Chapter 128
Chapter 128
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: Back to Basics
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Anyway, once that tense standoff finally wrapped up, we each kicked off our own little celebration party.
Milmyu and I handled the cooking, while Aila set the tableware. Rudika and Nefti pulled out the table and set up the chairs.
"Senior, all done here."
"Yeah. This side's finished too."
Milmyu and I synced up surprisingly well as we prepared the food.
The convenience store's kitchen space was pretty cramped, but our movements never got in each other's way.
"Normally, I'd have wanted to handle this alone... but you just woke up not long ago, Senior."
"This is my convenience store. Can't just make my customers do all the work."
"Heehee. Right."
Even though my cooking skill itself wasn't all that high-tier, our teamwork was impeccable. It was... strangely magical, really.
"You feel it too, don't you, Senior?"
"Feel what?"
"Heehee. We're syncing up perfectly, aren't we?"
"......"
Got it. So Milmyu sensed it too.
This was trust. The kind where you 'know' what the other person's about to do next—like true party play.
I see. Milmyu really is...
"Of course, I knew it already."
"R-right? Of course you did, Senior. Heehee. As expected."
"Thick trust between seniors and juniors is a good thing."
"......Yeah."
Tok. Tok. Tok. Tak. Tuk. Tuk. Thuuuuk.
Right after that, was it my imagination, or did the rhythm of Milmyu's knife work start shifting?
Even as I watched her neatly portion the ingredients with flawless precision, I couldn't help nodding in approval.
Are you using a skill while cooking? Mind sharing it sometime?
"......Come to think of it, Senior."
"What?"
"You mentioned the ocean earlier... Can we really see the real ocean?"
Milmyu leaned right up to me, eyes sparkling as she asked.
"You don't know what the ocean is? It's this salty water thing..."
"I-I've read about it in books. Jefrin itself is an artificial island, right? But we can't actually see the ocean."
Milmyu was spot on.
Even those who passed from outside and came through the warp portal arrived straight in the academy district. Ocean? Yeah, right—straight into the city.
Official lore says new students spend three days resting in temporary dorms, sending back any prohibited items from their luggage.
...Sounds a lot like the military, but Jefrin doubles as combat training anyway. Makes sense for an academy churning out battle-ready personnel.
So these kids, at the prime age for romance and flowers, are just swinging swords and chanting spells instead... Kinda tragic.
Lost in those stray thoughts, the food was done before I knew it. We gathered around the table outside the academy and started chatting away.
"Mm. It's hastily thrown together... and with no audience for this quiet wrap-up party. But I'd appreciate it if you could just roll with it."
"Oh? Where could you find a more perfect finale than this?"
Aila beamed, picking up her Beans Shake and giving it a light twirl.
"Aila's right. We're all here together—what need is there for spectators or fancy dishes? What matters is..."
"That we survived this semester's finals at Jefrin... and we're toasting with smiles right here. Right, Senior?"
"Heehee. Yes. Senior Nefti's spot on. Especially me—I never thought I'd make it this far alive."
Aila, Rudika, Nefti, and Milmyu all lit up this finale with their smiles.
Man. What a bunch of great kids.
This uncle's touched. You've all grown up so well.
"Come on, Wolfram. Give us the toast, Wolfram."
Aila, as the group's de facto rep, passed the mic to me.
"Most of us pulled off some really solid results in these finals. ...Might sound like a dig to Rudika, who sparred with me, though."
Rudika's eyes widened for a sec, then she grinned and shook her head.
"No way. Losing to you actually feels refreshing. Made me realize the world isn't all about stats."
"Glad you see it that way."
I gave her a quick nod of thanks, then continued.
"As Milmyu said, we all survived the finals. We've got three year-toppers right here at this table. And... I don't think anyone's disappointed with their own scores."
As my speech dragged on, Aila was first to tilt her head.
"Wolfram, your arm holding that glass isn't sore? It's shaking."
You little punk. I know.
I'm bearing it. Anyway, the real point's coming up...
"I've been on at least one expedition with everyone here. Nefti and Rudika hit the beach, mountains, and forest. Aila and I did mountains and snowfields. Milmyu and I tackled the snowfields... And we'll tour Jefrin together soon, so no long faces."
Milmyu, who'd looked a bit down, flushed bright red and shook her head side to side.
"Anyway, I want to call those I've adventured with my 'comrades'."
The mood warmed right up. The earlier tensions melted away, all eyes on me.
That's right.
System-wise, only Aila counts. But to me, everyone I've adventured with here is a comrade—or party member.
Nefti's shown me endless trust, beyond even the original story.
Aila Trista rebelled successfully against her fated future.
Milmyu punched her way out of a doomed fate.
Rudika opened her heart and now stands as my equal.
So yeah. The core party's the five of us.
Sure, there's that bloodline mate I shattered fate with but still can't fully accept—but no need to mention her here.
Her? ...With my utmost generosity, maybe low-tier party member status.
Anyway.
"I never abandon my comrades."
From afar, Nefti's "I know that already" drew smiles all around.
"And I want to keep adventuring together. Not just this closed-off academy district—I want to conquer the northern snowfields for real, cross the desert, scale the mountains, trek the forests, pass the wailing plains of the dead, and beyond all that... to the true path touching the sky. I want to walk every route I know, together."
No alcohol involved.
Just thinking of reliable friends... comrades who'd grown on their own... and my mouth ran away with itself.
God, it's cheesy.
But as Yi Young-jin, with 20,000 hours played, speaking from the heart:
"Just surviving Jefrin? Boring. In the name of Wolfram von Loengrin, I declare: I'll show you worlds beyond anything you've seen. Follow me. Cheers."
My final toast had them thrusting glasses forward with thrilled breaths, no hesitation.
The crisp clink of glasses blended perfectly with the celebratory system chime.
Perfect end to a great day.
The next day.
No one could settle on a date for the beach trip.
Milmyu was the one who spoke up as rep.
[One of my friends has zero dating experience but reads tons of romance novels.]
[Aw, poor thing.]
[She recommends them to me sometimes, and one was set at the beach.]
[Oh... Really? Neat novel.]
[Is it? Rudika doesn't know much about that stuff.]
[Yeah. Usually, they're set in capitals or palaces for immersion or escapism. The beach one stuck out more. And get this... it mentioned swimsuits.]
[...Swimsuits? Clothes for swimming?]
[Y-yeah. But they... kinda show some skin...]
[S-such indecency! As students of Jefrin... ...Though it's kinda rebellious too...]
[Ah, makes sense for easy swimming strokes.]
[...Senior Rudika, your central dialect's spot on. Where'd you even learn 'swimming stroke'...]
[Quiet, Nefti.]
[Yep.]
[Anyway, Milmyu. Keep going. So, what's with the swimsuits?]
[Well... they capture that beach freedom vibe...]
[...I see.]
[Too embarrassing alone, so all together...]
[Sounds good. Where to commission the outfits...]
[Oh, I know a sturdy maker at Yggdrasil... At least two weeks...]
Their voices trailed off until I couldn't make them out anymore, so I never caught the full gist. But they reached some conclusion.
Beach in at least two weeks. Free time until then.
Fair enough. Graduation's a month out.
Come the next day, the girls vanished completely.
Kids, we had a deal.
Party members. Adventure together.
I trusted you. Gave you my trust.
Are you betraying me...?
"I'll trust no one. I'll live for myself."
"Hah, such a sulky tone, Master."
"...Patrasche. You're here."
"I'm always here."
And so, after ages, I hit the streets with my cart, Patrasche in tow.
Fresh morning air after so long.
"But Master, I, Patrasche, am truly impressed."
"What about?"
"Earning money while staying healthy. A merchant's wisdom—two birds with one stone."
What the heck's she on about?
"This venture's small potatoes by the load, yet out at dawn. You're a fine merchant."
"......"
"Billions of rin earned, yet unmatched diligence. Maybe that's your real weapon, not knowledge."
No.
That's not it...
Shoved magic stones into the throne this time, funds are tapped out... Wanna see the receipts?
"I see. Nothing to admire there."
"No, truly admirable. Never losing that beginner's spirit. You're a proud human."
No.
Stop.
Don't look at me with those sparkling eyes.
Midsummer, grad school entrance. Set up stuff that'd sell like hotcakes.
No rainy season, but dawn humidity had the hill-climbing grad students sweating buckets.
For them: ice-cold water, 1,000 rin a cup.
"Ughhh..."
"Groooan..."
Followed by sweets, naturally. Grad students have it rough.
"Huu... Huu, salvation."
"Oh, long time no see... W-Wolfram, sir."
"Mm. Tough out there. Got donuts and snacks galore."
"Huu... Thank you."
Sandwiches, mint drinks.
Chilled soups—my half-assed Vichyssoise knockoffs—flew too.
Funniest: 'breath freshener' and 'sweat deodorant' I whipped up on a whim sold out like crazy.
Makes sense—lab rats grinding all night, called by profs, no time to shower. Just change clothes and back to lab.
Bitter laugh thinking how that's why they sell.
"Not pity, but you're grinning, no?"
"Misunderstanding."
Maybe 10% pity, 90% amusement.
Cart emptied like it had wings, great sales again. Heading back noisy and light to the store.
Then that voice.
"Your Highness. Long time no see."
"......Zolf."
Act 1 boss. The grad student I saved.
"Thought you'd ascended."
"...Not dead."
Oh yeah.
Remember him showing at my duel with Rudika.
"So, what's up? Most stock's gone, sadly."
"No. Here to talk... and boldly ask a favor."
"......A favor."
Money loan? Broke as hell.
Grab a bite? Sure, sometime—busy now.
Buy a throne mat? Don't get cold, haha.
Braced for endless declines, waited for pitiful Zolf's plea.
"Myself and fellow grad students are preparing to become Your Highness Wolfram's friendly faction."
"Tell me more."
Suddenly starving. Wanna chat over food?