Chapter 42
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: 8. Unexpected Visitor
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Ah, welcome."
Back at the general store, Suiven greets me with a bright smile.
Her short, orange bob haircut gleams like the sunset, paired with those vibrant green eyes full of spirit.
Just looking at her melts away all the fatigue from outside.
It's a place where a lovely woman welcomes you, after all.
It might be even better than I thought.
Of course, she's not my girlfriend or wife or anything like that.
"How'd it go this time? It was your first upper-class commission, right?"
"Ah, yeah."
As I start to answer her question.
"Edin put on quite the show. Want to hear about it?"
Out of nowhere, Saella slips in right behind me.
Whoa... not good for my heart.
Can't she make a little noise when she shows up?
"Oh, Edin, you're back? I had a feeling you would be."
Lunarin enters through the store door and greets me too.
A feeling? Like she sensed I'd return?
Maybe she's got some divination talent on top of everything.
Anyway, with everyone who usually gathers here already assembled, I give them a rough rundown of what happened in Greenback Forest.
"...It was pretty fun this time."
"Upper-class kids, as expected. I remember Schneero well from my lectures. She's got real talent."
"Cuemel was impressive too. She's top of the class among tank-position students."
"Lin, huh. She's quiet, but her skills and looks are undeniably stunning. One of the few humans I respect."
Come to think of it, everyone here is a magic teacher, tank instructor, or archery teacher.
Saella teaches spirit arts too, but archery's her main gig.
It's kinda surreal how perfectly they line up like this.
"But no one could match Edin. Your performance was the highlight."
Huh? Out of the blue?
"Tear gas, for sure. The goblins must've been in agony right up to the end."
"Using wood corrosive on top of that. Brilliant as always."
Starting with Saella, a sudden wave of praise for me kicks off.
These folks... whenever they get together, they launch this self-esteem boost project for me.
I'm getting used to it now.
"Haha, I was just support. If the students hadn't stepped up, it could've been dangerous."
"Even your humility is beautiful, Edin."
I'm starting to feel a bit embarrassed and try to brush it off when.
Creak─
The door opens, and students file into the general store.
"...Huh? It's the teachers."
"Yeah, they've been hanging out here the last few days."
"Oh, right. Um, you open now?"
Looks like they're here to buy potions.
Perfect timing.
I was getting shy anyway—this gives me an out.
"Ah, yes. What do you need?"
"Oh, hi, Instructor Edin!"
"We took a lizardman village cleanup commission. But it's a weird case..."
"Ah, in situations like that, it's different. Instead of straight fire attacks, go for these..."
I help them find what they're after.
A commission to harvest lizardman scales.
The targets are lizardmen, but the kind that dries out swamps.
They've actually found a parched zone nearby.
Some rare mutation, so someone put in a request.
Normal lizardmen thrive in humid areas.
But this variant—flame lizardmen—emits scorching, fiery heat.
Their scales retain intense heat even after death, used for heat-based magic tools or refined into napalm potion ingredients, a step above fire potions.
...Huh, now that I say it out loud, I want some.
"Hey, kids... if you have extra scales, could you sell some to me?"
"Sure! We'll grab plenty."
Seems like a third-year personal commission, so tagging along myself would be awkward.
Plus, I've got no time with all the materials from this trip—I need to make disinfectants and antibiotics.
So, asking like this for now.
Man... it sure would be nice if I could commission students directly.
...Wait a sec?
Why not? Business is booming, profits piling up more than expected.
Selling at 50% off near cost, but I supply materials free, so money's no issue.
With that surplus, commissioning rare external-practice materials...
I could dip into academy funds, but...
Personal wants like flame lizardman scales feel too grabby from the academy.
"......"
Struck by a thought, I glance at Saella.
...She'd probably fetch anything I want, thrilled, for free.
No, no.
Using someone like a servant or slave? That's wrong.
Feels like exploiting her feelings for me.
I'll ask the chairwoman later if it's okay.
Right on cue, Rinen, the chairwoman's chief secretary, shows up.
"Edin, the chairwoman wants to see you."
"Ah, got it!"
Probably about the goblin king.
Perfect.
I can ask her now.
"I heard you made a big splash this time."
Mureos the chairwoman greets me with a smile.
...No way she's mad I meddled too much in the students' commission?
"Goblin king... yeah, leaving it alone could've endangered nearby villages."
Good, not that.
It was an exception, after all.
Rasen and I stepping in aggressively wouldn't have been an issue anyway.
"Rasen and the students were raving about how safe and flawless it was."
"Haha, really?"
Back in the day, I'd wave off praise like that.
But with Saella, Lunarin, and Suiven pumping up my ego lately, it rolls off easy now.
Noticing the change, Mureos gives me an amused smile.
"I can entrust upper-class externals to you worry-free. Keep it up."
"Of course."
Oh, right—gotta ask that too.
"Um, Chairwoman. I've got a question..."
"Yes, what is it?"
I explain my idea to Mureos.
"...Commissions, huh. But just ask me for what you need."
Sure, that's the easiest.
She'd procure and deliver without a peep—most convenient for me.
But.
Like I said, buying personal stuff with academy funds feels off.
Half-embezzlement, basically.
That's why I wanted to confirm if I could commission with my own money.
"...How about this instead?"
Then.
Mureos lights up like she just had a great idea.
"What if we post commissions inside the academy? Not externals... internal training missions."
"Internal... training?"
Like adventurer guild requests, but academy-exclusive for students?
"Yes. Rewards aren't cash... but vouchers usable only at the general store or academy shops."
"Vouchers...?"
Vouchers?
Virtual currency redeemable only here, as commission rewards?
"Exactly. No direct academy spending, and we can justify cheaper or free potions, gear, armor, weapons from the stores for students."
We charge minimal now to avoid confusing future adventurers with real money habits.
Virtual currency lets us supply near-free while mimicking prior effects.
"Sounds good. Academy-exclusive internal commissions for students only."
"Hehe, right?"
Hm, but it might fall flat.
Even with academy vouchers, students might shrug—why bother?
Externals or personal gigs pay real gold anyway.
"What if this? Limited items buyable only with academy vouchers."
"Limited items, huh. Sell higher-quality stuff voucher-only to boost voucher value."
"Spot on."
Yeah, that gives solid incentive for internal commissions.
Ooh, this rocks?
Nervous about externals? Practice guild life inside safely.
Personal requests? Handle via internals, smoother.
"Uh, but what commissions could the academy even post...?"
Wait—do we have stuff worth delegating to students?
Honestly... just me, right?
"Hehe, then it'd be the Edin-exclusive request board."
"......"
G-Good idea, sure.
But... feels insanely burdensome.
Internal training? More like the corner where you humor the general store guy's requests.