Episode 18

Theoretical explanations seemed somewhat manageable, but the moment practice problems appeared, Jasper’s expression darkened.

There is a magic stone composed of X amount of firepower and 74 amounts of hydropower. John dropped the magic stone from a height of 10 meters, and at that time, the temperature and atmospheric pressure were as shown in the table below. When the magic stone hits the ground and shatters, the emitted energy value is 813 mn/s. Find the value of X at this moment.

Instead of trying to find the value of X, Jasper asked a question.

“No. Why drop the magic stone on the ground? Can such a magic stone even exist, to begin with? It’s mixed with hydropower, yet the energy value is that high?”

“It’s a hypothetical scenario…”

“Anyway, it’s an unrealistic situation. I don’t understand.”

“You don’t need to understand this setup. Just substitute this value into the formula…”

“In the end, it’s a meaningless scenario. Why do we have to solve this?”

It seemed like Jasper knew why he failed the introductory magic engineering course.

Jasper preferred things that he could immediately understand and find useful. Implementing virtual graphs and performing calculations in magic engineering probably seemed superficial to him.

Rose packed her things, lost in deep thought. Jasper had already prepared to leave and was waiting for Rose.

‘This won’t do.’

Whether it was calculations or whatever, for now, Jasper needed to find an interest in magic engineering.

Jasper looked at Rose with a puzzled expression.

“Do you find this interesting?”

“Well… I do find complex mechanics formulas a headache, too.”

“I’m just asking to be sure. I’m not stupid. I just find this subject weird and unappealing.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Jasper’s overall grades were in the upper-middle range. Despite never having seen him study, he always maintained good ranks.

“Even saying this feels lame, but I got perfect scores in history and military studies last year.”

Rose said with a faint smile.

“I don’t think you’re dumb. Don’t worry.”

Jasper nervously brushed his hair back. His face was redder than usual.

“I feel so nervous inside.”

“You did well. Go to the dormitory and rest.”

‘I want to rest too.’

It felt like expending all her mental energy. Thoughts of quickly showering and collapsing onto the comfortable dormitory bed filled her mind.

Rose hurriedly approached the laboratory door but momentarily recalled something she had forgotten.

‘The corridor… It’s probably still dark, right?’

Anxiously, Rose tightly gripped the handle of her bag.

Jasper, who had moved close to her, looked down at Rose and asked, 

“What are you doing? Not going?”

“Ugh…”

The confident Rose Bell who had been teaching with conviction just a moment ago had disappeared. Rose took a cautious step forward, slightly hunching her shoulders.

Squeak. Jasper opened the door and tried to turn off the electricity in the lab. The lab’s lights were the only source of illumination. Without thinking, Rose shouted.

“Wait a moment!”

Jasper’s fingertip paused on the switch, and he raised one corner of his mouth.

“Why? Are you scared?”

“….”

“Are you really scared?”

“…I feel a bit uneasy too.”

Rose’s complexion turned pale. Jasper let out a wry laugh.

“Why worry? I’ll go with you. Just up to the first floor.”

“Really?”

“From there, we’ll go separately. You head to the dormitory first. I’ll wait a few minutes before leaving.”

Rose swallowed dryly and nodded her head.

“Thanks…”

“You’re really scared, huh? You’ve become even smaller.”

Unknowingly, Rose had shrunk her body somewhat.

“What’s scaring you?”

“Well, um… I can’t see well ahead… and there are strange rumors about the annex.”

“The one about someone dying during construction?”

“You know about it too.”

“I don’t believe in ghosts. Someone studying magic engineering being afraid of ghosts…?”

“Ugh. But…”

Ghosts are entities that can’t be explained logically. Rose muttered inwardly.

“Stay close. I’m turning off the lights now.”

“Yeah.”

Rose, who usually kept her distance from Jasper, moved in closely now. In the face of instinctual fear, other things became blurry for a moment.

Click. The lights in the lab turned off. Complete darkness enveloped Rose’s vision.

However, it wasn’t as terrifying as before. She wasn’t alone. She keenly felt Jasper’s body heat and breathing right beside her.

“Let’s go. Watch your step.”

“Yeah…”

After blinking her eyelids a few times, her eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness. Objects appeared to blur slightly like outlines spreading.

Tonight, the moonlight was unusually weak. As Jasper took a step, Rose hurriedly followed, taking two quick steps to stay close to him.

Thump. Thump. The sound of their footsteps echoed briskly, prompting Jasper to burst into a chuckle.

“Rose Bell.”

“Why, why?”

“I won’t run away, so let’s walk slowly.”

“Oh, um, okay.”

“Well… how about holding my hand?”

“No, that’s fine.”

“You’re not even pretending to hesitate.”

Jasper spoke as if in disbelief, narrowing his stride little by little.

Thud. Tap. The sound of two footsteps resonated and spread through the tranquil, dark annex.

***

Brother,

Please, stop messing around unnecessarily. I’ll handle my engagement on my own. Seriously, please. I’m getting so annoyed. Whether Adela Bluewood entered here or not, what does that have to do with me? Just try to do something useful. Pay attention to your married life. Did Lady Conway run off to the summer cottage again? Don’t force weird situations.

I’m sorry, but I have no intention of getting married for the sake of the family, like you do.

Jasper.

Jasper had scribbled the letter in a hurried handwriting. Lately, he had been receiving constant messages from Ethan Conway through the communication bureau. The mere thought of hearing his stern voice made him shudder. The ordeal during the vacation had been more than enough.

Ignoring Ethan’s communications, Jasper continued until Ethan resorted to a more traditional method – sending a letter via express mail. Jasper had reached the point where he could no longer stand it and decided to send a reply filled with irritation.

‘I’m tired.’

Jasper’s face contorted.

Ethan. The eldest son of Duke Conway and Jasper’s only brother.

Jasper didn’t dislike his brother, but he found him quite bothersome. They didn’t have much in common, to say the least.

Jasper was straightforward and bone-deep blunt, while Ethan was cunning and strategic, resembling their maternal grandfather. From a young age, their approaches to play had been opposites.

Being just two brothers, Jasper did feel a sense of camaraderie with Ethan, but he wanted to avoid Ethan meddling in his life.

The uneasiness he had felt when Ethan had begun subtly mentioning marriage plans during the vacation had become a reality.

It seemed that there was talk of an engagement with the youngest daughter of the Marquis Bluewood’s family.

‘…Bluewood.’

The Bluewood family was one that Ethan would find appealing. Just as prestigious and deeply rooted in nobility as the Conway family. Conservative like the Conways, he wouldn’t even look at nouveau riche or gentry.

Ethan was deeply involved in the family’s affairs alongside his father, the Duke Conway. He was already handling about half of the responsibilities of the family’s head.

There was nothing more important to Ethan than upholding the honor of the family and nobility.

‘So he married a woman he had no feelings for.’

Yet, even in such a decision, Jasper had hoped that Ethan would consider his feelings, not just the family.

As soon as he turned twenty, Ethan celebrated his wedding to a woman he had only seen in a portrait. The bride was the eldest daughter of a family renowned for their contributions to the founding of the nation.

The eldest son and his wife have been together for six years.

‘They don’t seem happy at all. I feel sorry for my sister-in-law, too.’

In place of the deceased Duchess Conway, Ethan’s wife had to fulfill the role of the hostess. However, she seemed to struggle with the stern atmosphere of the Conway estate and the harsh hierarchy.

Ethan was not a man who was meticulous enough to examine such things in advance.

Even as his own married life teetered on the edge, Jasper found it absurd that Ethan was so busy arranging his marriage. Perhaps he was hurrying more due to not having seen his child yet.

“Ugh.”

Jasper let out an exasperated sigh as he put on his school uniform jacket.

At that moment, his roommate, Caleb, who had been sleeping in late, finally woke up. 

“Huh?” 

A surprised gasp was followed by the sound of him quickly getting up.

“You’re supposed to wake me up! I’m late!”

Caleb shot Jasper a reproachful look.

“Why should I?”

“Wow, so mean. We’ve known each other for years, how can you be so cold?”

“It’s your fault for getting drunk last night and coming in late. Besides, you don’t care about attendance anyway.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah….”

Unlike other students, Caleb, who had turned of age this year, had been enjoying nightlife and entertainment here and there.

“Do you even intend to graduate?”

“I’m back because I do.”

“What’s with the antics for a whole year?”

Caleb had taken a leave of absence due to a riding accident, but in truth, there was a fair bit of exaggeration involved. Caleb’s body had healed completely within a month of the leave.

“Ugh, spare me the lecture! Are you my father? Damn.”

“Hurry up and take a shower. I’m leaving.”

Caleb yawned, stretching his arms out in all directions.

“Oh, right. I’m coming in at the crack of dawn again today. I might wake you up, sorry in advance.”

“Well, don’t get caught by the prefect and make a fuss, though.”

“Hmm. Or do you want to go out and have fun with me?”

Jasper narrowed his eyes and glared at Caleb.

“Hey, don’t give me that condescending look.”

“I don’t have hobbies like drinking and fooling around with girls. And besides, I have plans today too.”

Jasper’s face, which had been frozen coldly all along, softened slightly.

Rose Bell. She naturally came to mind because today was Friday – the day he would meet her for their second tutoring session.

“Oh, really? Who are you meeting? Adela Bluewood?”

“Why does her name come up?”

“She entered the school recently, didn’t she?”

“What does that have to do with me?”

“They say there are already rumors circulating in society that something might happen between you two.”

“I guess you’re desperately searching for unnecessary gossip. It’s not true. I have no interest.”

“I wonder if Lady Adela feels the same way? By the way, she’s really beautiful. You’ve seen her before, right? She’s even more gorgeous now. Seriously.”

Jasper pressed his temples with his fingertips. He had a headache.

“Caleb, don’t irritate me too.”

“Yes, yes. But still, I’d be excited if your potential arranged partner were Adela.”

“It’s not like marriage is a contract. I don’t want to handle things this way.”

“Are you planning a love marriage then? Perhaps you’re dreaming of that because you’re the second son. If you were born into a noble family, what could you do?”

“And you, with that attitude of yours. When you graduate, are you going to marry the partner your father chooses for you?”

“Of course. That’s why I’m enjoying myself even more right now.”

Jasper shook his head and walked past Caleb. Caleb yawned again, scratching the back of his head.

“Anyway, even though you look different, you’re kind of a romantic deep down.”