Chapter 85
Chapter 85
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Career Aspiration Survey
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Recently, the convenience store hadn't seen a broader range of customers, but the regulars were stopping by much more frequently.
That said, it wasn't like there were no new faces at all.
Emily Haimelody, whom I'd taken as my disciple, dropped in every four days or so to ask about cooking.
Truth be told, I only cooked using skills, and even if her cooking skill was low, she'd just come and pester me anyway.
Scary kid.
And every now and then, she'd toss out some lofty, pie-in-the-sky question.
"Master. What is the truth of cooking?"
"More grains and more meat. And bold flavors. Get it greasy and sweet first—your brain will melt with joy. If it still tastes bland, add sugar. Then salt. If that's not enough, swap water for bone broth. Usually does the trick."
"...I see. I never thought of that. Master truly knows his stuff."
When I lived alone and my food tasted off, I always kept two ingredients in mind.
Instant ramen seasoning and ssamjang.
These are the holy grail of flavor boosters—even the trashiest dish becomes edible with them.
No, really. You might get the ramen seasoning, but ssamjang? It's packed with broth, corn syrup, gochujang, doenjang, garlic, and sesame oil. Ssamjang rocks.
Anyway, that's Emily Haimelody for you. She'd nod along like, "Master truly knows his stuff!" make a few dishes, then head back to the dorms.
Next up among the frequent visitors: the chicks.
They were always a noisy bunch, but today their energy was oddly subdued.
Well, everyone has off days.
"Hello, senpai."
"What'll it be for the chicks today?"
"...Uh, cream pasta for all three of us. That cool?"
"Drinks separate?"
"Yeah. Unlimited refills, please."
"Got it. Unlimited drinks for three, cream pasta for three."
I nodded.
This was our convenience store's pride and joy: the unlimited drink refill service.
For 10,000 rin per person, from fruit juices to smoothies and sodas!
It was starting to feel less like a convenience store and more like a snack bar or casual eatery, but honestly, convenience stores aren't all that different.
Better to prep ahead for when crowds roll in than run out of stock.
Anyway, the three chicks settled at a table, pulled a sheet of paper from their bags, and dove deep into thought.
Seeing these usually chatty girls with such serious faces—sometimes not even talking, just lost in contemplation—was a rare sight. I tilted my head.
"Something up?"
"...Oh. Kinda. We have to fill out career aspiration surveys."
Vanilla's answer hit me with an "aha." I nodded.
Jefrin Academy's career survey. Even Kelters had to do it from his perspective.
It was one of the route branch points—choosing Knight Division or Magic Division split the paths.
Come to think of it, this was a big deal for their actual futures.
"Haven't decided on a division yet?"
"Knight Division."
"So what's the worry?"
"...It also asks for our future aspirations."
"I see."
Aha.
That was trickier.
After picking a division, spelling out what you want to do long-term? Tougher question for kids than it seems.
"We're lucky, though."
"Hm? How so?"
"Ours is just a survey. The second-years... man, theirs count for real career stuff."
"...Yeah. True that."
I see.
Season to start pondering futures, huh.
"Tough luck. Here—on the house."
"Whoa! What's this?"
"New cheese balls. Hope they suit your taste."
"Thanks! Digging in."
"Mm. Think hard and deliberate well. Some lives leave no room for choices."
"Yes, sir!"
Yi Young-jin lived that way, kept on, and that was the end.
When you can choose, agonizing over it is part of the fun.
Nefti visited the guidance office at her advisor's summons.
"You wanted to see me, Professor?"
"Mm. Come in and sit."
"Excuse me."
The Magic Division ran on noble connections, so advisors were always polite to promising students.
The Knight Division, packed with commoners and focused on physical training, often felt more like the military.
But Nefti was a cut above.
"I called you about this career survey."
"Huh? Didn't I submit it on time?"
"Mm. But the content is... a bit."
"......"
Nefti pondered at the professor's gentle words.
The second-year survey differed from the first-years'—more pointed goals.
First-years got kid stuff: "Knight or Magic Division?" "What do you wanna be when you grow up?"
Second-years, especially Knights, faced: "Preferred work location?" "Desired conditions?"
And Nefti had written: "Gluco Village guard."
Protecting her mom, siblings, and villagers back home. Succeeding her late father as guard captain.
That was her top choice.
"Is this really what you want? Gluco Village—never heard of it."
"......"
"It's no secret the Prince and Princess think highly of you. Royal Guard seems the obvious pick, no?"
Royal Guard.
The Knight Division's ultimate goal for top performers. The greatest post.
Even high nobles grinding through as valedictorians had no guarantees.
But one free pass existed.
The Student Council President could pick one student for a recommendation letter.
"I will take this person as my personal guard." One letter, and graduation meant instant Royal Guard.
Current President Eve von Loengrin and former President Wolfram von Loengrin hadn't used theirs yet.
Meanwhile, Nefti—friendly with ex-President Wolfram and on good terms with current President Eve as peers—was prime Royal Guard material.
To the professor, she was a future earl candidate. Worth nurturing ties with.
So her topping the survey with "Gluco Village guard" threw him off.
"Well, you see, Professor."
"No need to explain. So, which is it? The Prince, after all?"
"...Pardon?"
"Princess Eve's letter would be competitive, but ex-Prince Wolfram's has no rivals. You're in his faction, right? Haha, lucky you."
"...?"
"Even royals can't pick Royal Guards lightly. It's the sword and shield for their most trusted soulmate. Just one person."
Nefti said nothing.
She couldn't.
That evening, after the chicks crammed through their surveys and left.
Nefti burst in yelling, "Senpai! I have a question!"
So I said, "Shoot."
She launched into her professor meeting from today.
Why?
"...Something similar happened to me."
"I see. Royal Guard, huh."
Man, her rambling sounded like nonsense at first, but it turned into an intriguing topic.
Royal Guard.
A nostalgic term.
Eve route's true ending.
Kelters becomes Royal Knight—Royal Guard's superior. Lifelong protector of one royal.
The blade a royal entrusts their life to.
Guard vs. Knight: like retinue vs. sworn protector.
Knight ranks higher.
Royal Guard's no slouch, though.
"No interest in Royal Guard at all?"
"I want to be my village's guard captain. You know that."
"Succeeding your late father, right? Noble goal."
"Ehehe."
Praise softened her expression.
But something felt off.
Nefti, with her unshakeable conviction—why consult me?
"So, what's eating you?"
"Oh, no, not a big worry. Just... a tiny thing bugging me."
"Spit it out."
"I heard you haven't written your recommendation yet."
"Recommendation? Oh, the Royal Guard one."
Right, that existed.
In Eve's route, a mini-event over who got it.
Turns out Wolfram had one too. Hadn't used it.
Guessing: he dangled it to play power games.
Never chose anyone—died to a sword in the prologue.
"Even with your position suspended, you're still royal, so the letter holds, right?"
"I see. Forgot about that perk."
"So, senpai."
Nefti exhaled deeply, face flushing as she looked at me.
"What?"
"If you wrote that letter... got anyone in mind?"
"The Royal Guard rec?"
"Yes."
Hm.
In canon, Royal Guard was a heavy mantle.
Weight of "most trusted retainer" rivaled earls or marquises among nobles.
But setting politics aside.
In her route, Eve gave Kelters the letter with:
【Even if you betray me, even if you stab this heart, I won't resent you. Proof of my trust. Will you accept it?】
Royal Guards earn that total life-or-death faith from royals.
Did Wolfram have such a person...?
"Nah, not yet."
"Phewww. Ah, got it. Any candidates?"
"Candidates."
Among those I trusted most, likeliest for Royal Guard...
"You'd be top of the list."
"...Me?"
Trustworthy? Obviously.
A bit money-mad, but otherwise solid.
"What, isn't it obvious?"
"Ehehe. I'm number one? Ehehe, yeah, makes sense. Ehehe."
"Wouldn't dream of derailing your path. Great dream, Nepthelian. Your conviction still wows me."
Choosing village captain over Royal Guard.
Nefti, you're something else.
"Royal Guard starting pay's 200 million rin, I recall."
"...……………Huh?"
"Rooting for your dream."
"Hold on, senpai. What'd you say?"
"Said I'm rooting for your dream?"
"N-no, not that!"
"The bit about being wowed by your conviction?"
"Nooo! Not that! Th-that thing! Wh-what amount?"
"Hm? Oh, starting salary? 200 million rin."
Kelters got 400 million for Royal Knight—Guard half that. Close enough.
Nefti agonized, groaned, clapped once, eyes sparkling.
"Senpai. You said you'd support my dream, right?"
"Yeah?"
"Here's a genius idea I just had."
"Mm. Let's hear it."
"If I take the letter and become your Royal Guard, I get 200 million starting, right?"
"Mm. And?"
"Can't I hire mercenaries with 100 million to guard Gluco Village?"
"......"
"Genius idea!"
You rascal.
Where'd that knight of conviction and paternal legacy dream go?