Na-Isekai Ako
Chapter 28: Academy’s Got Talent (But Does It Have Taste?) pt 2

Chapter 28: Academy’s Got Talent (But Does It Have Taste?) pt 2

The room buzzed with excitement at Adolfo’s announcement. Katherine’s mind raced as she processed a familiar term. A camera?

Adolfo, with his usual flair, held up the strange object with a confident grin. Katherine couldn’t take her eyes off it. It resembled something she had seen before, but... wasn’t it impossible? This world didn’t have devices like this. Or did it?

"This," Adolfo said, his smirk widening, "is my latest invention. It’s a camera that can capture the world around us in an instant."

Without warning, Adolfo pressed the small lever on the side of the camera, and a soft whirring noise filled the air. The audience fell silent, eyes fixed on the professor. Katherine’s heart raced as she tried to process what she was seeing. Could it really work?

The moment passed quickly, and there, floating from the camera’s lens, appeared a piece of paper. It was strange—like a sheet of parchment—but unmistakably, an image was forming on it. The professor blinked, clearly surprised, and reached out to catch the floating paper as it settled gently into his hands.

The crowd let out a collective gasp of astonishment.

Adolfo grinned and handed the professor the paper, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Here you are, Professor. An instant photograph of you, captured in a single moment."

The professor’s hands shook slightly as he took the image. The picture was shockingly clear—his own face, frozen in surprise. The image almost seemed to shimmer in the light, every detail captured perfectly.

The audience erupted into applause, their amazement palpable. Katherine’s mind was spinning. She had seen cameras before, but in her world. How could this even be possible here?

One of the professors, clearly impressed, stood up and asked, "How does it work? What’s the mechanism behind it?"

Adolfo’s grin widened. "Ah, yes. It’s a combination of specially crafted lenses, enchanted crystals, and a precise manipulation of light. This camera captures an image the moment you click the lever, and the picture materializes right before your eyes."

The professor nodded in appreciation. "Fascinating. But how do you ensure the clarity of the image? And can it capture more than one picture at a time?"

Adolfo smiled smugly. "The clarity comes from the precise design of the lenses and the magical essences infused into the crystals. And yes, I’m working on expanding its capacity to take multiple frames, though that needs more refinement."

Katherine’s head was reeling. She had grown up surrounded by technology, but this was unreal. The camera she knew—using film and chemicals—didn’t exist here. Yet somehow, this version had been created. How was it even possible?

Katherine shook her head in disbelief. A camera. An instant camera, no less. In this world?

"Unbelievable," she whispered under her breath.

Princess Laura, sitting beside her, leaned in with a frown. "Don’t be fooled by his charm. Adolfo’s inventions may seem impressive, but I don’t trust him. He always has something up his sleeve."

"Inventions..." Katherine muttered. She didn’t remember Adolfo inventing anything in the novel. He was competitive with Florante, but an inventor? "That’s actually quite interesting."

Laura raised an eyebrow, but before she could respond, Adolfo’s voice rang out again.

"Imagine the possibilities, ladies and gentlemen! With this device, no longer will we rely on paintings or sculptures to capture memories. In a single moment, you can preserve an image forever. The future is here!" Adolfo’s voice brimmed with pride, and the nobles around him applauded once again.

The room buzzed with excitement, but Katherine remained focused on the camera, still in disbelief. While the nobles marveled at the invention, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

As the crowd applauded, Adolfo’s gaze swept across the room and unexpectedly met hers. He gave her a quick, playful wink, almost like a private gesture. Katherine’s heart skipped a beat. Was that for her?

She glanced around, wondering if anyone else had seen it. The room was still focused on Adolfo, and no one seemed to notice. Katherine turned back to him, her thoughts racing. Maybe she was just imagining things.

Just as she was about to dismiss it, she felt a shift beside her. Princess Laura, watching the entire demonstration with a scowl, let out a frustrated sigh.

"Ugh," Laura muttered, clearly irritated.

Katherine turned to the princess, confused. "What’s wrong?"

Laura didn’t take her eyes off Adolfo. "He’s always like that. It’s so... obnoxious."

Katherine blinked, still processing the moment. "Oh..."

Oh. It was for the princess.

A strange mix of emotions swirled in her chest—relief, perhaps? But also a small, unexpected pang of something else. Embarrassment, for assuming? Annoyance, for caring at all? She wasn’t sure. But whatever it was, she buried it quickly.

"Right," Katherine replied, forcing her attention back to the demonstration.

"Right," Katherine replied, trying to focus back on the demonstration.

"And it comes with a stand if you want to stay perfectly still," Adolfo continued. "This item will be available in my workshop. If anyone during the Summer Symposium wants their photo taken, it’ll be for a fair price of 100 silver each." He smiled confidently.

Katherine noticed some nobles nodding, and several ladies from the Summer Symposium looked intrigued.

She couldn’t help but think Adolfo was just like her—thinking about business during the Symposium. It amazed her how they both aimed for the same thing.

It’s as Zamir said, she realized. She’s not the only one lost in this world. Maybe that’s why discoveries like this existed. Is Adolfo like her? But it didn’t feel that way. Some things weren’t mentioned in the novel, but the story focused more on Florante, leaving the supporting characters unexplored. Was she overthinking it?

As Adolfo left the stage with a bow, Katherine thought, what I prepared isn’t so bad after all.

The Symposium was supposed to be exciting, full of new ideas and discoveries. Instead, most talks just repeated old research, with fancy visuals and long explanations of things she already knew.

Only two presentations managed to catch her attention—Florante’s and Adolfo’s. But everything else? It was just background noise. Katherine struggled to keep her eyes open as the words blurred together and her mind drifted.

Finally, the male students’ performances ended.

"Let’s go, Lady Katherine," Laura called.

"Yes, Your Highness," she responded.

"We’ll be cheering for you both," Shaya said happily.

"Really looking forward to it," Camille added.

"Thank you, dear ladies," Laura replied cheerily.

They waved their friends goodbye and walked down together. Only about a dozen or so ladies were performing, so they all went as a group.

I guess performing isn’t really for ladies in their culture.

Katherine looked around. Aside from her and the princess, most girls were singing, playing instruments, or showcasing quick paintings or embroidery—typical hobbies for women.

"It’s my turn next, Lady Katherine. I’m quite nervous," the princess said, pressing her hands together like a prayer.

"You’ll do great, Your Highness. I’m here to support you. If you feel nervous, just remember we’re in this together," Katherine assured her.

"Thank you, Lady Katherine, for lending me your strength."

"Let’s do our best," Katherine responded with a smile.

As the previous lady finished her piece, Laura stepped forward, and the crowd cheered. Katherine spotted Florante on the other side of the stage, waiting. It seemed the male students hadn’t returned to their seats, choosing instead to watch from the side.

"Hmm..." Katherine thought. "That’s nice. They’ll be part of the audience for my turn later."

Everyone cheered as the princess stepped onto the stage, her presence alone commanding attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Summer Symposium," Laura announced, her voice clear and confident. "I, the first princess of the Kingdom of Albania, Laura d’Albania, shall showcase my light magic for everyone."

A ripple of anticipation spread through the hall. Professors and nobles leaned forward, their faces alight with curiosity and admiration.

Laura lifted her hands, and at her fingertips, threads of light flickered to life—like tiny stars waking from slumber. Gold, silver, and pale blue glimmers wove together, shifting and spiraling in intricate patterns. The particles drifted outward, twirling in the air like fireflies dancing to an unseen melody, casting a soft glow across the captivated audience.

Katherine watched, mesmerized. It reminded her of fireworks back home—the way the light burst into the sky, dazzling and ephemeral. Or maybe fiber optic lights, the ones she used to see in high-end displays, shifting colors as if alive. But unlike those, this wasn’t just a visual spectacle. It had warmth, presence—real magic.

With a practiced grace, Laura sculpted the light, molding it as if it were an extension of herself. The luminous threads wove into delicate butterflies, their wings shimmering with iridescence as they fluttered around her. A flick of her wrist sent them spiraling upward, where they burst into cascading fireworks, their brilliance momentarily painting the ceiling in streaks of warm radiance.

A collective gasp echoed through the hall, the audience utterly enthralled. The magic wasn’t just seen—it was felt. Each glimmer carried a gentle warmth, like the first rays of dawn after a long, bitter winter.

But Laura wasn’t done. With a serene smile, she gathered the light inward, wrapping herself in a glowing cocoon that pulsed like a heartbeat. The hushed audience watched in awed silence as she extended her arms, releasing the stored radiance in a sweeping arc. Waves of shimmering brilliance rippled outward, washing over the crowd in a soft, golden glow.

For a brief moment, it felt like standing beneath a grand light display back home, except there were no wires, no artificial tricks—just pure, living magic.

Then, as if released from a spell, the audience erupted into thunderous applause.

Katherine clapped enthusiastically, the awe still settling in her chest. This wasn’t just magic—it was artistry, a performance woven from light itself. Compared to the other demonstrations, this was on an entirely different level. It was actual magic, rare and exclusive to the royal bloodline, and Laura wielded it effortlessly.

The princess, cheeks slightly flushed from excitement, bowed gracefully, her expression a mixture of pride and quiet joy.

As the applause continued, her gaze drifted across the crowd—searching, lingering—until it found Florante.

He stood near the edge of the stage, arms crossed, but his usual stoic expression had softened. A subtle smile played at his lips, faint yet unmistakable. Their eyes met, and something unspoken passed between them—something private, something real.

Laura’s shoulders eased, as though every trace of nervousness had finally melted away.

The moment passed quickly, lost in the wave of admiration as professors and nobles gathered around her with praise. Laura accepted their compliments with practiced elegance before making her way back to Katherine’s side, her glow lingering even after the magic had faded.

"That was beautiful, Your Highness. The best one today, if I may say so," Katherine exclaimed.

"Oh, you flatter me. Thank you for supporting me, Lady Katherine. If I were alone, I might’ve panicked," the princess responded humbly.

"You’re too kind, Princess," Katherine said, knowing Laura would have done well regardless. This was the female protagonist, after all—diligent, graceful, and strong.

"It’s your turn now, right, Lady Katherine?"

"Yes. Wish me luck."

"I’ll be here, cheering for you with all my heart!"

"Much appreciated." Katherine smiled. And with that, she stepped forward, ready to face the stage.

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