

***

The investigation continued for over a week.

As a result, I couldn't go to school at all this week. Since I was going there to study things I already knew, it didn't really matter, but eating police station food wasn't exactly a pleasant experience.

"It's uncomfortable, but bear with it. If a foreign god really has taken root in you, letting you go outside would be much more dangerous."

Human rights were restricted for the sake of maintaining public order and the safety of the majority. I couldn't go out freely, couldn't speak freely, couldn't move freely.

For the first three days or so, it felt like I was serving a prison sentence.

After a few days, the investigation seemed to loosen up.

"He shows no signs of madness at all."

"Could it be a long incubation period?"

"Even at the latest, attacks normally occur once a week. Didn't you hear what the doctors said?"

I could hear various conversations from outside the door. The most noteworthy one came at the end.

"We got a psychiatric evaluation, and all measurements were normal. No residual prons were detected either..."

Scientific results had come in.

Creeeeak. The steel door opened, and light poured in.

"Eidel, it's all over now."

"Can I go back to school?"

"Yes. You'll be under surveillance, but you can return to normal life. I'll do my best to make that happen."

Detective Terrence's face showed subtle apologetic and bitter expressions. He probably thought he had barked up the wrong tree.

To be fair, it wasn't entirely wrong.

I had made a contract with Cartesia, after all.

I even used her abilities during the midterm exam.

However, I was confident I could get away with it easily due to the characteristic of Descartes' Forces, which leave almost no residual prons.

I had stumbled over an unexpected obstacle.

[— 'God of Wisdom and Curiosity' contemplates.]

["It was that Laplace bastard. Come to think of it, there was a bug that interfered when you and that silver-haired brat were fighting."]

"...?"

["A filthy kind that makes its servants work without rewards. They don't even understand the basics of entertainment. Tsk."]

Cartesia clicked her tongue. My expression turned dumb.

I remember what happened at the end of my fight with Zernya. The sudden appearance of the word "Lose" on my status screen.

I had reflexively assumed it was Cartesia's doing. I thought there was only one foreign god there.

Cartesia must have known about it. But why didn't she tell me?

["Why should I tell you something like that?"]

I was a fool for asking.

Anyway, I was released due to insufficient evidence.

"Gather your electronic devices and other belongings and head out. There are people waiting outside, so you'd better hurry."

There are people waiting outside?

"Young master."

"Brother!"

"Eidel...!"

Sonia, Seti, and Rustila. The three people I cherish most came running.

Seti was the first to throw herself into my arms, and Rustila sighed with tears in her eyes. Sonia watched the two of them and shrugged her shoulders from behind.

"Sob, I, I thought you were really going to prison..."

[Seti von Adelbein Rheinland: 140/1000]

[Psychological state: She believes you are being controlled by a foreign god. She fears you being taken away.]

"Eidel. Thank goodness. Because you're innocent..."

[Rustila Kersil: 170/1500]

[Psychological state: (Effect of Mind's Eye) She knows you have contracted with a foreign god. She was afraid you might not come back to school.]

I only feel sorry for worrying the two of them. As for Sonia, well, she's an android, so there's no need to read her psychology.

By the way, I didn't expect that not only Rustila but also Seti would know about my contract with Cartesia.

It's chilling in some ways.

In the end, if anything happens, I need to protect these two. Seti is family, and I think of Rustila as family too.

"Young master."

After calming down the two sobbing girls, I turned my gaze. Sonia approached slowly with her hands modestly folded.

"I was worried."

"..."

"I should have monitored you 24 hours a day..."

"Eidel! Is Eidel here?!"

A man's voice interrupted Sonia's words.

My head turned stiffly like a broken spring. Across the hallway, there was a person with a worried face.

"P-Professor?"

"Student."

Professor Feynman was there.

"Professor!"

"Student!"

I finished consoling Seti and Rustila and ran to the professor. We embraced each other and cried out loud.

"My student! I thought you were going to disappear like this!"

"Me too! Thank you for coming, Professor...! Is my thesis topic safe?!"

"Yes, of course! Who would take it? It's research only you can do, Eidel!"

My week-long investigation at the Southern Region Space Police Station due to foreign gods would be something to remember for a long time.

Because I could confirm the professor's sincerity toward me.

Soon after, I organized the DMs I had exchanged with the professor. Thinking I had gone missing, the professor had sent nearly 100 messages the next day. He even called an ambulance, thinking I had collapsed.

"Thank goodness. What if a talent like you had gone mad or died? It would have been a tremendous loss for humanity."

"Oh, it wouldn't be that bad..."

"Now, don't think about anything else and go back to school. You have class tomorrow, right? Let's continue our discussion later, and you should get plenty of rest today."

"Yes, I'll do that..."

Wait a minute. What am I saying?

Doesn't Academia have a grade-skipping system? I was definitely planning to use that.

If you achieve excellent grades in your first year, you get the opportunity to directly enter the college course. However, "excellent grades" doesn't just mean scoring high on the promotion exam.

The Education Department has the discretion to select students to advance to college.

For example, a high school student who is the first author of an SCI-level paper.

"Professor."

I looked at the professor and said.

"I'll mark this week as a medical absence from Academia. I think it would be good to catch up on our missed discussions during that time."

"...Are you sure that's okay?"

"Of course."

"All right. Let's do that."

So after declaring to Seti and Rustila that I would be skipping school next week, I followed the professor.

***

After Eidel and Professor Feynman had left.

Detective Terrence could only clear his throat awkwardly. The faces of the sobbing Rustila and Seti trembled in a daze.

"...After we worried so much."

"Who is that person?"

Rustila didn't know Feynman, but Seti vaguely did. That person was going to be Eidel's academic advisor.

From what she'd heard, he was going to the Physics Department in college.

She had thought that was just a joke.

But that closeness. That kindness. An atmosphere more familial than with Seti. A distance more friendly than with Rustila.

The two girls felt irritation rising for some reason.

"Please don't be too angry."

Sonia placed her hands on the shoulders of the two and comforted them.

"The young master cherishes both of you. It's evident just by looking at his eyes."

"...Sonia."

"He probably followed that professor because he has something to do. Something very important."

Sonia turned her head to face Rustila.

White eyes meet azure eyes. Sonia's proud and upright expression. Rustila unconsciously gulped.

Seti, who slowly turned her head, asked.

"Sonia. Don't you feel disappointed?"

Sonia smiled faintly and also faced Seti. She answered Seti's question with her still impassive face.

"Such emotions are a luxury for an android."

"..."

"And besides."

Sonia looked down the corridor where Eidel and Professor Feynman had disappeared and sighed deeply.

"In any case, I am with the young master..."