Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 55
>Chapter Title: You're Already a Good Person
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Long corridor.
"Huu...."
Dibei let out a long sigh as he took his steps.
Clack. Clack.
The manager's footsteps echoed through the space ahead of him, while his mind was a tangled mess.
'Is this right? It has to be, right? Yeah, it must be.'
He thought he'd already made up his mind long ago, but now that it was actually here, staying composed wasn't so easy.
He'd shown his face to an academy assistant instructor and tucked the exam papers into his bosom.
Now it was a done deal, no backing out.
It felt like he'd crossed some irreversible line.
The envelope of documents in his bosom felt so heavy.
His arms trembled as he clutched it tight.
But the real weight wasn't the papers—it was on Dibei's heart.
"Here we are. I'll leave you to it."
The restaurant manager said that, gave a light nod, and stepped back.
Dibei gathered his thoughts and stood before the door.
'Now it's really....'
No turning back.
The moment he opened this door and handed over the exam papers, he'd be the mastermind behind it all.
Was that why he hesitated?
It wasn't easy to put strength into the hand resting on the doorknob.
And so, as he lingered on the feel of that cold metal....
'Alright.'
Dibei steeled himself.
'This is what you've been thinking from the start, isn't it? The risk is unavoidable.'
This was Goldrin, after all.
One of the top three trading companies on the Eastern Continent.
A continental powerhouse that even prestigious noble houses couldn't touch lightly—one that gripped a pillar of the merchant world in its fist!
If he could hitch his wagon to them, what was this little risk?
The rewards far outweighed the dangers he was taking on.
Right before opening the door like that.
'Ah.'
Dibei realized his mistake and knocked to announce himself.
A voice soon replied from within.
"Come in."
Dibei opened the door and stepped inside.
The door that had seemed so heavy just moments ago now felt light as a feather with a single shift in resolve.
Anyway, into that space he went.
Dibei silently gazed ahead.
'....'
A single girl sat in the office.
Behind her stood a man cloaked in a robe. Dibei glanced at him briefly before looking away.
It was the wizard employed by Goldrin—he'd seen him once before.
Meanwhile, Evelyn kept processing the mountain of papers even after Dibei entered.
It was an amount that would bore anyone ordinary, but Dibei couldn't hide his envy.
'...As expected.'
They were on a different level.
Having grown up in a trading house, Dibei knew better than anyone what it meant for merchants to handle documents.
Regardless of age, it meant her values and judgment as a merchant had been recognized.
Even in mid-sized houses, handling papers at that age wasn't easy.
Let alone in Goldrin.
'Even as the heir, they don't lower the bar just because of blood ties.'
That made it all the more impressive.
How much time passed like that.
Thud.
Evelyn finished signing one document and looked up.
When their deep blue eyes met, Dibei unconsciously tensed his shoulders.
Unlike at the academy, her gaze felt chilling, piercing right through him.
Evelyn cut straight to the chase.
"How'd it go with the goods?"
"...Here. I brought them."
Evelyn signaled with her eyes to the wizard beside her.
The wizard stepped forward, took the document envelope from Dibei, and skimmed its contents.
"Basic Class Year 1 magic major: all four subjects, plus two general subjects. Even the practical exam events and evaluation methods are all here."
Dibei added the explanation, tense for no reason.
Soon the wizard nodded.
"It's genuine. The paper quality, the seals stamped on it, and the mana patterns inside—all match the academy's."
"...."
Dibei swallowed hard at the wizard's words.
They verified authenticity through form, not content.
He hadn't even thought to check that far, but who knew they had such a method.
"Hmm, looks like you brought the goods properly."
Evelyn nodded indifferently, as if it were only natural.
For all the agony Dibei had gone through, the dry response stung a bit, but he didn't dwell on it.
Convincing the seller was the hard part; delivering the goods? Anyone could do that.
Even a street errand boy could handle it.
What mattered was the risk that came with taking the job.
Anyway.
"You got a good look at the seller's face, right?"
"...Yes. I made sure he knows I've been his sponsor for the past year. He didn't believe it at first, but he came around eventually."
"Hmm, I see...."
Evelyn leaned back, dangling her foot idly.
Dibei felt a burning thirst as he waited for her to speak.
How long did he wait?
Her lips parted just as Dibei swallowed dryly.
"Good work. No issues this time."
"...Ah."
Just those words of thanks.
Dibei's lips trembled.
"Th-then...."
"Yes. As promised, we'll keep giving you opportunities, Dibei. And Pingrub House will get our support too. Of course, we'll make it clear it's your achievement."
"Ah!"
Pingrub House was Dibei's family.
And now Goldrin was backing them—in his name, no less!
'Yes! It's done!'
Dibei cheered inwardly.
He couldn't fully show his joy in front of Evelyn, but his fists shook visibly.
'Now Pingrub is completely mine. Mine!'
He'd assumed as the eldest son he'd inherit the house naturally.
But that damned little brother had kept him from earning their father's trust.
Unlike Dibei, who had magical talent, his brother was born with merchant savvy.
But if Goldrin's backing came from his own merits....
'I won't need any of that. I can kick out that bastard!'
Who in the family could oppose him now?
All that was left was to graduate the academy and stand tall as Pingrub's master on the continent!
But.
While Dibei dreamed big, Evelyn's eyes remained ice cold.
The gaze of one who saw only merchandise.
She spoke only after he'd calmed down a bit.
"Then come back tomorrow at this time."
"Tomorrow...."
"We'll inspect it closely and hand it back. We have to distribute the exam papers to the customers, right? You'll be handling that from now on too, Dibei."
"...Ah!"
Dibei let out an exclamation of awe, then looked at Evelyn with renewed fire in his eyes.
"Th-then, does that mean...."
"We'll prepare a copy for you too. Oh, and I don't recommend aiming for perfect scores. Plenty of chances to boost your grades later."
"Ah, thank you! Thank you!"
Dibei bowed repeatedly.
He wouldn't do something stupid like chasing perfect scores anyway.
'Plenty of chances to raise grades, just like she said.'
Little by little, steadily.
Gradually improving would avoid suspicion and look good.
She'd probably advised the customers on that too.
"Ah, then I'll...."
Dibei noticed Evelyn staring at him blankly and quickly opened the door to leave.
Creak.
Thud.
The moment Dibei stepped out.
"...What an idiot."
A low mutter escaped.
The blank expression from before was gone, replaced by irritation on her languid face.
A side different from what she showed at the academy or to Dibei.
The emotion in her eyes was clear contempt, and it was a while before she spoke again.
"Work's going smoothly?"
"Yes. In a few days, every job you've been involved in will have 'Dibei' and 'Pingrub House' substituted in."
"See it through without mistakes. We're using that fool for one reason only."
"Understood."
Evelyn nodded at the crisp reply.
That's right.
Dibei had unwittingly dragged not just himself but his whole family into the muck with this job.
His name alone couldn't shoulder the scale of it.
The money funneled to the black marketeer, the funds spread to academy assistants over a year.
Who'd believe it all came from one undergrad like Dibei?
Dragging in Pingrub House was inevitable.
'Something anyone could figure out with a little thought, but his brain just doesn't turn.'
Evelyn shook her head with a sigh.
Anyway.
"Oh, right. Didn't the black marketeer have a message?"
As if recalling something she'd forgotten, Evelyn asked the wizard, who replied.
"Ah, yes. Nothing major. The black marketeer's pulling out after this job. But the guild's sending someone over, so no real hitches."
"Heard the seller's leaving the academy too?"
"We sponsor plenty of assistants anyway. The issue is turning them into sellers...."
"That's the black marketeer's job. We pay money, they sell know-how. Not our headache."
Evelyn currently sponsored a fair number of assistants through the black marketeer.
Unlike lecturers, assistants were always strapped for cash.
Corrupting them was another matter—that was the black marketeer's role.
Anyway.
"You've finally taken the first step."
"Just the first. You know how far we need to go."
"Yes. It's just Basic Class Year 1 now, but we'll expand to all of Basic Class, then Intermediate and Advanced too."
Evelyn nodded.
Just Basic Class Year 1?
Ridiculous.
Would she risk an underground exam market in the academy for a single year?
To make it profitable, it had to cover the whole academy.
Push the middling ones onto Dibei, manage the key ones herself.
Once that built up....
'Goldrin will grow wings.'
As noble houses grew more tyrannical by the day.
These connections would help check them later.
Even hyenas could take down a lion in a pack—that's nature.
She was thinking that far when.
Knock knock.
A knock, then a voice.
"Miss, dinner's ready. What shall we do?"
"...Let's go down."
Evelyn stood and headed out.
"Come. Eat together today."
"Thank you."
The wizard followed soon after.
And so.
Creak, thud!
A chill silence settled in the office.
"...."
From the shadows emerged a man.
"...Damn."
Aster curled one corner of his mouth in disbelief, matching his feelings exactly.
'I knew she was rotten from the start.'
No, rotten didn't cover it.
They say you spot a promising tree from its cotyledons, and Evelyn's sprout was yellowing straight to rot!
"Hmm, what to do."
From her demeanor, she wouldn't stop at burning a few branches while wearing a Decullan robe.
She might even ask Decullan for funds and tacit approval.
'Can't have that.'
The bear does the tricks, but the human pockets the money.
He didn't mind being a man-eating bear, but not one doing parlor tricks.
Whatever he did here, she'd just go more covert next time....
'Any good ideas?'
Aster plopped into Evelyn's chair, lost in thought.
He looked so at ease, like he owned the place—not an intruder lounging on her sofa.
'Method, a method....'
He needed to ruin this scheme, guide Evelyn straight, and ensure she never tried it again.
Nothing came to mind.
He'd always just smashed things and caused chaos.
Sure, he could blackmail her with the recording device he'd just used, but....
'Too valuable to waste now.'
As he pondered.
"...Ah!"
Snap!
Aster straightened, snapping his fingers.
A great idea hit.
One that'd guide Evelyn away from cheating, stop her from ever trying again, and....
'...lead her down the right path.'
Aster grabbed a parchment from the desk, unrolled it, and picked up a pen.
Utterly natural.
He glanced at the papers nearby, and then something amazing happened.
Scratch, swish... scratch.
It was Aster writing, but.
His handwriting matched Evelyn's perfectly!
When he filled half the page, Aster set down the pen and examined it.
"Hmm, skills haven't rusted yet."
Mimicking handwriting was an advanced technique few Troubleshooters could pull off.
He hadn't done it much lately, but thankfully, he hadn't lost his touch.
No one but her could tell.
'Now for the rest....'
Aster eyed the blank space on the parchment.
What went there: the client list for buying exam papers from Evelyn.
But without the list now, he left it blank for the time being....
'I'll know by tomorrow anyway.'
Just follow Dibei.
Aster slammed Evelyn's seal at the bottom and tucked the parchment into his bosom.
How to put it.
'Feels good.'
He hadn't fully reformed her yet, but his own goodness swelled with pride.
'You're already becoming a good person.'
He might even tear up realizing his own kindness!
Pleased, Aster nodded as he cleaned up his traces.
Took barely two breaths.
The room looked exactly as when Evelyn left.
'Alright, time to go.'
Clutching the letter securely, Aster slipped out of the office.
Time passed....
And soon, the academy midterms arrived.
Along with an event Evelyn wouldn't find funny.