Something Special Is Needed

Something special was needed.

After seeing Elise off — her expression somehow lighter than before — I returned to the restaurant, only to find a new worry waiting for me.

"Hmm… I've already stacked up this much?"

Floating before my eyes was a status window message I'd grown thoroughly used to by now. Reaching Level 4 was something to celebrate — and yet, paradoxically, that very fact was the source of my new headache.

Show more.

The problem was that I'd been so frantically busy living that I'd completely forgotten about the status window. The fact that Monarch of Gastronomy would evolve one stage at Level 5 was one thing — but more importantly, I'd forgotten about the points that came with each level-up.

I hadn't really touched them since the incident with Sylvia, so a fair amount had piled up. The trouble was, I had no idea what to spend them on.

"No — there are plenty of things I could spend them on, really… the question is where to put the weight."

I knew from my game knowledge that a mock battle pitting the classes against each other was scheduled for roughly two weeks from now. But more important than that was, as always, making money.

"Let's see… half a year's tuition is roughly a thousand gold…"

This academy was a three-year school. Three years of tuition alone came to six thousand gold. After graduation, a building for a new restaurant plus miscellaneous costs would run about two thousand more. Factor in textbooks, living expenses, ingredients, and practical fees over the years — call it another two thousand — and the total I needed to save by graduation was roughly ten thousand gold.

Against that, the money I currently had was a little short of three hundred gold.

"At this rate, I don't stand a chance."

It was the moment I finally understood why only the children of nobility could attend this school. It wasn't anything complicated — the tuition was just ridiculously expensive.

Given how the world worked, I had no choice but to scrape and claw for every coin. Fortunately, the restaurant was currently running in the black. My income sources were packing daily lunchboxes for the Empire duo and inviting academy students over for a meal every few days. Thanks to that, even though only two weeks had passed since the semester began, I'd managed to pull in roughly a hundred gold in revenue.

At a glance, that might sound like an absurd profit margin — but revenue and net profit were entirely different things. After subtracting ingredient costs, rent, and various other expenses, the actual net came to a mere fifty gold.

Of course, it was better than when I'd been cast out of the de Valin family. Still… I had a gut feeling that things wouldn't be easy at this pace.

"I need something revolutionary…!"

Should I expand the lunchbox business? Invite more ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠students to the restaurant? Or go all-in and elevate the place into a fine-dining establishment?

Turning over those thoughts, I idly flipped through the status window.

Raising these stats wouldn't be a bad idea, but whether it would help me make money right now was another question. Kitchen work was a battle of endurance, so bumping up Vitality a little might help… or I could raise Intelligence and think of better methods. Or dump everything into Luck and hope for some fortuitous encounter?

"But none of them are sure things…"

So, for now, on hold.

Next up were the skills.

Red indicators were lit across various fields, urging me to invest points. Martial Arts was the first thing that caught my eye, but… well.

"Swinging a sword with this frail body? Of course that's out of the question…!"

It was almost laughable. That one was rejected on the spot.

Alchemy was essentially an academic discipline — if I studied it properly, it could be useful, so it was worth considering. But having fallen into a fantasy world, I couldn't deny I was drawn to magic.

"Well, I seem to be a character with high mana anyway… shall I take a look over here?"

Selecting Magic brought up the next window.

An array of magic types I could currently learn was laid out before me. I'd learned a barrier spell before fighting Sylvia, so the layout itself was familiar. The dilemma this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠time, however, was entirely different.

Which of these magics would make me money?

I selected Fire Magic on the far left in my mind, and a detailed description appeared.

I read through it carefully, but it didn't particularly appeal. With this I could cook outside the kitchen, sure — but I already had a kitchen. Oven and burners ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fully equipped. Knowing how to light a flame would be more than enough.

Next I read through Ice Magic, and was equally uninterested. Hadn't this already been replaced by a refrigerator?

"This is a problem… there's less useful stuff here than I expected…"

It was surprising. Magics that had been tremendously useful in combat suddenly looked worthless the moment I laid them against the domain of money. At this point, I was starting to want to go back to Alchemy. Couldn't they turn stones into gold over there… or something?

Holding onto that optimistic thought, I dutifully scanned the remaining magics — and then Light Magic caught my eye.

"Hmm… doesn't Light Magic include healing spells?"

Without any particular expectations, I began reading the description. I had no real hopes. I was simply reading it because its turn had come.

But the further I read… the more it felt like I'd stumbled onto something unexpected.

"This… if I play it right, this could be huge…!"

The revolutionary something I'd been searching for all along.

"Before we begin the lecture — is there any student who knows what Light Magic is?"

At the professor's deep, resonant voice, a pale white hand rose quietly into the air.

"You there — Miss Angelica."

"Yes. My knowledge is limited, but I'll try to explain."

With a soft ahem to clear her throat, Angelica began in a gentle voice.

"Light Magic is a school that wields the mana of light, imbued with the Goddess's blessing."

Known for healing wounds, easing poisons and curses, and invigorating life force, Light Magic was primarily used by clergy of the Goddess Religion. Given its wide application in sacred rites and blessings, Angelica had already mastered it to a considerable degree.

"Well explained. And what is the most fundamental spell of Light Magic?"

"I'd say Lesser Heal is the foundation. This spell is closer to stimulating damaged life activity with mana, so one can hardly expect results on the already dead, or on undead that possess no life activity at all."

"Excellent. You may take your seat. Now then, as Miss Angelica has just so clearly explained…"

As Angelica finished her presentation and sat back down, I leaned over and whispered quietly.

"Senior… I have a question."

"Eek!"

Her reaction was, somehow, rather intense.

"Wha— Junior Carmilla? How on earth did you get here…?"

I'd simply slipped into the seat beside her so as not to disrupt the lecture… This girl startled more easily than I'd expected.

"I'm sorry for surprising you, but there's something I'd like to ask."

"Uh… what is it?"

Setting that minor revelation aside, I cut straight to the point.

"You just said that Light Magic stimulates life activity…"

"Yes — if you're referring to Lesser Heal, that's correct."

"Then… I was wondering what would happen if you used it on vegetables."

"Eh?"

Angelica's eyes went round.

"You're saying… you'd use Lesser Heal on plants?"

"Something like that. If you cast that kind of magic on a seed, wouldn't it grow faster?"

"Th-that's… I've never heard of such a thing."

Her fluster was plain to see.

"The Goddess's blessing is meant to soothe wounded life — not to rush crops along. So your idea, Junior, might lean a little toward the… blasphemous side…"

"But theoretically, there's no reason it wouldn't work, is there? A power that stimulates life activity should work the same whether the target is a person or a plant."

"Well… that's true, but…"

Angelica's words trailed off. She had no real theoretical counterargument, yet her expression was thoroughly troubled.

"Besides — a well-grown vegetable ends up filling someone's stomach. Isn't that perfectly in line with the will of a Goddess who loves humanity? That's how I see it, at least."

"W-when you put it that way… I suppose it does sound like that…"

Her gaze began to waver. One more push and she might tip over.

"Mmm… how should I put this… I'm finding it rather hard to argue back…"

"Hehe… if you help me, I promise the repayment won't leave you wanting."

At those words, Angelica deliberated for a long while. Curiosity and faith, weighed against each other on the scales — what would the result be?

As I waited with anticipation, her answer came:

"Just this once, all right?"

And so, Angelica became my collaborator.