ushernet Chapter 168
Chapter 168
Emily Brooks. The scientist who won the Nobel Prize for presenting a probabilistic prediction model for gate occurrences.
She had countless titles attributed to her.
Genius. The Mother of Quantum Mechanics. The first scientist to try to analyze the unknowable disaster of gates with science, and so on.
Her fame was matched only by the number of titles she had earned.
But the one title that best described her was simply: “The Eccentric."
She was known as the eccentric scientist.
**[The Nobel Prize-winning scientist who disappeared. Why?]**
**['I accepted it because I figured not accepting would be more trouble.']** The eccentric scientist’s response to the prize.
**[Her whereabouts and current research remain unknown...]**
The reason she was called an eccentric was because of her peculiar behavior.
Despite winning the Nobel Prize, she abandoned all the fame and wealth that came with it and vanished. She didn’t give any external interviews—she was a true recluse.
She lived up to her reputation of being an eccentric.
Because of this, people began to think of her as a kind of enlightened sage.
Someone who only sought the truth, completely indifferent to wealth and fame.
Someone who purely loved science.
...Though this image of her and her actual personality were a 180-degree difference.
*Rip!*
“Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Another failure!”
A woman in a small laboratory tore a piece of paper in frustration.
Her face was contorted with agony.
Anyone could tell she wasn’t enjoying her scientific work.
*‘I want to see the end of this research before I die... but if I die like this, I won’t be able to face my mother and father.’*
In truth, science was not something she enjoyed or considered a hobby.
Since the appearance of the gates in 1980, she had lost her family to them.
Her decision to become a scientist, and to devote herself to researching the prediction of gate occurrences, was driven by one desire: to ensure that no more civilians would be dragged into these gates and die.
Her obsession and talent had led her to win the Nobel Prize, the highest honor a scientist could achieve... but...
*‘In the end, all I’ve created is a probabilistic prediction model. It’s not even being applied yet.’*@@@@
The Nobel Prize acknowledged her academic achievements, but her real goal—complete prediction of gate occurrences—was still far out of reach.
This had been the reason her temperament had grown more eccentric over the years. She had devoted her entire life to a research that showed no signs of reaching its goal.
Her frustration was understandable.
**[South Korea's new Awakener Seo Yu-jin ranks 7th in the S-rank for his core processing method research...]**
**[He attributed his rise to being the second EX-class unique talent.]**
**[Seo Yu-jin. Causing tremors in the scientific community.]**
*‘...Ha. What does someone like him know about science?’*
Then, a news segment about Yu-jin appeared.
The paper he had published about core processing methods during midterms, which had stirred up the scientific world.
She sneered at it.
*“This? News about this?”*
The findings he had presented were based on numerous experiments to find an optimal solution, but the academic level was still low. It was something that could be understood even at an undergraduate level. Why all the fuss?
*‘...Should I make fun of him a bit?’*
*Tap. Tap.*
But instead of just mocking him, she sent an email to Pentagon Academy.
*“I’m Emily Brooks. I hear this Seo Yu-jin kid has quite a talent. Have him solve this problem I’ve been stuck on for 10 years.”*
She sent a problem that had been blocking her for a decade. It was almost like a cruel joke.
---
*‘Well, there’s no way that brat can solve it.’*
*Ding!*
[Dr. Brooks, this is Professor Seo from Pentagon Academy. I’m reaching out regarding research collaboration...]
“Foreigners? Halt. Who are you?”
“I’m Emily Brooks. I’m here to meet Seo Yu-jin...”
“Unauthorized entry is not allowed.”
“...What? You don’t know me? I’m Emily Brooks, the Nobel Prize winner.”
“Even if you’re the president, you need clearance. Please leave.”
She didn’t expect to be stopped immediately.
The academy had strict rules about outsiders—Seol Ha-yeon had enforced this policy for decades.
*‘I can’t just leave like this. Where...?’*
*Flash.*
“Ah, I misspoke. My real purpose was to meet Alice Rittenwood.”
“...What?”
“I’m actually her relative.”
She casually threw Alice’s name into the conversation.
The security guards didn’t believe her at first, but when she showed them an old photo of her with Alice, the story changed.
“Fine, fine, I’ll go. But you’ll have to explain what you’re doing here.”
“...All right.”
Emily had done her homework, and with the photo as proof, she was allowed access.
Once inside, she headed straight for Alice’s dorm.
“Hmm. This will do.”
“No, I’ll stay here and watch.”
“Are you trying to peek at my password?”
“...Be careful entering.”
The security guards stood by, unsure whether they should allow her in. Emily, though, gave off the air of someone who already knew the answer.
---
Once inside Alice’s room, she finally confronted her.
“...Huh? Who are you?”
“Don’t worry, just keep doing what you were doing.”
“What do you mean?!”
Alice, completely caught off guard, had no idea what was happening.
She had been so engrossed in her work that she didn’t even notice Emily’s intrusion.
***
After a brief moment of discomfort, Alice and the doctor sat facing each other.
"So, you're Mable's cousin, right?"
"Yeah. I attended your birthday party when you were little..."
"Aren't you basically a stranger?"
"...Ahem. I may look this way, but I’m a Nobel laureate."
"You’re a big deal, yet I’ve never heard a word about you. You’re a complete stranger to me."
"Your Rittenwood family has always been a bunch of fools, indifferent to science."
Alice's attitude towards the doctor wasn’t exactly warm.
It was understandable—after all, this wasn’t someone she knew well, yet they were invading her personal space.
"Stop that. You're close with Seo Yu-jin, right? I’ve seen you both on the news a few times."
"...We’re pretty close."
"Boyfriend? No, if you had a boyfriend, you wouldn't be so lonely, would you?"
"I-I told you, there’s nothing like that!?"
"Oh my, oh my."
But the doctor showed no signs of backing down.
Combining the news she had seen and what she had observed, she quickly deduced Alice’s current situation.
"Well, good. It’s night, so why don’t you call Seo Yu-jin here?"
"What!? Why?"
"If Emily Brooks calls him, he’ll come without question. After all, I’ve written some of the final exam questions he’s been working on."
The doctor began to slowly turn up the heat on Alice.
Alice, who had been absorbed in her Eye exploration, was now feeling the effects of the manipulation.
"Really?"
"Yes. I’ll just have a brief chat with him and leave. After that, it’ll just be the two of you in the women’s dormitory. Do I need to explain further?"
"H-Hmm... Well, it’s a bit far, but since it's a request from family, I’ll do it."
With a fidgeting thigh and a lifted phone, Alice called out to her "boyfriend."
It was no surprise that Yu-jin immediately rushed over.
"Alice? Is Dr. Brooks...?"
Crash.
"You bastard...!!"
"Doctor!? What are you doing!!?"
"Translate! Why did you try to remove your name from the paper?"
"...Alice? What’s this nonsense?"
Naturally, the doctor grabbed Yu-jin by the collar and shook him.