Chapter 60
Chapter 60
Washing Competition?
“Winning over other students and maintaining dignity requires quite a bit of expense.
First, please pay for the meal here. And please give me everything that’s in your wallet right now.”
“Ah, uh. Yes.”
The Vatican agent took out his wallet, looking somewhat dazed.
He knew that Idnia was receiving a considerable amount of support, but come to think of it, she was a duke’s daughter.
It was obvious that even if she spent money on her followers for meals, under the Academy’s exploitative structure, any large sum would quickly be drained away.
He understood that it was necessary for the mission, but even so, receiving that much money and still asking for more?
However, since she was showing such enthusiasm, he couldn’t dampen that drive here.
The Vatican agent handed over all the money in his wallet to Idnia.
“Then please cover the meal expenses here as well. Thank you.”
Idnia even passed the bill to the Vatican agent and stood up from her seat.
The Vatican agent looked at the restaurant staff next to him with a stunned expression.
The staff let out a sigh and handed him the bill.
“I will deduct it from your salary as an advance.”
“Uh, is that so? Shouldn’t this be handled with operational funds?”
“That would require approval from higher-ups. Until then, it will be processed as an advance.”
“…….”
The Papal envoy looked toward Idnia in confusion, but she had already left the restaurant with Heukrang.
During the remaining time before returning, Idnia bought necessary items, including snacks for the dormitory students, enjoyed eating out, took breaks in between, and looked around the docks. Before she realized it, her time outside was coming to an end.
“It’s time to return. Heukrang, I’ll leave the rest to you.”
“Understood. Hmm… I’m not sure if this is the right move, Master. Many people have high expectations for this academy, and various factions are involved. Will this really be alright?
Even if you don’t do things like espionage, wouldn’t it be better to just aim to graduate and return to Betelgeuse?”
Heukrang seemed uneasy about Idnia forming connections with the Scarlet Pimpernel or Papal envoys, people she would normally avoid.
However, Idnia shook her head.
“With Mari’s current abilities, there’s no way she’ll be able to endure the hardships ahead.
If I don’t do something… I can only return to Betelgeuse in peace after raising Mari into a reliable saint.”
However, it wasn’t something one could claim to know the future.
“Heukrang. This world is a place where storms rage. No matter how much I try to remain calm and composed, if the blowing winds shake my body, even a great tree will break.
If I don’t want to be broken by the storm, I have no choice but to throw myself into it.”
“I see. As expected of my master. I spoke foolishly.
It is better to be the master of the storm than a tree that breaks in it.”
Heukrang misunderstood Idnia’s words and was deeply moved.
“Now then, here….”
Idnia handed the jeweled cross to Heukrang.
Heukrang accepted it and was startled.
“Hey, Master. What are you planning to do if I carry this?”
“Will you do that?”
“I won’t, of course, but I feel burdened carrying something so expensive.”
“It’s better for you to hold onto valuables like this rather than leaving them in the dormitory. Now then, let’s return to the Academy.”
“Alright. Then let’s go there on the black flag.”
Heukrang had Heukpae pull the cart again for Idnia.
After returning to the Academy, Idnia parted ways with Heukrang.
When she returned to the dormitory, many students were waiting for her at the entrance.
Sendia approached first and asked.
“Oh, how was it, Idnia?”
“Hm. Well, considering I spent 5 shop points to go out, it was short. Still, it was a refreshing change of pace.”
“Oh, I’m jealous. We’d have to try it ourselves to know how good it is. By the way, Idnia… you still have those 4 points, right? The ones you can freely distribute as dorm leader?”
Realizing that Idnia had 4 points to distribute as dorm leader, Sendia spoke to her politely again.
“Yes. I’ll give them to those in need or to those who contribute for the benefit of everyone later. Ah, I’ve brought gifts for now. Let’s share them with everyone.”
Idnia distributed the snacks she had bought.
Since there were as many as 32 students in the Euros dormitory, even buying enough to share cost a considerable amount of money, but she had extorted the funds from the Papal envoy for this purpose.
“Uh, we’re allowed to bring this in?”
“They were preventing servants from bringing items inside.”
“I know. If the Academy didn’t regulate that, the value of staying overnight would drop, and the canteen wouldn’t make sales.
In truth, if daily life weren’t regulated, staying overnight wouldn’t feel valuable enough to be worth 5 points.
By restricting daily life, the value of staying overnight increases.”
If unlimited items could be brought in from outside through servants, the value of staying overnight would decrease.
To prevent that and control students using points as leverage, the Academy deliberately restricted outside food from being brought in.
As Idnia spoke calmly, all the students were inwardly impressed.
“Ah, is it because she’s a duke’s daughter? Her way of thinking is completely different from ours.”
“She doesn’t seem like someone her age. She’s very thoughtful.”
“To be honest, when I first entered the Academy, I thought I was quite smart, but the world is vast and there are many talented people.”
“What’s even more surprising is that her excellence isn’t limited to knowledge and intellect—her character is outstanding too. Bringing all this must be quite a hassle, not to mention expensive.
I can’t believe she bought all of this for the students.”
All the students of the Euros dormitory were already impressed by Idnia, but after seeing her bring snacks for them, some even began to revere her.
“As expected of the duke’s daughter.”
“Thank you.”
“Thank you for the food.”
“Alright, everyone, take just one each.”
Everyone excitedly received the snacks.
Marie also happily accepted the snacks from Idnia.
But then, a moving suit of armor appeared and interrupted.
“It’s late, so go inside and get some sleep! The weekend is about to end!”
The voice of the gatekeeper Gibbles marked the end of the weekend.
While Earth operates on a five-day workweek, here it was still a six-day week. As Idnia’s overnight leave ended, so did the students’ first weekend.
Most of the students were from noble or gentry families wealthy enough to bear family crests, so this would likely be their first experience of Monday blues in their lives.
Thinking about it, I can’t help but feel a little pleased. To think they’re about to experience Monday blues. Well, at least they don’t have to commute since they live in the dorms, so that’s some relief.
A disease that leads to death—
That must be Monday blues.
Most students who had never experienced labor lost their minds when Monday arrived.
“Ugh!”
“This is ridiculous! I want to rest more!”
“Why is this happening!? I rested all weekend, but the fatigue won’t go away!”
Everyone trembled at the fatigue that didn’t disappear even after resting over the weekend.
This was especially true for the children of the upper class who had grown up without ever working.
On top of that, harsh classes awaited them starting Monday morning.
“Extraction! No, Basic Alchemy class is back!”
Dryad Niley’s alchemy class began on Monday morning.
It seemed intent on extracting the magical energy of students who had just recovered over the weekend.
This time, mandragora had been prepared instead of willow.
“Alright, everyone! Today we will extract mandragora, which is widely used as a potion base. First, we will learn the preliminary processing steps!”
“The preliminary steps?”
“Yes. First, we’ll begin by washing the mandragora.”
The mandragora, covered in soil as though freshly pulled from the ground, were grotesque root plants resembling ginseng with human faces growing from them.
Washing them with water was the job of the alchemy assistants.
“You’re having us do such simple work? We’d like to learn something more like proper magic.”
Sendia protested.
It was a bold statement, but perhaps because everyone felt the same, they silently supported her.
“Everyone. Alchemy may look glamorous on the surface, but…”
“It doesn’t even look glamorous.”
“Ahem. In any case, while alchemy may seem like it’s just about making potions, in reality most of the work involves preparing raw materials, extraction, and managing and operating laboratory equipment.
If you study alchemy more deeply, you will come to understand its importance. In other words, this class serves as training to build the foundation of a proper alchemist.
Creativity?
Creativity without the basics will only lead to explosions.
Now then, form groups by dormitory.”
Students from the four dormitories formed their groups.
“Each dormitory will be provided with two washing basins, one water pump, and a workbench.
You will have one hour starting now. Wash as many mandragora as possible. This will be a dormitory competition!”
“Ugh.”
The students shuddered at the instructor’s ruthless decision to pit dorms against each other from Monday morning.
However, seeing that Idnia and Karl had returned from their overnight stay, they were eager for shop points.
Even without that, they wanted to unlock school facilities and secure something quickly.
Since everyone was desperate for shop points, they had no choice but to work hard, just as the instructor intended.
“L-let’s brush off this dirt first.”
“Ugh! The dust is no joke!”
The students picked up mandragora covered in dirt and tried brushing it off with their hands, but dust began flying everywhere and many started coughing.
“Gentlemen of Zephyros dormitory! I will take command. Please follow me.”
Unable to stand it any longer, Crown Prince Rudolf stepped forward to lead.
He selected a strong student to operate the water pump and fill the washing basin with water.
The others were instructed to place the mandragora directly into the basin.
As the muddy mandragora entered the water, large amounts of dirt came in with it.
“Hmph? What are you planning?”
Karl scoffed at the sight, but Rudolf shook his head.
“Alright everyone, use rotational magic!”
The water in the basin began to rotate, washing the mandragora.
Students then transferred them to another basin and rinsed them with clean water.
After roughly washing off the dirt with the spinning basin and finishing with clean water, the mandragora were cleaned in no time.
However, this method consumed a large amount of clean water from the second basin.
Moreover, the students who were supposed to be mages were doing manual labor.
On top of that, dirt began accumulating in the first basin, causing it to overflow.
“Uh, what should we do, Lord Rudolf? Should we empty the basin first?”
“No. We’ll do it like this.”
Rudolf raised his wand and cast a spell himself.
Surprisingly, he cast magic on the settled dirt and mud, summoning a mud spirit.
A lump of mud about 130 cm tall, the size of a child, rose up and began moving.
Rudolf moved the mud creature aside, and the water in the first basin became clear.
With the mud spirit taking over the water pump as well, the students who had been operating it joined the cleaning effort.
As Zephyros had many students to begin with, this method allowed a large number of mandragora to be washed and piled up on the workbench.
Karl of Boreas scoffed.
“Dust? I’ll handle that with whirlwind magic. Just endure it!”
“Yes!”
Karl used whirlwind magic to create strong winds behind the students, and with their backs to the wind, the Boreas students brushed the mandragora clean with their hands.
Karl and his assistant mages used wind magic to blow away the dust generated from brushing off the dirt, passing it along to others, who then rinsed the mandragora using water from the basin to finish.
They began washing at tremendous speed.
Although Boreas had 47 students, fewer than Zephyros’s 61, their cleaning speed was actually faster.
“Good. Looks like we’ll be making a nice profit again this time.”
Karl was acting smug, but then he heard a voice.
“I wonder if that’s really the case?”
It was Lorenzo, the leader of the Notos dormitory.