Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Companion of Rebellion
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No one in the venue could open their mouth after Wolfram's words.
Just five minutes.
Yet the villain had captivated the hearts of every judge present.
Was it the intimidation of the Imperial Bloodline?
No.
It was because the words spoken by the man named Wolfram von Loengrin had pierced straight into everyone's chest.
Yes.
They stabbed through the skin, rode the capillaries into the deepest place, and struck the heart.
Wake up.
Go on an adventure.
And all of that...
【I want to present to our generation.】
That one sentence.
Three hundred years.
No less than three hundred years had passed since the great founding emperor, hailed as the Martial God and Magic God, created the artificial island of Jefrin Academy and declared that the empire's martial prowess and wisdom would gather here to forge themselves into the foundation of a thousand-year empire.
But the later generations were neither as wise nor as brave as the emperor. Jefrin Academy provided countless environments to give all students experience, yet humans chose to hole up.
No one knew what lay beyond the land they stood on.
Why avoid adventure?
Because graduates would one day return to the empire to take on real duties?
Because they couldn't risk their lives on mere curiosity?
Because the monsters out there couldn't invade the academy district?
No.
That wasn't the essence of it.
Humans are weak.
Life is comfortable enough.
So Jefrin didn't wonder about the outside. No, it couldn't.
【Follow me. I'll take you there.】
Magical Suite.
A tool no one had ever thought of.
A buff activated by eating. An innovation that required no pre-order.
Even recovery and support alone would change the face of battle.
The mere tiny possibility made their hearts tremble.
They didn't try to hide their trembling hearts. Their hearts told them not to.
The judges were professors.
They were all graduates of Jefrin.
All of them had even gone through graduate school.
They had spent decades learning magic and mastering the sword, but none of it had ever been put to practical use.
They had risen to the position of professor, but the frustration of knowing that what they had learned would be buried in an unchanging world made them shudder.
And now, in their prime long past, this old body was being told dreams.
Villain. Fiend.
"For your information."
The fallen prince, stripped of everything and cast into the abyss, calmly declared to the mere commoners hiding away.
"In my era, you will be included as well."
"I hope you judge the essence of why Magic Craft is held at Jefrin. That's all."
With that, he stepped down from the podium.
The moment I came down, everyone burst into applause. Watching these professors lose their minds and clap like seals made me laugh involuntarily.
The guy who, back in the orphanage days, got an auntie volunteer to buy him sweet-and-sour pork until his belly burst with pure sweet talk.
The guy who got paid daily wages even without going out to sites.
I daresay no one can match my gift of gab.
Truth be told, that last line was thrown in hoping the professors would feel a bit pleased but also a touch wistful. That's why they loved it so much.
What, give them buff snacks and they'll eagerly munch and go adventuring? Uncle, if you throw your back out, treatment costs two million rin.
But hey, seeing them so thrilled feels good.
They must have dreamed of glory once too.
The stifling stagnation of Jefrin now must have felt like a refreshing breeze to these judges, these professors who grew old without realizing their dreams.
I walked to an empty spot, covered my face with my hands, and let out a deep sigh.
So, is that why I became this Magical Patissier?
To sell them that drug?
To make them follow me out into the world?
"Are you insane?"
Of course it's a bluff.
Truth be told, the thought hadn't entirely escaped me.
As I said before, the D/Z SAGA devs are stingy as hell, always making you earn amazing items only after tremendous effort.
In other words, good items are always in fields swarming with monsters. Sure, with skill combos or clever applications, you might squeeze out a win against something one tier higher, but anything beyond that is impossible.
In that sense, these snacks made with Magical Patissier will definitely have a massive impact.
It'll shake all of Jefrin to its core.
Monsters with stats at 19 or 20 will seek new adventures, turn unknowns into knowledge, crave power, and come to me to explore the wilds.
Those power-mad lunatics. Heading straight to sector 8?
Coming after me with my stamina at 2.
Are you insane?
If I don't hand it over, Isolde of the Jewel Sword will ram her amethyst starlight into my throat, Regina Ciella will try to restrain me, and then Chatorn, Agrippa, even the Blood Witch will come knocking.
"I need to stay alive."
So despite what I said, I have no intention of releasing this to the public. Absolutely not. Never ever, got it?
Good thing I grasped Jefrin's situation perfectly from Eve and Aila's conversation.
This is the turning point. One slip, and every tom, dick, and harry will swarm the convenience store. What I want is handshakes, not sword-wielding thugs.
Of course.
Of course, ironically, I don't entirely lack such dreams.
Gathering materials outside the academy?
Sounds good.
Something I want to try someday.
Stock the convenience store with more magic tools, and when someone asks, "Boss, got the Einherjar Hood?" I say, "If it's out of stock, it's not there. I'll make some by next week."
Holding Mjolnir, striking the Twilight Seven Star Stone to pull a demonic sword? Yeah, wanna try that.
But not now. Not like this right now.
Don't rush. Take it slow. Build it one step at a time. I'm not in a hurry.
This is just sweet dreams sold to the judges. Someday I might shatter them, and honestly, projects like this flop all the time.
First, let's cleanly pocket that five million rin. Five judges, one million each as dream fee. Win-win, right?
"Alright. Let's slip out before anyone catches on."
Thinking that, just as I turned toward the waiting room.
"Your Highness... Could we have a word?"
"......"
Regina Ciella spoke up.
Just leave me alone, for real.
"That's..."
"It won't take much of your time. Seeing the item you presented today, I felt the need to talk..."
God, so annoying. This pesky heroine.
Go bother Kelters instead, seriously.
"No."
"Please don't say that. If you grant the Ciella Trading Company the honor of conversing..."
The moment I was about to refuse again.
"I can't grant you that honor."
A firmer refusal slammed into the waiting room.
The Magic God Festival was over.
The winner: Aila Trista.
But it brought her no thrill whatsoever.
Eve von Loengrin, with magic power 22, hadn't entered, and Regina Ciella, with 20, had declared for Magic Craft.
Of course, her finals opponent had magic power 19, equal to Aila's, but that hardly mattered.
What he lacked, she had: magical efficiency.
Aila had won so far by slamming a single spear between the brows, but he unleashed a barrage of flashy spells. No contest.
So she won, set a record time, and time remained.
Instead of posing with her trophy, Aila complained of match aftereffects, asked for it to be sent to her dorm, and bolted.
Her own fight didn't matter.
She wanted to see his.
And she wasn't late. She arrived.
Magic Craft draws fewer participants than you'd think.
Or even if they enter, they just submit something half-hearted, grab a few judge comments, and leave.
The reason's obvious.
Regina Ciella is too strong. She never loses.
So the end is always her solo show.
And there, Wolfram von Loengrin—who claimed he could definitely win—what fight would he put on?
To Aila Trista, her first #1 ranking was less intriguing than that.
When she arrived, Regina Ciella's presentation had just ended.
She didn't know what it was. Probably something amazing, judges clapped vaguely.
Didn't matter.
None of it mattered.
She wasn't here to see what the grade-topper brought.
'...I made it!'
His presentation—the one she absolutely had to see—was about to start.
And he spoke.
【I want to call this snack a ticket.】
【A chance to explore every corner of Jefrin, which has stagnated without even dreaming of the outside.】
【A ticket to step out the door after 300 years.】
【I want to propose that chance to our generation, this era.】
"Ah... Aah..."
Overwhelmed by emotion, by excitement, she couldn't steady her body.
This was Wolfram's rebellion.
The future Wolfram dreamed of.
Granting wings to these pathetic souls who forgot challenge.
Kicking off from the world, beyond this residential district, toward the secret treasures surely planted by the founding emperor—adventure.
Now all the pieces fell into place.
"Yes. That's it all... All of this... one plan."
Why start his business centering on 'grad students who forgot dreams' and 'freshmen who dream'?
"Wolfram will be the one who spins the thread and weaves the wings."
Yes. And he'll fairly grant them those wings.
Urge adventure beyond Jefrin, spread wings beyond the world.
And before long, everyone will realize.
That without Wolfram von Loengrin's permission, they can't spread those wings.
That everyone in Jefrin can't show that dream without Wolfram's permission!
【Follow me. I'll take you there.】
At those final words, Aila didn't nod.
She just smiled.
She was already one going with him.
One seat among the five evil stars of rebellion, chosen from the start.
Then, what she had to do wasn't just follow.
Stand by his side, help his rebellion succeed.
What did Wolfram say?
"Right. I see."
Aila now clearly understood what she had to do.
Rebellion must be covert, and greatest.
The great rebellion would be achieved by Wolfram von Loengrin.
Then, she must keep it covert.
Become the black crystal that absorbs all light.
It was so easy, intriguing, and fun.
"Well then. Shall we go give Wolfram our congratulations?"
Aila's sudden appearance made me tilt my head.
Where have I seen that resolute expression...?
Ah, right.
3-3 boss fight phase 3. The final phase, where boss Aila Trista wore that face.
I still remembered her lines from back then.
【If I lose this fight, it'll be the end for me too... But a future of defeat doesn't exist for me.】
【I'll stake all my fate here. Now, let's raise the curtain on glorious rebellion!】
And the battle that followed was horrific. Ugh, still gives me chills.
But why was she wearing that face now?
"Aila Trista... miss? This is a conversation between His Highness and me."
"No. It's not. First, let me ask: you're here to discuss the rights and distribution of that Magical Suite, right, Miss Ciella?"
"......You knew. This is important business, so could you step aside?"
"Sorry. Can't do that."
"...Why not?"
Aila smiled like a victor and pulled my arm toward her.
Hey. What are you doing to Stamina 2?
"All rights and distribution stock for that Magical Suite... belong to the Trista family, who invested beforehand. No."
Aila grinned widely and continued.
"They belong solely to me, Aila Trista. Those without rights, please leave."
"......Your Highness. Is that certain?"
Ciella eyed me suspiciously, while Aila looked somewhat anxious.
Certain? Well.
"Regrettably, Aila speaks the truth. Stand down. Lady of the Ciella family. You don't even qualify to enter this game."
"...Understood. If you change your mind, contact us anytime."
With that, the annoying one retreated, her fists trembling faintly.
Still, syncing with Aila is leagues better than tangling with her.
"Hehe. I win. Look at her go. Ohohoho!"
Aila covered her mouth and laughed.
Acting just like a villainess lady. How does she laugh like that?
While she was laughing merrily, sorry, but business is business.
"Aila."
"Yes? Wolfram?"
"Just so you know, I have no plans to release this to the market right now."
"......I know. Of course."
"Is that so."
"Yes. Everything for the night of the black moon that will come someday. When rebellion spreads its wings. Right?"
"......?"
"I know everything. You haven't forgotten the promise. Hehe. As expected. It's Wolfram."
She covered her mouth with her right hand and whispered.
What the hell is she talking about?
But her final-boss mode from moments ago was gone, so I just played along.
"Yeah. Exactly. Time for rebellion."
"Right? Right?"
"Yeah. Rebellion."
"Of course! Yes! I know! Leave the covert scheming to me!"
"Rebellion rebellion."
"Yes! Yes!"
She really has a peaceful mind.
How does she live so carefree?