The Magic Academy's Physicist-Chapter 203: From Master to Slave (4)

Wringing water from a rag was also a novel thing for Klais.

It was difficult enough twisting the rag with weakened hands, and she had to work half the day wiping down the floor, research equipment, and the shelves spotless.

At least the floor was relatively easy, and even the shelves were manageable if she got on her tiptoes.

The research equipment was the issue.

Aether would throw a fit if she accidentally rubbed the covers or the outside of the delicate equipment too hard.

Furthermore, she couldn’t wipe the microscope or superconducting magnets with a rag or cloth. These objects had to be cleaned using chemicals or other methods so the amount of time Klais suffered multiplied.

“Still a professor, hm?”

Aether monitored every second of Klais cleaning the equipment as she turned the pages.

This was the only time she watched her, not showing even the slightest interest when she cleaned anything else.

“...I’ve finished.”

Biting on  her lip, Klais called Aether.

It hurt her pride.

She always used formal speech, but it was different using it as a master and as a slave.

“Is it clean?”

Aether only glanced over the other parts; her attention was only on how clean the research equipment was.

She checked every little detail, taking nearly thirty minutes for that alone. Klais had to swallow a few times.

Come to think of it, she had been like this once.

For a year after taking Aether in as a slave, she had personally supervised her cleaning the equipment. She’d give her a big scolding if there was even a speck of dust.

Of course, it was necessary to keep the equipment clean. Even Klais had been criticized during graduate school for not being able to take care of a single magic paper properly. That was how much she was told–until her ears bled–to handle magic tools with care.

But here she was, a tenure recipient, being kicked in the shins1 in reverse by a girl who was an undergrad, so of course she’d feel it down to her bones.

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“Not bad.”

She was only relieved after Aether finished inspecting the last tool.

“Is that the time already.”

The moonlight was shining through the window. Aether closed her book with a yawn, then got up after taking out another one.

Klais upper body was slowly pulled forward. Aether was tugging on the leash.

“Come.”

They didn’t even need to go far; it was a small room attached to the lab.

“From now on, you will spend your time here once you’ve finished for the day.”

With her eyes fixed on the book’s table of contents, Aether pointed to the dark, gloomy room. The furniture must have been removed as it had no bed or closet.

It wasn’t a particularly strange place, just somewhere that other research equipment used to be.

Looking around, Klais took a risk and asked.

“Where.... do I sleep?”

She knew that a bed was too much for a slave.

But shouldn’t she at least be given a blanket and straw to sleep on?

“Your bed? Anywhere you lie down.”

“But....”

“But what.”

Klais stopped protesting, recalling four years ago when she herself had put Aether in an animal shed and told her to figure out her own living.

“Did you wish to be treated like a princess while living here? You should be thankful that your limbs are intact.”

It was as she said.

She could look down right now and see her arms bruised from needles. They were covered with clothes, but her legs and neck weren’t much different.

To exaggerate a bit, she’d been wrung for months to the point that her hematopoietic stem cells couldn’t even make blood. In comparison, being told to figure out her own bed was closer to a courtesy.

Click. The door closed.

In the dark room, Klais let out a deep sigh.

“......It’s pointless.”

Everything was over the moment she was captured.

No one until now had escaped from the Demon Castle and returned. Even if one did manage to escape, they would likely starve or freeze to death around the third line of defense where the snow whipped through.

Klais took her spot in the corner and lay down, curling up like a child.

Using the robe she received as a blanket and her relatively okay left arm as a pillow, she welcomed sleep.

Not having slept properly in a while, Klais dreamed that night.

It was the first dream in a long time, but it wasn’t a good one.

If she had to categorize it, it was closer to a nightmare.

- Is this all you can do, Klais?

It was a dream of being scolded by her father, something frightening and intimidating.

- Look at your siblings fighting on the battlefront. Here in the north, you will only die if you do not get stronger. Work hard as if you are prepared to die.

In the dream, Klais was a girl only about thirteen years old.

In the midst of puberty. A girl at the age of being easily swayed by what others said and occasionally wanting to play in the fields.

But the world wasn’t that easy. The winters of Elankaya were much too cold for the girl who dreamed of spring.

Her whole body felt cold like she’d gotten body aches. Klais put her head down in her sleep and hugged her arms to her tight.

- I’m sorry, please take my head for failing to protect the lady!

- My lord, the second young master.... The young master has met a misfortune by a Gigantopia......!

- Sister, when will Klaudié come back?

Do you really not know?

They’ve all grown cold out on the snowy plain, this desolate field where there is nothing to eat but snow. It seems father’s heart is growing cold as well.

The Hasfeldt symbolizes the Duke of Fire. When the Empire was newly established, there was a reason that the first Emperor gave the position of the Northern Grand Duke to a Fire Mage.

What we are to do is simple.

We need to drive out this winter. Be the lamp of the Empire that will never go out. The inextinguishable light of humanity.

I will say it once more, so take this to heart. My proud daughter.

Even if our house falls, the world will end if we do not hold this place.

“.......”

Her body shivered like there was a lingering effect of the electric shock.

She didn’t know how long she slept, but it was obvious that quite some time had passed with the sun rising beyond the window.

Klais took a deep breath and got up. Although she blinked a few times, her vision was still blurry.

After rubbing her face with her sleeve to clean it, Klais looked up at the firmly shut door.

She was afraid to open the door and go out. She’d managed to get through yesterday as it was only the first day, but she was afraid of what she’d be asked to do from today onwards.

It was only the second day and she was anxious. What if she was given something that was too much? She didn’t know if she could handle it.

“Ah....”

Looking down at the ground, a noise escaped from Klais’ mouth.

Before she knew it, there was breakfast set in front of her.

Porridge with more ground beef than yesterday, and bread shredded into pieces that even a child could eat easily. As well, a few cherry tomatoes that seemed to be for dessert.

Chills went down her entire body.

Just looking at the meals, it was a better treatment than what she had given Aether. Klais felt something off about that.

How much work did she plan to make her do from now on?

“...Wait.”

This could be a trap.

No, it was definitely a trap.

The typical slave to Klais’ knowledge even had their meals controlled. They were not allowed to touch the food until their master said ‘eat’.

She wasn’t to that extent, but she didn’t know about Aether. The grudge from when she had been a slave wouldn’t go away that easily.

“Perhaps.......”

Klais left the cooling porridge and turned the handle slightly.

Aether, who had read through the night, spotted Klais approaching her and got up from her seat.

“If you’ve finished eating, bring it out.”

“I haven’t eaten yet.”

“What?”

Aether brushed her hair back carelessly.

“I left it right in front of you, so why didn’t you eat it?”

“......May I?”

“What an idiot.”

“.......”

“Get ready in ten minutes and come out. We need to go somewhere.”

Hurrying back to her room, Klais quirked her head.

It was completely different than what she had expected.

She didn’t yell at her angrily, and although she showed signs of irritation, even that had been restrained by reason.

It was like facing a lion who had hunted a rabbit and wasn’t biting into it.

“......What is it?”

Before she could think deeply about it, hunger struck. Like yesterday, Klais emptied the bowl, leaving as little as she could.

She put all the cherry tomatoes left for dessert into her coat pocket, because not only would her stomach get upset if she ate anymore, it was the time that Aether had told her to get ready and come out.

“Come here.”

Klais’ expression crumpled for a moment when her leash was grabbed as soon as she stepped outside.

They were going out like this?

As much as it was a place with only Beasts, going outside leashed? It couldn’t be more humiliating.

1. An abusive act done by those in a superior position to those under them causing a deep bone-aching pain.