Healing at the Academy convenience store

In the world of the D/Z SAGA, numerous paths and endings exist, but not all lead to a satisfactory conclusion.

In the unfortunate event of losing the game and witnessing Kelters’s demise, a grim and bitter ending awaits.

“When no one has seen them since,” these words herald the ominous conclusion. However, this ending can manifest in various ways.

One such dreadful outcome is known as the assassination ending—the ultimate kill ending.

Two key factors determine this tragic conclusion: the affection score and the karma score.

For instance, if you include Jewel Sword Isolde in your party and deliberately provoke her to the point of extreme anger, her affection for you plummets drastically.

There is no redemption for such actions, no way to shout from the high point and expect a turnaround. The price must be paid, leading directly to the kill ending.

Confrontation with a drastically alienated Isolde in a one-on-one duel is one possibility. Alternatively, she may ambush you, having lost herself to unbridled strength.

The second factor, the karma score, plays a vital role here.

Any acts of abandonment of your comrades in the dungeon, failure to complete missions, or senseless slaying of innocent villagers will invite her wrath.

Rudika Hatsan Shadow, the ace of the assassin lineage, a masterful talent in history, will come after you relentlessly.

With her white hair cascading over her shoulders, striking blue eyes, and a petite yet lithe figure, she might initially appear adorable and endearing. However, those who truly know her are aware of the terror she instills.

Her skills are exclusively tailored for assassination, making it futile to attempt to stop her before Act 6; any such efforts are better left unexplored.

From what I remember, her strength is rated at 13, relatively low compared to top-level characters, yet her health and mana are still respectable. Nevertheless, her sheer willpower and talent are what set her apart.

Her innate talent hovers around 20 or 21, a level far beyond ordinary human capabilities. For context, Aila’s mana was 19 in Act 1, and Eve’s mana reached around 22.

How does one withstand the inevitable confrontation with a character like her, who hunts you from Act 1 due to your deteriorating karma, deeming it an assassination order? Is it best to simply accept one’s fate and perish?

She goes by the name Teacher Hatsan, a title given in respectful acknowledgment of her nightly appearances to execute those who commit wrongdoings. And at this moment, I find myself facing Teacher Hatsan.

Wolfram, a third-rate villain, has encountered the embodiment of justice, the Teacher.

“Rudika will ask you again, Wolfram. Can you make something spicy?”

Oh, no! How can I ever create something like that?

My strength is a mere 2.

Even a serious one-on-one battle with a forest-dwelling bean bug would give me a mere 50% chance of victory. I wish you could overlook my pathetic capabilities.

Praying for a miracle to save me from this predicament, my internal royal bloodline skill activates, forcing me to speak confidently and intimidate my opponent.

“I can do it. I can handle all the spiciness in the world.”

“Really?! You’re not lying?”

“Hmph. Who do you think I am? I’m Wolfram. Wolfram von Roengreen. As a royal, I don’t lie.”

Oh dear, what have I done?

“I see. Wolfram. I like that.”

“What does that mean?”

“Rudika will visit you later.”

And just like that, Rudika vanishes into thin air.

An assassination notice right in front of me! How many people get to experience such a surreal surprise in their lives?

I nod, accepting my imminent death with a sense of resignation.

Thank you, everyone. Wolfram’s adventure ends here. May you all find happiness.

Yet, before my demise, there’s one thing I desire.

“Aila, is this truly the spiciest thing on the menu?”

“Yes, how can anyone eat this? It’s insane!”

I yearn to taste something spicy.

“It appears you could use a little more spice in your life.”

“Okay, Wolfram. It seems we need to embark on a more rebellious culinary journey. Follow me outside.”

I’m sorry.

Tonight, I shall face my demise, but please save me.

***

Aila had left, and I had arrived at the convenience store.

To be honest, I couldn’t help but wonder if Rudika might be plotting to assassinate me. However, for now, I felt reasonably safe that she wouldn’t strike me down instantly.

Whenever she received an assassination order, Rudika always acted first and thought later. I had experienced it firsthand when I played as Kelters and portrayed an evil character; she had even tried to assassinate me during midterms at the exam hall.

Unfazed by the scrutiny of others, she was like a dagger from the abyss, coldly fulfilling her assigned missions—hence her alias.

If she had wanted to kill Wolfram, she would have swiftly slit his throat without a second thought. She was that kind of person.

The real problem was that I had caught the attention of this skilled assassin. I sighed deeply, leaning back in my chair and staring at the ceiling.

Then, I sensed a presence outside the door.

Finally, the inevitable had arrived. As I turned my gaze toward the door, I was surprised to see an unexpected person standing there.

“…Nephti?”

“Yes. Hello, Mr. Wolfram.”

What could bring her here?

I didn’t recall asking her for any tasks.

But her appearance here meant…

“Do you have something to discuss?”

“You see through me, as always. No wonder I once pledged my loyalty to you.”

“Even though I paid you more than double the standard fee.”

“………”

“Something about donuts or shares, wasn’t it? And the last thing you said was ‘I ate well,’ right?”

“Well, um…”

She tried to argue back, but I knew her well. Nephti, the Sword of Belief, was characterized by her unwavering diligence. When she owed someone a favor, she would never betray them.

However…

“Is this about money?”

“Huh? …Yes, it is.”

“What happened to the money I gave you before? It was nearly a hundred thousand rin.”

“Well, I… I transferred most of it home, and now I have nothing left. If things continue like this, I’ll have to resort to eating Grass Salad again.”

“Dandelions are good these days. And there’s mugwort.”

“Oh, those are delicious. You seem quite knowledgeable about edible plants.”

“Hmm.”

“By the way, the other day, a sprout grew out of a potato, so I made wild greens salad with it. The slightly sour taste was quite nice.”

“What are you eating…”

And why are you okay with eating that?

Nephti looked at me with an expression that said ‘It’s edible.’ My head throbbed.

“We’re not hiring part-timers.”

“Is that so? Is it because I’m not qualified? I promise to work hard!”

“No, that’s not it.”

“…? Then why?”

“We don’t have any customers.”

“…………”

Nephti remained silent, showing no sign of understanding after my explanation. Her gaze seemed filled with pity, and I couldn’t bear to be looked at like that.

But it was undeniable—our convenience store had no customers. Despite the massive success of the freshmen welcome party, no actual customers frequented the store.

I couldn’t figure out why…

“So, I’m analyzing the situation.”

“Isn’t it because of the inconvenient location?”

“………”

Don’t say that. No negative words allowed.

“But isn’t this the only place in the academy that serves delicious food?”

One would think people would come from miles away, thinking, ‘This convenience store is here to teach us what delicious is! Wow, Wolfram! Thank you! We believe in you!’

“Well, yes, but Jephryn’s busy schedule might be the problem.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you attend all your classes properly from your first year, you’ll be overwhelmed with coursework, assignments, and independent study. There won’t be much time to visit here.”

“Hmm.”

That’s a valid point.

So, what should we do? Should we start our business in front of the first-year building from dawn? It’s not a bad idea, but it would require significant preparation.

“So, should we gradually start attracting customers?”

“That’s a good idea. But, I’m still disappointed about the part-time job. I really wanted to try it.”

“A part-time job, huh…”

Wait, there was a perfect part-time job for her.

“Nephti, how about trying a part-time job just for today?”

“What?”

“I’ll pay you generously.”

“What kind of part-time job is it?”

Nothing special.

In a short while, a truly fearsome individual will show up. If she do anything suspicious, you just needs to stop her.

***

As the twilight faded and the sun retreated, darkness embraced its domain.

“Wolfram, Rudika’s here.”

“Hmm.”

No one could stop the footsteps of an assassin lurking in the shadows.

With every step, there was the sound of approaching danger. Even without a breath, the air seemed to change when the abyss dagger emerged from the darkness.

Rudika glanced at me and noticed Nephti standing next to me.

“A second-year Knight Nephterian?”

“A third-year Rudika Hatsan Shadow senior?”

“Hmm, what are you both doing here?”

“I’m doing a day’s part-time job. I need to earn more.”

I’ll apologize later and pay you more. Please understand.

Nephti was visibly tense, while Rudika looked at her calmly.

The power disparity was evident. No matter how devoted a knight Nephti was, she couldn’t match a nearly perfect assassin.

Rudika shifted her gaze to me, her eyes gleaming.

“I want it now.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Wolfram, Rudika doesn’t enjoy games. Make something spicy.”

“Hmm.”

“I’ll pay the price. Rudika has a lot of money!”

Her way of speaking was always unique, perhaps influenced by the Hatsan lineage.

“Sadly, nothing spicy exists here. We don’t have the ingredients.”

“Ingredients?”

“Some herbs from the Sleeping Mountains and three types of tier 8 beans… With those, I could create something resembling spiciness.”

For now, I had to think carefully.

Unless she suddenly used “Hatsan style: Grab” and “Hatsan style: Fatal blow,” I should stick to the ‘explanation’ in my memory.

By ‘explanation,’ I meant concocting effects similar to “paralyzing” or “freezing removal,” similar to the ingredients that appear in Jephryn. I could add descriptions like ‘extremely spicy, handle with caution’ or ‘so spicy it doesn’t seem of this world, it can melt all ice.’

However, the primary place where such an item appears is Act 2’s Sleeping Mountain. You need to gather items in advance to progress through the crystal plain in Act 3. The Sleeping Mountain is far more perilous than one might think.

“Sleeping Mountain.”

“Yeah. It’s quite a challenging place.”

According to Aila’s explanation, in this world where everyone has given up on adventure, you have to risk your life alone in the Sleeping Mountain. Even for an assassin like Rudika, it might be a bit too much.

So, are you sure about this?

“Then. I must go. Rudika. Sleeping Mountain. I accept the challenge.”

“Excuse me?”

Seriously?

“Why are you so obsessed with spicy food?”

“Because it’s delicious.”

“Just for that…”

“It’s not just for that.”

Rudika stared at me with wide eyes.

With a look that seemed to hold all the resentment of the world, she glared at me.

“Wolfram, this world isn’t spicy. I want spicy.”

“…Ha!”

With those words, she closed her eyes.

Any further explanation from her would seem foolish.

She likes spicy food. She craves spicy food.

The magic phrase that people in Korea love: “it’s deliciously spicy.”

For example, a cup of fishcake soup with two green chili peppers sliced in it on a cold winter day.

Just that level of spiciness feels like it could relieve all the frustration in the world.

But seeing Aila, who brags about eating spicy food with ease, I could only sigh.

This world is extremely weak when it comes to spicy food. These people are frail.

In the midst of all this, the young girl looked straight at me and said,

“I want to eat spicy food. I can’t mock that feeling.”

“I understand your sentiment. You’re like me.”

“Yeah. This world… isn’t spicy. Rudika doesn’t like that.”

We firmly shook hands.

Even if we didn’t speak the same language and belonged to different races, our love for spicy food was the same.

“I’ll have something ready by tomorrow at least. Then I should write down what you need to bring…”

“Good. I’ll start tomorrow. Then, Wolfram. Rudika will come tomorrow!”

“?”

Shouldn’t you listen to people till the end?

Hey, over there.

By any chance, does that mean I’m going too?