HTACS 36

 Chapter 36

As luck would have it, the next day was the first day of the weekend, so Mille-feuille came by in the morning.

“Come in.”

“Excuse me.”

Naturally, I also temporarily closed the stall and shut myself in the convenience store to work on items for the Zephrin Student Competition.

“Have you eaten breakfast?”

“Ah, no.”

“Good. Because you’re going to be eating a lot today.”

“Y-yes! I’ll do my best!”

The pink fledgling nodded, clenching both fists.

“Before that, let’s go over our clear goals and current situation once more.”

“Yes!”

First, me.

Since the rent for this convenience store is too expensive, I’ll enter the Zephrin Student Competition—Magic Craft category—and win. I’ll get the 5 million rin prize money.

And Mille-feuille.

Due to suspension, her match was ruled a default win—but thanks to the professor taking a liking to her, she gets a rematch with Kelterus.

She must win the sparring match in two weeks.

And the method is—these buff-type snacks I make.

Using the Magical Pâtissier skill, she’ll eat them before the match and seize victory!

“One question.”

“Y-yes!”

This fledgling has been to the convenience store before, but she keeps wandering around and then startles when called.

“If you lose the sparring match, do you get expelled?”

“…W-well, I’m not sure? I think I did okay on the written part of the early mini-test…”

“I see. Understood.”

Her fate has already changed. Come to think of it, during the mini-test right after enrollment, she got hit and sent flying by Kelterus—so she probably didn’t do well on the written test either, and her practical score likely took a hit too.

In other words, as long as she doesn’t get utterly crushed in this rematch with Kelterus, she probably won’t be expelled.

“But I want to win.”

“Hm?”

“A-ah, no. I mean… isn’t it good to have the d-desire to win?”

“……”

That’s true. No matter how strong the top first-year is, once you accept defeat, it’s over.

I also have to beat the third-year top student—Regina Ciella.

“Alright. Let’s do this.”

“Y-yesss!”

—

Magical Pâtissier is an 8T skill.

If 9T skills are the kind you can learn as miscellaneous hobbies or social skills, 8T skills carry a different meaning. They serve as signposts for the ‘path’ a person can take.

In other words, if you focus on training an 8T skill, the ‘growth’ path opens and you lock into a route. Naturally, there are skill proficiency levels and unlock conditions.

So if I focus on Magical Pâtissier, I’ll acquire the 7T Shining Pâtissier, and then a quest for the 6T Miracle Pâtissier will appear.

It means I might become a soft, sweet, round and fluffy Wolfram. But it’s not a bad skill. I’ve tried the 6T Miracle too—it was definitely good as a buff item. The training method is simple too—when you’re bored, you can just toss pastries around for fun with the recovery item throwing skill, Potion Pitcher.

Anyway, the reason I’m talking about this is because of Magical Pâtissier’s characteristics and training method.

【Make more pastries】

【Make higher-quality pastries】

【Make more magical pastries】

【Make higher-quality magical pastries】

Since the training volume is large in that order, to train Magical Pâtissier, you just need to try to enchant the highest-quality pastries with magic.

Doughnuts are treated as the lowest-tier pastries, so even if you activate Magical Pâtissier on them, the training bonus is small.

In other words, it’s more efficient to activate it on the new pastries I’ve devised.

Furthermore, Magical Pâtissier’s success rate is influenced by the ‘Dexterity’ stat. Not ‘Mana’—’Dexterity.’

What a huge advantage for Wolfram. Just thinking about it makes honey drip—but while dexterity affects the success rate, it does consume mana.

Each use consumes 1 mana, so with my mana, three times is the limit. After that, I need to rest.

Wolfram’s mana recovery rate is 1 per hour.

So no matter how much I make in a day, 24 is the limit.

So I need to pour my conviction into each pastry—and with these three chances right now, I must forge them.

【Enchanting ‘magic’ onto a new pastry.】

【The pastry glows intensely red and evaporates.】

Of course.

I never said it would always succeed.

—

【Crafting successful!】

【8T Magical Pâtissier proficiency increases!】

【Crafting successful!】

【8T Magical Pâtissier proficiency increases!】

In the end, one failure, two successes.

Since I made them with my own hands, I can read the description. The result reads:

【High-quality pastry enchanted with magical effect.】

Yes. That’s the problem.

The exact buff effect isn’t displayed.

That’s the limit of an 8T skill. Once it becomes 7T Shining Pâtissier, the numbers appear precisely.

Of course, there are no bad effects—but it’s annoying.

And that’s exactly why I singled out the pink fledgling from among the fledglings.

It’s like having a chick appraiser ask a chick to appraise—but oh well.

“Here, eat.”

“Y-yes!”

Like a chick eating feed, she grabbed it with both hands and munched away.

“What’s the effect?”

“W-well… that’s… how should I describe it?”

“How would I know?”

“R-right? So, um… it feels like I could endure heat well right now.”

“I see. Fire resistance, then. Try this one too.”

“Y-yes! Oh, this… um. It feels like I could dodge arrows right now…? That kind of confidence.”

“Physical projectile resistance? Or evasion.”

Anyway, being sensitive to mana is a useful trait.

She can feel buffs applied to herself like that.

Thanks to her, I also know where my proficiency stands now.

“Two in a row—resistance and evasion. At best, it’s beginner level.”

“Y-yes?”

“Nothing. Never mind. Let’s make the next one.”

“Y-yesss!”

**【User’s mana is insufficient.】**

**【Crafting attempt fails!】**

“…Let’s take an hour break and try again.”

“…Huh? Yesss.”

Damn it.

—

The Zephrin Student Competition registration hall was incredibly crowded.

This competition accepts up to 400 entries per category, with a participation fee of 50,000 rin.

If a student stretches a little, they can secure a chance to compete—and first place gets 5 million rin in prize money.

“Yes. Aila Triesta-nim. Your registration for the Divine Magic Tournament is confirmed. Participation fee verified.”

“Always a profitable venture when you think about it. With institutionalization complete, excluding wages, quite a bit of money flows into each guild and department.”

“Haha…”

The registration clerk laughed dryly, and Aila shrugged. This person is just a part-timer earning 3,000 rin per hour—complaining to them is meaningless.

The reason she was feeling sharp right now was probably because of Wolfram. It was unlike Aila Triesta. Rebellion should be covert and lethal. Always showing emotion was unlike her.

“Ah! Miss Triesta!”

“……”

And from afar, another person who stirred her emotions approached with a bright smile.

“Miss Ciella. Long time no see.”

“Yesss! Miss Triesta is entering the competition too. Which category?”

“The Divine Magic Tournament.”

“The Divine Magic Tournament! Wow… I have no talent for fighting, so entering that is really scary!”

“I see.”

Regina Ciella.

Title: Magic Merchant.

And the third-year Magic Department top student.

Aila had always found this woman irritating.

With her flowing blonde hair and innocent-looking expression—but peel back one layer and a monster lurked inside.

“Since you’re here, Miss Ciella must be entering the competition too?”

“Yes!”

“The category is… need I ask? Magic Craft?”

“Yesss.”

“Are you aiming for another undefeated victory this time?”

“I’ve been lucky enough to win up until last year, but this year I really don’t know.”

She covered her mouth with her hand and laughed quietly.

“Saying you don’t know this year too—the materials refined by the magic craftsmen under you are high-grade enough to be recognized by Zephrin, no, by the Imperial family itself. Who could possibly beat you?”

“Oh my, that makes it sound like I’m cheating. By the rules, if I assemble them, it’s my entry, isn’t it?”

“……”

That’s true.

That’s exactly Regina Ciella.

She thoroughly reads the rules, identifies what she can manipulate within those specifications, and digs in decisively.

‘Only fight battles you can win’—that’s a merchant’s philosophy and aesthetic.

That’s the difference between the Ciella family—leading the Empire’s prestigious merchant houses—and the Triesta family.

Triesta experiences failure through challenges; Ciella doesn’t challenge.

‘That’s why I don’t like her. She has no romance.’

Those who stand at the top should show others dreams through boldness and challenge.

“Yes. Another solo victory this year, then.”

“Hehe. You flatter me. But who knows—someone who makes my heart race might appear?”

“Is that so.”

“Yes. I hope someone like that appears. Hehe.”

Hmph.

Look—after Regina Ciella’s participation was confirmed, students heading to register for Magic Craft stopped coming.

She’ll win again this year.

What a boring conclusion.

“I’m here to register.”

“Y-yes!”

Immediately after—one person walked up to the registration desk.

A frail body—but with sharply gleaming eyes. A low voice. Movements and gestures full of dignity. High-class vocabulary typical of the Imperial family.

“Wolfram von Lohengrin. Event:”

He walked out alone to where no one else stood, and declared proudly:

“Magic Craft.”

—

Ugh, registration fee 50,000 rin. Absolutely infuriating, really.

No matter how I think about it, they make over 10 million rin per category. Prize money alone is 10 million, you say? Of course they handle taxes and receive subsidies from the Empire for promoting student competitiveness.

So most of the registration fees end up as pure profit.

What a great way to embezzle state funds, Zephrin.

“Wolfram?”

“Wolfram von Lohengrin…nim?”

As I was leaving after registration, two overlapping voices called out to me.

“…Aila? And, the Ciella family’s daughter.”

“We’re the same grade—surely you don’t need to be so formal. Please call me Regina.”

“No.”

“…I-I see.”

Regina and Aila’s eyes went wide.

Regina Ciella is literally a hidden heroine, and to get on her target route, you need to know her for quite a while.

But she’s the most annoying person. Truly number one in annoyance. Hello, Miss Annoying. Goodbye, Miss Annoying.

“What are you here for, Wolfram?”

“Can’t you tell? I came to register for Magic Craft.”

“…Huh? Magic Craft?”

“Yes. I’ll see you at the competition.”

Saying that, I tried to leave.

“U-um, Your Highness Wolfram von Lohengrin. Regina Ciella humbly wishes to address you.”

“What.”

Ah. Don’t talk to me, you annoying thing.

“Magic Craft is truly the essence of magic.”

“I know.”

“…Though it’s called the Magic Department, finding meaning in participation itself and challenging—that is a student’s duty, and that part is commendable, however…”

“Stop beating around the bush and say what you mean.”

“It’s fine to participate, but I fear that creating an unskilled item might tarnish Your Highness’s honor.”

What’s wrong with her?

Hmm. If this were the Regina Ciella I knew—the one I’d romanced as a heroine—why would she say this?

Ah. I see. I understand.

She really is annoying.

“Hmm. I see. You’re right.”

“Y-yesss. Your Highness.”

“So to summarize—you’re telling me to gracefully withdraw rather than embarrass myself by making something useless?”

“Y-yesss?”

“The calculation is that you’ll overwhelmingly beat me, and you’re worried that if I get upset and cause a rift with the Imperial family, it’ll be a hassle. Truly sound reasoning. How clever. Grand Magic Merchant—you only stand in winning positions.”

“…Ah, no. I would never presume.”

That’s exactly what it is.

Her thinking is: first, she can completely crush me—then after graduation, she’s worried I might hold a grudge and cause trouble for the Ciella family by saying things like “Back in third-year Magic Department, I destroyed her.”

“But what are you going to do about it?”

“…Huh?”

“Ciella family’s daughter. Do you have even a single piece of information about what I’m making and what I’m going to do?”

“I-I don’t. However, I also have winning experience from the year before last and last year.”

“I see. Impressive. I’ll praise you for it.”

“Th-thank you? No, that’s not it. Since I won’t be participating next year, perhaps you could submit something worthy of the Imperial family around that time?”

“How wise. I probably won’t participate next year, indeed. Or by then, I’ll have the confidence to have grown my family enough that pushing Wolfram aside once is no problem.”

“Ah, no. I would never presume.”

“But right now, you’re not looking at Wolfram—you’re only looking at ‘von Lohengrin.'”

“Your Highness?”

“Well, do as you please. I won’t back out of participating. Just don’t bother me.”

“Y-yesss?”

“I’m saying don’t go home later, hit your giant rabbit plushie in your room, and complain, ‘Why did the prince have to participate! I held back because I didn’t want to antagonize the Imperial family and I lost!'”

“………U-understood. I, Regina Ciella, will do my humble best.”

“See that you do.”

I shrugged.

Well, she is strong. That’s true.

The items she puts out are no joke.

But you know—

Have I really never beaten her in first year?

“Then I wouldn’t be a veteran, now would I?”