Zernya entered with confidence.

What awaited her was a large and beautiful structure.

A spherical steel chamber, wires tangled like noodles, a supercomputer connecting all sorts of control devices including coolers and transformers. Plus various other equipment that would cost millions of credits each.

It was overwhelming just to look at.

"Wow, look at the size. It's enormous."

Zernya was shocked, and Eidel was impressed.

"The inside of the sphere is a hollow cavity. That's because we need to put a person inside. We paid special attention to the size in many ways."

"Did you place the frequency generator over there?"

"That's right. Would you like to see it?"

"Excuse me. Wow, setting it up this way would increase the Q-factor. The application of 4D Macrocomb technology is also innovative."

The two continued their vlog. As technical terms started appearing, things became increasingly confusing.

I knew that woman conversing with Eidel was a professor. Since Eidel wouldn't give proper answers, I'd have to ask her directly if I wanted to know anything.

Somewhat awkwardly, Zernya approached Professor Stranov when the two paused their recording. After belated introductions, she received an explanation about that enormous device.

"It's resonance equipment for containing foreign gods. The principle itself is similar to a laser. The difference is that it contains the waves of foreign gods rather than light."

Zernya tilted her head.

"If you just keep containing them, wouldn't the waves build up and eventually burst?"

"That's right. That's the problem."

"Then doesn't that mean you can't contain foreign gods? I'm also doubtful whether any mirror could withstand the manic pressure of foreign gods... Do you have a solution?"

It was a question mixed with a spoonful of bluntness.

In truth, Zernya wanted to show Eidel. This is the level of my insight. Even a non-major like me can point this out.

"Oh."

Professor Stranov's expression became intriguing.

"That's a good question."

Then she smiled.

In that moment, Zernya realized she had made a mistake.

Professor Stranov was looking at Zernya and licking her lips.

"Once that issue is resolved, the resonator is essentially complete. Mr. Rheinland has done most of the theoretical work. Of course, we're trying to solve this problem in collaboration with him as well."

"That means..."

"Yes. Mr. Rheinland's contribution is enormous. Even if I came up with the concept design, developing the theoretical framework isn't something just anyone can do. I'll probably include him as the first author."

If successful, this would add another achievement to Eidel's credentials.

Her insides twisted with jealousy.

But now wasn't the time to worry about that.

"Miss Adelbein."

She needed to escape.

"Are you interested in our laboratory too?"

Right now.

"I-I'm from a different department."

As Zernya backed away, the professor approached with a sly expression.

"That doesn't matter. We deal with various topics related to foreign gods. We accept students from many departments. We even have someone who majored in medicine. What do you think?"

"No, no, no?"

She continued backing up.

Then, thud.

Her back hit the wall.

She was trapped. There was no way out. Cold sweat ran down her face. The professor's expression was intense.

Damn, I shouldn't have shown off.

She suddenly regretted it. Eidel had warned her to watch her words. She had been told by a divine vessel to be humble as a mortal. Yet she still misused her tongue and got herself into this trouble.

She was recalling all the advice she'd received in this strange situation.

"Professor, the equipment setup is complete. Could you come take a look?"

Ironically, it was Eidel who rescued Zernya from her predicament. At his words, Stranov seemed entranced and began checking the equipment with him.

It was a large crystal with various instruments attached all over it.

It looked intriguing.

Zernya couldn't resist joining them.

"What is this?"

"Is Miss Adelbein curious too?"

"Ah, no. I..."

"It's the raw material for the mirror to be installed inside the resonator. It's a crystal obtained by processing the remains of a defeated Darwin-type divine vessel. It's extremely expensive?"

Stranov particularly emphasized "expensive?" Zernya turned around and smacked her lips repeatedly. What was I thinking!

"So why are we doing this?"

I'm not curious. I absolutely won't ask.

"When the swordsman fighting the divine vessel died, a constellation got stuck to this crystal. Like how a foreign god possesses an object."

"Hey, wait. Isn't that extremely rare?"

"Yeah. But."

"Shouldn't you sell something like this for a high price? Do you have no sense of money?"

"Gah—!!"

Zernya squinted and covered her ears.

She was startled. It was almost the first time she'd seen Eidel angry.

"This is just an impurity. It's waste that lowers the quality coefficient."

"You said there's a constellation inside?!"

"Constellation or whatever, it interferes with the research. We have no choice but to remove it."

It was an argument completely devoid of respect for constellations. Zernya, dumbfounded, thought for a moment.

Could he actually be a foreign god too?

It was quite a reasonable inference.

"So to solve this problem, we decided to use a high-speed terahertz wave generator to apply alternating vibrations to the entire crystal. Just enough not to destroy the crystal's physical properties."

"What are you talking about?"

"We're waking it up with an electric shock."

Zernya folded her arms and snorted.

"What nonsense. That couldn't possibly work."

["Kyaaaah!!"]

It worked.

***

As electrical vibrations were applied, part of the crystal's boundary began to crack, and plasma energy rose like steam through the gaps. The steam formed a cluster and awakened with a woman's scream.

[— The constellation fragment, 'Shard of Purity,' awakens from deep slumber.]

Virgo, one of the twelve zodiac constellations, the goddess of purity and love.

She revealed herself.

["Ow ow ow... W-what's going on here...?"]

Golden hair flowing like waves. Sapphire eyes sparkling like jewels. Parts of her body were wrapped in purple silk, and three pairs of sky-blue plasma wings danced in the air.

I turned around to look at Zernya. Her eyes were unfocused.

Virgo, the constellation corresponding to the Virgin, was famous for her beauty even in novels. So beautiful that she even charmed women, or so they said.

I turned back and gulped. There was the crystal, now free of impurities after the constellation had left.

"Professor, we did it!"

I high-fived Professor Stranov.

Zernya's expression became twice as dumbfounded.

["Lasella? Lasella! Where did my master go...?"]

Virgo—or more precisely, the fragment of Virgo—looked around in confusion.

"Your master is dead."

["...Dead?"]

[— 'Shard of Purity' is shocked.]

"Yes. While fighting a Darwin-type divine vessel."

When I told her the truth, the constellation's face turned pale. Afterward, Virgo sobbed for a while, then collected herself and changed her tone.

["She was a good master, but now there's nothing I can do. This has happened before. Now I need to find a new contractor. We must stop the invasion of foreign gods. Of course, this body is just a fragment, not the original. So to fully use my power..."]

That's annoyingly long-winded.

I half-listened and turned my attention back to the crystal.

"Professor, we did it anyway!"

["Yes, you woke me up, so you want a contract, right? First, I have conditions. I only accept pure and chaste individuals as my masters..."]

"We removed the impurity!"

["A-accept... What?"]

"Now we can build the resonator!"

["Hey, did you just call me an impurity? Just now? To me? To me, the most pure and chaste being in this universe? Come here and let's talk... Where are you going!"]

I'm excited. We can complete it in about a week. With another paper under my belt, my recognition will grow, and it will prove that I'm an all-rounder proficient in both theory and experimentation.

That alone will help secure plenty of research funding.

The development of the graviton bomb is truly not far off.

["Oh, really! Are you crazy? How dare you ignore me?"]

[— 'Shard of Purity' uses <Focus Attention>.]

My mind, absorbed in research, was suddenly pulled toward the constellation. Not just mine, but Professor Stranov's, Zernya's, and the other graduate students' attention was focused on Virgo's fragment.

["Good, now you're ready to listen to me. Now I'll examine those of you who want to become my contractors..."]

This feels like being forcibly aggro'd, and I don't like it.

[— 1000 Fron has been paid.]

[— 'God of Wisdom and Curiosity' removes the effect of <Focus Attention>.]

Good. That should do it.

["Hey! You there! Aren't you listening to me properly?"]

At least I could resume my research alone. First, I need to reanalyze the physical properties. If the optical characteristics have changed because the constellation left, that would be a problem in itself.

["Listen to me!"]

The constellation finally descended right in front of me.

Now I really couldn't ignore her.

["You, are you interested in becoming my contractor?"]

"No, I'm not."

["...Well, at least you're definitely a virgin."]

Seriously? She's saying this to my face?

"Are you really a constellation?"

["A fragment of one. And I place great importance on my contractor's sexual experience. I have lots of skills that convert pure and noble hearts into aether."]

In the novel, it only mentioned that she "died with the swordsman," so I just accepted it and moved on.

This constellation is more abnormal than I imagined.

["Still, you have the clearest eyes here, let me see..."]

Virgo began to stare intently into my eyes.

After a few seconds...

["This won't work. You're rejected."]

"What?"

["Your body is clean, but your mind isn't. How can someone be so dark and dirty?"]

I moistened my cracked lips. Could she have detected the foreign god farm in my head?

No, that can't be it. Cartesia is too good at hiding. Unless it's something like Rustila's <Mind's Eye>, it shouldn't be detectable.

I waited nervously for the constellation to move on.

Virgo then approached Professor Stranov and the graduate students.

["Rejected, rejected."]

Everyone failed to become her contractor for various reasons. Some were already married, others harbored impure thoughts.

After conducting her examination and filtering people out, only one person remained.

["Finally, only you're left."]

Zernya.

Virgo approached her.