Chapter 10 – Magic Contest (2)

Fifteen years ago, as a clueless kid summoned to this other world, I fought hard for humanity.

Strictly speaking, the people here had no connection to Earth and weren’t dear to me, yet I picked up a sword and personally lopped off the Demon King’s head.

At this point, it’s fair to say I possessed a genuine love for humanity—not the kind that’s terribly unpopular in certain circles, but the real deal.

I am, in fact, a shopkeeper with a bit more universal love for my fellow humans than most.

However, even I can’t like everyone. There are a few types I particularly despise.

First, those bastards who try to cozy up to demons in any way.

They’re number one on my hit list. I don’t forgive even the slightest compromise. You can imagine how uncomfortable I felt when Liv suspected me. I keep an eye on Professor Glatos from time to time too.

Second, King Baor and his daughter.

The king who threw my happy farming life into the pit of hell, and the princess who occasionally comes to the academy, glares at the counter, and disappears.

I’m not about to go out and beat them up, but I’m always ready to stab them in the back.

Lastly, there’s one student right in front of me now—

“Hmm, how are you, shopkeeper?”

Neither the green cape of a fresh-faced freshman nor the water-colored skirt of a flowing second-year.

A third-year student about to graduate. The small magician using the Tejas orb and sporting an impressive red bow-tie spoke like an old man in his fifties as he entered the shop.

“Shopkeep. Is your greeting too light, or is your neck so stiff that it’s difficult to bow? If it’s the latter, I’d be happy to fix it with magic. How about letting me work on your nape for a moment?”

“…What business do you have, Viscount Ruhillen?”

Darling Tokarev de Ruhillen.

“Your overdue building rent and monthly fees have surpassed the property’s value from ten years ago. I’ve come to seize it.”

“This land is mine. Haven’t I shown you the documents I received from your late father countless times?”

“I don’t know anything about that.”

She was the owner of the Farencia territory and the head of the Ruhillen trading company—the wealthiest woman in Pennheim.

***

As I said before, ten years ago, Farencia was the epitome of a backwater town.

The streets reeked of manure, and monsters occasionally burst out of the western forest to attack the village, forcing farmers to form vigilante groups. It was a typical remote area of the Pennheim Kingdom.

When I bought the land, the then-Viscount Ruhillen welcomed me with open arms, thinking he could stack ten more sacks of potatoes in the castle’s secret granary.

But one day, everything changed 180 degrees when a royal decree bearing the king’s seal arrived in Farencia.

The decree announced the construction of the kingdom’s largest academy.

Not to mention the villas, salons, spas, and equestrian centers for the accompanying nobles.

Like witnessing the Industrial Revolution in England, an immense workforce flooded into Farencia, and the Ruhillen viscounty became filthy rich overnight.

As Farencia became so vibrant in commerce and transportation that it was called the kingdom’s second capital, the trading company directly under the viscount naturally amassed enormous wealth.

It was a case of a country bumpkin lower noble achieving meteoric success, quite literally.

“Pack your things and get out today. I’ll give you one day’s grace.”

“If it’s today, that’s not even a full day, is it?”

They say human greed knows no bounds. From Viscount Ruhillen’s perspective, even this last piece of land not yet owned by the royal family must have been tempting.

Just the estimated value of the land must be astronomical, so she had been constantly pressuring me to sell since she entered the academy.

Despite my adamant refusals, she was now trying to evict me with the ridiculous excuse that the past contract was invalid.

“Building a three-story structure on such a small plot violates building codes.”

“That’s for non-mixed-use buildings, isn’t it? And isn’t that the Monarch standard? Let’s see which building code you’re referring to.”

“Come to think of it, you didn’t properly pay last year’s property acquisition tax.”

“I paid it regularly, and tax collection is the job of the royal city’s administrator. You’ve got quite the reach, don’t you?”

“When do you leave the shop empty for a day? I’ll call some workers, so let me know in advance.”

“I never leave it empty.”

Refusal, refusal, and more refusal. My attitude remained unchanged.

If anything, I was more curious about why Viscount Ruhillen was so obsessed with the shop.

She said she needed money, but her wealth was greater than anyone else’s on the continent.

All the accessories adorning her small body—earrings, rings, family crests, and even the uniform decorations specified by school rules—were uniformly high-end items.

“Shopkeeper.”

However, her attitude as she called me something akin to a pickling ingredient was strangely serious.

“You don’t properly understand the value of this land.”

“What value?”

“Don’t you understand how enormously useful it would be to build even a small magic tower instead of this useless shop in the middle of the academy? We could cast defensive magic over the entire university! This is no time for squatting!”

I see. So she’s thinking of securing such a project.

But she has the cause and effect backwards.

I didn’t preemptively occupy the land where the academy was to be built. Rather, for reasons I don’t know, the academy came to Farencia because of me.

Not that she’d believe me even if I told her—

“Stop your nonsensical whining and get out.”

“Where do you think you’re touching! Let go!”

I put my hands under Darling’s armpits and moved her outside.

Though I said this, I had never actually harmed her directly, so I was just responding moderately.

I had been living here since Farencia was a small town, so I was somewhat acquainted with the Ruhillen viscounty.

Besides, I felt some sympathy for her, having lost both parents before even entering the academy…

“I’ll never forgive you… Eeek!”

I gave her a light smack.

“Hmph! Fine! It’ll fall into my hands soon anyway!”

But then, a strange thing came out of Darling’s mouth as she fumed.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Ha! Your insight is as narrow as your small-mindedness! Have you forgotten that the magic contest between freshmen and seniors is coming up soon?”

Her loud voice as she pointed her finger was annoying.

Magic contest? What does that have to do with the shop?

“There’s a long-standing tradition of granting some of the academy’s rights to the family of the student who performs most brilliantly in the contest. Last year, they adjusted the security force selection and repaved the brick paths on the grounds.”

Come to think of it, there was a lot of road construction in winter. I remember Mark complaining about having to train new security guards.

While the shop isn’t royal property, it’s still one of Farencia Academy’s facilities, so it’s bound to be affected by school rules.

But—

“The shop has never been subject to that before.”

Ultimately, the final decision on everything is made by the academy’s headmaster. And she is absolutely not the type to go against my wishes, no matter what.

“The headmaster is on vacation now.”

“What?”

“All authority has been delegated to the student council. Do you understand now?”

“But you’re a graduating senior, Viscount. You can’t participate in the contest.”

“I’ve already made a deal with the Cloud viscounty. Do you think my underlings in this academy are just employees?”

Given her overflowing wealth, she probably greased the student council’s palms generously.

I regretted not hitting Darling harder as she sneered with a smug expression.

“It’s a shame. If Ansen had competed, we could have won more easily.”

“Ansen?”

“Well, it doesn’t matter. Victory is assured from the moment they included that fool from the Rochear family in the lineup. Well then, shopkeeper.”

She extended the back of her silk-gloved hand to me with a confident smile.

It was an elegant gesture befitting debutantes in high society, but her height, which barely reached my chest, didn’t do much to sway my heart.

“If you become unemployed, I’ll let you work serving me. This is your only chance to recoup even your key money.”

I felt like Xerxes after being struck by Leonidas.

How dare she try to pull me down from my almighty position as a landlord. In that case, I had no choice but to counterattack.

“Go fuck yourself.”

I showed Darling my middle finger with equal elegance and bared my teeth.

“I’m never giving up my home.”

***

“This is the student council room. It’s where you’ll be working from May, Your Highness, so feel free to look around.”

“The election hasn’t even started yet.”

“It’s a sure thing anyway, haha.”

Erzebet was being guided around various parts of Akasha Hall by the current student council president, who was set to graduate this year.

Entering the student council room, she glanced at the numerous documents piled on the work desk.

They were all papers related to the academy’s rights.

It was a system where the student council managed part of the management rights of Farencia Academy, which was originally royal property.

If she became the student council president, it would mean the royal family’s direct line would hold it, so things could be coordinated more transparently.

In fact, as she briefly looked over the documents, her eyes narrowed slightly.

There were traces of attempts to secure some personal benefits.

Come to think of it, wasn’t the current student council president the son of the Minister of Finance?

After pondering for a moment about the blond young man in front of her, she eventually shook her head.

As she had just said, Erzebet wasn’t part of the student council yet.

It wasn’t proper politics to stir things up here and there without even establishing a solid foundation in the academy.

“Thank you for the tour, Carter.”

“It’s an honor. Then, shall we have a leisurely meal…”

“Ah, about that…”

Knock knock.

At that moment, there was a knock from outside.

Before Erzebet could answer, the door opened immediately.

“Excuse me. I’ve got something to say.”

“…Louis?”

The person who came to the student council room was the shop owner.

He came with a quite irritated expression and immediately stated his business.

“Please withdraw the shop’s rights that have been put up as a prize for this magic contest.”

“What?”

“I told you before. That’s my home.”

Erzebet turned her head to look at the student council president.

He was clearing his throat and sweating.

Erzebet sensed that she had gotten involved in a troublesome matter.

It seemed obvious that the student council had touched a sensitive part.

Should she cut ties here and pretend not to know?

But was it the right choice to side with the shop owner in front of the current student council president, who was the son of the Minister of Finance?

She fell into contemplation.

Her father’s advice, and the words densely written in the rulebook that no one looked at.

There was clearly something in the shop.

If she pulled out here, it felt like she would never be able to reach that truth.

“Louis—”

So she opened her mouth.

Just this once, she decided to turn away from her father’s advice.

“…Sigh. You always do this once in a while.”

The shop owner let out a deep sigh after hearing Erzebet’s answer.

“You’ll regret this.”

And after looking alternately at Erzebet and the student council president standing beside her, he left one last word and departed.