Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: After All, Friendship Over Money!
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The next day, a visitor arrived from outside Jefrin.
"Are you His Highness Prince Wolfram von Loengrin?"
"That's me, but who might you be?"
"It's an honor to meet you. I'm Cotton from the Trista family."
The man who introduced himself as Cotton handed me a thick stack of documents.
Inside were lists packed with ore names and prices.
From basic stone to scorching stones, thunder ores, and all sorts of others. Even pre-refined metals were included.
The prices were... cheaper than I'd expected. About double what I'd paid in the game?
Considering how hard it was to mine ores in this world, this was practically a steal.
The sword I'd taken when I got kicked out had sold for ten times its in-game value, so paying double the purchase price here was an incredible favor.
Hmm. In hindsight, maybe I should've learned armor or weapon crafting, but I shrugged it off. Unlike handicrafts, blacksmithing meant hammering metal with a heavy mallet. Impossible with Wolfram's stamina and strength.
Normally, I'd space out ore purchases, but right now, I had an immediate use for them.
"Alright. I'll fill out the order form right away. No point in making multiple trips to Jefrin, after all."
Jefrin students running shops could order 'external' goods under special contracts.
But customs was strict, inspections thorough— even one round trip was a hassle.
So bulk orders were the way to go, and I put in for the metals I needed immediately.
Let's see. Lightweight metals with fast mana conductivity, and sturdy ones that were heavy... and that one.
"Order like this."
"Understood. I'll bring the goods."
Cotton bowed politely and withdrew.
Now, time to find someone who could process metals... and handle full blacksmithing.
"Actually, that shouldn't be hard. There's a perfectly good candidate wandering around."
The next day, the three chicks showed up.
"Ah! Senpai! Donuts! Gimme donuts!"
"Hello, Wolfram-senpai. Got any donuts?"
The yellow and green chicks went straight for the donuts, while only the pink one gave a proper greeting with a soft smile.
"Hello, senpai."
"Hm. You kept your promise and came."
"...Y-Yes! A promise is a promise!"
Milmyu beamed as she said it. I tossed donuts to the other two and started chatting with her alone.
"Right. It was a promise."
"Yes, senpai. Hehe. Our little promise."
She clasped her hands behind her back, leaned forward slightly, and gazed up at me with a gentle smile.
Nodding at the pink chick, I thought back to my orphanage days— this was how my little sisters used to be.
Everyone but Eve felt like a cute little sibling, so why was my blood sister so repulsive and vicious? Pondering the mysteries of blood ties, I stared at the chick.
"Alright, time to uphold my end. It's about how to deal with Gale Strike."
"Yes!"
"First, Milmyu von Sabre, one promise from you."
"Yes! Any promise! Anything you say! I could keep it for life!"
"......"
What did she think I was gonna ask?
Anyway, it wasn't anything major.
"Don't betray me."
"...Pardon?"
"That's it. Can you keep it?"
Her eyes went wide like a startled chick, then she nodded with the brightest smile imaginable.
"Never, ever betray you. For life."
"Good enough."
"Y-You... really trust me?"
"Was that a lie?"
"N-No!"
"Good enough."
No need to complicate it— I just wanted a firm yes.
"Now, the strategy. Gale Strike is from the Strike family, experts in greatsword attacks as the name implies. Slow, but hits like a truck."
"Y-Yes..."
"Basic tactic's the same. Use Half Berserk for a quick decisive battle."
"Got it. Same as last time..."
"Simple reason: With your below-average first-year stats, beating a near-top student means boosting your stats, no exceptions."
"Right. I'm... too weak."
"Exactly. You're lacking."
"......Yes."
Milmyu nodded, eyes wavering.
"So decide your path faster than others. Your life's direction."
"Life's... d-direction?"
Why's her face suddenly puffing up bright red?
The pink chick turned full red, but I ignored it and pressed on.
"Yes. When second year hits, which department? Which gear to claim that Jefrin diploma?"
"Ah, ah, I see. That kind of thing... Um, probably Knight Division. No talent for mana."
"Good. Main skill or gear through fourth year?"
"......Ah."
"Low stats mean pick fast and focus hard."
No talent? Choose and concentrate.
"Th-That reminds me, I've thought about it."
"Have you?"
Unexpected.
Deep thoughts on her own future?
"Yes. Basic stats too low for magic. And with mediocre ones overall... I agonized over it a lot."
"Go on."
"So, straight and narrow. One-hand longsword and shield for attack-defense balance. Relying on tricks might backfire..."
"......Ha."
"N-No good?"
No, it was perfect.
The ideal answer I'd hoped for.
"Excellent, Milmyu von Sabre."
"...Y-Yes?"
"Sharp enough to see Jefrin's stat system is flawed. 'Intelligence' isn't included. Smart choice."
Jefrin's— really D/Z SAGA's— stats were just Strength, Dexterity, Stamina, Magic Power, Will. No Intelligence. But it existed.
And this chick? High intelligence, I'd bet.
No tricks, knows her limits, goes straight. Not optimal, but suits her upright spirit.
"Good. Add just one thing."
"One thing?"
"Your stats mean you'll drop the shield from exhaustion, maybe lose the sword. You know."
"Y-Yes..."
"So, pick one desperate last-resort combat method."
"Ah... Got it! I'll follow your lead, senpai!"
"Right. Training starts now."
"Y-You're teaching me yourself?"
"Hm?"
"Just us two... training. Ehehe... hehe... just us."
"Sorry, no."
"......Pardon?"
Right on cue. I heard the wheels of the Ulbus Rail outside, the carriage door opened, and clack-clack heels announced... her arrival.
"Wolfram, I'm here!"
"Hm. You made it."
"Of course! When you ask personally!"
"...S-Senior Aila?"
"Long time no see, peep! Still adorable!"
Aila beamed, glided over, and plopped her hand on Milmyu's shoulder.
"So, I handle peep's training now?"
"Yes. Take good care."
"...Y-You're my teacher... Senior Aila?"
"Yup! Wolfram specially asked me to train you!"
"So, you two have fun."
"Y-Yes... I see. Not Wolfram-senpai, but Aila-senpai."
Milmyu wore the face of a freedom fighter mourning her lost homeland.
Hadn't Aila and Nefti trained her for Kelters last time too?
Training that rough?
"Let's go."
"...Yes."
Aila kidnapped the chick and vanished.
The remaining two, donuts finished, stared blankly.
"Yogurt! Milmyu's been kidnapped?!"
"I-I saw! Th-That's third-year top, Aila Trista-senpai, right?"
"M-Milmyu... What do we do? Rescue her?"
"You confident? I... don't think I could save Milmyu."
"Did he give us these tasty donuts from the start... to fatten us up and eat us?"
"Vanilla, gained weight?"
"Two kilos... You?"
"......No comment."
"Hey, not fair!"
Chattering nonstop, really.
"You two chicks... No, yellow chick. Yeah, you. Dwarf. Come here."
"M-Me? Yogurt's worth more as ransom, senpai!"
"Come on, Vanilla. Wolfram-senpai's calling. Senpai, sacrifice Vanilla and can I go?"
"No. Both stay and listen. It's about that pink chick."
The colorful duo, half-jokingly fretting over the pink one's abduction moments ago, sobered up and approached.
"For Milmyu?"
"Yes. Specifically, yellow chick... Vanilla."
"Y-Yes sir!"
Vanilla stiffened, tense.
These chicks could hit tier 3 if raised right— combat-limited, but Vanilla's traits put her mid-tier 2 potential.
Her trait: Blacksmith.
Vanilla, full name 'Third Daughter of the Fire Clan's Elder, Vanilla.'
Early-game companion, top-tier blacksmith talent.
Not god-hand or White Smith level, but viable late-game.
"You have blacksmithing skills?"
"Hm? Blacksmithing? Y-Yeah, dwarf and all. Hammered some before enrolling."
"Then, for Milmyu, make one piece of gear? I'll supply ores."
"......For Milmyu?"
"Yes. I'll make the blueprint."
"Got it! A dwarf who goes all-out for friends!"
The yellow chick grinned wide and nodded.
"For a friend, no crafting fee, right?"
"...Huh?"
Having received ores and blueprint from Wolfram von Loengrin, Vanilla rented a workshop and holed up.
"Wow, he thought of this? What a fun senpai."
She tied her hair in a tight ponytail, dressed rough, gripped the blacksmith hammer.
Soon, the hammer glowed red-hot.
Classic dwarf trait— Fire Clan at that.
Humans needed furnaces, bellows; she heated her hammer with her own power, shaped metal with it.
Blacksmithing prodigy, enough for clan status, but she'd aimed for Jefrin chasing 'youth!' 'friendship!' 'pure fun!' over village life.
Long without a hammer, she now swung for a friend.
"Fun gear. Might actually enjoy making this!"
Swords or armor? She'd balk. But this? Looked entertaining.
And Wolfram's words had touched her.
'Senpai, this could be valuable gear? Okay to hand over blueprints like this?'
'No big deal.'
'I might patent it?'
'Milmyu promised not to betray me. You?'
'...No plans to betray.'
'Then it's fine. Make it for your friend.'
'...Yes.'
Fun guy, great food, good person.
She'd known Milmyu liked him, but figured him as a handsome donut-maker at best. Upgraded her view now.
"Hope Milmyu and senpai work out."
Ehehe. Giggling, Vanilla raised her hammer.
Clang. Clang clang. After three rhythmic strikes, she checked the blueprint and tilted her head.
"...Come to think of it,"
The item was a gauntlet.
"Didn't he say this was for Milmyu?"
One thick enough to bonk a head with a solid Kwang!