Chapter 196
Chapter 196
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 196
Chapter Title: Rather, Just Curse at Me
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Io von Loengrin left like a storm, and surprisingly, the gifts arrived the very next day.
There was a letter included as well.
It was written in elegant prose, loaded with all sorts of flowery language, but boiled down to the basics, it said this:
【For now, please accept these gifts and don't hate your big sister too much.】
I hadn't even asked for anything, yet here they were. She must really hate being on the outs with me.
Plus, it made her intentions crystal clear—she wanted me in her camp more than anything. My head throbbed even harder at the thought.
Since I'd received the letter, a reply was in order.
I wrapped mine in plenty of embellishments and sent back:
【Get lost.】
Anyway, I opened the gift package and fell deep into thought.
"Hm."
I still hadn't decided what to ask for as compensation for the exam results from Io, and here she was, striking first with gifts.
Hm. Could I really accept these?
Of course.
Time to eat.
How could I not?
Besides, this was all for letting Io von Loengrin sleep soundly at night—my little gesture as her brother.
Taking bribes helps her how, you ask?
Think about it. If I nitpick her past blunder on that expedition where she really stuck her neck out, complaining that I did it solo while you parasites dragged along a thousand knights and still botched it, how do you think that'd go? Io would be fuming, tossing and turning all night.
'Wolfram with just 2 Stamina pulled it off alone, but she dragged a thousand knights and still failed? What the hell?'
'Does Io really... not have the succession rights? Is she even qualified?'
Spread rumors like that, and she'd be shaking with rage, sleepless.
So by accepting this bribe, I'm showing zero hostility. Doesn't that mean she should send even more gifts? The more I gobble up, the more she'll sleep easy, convinced Wolfram's on her side.
Man, I'm the good little brother who takes gifts and cares for the family's peace of mind. Tears welling up here. Behold this heartwarming family love.
"......"
Speaking of which, what a fitting gift from the imperial family. Stuff I never even dreamed of.
First off, mountains of ingredients and spices.
She probably ordered her people to grab every decent thing for her store-owning brother.
Thoughtful in her own way, but with my natural cooler at hand, cash would've been better.
Piles of spices, fruits, flour, and such—she must've figured out my shop during that tea time chat.
Not a bad pick... but not perfect either.
"There's such a thing as too much. How am I supposed to manage all these fruits?"
I could deal with the flour and spices, but the fruits? Way over the line.
They'll rot fast.
Should've just sent money. Seriously.
Need to figure out quick disposal.
Hm.
Brainstormed options, and selling locally seems safest.
Now, how to offload it. Can't just shove it on suppliers everywhere.
Tricky.
"Senior? What're you up to?"
"Milmyu? Exam prep?"
"Ahaha... Going well enough. Sorry I can't help out."
She bowed her head.
Exams first if she's swamped with studying.
"By the way, I peeked in the storeroom—stock's exploded. Everything okay?"
"Got gifts. Overflowing now. Fruits especially; they'll spoil quick."
"...Yeah. Weather's cooling, but fruits go bad fast. Usually, people stew 'em into jam and store in a cold spot. Why not try that?"
"Solid idea. But... even then, the volume's insane. Magic stone freezer'd be packed."
"True. To clear it fast... Ah, got it."
"Got what?"
"If it's too much alone, do it with everyone!"
Milmyu beamed.
Milmyu's proposal was genius.
'Some years, fruits overproduce like crazy.'
'Our family lends out empty lots and huge pots, villagers gather to stew 'em into jam.'
'We get a cut of the jam for the land. Turns into a little festival.'
'How about that?'
In short: rally the kids, charge entry, process the fruits together.
Cooking experience, pastry workshop vibes.
'Too busy with exams... Ahaha. Sorry I can't help.'
'No, this idea's plenty. Thanks, Milmyu.'
'...Senior! Thank you!'
She vanished, thrilled. Who'd show? Asked around, and...
Three showed up.
"Seriously, you excel at useless crap."
Eve von Loengrin, who crushed midterms unchallenged.
"Up to your weird antics again, Wolfram."
Sylphia Evergreen Grove, fourth-year wanderer ignoring midterms entirely.
"Looks fun, Wolfram!"
And Aila Trista, who should care about midterms... Wait, why are you here?
Anyway, three it was.
"Shall we start?"
"Hold up, Wolfram. You'll honor your word?"
"Naturally. On the imperial name."
Eve eyed me suspiciously but nodded.
"Fine. ...I can really take whatever I make? Entry fee's 100,000 rin—big bucks for me."
"Told you, take it all."
"...Heh. Even one bag of candy's profit. Got it. Let's do this."
Yeah.
Idiotic not to charge her labor, but take whatever you make, for real.
Alright, Wolfram's Cooking Classroom, commence!
Milmyu's idea... Fruit preserves, pastries, candies. 'Pay 100,000 rin entry, take unlimited as you make.' Fresh concept, pretty solid.
Turn near-waste fruits into treats, store 'em, pocket fees. Pure teaching today, hand it all out.
"Next, fruit tarts. Top the tart shells we made with sugar-glazed fruit, like this."
Cooking really lets personal talents shine more than you'd think.
Take spirit knight Sylphia—master of temperature control.
Stewing fruit, melting sugar, baking dough: Lapis Lazuli's help nailed perfect temps every time.
Started shaky, but soon pro-level. Could go patissier straight out.
"Ahem. ...Not bad? Solid, if unremarkable... Worth a passing grade, I suppose?"
I shrugged praise; she huffed like 'I didn't make it for your approval!'
Aila... super sloppy. Ignores recipes, flips orders, freestyles basics.
Pastry demands precision; failure's normal. But not for Aila Trista. Weird combos never inedible.
Her rebel gene screams 'Boring's no fun!' overriding her brain. Talent pulls it off anyway.
Wild creativity backed by skill. Dream or nightmare subordinate.
"Hm... Next time, slather cream between tarts, top with strawberries?"
"Not bad. Excellent."
"Hehe, right?"
And finally, Student Council President Eve von Loengrin, most hyped for this.
"...Why's my pot smoking?"
"That's..."
"Hold it! Curse me out or flip me off like usual! Why dodge your eyes, Wolfram! Hey!"
Beats me.
Why's low-simmered, spirit-boosted sugar bursting into flames...?
After endless trials, as the sun dipped below the mountains, we pulled our creations.
Sylphia nodded at her textbook-perfect pastries' polish.
Aila grinned at her personal-touch sweets.
Eve clenched fists at her sugar-stewed, mana-stretched, twisted candies—at least ten bags' worth.
She unclenched, pondered.
"Hm... Wolfram?"
"What? Candy's done—smile a bit?"
"...No. Just... used way more sugar than I thought."
"Hm."
She'd beamed at fruit-candy idea, but blanched learning it was just melted sugar and stewed fruit.
"Each one's... pure sugar and fruit?"
"Yep."
"......Hm."
She eyed her belly, the candy, her belly again.
Ah.
Worried about gaining weight?
...Now?
"Eve, no worries."
"Aila Trista...?"
"Sure, pure sugar-fruit might pack on pounds."
"Ugh."
"But there's a no-gain way!"
"...What?"
Eve lit up like a holy grail seeker; Aila patted her shoulder, smiling sweetly.
"Burn it off with exercise!"
"...Ah."
Cruelest betrayal. Eve despaired, but that's Aila—air-reading's inherently rebellious.
"I agree with Miss Aila Trista. My lord."
"Sylphia?"
"Four laps at the knight division field, hour of strength training—balances this much snack."
"Oh, me too."
Aila and Sylphia smiled warmly; Eve's face crumpled miserably.
"Still training steady, I see. Aila Trista."
"Of course, Senior Sylphia Evergreen Grove."
They tag-teamed Eve, then chatted like besties. Odd.
"...You two close?"
"Close... Nah. Just a minor old slip-up."
"Slip-up. Yes... Felt fine to me?"
What slip-up?
Sylphia, graduating sharp at year 2 by Kelters standards, and exit-beam villainess Aila—connected?
No hints in official books or game text. Living lore. How could I not pry?
"When I topped year 2, she was year 1 newbie. Walking year 1 knight commons at night, saw a girl training body arts at the field. Aila Trista."
"Ah."
"Obvious noble miss, house secret arts. Flexibility and speed screamed knight division. So..."
"She scouted me for knights."
......Oh.
Like that, huh.
"Turns out, mana 19, Trista eldest. ...That's it."
"Just a kid memory."
"Impressive, training daily since. Magic division, even."
"Oh? Knight or magic doesn't matter. Peak condition anytime's the empire-leader's duty."
I nodded at the healthy, upbeat duo. Pure youth.
Compared to their sparkle...
The fidgeting golden lump beside...
"Nguh..."
"......"
"What're you staring at..."
"Nothing."
"Rather... just curse me. Rather..."
Dunno.
Even so, isn't that too harsh?