Chapter 79: 16. Royal Research Institute
Over the next ten days, Fisher finalized the draft of his thesis on the theory of the soul, but rather than publishing it, he first wrote a brief letter that simply replicated the title of the thesis and signed his name. The recipient was Mr. Damien, the principal of the Royal Academy.
Fisher believed he would be interested in the content and would immediately have someone contact him.
During the remaining time, Fisher completed another paper about the current state of the subhuman society in the Southern Continent. He wrote this one more casually, as the subhuman race is not the mainstream focus of academic research and hardly anyone pays attention. If it weren’t for Fisher’s publication, the author would probably be mocked by other scholars for being “unprofessional” and doing “useless work.”
After two or three days of writing, Fisher submitted this paper to a new academic society, where the chief editor, seeing Fisher’s title, couldn’t be bothered to review it and passed it on to a scholar who specifically handled Fisher’s submissions, asking him to arrange a time for it to appear in the “Nali Journal,” under the “Social Science Column.”
It turned out that Fisher’s guess was correct. On the third day after he sent the letter to Principal Damien, a courier from the Royal Academy knocked on his door, saying that Principal Damien wanted to invite Fisher to the Royal Academy to discuss the thesis in detail.
Fisher estimated they received the letter the day before, but they were probably too overwhelmed by the news of Fisher’s appointment at Saint Nali University. The delivery of this letter must have felt unpleasant, akin to having a fly in their soup, making it hard for them to decide whether to invite Fisher or not.
The Royal Academy had not produced any significant research results for a long time. Although Fisher worried about being overshadowed by other scholars, they were more eager for this result than he was, so it was no surprise they invited him.
Fisher changed into attire suitable for going out but encountered Martha, who was about to leave. She was leaning on a cane and, unusually, wearing reading glasses, putting her shoes on while looking out the window.
“What’s wrong, Martha?”
“I heard someone was murdered not far from Karen Street, and the police have cordoned off the area. I’m planning to go take a look.”
Seeing the excitement on her curious face, Fisher couldn’t help but smile wryly.
“There’s no need to go that far for something like this.”
“Nonsense! My cane is quicker than a young person’s feet, and I’m out of butter at home, so I have to go to the market.”
Martha’s mouth, which had few teeth, opened wide at Fisher’s words. She waved her cane to indicate that she was still spry and resolutely pushed the door open with her hands behind her back.
“Don’t see me off; I’ve walked this street more times than you’ve been to the washroom, and I know everyone around here. Maybe I’ll visit Lia; I heard her daughter had a girl, her second child… Goodness, you’re 28 and don’t even have one child! No, not even a wife! This is unacceptable!”
As she rambled on, she walked briskly down the street, waving her hand without looking back at Fisher, and gradually walked further away.
Fisher, muttering to himself about her chatter, continued walking down the other end of the street, where he planned to take the tram. He had only used a carriage to go to Saint Nali Academy under special circumstances.
In the future, with the high salary from this position, he might be able to afford to ride in a carriage every day.
Compared to the suburban Saint Nali University, the Royal Academy is located in the most bustling area of the city. Every day, carriages come and go in front of the Royal Academy. Fisher was familiar with the place and walked through the academy’s large archway, entering its premises.
“Are we going to the Pink Pavilion today?”
“I’ve arranged to meet Professor Cadell; he’s coming along too.”
“That place has too strong a leaf scent; I can’t handle it.”
“Just give it a try.”
“Shh! It’s Fisher!”
Numerous researchers in black robes who recognized Fisher greeted him, or some walked away cautiously. Fisher merely nodded in response, and conversations fell silent as he passed by.
Even if they thought Fisher Benavides was pretending to be aloof, they didn’t dare act carelessly in front of the cold-faced gentleman. After all, even the principal had been insulted by this guy; they wouldn’t want to make things worse for themselves. Simply getting through the day with acceptable performance was good enough.
“Mr. Fisher, Principal Damien is waiting for you in his office.”
The principal of the Royal Academy had a separate courtyard to reside in. In front of the courtyard was a large griffon insignia, symbolizing the national emblem of Saint Nali and representing the powerful Griffin Party in Parliament.
The Royal Academy is the stronghold of the Griffin Party; most of its members are graduates of this academy. Each year, the alumni reunion resembles an internal meeting of the Griffin Party, which is why Fisher never attended.
Led by a servant, Fisher passed through the tranquil courtyard and entered the reception room, where he found an elderly man in a classical vest. He was older than the principal, Ken, but appeared much younger. Through his shirt, Fisher could see his robust chest muscles.
This was Principal Damien of the Royal Academy, a veteran of the Griffin Party, serving as both principal and the head of the Military Institute; Princess Elizabeth was his student.
The king had three sons and two daughters, which is why Elizabeth was referred to as the “Eldest Princess,” overseeing royal military discipline.
“You’ve taken a teaching position at Saint Nali University?”
Damien had been staring at the letterhead Fisher sent him regarding the theory of magical soul sources. The title seemed to pierce his gaze and kept him captive.
“Everyone knows about the Griffin Party blocking recruitment at Saint Nali University, including His Majesty the King.”
Fisher naturally removed his coat and hat, leaning his staff against the door. He sat across from Damien, wanting to pour tea but found the pot empty.
They could indeed skip the pleasantries.
“Are you doing this for the royal family?”
“I’m doing it for myself.”
Damien fell silent for a moment before shaking his head. He understood his student well and knew he looked down on the Royal Academy, which was under Griffin Party control, so he didn’t press further and only discussed this “deal.”
“Where’s your thesis? I need to go over it.”
Fisher handed over the manuscript contained in a sheepskin bag. Damien took out the paper, put on a pair of glasses, and began to read carefully, examining Fisher’s thesis word by word. The paper was long, and for a moment, the whole room fell silent. Fisher took this opportunity to go to the room and brew some hot water for tea.
As Damien read, his frown deepened. He called for a servant outside.
“Go, call Heilson over.”
Heilson was the head of the Magic Academy at the Royal Academy and also Fisher’s mentor.
Fisher brewed tea for both himself and Damien. After a short while, a short old man in a black robe walked in. The old man had a face full of beard and looked like a wizard from a fairy tale, save for a twisted tall hat, though his expression was kind and his eyes crescent-shaped, as if he was always smiling.
“Professor Heilson.”
Fisher stood up and slightly bowed to the old man, who waved his hand in a friendly manner, smiling at Fisher.
“Benavides, I haven’t seen you in ages. By the way, are you married yet? My granddaughter is of marrying age, 24 years old, and loves drama and…”
“Heilson,” Damien coughed, redirecting the topic, “Fisher has provided a theory of magic power deriving from the soul and has offered proof. The theory itself is sound, but the method of proof needs your assistance. Take a look.”
“Oh! So it’s about serious matters! Goodness, I’ve been busy with her matchmaking lately; let me see.”
Heilson tapped his head, and his nine rings glimmered with magical light, making him resemble a wizard even more.
Heilson took the manuscript and read quickly, soon nodding at Damien.
“This method is theoretically feasible; I’ll give it a try.”
Without even putting down the manuscript, two rings on his hand lit up. A series of dashed lines were engraved in the air by him. Engraving magic without needing concrete materials and carriers sounded mystical, but this was actually the effect of the rings on Heilson’s fingers.
One was a directional magic ring symbolizing “Air,” and the other was a functional magic ring symbolizing “Trace.” Using magic to etch magic could still yield results, though not as effective as proper engraving.
A universal magic characterized by “Soul” was quickly inscribed. Suddenly, Fisher thought of the terrifying entity he had previously encountered while attempting soul separation. He feared for Professor Heilson, worried he might also become entangled with that thing. Although it felt like that entity focused solely on him, Heilson was nearly 100 years old this year, and if anything happened to him, it would be disastrous.
“I’ll go to the washroom.”
Fisher found an excuse to temporarily leave. The washroom was very far from the courtyard, so he thought there wouldn’t be any issues. He stayed in the washroom for quite a while before returning when he felt it was about time. However, as soon as he reached the door, he heard Damien shouting.
“Heilson! Heilson!”
No way, could it really be a self-fulfilling prophecy?
Fisher hurried back inside, only to see the old man in a black robe, Heilson, lying peacefully on the ground, as if he had passed away on the spot. Principal Damien’s face was nearly drained of color, and he was preparing to perform CPR.
“What happened?”
“How would I know what happened?! Heilson just released your magic, and he collapsed! There’s something wrong with your proof!”
Fisher didn’t argue and focused on trying to revive the old man. But just when they were about to make a move, rings of green light suddenly brightened on Heilson’s body, and counting carefully, there were actually thirteen rings!
Thirteen-ring magic, “Revive.”
In that moment of illumination, Heilson suddenly opened his eyes and gasped for breath.
“Goodness! It’s the soul! I feel the soul! Fisher, you’re truly a genius; I feel the soul!”
He sat up suddenly, startling both Fisher and Damien into retreating a bit, while a now-excited Heilson called out to the two men, “Haven’t you seen someone resurrected before? What’s so surprising about this?”
“What…”
“What just happened? Was there something wrong with Fisher’s proof magic?”
“No, no, it’s not that his magic has a problem. I indeed felt my soul; my magical circuit could leave my body! But I found that after leaving my body, there was a powerful pulling force trying to drag my soul away! Thankfully, I had inscribed a revival spell on my necklace.”
“Wait, pulling force from outside?”
Fisher recalled that when he attempted it, the strong pulling force had come from within his body during soul separation. How come it was the opposite for Professor Heilson?
Fisher looked at Heilson’s aged face and suddenly realized something: it was Heilson’s age! The older one was, the weaker the body’s pull on the soul!
He shared this insight with Heilson, who considered it reasonable.
“Ha, the older you are, the weaker your body becomes. But your proof method has no issue; as long as this directional magic can be released, it proves everything. However, there is a small problem with the descriptions; I’ll help you revise it later.”
Fisher smiled and nodded in agreement.
With Heilson’s help in revising the thesis, it would surely include his name during publication. Fisher wasn’t worried that he was doing it to benefit himself; it was certainly Fisher’s theory that attracted him.
The reason is simple; this Heilson standing before Fisher is not an ordinary character.
He is the president of the Nali Magic Association, a lifelong member of the World Magic Association, and a royal-recognized “Great Magician” – an honor that only he holds in the country. Decades ago, he assisted Miles in establishing the “Gravity” magic and helped design the proof rings for the “Universal Emblem.” Half of the country’s magical theories have been compiled and organized by him, earning him the title “Century Magician.”
There’s no need to worry about his intentions; his appearance on your thesis is already a significant boost for you. Others won’t even think of disputing it at a glance, and once published, it would be unstoppable.
The purpose of coming to the Royal Academy to find Damien was exactly this – all that was needed was Damien’s final nod for it to be settled.
Damien sighed with relief, looking at the thesis in his hand, then turned to the smiling Fisher, suddenly speaking up.
“You must co-sign with the collaboration from the Royal Research Institute for Heilson to sign.”
This was where conditions were starting to be proposed. It had been mentioned before that Fisher’s visit here was essentially to facilitate a “transaction.” Fisher needed a powerful backing for assistance, while the Royal Academy also needed an academic result.
However, there were negotiation points. If they sign with the Royal Research Institute, it would imply they contributed significantly to this research, which was clearly taking advantage of Fisher; he couldn’t agree to that.
Fisher shook his head and said, “Only a special acknowledgment: ‘Special Thanks to the Royal Research Institute.’”
“Fine, but you must also serve as a research advisor for the Royal Academy.”
They wanted to tie Fisher to the Royal Academy’s research camp, making this first author also a research advisor. Thus, Royal Academy would still gain something from it.
“That won’t do; at most, I can be credited, but I don’t have time to deal with those leaf-lighting researchers.”
“…”
Once those words were spoken, Damien seemed to fall silent, as if left speechless by the argument. After waiting for a long time, he nodded reluctantly, indicating his agreement.
This was contrary to what Fisher anticipated; he thought Damien would haggle several times before agreeing so easily to his offer.
Damien’s gaze was profound as he looked at Fisher, shaking his head.
“Besides the acknowledgment, I also want you to give a speech at the opening ceremony of the autumn semester.”
“A speech?”
This was completely beyond Fisher’s expectations; the speech would do nothing to enhance the Royal Academy’s reputation – it was effectively “an invalid bid.”
While Fisher was puzzled, Damien sighed.
“The inertia and apathy of researchers has not formed in a day or two; it has developed over several years, even decades. I’ve tried many methods, like paper performance, attendance systems, and rewards, but none of them could improve this situation. The academy ultimately remains the highest academic temple in Nali; no matter how the Griffin Party founded it, they surely didn’t intend to watch it decay to what it is today.”
“Rather than this, it would be better for you to scold them as you did during the graduation ceremony. I no longer wish to maintain a pathetic façade for that bunch of maggots.”
Upon hearing this, Fisher paused, staring at the elderly man before him in silence, while Heilson, who stood beside them, wore a constant smile, seemingly unfazed by Damien’s words.
After a long silence, Fisher finally nodded reluctantly.
“I understand; it will be as you said. Acknowledgment at the end of the paper, the title of research advisor at the Royal Academy, and a speech for the opening ceremony, and I want Heilson’s signature.”
“Deal.”
Damien nodded and extended his hand to Fisher.
“Pleasure to cooperate.”
Fisher and Damien shook hands, finishing the last cup of tea, then picked up his coat and hat. After greeting the smiling Heilson, he prepared to take his leave. Before departing, he seemed to remember something and looked towards Damien.
“By the way, do you want to review the speech draft later?”
Damien’s face turned dark, and after opening his mouth, he sulked while saying,
“No need; speak freely.”
Fisher chuckled, put on his hat, and left Damien’s residence.
In the room, only the smiling Heilson and Damien, who was just sipping the tea Fisher made, remained. After several seconds, Heilson finally sighed and spoke.
“Honestly, I think he and my granddaughter make a great match; you could even say they’re a match made in heaven.”
“If you’re referring to your 200-pound granddaughter, then please keep quiet.”
“She is kind and very lovely! I still remember how she used to follow me around when she was little!”
“Yeah, that’s why you kept feeding her delicious food, leading to her becoming overweight!”
“…Goodness, you’re truly vicious, Damien! I’m going to draw a circle and curse you!”
This chapter is five thousand words, counted as a two-in-one, as a bonus for the generous support from [CHARLO]. Thank you very much for your support.
Additionally, I kindly ask for your continued reading and voting, as it is very important to me!
Thank you very much!
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(End of Chapter)
