Ch#130
Tremendous event?
"W-What's going on?"
The fireworks were already bursting, and cheers and applause kept pouring in endlessly, leaving everyone dazed.
Ruska looked around curiously, but no one could answer.
Not just Ruska, but Evi, Irene, and Arsel had never heard of this either.
"Give me that. I'll announce it myself."
Professor Males set Evi down and took the amplifier from Lucy.
"Ahem."
As he cleared his throat, the noisy hall fell silent.
The God's Natural Numbers members, like Evi and the others, had heard nothing about this.
"Tremendous event?"
"If Lucy's announcing it here, it must be related to the professor?"
"What on earth could it be...?"
As low murmurs continued, someone wheeled out a handcart from behind the platform.
Something covered with a white cloth sat atop the cart.
'What's that?'
Evi peeked at the cart curiously too. Professor Males gazed at her proudly, as if she were the most wonderful thing, then spoke loudly again.
"It's this... I've finished writing a new advanced mathematics textbook!"
At Professor Males's words, Lucy pulled off the white cloth covering the cart.
Revealing stacks of books piled high on top.
"...?"
The children standing by the cart looked at the books in confusion.
At that moment.
"Woooooooh!"
An enormous cheer filled the hall.
"A new math book from Master!"
"My goodness! Is this real? You've really written a new math textbook?"
Screams of excitement erupted from all around.
At the reaction, Professor Males and Lucy looked out proudly at the crowd.
The children might not know, but this was truly monumental.
The last time Professor Males had written a math book was 30 years ago.
His advanced mathematics from then was still used as the foundational text in every school across the continent.
Naturally, requests for a new textbook had poured in continuously since.
But Professor Males had firmly refused every one.
'Even when his disciples begged him desperately.'
Lucy recalled why he had become that way.
His fame had grown so high that envy and jealousy toward Professor Males increased.
On top of that, some disciples began misusing his name for their own gain.
Eventually, he got caught up in all sorts of petty scandals.
Even those who approached under the guise of goodwill, proposing collaborations, would snatch only the results or blame their own mistakes on him.
Then someone even claimed they had written the advanced mathematics and that Professor Males had stolen their work.
Seizing the chance, many denounced and pointed fingers at him.
In the end, Professor Males grew disillusioned with academia and people.
"You call that research? I stole from you? Fine, then keep doing your great research among yourselves and publish a book!"
With that, he completely halted work on his new textbook.
Not only that, he burned all his research materials.
The academic world, of course, erupted in chaos.
They cursed him, yet whenever he announced new math theories, they drew attention from people and secured investments by applying them to economics.
But he had thrown it all away.
If only they had apologized belatedly, but those who had gleefully slandered him shut their mouths, and those who had framed him acted as if nothing happened.
Those profiting off his name cut contact once there was nothing left to take.
To an outsider, it might seem like mere academic drama, but in truth, it was a massive loss not just for math circles but for the entire empire.
His newly organized advanced mathematics had elevated math education in every imperial school by a full level.
Just when it was time to prepare the next step, he shut it all down.
His disciples begged him to reconsider, but he was steadfast.
After that, he cut off contact with everyone and lived as a reclusive eccentric professor in a corner of the academy.
Even the disciples who initially believed he'd come around someday began giving up as his coldness dragged on.
That was 26 years ago.
They had long given up on a new book from their master...
Professor Males continued.
"This book organizes advanced mathematics in an easy-to-understand way! There was a huge difficulty gap between the intermediate and advanced levels before, making the transition hard for many students. So this time, I wrote a book for that intermediate step with more materials and problems."
The crowd buzzed again. As he said, there still wasn't a proper book for that middle stage.
Many mathematicians had tried, but they were all deemed lacking compared to Professor Males's works.
It was the section everyone struggled with, and now a book for it at last!
"And next year or the year after, I plan to release an even higher-level book called advanced advanced mathematics."
Saying that, Professor Males smiled at the children eyeing the books on the cart.
"So I can properly teach these kids."
"Master..."
At his words, the disciples below the platform teared up before they knew it.
They'd given up on ever seeing a new book from their master in their lifetime, and now it was here!
And he planned another next year!
Seeing their wounded master, who had cut off everyone, smiling at his new disciples filled them with overwhelming emotion.
Unable to contain their joy, someone shouted.
"Our little ones are the best!"
"Yes! It's thanks to you all!"
Even louder applause and cheers than when Evi and the others entered filled the hall.
Sniffles and people wiping tears echoed here and there.
Seeing the scene, Irene was simply bewildered.
'Thanks to us? Well, more precisely Evi... No, but is a new book really such a感動ing thing for everyone?'
Looking back, Arsel and Ruska looked stunned too. And Evi was...
"That's amazing..."
Evi stared at the stacked books, hands clasped tightly, her face full of感动.
Confirming Evi shared the same wavelength as Professor Males and the other members here, Irene shook her head.
Professor Males picked up the amplifier again.
"These are still in the proofreading stage. Everyone, take one and check it out! If you spot any wrong numbers, symbols, or odd equations, contact me immediately!"
"You're using us for free proofreading, Master?!"
"Boo, that's too much!"
"Evil master! Repent!"
Shouting that, the God's Natural Numbers members swiftly lined up at the platform anyway.
"Here, you kids take one each too."
Before handing them to others, Lucy gave books to the children first.
Though not the final edition, the leather-bound books looked ready for bookstore shelves.
"Easy Advanced Mathematics."
Evi read the title and flipped the cover.
Her eyes widened soon after.
"Our names are here!"
"What? Where?"
Irene leaned over to look at the page Evi had opened.
Sure enough, four names were listed there.
"Ruska Ragselb, Irene Terins, Evi Alden, Arsel Kailun..."
Wondering why their names were there, she looked above to see a short preface by Professor Males.
[Without these children, this book wouldn't have been written.
May this book help all who embark on advanced mathematics.]
"Professor..."
Ruska teared up at the short preface.
Even Irene was moved, her eyes reddening.
They had wondered if they were just extras tagging along with Evi...
"My name at the top... As expected, I'm your favorite, Professor!"
As Ruska teared up in emotion, Professor Males hurriedly shook his head.
"No, listing names in reverse alphabetical order is our field's convention, you fool!"
"Even if you say that, I knew your heart all along! I'll work even harder!"
"Hey, don't blow your nose on my clothes!"
Leaving the bickering Professor Males and Ruska behind, Evi touched her name repeatedly in disbelief.
'My name in a book.'
She thought only truly great people got their names in books.
Lucy winked beside her and said.
"Soon this book will be the textbook in every advanced school and academy. All the students in the empire will know your names."
From the poorhouse in Elam City to the inn, then from Elam City to the capital's Genius Academy, Evi's world had widened immensely.
And now, the entire empire.
It felt like she was floating high in the sky, as if she'd become someone great.
'I'm so glad I came to the academy!'
As Evi cherished her overwhelming emotions, everyone now held a copy of the new book.
Though still in proofreading, they all looked proud, as if holding treasure.
"Now, it's time for the God's Natural Numbers Brooch presentation to our little ones!"
At Lucy's shout, another member brought up new brooches.
For the three besides Evi, who had received hers first.
Arsel pinned his maturely, Irene with honor, Ruska jumping excitedly.
"Now then..."
As Ruska's eyes sparkled wondering if they'd eat and play, Lucy shouted vigorously.
"Let's spoil our little ones to our hearts' content!"
Thus, the children were thrown to the seniors starved for juniors all this time.
