Chapter 80
Chapter 80
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: The Qualifications of a Celeb
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After that peculiar conversation, Aila left with the brooch, delighted yet occasionally fuming.
She took it well enough, anyway. Even as she grumbled, "An item with three magic options... One wrong move, and it could spark a war." she pinned it to her chest with an "Ehehe" giggle.
Once Aila was gone, I activated the party system again.
This was the perk given the first time you formed a party in Act 2.
In other words, it was a reward tossed your way with a message like, Hey, now that the party system's active, remember this game requires strengthening the whole party, not just Kelters!
You could only claim the initial perk once, but as your party level rose, more options unlocked.
Plus, party affinity training granted additional perks or skills. So, to clear D/Z SAGA, mastering the party system and utilizing its skills effectively was key.
The perks I usually picked in Act 2 were things like "Status Boost Scaled to Party Tier" or "Body as Shield!"
The former was for pumping stats by adding Eve von Loengrin and Isolde to the party—aka the infamous stat explosion. The latter was for wrapping Kelters in immunity gear for tanking, or "Kel-tank" as I called it.
But right now, neither was viable. No stat explosion for me, and if I tried Wol-tank, I'd bet on getting smashed by a slime in two seconds flat.
So, something production- or crafting-focused, or maybe buffs. That was the smart play.
For strengthening Aila, and for Wolfram von Loengrin himself.
The skill I chose was...
It was pretty useful, all things considered.
Decent enough.
Hmm. Hng. Khk. Hoo...
Oh right.
This one had acquisition cancel.
If you could use it, use it. If you could get it, get it.
Why wouldn't I?
Anyway,
Thanks for the three.
Much obliged.
Midterms were over.
Having snagged top spot in every subject, Wolfram von Loengrin's grades earned him quite the leniency.
Similar to how the professors turned a blind eye to Nefti scouting jobs after claiming top rank herself.
Sure, some still eyed him like garbage trash. But that kind of scrutiny was inevitable. Stand out in group activities, and people notice. Probably because D/Z SAGA was a Korean game— that tribalism was baked into the world.
Point is, Wolfram von Loengrin could skip classes without issue and still graduate smoothly, despite the side-eyes.
Magic or Knight Division students attended religiously to build connections and catch noble eyes, but Wolfram didn't need that hassle. Big win.
With time to spare, I picked up a thin frying pan to test my new skill.
A heavy wok would've been ideal, but Wolfram might just flop over weightless.
Whatever.
'Activate Today, I'm the Chef.'
My head buzzed ziiing. This skill guzzled 2 MP at once and always came with dizziness. Then recipes flooded my mind. Time to cook.
Tougher than expected, but I had confidence now.
And it seemed like it'd be fun.
Bread. Lettuce. Pickles. Onions. Battered fried fish. Bean-based sauce.
The convenience store door whooshed open just as I reached for the ingredients.
"S-Senior, help!"
"...I-I request assistance too."
"H-Hello, Senior... C-Could you help us a bit?"
"......"
The post-class chicks stormed the store.
Tsk.
No helping it.
"Sit first. I'll hear you out."
Losing 2 MP stung, but counseling underclassmen was a senior's duty.
Vanilla and Yogurt's eyes went wide at the frying pan in my hand.
"Senior, were you cooking? Finish up first, then help!"
"...I agree. We trust your cooking, Senior."
These kids— I offer help, and they bail?
No, before that, they looked ready to devour.
"A, ahaha. Sorry, Senior... B-But yeah, help after you're done."
......?
Milmyu too?
The dish was simple yet fiddly.
First, magical Swiss for the bread, trim the crusts. Debone the fish fillet meticulously, batter and fry in egg wash.
Meanwhile, soak onions in ice water to mellow the bite— even better.
Spread mayo on the bread, layer onions and lettuce, add bean tartar sauce and fish cutlet—what I call fish katsu— drizzle mustard, top with bread. Done.
Nice outcome.
This was the party skill Today, I'm the Chef.
Activate it before cooking to enchant the food.
Normally you'd need to level "Magical Chef", compatible with "Magical Party Chef", but party cooking was such OP honey they added it special.
Anyway, I nodded at my handiwork, and the chicks beside me started fidgeting.
"Whoa..."
"Waaah......"
Green and yellow chicks drooled openly, staring at my process.
"Guys, can't you see Senior's working hard?"
Pink chick said that, but her eyes never left the sandwich.
Hmm. Perfect chance for this line.
"...Want some?"
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
"............Yes."
"Wow, it's not meat but it's so good! ...I-I could live off this alone!"
"...Yeah. No meat, so it suits forest elf tastes. I agree. I could live off this."
Green and yellow teared up, devouring their sandwiches.
But no meat suits their tastes?
Were elves vegetarians? No setting book on trivia like this— intriguing.
"Yogurt, do forest elves only eat veggies?"
"No? We just digest meat poorly by nature. Stomachs don't handle it. That's why forests were settled— easy beans and tree fruits... or so the story goes."
Genetic, huh.
And forest life was survival choice...
"I've heard urban elves eat meat no problem."
"I see."
Regina Cielra got invites to soirees, ate without special orders— her gut was ironclad from birth. Another mystery solved.
"Thanks for answering. Have another."
"Yay! I didn't even answer! Thanks!"
"Graciously accepted. Vanilla, half of yours."
As the two chicks chowed down eagerly, Milmyu nibbled hers with a grave look.
"H-He made this so well? C-Can I cook better than Senior? No, I know. It's a tough road. Keep going. I vowed to catch up. Fight."
What was that about?
Whatever. Meal over, onto the main issue.
"So, what help do you need?"
Vanilla blurted like she'd just remembered.
"Oh, right! So, um, y'see, it's huge. Like, really huge?"
"...Vanilla, shut it. You're giving me secondhand embarrassment."
"What?! Too harsh! It is huge, Senior! Milmyu thinks I can explain too, right?"
"......"
"Why look away! Don't meet eyes! That lukewarm warm gaze! Like village elders saying 'Our Vanilla can do it!' Don't look at me like that!"
"...Tsk. Personal Silence."
"Mmph!"
Yogurt snapped her fingers, sealing Vanilla's mouth. Ignoring the muffled dwarf, the elf adjusted her glasses seriously.
"Something big happened in the first-year general dorms."
"Big? Spill."
"Yes. It was the other day. Weather's warming, so lunch is mostly cafeteria— eat quick, nap."
"Sounds blissful."
"But it wasn't. One first-year collapsed from stomach pain yesterday."
"No way."
"Yes, that no-way. Analysis: food poisoning. Warming weather, sloppy ingredient handling."
Yogurt continued.
Weather warmed, poisoning cases emerged.
Dump suspect ingredients, reorder all.
Disinfect cafeteria, obviously.
Ingredients distributed same to all dorms— massive effort.
Cleanse mages disinfecting: about a week.
New ingredients arriving: another week.
"So, no cafeteria for a week."
"That's rough."
"Yes. We three love cafeteria— disaster. We'll starve."
"Other eateries nearby? ...Oh, two mobbed."
"...Yeah. Two students per dorm cafeteria. Imagine market flooded. Can't even exit, let alone eat. Today was hell. Starved."
"Mmph! Mmph!"
"...Yeah. Brutal."
Vanilla nodded muffled, Milmyu agreed.
If patient Milmyu said that, it was bad.
"So, the request?"
"Could we buy your cooking as lunchboxes for a week? Not much, but we'll pay full price."
"Mmph! Mmmph!"
"...Shameless, but please, Senior."
Yogurt bowed earnestly, Vanilla mmph-ed greetings, Milmyu bent at waist.
My cooking as lunchboxes.
"...Hmm."
"Too much? ...Sorry, asking a royal."
"No. Opposite."
"Huh?"
"I'll set the menu. Today's sandwich level, fine?"
"Thank you!"
"Mmmphmmph!"
"...Th-Thank you so much, Senior!"
What.
Convenience stores sell lunchboxes, gimbap, sandwiches anyway.
"Start tomorrow lunch. Wait here."
"...Truly grateful, Senior!"
"Mmmphmmph!!"
"Cool... As expected... Yeah."
With 20,000 flooding the market, first-year dorms 1 through 10 were human seas at lunch, no exaggeration.
Hungry first-years. Nap-wanters. Ball-kickers. All beast-moding to eateries— nightmarish.
But the wise packed lunches, lounging on benches in groups, chill lunch vibes.
Among them, first-year celebs. After [Iron Fist] Milmyu von Sabre, the other two with solid grades.
Dubbed [Wolfram Crew] and [Trinity Rookies], solidly first-year spotlights. These celebs chose wisely too.
Other first-years watched their meal half-curious, half-nosy.
Not the eating, but what lunchboxes did they bring?
Celebs had to be special— thoughts, actions, food!
True celebs proved it always!
"Mm... Yeah. Tasty!"
"Yeah. Senior's amazing."
"What ingredients?"
Clearly sandwiches.
But others saw sandwiches as black bread with meat slapped in— quick grub.
These? Steak-filled. Egg-packed egg sando. Fish-filet glimpse. Rainbow vibrant.
Elevated grub to meal, style and flavor added.
"Vanilla, orange smoothie?"
Plus three bottles, colorful, subtly sweet-scented drinks!?
Students eyed their sad lunches. Pathetic. Nutrition, calories— zilch!
"Ah, seriously... Wow..."
That sparked it— gulps echoed.
Gulp. Sigh. Whoa...
"...That's Prince's crew lunch...?"
"No joke. Real..."
"W-Wanna join. Just looking... ahh."
"Ugh, us munching black bread from the stand... what are we?"
"Don't say it. Depressing."
Thus, Wolfram Crew penned another page in their modest legend today.