The Magic Academy's Physicist-Chapter 217: From Master to Slave (18)

When Aether had been a slave, Klais had never really listened to anything she asked.

Of course she wouldn’t, because that was what a slave was.

It was natural to listen to the master, and not argue back when asked.

A slave wasn’t to ask the master for what they wanted, either. No requests, no suggestions. Questions like Should I do this? Can I do that? were also considered rude.

Not having known any of that, Aether had grumbled against Klais for the first few months. She was reprimanded more than once for saying ‘Isn’t this too harsh?’

The occasional demand or request was shut down. At best, asking to buy the transistor? That was as much as she was okay with, while the rest were thoroughly ignored.

She still remembered what had happened in the past. It had been long since the waste left vividly in her mind became a grudge that clogged the vessels of her heart.

“Hah, really.”

Aether glared coldly at Klais who was looking mournful.

“You seemed to have forgotten your place.”

“Urgh...!”

Aether’s heel dug into Klais’ knee, drawing a series of weak, frail groans.

“If you’re a slave, then just do as you’re told. Otherwise take your pathetic arguments to the wall over there.”

It hurt, but Klais didn’t try to pull her knee back.

Because there was something she wanted to ask for even with this pain.

Rather, she clung to Aether’s leg and began pleading even more desperately.

“Please, my sister, please take in my sister Klara....”

She didn’t want to send her sister to that Beast Gilach or whoever he was. That was her only wish.

“Everything else is fine. But my sister, I just ask that you take my sister in. I beg you.”

Her voice shook like a broken radio, but Klais made the effort to speak clearly.

“How foolish. Do you know where this is? Do you even know who I am?”

Indeed she did.

The one in front of her was a Beast called the Four Heavens, the core members of the Demon Army who were the top level even among Cataclysms.

For Klais who had spent all her life being hellbent on killing Beasts, it was not easy to bow to one.

However, because the matter of Klara’s life was far more important than such shallow pride, and because she trusted that Aether wouldn’t be cruel unlike other Beasts...

She was trying to beg for whatever mercy she could.

Klais bowed head. No, it would be better described as kowtowing.

“I’m begging you. Please, please.......”

Klais knocked her head into the ground repeatedly, which was basically her swearing obedience.

“Wow.”

She hit it so hard that even Rosemary was impressed.

The Klais who had stood unwaveringly even in front of her and Jǫrmungandr, was bowing her head just to save her sister.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime sight to behold. With master and slave having switched places, the slave who once was the original master was groveling at the feet of the master who was once the slave.

“Please, I’ll do whatever you ask. You can use me up and discard me, so please, my sister.......”

Even as Rosemary snickered, Klais continued with her plea.

“You don’t have to increase the ration. I can share with my sister! And you won’t need to give us more clothing either, I can give her what I’m wearing. Ah, right.... I’ll do more work as well. Whatever you ask from now on, I’ll do it without question...! So please......!”

But even with her desperate pleas, Aether was still swallowing her words.

Rosemary quirked her head. Was sis weighing her options? It seemed she was debating whether to kick her out or not.

Uh oh, she shouldn’t be debating. Aether had to accept Klara for the plan to succeed.

In the meantime, Klais was thinking something similar to Rosemary.

Aether was on the fence, and it was now or never if she wanted to convince her.

This wasn’t the time to be petty about her pride. She had to show her loyalty somehow even if it meant being shamed.

Blam!

Klais slammed her head into the floor, then took Aether’s foot that had been grinding into her knee and lifted it up over her neck.

Tap. The foot was placed on her head and back.

She had chosen to make herself a footrest.

“I-it’s fine if you treat me like this. I’ll polish your shoes everyday if you’d like. I’ll also take care to clean the room!”

“W-what is this bitch doing......!”

An unexpected behavior. Flustered, Aether quickly withdrew her foot. And Klais, panicking as well, slammed her head against the floor again and again.

“M-my apologies! I apologize for stepping out of line! I’m sorry!”

“What’s with this one all of a sudden? Did she eat something wrong?”

Rattled eyes turned to Rosemary, who was also stunned.

“Sis, I’m in culture shock. Are all Imperial people like this?”

“I-I don’t know.”

The two Beasts looked at each other and shook their heads.

Just a moment ago, the way she had impudently pulled out her staff without thinking about her position was somewhat understandable. Because Klais was the one who had also tried to oppose Jǫrmungandr. But no matter how she looked at it, this wasn’t like her at all.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry....”

Klais’ body trembled. Sniffling could be heard. Aether clasped her forehead and went ‘haaa’.

She did have the idea to take in Klara, because she thought she’d be able to use her to control Klais however she wanted. That way, the research would make a lot more progress.

But this went too far; it was complete co-dependence. If it was this bad, then it would actually be poison if she used Klara as a hostage.

Aether let out the umpteenth sigh.

“Raise your head.”

Klais looked a mess, her face bright red like a ripe cherry in early summer.

The area around her eyes were red and damp like raw meat that hadn’t been drained of blood. Glassy drops of misery spilled from her tear ducts.

In all the four years she had known her, she had never seen this expression before.

Aether asked.

“Is your sister that important?”

Nod nod.

“And you know to whom you’re begging for her life?”

“I do.”

“I am the monster that you so hated.”

“I know.”

“And still you are wanting to put your sister’s life into the hands of the Demon Army?”

“.......”

Remaining silent, was she. Then again, it wasn’t an easy emotion to describe.

“Rosemary.”

“Yes, sis.”

“Go send this message to Autumn Heaven and Tertius. Tell them to produce 80 kg of plutonium before anything else and use all that to build the first one according to the blueprint.”

“Then come back?”

“Yes, I have a job for you as well.”

“Okay.”

And after Rosemary left as well–

There was only Aether herself, Klais, and the still-unconscious Klara in the lab.

Aether took a deep breath.

What she was about to say required determination. It wasn’t a simple decision, but she had to think about becoming an enemy of Gilach.

That was how much weight the words of a Heaven should carry, as it wasn’t easy to go back once something was decided.

Most of all, for Aether who valued promise and trust, a verbal promise like this was something that had to be kept. She should never speak lightly.

She closed her eyes softly, and after a moment, she made up her mind.

“You said you’d do anything?”

“Huh? Yes.”

“You will have to bear the weight of those words.”

Klais’ face brightened instantly.

“You mean.......”

“Your sister will also be my slave from now on.”

The words evoked a strange feeling, uncertain if she should be happy or sad. But one thing for sure was that it was a good thing.

Getting up, Aether opened the door to the corner room and took Klara inside, and Klais followed after her.

“I hate those who betray trust more than any other kind.”

Some time after entering the room, Aether began to talk about herself.

“Humans, elves, beastkin, they’re all the same. My kind is no exception. When I see those who ask for help and then only look out for themselves, or those carelessly promise to be trustworthy, it angers me to no end.”

Aether lay Klara on the floor. She then took the sheet from the cart and put it over her, and took clothes from the wardrobe and dressed her one article at a time.

A pretty decent bed was made, although it was a single size.

Seeing what Aether had done, Klais’ expression melted like snow from warmth.

Aether continued grumbling towards Klais as she felt relieved.

“I tried to be skeptical about everything. Even the Demon King and his ideas didn’t blind me to my thoughts. In the end, I tried to trust and verify everything through doubting. This was what mages aimed for, and it was also the attitude shared by those who were called scientists from another planet.”

Having been assured that Klara was safe, Klais gave her full attention to Aether. She continued speaking.

What she was saying was too heavy to take lightly, and so Klais decided to listen and respond the best she could.

“However, not everything could verified by deduction. That’s the world we live in. Everything has to be by induction, and it requires hundreds to thousands of hours to prove these things.”

“Then....”

“Thankfully, I submitted to the Demon King and obtained a near-immortal life. Hence, I decided centuries ago on a thousand chances and travelled around the world every interwar period to confirm one thing.”

“What, was it?”

“How many people are like you.”

At a loss for words, Klais let out a small noise.

Aether’s eyes which looked her way were full of melancholy. At the same time, her voice revealed both hesitation and conviction.

Her gold eyes contained sadness, regret, lingering attachment.

And rage.

Fierce rage that burned like it could never be put out.

Emotion that burned yellow like the sun in the sky was in the girl’s eyes.

“The time has come. This place where you stand will be the ark–an ark that will soon sink.”

“.......”

Klais couldn’t fully understand her words, overwhelmed with checking her sister at the moment.

Yet.

Yet, something felt foreboding.