"Approved."
Sophia stared blankly at the document before her, at the Imperial Patronage Association seal stamped boldly across it.
Research Funding Approved
At the very fastest, it took a week.
Usually it took over three weeks. Sometimes, even after she submitted her research results, the funding review dragged on for over a month.
Of course, she could not dare rush the Imperial Patronage Association.
A few people with commendable courage and insufficient patience had protested, only to be rejected like moths flying into a flame.
"......How can this be?"
Sophia had therefore expected this semester's research-funding review to take at least three weeks, but.
The application she had submitted that morning had been approved in less than two hours.
"Pardon?"
"Ah, no! I was saying that I am grateful for the research-funding approval!"
"The Imperial Patronage Association will be cheering on Ms. Cotiar's research as well."
As though it might vanish like a mirage, Sophia hurriedly gathered up the approval documents.
Watching her, Lloyd offered her a handshake.
"Congratulations."
A generous heart is born from a well-padded wallet, or so they say?
Only five minutes earlier, Lloyd had seemed so suspicious and shady while they whispered privately. Now, he suddenly looked like nothing but a reliable and welcome presence.
So, just as Sophia was about to respond without thinking.
"......"
Her hand lost its way near his in midair at the fierce warning sent by her instincts.
Chapter 02 - Wise Preparations for Enrollment
'Is it really right to take that hand like this......?'
Lack of research funding had forced Sophia into countless compromises.
Using cost-effective experimental materials instead of the finest ones, and reusing disposable experimental tools over and over.
Such compromises could not help but show up plainly in her research results.
As the quality of her results steadily declined, the research funding she received from the Imperial Patronage Association gradually shrank as well.
She had become an Academy assistant professor to somehow make up for the lost funding, but.
'That did not stop the vicious cycle, either.'
In research, time was a resource just as important as money—perhaps even more so.
Harried by full professors, students, and even her fellow assistant professors.
Sophia's time leaked away in slow trickles, like sand through an hourglass with a hole punched in it.
Insufficient research funding led to a decline in the quality of her research results.
The decline in the quality of her research results led to a reduction in her research-funding sponsorship.
And as her side job as an Academy assistant professor stole even her time, the vicious cycle accelerated like a boulder rolling down a hill.
To the point that Sophia, who had been confident that no one could surpass her in Steam Alchemy research, had seriously worried about the outcome of this review.
And then this review was approved with such ease that all her worries felt pointless.
"Professor Cotiar?"
Thanks to Lloyd, who was holding out his hand to Sophia now.
Had he pulled strings in her research-funding review?
Even if she asked, the young man would surely play innocent.
But anyone who saw him appear smiling beside the chairman of the Imperial Patronage Association and still failed to notice would be a fool.
To begin with, one could not survive in the Imperial Capital with so little awareness.
'Could I have done it alone, purely through my research results......?'
Because Sophia had worked harder than anyone for Steam Alchemy, she could be certain.
To revive Steam Alchemy, being good at Steam Alchemy alone was not enough.
Research funding was ability, and more important even than ability were the connections needed to secure research funding.
Lloyd Schultz, standing before her now, was exactly that connection.
And not a connection Sophia had found herself, but one that had come and found Sophia on its own.
There was only one thing Lloyd wanted.
'A good relationship inside the Academy......'
Starting with this placement test, she would give him 'help' with his Academy life.
He was not demanding that she hand over all of her research results, nor was he seeking to interfere excessively.
Nor was he aiming for the Knight or Magic School through that help.
Rather, he had declared that he would walk the thorny path of becoming an Imperial civil servant through the School of Administration, which everyone avoided like the plague.
In a sense, it was the completion of a virtuous cycle in which no one lost out.
There was only one snag.
Sophia's pride as a steam alchemist.
The resolve that, when others had long ago groveled with both hands before high nobles or wealthy merchants, she alone would compete solely on the strength of her research achievements.
And that pride and resolve.
'But...... why should I be the only one who has to be aboveboard?'
Had already been worn down long ago in the face of the time that remained insufficient no matter how much she cut back on sleep, and the research funding that remained insufficient no matter how tightly she clenched her teeth and economized.
"I look forward to working with you, Mr. Schultz."
"I look forward to working with you as well, Professor Cotiar."
Sophia gladly clasped Lloyd's hand.
***
"So what do we do now?"
At Cotiar Workshop, with the door tightly shut and even the curtains drawn.
Sophia and I sat facing each other in the inner part of the workshop.
"Since this is our first collaboration, let us keep it light."
"Light?"
"One copy each of tomorrow's placement-test paper and answer key will be enough."
"......Are you sure that counts as light?"
Sophia's attitude had been about to change a little, like someone who had gone to the restroom and come back, but.
When my gaze settled on the sponsorship documents with their still-warm approval seals.
"I can manage that much! Of course I can."
Her attitude immediately returned to being cooperative. Financial therapy always worked, even in another world.
"Since the semester has not started yet, there will not be many people at the Academy."
The Academy was still a workplace to someone.
And no employee wanted to go to work. Even less so if it was the last day of vacation.
Therefore, the faculty and administrative staff would not even come near the Academy.
And since the students had not even been assigned dormitories yet, they naturally would not be there either.
With only one day remaining before it opened, the Academy would likely be as empty as an empty house could be.
Sophia nodded as she tipped back her wine bottle.
"That is probably right."
"Then do you know where the test papers and answer keys are?"
"Yes, in the administrative office. The assistant professors were up all night preparing them until just last week."
"Just in case, may I ask whether there are spare copies of the test papers and answer keys?"
Things were different from when I had enjoyed <Jjam Academy> as a game.
For example, if I stole a test paper in the game, I did not need to care how it had been made.
All that mattered was taking it without getting caught.
But now that it had become reality, I had to care about slightly more 'minor' issues.
"If they were copied out by hand, there might not be enough extras."
For example, if this world lacked printing presses and copying machines, and the test papers and answer keys had been copied out one by one by hand.
There would not be many extras, and stealing one would inevitably be noticed.
"No? Of course we copied them with copying magic."
Fortunately, magic was a dependable cheat code that filled the gap left by technology.
"Then one copy will not be a problem. That is a relief."
"That is true, but......"
Sophia agreed with me even as her voice trailed off.
Yet her fingers fidgeted with the two research-funding sponsorship documents.
The hesitation she could not hide rippled like the Red Sea in the wineglass clutched in her hand.
'Hm, it is perfectly understandable that she would be like that.'
Watching her brought the past to mind.
It was around the time I had just been promoted to Grade 6 secretary.
I had gone to a street-food stall with the most senior aide in the lawmaker's office.
- Wow, Seong-min, you have already made Grade 6.
- It is all thanks to the seniors paving the way for me, is it not?
We poured meaningless compliments and perfunctory well-wishes into our drinks.
By the time the smell of cheap fish-cake broth simmering had seeped just enough into our dress shirts.
- Seong-min. I think it is about time you started making deliveries.
The senior-most aide spoke words that instantly blew away my pleasantly warm buzz.
Naturally, he did not mean I should send and receive parcels for the lawmaker's office. That much menial work had already left my hands by then.
- Go to the address written here, and they will give you a few USB drives.
- Pardon?
- You know what Bitcoin is, right? They are cold wallets with it on them, so go through a few overseas exchanges and......
Instead of soju, the senior-most aide poured overflowing detailed instructions into my drink.
Whether by coincidence or because someone had arranged it in advance, I did not know, but there were only the two of us at the street-food stall.
- You are smart, so you will take care of it....... What is that look on your face?
- Senior......
The feeling I had then was truly.
It was not as though I, a model citizen who prided himself on being able to live upright even without the law, had been shocked to witness the ugly underbelly of Yeouido.
- Why? You cannot do it? If that is the case, say it clearly now. In return, I will draw a line between us from here on......
- Thank you!
- ......What?
It was so exhilarating that the world looked like a field of flowers.
It was the moment I was finally acknowledged not as a mere parachute hire, but as a true member of Representative Han Gyeong-su's office.
True family deepened their friendship through gossip, and strengthened their loyalty by sharing bribes and corruption.
Without hesitation, I proved that I was qualified to be family by successfully completing my first delivery.
- Seong-min....... No, never mind. Good work.
- Not at all! You have worked hard as well!
After that, I built a reputation as the best driver, never once causing a 'delivery accident.'
At some point, Representative Han Gyeong-su began entrusting every delivery job to me, and I earned not only his trust but a nice little bonus as well.
There was a minor issue when the senior-most aide, dissatisfied with this, was caught lining his own pockets separately, but.
In any case.
'Sophia must be struggling to contain her emotion, too.'
As a senior who had gone through this same emotional change first, I waited for Sophia without saying anything.
According to the Imperial Patronage Association documents, Sophia was a steam alchemist who could never be called well-off.
And then I appeared, neatly solving her research-funding problem.
I had even built a tight connection by asking for the 'bribe' of a test paper and answer key.
It was no different from declaring that, unless either party betrayed the other first, we would be together to the end.
Honestly, the very fact that she was not crying, despite being overcome with emotion, showed just how strong her resolve was.
"D-Did I perhaps show you my research results?!"
Perhaps she had noticed my consideration, because Sophia hurriedly changed the subject.
I could have pressed her since I had not yet received a definite answer that she would hand over the test paper and answer key.
But when Sophia carefully tucked the sponsorship documents into her bosom in lieu of an answer, I decided I had heard enough.
"Do you mean your Steam Alchemy research results, Professor Cotiar?"
"Yes! Since Mr. Schultz is, after all, a sponsor, you should hear a report on my research results and the direction I will take in the future."
Sophia and I headed toward the back of Cotiar Workshop.
"You saw the Cotiar-made steam orbs a few days ago, did you not?"
"The souvenirs you gouged me for?"
"G-Gouged you?! And they are not souvenirs. They are perfectly practical tools."
"Hm....... Are they?"
We passed shelves packed with the assorted experimental tools and materials one would expect in an alchemy workshop.
Then we pushed through a forest of all kinds of spray pipes, like heated humidifiers only much smaller and with more than twice the output, until we reached.
A basement connected to the back of Cotiar Workshop.
And in that basement.
"This is......"
"My masterpiece......! And the reason I have not yet been able to let go of Steam Alchemy."
A massive steel flywheel and countless cranks. Intricately connected cylinders, and magic stones gleaming here and there.
"Allow me to introduce the Cotiar-made Steam Engine No. 6, Biceps. Powerful strength that anyone can use with ease!"
The 'research result,' with its overwhelming presence, greeted me.
"Did you know that the Empire's main project was once developing its directly governed territories?"
Sophia savored my reaction as she started the engine.
HISSSSS!
With a rough, grumbling wheeze, enough steam erupted to fill the basement, which was far larger than the ground floor.
The steam so released roused the chimney, and the magic stones glowed like meteors in the night sky.
As the pistons inside the cylinders began to pound with all their strength and the connected pipes began to dance.
"Can you see it? The beautiful sight of endlessly light steam lifting an unbearably heavy boulder?!"
A steel plate connected to the steam engine defied gravity with the boulder cradled upon it.
"This is......"
The instant Sophia confirmed that I had confirmed her research result, she stopped the steam engine.
Then, seeing her immediately check how much the magic stones had worn down.
It seemed the claim that she had been struggling from a lack of research funding was not false.
"It is remarkable."
"Yes, it is remarkable. A skilled mage could lift a boulder far more easily, and even if there is no mage, one could hire laborers to move it or break it apart far more cheaply than with a steam engine."
I had been sincerely impressed, but there was something self-deprecating in Sophia's voice.
Even so, unconcealable pride melted into the affectionate expression with which she looked at the steam engine named Biceps.
So I held out my hand to her.
"......What is this all of a sudden?"
"Professor Cotiar, may I see the sponsorship documents bearing my name?"
"D-Do not tell me you are going to cancel the sponsorship now?!"
"It is not that, so do not worry."
I spread the sponsorship documents on a table in one corner of the basement and asked.
"Professor Cotiar, is there another machine or tool in this world that can perform a role similar to a steam engine?"
"Pardon? Um....... I do not know. What exactly do you mean by a similar role?"
"If it can move things with steam, does that not ultimately mean it can make a carriage move as well?"
"A horse can pull a carriage, so why would you make a steam engine do it......?"
The moment I heard Sophia's answer, I gained the sort of certainty that came from being a humanities major.
Certainty about how to make use of Steam Alchemy, which had done nothing but produce powerful non-magical items when I played <Jjam Academy>.
A plan the Emperor could not help but take an interest in, one that would knock the swagger out of provincial nobles who lorded it over their insular domains and mage towers even more closed and exclusionary than those nobles.
And the means to support that plan had appeared before me.
'To think Steam Alchemy hid this kind of potential......'
At the same time, I drew my quill hard across the amount field in the sponsorship documents.
I was exceptionally well-off where money was concerned, from the loan I had pulled from the Imperial Bank to the scholarships I would receive in the future.
For the development of Steam Alchemy—more precisely, the steam engine—I could sponsor as much research funding as I wanted.
"M-Mr. Schultz!"
Sophia's scream followed, but.
"......Huh?"
When I handed the sponsorship documents back to her, her voice filled with confusion.
"Professor Cotiar, however much it costs is fine. I will secure the research funding by whatever means I can, so how about adjusting the direction of your research?"
"Uh, adjusting it how?"
I pointed to the steam engine and gave her a broad smile.
"Instead of moving boulders, make it move carriages."
Toward the great woman who would become the mother of the future steam train, the steam engine that would race across the entire Empire.