I Became a Genius Mechanic at the Academy

---

Isabella and Enya’s expressions hardened.

“I couldn’t believe it, but it’s real.”

I never expected Edgar to be settled in the Elmar Territory, actually spending time with Lucas.

Claire, narrowing her eyes triumphantly, looked at Isabella and Enya.

“See, I told you! I said they were together!”

“······.”

Shadows fell over Enya and Isabella’s faces.

The thought that Claire’s hypothesis might actually be true made my head spin.

What if Lucas was truly Edgar’s lover, as Claire suggested?

Even if it’s the same man, could romantic feelings emerge if they were lovers in a past life?

I heard that in distant countries, female lords have female consorts while male lords have male ones.

What if those two had shared love in such a culture in their past lives?

‘Should I kill them…?’

A momentary murderous thought crossed both of their minds.

In the Empire’s culture, same-sex marriage was unthinkable, and such a thing absolutely must not happen.

If Edgar genuinely had feelings for Lucas, it could create a significant social uproar.

‘How infuriating…!’

Above all, it was frustrating.

How could they feel overshadowed by a man, not even another woman?

Of course, Lucas had a super handsome face, but still, how could they concede to a man?

They were confident in their looks and felt they wouldn’t lose to anyone.

“I’m going to verify this myself. I can’t believe it.”

With that determination, Isabella and Enya strode forward.

They couldn’t trust anything until they saw the nature of their relationship with their own eyes.

Thus, hearing that Edgar and Lucas were training in the training hall, Isabella, Enya, and Claire made their way there.

They quietly sneaked in without making a sound, peeking at the scene of Edgar and Lucas training.

Lucas was shirtless, drenched in sweat, while Edgar watched him with a satisfied expression.

*Gulp.*

Three women stared at the two with tense expressions.

Eventually, Edgar got up from his spot and approached Lucas.

He whispered something to him and placed a hand on his chest.

Lucas nodded and closed his eyes.

“…What, what are you doing… Is it really…?”

Edgar placed his hand on Lucas, demonstrating how to manage mana.

However, for those doubting their relationship, the scene easily gave rise to misunderstandings.

What kind of situation is it where a grown man places his hand on another man’s chest?

Regardless, Edgar was completely unaware as he shared his know-how with Lucas.

“Lucas. As you know, your family specializes in twisting space to perform unconventional attacks. If you utilize this skillfully, you can inflict devastating damage.”

Lucas nodded.

As Edgar explained, the Elmar Family’s specialized techniques twisted space to strike directly at the enemy or to redirect their attacks.

For instance, an energy bolt flying in a straight line might suddenly appear from behind, or a sword strike aimed at the top might explode from the bottom, showcasing an attack specialized in utilizing space.

“But space is closely related to time. Often, it is thought that time is merely time and space is merely space, but in fact, time and space are part of an organic relationship. I call this ‘spacetime.’”

Edgar referenced Einstein’s theory of relativity, which had broken down Newton’s classical mechanics.

He shared with Lucas the relationship between time and space based on this theory of relativity.

Of course, he couldn’t explain the principles of relativity, so he only informed Lucas that time and space were an inseparable organic relationship.

“…This is complicated. The idea that time and space are an organic relationship is hard to grasp…”

Yet in a world where the concept of time and space as independent elements prevailed, it was difficult for Lucas to accept Edgar’s theory.

How could time, which only moves from past to future, and space, which forms dimensions, be the same concept?

Edgar nodded and spoke.

“I understand. It’s hard to accept right away. Let me show you an example to make it clearer.”

Thus, Edgar decided to gradually persuade Lucas.

He used a hologram skill to project a two-dimensional plane.

It was a square flat surface.

Edgar pointed at the plane and said, “Now, let’s assume this is the universe. I’m going to create a solar system here.”

As he said this, he picked up a red ball.

Then he placed the red ball on the flat surface.

As the ball settled, the surface indented according to its weight.

Edgar looked back at Lucas and asked, “So far, does anything seem strange? The red ball is settling on the flat surface and creating an indentation.”

“······.”

Lucas looked at the red ball sitting on the flat surface.

It didn’t seem particularly strange.

After all, if a heavy object is placed on a soft material, it naturally creates an indentation, right?

Just like when you sit on sand or place a heavy pot on a leather sofa.

There seemed to be nothing against the laws of physics.

“…There’s nothing problematic. That’s a normal phenomenon.”

“Good. So let’s move on to the next stage.”

With that, Edgar dropped several small balls around the red ball.

The small balls began to circle the red ball while slowly moving downward.

They were being drawn into the indentation.

“How about this? Do you find this to be an understandable phenomenon?”

Edgar asked if Lucas understood this phenomenon.

Lucas immediately nodded, as if there was no need to think.

“Well, it’s a common occurrence. It’s natural for objects to fall along a slope… ”

However, Lucas suddenly trailed off, leaving his words hanging.

He realized what Edgar was trying to explain.

“This is… explaining gravity, right? The force that pulls objects toward one another. The red ball in the middle is the sun.”

Gravity.

Edgar was explaining the concept of gravity.

He believed that understanding the principles of this universe was essential for further advancements in the world, which is why he had extensively shared the concepts of classical and modern mechanics through numerous lectures in university.

Thus, Lucas knew about gravity.

“Yes, what you’re looking at is a solar system. The largest red ball is the sun, and the small balls surrounding it are various planets.”

“······.”

Lucas swallowed hard, gazing at the hologram.

The red ball resting on a soft surface, and the small balls being pulled into the indentation created by the red ball.

It was an intuitive simulation to understand the concept of gravity.

“Now, let’s bring in light. This is it.”

Edgar said that while picking up a white thread.

Then, turning to Lucas, he added, “Let’s assume light is coming from a very far place. Light will travel this way.”

As he spoke, Edgar brought the thread in from the outside of the square.

The thread moved in a straight line as it crossed the flat surface, but bent as it passed through the indentation created by the mass.

In other words, when light passes through a gravitational well, it bends due to the mass of the object.

“As you can see, the light bends as it passes through, right? The stronger the gravity, the more light bends. And light…”

“…flies at an unchanging speed! Seven and a half times around the Earth per second!”

“A model student! You’re really keeping track of it. Yes, the speed of light is 299,792,458 m/s. It’s the fastest speed in the universe and an absolute constant in physics. But if light bends while passing through a strong gravitational field, what happens to its speed?”

“…It would slow down. The stronger the gravity, the longer it has to travel because it’s bending.”

Lucas answered while gazing blankly at the hologram Edgar created.

The thread that Edgar brought curved differently depending on the strength of the gravity.

It was moving not in a straight line but in a winding manner.

“Exactly. Light bends according to the curvature of spacetime. This is one aspect of the theory of relativity. In other words, time flows relative to different conditions.”

Lucas nodded.

He had understood time and space as independent concepts all along, but presented with examples, he could grasp a rough idea.

Then Edgar said, “Lucas, you can be an even greater being than you are now. With your understanding of the concept of spacetime, the precision at which you can twist space will far surpass your ancestors.”

Edgar encouraged Lucas by mentioning his potential.

However, Lucas smiled bitterly.

He carried an inclination that being mixed with commoner’s blood was his lifelong complex, subconsciously setting limits on himself.

Edgar placed a hand on his shoulder and said, “You doubt your potential because of your fear regarding your father.”

“···!”

Lucas looked at Edgar, startled, as if questioning how he knew.

Edgar nodded and said, “I had a talk with your mother… about your deceased father.”

“Ah…”

“…But Lucas, Lady Adela said you’ve long since overcome your grievances regarding your father. She mentioned that she occasionally visits his grave to pay her respects…”

According to Edgar, Lucas had come to accept his heritage.

Seeing commoner Edgar Fix rise to become a central figure at the Academy made him feel relieved about having commoner’s blood mixed in and led him to acknowledge his father.

Yet the accumulated resentment and distrust toward his father remained.

The fact that his mother, who was called the ‘flower of the Empire,’ had been made a single mother, the fact that he had not received love from his grandparents due to his commoner blood, the lengthy time it took before he could even bear the surname ‘Elmar,’ and the disdain he received for being a half-blood noble when he debuted in high society…

All those discriminations and resentments led him to care about others’ opinions all his life, pretending to be ‘perfect.’

Regardless, due to the absence of his father, a sense of inferiority settled in Lucas’s heart.

Going to visit his father’s grave, following in his mother’s footsteps, was only a way to be honest with himself in order to catch up to the admirable Edgar, not an indication that he had entirely overcome past complexes.

“Actually…”

Then, Lucas honestly opened up about his feelings to Edgar.

He saw Edgar as both his goal and a trustworthy friend.

He shared that he still felt a bit of hate and resentment toward his father and hadn’t fully accepted him.

Edgar nodded and said, “…I understand. It couldn’t have been easy. Facing that kind of situation due to your father’s absence must have been tough.”

“······.”

“But Lucas, your father… sacrificed his life to save Lord Elmar. It was a miracle that your mother emerged alive from that place, devastated by the monster wave.”

“…Yeah, my mother has told me countless times. But I… can’t believe it. You know that my mother is an extraordinary person. I think she only attributed her successes to my father to rationalize him…”

Edgar stared intently at Lucas.

This brat believes that it was me who fought my way through difficult times.

But he couldn’t say that, so Edgar displayed the hologram.

It was time to sell the truth.

“Lucas, then I have something to tell you. Look here.”

Edgar said as he projected a video of ‘Jack Dionel’ struggling to save Adela.

Lucas gasped, eyes wide in disbelief.

“What, is this…?”

“It’s a video from 19 years ago, capturing your father saving Lady Adela. At that time, your mother wasn’t as strong as now.”

“······.”

Lucas looked at Edgar with suspicion.

As if asking how he knew about that time and how he could show such a video.

Edgar nodded and said, “Your father was a Heavenly Being.”

“·····!!!”

“To be precise, he had the strength and will of a Heavenly Being within him.”

“Then that means…”

“Correct, I inherited your father’s power. The mana that scattered into nature upon his death seeped into me, transmitting his memories and strength.”

Lucas swallowed hard as he considered.

If what Edgar said was true, then it explained how commoner Edgar suddenly manifested mana to become the strongest cadet at the Academy and how his commoner father fought through countless monsters to save his mother.

In the meantime, Edgar pointed at the hologram and spoke to Lucas.

“Look. This is what your father was like.”

“······.”

From there, Lucas concentrated on the video.

Scenes of Jack Dionel fighting to save Adela burned in his mind.

His father loved his mother, and in the end, he sacrificed his life to save her.

The devotion and desperation flowed tears from his eyes.

“Ah, Father…”

“…They promised a future together. They intended to marry properly if they survived there.”

Soon, the video reached its end.

The nearly lifeless Jack handed his necklace to Adela, and immediately after, she cradled the dying Jack in her arms, weeping uncontrollably.

Lucas wiped his tears as they continuously welled up.

He finally understood why his mother wore that worn necklace for so many years.

It was a proof of unwavering love.

Even if the world insulted his mother, the commoner mercenary, she proved that she would not waver.

*Flick.*

The video ended.

Lucas sobbed, his back heaving as he cried.

All the resentment he had felt toward his father seemed so foolish, and he felt pathetic for questioning his mother’s words.

Yet part of him felt that his resentment and inferiority toward his father were being washed away with his tears.

He felt a refreshing sensation, as if something that had been stuck within him had finally cleared away.

“…Lucas. You are not a being that was born wrong. You are the perfect fruit of love and inherited the power of a Heavenly Being. Do not set limits on your possibilities.”

Edgar said as he patted the back of sobbing Lucas.

Having chosen the life of ‘Edgar Fix,’ this was all he could do for him.

As his ‘friend,’ he offered everything he could.

The faint power dwelling within Lucas began to shine.

***

Ten minutes later.

Calming his emotions, Lucas began training anew.

As Edgar told him, he manipulated mana differently, integrating time and space into one.

*Fwooosh!*

Then, the small amount of power inherited from ‘Jack Dionel’ fused with Lucas’s mana.

The power dealing with the temporal property of ‘return’ manifested mixed with the space-twisting specialized technique.

*Grrrrrr…*

Lucas began to see things he had never noticed before.

He could now see the mechanical structures necessary to form space.

Thus, Lucas stepped into the early stages of his ‘Awakening.’