Ch.154154 – The Guardian’s Empty Seat

<154 – The Absence of a Guardian>

‘They ran away.’

Professor Bronze De Astra couldn’t hide his disappointment at the sight of the Foundation representative leaving before even entering the classroom.

If he had known this would happen, he would have made the first move like Professor Destroyer.

Because he didn’t expect them to bail out, he missed the opportunity to get revenge by confronting and punishing the child who might have become his disciple.

“Heheng.”

It was irritating to see Oknodie grinning happily while he was burning with frustration.

“Oknodie, first-year. You seem very pleased to have met your guardian.”

“Yes!”

“It’s unfortunate that your guardian left early. Today is a practical evaluation day where you showcase the skills you’ve learned to the guardians who are observing the lecture.”

At those words, Titosoga, who was standing next to Oknodie, was startled.

“Whaaat! How could you not notify us in advance about something so important!”

Seeing Titosoga flustered, her guardian—a round man shaped like a bowling ball—laughed heartily and said:

“Don’t worry, Titosoga. If our baby has poor judgment, this father will choose clothes for you, choose a house for you, and even choose a husband for you!”

“Papa… I’ll choose my own husband!”

“Hohoho. Of course. I’m sure our daughter has a good eye for men, if nothing else. Just like your mother had when she chose this father.”

All the students made sour faces, whether their parents were present or not.

Those with parents thought, “Are there really parents who are such daughter-obsessed fools?” while those without thought, “It’s burdensome but also enviable in its own way, so please tone it down.”

Facing the critical gazes pouring from all directions, Titosoga boldly snorted with a “what are you going to do about it” expression.

“Hmph.”

Titosoga’s relationship with the other students in the Eye for Value class had deteriorated after the additional assignment incident.

After standing up for everyone only to receive criticism, Titosoga had hardened her heart and become a brave girl who no longer cared about others’ opinions.

“My baby Titosoga, get a perfect score and crush the grades of the other students!”

“Papa. Could you please stop cheering… it’s getting embarrassing…”

Even the brave Titosoga had to bow her head in embarrassment at her father’s doting behavior.

Professor Bronze, momentarily distracted by this remarkable father-daughter duo, regained his focus and introduced today’s practical exam.

“This lecture will be an appraisal practical exam where points are awarded based on how accurately you determine the value of items. Since all students will answer all questions, you’ll need a precise eye, so prepare yourselves thoroughly.”

Though not as extreme as Titosoga’s doting father, other guardians also encouraged their students with gleaming eyes.

“Don’t record worse grades than commoners. Show the pride of our noble family, Charles Donuts.”

“Don’t waste the value of the art pieces decorating our home that cost a thousand gold coins to cultivate your artistic eye. I want to believe my investment in you isn’t a sunk cost, Marinda.”

The guardians showed excessive enthusiasm befitting families and organizations that sent their students to the world’s best educational institution!

“Press the buzzer and answer correctly, press the buzzer and answer correctly, press the buzzer and answer correctly…”

“If I don’t make the top 20%, my dignity maintenance allowance will be cut, if I don’t make the top 50%, my food budget will be cut, if I don’t make the top 80%, next year’s tuition will be cut…”

Seeing the students becoming overly tense rather than relaxed, Giselle gave a hollow laugh.

“The students all look pitiful. Perhaps it would have been better if their guardians hadn’t come at all. Thanks to this, we might have an advantage. Oknodie. Isabelle.”

Giselle had casually offered words of encouragement.

Accurately determining the value of items—this was an excessively difficult test for students.

At best, they would probably guess approximate values.

Giselle herself had planned to control her dark merchant’s eye so as not to show off too much, and to subtly share points with Oknodie and Isabelle.

“10 gold coins and 5 silver coins!”

“That’s correct.”

“3 gold coins and 15 silver coins!”

“Correct.”

“That one has no value! It’s free!”

“…Oknodie, first-year. Are you perhaps too good at this?”

At least until Oknodie got three questions correct in a row.

* *

I already knew this kind of problem would come up around this time.

But even I don’t know which items will be on the test.

The professor brings whatever he feels like each time—how could I possibly know everything?

Unless I can see price tags, I absolutely wouldn’t know.

But for a veteran player, it’s a different story.

<Professor Bronze’s Practical Exam Quick Reference Guide>

1. Broken Jar (Free ~ 10 gold coins)

*Processing elements

-Discerning eye: Don’t be fooled by fake patterns or colors.

-Smell: Remember the smell of 3 types of processing chemicals.

*Jar pattern designs

-Dense cross pattern: 10 gold coins

-Wave pattern: 20 silver coins

-Comb pattern: 5 silver coins

-Wide cross pattern: Free

2. Chainmail (1 gold coin ~ 5 gold coins)

*Processing elements

-Durability: Made with poor iron, parts wear out quickly.

-Chain: Counterfeits have asymmetrical chains.

*Ring sizes

-5mm: 5 gold coins

-10mm: 3 gold coins

-20mm: 2 gold coins

-30mm: 1 gold coin

…

……

………

With key elements and auction prices divided by item category, it’s easy to estimate the price of most common items.

Add to that knowledge accumulated through experience, and unless it’s a truly rare item, measuring value becomes incredibly easy!

“Oknodie has answered correctly three times, and Giselle five times.”

But I didn’t get all the answers right through eye for value alone.

Rustle.

A small note hidden in my wrist.

On it were the correct answers for the practical exam that I had secretly copied from Professor Bronze’s office last week.

The result of actively utilizing the thieving skills the professor taught me!

‘Hmph. I have nothing to be ashamed of.’

The professor who stole items from the Foundation where Papa works is, at least to me, an evil being.

Teaching him a lesson through theft can be justified as righteous thievery.

I’m just returning what I learned.

“…Let’s change the problems a bit.”

But I must have been too obvious with my correct answers.

When the professor changed the problems from the question sheet, I could estimate the gold coin units with a veteran’s eye, but failed at precise appraisal down to the silver coin units.

With slightly off prices, I couldn’t call out the exact answers, creating an opening.

“My, my. Your early success seems to have been luck. The answer to this question is 7 silver coins and 11 copper coins.”

“That’s correct. Now that Giselle is showing her true skills, she’s outscoring Oknodie.”

Because of Giselle’s frighteningly accurate answers, my score was quickly overtaken.

“Oh dear. I showed too much skill.”

In the underworld, the fool is the one who gets deceived.

Naturally, dark merchants develop techniques to avoid being deceived, exchange information with merchants from other fields, and accumulate data.

When Giselle applied her practically honed eye and knowledge of detecting the latest forgery techniques, she scored the highest points with overwhelming accuracy on most problems.

“Pooh.”

With my cheeks puffed out, I glared at her alongside Titosoga, and Giselle belatedly stopped writing answers with an awkward smile.

But there were few items left, and it was already too late for me to make a comeback.

[You have achieved 2nd place in Professor Bronze’s Value Appraisal Practical Exam.]

[Observation Experience +5]

[Deception Experience +5]

[Stealing Experience +5]

[Appraisal Experience +3]

[Eye for Value Experience +3]

[You acquire 22 points as a 2nd place consolation bonus.]

“I’m sorry, Oknodie. I should have held back more.”

“Tch. It’s fine. You did well, Giselle, what can I do?”

Unless it’s my specialty area, I can score high with experience and make the rankings, but it’s difficult to get first place.

Since I chose combat-related content as my main focus, I can’t get first place unless it’s a close combat lecture with fighting.

“You two must be happy. I barely made 5th place.”

“You did well too, Isabelle. Second-year seniors took 3rd and 4th place, so it couldn’t be helped.”

For reference, Titosoga proudly ranked 22nd in this exam.

Also, this lecture initially had over 40 students, but after a flood of dropouts, only 25 remain.

She’s fourth from the bottom.

“Well done, Titosoga! This father is so proud that you’re not in last place!”

“Argh! Please stop with that kind of praise that doesn’t sound like praise. It’s embarrassing!”

Watching Titosoga being congratulated for ranking fourth from the bottom in real-time, I thought it might actually be fortunate that I didn’t receive congratulations for second place.

If Jona and Leaf were here, wouldn’t they be making placards with even more expressionless faces than that?

[Con★gratulations on Achieving 2nd Place in the Eye for Value Practical Lecture]

[Congratulations to the Young Lady, Second-in-Command of the Eye for Value Class]

Just imagining them following me around with signs bearing such words makes my face burn hot.

‘I’d rather not have that kind of humiliation.’

I’m not disappointed.

Even if Jona couldn’t attend the lecture.

Even if he doesn’t shower me with praise like Titosoga’s papa.

Really.

For real.

…Though that might be a tiny bit of a lie.