"Therefore, although on a personal level I'd really like to slice you into sashimi... Ahem, I mean, slices, I can't do that yet."
"...You just want to settle a personal grudge, don't you?"
Liu Bai tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Well, you should trust my ethics as a scientist."
"But I can't trust the narrow-mindedness of a tsundere."
"—Who are you calling a tsundere!?"
"Someone has already quite self-consciously assumed it was them."
"Hmm... Let's temporarily set the first phase of research as 'The Effects of Ghosts on Modern Equipment.'"
Einstein took out the paper and pen she carried with her and wrote down the research project concerning Liu Bai in her notebook.
"Uh... Is there anything I need to do?"
"Hmm... Entertain us while we conduct the experiments?"
A faint smile appeared on Einstein's lips.
"The first phase is merely to determine whether you can interfere with modern equipment in any way, so you don't need to do anything. Just watch Dr. Einstein and Dr. Tesla conduct the experiments."
Einstein had a habit of referring to herself in the third person, occasionally using it to address herself.
Liu Bai found it rather amusing when he first heard it.
"Will just the two of us be enough?"
"For the first phase, yes." Einstein nodded. "But for the second phase..."
"May I ask what the second phase is?"
Liu Bai cautiously interrupted.
"According to your introduction, you can possess all kinds of unintelligent, nonliving objects, right? The second phase will study that—'The Changes Brought About by Ghost Possession of Modern Equipment and the Principles of Possession.'"
"...That really is a remarkably orderly experiment."
Something was off, wasn't it? Why had he gone from being a spirit companion to a research subject?
"But if I'm the one being studied by you two, why do I have to entertain you?"
"Hmm... Then how about Dr. Tesla entertains you?"
"Hey!" Tesla strongly protested.
"I think some of Dr. Tesla's reactions should be quite amusing," Einstein continued in the same tone she used to describe the laws of physics.
"Can't refute that."
"Ghost, don't be unable to refute it at a time like this!"
Dr. Tesla really was quite amusing—like right now.
Making a tsundere bristle was one of life's pleasures.
Incidentally, Liu Bai believed the other pleasures one could get from a tsundere were watching them regret everything and cry their eyes out, and seeing them act "dere" in bed.
"I'm getting chills down my spine again for no reason."
Tesla had a feeling that her future would not turn out well.
"Hmm, if Dr. Tesla isn't amusing enough, I can also make some jokes and tell you a few funny stories."
"When Liesel makes jokes, she doesn't look like she's joking at all. The same goes for when she tells jokes."
In return, Tesla unhesitatingly chose to tear Einstein down.
"You saw it too, right? That completely serious expression Liesel has when she jokes—I'd believe she was presenting a research paper with that face!"
Still shaken by what had just happened, Tesla spoke with deep resentment.
"Is that so?" Judging from her tone, Einstein did not seem terribly surprised by Tesla's assessment.
"Then Ghostly Gentleman's treatment is settled. Dr. Tesla will make Ghostly Gentleman happy once a day, and Dr. Einstein will tell Ghostly Gentleman one joke a day."
"Liesel!"
Tesla still seemed rather displeased.
However...
Tesla considered the future research... Fine, it was just making him happy once. It was not completely unacceptable.
"But speaking of which... Don't you have a name?" Tesla stared at the air beside her. "Calling you 'ghost' all the time is pretty strange, isn't it?"
Tesla unexpectedly noticed this detail—Liu Bai's name.
"Didn't I mention it?"
"No. You only said you were a spirit companion and that we could call you Ghostly Gentleman."
"I thought you didn't care about that..." Liu Bai scratched his head. Of his three hosts, aside from Aponia, who called him a god, Rita and Mobius both knew his name.
Yet the two of them had always called him Ghostly Gentleman.
As a result, Liu Bai himself had stopped caring much about it.
"If you don't mind, I could give you a name. Something like Welt, perhaps?"
The corners of Einstein's lips rose slightly. She seemed very eager to name Liu Bai.
"No, I have a name. I'm Liu Bai... Though I don't mind if you keep calling me Ghostly Gentleman."
To Liu Bai, the name Ghostly Gentleman was actually more familiar than his real name.
Of course, more importantly—Welt was not a name one should casually choose.
Scrounged-Up Gains
"But speaking of which, if we're going to conduct the second phase of experiments, it seems the two of us may be a little understaffed."
"Find outside help?"
Tesla understood Einstein's judgment, but when it came to outside help...
"The only people we can ask are that old hag and the others..."
Tesla seemed to recall some unpleasant memories, but she also knew just how talented the old hag she referred to—her teacher—was.
"Fine, I'll go write the application first. You ghost over there, don't sneak into a young lady's room just because you're a ghost."
"For the time being, I have no desire to tour a garbage dump."
Liu Bai answered politely.
"Huh—? Whose room are you calling a garbage dump!?" Tesla instantly bristled at Liu Bai's words. "No, how did you know my room was a little messy? Tell me! Have you been peeping on us for a long time!?"
Frederica Nikola Tesla: inventor, physicist, mechanical engineer, electrical engineer. She liked plush toys. Her strength was being a beautiful girl. Her weakness was... an extremely poor ability to take care of herself.
For example, her room—and even the area outside it—was piled full of empty pizza boxes...
Tesla's face had already turned bright red. If this bastard ghost had really been watching them for a long time...
"I'll fight you—!"
Your existence successfully aroused Einstein and Tesla's desire for research. Centered around you, Imperial Research Institute, Lab 42 began researching ghosts under the cover of Tesla's wild ideas. As a benefit of being researched, two beautiful girls would now make you happy every day. Einstein Compatibility +5% The next day, Tesla had finished the application in just one night. Not long afterward, the lab officially began the first phase of ghost research. Einstein Compatibility +2%, Tesla Compatibility +1% At the experiment's request, you observed the design of a small electrical appliance. Due to your astonishing learning ability, you quickly gained a preliminary understanding of electrical machinery. Because you conducted experiments together—were experimented on together—Einstein Compatibility +1%, Tesla Compatibility +1% You gained a skill: Electrics Lv. 2, Mechanics Lv. 1
Liu Bai froze. This was the first time he had learned a skill in a simulation... As expected, having research ability made things much easier.
With Mobius's almost monstrous research ability, getting started in many fields was no problem for Liu Bai.
These days, it still all came down to talent...
Liu Bai silently lamented to himself as the simulation continued.
That night, Einstein told you a not-too-terrible dad joke. With great social awareness, you became an excellent straight man. Einstein Compatibility +2% Tesla also told you a dad joke. Although it was truly, truly terrible, you still diligently played along, making Tesla view you much more favorably—even though she could not see you. Tesla Compatibility +5% The next day, you continued the experiments. You still watched intently as the two great scientists who had changed the world throughout history conducted their experiments, learning quite a lot. That evening, another not-too-terrible dad joke and another exceptionally terrible dad joke awaited you. Einstein Compatibility +2%, Tesla Compatibility +1%
Experiment, then dad jokes.
Experiment, then dad jokes.
Experiment, then dad jokes.
Very quickly, Liu Bai had spent an entire month in the lab.
"My head is full of dad jokes now... I'm starting to admire my own social skills."
The facts proved that Dr. Tesla might have had the potential to become a joke, but she had absolutely no talent for telling them.
Einstein, on the other hand, might have been very good at it if she did not look so serious whenever she told a joke.
As for what he had gained over the past month...
Liu Bai glanced at his System Panel. All he could say was that the gains had been enormous.
First were the compatibility ratings. As long as he conducted experiments with them and listened to dad jokes, it was like living with ordinary roommates. However, because Liu Bai interacted with these two more often every day than with any of his other hosts, his compatibility with them had risen rapidly. At present:
Einstein Compatibility: 60%, Tesla Compatibility: 72%
That's right. Over this month, Tesla, who clearly found Liu Bai quite unpleasant, had actually overtaken Einstein in affection... Ahem, compatibility.
Originally, Tesla's compatibility had increased by around 1% per day, and sometimes did not increase at all. Yet from one day onward, it suddenly began rising by 2% at a time, occasionally even reaching 3% or 5%.
Einstein's compatibility growth had gradually begun to slow, while Tesla's had started accelerating instead.
After one month, Tesla's compatibility had reached 72%—though Tesla still looked as if she did not care much for Liu Bai.
Was this what a tsundere was like?
What a pity Tesla was not blonde.
After briefly sighing, Liu Zhao looked at the three new skills on his panel:
Physics Lv. 8, Mechanics Lv. 7, Engineering Lv. 6
Because Liu Bai had scrounged off too many experiments, Electrics had successfully merged with a large number of other physics categories into Physics.
Likewise, his Level 7 Mechanics and Level 6 Engineering had been scrounged up this way. However, as his skill levels increased, Mobius's research ability had also reached its limit. It was no longer possible to gain experience merely by watching experiments.
"Ein, I want to participate in today's experiment too."
"Aren't you always here?" Tesla said carelessly while eating pizza.
"Can I take that to mean you want to conduct experiments with us?"
Unlike Tesla, who was busy eating and had not thought much about it, Einstein visibly paused.
"That's right. If possible, I'm willing to become the two of your assistant."
"Dr. Einstein has no objections." Einstein looked at Tesla. "What about Dr. Tesla?"
"Me? Hmm... It's not really any different from how things are now, so I don't mind."
Tesla was stunned. After thinking carefully for a while, she could not come up with any reason to refuse, so she nodded in agreement.
If it had been a month ago, Tesla might have said something like, "Are you sure this guy can be a good assistant?"
"In that case, welcome Mr. Liu Bai as an assistant to the Imperial Research Institute 42nd Research Division." Smiling, Einstein approved Liu Bai's request. "Come to think of it, today marks one month since Liu Bai came to the lab, doesn't it?"
"Uh... Yes. Is there some kind of commemorative event?"
"What are you thinking? When would a lab have time to throw you a celebration?" Tesla shot Liu Bai a slightly disdainful look.
"But we can't have no gesture at all." Einstein rested her chin on her hand and thought for a moment. "Then let's eat some mushrooms."
Tesla: ???
Before you continue