Chapter 44
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Unexpected Visitor
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For now, they'd need to hold a meeting with the teachers first, and even once it's finalized, they'd have to give the students prior notice, so the chairman said it would take a few days.
Until then, I could just carry on as usual.
So, I head back to the general store for the time being.
"...The sun's already setting."
The sun had still been up when I went to see the chairman, but now it was sinking low in the sky.
The horizon was filled with brilliant orange sunset hues.
When I opened the door to the general store, there was Suiven, her hair the exact same shade as the twilight glow outside, neatly arranging the shelves.
Having shed her heavy armor and donned a green apron, she looked nothing like the elite vanguard she was.
She was every bit the perfect shop assistant.
"Oh, Edin. How'd it go with the chairman?"
"Ah, yeah. Seemed to go well."
"What'd you talk about?"
In response to her question, I recounted the discussion I'd had with the chairman earlier.
We'd create internal academy requests to source materials from the students.
In exchange, they'd get vouchers or points redeemable at the academy shops.
And with those vouchers, they'd be able to buy limited items or higher-grade goods that aren't normally available.
"That's a great idea. It'd definitely motivate the students."
"Yeah. But I'm a bit worried. Even if we do it, the requests will probably only be for potion-making materials at best. I wonder if students will ditch external requests for this... not sure there's enough merit."
I'd been too excited earlier to think it through deeply, but this was a concern.
Sure, we'd make potions or consumables exclusive to academy currency, but would that be enough incentive?
It might end up feeling like minor requests that only a few students bother with.
"Hmm. I think they'd come running with fire in their eyes."
"You do?"
Her expression seemed genuinely thoughtful, so it didn't feel like she was just saying it to make me feel good.
"If I were a student, I'd jump on it in a heartbeat. High-grade potions only available with vouchers? Any student who's even tried one of your potions once would lose their minds."
"Oh..."
Is it that good?
Yeah, students always rave about the real performance whenever they come in, leaving glowing reviews.
"Word's really spreading lately. They say the quality of the general store's goods has gone up so much that success rates on external field training have skyrocketed."
Apparently, that's even got some teachers voicing concerns.
They're worried that if students get too used to such high-performance potions, their request success rates might drop once they graduate and have to use commercial ones as active adventurers.
I know by now that unlike most alchemists, I definitely have real talent.
If I hadn't had almost no chances to use it like back with Claude, it'd be weirder not to notice with all these reviews around me.
But honestly, I do wonder if it's really that big a deal.
Not self-deprecating or anything—just kinda surreal. Anyway, it's a good feeling mixed with something oddly off.
That said, if it's true, it is a bit worrying.
If they get too accustomed to top-tier potions and make mistakes after graduating as active adventurers.
If that puts them in danger.
It'd be indirectly my fault too.
Maybe I should think about distributing externally? But mass production on that scale would be too much...
I'm only one person.
There are already thousands of adventurers in Preta alone—how could I handle that?
And I can't just half-ass the potions either... Yeah, need to mull this over.
"All done tidying up. Shall we close up and head out?"
"Oh, ah, already?"
While I was lost in thought, the shop got sorted too.
Since our customers are academy students, traffic dies down around when classes end.
So the academy general store usually wraps up between 6 and 7 PM.
After that, most students head to dinner then back to the dorms, or if they're out on requests, they handle lodging with camping or inns.
No night customers, so naturally we close.
Besides, with just two of us working—including me—we can't stay open late anyway.
"See you tomorrow."
"Yeah, good work."
After seeing Suiven off, I head to the warehouse.
Heh heh heh, I've got some evening plans.
"Hey, friends."
Opening the warehouse door lets in a sharp whiff of bitter herbs.
Mixed with a pungent disinfectant scent.
It's all the materials from the goblin fortress that the Qumel student party sold me.
Heh heh, time to whip up a ton of stuff with these today.
Plenty to work with—maybe even try that new recipe using Acorhol I saw in the Preta National Library before.
"...?"
As I pictured the fun crafting session, I suddenly realize it's weirdly quiet today and glance back.
Normally, an elf would pop out around now with some quip.
But it's silent today.
Did she step out for a bit?
Hmm, but Saella seems like the type who'd always say if she was going somewhere, even briefly.
...Probably just in the bathroom or something.
#
Sophia had somehow slipped out of the High Priestess's chambers in secret and hurried toward the academy.
The sun was already dipping low, but the academy wouldn't fully close for a little while yet.
If she could just get in and find Edin, that'd be enough.
'Claude or Mary, maybe not—but I covered for them to the end and acted all sweet. Edin would definitely help me out.'
All the rotten things she'd done while pretending to be nice.
Edin already knew, but hadn't said a word.
He knew it wouldn't matter coming from his position anyway.
And with the party breaking up anyway, what did it matter to him if she faked being good?
Blissfully unaware of that, Sophia figured she'd latch onto Edin, who was thriving at the academy now, and leech off him.
She arrived at the academy gates.
The guards blocked her.
"Priestess. What brings you here?"
"Ah, well..."
She was Edin's acquaintance, here to see him.
But then she remembered Claude complaining about getting turned away when he'd come looking for Edin.
'Damn... what if they kick me out too?'
Realizing they might lump her in with Claude's crowd, she frantically brainstormed excuses.
But then.
"Hm."
Suddenly, a handsome elf strolled out from the academy entrance.
"Ah, Saella... sir."
The guard almost called him "teacher" out of habit but caught himself, remembering he'd locked up the academy teacher recently.
Rumor had it he was sticking around as Edin's bodyguard for the general store owner now.
But why was he here all of a sudden?
"......"
Sophia spotted Saella too, her eyes widening.
'Teacher Saella... wow, he's still drop-dead gorgeous.'
She'd taken classes at the academy to become an adventurer, and Saella had been a teacher then.
He'd been wildly popular with the girls, just like now.
Naturally, Sophia had been one of the fangirls crushing on him—his stunning looks, noble elf heritage.
His S-Rank adventurer status, wealth, fame—all of it made him one of her ideal types.
But why was he here?
Just a coincidence running into her?
'...Screw Edin, maybe switch to Teacher Saella?'
She wasn't a student anymore—she was an A-Rank adventurer with a solid career now.
Didn't that make her worthy of someone like Saella?
'Yeah, I've got good looks. And I'm super nice, right? Pretty and sweet—who wouldn't love that?'
Even an elf would fall for it, she figured.
And as if her thoughts reached him.
Saella gazed at her steadily, then turned to the guards.
"She's my acquaintance. Don't block her too much. She's here to see me."
"Ah, got it."
"???"
The guards nodded, convinced.
Sophia was utterly baffled, not understanding the situation.
Their only connection was a few run-ins when she was a student.
Sudden acquaintance status?
And vouching for her, saying not to stop her since she's here for him?
'Is he... totally into me?'
She had no idea what was going on.
But she saw it as a gift from the gods.
Ditch the pathetic Claude, even Edin as a backup.
Jump to the ultimate catch: Saella!
"Let's talk outside for a bit."
"Ah... sure."
No time to wonder why—he was handsome, talented, noble elf stock, rich, famous.
No reason for Sophia to refuse.
Of course, she had no clue.
That following Saella would be the biggest mistake of her life.