"Open it and take a look. You'll need it soon—memorize it."
Welt took out the documents in the folder—a passport, along with paperwork including proof of employment from the Empire Research Institute and an exit-entry guarantee, ensuring Welt would not be detained when leaving the country.
"Welt Joyce?"
Welt looked at the name on the passport in surprise.
It was familiar, but not entirely so.
"Ah, the surname Joyce comes from a writer." Finn steered with one hand while pushing up his glasses with the other. "Do you know Ulysses?"
"Ulysses? The Latin name for Odysseus?"
Welt's range of knowledge was truly rather peculiar.
"No, Ulysses, the novel hailed as the greatest of the twentieth century. Not knowing that won't do."
Finn shook his head at Welt like a frivolous teacher.
"Could someone please focus on driving? I don't want us getting into a car accident." Dr. Tesla interrupted their conversation.
"Yes, yes."
"Anyway, just remember the name that guy gave you. If you slip up in front of customs, bear the consequences yourself."
It must have been Senior Liu Bai.
Welt did not think the two people in the back had the spare time to come up with a name for him.
Wait... what had Dr. Tesla just said?
"Slip up?"
After hearing Tesla's words, Welt immediately felt awful. Even the way he looked at the pile of documents in his hands changed.
"Don't tell me these documents... are forged?"
"That depends on how you put it." Tesla yawned. "If you insist, they're 'official documents privately issued by civilians.'"
"What kind of explanation is that...?"
There were simply too many things wrong with Tesla's statement, and Welt did not even know where to begin criticizing it.
"Relax. There's nothing wrong with the documents themselves. You just need to remember the name."
Finn patted Welt on the shoulder... Welt truly wished this guy would just drive properly.
"Oh, right." Tesla suddenly remembered something. "Finn, what about your son?"
"I already called the school. This isn't the first time Joachim has encountered something like this, so it's fine... By the way, Welt, why do you look so shocked?"
Finn looked at Welt, who seemed to have fallen into a daze, in confusion.
"...No, it's nothing."
He could hardly say that Finn looked far too frivolous to seem like someone with a family, could he?
Finn's wife, Heinrich Yang, was a stunning Chinese-German beauty and a young, promising archaeologist.
An archaeologist paired with an ancient linguist—one could say they complemented each other perfectly.
"Enough about me." Finn adjusted the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose. "Has that person from your lab come out too?"
"No."
"That's a real pity. I wanted to meet that 'hidden third party.'"
"It's Liu—"
Welt had barely begun to speak when he received a chop to the back of his head.
Finn merely smiled at the sight. He was a perceptive man—but also a man who knew where to draw the line.
Perhaps he had already figured out some things, but he had never intended to ask about them.
Having been warned by Tesla, Welt could only shut his mouth.
"By the way, have you two decided on the hotel arrangements?" Finn said casually. "We have to transfer twice on this trip. We might have to rest for a night along the way."
"Uh..."
"A double room."
Einstein replied expressionlessly. "Dr. Tesla and I."
"Ah, so you didn't take the bait." Finn wore the smile of someone who had been there before. "It seems that gentleman really didn't come. I truly envy him for winning the hearts of two brilliant young ladies at once."
As a veteran of romance, Finn could naturally see what the two girls in the back seat were thinking—well, twenty-one-year-old Tesla should really be called a young woman.
Young people... Finn sighed inwardly.
Then he thought of something he had vaguely noticed.
...Better take it to the grave.
"I'll relay what you just said to Dr. Yang, Finn."
"Ahaha... th-that won't be necessary, will it?"
However, Einstein seemed completely unconcerned that her feelings had been seen through. Tesla, on the other hand, blushed, though her stammering made it hard to tell exactly what she meant.
After all, a double room... was rather fair too.
"—Provided Dr. Tesla is willing to dress properly after drinking and bathing."
Einstein added without changing her expression.
"..."
"..."
Everyone present fell silent.
After drinking, Tesla could be said to have her offense and defense fully maxed out, with no taboos whatsoever... though above all, she was simply incredibly rowdy.
"H-how mean..."
Someone tried to get away with acting cute.
"How could something like that possibly happen... ahahaha..."
New York International Airport.
After crossing five time zones and nearly eight hours of flight, the plane landed here.
Next, they still had to transfer to Chicago, then transfer once more from Chicago before reaching Billings.
Fortunately, the longest stretch of the journey was already over.
"Dr. Einstein, Dr. Tesla."
Two people stopped them.
"As expected, Otto has already turned his attention this way." Liu Bai had detached himself from the pen he had possessed and floated in the air, smiling lightly at the two of them.
...No, rather, he was only looking at the blonde woman in a suit standing beside them like a secretary.
The middle-aged man who appeared to be in charge had been directly ignored by Liu Bai.
—"The King of Wei had an extraordinary bearing, but the man catching his blade beside the bed was the true hero."
Blonde hair, blue eyes, her hair pinned up, dressed in a suit... If she had not been so well-endowed, Liu Bai might even have suspected that King Arthur had wandered onto the wrong set.
—Leanna Brigantia.
A Valkyrie whose entire body had been transformed into soul steel, Schicksal's foremost Valkyrie, "Schicksal's last trump card," and the wielder of Abyss White Flower.
It could be said that this woman, who resembled King Arthur, was the strongest among Schicksal's Valkyries of this era. Her status in this age was equivalent to Durandal's sixty years later.
"What can I do for you?"
Einstein looked coldly at the middle-aged man blocking their way.
"The old man asked me to give this to you." The middle-aged man handed a scroll case to Finn. "You are an expert in ancient writing, aren't you? Then you should recognize this."
"...?" Finn took the tattered parchment from the case with some confusion and began translating it with difficulty. "The Day of Judgment's... sacrifice... song?"
A shocked expression appeared on Finn's face.
"This format... c-could it be the Dead Sea Scrolls!?"
Lord God Is Responsible for Eating Chocolate
"Hehe... as expected, you recognize it."
The middle-aged man showed a satisfied yet faintly arrogant expression.
"Correct. This is an unpublished portion. We hope the secrets within will be useful to your research."
"So, what does the Bishop want us to do?" Tesla asked as if casually.
She truly looked like a scientist wholeheartedly devoted to Schicksal.
"Nothing. The old man merely hopes to lend Lab 42 a hand in its recent research."
"Oh... it seems the Bishop is quite looking forward to our research results."
"Of course."
That condescending attitude was truly unpleasant.
"Please, do not allow the North American Branch to monopolize the research results—I trust the two doctors understand that."
The middle-aged man ignored Tesla and instead took a box of chocolates from his bag, handing it to Einstein.
"This is a small gift. Please accept it... then, farewell."
"...Tch."
Once the two had left, Tesla, who had seemed very quiet until then, finally made the sound befitting an irritable big sister.
"Is that a warning? He really made it sound so vague. Isn't it just that they're afraid the new branch will threaten their position? What a bunch of petty people!"
Einstein neither agreed nor disagreed with Tesla's words. She merely quietly unwrapped a piece of chocolate.
"Hey! Bedhead! You're letting a box of chocolates buy you off!?"
It was clear that Tesla's mood, which had originally been above ninety, had instantly plummeted to around twenty after that encounter.
When she was younger, Tesla did not often call Einstein by the nickname "Bedhead."
Thus, that name only appeared when Tesla was truly furious... though this anger was not directed at Einstein.
"If you don't eat properly, the farmers will be sad."
"...Are you even listening to me!?"
"I've always thought that black lace set was pretty nice."
On the plane, Liu Bai kept chattering into Tesla's ear.
Before boarding, Tesla had gone on a shopping spree at the mall under the pretext of venting her frustration, buying... or rather, buying Einstein a whole pile of clothes.
A fluffy shawl coat like a pet mouse, a layered skirt like a cream cake, a string of pearls around her neck, and a little hat on her head—this was a Victorian-era girl's dress.
It was obvious that this outfit had ensured Tesla would remain broke for the rest of the month.
—That was right, Tesla herself was the type to spend her entire paycheck every month.
"I think that black lace set would look pretty good on Professor Planck or Miss Edison."
Her fists clenched.
This guy was obviously saying her figure was not good enough, wasn't he?
She had not even settled the matter of him following them into the lingerie store, and he still dared to keep yammering in her ear.
—Liu Bai had only followed them into the lingerie store because he could not stay too far away from the two of them. He absolutely had no impure thoughts.
"Let's play cards!"
Since she could not publicly berate the shameless ghost beside her, Tesla could only find a way to distract herself.
Before you continue