The Duty Of An Academy Student Should Be To Study - Chapter 54

Episode 54

Theo looked at Rose with a pleased smile and asked.

“Rose, which item do you think we should focus on developing further?” 

Rose pursed her lips in thought for a moment.

“What do you think, Senior?”

“I’d like you to do what you want.”

“Am I allowed to choose?”

Rose hesitated, her eyes widening. In reality, she had a project in mind that she had been thinking about carefully for some time. She had even timidly suggested it when discussing it with Theo before.

Rose gazed at the paper Theo had given her once more. 

‘The materials cost isn’t as high as I thought, perhaps because the parts are small.’

Her heart started beating a bit faster. The opportunity to turn her imagination into reality was right in front of her, something she had longed for since her time at Quilts.

With a slightly trembling voice, Rose spoke.

“Well… then, I’d like to focus more on the automotive braking system.”

Theo smiled as if he found it interesting and gestured towards the sofa in the assistant’s office. Rose let out a sigh and sat down at the edge of the sofa. Theo took a seat across from her and looked at her intently.

Rose’s emotions, a mixture of excitement and nervousness, made her grip her knees tightly. 

“Rose, there’s no need to be nervous.”

“Oh… alright.”

“I completely agree with your opinion that cars need a different braking system than trains, and your innovative braking method was intriguing. It needs some refinement, of course, but let’s go with this.”

“Really?”

Rose’s shoulders twitched. 

“Why are you so surprised?”

“I’ve been thinking about it on my own, so I’m amazed that you’re okay with it.”

“Rose, you need to have more confidence in your ideas.”

Theo chuckled softly and continued.

“It was a great idea. Automotive engines have advanced to the point where they can achieve incredible speeds, but the braking systems haven’t kept up. That’s why speed is strictly limited on roads.”

Rose nodded with a surprised expression. Ever since her time at Quilts, Rose had been curious about various modes of transportation, including cars, trains, and airships.

Living in a remote area without access to railways had its inconveniences. She didn’t even have a personal carriage, and maintaining and housing horses for transportation required a significant cost and space.

However, trains could efficiently transport a large number of people to various destinations. Airships, still in the developmental stage, would likely offer similar advantages.

A world where you could go anywhere if you set your mind to it. It was a tantalizing, unstoppable temptation. Many people in Quilts had never left the town in their entire lives. When they heard stories about the capital, it fascinated them like a different world.

As technology advanced, production costs tended to decrease, leading to popularization and commodification. Now, even common people could afford train tickets as the prices had dropped significantly, although this mainly applied to third-class seats, which were comparable to luggage compartments.

‘If this kind of popularization were to happen in the automotive industry…’

Not everyone will be able to own a personal car, but in the future, cars could become more like renting a carriage for a fee.

Rose believed that cars were a much faster and more efficient means of transportation compared to carriages. The gasoline engine, which could already achieve much higher speeds than carriages, had already been invented.

“The current braking systems can only handle speeds of around 15 km/h.”

If a new braking system with both safety and efficiency were to be invented, it could potentially change the landscape of automobiles.

“That’s right. The development pace of the gasoline engine technology is leaving other technologies behind.”

“It seems like people perceive cars as not being safe.”

“In the early days, there were quite a few accidents, too.”

Rose nodded with a grim expression. She had heard stories about several accidents when cars didn’t have speed limits yet.

After that, research on cars significantly declined. They were considered dangerous compared to carriages, and they didn’t offer much higher speeds. Cars were seen as luxury items for the nobility to showcase their wealth and refinement.

“If we can invent an efficient braking system, we can prevent accidents.”

Trains, given their massive size, could have equally large braking systems. However, the braking system of a car, while based on the same principles as that of a train, was scaled down to fit the vehicle’s size. 

Because of this, it couldn’t guarantee stability when traveling at speeds exceeding 15 km/h. Improving the braking system dramatically required a different approach than that used for trains.

Band brakes. Rose silently contemplated the name she had come up with earlier.

Turning dreams into reality. It was what Rose had always wanted as a magic engineering student.

* * *

At the same moment of Rose’s enthusiasm, Jasper found himself facing Briley alone. Jasper furrowed his brow.

“Why did you call me?”

“I have something to discuss.”

“…Where’s Rose Bell?”

“She must be in the assistant’s office, preparing for the contest.”

“Even that skinny kid who hardly eats is doing something like this…”

Jasper openly expressed his annoyance, biting his lip. She had rushed away after their mineralogy class. Was she on her way to Theo Lixton?

Suddenly, an uncomfortable wave of emotions washed over him. Jasper swept his hand through his hair and let out a long sigh. His eyes felt gritty, and his forehead seemed to burn. He knew that Theo and Rose had to meet to prepare for the contest, but just the thought of them being in the same space twisted his insides.

Were they just going to talk about the contest? 

‘How is this any different from my tutoring sessions?’

Jasper had secretly wanted to get closer to Rose, so he had proposed the tutoring arrangement as an excuse to meet. During these sessions, he would observe Rose’s face, engage in various conversations, and occasionally discuss academic topics.

But who could guarantee that she wouldn’t mention Theo Lexton at some point?

Jasper was convinced that Theo had a romantic interest in Rose. After all, spending so much time with Rose Bell would surely lead to such feelings in any man.

‘That capable kid…’

Theo had continued to bother her. He and Rose Bell were close friends despite her tendency to keep people at a distance. They both came from commoner backgrounds, and they were both majoring in fields Jasper didn’t understand well.

In every aspect, Theo was different from Jasper, and that fact felt most threatening to him.

Jasper’s face displayed a rapid succession of emotions, flickering in and out. It was clear to anyone that he was feeling deeply unsettled.

Briley stared at Jasper intently.

“Jasper Conway.”

“What?”

“Do you like Rose?”

“Uh… What?”

Jasper, who had been absent-mindedly answering, took a step back in surprise. His blue eyes darted around.

Briley sighed and brushed her pink hair aside. 

“Is it true?”

“What are you talking… I don’t understand…? What are you saying?”

As soon as Jasper spoke, he wanted to hit himself on the head. It sounded like a flustered fool to anyone who might hear him.

When he held a blade, he always kept his emotions in check, but every time he got involved with Rose Bell, he kept losing his composure. It was as if he had suddenly become a frightened person. Jasper felt embarrassed by himself.

Briley spoke softly, licking her lips. 

“Why did you give the music box?”

“How did you know that?”

Jasper replied in a nonchalant tone. He didn’t like that Briley was bringing up what had happened between them.

Briley chuckled as if she found it ridiculous. 

“Because you sent a package to the dorm room!” 

“…Oh.”

“Hey, Conway. Get a grip.”

If someone else had said this, he might have felt uncomfortable, but Jasper didn’t have the luxury of feeling such emotions right now. His curiosity about why Briley had called him had disappeared, leaving only tension and confusion.

However, outwardly, he still held his neck stiffly as he spoke. 

“I’m perfectly fine.”

“Geez.”

“……”

“So, what does that music box mean?”

“Well, it’s just… She liked it. Is there a problem if I give it to her?”

Jasper tried to speak casually to Briley despite the discomfort he felt.

Naturally, he hadn’t sent the lamp music box without any specific reason. The gift was imbued with complex emotions that Jasper himself couldn’t fully explain.

When Rose had gazed at the music box so intently in the antique shop, Jasper had harbored faint expectations. Would Rose Bell remember that moment too?

Even if she didn’t, he thought this was his chance. By continually seeing the music box, perhaps Rose might recall something.

They hadn’t just met at the academy. He’s known her for much longer than Briley Lawrence or Teo Lixton. Jasper wanted to convey this message through the music box’s sound.

He thought she’d be happy to receive something that was simply pretty. When she received a gift from Adela Bluewood, he felt that he should give a gift to Rose as well.

The reason he couldn’t deliver it in person was that he was afraid of exposing this complicated and seemingly childish feeling. 

To Jasper, the music box was an incredibly special item. The one Rose had fixed for him in his childhood was still cherished and well-preserved.

He couldn’t bring himself to give Rose Bell the same thing and reveal his emotions through his expression. 

‘I’m not in a position to tell Caleb what to do.’

The look of fear on her face said it all. When he saw Rose treat the meaning of the gift lightly in the morning, he regretted it.

Briley accurately pinched the part that had been bothering him all along. Briley spoke with an unusually serious glint in her eyes.

“If you like Rose, why don’t you set things straight?”