episode_0438

First rule.

You will have five chances to enhance your equipment per day, no exceptions.

Just to clarify, one attempt does not mean one enhancement. It means continuously trying until the enhancement fails.

“If you fail five enhancements in total, your chance is over.”

The reason why only five attempts are allowed is obviously intentional.

It was to prevent the students from becoming addicted, but more importantly, it was to build rapport with SSR characters.

“Thanks to this rule, I’ve built quite a bit of rapport up to the 12th enhancement.”

If you enhance all your equipment in one day, how will you build rapport with SSR characters?

I didn’t really pay much attention to enhancing unique equipment.

But as time passed and I made a few mistakes during enhancements, students naturally became curious about me.

“Why do this, and why do this to yourself?”

“They must have been curious as to why enhancing equipment improves its performance, since they don’t know it themselves.”

It was strange to suddenly enter into a sponsorship contract, offering unexpected benefits like enhancements.

Naturally, it raised eyebrows.

Furthermore, we didn’t have any visible benefits from doing this for the students.

“If curiosity about me arises, isn’t that the beginning of getting closer?”

By failing enhancements and celebrating successes together, and frequently facing each other, rapport is naturally built.

“The second rule is.”

If you bring a friend, you will receive an additional enhancement opportunity.

This rule was created to entice other SSR characters who ignore requests to come for enhancements.

It was also a way to appease those who felt that five enhancements per day were too few.

Honestly, I had my doubts about whether anyone would actually bring a friend just for one more enhancement.

Would they really go through the trouble of bringing a friend just for one more enhancement?

If it were me, I would have been satisfied with just five enhancements per day out of laziness.

“But, once you get a taste of enhancements, even one opportunity becomes precious.”

It was a rule I hesitantly added, but surprisingly, it seemed to resonate well with the kids.

“Dragging me out late at night, only to end up at a general store? Are you out of your mind?”

“Shh. It’s a good place for you too, so why do you keep complaining? Just be quiet.”

A student who had visited the general store in the afternoon brought another friend and knocked on the door of the store.

I thought they would come the next day, but their execution was impressive.

“As promised, I brought another friend. Can we have one more chance now?”

“Um… we can, but I didn’t expect you to come at this hour.”

“Please, do it now. I kept my promise.”

Since our store closes as soon as the sun sets, I had to come down from the second floor upon hearing the knocking on the door.

“Hey, what are you doing here? You said you would show me something good, but what you’re doing looks suspicious! If you don’t explain properly, I’ll just leave.”

“No! If you leave, I won’t be able to enhance my equipment.”

“What exactly is this enhancement? Are you weak or something?”

Seeing a hint of doubt in their eyes and their suspicious expression, I decided to step in, as they seemed to be imagining the worst.

“I wouldn’t risk my life by distributing drugs to students. I wouldn’t do such a thing.”

“…I didn’t mean it that way, I apologize. But as you can see, Terios seems a bit off.”

“It’s just due to ambition, competitiveness, things like that. It’s inevitable at your age, isn’t it?”

“Who is Terios competing with?”

“You seem to have a lot of questions, would you like to hear more?”

“It does seem suspicious, but I’m curious now. I want to hear more.”

Somehow, I felt like I had become a scammer running a multi-level scam, but finding solace in the fact that this was not for my own gain, I started to fleece people in earnest.

Expanding our customer base in this way, it seemed like we could easily welcome 16 students as customers in no time.

※ ※ ※

“Huh? That equipment… You know that general store too!”

“Huh? General store? What are you talking about?”

He cocked his head in confusion at the sudden mention of a general store.

Out of the blue, mentioning a general store.

How could anyone know what general store they were talking about?

I knew there were 3-4 general stores near the academy.

“Your equipment. If it sparkles, it means it’s at level 12.”

“Level 12??”

“You don’t have to pretend you don’t know. I know about it too. I haven’t reached level 12 yet. You seem to have, and I envy you.”

Envy me?

“I don’t understand what you’re suddenly talking about.”

“You don’t have to pretend you don’t know. I know about that general store too. Honestly, everyone’s whispering about it, so those who already know probably all know, right? And on top of that, you’re not even hiding it, walking around with level 12 equipment. It’s not funny to pretend you don’t know.”

“Are you talking about this right now?”

Pointing to the gift he received, he mentioned it, causing his friend to raise an eyebrow.

“Yeah, that’s the enhanced equipment.”

“I don’t know. I got this from a friend.”

“…You got that as a gift from a friend?”

“Yeah.”

It was a gift that he instantly liked when he first saw it.

Wanting to receive it, he quickly worked in the north and managed to visit the empire again by joining the envoy.

He still felt grateful every time he looked at his friend’s gift.

It shone much more beautifully than when he first saw it, making him feel more pleased the more he looked at it.

And he was somewhat taken aback by the fact that his friend’s mention of enhanced equipment was referring to his friend’s gift.

“Who on earth is this amazing friend of yours? Can’t you introduce me to them?”

“Introduce? Why?”

Suhan is my friend.

It wasn’t a bad thing to introduce friends to each other and get along well.

The problem was that he didn’t want to introduce Suhan to his friend.

Even if the words were awkward, one could sense the meaning behind them.

This friend wasn’t trying to make friends with Suhan as a person, but rather wanted something from him.

“I keep failing because I have bad luck.”

“Failing?”

“Yeah! I’ve been trying non-stop for a whole week, but I couldn’t get to level 10! Do you think that makes sense?”

“???”

Because he kept talking in incomprehensible gibberish, he didn’t know how to react to his friend.

“Your friend seems to have some luck with enhancements. Can’t you ask them to lend you some luck?”

“Luck is something you can’t see. Even if I wanted to lend it, I couldn’t.”

“I’m not a fool, and there’s no way I wouldn’t know that. I just wanted to hear some good luck charms that say you’ll succeed from someone who seems lucky!”

“What’s a good luck charm?”

He was struggling with some words he still didn’t understand.

“A good luck charm is a blessing that says things will go well for you.”

“Um….”

If that’s the case, his friend probably wouldn’t mind hearing such compliments.

He had often heard people envy the gifts his friend had given him.

Although he was starting to get used to it, such compliments still made him feel good.

He didn’t expect to hear his friend ask to be introduced because of this gift.

“I’ll ask my friend.”

“Okay. Please think positively as much as possible. I’m really desperate.”

“Okay.”

Lately, I’ve been feeling unsure about whether coming to study in the empire was a good decision, but when I think of my friend, it doesn’t seem so meaningless after all.

“My classmates are nice, but too many people in the North dislike them.”

I was invited to the coronation ceremony because I had become friends with Princess Mona, who had become the heir to the empire.

It’s a shame that Princess Mona becoming the heir meant she couldn’t focus on her academy life.

“I wanted to have fun together at the academy… But still, it’s a good thing for Princess Mona.”

Although I was disappointed that I had less time to spend with good people, I genuinely wanted to congratulate her.

With a happy heart, I attended the coronation ceremony, but inside the academy, I could feel sharp gazes that I couldn’t feel before.

“What’s that smell? They’re from a minority group, right?”

“How are they here?”

“Why is a slave being used in the palace?”

Thud-

I closed my eyes.

It was not a good thing to dwell on.

Thinking I should forget it, but constantly remembering it was a problem.

I had made a choice that couldn’t be undone.

“The empire lives so well, but the North still struggles. If we receive help from the empire, or at least get along with them, our North can live better too.”

Calling myself a slave while wearing a dress was probably meant to be mocking.

Studying the imperial language wasn’t to understand such words.

“Don’t hate the people of the empire.”

Even for the sake of the North, one shouldn’t have bad thoughts.

I couldn’t disappoint those who supported and believed in my choice.

“There are good people too. Like my friends!”

Coming to the empire wasn’t all bad.

No, there were actually more good things.

My classmates who accepted me without discrimination, and the precious connection with a friend who gave me a valuable gift, were all cherished.

I had expected this level of resistance when I decided to engage with the empire.

I had received a big bruise for being defenseless, but it could heal without leaving a scar.

“You can trust Princess Mona.”

However, I couldn’t hide my melancholy heart, and I missed my friend.

Whenever my heart felt weak, I wanted to seek out my friend, perhaps because we shared a secret.

But today, I suppressed the weak impulse.

Wasn’t Suhan the one who introduced me to Yul because he was worried about whether I would adapt well?

I wanted to show my worrying friend that I was doing well.