HTACS 42

Chapter 42

No one in the hall could open their mouths at Wolfram’s words.

Just 5 minutes.

But the villain had captured the hearts of every judge in that room.

Was it because of the pressure from Imperial Bloodline?

No.

Was it because the words spoken by the man named Wolfram von Lohengrin had pierced deep into everyone’s hearts?

Yes.

It pierced through the skin, traveled through the capillaries, and struck the very deepest place—their hearts.

Awaken.

Take on adventures.

And all of that—

【I want to present to our generation.】

That one phrase.

Three hundred years.

A full three hundred years.

That much time had passed since the great First Emperor—revered as the God of War and Magic—created the artificial island Zephrin and declared that the Empire’s martial and wisdom would gather here, cultivating themselves to become the cornerstone of the thousand-year Empire.

But later generations were not as wise as the Emperor, nor as brave. This artificial island Zephrin provides countless environments with the justification of giving all students experience—but humans chose to shut themselves in.

No one knows what lies beyond the land they stand on.

Why did they avoid adventure?

Because graduating students must eventually return to the Empire to handle practical affairs?

Because they can’t throw away their lives like trash just for a sense of adventure?

Because the monsters in the distance can’t break into the academy grounds?

No.

That wasn’t the essence of it.

Humans are weak.

And life is comfortable.

So Zephrin didn’t wonder about the outside. No—they couldn’t wonder.

【Follow me. I’ll take you there.**

Magical Sweets.

A tool no one had ever thought of.

A buff activated by eating. An innovation requiring no prior incantation.

Even just recovery and support would change the nature of combat.

Just that tiny possibility made their hearts tremble.

They didn’t forcibly hide their trembling hearts. Their hearts told them not to hide.

The judges are professors.

They are Zephrin graduates.

All of them completed graduate school.

They had spent decades learning magic and swordsmanship—but those skills were never used in practice. They had risen to the position of professor, yet they trembled with frustration that everything they had learned was merely buried in an unchanging world.

And now—long past their prime—someone speaks to their aged bodies of dreams.

Vicious. Villainous.

“Incidentally.”

The prince who had been stripped of everything and cast into the abyss calmly declared to the common people who merely hid and survived:

“In my era—you are included as well.”

—

“I ask that you judge based on the essence of why Magic Craft is held in Zephrin. That is all.”

With that, I stepped down from the stage.

As soon as I descended, everyone applauded. Watching professors lose their composure and clap like trained seals made me chuckle.

I’m the man who, as an orphan, used pure talk to get a full belly of sweet and sour pork from a volunteer auntie.

The man who got paid his daily wage without even showing up at the site.

I can confidently say—no one can match my smooth talk anywhere.

Actually, I threw in that last line because the professors seemed happy yet somehow disappointed. That’s why they reacted so well. Well, if they’re given buff pastries, will they come running to go on adventures? You old guys—if you throw out your backs, the medical bills will be 20 million rin.

But well—seeing them so happy makes me feel good.

They must have had dreams of glory too.

The stagnant reality of today’s Zephrin must have been like a refreshing breeze even for the judges—the professors—who grew old without achieving their dreams.

Coming down to a place where no one was watching, I covered my face with my hand and let out a deep sigh.

So—with this Magical Pâtissier—

Am I going to make them follow me outside the world by selling them this drug?

“Crazy.”

Of course it was a lie.

—

To be honest, I hadn’t completely ruled out that idea.

As I’ve said before—D/Z SAGA’s developers are incredibly petty, and they always make you obtain great items only after tremendous effort.

In other words, good items are always in fields swarming with monsters. Of course, with skill combinations and applications, you can compete about one tier higher—but beyond that, it’s impossible.

In that regard, the snacks made with Magical Pâtissier would certainly have a tremendous impact.

They would shake all of Zephrin to its core.

Monsters with stats 19 and 20 would seek new adventures, turn the unknown into knowledge, and come looking for me to explore the wilderness in pursuit of power.

Those madmen driven by power. Are they really going to come to Zone 8?

Coming to find me—with stamina 2.

Crazy.

If I don’t release it, Izolde’s Amethyst Starlight would pierce my throat, Regina Ciella would try to restrain me, and besides them, Chatorun, Agrippa, and even the Blood Demon Princess would come for me.

“I must live.”

So even though I said all that, I have no intention of releasing this to the world. Absolutely not. Completely never nothing.

Good thing I accurately grasped Zephrin’s situation from Eve and Aila’s conversation.

Now is the turning point. If I mess up, all sorts of people will come to the convenience store. What I want is customers—not knife-wielding thugs.

Of course.

Of course.

Ironically—it’s not that I have no such dreams at all.

Going outside the academy to gather materials?

Good.

It’s something I’d like to do someday.

I want to make more magical tools and stock them in the convenience store—so when a customer asks, “Boss, do you have Einherjar’s Hood?” I can reply, “If it’s out of stock, I’ll have it ready by next week.”

Forging a magic sword while striking Twilight’s Seven-Star Stone with Mjölnir in hand? I’d like to try that too.

But not now. Now is not the time.

Don’t rush. Slowly. One step at a time. I’m not in a hurry.

This is a sweet dream I sold to the judges. Someday it might shatter, and projects that sell such dreams often collapse anyway.

First, let’s cleanly pocket that 5 million rin. There are five judges, so consider it about 1 million per person as payment for the dream. Win-win, isn’t it?

“Good. Let’s slip out before anyone notices.”

Just as I thought that and turned toward the waiting room—

“Your Highness… May I have a word?”

“……”

Regina Ciella called out to me.

Just leave me alone, seriously.

“That is…”

“I won’t take much of your time. After seeing the item you presented today, I felt the need to have a conversation…”

Ugh, so annoying. This annoying heroine.

Go bother Kelterus or something, really.

“No.”

“Don’t say that—if you could give our Ciella Trading Company the honor of a conversation…”

Just as I was about to refuse again—

“That honor won’t be given.”

A stronger refusal slammed down into the waiting room.

—

The Divine Magic Tournament was over.

The winner was Aila Triesta.

But it brought her no excitement whatsoever.

Eve von Lohengrin, with mana 22, hadn’t participated, and Regina Ciella, with mana 20, had declared her entry in Magic Craft.

Of course, her final opponent had the same mana as Aila—19—but that wasn’t important.

What she had and he didn’t—

Was efficiency in magic.

Compared to Aila, who had won every match with a single shot to the forehead, her opponent had fought prolonged battles with flashy magic—there was no contest.

So she won, in record time, with time to spare.

Instead of receiving the trophy and taking photos, Aila claimed aftereffects from the matches, asked for the trophy to be sent to her dormitory, and ran.

Her own fight wasn’t important.

She wanted to see his fight.

And she wasn’t too late. She arrived.

The Magic Craft competition doesn’t have many participants.

Or rather—even if they do participate, they think “I’ll just submit something” and after getting a few reviews, they withdraw.

The reason is obvious.

Regina Ciella is too strong. She never loses.

So in the end, it’s always her solo stage.

She wanted to see—what kind of fight Wolfram von Lohengrin, who had declared he would definitely win, would put up there.

It was more interesting to Aila Triesta than her own first-ever victory.

When she arrived—Regina Ciella’s presentation was over.

She didn’t know what Regina had presented. Probably something amazing, with the judges applauding half-heartedly.

That didn’t matter.

Not one bit.

She hadn’t come here to see what the top third-year had submitted.

‘…I’m not late!’

The presentation of the one she absolutely had to see—was about to begin.

And he said:

【I’d like to call this pastry a ticket.】

【A ticket to explore every corner of Zephrin—which has stagnated to the point where people don’t even think of venturing outside.】

【A ticket to open the door and step outside for the first time in 300 years.】

【I want to propose that opportunity—to our generation, to this era.】

“Ah, ahhh…”

She couldn’t control herself—moved, shaken to the core.

This was Wolfram’s rebellion.

The future Wolfram dreamed of.

Giving wings to insignificant people who had forgotten how to challenge.

To break free from the world, to go beyond this residential zone, toward the hidden treasures the First Emperor had surely planted—on an adventure.

Now all the pieces fit together.

“Yes. That’s everything… All of this… is one plan.”

Why had he first started his business centered on ‘graduate students who had forgotten their dreams’ and ‘freshmen who wanted to dream’?

“Wolfram becomes the one who spins threads and weaves wings.”

Yes—and so he will give wings to them all equally.

He will encourage them to adventure outside Zephrin, to spread their wings beyond the cage.

And eventually—everyone will know.

That without Wolfram von Lohengrin’s permission, they cannot spread their wings.

That without Wolfram’s permission, no one in Zephrin can bring those dreams into the light!

【Follow me. I’ll take you there.**

At those final words, Aila did not nod.

She simply smiled.

She was already the one going with him.

From the beginning—one seat of the Five-Pointed Star of Rebellion, already chosen.

Then what she needed to do wasn’t just follow.

It was to stand by his side and help his rebellion succeed.

What had Wolfram said?

“Yes. That’s right.”

Aila realized—with relative clarity—what she needed to do now.

Rebellion must be covert, and the greatest.

The greatest rebellion will be carried out by Wolfram von Lohengrin.

Then what she must do—is ensure it remains covert.

To become the black amethyst that absorbs all light.

That was remarkably easy, interesting, and enjoyable.

“Well then—shall I go offer my congratulations to Wolfram?”

—

At Aila’s sudden appearance, I tilted my head.

That solemn expression—where have I seen it before…

Ah. That’s it.

It was the expression Aila Triesta—the boss in Act 3-3’s third phase, the final phase—had made.

I still remember her lines from that battle:

【If I lose this fight, it’ll be the end for me too. …But a future where I lose does not exist for me.】

【I stake all my fate on this. Now—shall we raise the curtain on a splendid rebellion!】

And the battle that followed was brutal. Ugh, damn. Still gives me chills.

But why is she making that expression now?

“Aila Triesta… miss? This is a conversation between His Highness and myself.”

“No, it’s not. Let me ask first—Miss Ciella, you were about to discuss the licensing and distribution of those Magical Sweets, weren’t you?”

“…You know. This is important business, so would you please step aside?”

“I’m sorry—that won’t be possible.”

“…Why not?”

Aila smiled the smile of a victor and pulled my arm toward her.

Hey. What are you doing to stamina 2, you brat.

“All licensing, distribution, and inventory management of those Magical Sweets—were pre-invested in by the Triesta family. No.”

Aila smiled broadly and continued:

“Only I—Aila Triesta—have the rights. Those without authority, please step aside.”

“…Your Highness. Is that true?”

Ciella looked at me with doubtful eyes, and Aila looked somewhat anxious.

Is it true? Well.

“Unfortunately, Aila’s words are true. Step aside, young lady of the Ciella family. You have no right to participate in this game.”

“…Understood. If you change your mind, please contact me anytime.”

Saying that, the annoying one clenched her trembling fists and withdrew.

Still—working with Aila is several times better than getting tangled up with her.

“Hehe. I win. Look at that face. Ohohoho!”

Saying that, Aila covered her mouth and laughed.

Watching her, she really does look like a villainess. How can she laugh like that?

As she was laughing gleefully—sorry, but there’s something I need to say.

“Aila.”

“What is it, Wolfram?”

“Just so you know—I have no intention of releasing this to the market anytime soon.”

“…I know. Of course.”

“Is that so.”

“Yes. Everything—for the night of the black moon that will someday come. When the wings of rebellion spread. Right?”

“……?”

“I know everything. You haven’t forgotten your promise. Hehe. As expected—you’re Wolfram.”

Saying that, she covered her mouth with her right hand and whispered.

What is she talking about?

But—the final boss mode from earlier had completely vanished, so I decided to play along.

“Yes. That’s right. It’s time for rebellion.”

“Right? Right?”

“Yes. Rebellion.”

“Of course! I know it! Leave the covert operations to me!”

“Rebellion, rebellion.”

“Yesss! Yesss!”

What a peacefully-minded girl.

How does she live so comfortably?