Chapter 266: A Problem Worth Solving

The following morning, Ilya arrived at Holy Trinity Academy carrying a research proposal that had absolutely nothing to do with his scheduled lectures.

He had intended to read it for half an hour the previous evening.

Unfortunately, the calculations had presented several interesting problems, and by the time he finished examining them, his desk was covered with enough notes to suggest he’d been preparing for an examination.

The proposal concerned high-altitude atmospheric observation.

According to the preliminary requirements, the researchers hoped to conduct sustained measurements in regions where atmospheric mana density became unstable. Existing observation methods could gather information from lower elevations, but the equipment required for more ambitious expeditions remained unreliable.

SkyRune possessed considerable expertise in propulsion technology.

However, getting a machine off the ground was only the beginning.

The real challenge involved keeping it there.

Ilya found that distinction fascinating.

During his childhood in the North, he had occasionally encountered records describing magical disturbances high above the mountain ranges. Some mentioned unusual auroras, while others described sudden changes in mana concentration that interfered with communication and navigation.

Most had been dismissed as poorly understood natural phenomena.

Now, there was an opportunity to investigate them.

Unfortunately, the calculations weren’t particularly encouraging.

The proposed apparatus would require sustained mana output far beyond what SkyRune’s existing experimental regulator could reliably maintain.

Increasing the power supply would introduce additional weight, which would require greater propulsion, which would demand even more power.

It was the sort of problem that could bankrupt a research laboratory before producing a single useful result.

Fortunately, Ilya wasn’t the one paying for it.

"What’s that?"

Garen had noticed the documents during their morning break.

Ilya explained the proposal while Ma?lle and Wolfram joined the conversation.

The three were familiar with the regulator project, having spent several weeks improving a smaller mechanism intended for the upcoming research exhibition.

Wolfram immediately recognized the problem.

"Your energy requirements increase faster than the equipment’s carrying capacity."

"Exactly."

"Then you’d need a more efficient propulsion mechanism."

"Or reduce the amount of energy wasted maintaining stability."

Ma?lle examined the figures.

The proposed apparatus required continuous corrections to compensate for changing atmospheric conditions. Those adjustments consumed mana even when the propulsion system itself operated efficiently.

Their own regulator project had encountered a similar problem on a smaller scale.

During early testing, the device repeatedly overcorrected whenever its output fluctuated. The resulting instability wasted energy and placed unnecessary strain on its components.

They had improved the mechanism by reducing the frequency and magnitude of those corrections.

Ilya wondered whether the same principle could be applied here.

Naturally, a research apparatus operating at extreme altitude faced difficulties their classroom experiment didn’t.

Nevertheless, the underlying problem was familiar.

"If the machine can tolerate small fluctuations without correcting them immediately, we might reduce consumption," he suggested.

Wolfram considered the proposal.

"Within limits. You’d need to establish how much deviation the structure can withstand."

"And how quickly the system can recover," Ma?lle added.

Ilya agreed.

They spent the remainder of their break discussing possible approaches, eventually identifying several questions worth investigating.

By the time the next lecture began, Garen had developed a headache.

"I thought we were finished with regulators."

"Apparently, regulators weren’t finished with us," Ilya replied.

Garen found that deeply unfair.

Their conversation ended when the professor entered, although Ilya continued considering the problem throughout the lecture.

He wasn’t foolish enough to believe a classroom discussion would solve years of engineering difficulties.

However, there was value in identifying which assumptions deserved further examination.

The existing proposal treated atmospheric instability as a disturbance that required constant correction.

What if that assumption was unnecessarily expensive?

The answer depended on how the disturbances behaved.

And fortunately, SkyRune possessed people capable of finding out.

That afternoon, Ilya returned to the laboratory with his calculations.

Professor Antoine Chastellain was occupied with several senior researchers when he arrived, so Ilya spent the first hour reviewing the regulator’s experimental records.

The documents revealed an interesting pattern.

Most of the mechanism’s energy losses occurred during transitions between operating conditions. Once the system reached equilibrium, its consumption became comparatively stable.

The difficulty was maintaining that equilibrium when external conditions changed.

Ilya compared the results against his own experiments with mana circulation.

There were similarities.

When he accelerated using Niflheim’s freezing currents, sudden changes in direction demanded additional mana. However, gradual adjustments could sometimes be accomplished by redirecting currents already in motion.

He had spent weeks learning how to exploit that principle during combat.

Of course, applying it to machinery would require an entirely different approach.

A mechanical regulator couldn’t simply rely on a wizard’s intuition.

It needed a reliable method of determining when intervention was necessary.

That brought him back to the measurements.

When Antoine became available, Ilya presented his observations.

The professor examined the calculations and quickly understood the reasoning.

"You want the regulator to distinguish between fluctuations that require correction and those that can safely be ignored."

"Yes. We’re spending energy maintaining an unnecessarily narrow operating range."

Antoine considered the proposal.

The idea had merit, although he immediately identified several concerns.

Some atmospheric disturbances developed gradually before producing sudden changes. A regulator that ignored minor fluctuations might fail to recognize an approaching instability until it was too late.

Ilya had anticipated the objection.

"Then we shouldn’t judge the fluctuation by its size alone. We should also measure how quickly it’s changing."

Antoine’s interest increased.

A regulator that responded to both the magnitude and rate of change could potentially conserve energy during ordinary operation while reacting more aggressively when conditions became dangerous.

The principle wasn’t particularly revolutionary.

However, the existing apparatus had been designed around fixed tolerances, and adapting it would require modifications to the control mechanism.

More importantly, they needed experimental evidence.

Antoine called over two senior researchers and asked them to review the proposal.

Their initial response was cautious.

One pointed out that the mechanism’s measuring instruments might introduce delays, particularly when several fluctuations occurred simultaneously.

Another questioned whether the additional calculations would consume more energy than the modified regulator saved.

Both were reasonable objections.

Ilya welcomed them.

There was little benefit in developing an elegant solution that created three more problems.

The discussion continued until they agreed on a limited experiment.

Rather than altering the propulsion apparatus itself, the researchers would modify an isolated regulator and compare its performance against the existing design under controlled disturbances.

If the results were promising, they could investigate larger applications.

If not, the laboratory would have lost little beyond an afternoon of work.

Antoine approved the experiment.

It was a sensible arrangement.

SkyRune possessed sufficient resources to test a promising idea without immediately committing to a full redesign.

The researchers began preparing the equipment while Ilya assisted with organizing the measurements.

Their first test produced disappointing results.

Although the modified regulator consumed less mana during stable operation, its response to sudden disturbances was too slow.

The output fluctuated beyond the acceptable range before recovering.

One researcher suggested abandoning the approach.

Ilya disagreed.

The problem wasn’t necessarily the principle. Their measuring system had been configured to prioritize accuracy over response speed.

That was appropriate for ordinary experiments, but their modified regulator depended on detecting rapid changes.

They adjusted the instruments and repeated the test.

This time, the system responded more quickly.

However, its energy consumption increased enough to eliminate most of the savings.

Antoine examined the results.

"We’re paying for efficiency with additional monitoring."

Ilya understood.

There was little point reducing the regulator’s consumption if the mechanism responsible for controlling it required the same amount of energy.

The researchers began discussing alternative instruments.

Ilya reviewed the measurements again.

Then he noticed something.

The regulator didn’t need to perform its most demanding calculations continuously.

It only needed them when the initial measurements suggested that conditions were becoming unstable.

During ordinary operation, a simpler monitoring process would be sufficient.

He proposed dividing the system’s response into two stages.

The first would maintain basic observation with minimal energy consumption. Once fluctuations exceeded a predetermined rate of change, the second would activate more precise measurements and stronger corrective mechanisms.

Antoine considered the proposal before ordering another test.

The modifications required less time than expected.

When the apparatus activated, its output stabilized within the acceptable range.

The researchers introduced several minor disturbances.

The regulator tolerated them without unnecessary corrections.

Then they increased the rate of fluctuation.

The secondary monitoring mechanism activated, and the output briefly shifted before returning to equilibrium.

The results were promising.

During the next series of tests, the modified regulator consumed less mana than the original design while maintaining comparable stability.

Genuine savings.

Not enough to solve SkyRune’s larger propulsion problem, but certainly enough to justify further investigation.

Antoine examined the measurements with growing satisfaction.

"Well done, Belozersky."

Ilya smiled.

"Does this mean I can put my name on the expensive machine?"

"You can put your name on the research report."

"Somehow, that sounds less profitable."

The professor laughed.

However, he also reminded Ilya that the results remained preliminary.

The regulator had performed successfully under controlled conditions, but atmospheric disturbances could behave far less predictably.

Additional testing would be necessary before anyone considered installing the mechanism in an actual aircraft.

Ilya agreed.

He had no intention of gambling someone’s life on an experiment that had succeeded only a handful of times.

Nevertheless, the afternoon had been productive.

For the first time, SkyRune possessed measurable evidence that a different approach to regulation could improve efficiency.

And that improvement might eventually bring their high-altitude ambitions closer to reality.

As the researchers began organizing the results, Antoine returned to the original proposal.

There were still several unanswered questions concerning the atmospheric conditions they hoped to investigate.

Fortunately, the institution that submitted the proposal had offered to share its preliminary observation records.

The documents were expected to arrive within the next few days.

Ilya asked whether he could examine them once they became available.

Antoine agreed.

After all, if they intended to develop a machine capable of surviving those conditions, they needed to understand what it would encounter.

And from what little the professor had already seen, the upper atmosphere contained more than a few mysteries worth investigating.