Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Gift
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Professor Emily stamped the approval seal on the evaluation form with a flourish.
Unlike the usual proceedings at [Stella Academia], I hadn't even properly demonstrated the shadow cloak's functions, yet the approval came through.
"Is that it?"
When I asked, puzzled, she waved me off with a weary face.
"Yeah. I'll count it as fulfilling your performance quota, cancel the disbandment, allocate the club funds—whatever it is, we'll handle it all for you! You can go now."
In the game, Professor Emily came off as a strict bureaucrat type.
But this time, she was handling everything super casually and leniently.
Something felt off, so I telepathically asked Kerr.
'Kerr. Did you do something?'
[Hmph! That was quite unpleasant just now. From now on, don't hand this body over to such rude humans so carelessly!]
Instead of answering my question, I just got Kerr's complaints.
When I'd lent it to Lily for research earlier, he'd grumbled a bit, but not to this extent.
Apparently, something had gone down between them while Professor Emily was inspecting the cloak.
Anyway, he seemed thoroughly pissed, so I'd have to soothe him for now.
'Sorry. I'll treasure you more from now on.'
[You think that'll fool me? You'll just keep using me anyway!]
Kerr was still grumbling, but he seemed a little appeased.
And with that, submitting the club performance report wrapped up far more simply and successfully than expected.
I'd managed to prevent the Occult Research Club from being disbanded.
"...Jeron, junior...! We did it!"
The moment we stepped out and closed the evaluation room door, Lily said in a trembling voice.
Tears of joy glistened at the corners of her eyes.
I smiled too.
"Now we can legally loaf around in the clubroom."
"Ehehe... And with the club activity funds, you can live even more comfortably now...! It'll be a huge help for black magic research too... It's all thanks to you, junior."
Then Lily seemed to remember something and added,
"Oh. The clubroom sofa's pretty worn out. Should we replace it with a better one this time?"
"Nah, that's fine. I've grown kinda attached to that thing."
"You've grown attached to the sofa...?"
We bantered idly like that as I used the shadow cloak to escort Lily right up to the clubroom door.
***
Time flew by, and before long, the comprehensive evaluation was right around the corner.
It would kick off next Monday.
In the meantime, my plans had been progressing smoothly.
Artei's and Yuria's growth was steady.
I'd also fought two more ranked practical matches, both ending in my easy victories, of course.
[A-Rank 1st Place - Jeron Airgia]
That was the final ranking announced for the month.
Thanks to dominating all three spars overwhelmingly, I'd shot straight up to A-Rank 1st in one go.
This was an insanely fast pace, only possible in the most lucky game runs.
'Once the comprehensive evaluation's done and we're back, I'll go straight into the S-Rank promotion match.'
That should clear Professor Kate's quest to reach S-Rank before the semester ended, no problem.
I'd also already bought the gift for Artei.
It was a necklace embedded with a gem that shimmered with a subtle blue light, just like her hair.
Actually, this was a custom piece I'd commissioned back in Ethercity—the gem was the main event.
Giving just the gem felt weird, so I'd had it set in a necklace.
[Item]
[Fragment of Eternal Snow (Legend)]
It harbors an eternal chill that never melts.
Description: Permanently boosts the power of ice-attribute magic.
Price: 2000 Sloth
A legendary item worth 2000 Sloth, just like the one I'd given Yuria.
The Fragment of Eternal Snow was one of the best items for Artei.
For reference, in the game, gifting items to companions didn't give them the same efficiency as for the player.
So honestly, this item was way better for the player than for her.
But Artei fanboys would still give it to her, even at a personal loss.
Since I had no plans to go down the ice magic tree anyway, I gave it freely.
Even after buying that, I still had a massive hoard of Sloth piled up.
[Sloth: 7500]
A whopping 7500 Sloth...!
I'd diligently rolled around gathering Laziness Orbs like mad while everyone else crammed for exams this month.
All for 'that one item.'
[Item]
[Hourglass of Reversal (Legend)]
A mystical hourglass imbued with strange power.
Description: Instantly resets the cooldown of a chosen skill. (Cooldown: 24 hours)
Price: 7000 Sloth
The Hourglass of Reversal.
Using this let you reset a skill's cooldown once per day.
A simple effect, but anyone who's played games would instantly grasp how broken it was.
My ultimate [Rending Slash] boasted insane power, but had the fatal flaw of being unusable for 24 hours after.
But with this item?
I could use slashing attacks again right after [Rending Slash].
Plus, it worked on other legendary skills' cooldowns too, so the utility was endless.
This was one of the so-called endgame items, only obtainable in the very late game.
Yet I could buy it straight from the shop with a click.
Ultra-expensive, sure, but worth several times over.
[Consume 7000 Sloth to purchase 'Hourglass of Reversal'?]
'Purchase.'
I hit the buy button with excitement rivaling the time I'd splurged on a top-spec PC to run [Stella Academia] at full options.
[Sloth -7000!]
In a burst of radiant light, a necklace with a small hourglass appeared in my hand.
Flip the hourglass to activate it.
It looked just like the clock from that super-famous wizard novel on Earth.
'Looking sharp.'
I happily slipped on the hourglass necklace.
Now, just hand over the gift to Artei, and comprehensive evaluation prep was done.
***
That evening, after training with Artei wrapped up.
"Good work, Artei."
As usual, I had Kerr deliver her some cool water and snacks.
I'd just pulled out the prepared gift when...
"Jeron, I have something for you."
"...Huh?"
Artei handed me a small box first.
Opening it revealed a bracelet intricately crafted from silver.
The Rosendal family crest was engraved in the center.
"It's a bracelet made by my family. It's nothing compared to all the help you've given me so far... but please, accept it."
I took the bracelet, momentarily stunned.
'I'm getting this now?'
The Rosendal family bracelet.
In the game, you had to max out Artei's affection almost completely to get this item.
Normally, you wouldn't even glimpse it until well into the second year.
'Guess the affection-building really paid off.'
But thinking about that sparked a sudden curiosity.
In the game, max affection was the end—no more special events.
But in reality, what happened next?
The trivial question flitted through my mind for a second...
[Item]
[Rosendal Family Bracelet (Hero)]
A bracelet given by the Rosendal family only to their benefactors.
Description: Magic Power +3
'Too good.'
...before the status window floating in front of me made it vanish.
Raw +3 Magic Power.
An incredibly valuable stat for me right now.
"Thanks. I'll put it to good use."
Seeing me genuinely delighted, Artei smiled too.
"And I got a gift for you too."
"J-Jeron too?"
"Yeah. You've trained hard so far. Here—not super fancy, but."
I handed her the [Fragment of Eternal Snow] necklace.
"A necklace...?"
"Like it?"
"......Yeah. It's really pretty. Thanks, Jeron."
For some reason, Artei accepted it with extreme shyness.
***
That night.
In her dorm room bed.
Artei's heart kept pounding, keeping her from sleep.
It wasn't because of next Monday's comprehensive evaluation.
It was Jeron again.
Today, she'd given Jeron a gift.
He might not realize it, but it was a precious item her family gave only to true benefactors.
But something felt even more precious.
The necklace Jeron had given her.
At the exact same moment, he'd given her a gift too.
A necklace with a gem shimmering the same subtle blue as her hair.
'H-He picked this color on purpose...'
Imagining him thinking of her while choosing it made her face heat up.
And.
'Plus, Jeron was definitely wearing a similar necklace...'
The difference was hers had a snowflake gem, while his had an hourglass...
But overall, the design was so alike.
'D-Does this mean...'
What did it signify?
Artei kept getting confused.