Chapter 322: Dasvidaniya [2]
Due to the ongoing chaos, several troublemakers attempted to incite riots within the University Tower.
However, their efforts were for naught, as the Professors intervened and put a stop to them almost immediately. Despite everything that had happened, the University Tower remained an impenetrable institution.
Until it wasn’t.
"What is the meaning of this?!"
Several Professors stepped forward to block the path of the approaching crowd.
The group before them consisted primarily of individuals belonging to the faction advocating for democracy.
"We mean no harm!" one of the rebels shouted. "If you could simply lead us to the office Professor Vanitas Astrea used to occupy, we’ll leave immediately after conducting our investigation!"
An investigation.
That was what they called it.
In reality, these people had come to ransack the office and uncover whatever information they could find regarding Vanitas Astrea.
Whether it was signs of weakness, compromising information, hidden research, or details that had never been made public, they intended to search through everything they could get their hands on.
To dismantle his legacy and uncover whatever secrets he had left behind, they were willing to tear apart the very office he had once used. Any clue, no matter how insignificant, was something they desperately wanted to obtain.
"Professor Hertha, I understand the need for privacy," another rebel spoke up. The speaker was a third-year student who had joined the rebellion alongside the others. "But think about what Vanitas Astrea has done!"
Many of them had once admired Vanitas. Many had once viewed him as a hero who had made a difference during the Red Moon, a once-in-a-lifetime genius, and one of the greatest Professors in the history of the University Tower.
Professor Hertha’s expression remained cold.
"Regardless of your opinions, that does not grant you the authority to invade a Professor’s office."
"...."
"But Vanitas Astrea is no longer a member of the faculty!" the student immediately countered. "And even so, an exception should be made regardless!"
The surrounding crowd quickly voiced their agreement.
It was a long-standing rule among Professors never to dabble in or interfere with a fellow Professor’s work.
Research was considered sacred within the University Tower, and violating another Professor’s privacy was one of the fastest ways to earn the hostility of the entire faculty.
While Vanitas Astrea had already left his profession, that principle still remained.
"Leave. The answer is no."
"Professor!"
There was no room for negotiation in her tone. The moment those words left her mouth, it became abundantly clear that she had no intention of allowing anyone to pass.
The crowd’s expression was filled with frustration and disbelief. From their perspective, this was utterly ridiculous.
Nations across the world were already moving to dismantle Vanitas Astrea of his influence.
Governments, organizations, and countless public figures were openly condemning him, yet the Professors of the University Tower continued standing their ground as though none of it mattered.
The crowd behind him quickly voiced their agreement.
"I think he has a point... Professor Hertha."
The person who had spoken was one of the Professors.
"Why are we... acting like we liked Professor Astrea?"
Vanitas Astrea had never been particularly popular among the faculty.
He was difficult to work with, stern, and egotistical. He rarely attended social gatherings meant for the faculty, and more often than not, he treated administrative meetings as inconveniences rather than responsibilities.
Whenever discussions turned away from research and into politics or administration, Vanitas was usually the first to leave. On the rare occasions he did attend, his contributions often consisted of blunt criticisms that left everyone else irritated.
To make matters worse, he was not particularly interested in maintaining relationships with his colleagues.
While other Professors occasionally shared meals, collaborated on projects, or attended academic events together, Vanitas largely kept to himself.
Unless a discussion involved research, magical theory, or matters directly related to his work, he generally had little interest in participating.
As a result, very few people within the faculty could honestly claim to be close to him.
"Let’s be honest here. How many of us actually got along with him?"
No one answered.
The silence itself became an answer.
"Exactly." He let out a sigh. "I spent five years sharing a department with him, and I still don’t know whether the man genuinely liked anyone."
A few Professors exchanged awkward glances.
Even among the faculty, very few could honestly claim they understood him.
Eventually, Professor Hertha broke the silence.
"We aren’t protecting Vanitas Astrea. We are protecting the University Tower."
The statement caused several people to frown. Confusion quickly spread throughout the gathering.
Seeing their reactions, Hertha continued.
"Whether you admired him or hated him is irrelevant. Whether he was a hero, a villain, a genius, or a monster is also irrelevant."
She slowly looked toward the corridor leading deeper into the faculty wing.
"What lies behind his office is the accumulated research of a Professor."
Her eyes narrowed.
"The moment we allow mobs, governments, or public opinion to decide which Professor deserves privacy and which does not, the University Tower ceases to be a place of learning."
It was about precedent. And once a precedent was established, it would not stop with him.
The silence did not last long.
"It’s fine, Professor Hertha. Allow them."
Immediately, heads turned toward the source. The crowd parted, revealing the figure slowly approaching from the far end of the hall.
It was the Headmaster herself, Elsa Hesse.
The atmosphere immediately changed.
Even the rebellious students who had been shouting moments ago found themselves lowering their voices. Regardless of political affiliation or personal opinion, there were few individuals within the University Tower who commanded as much respect as the Headmaster.
"Headmaster?!"
In actuality, Vanitas Astrea had already left the faculty many months ago.
By all rights, his office should have been cleared out shortly afterward. The room should have been reassigned to another Professor, and his belongings should have been archived or removed entirely.
Yet none of that had happened.
The office remained untouched, exactly as he had left it.
The reason was simple.
It had been an order from Elsa Hesse herself.
Naturally, many within the faculty understood the obvious bias this decision entailed. If any other Professor had resigned under similar circumstances, their office would have been processed according to standard procedure.
Vanitas Astrea had been the exception.
Yet despite the favoritism, very few people complained. After all, Vanitas Astrea’s accomplishments spoke for themselves.
His contributions to magical theory, education, and humanity as a whole were simply too significant to ignore. Even those who disliked him found it difficult to argue against the legacy he had built throughout his career.
More importantly, everyone understood what the gesture actually meant.
The office had never been preserved for practical reasons, but as a message.
A silent declaration from the Headmaster herself. A reminder that no one else could truly replace him.
A reminder that regardless of what happened, regardless of how much time passed, and regardless of whatever disagreements may have existed, the University Tower still considered him one of its own.
Most of all, it was a way of telling him that the doors of the University Tower would always remain open.
If Vanitas Astrea ever chose to return, there would still be a place waiting for him.
But that was all in the past.
"Headmaster, w-where have you been?!"
Several Professors immediately reacted upon seeing her.
After all, Elsa Hesse had been deemed missing for nearly two months. Following the battle that took place within the Theocracy two months ago, many had even assumed she had died alongside the others.
Yet she was here, standing before them, and very much alive.
Professor Hertha frowned but ultimately had no choice but to back down.
The Headmaster’s authority within the University Tower was absolute. As a result, the crowd was eventually led toward Vanitas Astrea’s office, where they immediately began tearing the place apart in search of anything they could use against him.
What they found, however, left them speechless.
"This..."
"What are these supposed to be?!"
Many expected hidden transactions and evidence of illegal research.
Yet none of those things appeared.
Instead, what they found left the entire room speechless.
"This..."
"What are these supposed to be?!"
The room quickly descended into confusion. Everywhere they looked were blueprints.
Thousands of pages worth of blueprints. Research papers. Design proposals. Mathematical models. Engineering concepts.
"Wait a minute..."
A Professor grabbed one of the documents.
"This is an improved magitrain system."
His eyes widened further as he continued reading.
The proposal detailed modifications to existing railway networks that would reduce mana consumption by nearly seventy percent while simultaneously increasing travel speeds.
Entire sections were dedicated to making transportation safer, cheaper, and more accessible for ordinary civilians.
Nearby, another researcher picked up a different stack.
"No way..."
The document described a network of palm-sized communication devices linked through long-distance mana relay towers.
Instead of relying on expensive transmission circles, individuals could communicate with one another across entire nations using portable artifacts that could fit inside a pocket.
Someone else stumbled across another blueprint.
"This can’t be real."
The design showcased an automated agricultural system that used low-grade enchantments to regulate irrigation, soil quality, and crop growth. According to the calculations, harvest yields could increase several times over while requiring significantly less labor.
The discoveries continued.
One group uncovered plans for enchanted illumination crystals capable of storing sunlight during the day and providing entire districts with light throughout the night.
Another discovered a prototype mana-powered cooling and heating system intended to regulate temperatures within homes regardless of seasonal conditions.
Further inside the office, several scholars gathered around another collection of documents.
"These are medical designs..."
Entire notes filled the margins regarding ways to make treatment more affordable for commoners.
The deeper they searched, the more absurd the discoveries became.
A self-navigating cargo transport system.
A continent-wide communication network.
Advanced purification systems capable of providing clean water to entire cities.
Compact mana batteries designed to store excess magical energy for later use that didn’t cost a fortune.
Educational projection devices capable of displaying moving images and lessons to hundreds of students efficiently.
Every single project had one thing in common.
None of them were finished.
Silence gradually overtook the room.
The people who had entered expecting to uncover evidence of corruption instead found something entirely different.
A future.
Or rather, several futures.
Research that could have transformed the daily lives of millions.
Research that could have changed the world.
Research that had never been published.
Research that had never left this room.
"...Vanitas."
The more they searched, the less they understood.
If these projects were real, why had he never published them? If he truly wanted influence or recognition, then any one of these inventions could have cemented his name in history for centuries to come.
Then, Elsa found a note.
[Use these however you deem fit. Discard it, perfect it. I do not expect credit. I do not want credit. ]
That was it.
