Monster Jackpot
Jenella returned with her chest wrapped tightly in bandages.
"You okay?"
"Yeah. A little."
"Doesn't look like it. That's one nasty curse."
My eyes pierced through the bandages to the curse relentlessly assaulting her heart.
It was squeezing her heart tighter every time she didn't hurry up and kill an ancient monster.
"Can't erase it?"
"No. To remove it... I'd have to die and pass it on to someone else. Otherwise, I'd probably come back to life even as an undead."
"So that's how you inherited it. Your dad doesn't seem like the type to hand over something that precious."
Jenella just gave a wry smile.
Tsk.
Can't just leave her like this, can I?
"Come here."
"...?"
I grabbed Jenella's hand. Her face flushed red for a split second.
"...?"
"...Ah, it's nothing."
What, is she some dating sim character?
What's with her all of a sudden?
It didn't make sense, but I focused on channeling divine power into her body first. Just like when I neutered(?) Eodukshini last time, I directed the divine power toward her heart.
Thump, thump, thump.
Her heart was pounding like mad. I frowned.
"You sure it won't explode? It's racing like crazy right now."
"...N-no, it's fine."
"Tell me if it hurts."
I refocused on her heart. An unidentified energy enveloped it—too pure to be magic, yet too murky to be mana. Some bizarre force.
'Wonder if I can get rid of it.'
I reached for the energy but hesitated.
It was emanating straight from her heart.
The energy from her heart was the one squeezing it. To eliminate it, I'd have to touch the heart itself...
"...Yeah, no can do."
My skills weren't up to that level. Messing with a heart was too risky.
One slip, and she could end up crippled or dead.
The doctors must have done something—there was divine power wrapped around her heart. All I could do was reinforce it.
"Can't erase the curse. Might kill you if I try. No way to get rid of it completely? Besides you dying."
"Probably... if we kill all the ancient monsters?"
Kill every single ancient monster?
'How long would that take?'
Not doable at my current level. I'd need to surpass it and reach the Master realm at least.
Only then could I take them down.
No guarantee I'd get lucky enough to hunt them again by coincidence.
"Gonna take a while."
"No guarantee you'll fail?"
"Why would I fail? Gonna smash 'em all."
It wasn't just for Jenella. Ancient monsters were dangerous. Even non-adults were this hard to treat after mere exposure to their mana.
They had to go. Who knew what problems they'd cause later.
And that was just juveniles. What about adults? True monsters that had lived for ages?
"I'll take care of them."
Thump, thump thump!
"Your heart really okay?"
"I-it's fine."
"Anyway, just in case, I'll lay a blessing on you. Keep supplying you with my divine power. Hmm, oh. Perfect timing."
I spotted Eodukshini hopping around with Ash.
"Eodukshini. Perfect timing."
-?
"You're on backup battery duty now."
-...What?
I scooped up Eodukshini and tossed it to Jenella.
"Hold onto it, and your divine power will recover on its own. Use it when you can't see me. Otherwise, stick with me. You're crashing in my room anyway, right?"
"Y-yeah... right."
Thump, thump, thump.
-...What's that noise?
Eodukshini looked comfy nestled against Jenella, then lifted its head.
Their eyes met.
-You... by any chance...
"Wh-what noise?!"
-Ack!
"Handle the backup battery with care."
Don't wanna break it.
A couple days later, things had mostly settled down.
Rumble.
Trees sprouting beside me to brace and repair collapsing buildings was now a familiar sight.
'Working hard, huh.'
Professor Murdersonal, who taught Basic Alchemy Lectures, was specialized in cleanup and defense rather than combat, true to her abilities.
"Oh, Sir Eugene."
Professor Nipella Aoman, clutching a stack of files, called me over. What now? I turned during my leisurely stroll.
"...?"
"What should we do with the ancient monster's corpse?"
"There was a corpse?"
"Yes. The organs are ruined from being bisected, but the skin, flesh, claws... those are usable."
"How much total?"
I didn't need weapons or armor. Nothing beat my current sword.
Or maybe the holy sword did?
Hummm!
My sword buzzed angrily, sensing my thoughts.
Whatever.
"...Sir Eugene?"
"Sorry. Sword's acting up."
Hummm!
"Well, yeah, swords do that. Anyway, average market price..."
Nipella whispered in my ear. My eyes went wide.
What?
How much?
"...That's the total, right?"
"No. Price per byproduct."
"No way."
"Way. It's incredibly rare. I secured it ahead of time. Principal's guarding it too, just in case."
"!!!"
How much is all this worth?
Selling one piece would match everything I'd earned so far.
All of it?
"Holy shit, how much is this...?"
"Not all. If you want, Sir Eugene, you could get double—triple even."
"?!"
"Rarity. Appears once a century if that. Buyers will bite. Remember, our main customers aren't commoners—they're nobles drowning in gold."
"! Then... four times?"
"Of course. Or auction it? Could hit ten times. Other professors waived their shares."
"...!"
I love you, professors!
I love you, money!
Mooning!
Another day passed, and the academy was fully back to normal.
"Uh, Professor. I still hurt."
"Yes? Then no choice. Your grade's bottom..."
"Actually, I'm totally fine!! Just joking to get closer to you, Professor!!"
"Oh, that? Glad you're okay."
With every healer from Sky Island and beyond mobilized, no student was in bad shape.
"Heh. Heheheheh."
"... "
"Heh heh. Heheheheheh."
"... "
"Heh heh, heheheh..."
"You didn't hit your head, right?"
I was feeling too good. Way too good! Adria, looking grumpy for some reason, picked on my weird laughs.
"Heheheheheck..."
"Professor!! He's acting weird!!"
"Anywhere hurt...?"
"No! Suuuper fine! Ehehheheheck."
Money, money! Professor Nipella said it'd sell no problem. Duchies would bid at auction for sure, or ambitious nobles gunning for higher status!
"Everyone's here. First exam's done, so straight to round two."
The only unfinished exam in the academy was Basic Mana Lectures.
First round was over, so right to second.
My opponent: Banana—no, Princess Banasi.
"... "
She gripped her staff tensely.
'Never seen her fight properly.'
Adria said she was better than her.
Not like I'd never seen her fight. I'd shoved her into the boss room once, forcing her to use up to 2-circle magic, and she'd used wind in dodgeball.
But now? Numbers mismatch led to byes before, so no real gauge. Still, I was curious.
"Please go easy."
"You too."
Basic greetings done, wind howled.
I looked up. Gale swirled around her.
"Begone!"
Whoosh! Massive gust swept at me. Strong enough to blow away normals, but barely a breeze for me.
"Ahh, refreshing."
Banasi gritted her teeth at my reaction, chanting next.
"Pierce!"
Bang!
Wind bullet. I swatted it casually with my palm, surprised.
Somehow...
"Too weak?"
Way too easy.
"Whirl...!"
I hopped lightly. Body dipped forward. What? Faster than expected.
In an instant, face-to-face with Banana Princess.
"!!"
"Hi?"
Light tap to forehead, she flew back.
Crash!
Slammed into the wall, body limp like she'd passed out.
"...?"
What?
I looked at my hand. Didn't even use force, yet she rocketed away.
'Stronger...?'
Had I trained? No? Rested instead? Why stronger?
No one to answer.
Exam Ended.
Eugene passes.
Prepare for next exam.
"You okay?"
"...Y-yes. Fine."
Jenella, another bye-win due to numbers, sat quietly.
Fairness issues aside, S-Class was small, lotteries used—no complaints.
Bye-winners got free points once, but risked penalties if they failed next.
"Next exam okay?"
"Pr-probably..."
"You've been weird lately. Not visiting my room, avoiding eye contact, not casual anymore."
Jenella's eyes shook, head turning further away.
-G-guhh. H-help...
Eodukshini, suffocating in her arms, wheezed. I gave her a serious look.
"You by any chance..."
-M-master, p-please shut up...
I ignored Eodukshini, asking gravely.
"Fart in my face while I slept or something?"
"... "
-Idiot.
What? What the hell's the problem?!