Chapter 45 – The Peaceful Midterm Week (2)

“A gift for you.”

Bill, who had arrived with the materials I’d previously ordered loaded on a carriage, handed me an object familiar from my time on Earth.

“Hmm? What’s this?”

“Ginseng. It was sent by the head of the household.”

“Why are they giving this to me?”

“They simply sent it. They said you should eat it all, without leaving any behind.”

Ten pieces of ginseng, each the size of a person’s forearm, packaged with a scroll enchanted with preservation magic. When am I supposed to finish all this?

Though it felt a bit excessive, I didn’t refuse since it was good for health. When I was younger, I wouldn’t even touch ginseng candy, let alone ginseng itself, but now that I’m older, I find myself readily accepting anything that’s good for my body.

Things like potions that help with fatigue recovery, rich broths perfect for hot summer days, or germanium bracelets that supposedly emit negative ions…

The last one seemed a bit tacky, so I didn’t wear it. I probably stashed it in a drawer somewhere; I could find it if I looked.

“Alright, tell them I appreciate it.”

“Understood.”

As Bill was about to leave, I hurriedly stopped him.

“Oh, right. Can you get me a sword? Something sturdy.”

“A sword? Hmm… I hesitate to say this, but the weaponry supplied by the workshop contracted with our trading company might not meet your standards, Mr. Louis.”

While the Ruhillen Trading Company had the highest trade volume in Farencia, including agricultural products and textiles, high-value items like perfumes, artifacts, and weapons were handled more selectively by specialized dealers.

Bill suggested that I check out an auction house.

After all, the price of weaponry made from magic stones could vary greatly, so the best quality items were likely to be found at an auction house, in his opinion.

“Show them this pass, and you should be able to get in right away.”

Taking the pass he gave me, I headed to the auction house and was surprised to find more people there than I had expected.

Unlike the underground auction house in Alsace where Lehel had been detained previously, Farencia’s auction house was a bright, bustling marketplace.

There were circus performances and theater groups scattered about. Gambling tables were still present, with some people playing poker off to the side.

And there, a familiar head of white hair—

“Oh? Boss~!”

She couldn’t resist getting in on the action. Lehel approached, waving all five intact fingers. Her long, silvery hair, which contrasted with her worn, dirty robe, flowed down to her waist.

“What brings you here?”

“I came to check out some items at the auction.”

“Items?”

“Yes. I’m thinking of buying a sword.”

Lehel’s face went pale at my words. Then, her shoulders slumped, and she began to sniffle.

“Headmaster?”

“Sniff…!”

Lehel wiped her nose and dabbed at her tear-filled eyes, looking around. She started to remove her robe, neatly folding it.

When she pulled her arm out of the thin shirt she wore underneath and began sliding it down, revealing a tempting expanse of her white belly, I quickly came to my senses and stopped her.

“What are you doing!?”

“I-I’ll do better. Sniff! Even if it means stripping down and begging in front of everyone… Just please, anything but that…”

“What are you talking about?! Calm down! Put your clothes back on!!”

Anyone watching would think I was threatening her. In fact, a few people were murmuring and staring in our direction.

Quickly showing my pass to the guard at the auction house, I pulled Lehel inside. I stopped her from repeatedly trying to bow to the ground as I spoke.

“What’s with all the drama?”

“The world… is ending… sniff!”

Did she think I was developing a nuclear weapon or something? I only mentioned getting a sword.

Judging by her reaction, you’d think she’d just heard an announcement about the start of World War III.

“Like last time, you never know when the store might be in danger again.”

“Don’t you think it’s more dangerous for you to wield a sword?”

“How is that dangerous?”

If one desires peace, one must prepare for war. While this world doesn’t have nuclear weapons, there are plenty of monstrous beings capable of casting magic that’s just as destructive.

Mutual assured destruction and the unlimited escalation of military power would serve as the bulwark of Farencia’s peace.

Parabellum. Search and Destroy.

Doesn’t that sound beautiful?

“Since we’re here, why not take a look at the auction? If nothing good catches my eye, I was just planning to look around, but now that you’re trying to stop me, I’m more inclined to buy something.”

“Oh no! Oh, Hela… I’ve created a hell…!”

History is bound to repeat itself.

The Ice Duke’s prayer, from someone who seemed like they would never believe in any god, sounded remarkably like the lamentations of a scientist devastated by witnessing a nuclear explosion. Oh, I like that sword.

“The Cursed Sword, Boshvang! It’s said to never stop once it’s swung until it has killed all the enemies around!”

“Eek!”

“Next up, Severing Sword, Mordred! The stronger the user’s anger, the more it creates a tempest that destroys everything around!”

“Eek!!”

“If the world’s strongest swordsman were to wield this, it could tear Farencia apart!!”

“Aaahhh!!!”

I enjoyed watching Lehel’s increasingly extreme reactions as I observed the auction.

It had been a while since I last enjoyed such a peaceful day.

***

“Hmm, that was unfortunate.”

“Heeek, heeek, heeek…”

As we left the auction house, I clicked my tongue. It was a predictable outcome; the caliber of swords I wanted was far too expensive for the money I had on hand.

I was also considering installing defense spells and traps to handle intruders in the store. If I factored in those costs, spending hundreds or thousands of gold on a sword felt wasteful. Besides, I didn’t have that much money to spare.

Still, it was nice to see some rare items and feast my eyes. As for the weapon… I guess I’ll just buy some iron swords from a blacksmith and use them as disposables for now.

“Um, take this…”

As I was about to head home, Lehel tugged on my sleeve. She offered me her auction purchase, a “Wind Orb,” bought with the money she had left from gambling.

“Take this and… please don’t buy a sword.”

It was like an otter handing a cherished shell to a human. Should I accept this?

“It’s said to help you wake up feeling refreshed in the morning. If you keep it on your back, it cures back pain…”

“Thanks, I’ll take it.”

Though my back was fine, it seemed like a healthy item to keep. Well… I’m sure I’ll find a use for it later.

***

“You have 60 minutes. If you’re caught cheating, you’ll receive the lowest score possible, so keep that in mind. Alright, begin.”

The first test of the new semester had begun. Adela, who received her exam paper, stared intently at her name in the corner of the page for a while. She was too afraid to look down.

[Midterm Exam: Basics of Magic]

[1. Define the topological changes of mana and karma’s dual-axis transformation using ‘Verding’s Theorem’ academically.]

[2. Describe the three primary principles of magic and discuss the differences in the operative mechanisms of spells according to these principles, as well as the stability of output using the 1st-tier magic <Electromagnetic Pulse> as a standard.]

[3. Explain six formulas for the mix ratio of mana and karma applied to ‘Reverse Spell Formulas’ and describe the meteorological conditions needed to make two spells created using these formulas operate within a three-dimensional coordinate system.]

…

A time limit of 60 minutes. Thirty descriptive questions, with no short answers in sight.

What in the world is all this? She couldn’t tell if the black marks before her were words or worms. She had no idea.

Adela had always believed she was only pretending to be a fool.

She thought she had deceived everyone, and if she wanted, she could reveal her true, intelligent, and composed self to the world, like her sister.

But the constant sound of students scribbling in the lecture hall and the exam paper in front of her, which she could not comprehend at all, said otherwise.

You really are a fool.

“No, I’m not!!!”

“What’s going on over there?”

“Huh? Oh, nothing…”

“If you shout one more time, you will be dismissed. Keep quiet.”

“Yes…”

She quickly composed herself. Feeling defeated, Adela picked up her fountain pen with trembling hands and began to scribble down the answers she knew.

[1. Define the topological changes of mana and karma’s dual-axis transformation using ‘Verding’s Theorem’ academically.]

— Verding is… good at organizing… so maybe he’d make a good janitor at the store…

[2. Describe the three primary principles of magic and discuss the differences in the operative mechanisms of spells according to these principles, as well as the stability of output using the 1st-tier magic <Electromagnetic Pulse> as a standard.]

— Sky, earth, people (?)

[3. Explain six formulas for the mix ratio of mana and karma applied to ‘Reverse Spell Formulas’ and describe the meteorological conditions needed to make two spells created using these formulas operate within a three-dimensional coordinate system.]

— Reverse charm… in front of Teacher…?

…

Even to herself, they were far from the correct answers. Grabbing her head in frustration, Adela slumped onto her desk.

Her lack of magical knowledge was due to her prolonged method acting, pretending to be dumb, and on top of that, she hadn’t attended classes properly during her first year.

Could it be that she had truly become a fool?

An alarm bell rang in her mind.

After submitting an almost blank answer sheet, Adela cautiously approached Erzebert, who was in the same classroom.

She was casually discussing the problems with the other students.

“Princess…”

“Adela? What’s up?”

As Adela approached, she noticed Erzebert place Phi, who had been waiting outside the classroom, on her shoulder.

“How did your exam go?”

“I’m not sure. But more importantly, Princess.”

“Yes?”

“Well, you see…”

Twisting her fingers nervously, Adela asked Erzebert, who had observed her more closely than anyone else, aside from Louis.

“Do you… think I’m a fool?”

“?”

Erzebert’s head tilted slightly, along with Phi’s, at the unexpected question.

She picked up Adela’s exam paper and carefully read her answers.

“Phi—.”

“Phi, that’s no way to speak to a person.”

“Phi—.”

“Where did you learn such a bad expression? Was it from that man, Louis!?”

Erzebert warmly held Adela’s hand and spoke kindly.

“No, Adela. In fact, you’ve improved.”

“Huh?”

“Truly foolish people don’t even realize they’re foolish.”

“Yes?”

“Though Adela did turn down Lord William’s invitation, looking back, I think it was my lack of insight.”

To foresee the kingdom’s future, it’s shortsighted to only consider harmony between families.

One must also consider how much outstanding talent future generations might inherit from their parents—

“Let’s try bit by bit. Let’s focus on studying for the remaining subjects.”

Not wanting to hurt Adela with her words, Erzebert decided to offer her whatever little help she could to prevent her from failing.

I’m so glad. I’m not a fool.

Thanks to her comforting words, Adela sighed in relief. Thinking about it, her recent magical failure had been because she hadn’t calculated the decrease in karma.

“Got it!”

With a bit of effort, she could easily surpass that second-year student, Liv Labre.

Adela, who had completely forgotten about the exam she had just taken, regained her confident expression.