Healing at the Academy convenience store

Chapter 51

On the following day,

As anticipated, I experienced muscle soreness.

Consequently, I took three days off due to muscle pain.

Just kill me…

***

“You’ve brought quite a lot.”

“Mm.”

“Any commendation for the one who hauled this here?”

“You performed admirably.”

I offered moderate praise to Patrasch and scrutinized the ore he had brought. This is indeed the honey one can extract from Act 1 Scene 4. Naturally, since the boss is a Golem, the dropped item is ore. Moreover, this ore might possess magical properties.

“Phew, acquired some decent materials and even a Tier 9 skill. From this point onward, I’ll live for myself, regardless of what anyone else says.”

I commence my work with unwavering determination.

“[Magical Patissier]”

I lightly knead some dough, bake it, and activate Patissier. Then, I cast a skill on the freshly baked bread that just emerged.

“[Item Appraisal]”

[Freshly Baked Bread (Buff)]

[A recently baked loaf of bread. It slightly restores health when consumed. It’s also enchanted.]

[Magic Effect]

[Boosts physical strength for a certain duration.]

I momentarily feel lightheaded. The skill I obtained from the Tier 9 selection is Item Appraisal. It consumes 1 unit of magic power to obtain information about an item.

“Excellent.”

I instinctively nod.

In the original D/Z SAGA, there was a character’s inventory limit, and useless scrolls cluttered and cluttered the inventory. So, the first scrolls you had to get rid of were appraisal scrolls.

This is especially useful when you have to farm in the field. Let’s say there’s a Stone Golem that drops ore every time you defeat it. Then, naturally, you’d have a hundred ores if you kill a hundred of them.

Would you carry all hundred? That’s impossible. And if you return home and re-enter, time passes.

So, you’d typically farm items up to the inventory limit, use appraisal magic to check their options, and discard the trash.

This farming method, informally known as an appraisal run, is basic yet absolutely essential up to the 12th chapter.

“This skill will be useful for a long time. It’s quite convenient.”

The only concern is that my magic power is at 3.

“Let’s see. Is it time to analyze these ores now?”

I have a substantial amount of mana potions left from Aila, so I won’t have enough time today even if I appraise these and analyze only useful items.

“What should I do?”

“Wait and watch here…”

I ponder for a moment at Patrasch’s question. Even if he’s just come out for the first time in 300 years, I’ve been using him well as a draft horse, so perhaps I should give him some freedom.

“As long as you don’t attack humans or cause trouble, you’re free to roam nearby.”

“…Really?”

“However, if you do cause trouble, I’ll consult the Fairy Queen and replace you with another fairy. Keep that in mind.”

“Hehehe, got it! Then I’ll be off!”

With that, Patrasch quickly departed.

As I briefly focus on appraisal, footsteps are heard from outside the door.

“Is Wolfram there?”

“…?”

I turn my gaze, and there’s Aila looking cautiously this way.

Stop.

Enough.

I’m trying to live for myself here.

***

2nd Year Magic Department Dormitory.

Considering that the student body president is from the Magic Department and also a classmate, the authority of the 2nd-year Magic Department students could be said to be extremely high.

In particular, Eve von Roengreen, who could be considered the pinnacle of that authority, was occupying an entire floor of the common dormitory. This was not due to her request or privilege but to protect her private life and to display her authority to all students.

However, given that she occupied an entire floor, the interior was excessively modest. To put it precisely, it felt like looking at a well-constructed model house with only necessary items neatly placed.

However, being the student council president means being the ruler of Jephryn’s hundred thousand. The dormitory itself may be clean as it reflects the president’s personality, but anyone invited to the dormitory is bound to get involved in enormous plots and schemes.

And today, another individual has been entangled in this scheme and invited to Eve’s dormitory.

“···Whew. Nephterian, just sit back and relax. What is this scheme all about? I’d like to hear about it too.”

“Yes, yes.”

Eve sat comfortably in her seat, as if to reassure Nephty, who seemed to be thinking the same thing, and Nephty sat across from her, restlessly.

“Would you like a cup of tea?”

“···I’m, I’m really fine.”

“You seemed more relaxed when dealing with Wolfram, the former student council president. Why are you so stiff with me? We’re in the same grade, aren’t we?”

“That’s because··· Senior Wolfram doesn’t have any power.”

“······.”

“No, no. Because I can be very relaxed around him.”

“Wasn’t Nephterian’s title ‘Faith’?”

“It is, albeit inadequately. Ahaha. Please, just call me Nephty, President!”

“Alright, Nephty.”

“Hehe.”

She says and smiles foolishly. Where exactly is her faith? Eve shook her slightly throbbing head.

“Anyway, I apologize for abducting you so suddenly, Nephty. I didn’t want to make such an invitation, but a concerning report came in.”

“···Yes.”

“Last weekend morning. Third-year Magic Department Wolfram, Magic Department Rudika Hatsan Shadow, Knight Department Nephty, and a giant red wolf were reported to be heading towards the Eastern Forest.”

“Yes, that’s correct. ···We went.”

“Alright. Could you then report in detail what adventure you had there?”

“······.”

Nephty shuddered and then started trembling.

“Do I have to tell everything?”

“Shall I activate the student council president’s orders?”

“Uh, but, I’m sorry. I can’t betray my companions. I’d be grateful if you could just finish me off···.”

“Oh.”

She had just shown that she would betray her companions for her own benefit, but her eyes were teary yet shining.

Eve can essentially determine whether someone is good or bad and thus form prejudices. And her intuition right now was telling her that it would be difficult to coerce anything out of Nephty.

She let out a small sigh. Wolfram has such a gem by his side, she felt a small pang of jealousy.

“It’s not a threat.”

“Yes, y-yes?”

“Mm. First of all, let me briefly explain about the handover of the student council between Wolfram and me.”

Eve von Roengreen, despite her young age, is evaluated second only to the founding emperor in magic. She, who had built and nurtured her own faction even amidst the political strife of the royal court, knew very well how to manipulate a character as upright and pure as Nephty.

“It’s for Wolfram.”

“For Wolfram?”

“Yes. There are too many eyes watching him right now. Can you tell me?”

“Mm. Then, I also have a question.”

“Oh, I don’t really like answering a question with a question···. Fine. Ask.”

If she could get information from Nephty, she was willing to exchange even quite significant information. Eventually, Nephty took a deep breath and whispered cautiously into Eve’s ear.

“Is the artifact of the great founding emperor really all managed by the royal family?”

“?”

“Do they also secretly buy it if someone gets it?”

“Huh?”

Eve smiled and virtually raised a question mark above her head.

***

Aila suddenly entered, spread out her books and notes, and started studying.

“This is a place to sell things, not a place to study.”

“I won’t disturb you. I also came here because I was disturbed.”

“I’m not saying we have many customers, but if you want to study, you should find a better place···.”

“Please prepare about one hundred thousand Rin worth of drinks and snacks.”

“Do you need a knee blanket?”

At my words, Aila grinned.

“If you spend 100,000 and say you’re studying, I can also include some freshly made madeleines as a bonus.”

A brief moment passed. The only sounds that filled the convenience store were the activation of my Appraisal skill and the distant hum of Aila’s quadrilateral.

“···Oh.”

My quiet cheer broke the strange silence.

[Heated Ore]

[9T]

[An ore with heat, adjustable based on the user’s magical power.]

[Additional Effect]

[When possessed, provides a minor mental protection effect.]

A rather promising option had appeared. It’s not easy to come across an enchanted ore with this kind of magic.

“Did you get any beneficial additional effects?”

“Mm, not bad.”

“Congratulations.”

“How’s your studying going?”

“Uh···. It’s not rebellious.”

“It’s not rebellious.”

“Yes, it’s genuinely uninteresting studying.”

Roughly interpreting Aila’s words, it meant that the studying was uninteresting or stereotypical. However, if she gave up on that, she couldn’t outdo Regina.

“You have to complete it anyway. That’s how rebellion succeeds.”

“That’s right. Rebellion···.”

“We have to rebel.”

“···Yes, we have to rebel.”

I placed the heated ore beside Aila with a thud.

“···What’s this? Heated ore? It’s warm. ···And, um. ···Mm.”

Aila blissfully melted away, basking in the warmth of the heated ore. It was more akin to melted brown sugar than obsidian.

“The Appraisal results indicate that it has a minor mental protection effect.”

“···Thank you.”

Come to think of it, she’s a bit pinkish too.

That thing. The system where you can see the heroines’ likeability.

Upon reflection, displaying it didn’t necessarily indicate [affection]. If the mood soured or if you made a wrong choice, it would revert to white or even blue and be completely obliterated.

It was the same when Kelters advanced the main story.

I could elevate the liking of characters who weren’t heroines, and naturally, since there was no route for that character, only the relationship level increased.

So, Aila. Nephty. Rudika. I couldn’t quite determine the nature of their feelings towards me.

Trust. Friendliness. Affection. It was hard to pinpoint.

So, I decided to test this likability system.

Was it affection? Or something else?

“Aila.”

“Yes?”

“Rebellion.”

“Wow!”

It becomes a bit more pinkish.

······.

“Rebellion.”

“As expected!”