Chapter 236: Back to Ordinary Life

By the time Professor Antoine Chastellain returned to SkyRune, the laboratory had accumulated enough paperwork to make him reconsider his decision.

Three research proposals awaited approval, two departments were disputing access to the same equipment, and someone had submitted an expense report containing a purchase that nobody could explain.

Apparently, the researchers had ordered forty-seven kilograms of industrial adhesive.

Antoine examined the document before turning toward the senior administrator.

"What exactly were they planning to build?"

"We’re still trying to establish that, Professor."

"And nobody thought to ask before approving the purchase?"

"The request came from the materials department."

"That explains remarkably little."

Ilya, who had accompanied the professor to the laboratory, examined the expense report with interest. Whoever had ordered the adhesive possessed either extraordinary ambition or a very poor understanding of quantities.

Fortunately, the shipment hadn’t arrived yet.

Antoine instructed the administrator to clarify the request before approving payment, then reviewed the remaining paperwork. Most of the problems were ordinary administrative matters that had accumulated during his absence.

The workshop itself had continued functioning reasonably well.

Several researchers greeted him warmly, although they were careful not to overwhelm him with questions about his health. Everyone knew that he had been recovering from a serious magical condition following the Saint Aurelia tragedy.

The details remained private.

Antoine appreciated their consideration and informed the staff that he would resume his responsibilities gradually, following Doctor Valmont’s recommendations.

For the moment, the senior researchers would continue supervising experimental work while he concentrated on administrative duties and several smaller projects.

The arrangement disappointed a few students who had been waiting for his assistance, but most understood the circumstances.

After reviewing the department’s progress, Antoine requested an update concerning the new research initiative established during his absence.

Its preliminary findings had already been submitted to the Imperial authorities. Several recommendations concerning the identification of dangerous modifications to ordinary magical equipment were undergoing evaluation, and the Intelligence Bureau had expressed interest in continued cooperation.

The professor was pleased with the results.

He had initially established the initiative because he wanted to prevent another tragedy like Saint Aurelia. Seeing his colleagues develop useful methods without requiring his constant supervision gave him confidence that the project could continue.

However, he had another proposal to present.

The senior administrator listened as Antoine explained his plans for an educational program intended to introduce children to magical engineering.

The project would use SkyRune’s existing facilities during designated instructional periods, with volunteer researchers supervising small groups of students.

Rather than attempting to establish an entire academy immediately, Antoine wanted to begin with a limited program involving practical demonstrations and simple inventions.

The administrator found the proposal interesting.

"Would this be open to children outside the academy?"

"Yes. I don’t see why a child’s interest in engineering should depend on whether their family can afford an expensive education."

"Then we’ll need additional funding."

"I’ve considered that."

Antoine presented a preliminary budget covering instructional materials, safety equipment, and compensation for participating researchers.

He had deliberately kept the costs modest.

SkyRune already possessed most of the necessary facilities, and several discarded components could be repurposed for teaching without affecting ongoing projects.

The administrator examined the figures before expressing cautious approval.

However, he explained that the proposal would require authorization from the academy’s governing board.

Antoine had expected that.

He requested that the documents be submitted for review and offered to attend the next meeting if the board required clarification.

The administrator agreed.

Once the discussion concluded, Ilya accompanied Antoine back to his office.

"You’ve already prepared an entire budget?"

"Naturally."

"I was hoping you’d at least pretend to rest for another week."

"The physician prohibited excessive work, Belozersky. He never said I couldn’t think."

"That’s a dangerous loophole."

Antoine laughed before thanking him for his assistance with the proposal.

The professor intended to establish the program under Lucile’s name, although he preferred to wait until the governing board approved it before making a public announcement.

Ilya agreed.

There was little benefit in attracting attention to a project that hadn’t yet secured its funding or administrative support.

Besides, Antoine had already endured enough public scrutiny following the massacre.

Keeping the initial preparations within SkyRune would allow the program to develop without unnecessary political pressure.

Their conversation was interrupted when a junior researcher arrived carrying a report from the Imperial Intelligence Bureau.

The document concerned equipment recovered from one of the properties associated with Edmund Falkenrath.

The authorities wanted SkyRune to identify several unfamiliar modifications before deciding whether the devices required additional restrictions.

Antoine examined the request.

Ordinarily, he would have begun reviewing the materials himself.

However, Doctor Valmont had instructed him to avoid taking on additional responsibilities during the early stages of his recovery.

After considering the matter, he forwarded the report to the initiative’s senior researchers.

"Ask them to prepare a preliminary assessment. I’ll review their conclusions once they’ve finished."

The junior researcher accepted the instructions and departed.

Ilya regarded the professor with mild surprise.

"That was unexpectedly responsible."

"I do occasionally listen to medical advice."

"I’ll inform Doctor Valmont. He’ll want to document the occasion."

Antoine smiled before returning to his paperwork.

For Ilya, the exchange was reassuring.

The professor still possessed the curiosity and enthusiasm that had defined his career, but he was beginning to recognize that he didn’t need to personally solve every problem placed before him.

That was a meaningful improvement.

However, Ilya had his own responsibilities waiting at Holy Trinity.

The past several weeks had been dominated by the Saint Aurelia investigation, and although he had managed to maintain his academic standing, several assignments required his attention.

He couldn’t continue spending every afternoon at SkyRune.

Antoine understood.

"You should concentrate on your studies, Belozersky. I’ve already taken enough of your time."

"I was beginning to wonder whether you remembered I was a student."

"An exceptionally troublesome one."

"I learned from the best."

The professor laughed and dismissed him for the afternoon.

Ilya returned to Holy Trinity, where ordinary academic life had continued despite the events that had shaken the Imperial Capital.

Students attended lectures, submitted assignments, and complained about examinations with the same determination they had demonstrated before the tragedy.

The familiarity was strangely reassuring.

For several weeks, Ilya had spent much of his time surrounded by investigators, soldiers, physicians, and grieving families.

Now he found himself listening to classmates argue about academic deadlines.

He had never expected to find such arguments comforting.

Unfortunately, his own unfinished work remained waiting.

He spent the afternoon catching up on assignments before reviewing several notes concerning his magical training.

His progress had slowed during the hostage crisis, particularly in subjects requiring sustained practice.

That would need to change.

Ilya understood that his involvement at Saint Aurelia had been necessary, but he couldn’t allow every unexpected crisis to derail his education.

He had entered Holy Trinity to become a capable wizard, and there were still considerable gaps in his abilities.

The experience had also reminded him how limited his knowledge remained.

Despite contributing to the investigation, he had been unable to save the children.

The Imperial Guard had performed its duties, SkyRune had provided valuable assistance, and numerous specialists had exhausted every available option.

Yet the cult’s preparations had ultimately proven too dangerous.

Ilya didn’t believe the tragedy could be reduced to a simple failure of individual competence.

Nevertheless, he wanted to become someone capable of making a greater difference when another crisis occurred.

That required more than good intentions.

He needed knowledge, experience, and the ability to act when circumstances demanded it.

For the remainder of the afternoon, he concentrated on his studies.

Meanwhile, the Imperial Intelligence Bureau continued investigating the Cult of the Second Dawn.

Edmund Falkenrath remained in custody, and the recovered financial records had already led to several additional arrests.

However, Matthias Reinhold was still missing.

The Bureau had traced several transactions associated with his former research circles, but the surviving members appeared to have anticipated the investigation.

Some had abandoned their laboratories, while others had destroyed records before the authorities arrived.

Inspector Laurent was becoming increasingly convinced that the organization possessed a method of warning its members whenever one of its facilities was compromised.

The possibility concerned him.

If the cult maintained an effective communication network, further raids would need to be coordinated carefully to prevent suspects from escaping.

Fortunately, the investigators had recovered enough evidence to begin identifying several previously unknown associates.

Their names were being compared against research licenses, financial transactions, and historical reports of prohibited experiments.

The investigation would continue.

However, Laurent had another matter requiring attention.

Among the documents recovered from Falkenrath’s properties was a list of research institutions that had received unusually large private grants.

Several were already under investigation.

One institution, however, had attracted little attention because its public records appeared entirely legitimate.

It was located in Volnograd.

The city possessed a respected academic community, several private research organizations, and longstanding commercial relationships with institutions throughout the Empire.

Ordinarily, receiving substantial research funding wouldn’t be suspicious.

However, the investigators discovered that several grants had been approved through intermediaries connected to Falkenrath.

More importantly, certain payments had continued even after the Saint Aurelia occupation began.

Laurent requested additional information from the regional authorities.

The response confirmed that the institution remained operational and had recently expanded its facilities.

There was no evidence that its staff participated in the massacre.

Nevertheless, the financial connections warranted further examination.

The inspector ordered his investigators to compile a complete report before recommending any action.

He had no intention of accusing an established institution based on suspicious payments alone.

However, the possibility that the cult’s financial network extended into Volnograd was difficult to ignore.

Later that evening, Ilya received a message from Antoine.

The professor informed him that SkyRune’s governing board had agreed to review the educational program during its next scheduled meeting.

He also mentioned that several senior researchers had volunteered to assist if the proposal received approval.

Ilya was pleased.

The project had begun as a way for Antoine to honor Lucile, but it was gradually becoming something practical that might benefit children throughout the capital.

He replied with his congratulations and reminded the professor not to spend the entire night preparing additional documents.

Antoine responded that he had already finished his work for the day.

Ilya found that claim difficult to believe.

Nevertheless, he decided to give the professor the benefit of the doubt.

At the Chastellain residence, Antoine had indeed finished his work.

He spent part of the evening reviewing Lucile’s drawings before returning them to their folder.

The mechanical bird remained unfinished, but he intended to work on it when Valmont approved his return to practical research.

For now, he was content to leave it as it was.

The mysterious woman’s voice hadn’t returned since his recovery, and his magic remained stable.

He understood that future difficulties might still arise, but he had no intention of surrendering the life he had chosen to continue living.

There were students waiting for his guidance, colleagues depending on his expertise, and children who might someday discover their own love for invention.

Antoine still missed Lucile.

He imagined he always would.

However, as he prepared for bed, he found himself thinking about the educational program’s first class.

He wondered what kinds of inventions the children would create, and whether any of them would possess the same unreasonable confidence his daughter had shown.

The thought made him smile.

At the Imperial Intelligence Bureau, Laurent finished reviewing the preliminary information concerning Volnograd.

He signed an order requesting a discreet inquiry into the institution’s financial activities and placed the file among the investigations awaiting further evidence.

For the moment, there was no reason to involve SkyRune or Holy Trinity.

The authorities would examine the matter through ordinary channels before deciding whether additional assistance was necessary.

Nevertheless, the file contained one detail that Laurent intended to investigate carefully.

Among the private grants issued to the Volnograd institution was a payment authorized by Matthias Reinhold himself.

And unlike the other transactions, that payment had been made only three days before the massacre at Saint Aurelia.