Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Harmonious Siblings
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After Aila left and I'd set my future course, I took two days off from school.
Thank goodness it's still the intersession period. Really, thank goodness.
"Ugh... ughhhh."
The delayed muscle pain finally hit. It was from the blood loss when I'd gone after Nefti and the beans.
I could swear it wasn't that tough. But this damn body of Wolfram's couldn't even handle two hours of walking and bean-picking.
"Stamina... 2."
If I didn't figure out how to fix this shitty stamina stat, I might just drop dead. That's what crossed my mind, but there wasn't much I could do about it.
"The quest that definitively boosts stamina comes in the late first act..."
But according to what I'd checked, D/Z SAGA hadn't even started the first act yet.
It'd probably kick off around next month, when the freshmen arrived and the story got rolling.
Jefrin Academy ended classes in December and started again in April, with winter break and a free training period in between.
During that time, you could visit professors giving lectures and ask to learn, or train on your own.
Basically, it was like an intersession semester.
In my case, being a magic major, I'd gone to keep up with classes somehow. But now I figured I'd skip the intersession as much as possible.
"...If I go, I'll really die."
This damn stamina was the problem.
First things first: the convenience store.
I needed to focus on getting that established.
The next day.
I pulled up to the front of the Magic Division dorms at dawn with my cart, like always, set out candy and pollack soup, and waited for customers.
"Ugh... uh... soup... please..."
"Help yourself."
"Yess... thank youuu..."
The grad student who could barely speak slurped up some pollack soup and let out a big sigh.
"You look more worn out than usual. Something happen?"
"...Professor dragged me to a wrap-up party after finals."
"...Ah, yeah, that happens. Tough break."
"......"
Grad students were basically professor accessories. If they called for a party, you had to go. But skipping lab the next day wasn't an option either.
Of course, it varied by professor, but this guy must've drawn a harsh one.
"Have another bowl if you want."
"...Th-thank you."
Saying that, the grad student chugged the pollack soup.
He wiped his mouth, patted his full belly, and grinned at me.
"What?"
"Nah, just... you're not like the rumors say, Your Highness. Seems like you're actually decent."
"The guy who sowed discord between the Knight and Magic Divisions, bought up gear at insane prices, got scammed on magic books but bought them anyway, and finally touched the imperial treasures? That idiot?"
"...My apologies."
"No, I'm not blaming you. It's true."
That was Wolfram.
A bundle of inferiority complex. An idiot reaching for things he could never have.
Wolfram might've loved swords and magic, but they didn't love him back. An idiot who couldn't face that harsh reality.
"I'm stuck in the lab all the time, so I don't know much about what kind of president you were..."
"Exactly like the rumors."
"...Really? Doesn't seem that way. This cart... looks just like a street vendor."
"No big ambitions anymore. Just want my convenience store to succeed and learn some skills to graduate."
"...What's a convenience store?"
"A place that sells stuff like this."
"...Ah, a grocery shop. Never imagined you'd open one, Wolfram. I'd like to check it out. Where is it?"
"Magic Dorm 8."
I told him, and his eyes went wide as he asked back.
"...For real?"
"Yeah. In the corner of Magic Dorm 8."
"Who the hell opens a shop on land like that? Even my dementia-stricken grandpa wouldn't... Sorry."
"...No, I know. It's true."
"Ahem. Anyway, too far. Sorry, probably won't make it."
"......Yeah."
"Oh, but if you keep this stall open, I'll come every morning. Yeah."
"......"
Was that supposed to be comfort? Encouragement?
I stared at him blankly, and he paid up before hurrying back to the research building.
Damn it all.
"Is the location that bad?"
No one answered, but I knew the answer.
"How could anyone put a convenience store there? Ahaha."
I knew, and that's the problem.
Back at the convenience store, something—not a customer—had shown up.
Eve von Loengrin.
She stood there sulkily in front of the shop, and I frowned.
"What."
"I'm not here because I wanted to be."
"Then leave."
"I have business. Open the door first."
"......"
Inside the convenience store, Eve sat down with a sigh.
"I'll say my piece quick and go, Wolfram von Loengrin."
"Fine."
"Here for the handover."
"...Handover?"
"Yes. I was gonna boot you out and do it myself, but you're clinging to stay at the academy. So, handover it is. It's your duty. You know that, right?"
"Okay. Do that and leave."
It wasn't a big deal.
The next student council execs were decided the moment they tried pulling me down. All I had to do was verify budget spending.
Wow, it was spent like trash. Why buy a 7th-tier magic tome for 100 million rin? What an idiot?
"How do you blow money like this?"
"That's why you're president now. If I'd been a bit smarter, I'd still be president this term. Think Jefrin embezzlement would affect the imperial family?"
"...How do you say stuff like that?"
"Hm."
Fair point. It was a bit much, even for me.
As we checked last year's budget, the conversation dragged on.
Truly, fantastically awful spending. Even I was like, how could anyone do this?
"No, seriously, why spend ten million rin on a broadsword you can't even lift?! What am I supposed to do with this year's budget plan?!"
Uh, well.
Sorry, but that was Wolfram, not me.
If I let it go further, Eve might spear my gut with her holy lance instead of some nameless extra. I shot up from my seat.
"What're you doing? Sit!"
"Hmph. Just grabbing a drink. Throat's dry."
I bolted to the back workshop, opened the drawer with beans sorted by type, grabbed strawberry beans, milk beans, and sugar beans, and mixed them lightly.
I ignored the description below and brought out two glasses of strawberry shake beans.
Eve's eyes lit up at the pale pink drink in the clear glasses.
"H-hm? What's this?"
"Our convenience store's next big product."
"Convenience store?"
"This grocery shop's changing its name soon to 'convenience store'—dedicated to every student's convenience."
"Now you wanna devote yourself to the students?"
No, it's for my own selfish desires, ambitions, and glory.
But I didn't say it. Holy Lance ignores defense—pure light single-hit magic. One strike and I'm dead.
Before Eve could sip through the straw, I stopped her with a hand.
"Why?"
"Freeze it with a cooling spell first. That's how you drink it right."
"...Really? Then shouldn't the convenience store serve it frozen?"
"Like I could do that."
She paused at my words.
She knew well: swords and magic never loved Wolfram.
An odd silence fell, then Eve chanted.
"Freeze."
The shake beans frosted over coldly. Eve tasted it and smirked.
"Hehe."
"...Don't grin like that. Really annoying."
"Shut up. ...Hehe."
Her purely happy smile.
Before entering the game, Yi Young-jin—the non-Wolfram me—was an orphan, so I'd always yearned for family.
But... a little sister smiling innocently and cutely right in front of you? Apparently, big-brother genes rebel at that. Goosebumps rose on Wolfram's skin.
"H-hm. Not bad. So, how much you selling this for?"
"...Probably around twelve thousand rin."
"Pricey. Isn't your shop in the Magic Dorms?"
"Yeah."
"Then why not hold off and sell it at the freshman welcome festival?"
Eve said, tapping her cup.
"Not a bad idea. I'll consider it."
"Least you could say thanks for proper advice. Seriously."
Eve grumbled, and I just sipped my shake without replying.
Then desperately fought back the trembling in my eyes.
My shake had cooled sometime too.
I glanced at Eve; she looked away.
"No charge for the shake. But buy some candy on your way out."
"No money."
"Use student council funds."
"Who's the one who blew the budget? I buy candy with my own pocket money!"
By the time we finished, it was late night.
Not just dusk—pitch black.
Clock said past ten. Early spring ten o'clock was oppressively dark.
"Alright. Looks like I can scrape together a budget plan somehow."
"Good. Glad to hear it. Make it work."
Eve sighed.
"Yes, Wolfram. It'll be a different student council from your time. We'll change the academy too. So just hole up here quietly and run your... convenience store or whatever."
"Was gonna anyway."
"Then I'm off. Gotta draft the budget plan."
"Busy, huh."
I just shrugged and added a murmur.
No need or reason to offer to walk her home.
If attacked, one normal hit kills me; she'd survive and return.
"Yeah, gotta be. Big freshman welcome festival this year—flashy but substantial."
Saying that, Eve bowed politely and turned away.
"Oh, one thing I wanted to ask."
"Make it quick. Busy."
"Who's the freshman rep this time?"
Her eyes widened, like it was the last question she expected.
"Why do you care?"
"Just curious. Not planning to approach."
"No, it's... Actually, not entirely unrelated to you."
"Hm."
"Get this—the rep's a commoner this time. Name's..."
Eve spoke the name I remembered, the one etched deepest in my memories.
"Kelters."
Soon, the game's main story would begin—with an unscheduled convenience store owner squeezed in.