Chapter 53

<052. Is this a bugged game?>

The next day.

As expected, muscle pain came.

Eventually, I took four days off due to muscle pain.

Kill me...

***

“You brought a lot, didn’t you?”

“Hmm.”

“Don’t you have any praise for me bringing them?”

“You did well.”

I gave Patrashu a moderate compliment and then stared intently at the minerals I had brought.

This is the real honey from the 1-4 area.

As long as the boss is a golem, the dropped items are naturally minerals.

Moreover, these minerals might have magical effects.

“Phew. I got some good materials and a Tier 9 skill. Now, no matter what anyone tells me to do, I won’t do it. I will live for myself.”

With a firm resolve, I started my work.

“[Magical Pastry Chef]”

I lightly kneaded and baked the bread dough, activating the Pastry Chef skill.

Then, I activated the skill on the freshly baked bread.

“[Item Appraisal]”

[Freshly Baked Bread (Buff)]

[A freshly baked bread. Eating it will restore a small amount of HP. Additionally, it has been enchanted.]

[Magic Effect]

[Temporarily increases strength slightly.]

A slight dizziness came over me.

The skill I obtained with the Tier 9 skill selection was the Item Appraisal skill.

When used, it consumes 1 mana to obtain information about an item.

“Excellent.”

I nodded involuntarily.

In the original D/Z SAGA, each character had an inventory limit, and miscellaneous spell scrolls not only cluttered the inventory but also made it messy, so the first spell scroll to be removed was always the identification scroll.

Especially when farming in the field, this skill really shines.

For example, let’s say a Stone Golem drops minerals every time you kill one.

If you kill a hundred of them, you naturally get a hundred minerals.

Can you carry all a hundred of them? Of course not. If you return and re-enter, the date will pass.

So, you usually farm items up to the inventory limit, use the appraisal magic to check the options, and throw away the trash.

This farming method, known as an appraisal run, is the most basic but essential farming method that works up to Chapter 12.

“This skill will be useful for a long time. It’s also convenient.”

However, the fact that my mana is only 3 is seriously concerning.

“Let’s see. Then, it’s time to analyze the minerals.”

Since Aila gave me a considerable amount of mana potion, I will spend the whole day appraising and analyzing useful items, which will probably take the whole day.

“What should I do?”

“Just wait and watch...”

At Patrashu’s question, I thought for a moment.

No matter what, it’s been three hundred years since he came out, and I’ve been using him well as a cart horse. Maybe I can give him a little freedom.

“As long as you don’t attack humans or cause trouble, you can take a short walk around here.”

“...Oh, really?”

“However, if you cause trouble, I will consult with the Fairy Queen and change you to another fairy, so keep that in mind.”

“Haha. Got it. Got it! I’ll be back!”

With that, Patrashu zipped out.

As I focused on the appraisal, I heard footsteps outside the door.

“Is Wolfram here?”

“...?”

I turned my gaze to see Aila looking at me cautiously.

Just.

Stop it.

I want to live for myself.

***

2nd Year Magic Department Dormitory.

Given that the current Student Council President is from the Magic Department and is also a senior, the influence of the 2nd Year Magic Department students could be said to pierce the sky.

Especially, Yvonne von Loewenclaw, who can be called the pinnacle, uses the entire top floor of the shared dormitory. This is not because of Yvonne’s request or privilege, but to protect her private life as the Student Council President and to show her authority to all students.

However, despite using an entire floor, the interior design was excessively simple. To be precise, it felt like a well-made model house with only necessary items placed.

However, the Student Council President is the ruler of Jefrin’s ten thousand. While the dormitory itself is clean, reflecting the president’s personality, anyone invited to the dormitory is always embroiled in enormous plots and schemes.

And today, another lamb was ensnared in the scheme and invited to Yvonne’s dormitory.

“...Phew. Miss Nephthys. Just sit comfortably. What kind of scheme is it? I’d like to hear it too.”

“Yes, yes.”

Yvonne, as if trying to calm Nephthys, sat down comfortably, and Nephthys, though fidgeting, sat across from her.

“Would you like some tea?”

“...No, no. I’m really fine.”

“Wolfram, or rather, the former Student Council President, seemed more relaxed when I dealt with him. Why are you so stiff with me? We’re in the same year, right?”

“Well... Wolfram-senpai doesn’t have any power.”

“...”

“No, no. I can deal with him very comfortably.”

“Isn’t Miss Nephthys’ title ‘Conviction’?”

“Yes, I have that title, though it’s not much. Hehe. Please call me Nephthys, President!”

“Alright. Miss Nephthys.”

“Hehe.”

She laughed foolishly.

Where is the conviction?

Yvonne shook her slightly aching head.

“Anyway, I’m sorry for suddenly kidnapping you. I didn’t want to invite you, but... I received a concerning report.”

“...Yes.”

“Last weekend morning. 3rd Year Magic Department Wolfram. Magic Department Rudica Hotson Shadow. Knight Department Nephthys. And a giant red wolf headed towards the eastern forest. That’s the report.”

“Yes, that’s correct. ...We went there.”

“Right. Then, can you give a detailed report of what adventure you had there?”

“...”

Nephthys flinched and then shivered.

“Do I have to tell everything?”

“Yes. Should I activate the Student Council President’s order?”

“Ugh, but... I’m sorry. I can’t betray my friends. If you end my life, I would be grateful...”

“Oh.”

From her appearance just now, I thought she would betray her friends for her own benefit, but her eyes were shining while on the verge of tears.

Yvonne can essentially tell if a person is good or bad and form preconceptions because of it. And now, her intuition was telling her that it would be difficult to get anything from Nephthys through threats.

She sighed softly. Wolfram has such a gem of a person by his side, and a small feeling of jealousy arose.

“This isn’t a threat.”

“Yes, yes?”

“Hmm. First, let me briefly explain the transfer of the Student Council to me and Wolfram.”

However, Yvonne von Loewenclaw.

Despite her young age, she is considered a genius in magic, second only to the first emperor.

She has built and grown her own power within the royal political struggles. She knows how to guide someone like Nephthys, who is straightforward and pure, to an excessive degree.

“For Wolfram’s sake.”

“For Wolfram-sama’s sake?”

“Yes. There are too many eyes watching him now. Can you tell me?”

“Hmm. Then, I also have a question.”

“Oh, I don’t like answering questions with questions... But okay. Ask away.”

If she could get information from Nephthys, she was willing to exchange quite important information.

Nephthys took a deep breath and cautiously whispered in Yvonne’s ear.

“Is it true that all the relics of the great first emperor are managed by the royal family?”

“?”

“Do they secretly commission them if they get their hands on them?”

“Huh?”

Yvonne, still smiling, had a question mark floating above her head.

***

Aila suddenly burst in, spread out her books and notes, and started studying.

“This is a place to sell things, not to study.”

“I won’t be a bother. I came here because I was disturbed.”

“I won’t say there are many customers, but if you want to study, there are better places...”

“Just get me about ten thousand rin worth of drinks and snacks.”

“Do you need a knee blanket?”

At my words, Aila smiled.

If you pay ten thousand rin to study, I can even add freshly made madeleines as a service.

For a while, the only sounds in the convenience store were the whirring of my appraisal skill and the rustling of Aila’s pages.

“...Oh.”

The strange silence was broken by my small cheer.

[Blazing Ore]

[Tier 9]

[A heated ore that can be controlled by the user’s mana.]

[Additional Effect]

[Provides a slight mental protection effect when carried.]

A pretty good option was applied. It’s not easy to find such a magic-imbued ore.

“Did you get a good additional effect?”

“Hmm. Not bad.”

“That’s good. Congratulations.”

“Is your study going well?”

“Ugh... It’s not rebellious.”

“It’s not rebellious.”

“Yes. It’s really not a rebellious study.”

Interpreting Aila’s words, it roughly means she doesn’t like it or it’s a rigid study.

However, if I