HTACS 31

Chapter 31

The next day

I rested due to muscle pain.

Of course,

the day after that, I also rested due to muscle pain.

—

The day after that, Aila came to visit.

She found me lying sprawled out on the counter in the back office of the convenience store, poked me with her finger, and tilted her head.

“Are you okay?”

“…I’m, fine.”

“I heard the story. They say you caused quite a commotion in the first-year dormitory?”

“Hmph. Just gossip from brats who don’t know anything.”

“Really? What I heard was that Wolfram persuaded a graduate student, and the first-years were able to sleep soundly.”

“…That rumor got out?”

“Yesss.”

Aila giggled and stood up.

“Not just graduate students, but you’ve even drawn first-years to your side. As expected of Wolfram. Your political insight never ceases to amaze me.”

“……?”

“The easiest way to create friendly forces is to show a good side to neutral or uninformed factions, right? The first-years and graduate students don’t know about your past misdeeds. Good judgment.”

“…That’s not it.”

“Yes. Your rebellion has now raised its first flag. I simply wish to watch it from the stage.”

No.

That’s really not it.

“You look exhausted, right? Let me make you something to eat.”

“…What did you say?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll make something good for your stomach.”

“……”

Saying that, Aila hurried out of the office.

No. What exactly are you planning to make? Before that—do you even know how to cook?

She might say “It’s the taste of rebellion!” and concentrate energy drink into a potion and force-feed me. Or she might make porridge with energy drink and call it “good for the stomach.”

Countless terrifying experiments I didn’t even want to imagine flashed through my mind.

But with this powerless body, I could do nothing.

I am weak.

That realization sank in.

—

“Here you go.”

“……”

“Why are you staring at it like that? It should be fine, right?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

My eyes widened at what Aila had brought.

Should I call it porridge? It was soup.

Chicken soup with the meat stripped off and added in.

A Western-style patient’s meal—used as nourishment and also eaten when you have a cold.

“Did you really make this?”

“Of course. I may not look it, but I do have a cooking skill. When I got the skill from dexterity 10, I chose cooking. It’s around level 4 now, so you can eat it without worry.”

“I see.”

Truly unexpected—but Aila had cooking in her skill tree.

One spoonful and warmth spread through my body.

“You worked hard, Wolfram. Do you need anything else?”

“I’m fine. …Thank you.”

“Oh my. A pure thank you from Wolfram. No matter how many times I hear it, it feels new. I never get tired of it.”

Aila giggled, waited until I finished eating, quietly cleaned up the dishes, and left the convenience store.

“Good night, Wolfram. I’ll come again.”

“……”

And the next day, the muscle pain was completely gone.

—

Student Council Room.

“Phew.”

The pinnacle of a hundred thousand Zephrin. One blessed with heaven-given talent. Every time Eve von Lohengrin let out a breath, all the Student Council members flinched.

For the past few days, Eve von Lohengrin’s condition had been strange. She would sink deep into thought, then sigh, then focus on work again, then suddenly sigh. No one could figure her out.

As an Imperial descendant and iron-blooded executor—the righteous student council president Eve—her behavior was driving the officers—or rather, her subjects—up the wall.

Of course, they weren’t completely clueless about the reason.

The ghost commotion in the first-year dormitory.

It was announced that it had been safely resolved thanks to Eve’s efforts—but there was a rumor that former student council president Wolfram von Lohengrin had been involved in the resolution.

Whether that was completely baseless, whether Wolfram really had intervened, and if so how—they’d like to find out, but Wolfram was also an Imperial.

Even considering he’s a kite with a cut string with no political foundation, the name “prince” is extra-legal. If he left Zephrin, returned to the Imperial court, and used any means to go after whoever crossed him, it could block their path to advancement.

On top of that, he was said to have connections with Rudika—from the Magic Department’s assassin clan—so it might not be about advancement but about leaving this world entirely.

In the end, the Student Council officers could only tremble, not knowing what to do between the student council president’s inexplicable sighs and the former president pointed to as the cause.

Except for one person—Sylvia, Eve’s guardian knight.

In truth, Sylvia didn’t want to step forward either, but under the silent pressure from those around her, she had no choice but to inquire about Eve’s condition.

“Lady Eve. Is something troubling you?”

“Huh? …Ah. Sylvia. Thank you. Troubling… you could say that. It’s nothing serious.”

“But your sighs are so deep that we’re all worried.”

“Eep!”

“Huff!”

*Don’t say “we,” say “I”! Don’t drag us into it!*—the officers said with their eyes. *If it comes to that, you’re all coming with me*—Sylvia replied with hers. It was a truly heartwarming Student Council.

“Hm? …Ah. I see. I have been sighing a lot lately. I’m sorry.”

“Not at all. But if something is weighing on your mind, please rely on us.”

“Hmm… I see. Then I’d like to ask one thing. This isn’t about me, but about a friend…”

“I see. About a friend, then.”

Everyone in the room realized it was about Eve herself.

“My friend has someone she’s not on good terms with. But she says she owes them a debt of the heart.”

“I see.”

“But she doesn’t know how to repay that debt. The relationship is awkward, and since it’s a debt of the heart, she doesn’t know what means to use.”

“I see. So such a thing happened to your friend…”

All the Student Council members realized that Wolfram must have done something during the first-year dormitory ghost incident.

Sylvia, at the center of it all, cleared her throat a few times before carefully answering.

“Couldn’t she just ignore it and move on? The other party has done plenty wrong in the first place. Lady Eve doesn’t need to concern herself.”

“Wh-what?”

“Ah… No. That’s right. It was your friend’s story. Let’s see… The answer is to clear debts of the heart as quickly as possible. Ignoring them is the best option, but first—wouldn’t tossing a few tens of thousands of rin their way settle it?”

“Financially… You’re saying to convert the heart into money.”

“Yes.”

At Sylvia’s advice, Eve nodded.

“I’ll try that.”

“Yes. Lady Eve.”

All the Student Council members noticed that Eve had switched from talking about a friend to saying “I’ll try,” but no one pointed it out.

They were all generous toward Eve.

—

Eve walked toward the convenience store, organizing her thoughts.

Sylvia had said to convert the debt of the heart into money and toss a few tens of thousands of rin—but she couldn’t do that.

If she did, it would mean she valued the burden she felt at only a few tens of thousands of rin.

Moreover, Wolfram had made a major contribution to resolving the ghost incident, yet credited Eve for solving it.

[…You can take all the credit and no one can say anything. I’ll also tell the truth before the Imperial family’s honor, and Nepterian will testify too.]

Wolfram had snorted at this suggestion.

[Suppose I take credit for resolving it. What if my reputation improves? Then Eve, your administration would be shaken. This time, I’m just a phantom. Let it be as if you did it.]

[……]

His composed demeanor showed no trace of obsession with power.

Wolfram had acted just like before.

“Now of all times…”

She took several deep breaths, clenching and unclenching her fists.

“I can settle it with money. A debt of the heart can just be settled with money.”

Yes—if money could wash away the heart too, she would become a demon of money.

Eve von Lohengrin had been saving since childhood, had considerable assets, and received a decent allowance.

Of course, since she disliked useless expenditures, most of it was sleeping in her bank account, and she had dipped into her own funds to run the Student Council, so she couldn’t throw it all around freely.

Still—she had money. She had some!

“Phew. Yes. With money. I’ll just slap them with money.”

Wolfram von Lohengrin.

How much would be appropriate for the debt of the heart owed to the man she had cut down and dragged out of the presidency?

Eve still hadn’t been able to put an exact price on it.

—

“Something I want? Nothing.”

“…No, I mean. Really, nothing?”

That was the gist of it.

Just as my muscle pain had healed and I was thinking about changing up the morning sales items, Eve suddenly barged in and announced she’d repay her debt—then asked how much.

What is this. What are you trying to do.

“Really, nothing.”

“…Phew. You have to have something.”

Why.

Why do I have to have something.

“I really don’t.”

“I’m trying to repay a debt, and if you don’t want anything, what am I supposed to do! Please just think of something!”

……

I don’t really get it, but it seems I’m in the wrong here.

Material compensation I need right now?

Not particularly. No—even if there were, I wouldn’t want to ask Eve for it.

What I realized while clearing the 1-1 episode is that my involvement changed a lot, and what really changed dramatically was that brat Coolpiss—I mean Kelterus—and Eve.

Because of Kelterus’s failed growth, if I hadn’t been there, who knows what would have become of Eve.

She should live her own life properly, and I should go my own way. Keeping our distance and living separately is the right path for siblings, isn’t it? You work hard and grow, and clear the main story for me.

“Fine. Then let me propose a few things from my side. First, the Imperial court is looking favorably on guaranteeing graduate student human rights.”

“I see.”

“As a result, to provide psychological stability for graduate students, it seems we can grant temporary sales permits for commercialized replica graduation certificates and graduation rings.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I reported to the Imperial court how you persuaded Zolf. Since its effectiveness has been proven, an approval order has come down allowing you to sell handmade graduation rings and doctoral certificates to graduate students, enabling them to find some peace of mind even through model toys. And the monopoly rights are yours.”

Eve cleared her throat and puffed out her nose. Is this what she calls consideration?

I could sell them for a high price, but…

“I don’t plan to sell graduation rings and certificates at a high price. I’ll sell them at virtually cost.”

“Why?”

“What’s the point of squeezing graduate students? It just needs to be at the level of toys that give them some peace of mind.”

“…Tch. Saying the right things again despite being Wolfram.”

Eve grumbled something, let out a deep sigh, and stared intently into my eyes.

“Wolfram. Wolfram von Lohengrin.”

“What.”

“I’ll speak honestly. I currently feel a debt of the heart toward you.”

She came at me out of nowhere.

“So?”

“In resolving this incident, I was useless. All I did was handle the aftermath. And you credited all the achievement to me. That goes against Eve von Lohengrin’s philosophy. That’s why I want to repay this debt.”

“I see.”

“I’ll ask one last time. Is there really nothing I can do for you?”

What. You should have said that from the start.

It’s forceful, but this is surprisingly Eve-like in its own way.

I was taught that a brother and sister should take advantage of each other whenever the opportunity arises.

To be a proper older brother, I shouldn’t refuse Eve’s goodwill.

Let’s see. What could be useful…

Ah. There’s one thing.

“This store.”

“This grocery store?”

“Yeah. First, I need to correct that perception. This store is a convenience store. Not a grocery store.”

“…Convenience store? That’s a concept I’ve never heard of.”

“A convenience store is a convenience-oriented store established in places where people gather. It handles groceries, stationery, toys, freshly baked bread, even fruits and vegetables, fried foods, and books.”

“So it’s a general store?”

“That’s right.”

“The profitability is there. But Wolfram.”

“What.”

“No one comes here? Doesn’t that contradict your premise?”

You trying to pick a fight?

“…Ahem. Anyway. I was the first to envision this convenience store, and I swore to reach the top of this industry. But Eve, just like you, no one recognizes it as a convenience store. Everyone just thinks it’s a grocery store.”

“Well, it’s a concept no one knows. …That Wolfram had such an idea. Hmm. So?”

“I want to make a signboard.”

“Aha.”

“So I need some good metal or wood.”

“Really? That’s great. I’ll contact Yggdrasil or Maestro. What do you need?”

I have materials in mind.

Materials that were useful even in the main story, and I don’t even need to enter a dungeon to get them.

Not metal plates—wood.

Things that can be obtained within the academy grounds.

“I want to make it from sacred wood—Elwood. Is that possible?”

“…What? Whaaat? S-sacred wood?”

“Can’t you get it from the Yggdrasil autonomous district? I heard it’s wood they sell for money.”

“U-um. That’s true, but… Do you know how much it costs?”

“I don’t. But wasn’t it you who said you’d repay your debt?”

At those words, Eve clutched her chest with an “Ugh,” turned around, and muttered.

“So you’re going to fleece me properly, is that it? Hmm. If I put it on the scale against the debt of the heart, does it roughly balance? From what I remember, last year’s auction price was 8 million… If I break the savings I’ve been putting in since I was 4… The academy operating budget would have a hole—u-ugh.”

What is she muttering about?

“Can you get it or not? If you can’t, you don’t have to.”

“E-eeeek. Fine. I just have to get it, don’t I? I’ll get it! Yes! I’ll definitely bring you wood for a signboard!”

Eve made a pained expression and turned to leave.

I don’t know how much it costs, but since my little sister declared she’d give it as a gift, as her older brother I should accept her goodwill—even if it’s a bit expensive.

It seems the bond between the Lohengrin siblings attending Zephrin has deepened even further. Tears of joy blurred my vision.