Chapter 258: Academy’s Rising Stars [3]

Solenne Vernet had a habit of making other people’s problems sound like excellent business opportunities.

Ilya discovered this again the following morning when a student from the Magical Engineering course approached him outside the lecture hall.

"Lord Belozersky, you’re acquainted with Miss Vernet, aren’t you?"

"Yes. Why?"

The student looked somewhat uncomfortable.

He belonged to a small research group preparing an exhibition on mana-powered transportation devices. According to him, their project had encountered difficulties after one of their suppliers unexpectedly increased the price of an essential component.

Their budget could no longer cover the remaining materials.

Ilya wondered why that concerned him.

The answer became clear when the student explained that Solenne had offered to help them negotiate with another supplier.

Unfortunately, she had also asked them to prepare a detailed account of their expenses.

"And?"

"She rejected our proposal."

Ilya raised an eyebrow.

"Did she say why?"

"She said our budget was terrible."

That sounded familiar.

The student explained that Solenne had identified several unnecessary expenses and questioned why they were purchasing certain materials individually when equivalent components could be obtained through existing commercial arrangements.

Apparently, she had also suggested replacing their supplier altogether.

"Then what’s the problem?"

"She wants us to rewrite everything."

Ilya considered that for a moment.

"Well, is she wrong?"

The student fell silent.

That answered his question.

Ilya offered his condolences and continued toward his lecture.

Whatever else could be said about Solenne, she was unlikely to waste money simply because someone had presented an impressive-looking research proposal.

The Vernet Mercantile Consortium hadn’t become the largest commercial organization in the Empire by funding every enthusiastic student with a promising idea.

Later that morning, Ilya encountered Solenne herself.

She was standing outside the research wing, examining several documents while an assistant from the department attempted to explain something about the exhibition’s financial arrangements.

Solenne listened patiently before identifying an inconsistency in the figures.

The assistant checked his records, discovered the mistake, and departed looking thoroughly embarrassed.

Ilya approached after he left.

"Busy?"

"Very."

"Shouldn’t you be in class?"

"Shouldn’t you?"

"My lecture ended."

Solenne smiled.

"Then congratulations. We’re both free."

Ilya suspected Professor Haldorsen might disagree with that assessment.

Still, he had long since abandoned any hope of convincing Solenne to attend every lecture on her schedule. She performed well enough when she chose to participate, and the Consortium’s affairs occupied a considerable portion of her time.

Besides, judging from the documents in her hands, she was already doing something useful.

He mentioned the student who had approached him earlier.

Solenne immediately recognized the project.

"Oh, those people. Their transportation device is interesting, but their financial planning is awful."

She explained that the research group had purchased several specialized components at retail prices despite having access to cheaper alternatives. Worse, their design required an expensive mana crystal to power a device that could accomplish the same task with a much smaller energy source.

Ilya found that surprising.

"Why use the larger crystal?"

"Because it makes their prototype look more impressive."

"Does it improve performance?"

"About five percent."

"And the cost?"

"Nearly three times as much."

That was unfortunate.

Solenne had offered to connect them with another supplier, but only after they revised their design and demonstrated that they understood where their money was going.

Ilya approved of the decision.

A researcher who couldn’t distinguish between necessary expenses and unnecessary extravagance would struggle to maintain a project once the initial funding disappeared.

The matter also reminded him of Antoine Chastellain.

SkyRune Lab had produced valuable technology over the years, but its more ambitious projects consumed enormous amounts of capital.

The Vernet Consortium had supported the laboratory for a long time, and Solenne understood its finances better than most of the academy’s researchers.

However, she had never treated Antoine’s work as an ordinary commercial investment.

There were aspects of SkyRune that interested her beyond their immediate profitability.

Ilya had noticed that much during their earlier investigations.

"Speaking of budgets," Solenne continued, "I received another report from SkyRune this morning."

She handed him a document.

It concerned the upcoming research exhibition and listed several components the laboratory intended to demonstrate.

Most were familiar applications of mana circulation, although one entry attracted his attention.

An experimental stabilization mechanism designed for high-altitude propulsion.

Ilya recognized the general principle.

Antoine had discussed similar problems when explaining his research into ancient Rune Tech. Maintaining stable propulsion became increasingly difficult under unusual atmospheric conditions, particularly when the surrounding mana behaved unpredictably.

The proposed mechanism attempted to compensate for those fluctuations.

Unfortunately, the document contained little information about its actual performance.

"Does it work?" Ilya asked.

"According to the researchers, yes."

"That sounded suspiciously qualified."

"Hee-hee. Because it is."

The mechanism had performed successfully during controlled laboratory trials, but several difficulties remained unresolved. Its energy consumption was high, and the materials required for sustained operation were expensive.

The exhibition would demonstrate a smaller version rather than the complete system.

Ilya understood.

Even so, the development was interesting.

Antoine’s research had been progressing long before Saint Aurelia, and the professor’s recent absence hadn’t brought the entire laboratory to a halt.

Several researchers continued working on their individual projects, preserving the progress already made.

That was encouraging.

Solenne collected the documents before suggesting they visit the engineering workshop.

The research group responsible for the transportation device was supposed to be presenting its revised proposal that afternoon, and she wanted to inspect their prototype before approving the supplier arrangement.

Ilya had no urgent commitments until his next training session.

He agreed to accompany her.

The workshop occupied a large building behind the academy’s research wing. Several students were busy preparing equipment for the upcoming exhibition, while instructors supervised the construction of experimental devices.

Near the far wall stood a small wheeled platform fitted with a mana engine.

It resembled a miniature transport carriage, although the absence of an ordinary propulsion mechanism made its purpose obvious.

The students responsible for the project gathered around Solenne as soon as she arrived.

Their revised proposal was much shorter than the original.

They had replaced the oversized mana crystal, simplified the engine’s supporting formation, and reduced the number of specialized components required for construction.

Solenne reviewed the figures.

Then she asked them to activate the device.

The platform moved across the workshop floor, traveling several meters before stopping at a designated marker.

Its performance was respectable.

However, Ilya noticed a slight disturbance in the mana circulation whenever the engine changed speed.

The platform remained stable, but the fluctuations would become troublesome if the researchers attempted to increase its carrying capacity.

He mentioned the issue.

One of the students explained that the engine’s regulating formation couldn’t adjust quickly enough when the power output changed.

They had attempted several corrections without success.

Ilya examined the arrangement.

The problem resembled something he had encountered during his recent training.

When he accelerated using freezing currents, abrupt changes in direction required additional mana to stabilize his movement. Hakon had been teaching him to reduce those corrections by anticipating the necessary adjustments.

The underlying principle wasn’t entirely different.

"Have you tried regulating the output before the engine changes speed?" he suggested.

The students exchanged glances.

Their current formation responded after detecting a fluctuation. That meant every adjustment occurred slightly too late.

Ilya proposed adding a small preliminary circuit connected to the engine’s control mechanism. It wouldn’t need to supply much mana. Its purpose would be to prepare the regulating formation before the primary output changed.

The researchers considered the suggestion.

One immediately began sketching a revised arrangement, while another checked whether their existing components could support the additional circuit.

Solenne watched with interest.

"Well, look at you."

Ilya shrugged.

"It’s just an idea. They’ll have to test whether it works."

"An idea that might save them quite a lot of money."

"Then you can thank Professor Hakon."

"Oh, I intend to."

That sounded ominous.

The researchers continued their calculations while Solenne reviewed the revised budget.

She eventually approved the supplier arrangement on the condition that the group submit updated performance records before the exhibition.

The students were delighted.

Their project could proceed without requiring additional funding, and the simpler design would be easier to maintain.

By the time they left the workshop, the afternoon was already well underway.

Solenne seemed particularly pleased.

"See? This is why I like having you around."

"Because I make your investments cheaper?"

"Among other things."

She said it casually, but her expression suggested that she was enjoying the conversation more than she intended to admit.

Ilya smiled.

Their friendship had begun under rather unusual circumstances. Solenne originally approached him with an obvious interest in the North’s commercial possibilities, while he had sought her assistance with matters involving his former classmates and the Volnograd family.

Somewhere along the way, their conversations had become something he genuinely looked forward to.

It was pleasant having someone who could discuss an enormous commercial transaction one moment and complain about an ordinary academy assignment the next.

Solenne glanced at the time.

"Ah, I have another meeting."

"Consortium business?"

"Unfortunately. Apparently, being the chairman’s daughter doesn’t excuse me from listening to people complain about contracts."

"I thought you enjoyed that."

"Only when I’m the one making money."

She grinned before gathering her documents.

As they approached the corridor leading toward the administrative offices, Solenne mentioned that she would be attending the upcoming exhibition alongside several Consortium representatives.

She had already arranged for Ilya to accompany her.

"You’re getting rather good at making plans for me," he observed.

"Would you prefer I stop inviting you?"

"No."

Solenne looked pleased.

"Good. Then I’ll see you there."

She departed toward her meeting, leaving Ilya near the research wing.

He still had some time before training, so he returned to the workshop to examine the students’ revised formation.

The preliminary circuit was already taking shape.

Whether it would function as intended remained uncertain, but the students appeared enthusiastic about testing it.

Ilya found himself curious about the result.

After all, the underlying problem had a surprising amount in common with his own attempts to improve his magical mobility.

And if the researchers succeeded, he might even learn something useful from their solution.