Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 037
Chapter Title: Battle for the Fledgling
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"Senior, I'll head in now. Thank you so much for today! Thanks to you, I... I'll work really, really hard..."
"Mm. Do that."
"S-Senior..."
"What."
"...Um, well... you see..."
It was right then, as Milmyu was about to say something.
Just before the words could leave her mouth, the convenience store door swung open with a sharp whoosh, and someone stepped inside.
Amethyst eyes.
Long hair cascading down past her waist.
A colorless, transparent expression.
Eyes that revealed nothing of her inner thoughts.
"Aila?"
It wasn't the Aila Trista that Wolfram knew. No, it was the expression of the 3rd act boss, Aila Trista, from the perspective of Yi Young-jin.
Aila opened her mouth in a voice as cold as ice.
"Hello, Wolfram."
"Didn't we see each other earlier today?"
"We did. So, Wolfram... mind telling me what you're doing right now?"
"What do you mean? Ah. I see."
"Yeah, a proper explanation..."
This scene could definitely be misunderstood.
Calling a junior to the convenience store in the dead of night.
Desserts piled high on the counter, and the junior devouring them one after another.
Yeah.
Anyone who saw this would think...
"Instrument torture?"
"What's that?"
"Ah, it's slang for food torment. No, nothing. I was just running a little test. Strictly consensual, of course."
Getting hauled in front of the academy's Human Rights Committee over this would be the end of me.
"What kind of test?"
Under Aila's suspicious gaze, I explained everything step by step.
And with each detail, I watched her expression soften, smirking inwardly.
This girl was worried I was bullying my junior.
"That's how it is."
"...I see. Magic craft practice. And you... Milmyu, was it?"
"Y-Yes!"
"She has a skill called Mana Sensitivity. Mm. Got it. I understand. Sorry for the late introduction. I'm—"
"The third-year Black Crystal, Senior Aila Trista!"
"...Oh? You know me?"
Aila's surprised question made Milmyu clench her fists in front of her chest, her eyes sparkling.
"Yes! You're super famous!"
"H-Hm. I see. Good. Recognizing me means you've got some sharp eyes, at least."
Look at Aila grinning because a freshman recognized her.
I smirked back at her, and she puffed up her cheeks, face flushing red.
"...What're you looking at, Wolfram."
"Nothing. Just thought you seemed pleased that a freshman knows you."
"Hmph. Sure, I'm famous, but that's all because of the Trista family name. How many people actually know me?"
"I know all about you, Senior."
"Huh?"
"At the freshman welcome event. I saw your near-perfect battle, and I thought, 'I want to be like her.'"
"......"
"I'm sensitive to mana, and I was watching from afar, so I noticed. Everyone thought you trapped Kelters' feet with recombination the moment he broke through your Black Crystal barrier... but that's not what I saw. You covered the sides and above. No matter which way he came, you could've blocked his attack, right? You were fully prepared."
Aila narrowed her eyes at Milmyu's analysis.
I wasn't there, but thinking back to the original Aila, she probably could've covered the sides or above. The tutorial even said to break through the barrier and ambush.
But knowing that as the player versus analyzing it from afar, concluding it was impossible to breach—that's a whole different level.
Truth be told,
I couldn't come up with a solid plan for Milmyu to beat Kelters in a duel with her stats.
But if she has this clear an edge, who knows.
"You saw that well, huh?"
"Yes! I have to duel Kelters soon too, so I memorized the most beautiful, flashy victory by Senior Aila."
"I see. I see. Hehe."
Aila smiled happily, stepping right up to Milmyu and staring me down.
"Wolfram."
"What."
"Give me this chick."
"E-Excuse me?"
"Ahem. She's a chick now, but I'll take responsibility and turn her into a fine hen!"
"......What do you plan to do with a freshman."
Send the chick home nicely.
After safely sending the frightened chick home, Aila dug into the cake I'd made.
"Yes, it has a magical blessing. Not sure exactly what kind, though."
Then she turned serious right after.
"Wolfram. You said you acquired the Magical Patissier skill, right?"
"Yeah."
"First time hearing of it. Magical pastries... suits you, Wolfram."
"First time?"
"Yes. At least among the people I know, no cooking skill like that exists."
The acquisition conditions aren't that harsh.
But it's no surprise no one's gotten it.
Even Eve von Loengrin would sell out the northern base location for a few candies—this world lacks gourmet culture.
High-end ingredients come from mana-rich lands, but humans hunkered down instead.
That's why Nefti, Aila, and Rudika come to the convenience store.
Hunkered-down humans gave up good food first.
"Wolfram. What's the most essential thing needed to commercialize this skill right now?"
"What?"
"I'm saying I'd like to sponsor your Magical Patissier. Come on, tell me."
"Not enough mana."
"I'll handle whatever I can within my limits...?"
"Mm."
Right. Mana is something even national treasures are needed to boost by 1 indefinitely. Other stats can be raised somehow, but mana is heaven's domain.
"I'll need mana recovery potions."
"Great. They're pricey, but I'll prepare them. In exchange..."
"Exchange?"
"When you commercialize this, give me priority negotiation rights for the licensing."
"Fine. That's not hard."
"Awesome! When do you need the potions by?"
"Tomorrow morning."
"......Pardon?"
"Tomorrow morning."
"......"
"Impossible?"
"Ha! Nothing's impossible for Aila Trista! I'll get them for you! Keep your promise!"
With that, Aila huffed and left.
The next day.
I received four boxes of mana potions.
Eve von Loengrin's days are packed.
Nothing like other academy students.
Up at 4:30 a.m. Light exercise, then meditation. By 6, washed and groomed, off to school.
No time to rest without classes—she heads straight to the student council room to issue orders.
After classes, she visits labs for research oversight or meets department heads for consultations.
"We request an audience with Student Council President Eve von Loengrin."
Today was the latter.
A meeting with the academy's big-money ladies awaited.
In the empire, money can't beat power.
So rating these ladies, they'd be tier 6 at best.
Trying to ape a salon, perhaps. Haha-ho-ho chatter, but utterly boring topics.
The snacks served were disappointingly bland. Wolfram's donuts would taste better.
Eve scanned the room with a bored expression, and everyone flashed fake smiles.
"Bored? If it's not to your liking, we can prepare another stage."
"It's fine. Thank you for your consideration, Regina Cielra."
"Hehe. Consideration, you say."
Approaching her was a merchant family's scion, golden hair swaying, wearing a friendly smile. Honestly, a huge pain.
"Speaking of which, the Jefrin Student Competition is soon. Thank you for your preparations."
"No need. It's my duty."
Get to the point, Eve stared, and Regina smiled brightly.
"Which division are you entering, President?"
"I'm not competing. I'll be overseeing the event."
p>"Oh, but if you entered the Magic Division, victory would be assured."
Well, yeah. Probably.
Mana at 22 meant that much.
"I'm entering Magic Craft. Please stop by if you get the chance, President."
"Sure. If I find time."
"By the way, there's one concern."
"What?"
"One entrant in the Magic Craft division this time... quite unusual."
"Unusual?"
"Yes. Former Student Council President Wolfram von Loengrin... is entering Magic Craft."
"......What the hell is that guy doing."
"Pardon?"
"No. I see. And?"
"Well, I'm fully committed this time, so if I beat Wolfram, it might bruise his ego and cause trouble. Wouldn't that be lese-majeste?"
Ah, got it.
Drawing a line first, worried that crushing Wolfram completely would hurt his pride and lead to snitching to the imperial family.
Eve instantly grasped Regina's intent and sighed.
Can't these students act like students with pure hearts instead of scheming old politicians?
"Do as you like. Crush him or not, I don't care. The imperial honor won't suffer if Wolfram falls."
"Y-Yes?"
"And Regina Cielra?"
"Listening intently, President."
Eve recalled him.
The current Wolfram, utterly changed from before her rebellion plans.
The face of the man above her on the family register, who could turn the unknown into known with one move.
"If Wolfram says he's winning, don't take it lightly."
"......Noted."
Eve brushed off Regina Cielra like dust, annoyed.
Magic Craft entry, huh.
No clue what he's thinking.
"Once this boring salon ends, I should inspect the place."
For snacks, too.
With that thought, her stiff lips softened a bit.
Thanks to Aila, I chugged the procured mana potions and kept firing off Mix Sweet.
Mix Sweet!
[Calculating applied magics.]
[The two magics shimmer faintly with silver light.]
"Half-baked again."
I grabbed a mana potion from beside me, downed it, and prepared to activate Mix Sweet again.
"......Urk."
"You okay, Wolfram?"
"Are you alright?"
Aila and Milmyu shot me worried looks simultaneously.
These two had bonded quickly. Or rather, once Aila learned Milmyu would fight Kelters, she started coaching her on tactics.
"I'm fine. Just drank too many potions."
"That's only the third one?"
"......"
Remember this well.
Three bottles are tough even for Wolfram.
But still... grinding skills by chugging mana potions is something only possible in games. Human stomachs have limits.
"But I have to push through. It's my job. You two focus on beating Kelters."
"Yes. Alright, chick? Watch closely. That boy's definitely a charger type. But you're low on stamina and strength, so dodge every time and aim for counters."
"I-Is that so?"
"His average stats are pushing 15. What's your stamina and strength?"
"Stamina 9, strength 8."
"One hit and you're gone."
"B-But my mana is 11!"
"Know any spells?"
"......Hng."
Whether they sparred mock battles or not, I kept activating Mix Sweet, churning out new cakes.
Please. Succeed already.
Ingredients are getting dangerous now.
If I can't hit 5 million lin, I'm in real trouble.
Mix Sweet!
[Calculating applied magics.]
[Dreamlike Great Success!]
[The two magics mix violently!]
[The pastry's blessing shines brilliantly!]
[A grand blessing infuses the pastry!]
"Ha."
Finally.
Finally did it.
How long I'd waited for this message window.
"Wolfram? You okay?"
"Senior?"
I didn't answer, just beckoned Milmyu over. She shoved the offered cake into her mouth and swallowed without chewing much.
Probably sick of the sweetness by now.
But her reaction immediately after was on another level entirely.
"......Huh? Th-This... Huh?"
"What buff did you get?"
"W-Well, this... Huh? This..."
The greatest change from Mix Sweet.
A great success when mid-tier buffs mix via multiplication, piercing the 3% chance.
"My mana... it doesn't feel like it'll recover at all. My mana total dropped. No, it's at 0...?"
"But you'll feel something else instead. How is it?"
The biggest buff from 8th-tier Magical Patissier is fiercer than anything 8th-tier should offer.
"Y-Yes. Instead... uh... like this?"
Instead of explaining, Milmyu pressed her finger hard into the desk. With a crunch, it sank in.
"...Ah."
As expected, that buff.
Sets current mana to 0, allocates half to strength and stamina.
Half Berserk.
Meaning Milmyu's current stamina and strength each had +5.5.
Future growth? Obviously boosted.
Duration: a measly 20 minutes.
But even in that fleeting instant,
Milmyu with stamina 14.5 and strength 13.5 could face Kelters head-on.
A third-rate extra who must exit stage left could stand eye-to-eye with the protagonist.
"This is 14..."
"That's where the first-year top student Kelters stands. Probably even a bit higher."
"...So this is how strong he is."
A smile formed on Milmyu's lips. A single tear welled in her eye.
Right now, Milmyu was surely thrilled by the omnipotence of superior stats, yet crushed by despair.
"Can you win?"
"...I don't know."
With that, Milmyu gripped the desk tightly.
Crunch, it shattered. Then crumbled to dust in her hand.
"But... I want to try. Even if I crash a thousand times and turn to powder... I want to try."
Good answer.
Looking at Milmyu, at the desk (formerly) scattering from her hand, I smiled.
"Pay for the damages."
"Ah."