Chapter 290 : Chapter 290

Chapter 290. Academy Autumn Festival (1)

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍first day of the Academy Autumn Festival.

‘Go to a place with many people.’

To successfully carry out the mission Kier had entrusted to him, Gillian moved quickly.

‘I need to install these near the Supreme Deity Order’s booth, and scatter the rest in places with the largest crowds.’

Kier’s demand was simple.

Go where as many people as possible were gathered.

All he had to do was find such places and discreetly scatter the pebbles engraved with curse formulas.

“A place with a lot of people…….”

It felt unsettling, but defying Kier would mean inevitable punishment.

Gillian scanned his surroundings, searching for a suitable location.

Just then, he spotted a booth that was visibly overflowing with people.

Naturally, he joined the line at the back.

‘If it is this crowded, it must be one of the busiest places at the festival.’

Just as he expected, people continued to pour in endlessly.

“Are you getting the unlimited pass?”

“Of course. I heard they added two more rides this time!”

“Really? I cannot wait.”

Listening to their chatter, Gillian gathered information.

But something about what they were saying felt oddly strange.

“At the Spring Festival, I rode ‘Cradle of the Supreme Deity’ six times, you know? They say this one is even more fun.”

“I liked ‘With the Supreme Deity.’ That feeling of flying through the sky! I want to ride it again.”

“Right? It really feels like you are going to the Supreme Deity’s side.”

Going to the Supreme Deity’s side?

It sounded more devout than anything he had heard even at the Supreme Deity Order’s booth.

‘But why are they seeking the Supreme Deity here, instead of at the Order’s booth?’

As Gillian puzzled over this—

“Please form two lines!”

“Maintain order, please!”

Apprentice Priests and Apprentice Holy Knights of the Supreme Deity Order were straightening the scattered lines.

Seeing how naturally they did so, Gillian was taken aback.

‘This is not even the Supreme Deity Order’s booth, so why……?’

While he was trying to make sense of the situation, one of the priests noticed Gillian in priestly robes and brightened.

“Brother! This is perfect timing. We are short-handed right now. Could you come over and help us?”

“Pardon? What do you mean—”

“One brother coming inside!”

Before he could protest, Gillian was pulled out of the line and pushed into the booth.

There, he encountered a sight he had never seen in his life.

CLANG!

“Kyaaah!”

“I am going to the Supreme Deity!”

“Mother!”

There was a bizarre device that dropped people from above.

WHIIIR!

“My stomach is turning!”

“We are going down! Scream!”

“Waaah!”

There was also a massive contraption that loaded people into boats and sent them back and forth, throwing them into chaos.

In addition, there were devices where people rode toy horses in circles, and others where they were placed inside round barrels that rotated slowly for reasons unknown.

Gillian’s mouth fell open without him realizing it.

Noticing him, someone approached his side.

It was an Apprentice Holy Knight wearing an armband labeled Safety Staff.

With a blunt expression, he spoke to Gillian.

“It looks like this is your first time here, Brother. I will give you a brief explanation before you start working.”

“Pardon?”

He had never said he would work.

Regardless, the Apprentice Holy Knight began pointing out each contraption and explaining them.

They were the Viking, the carousel, and the gyro drop created by Radel.

“From the left, ‘Cradle of the Supreme Deity,’ ‘With the Supreme Deity,’ and ‘To the Supreme Deity’s Side.’ These three were also presented at the last festival. They were personally designed by the 8th Prince.”

“I, I see.”

The 8th Prince made all of these?

Gillian’s expression grew complicated.

“The 8th Prince bestowed sacred names upon the rides to spread the Supreme Deity’s grace far and wide, so that people could feel closer to the Supreme Deity. For this festival, he gave even more thought to creating new rides.”

As the Apprentice Holy Knight’s explanation grew increasingly enthusiastic, Gillian checked the nameplate on his left chest.

It read Gusto Zebro.

In the eyes of Gusto Zebro, a loyal follower of the 8th Prince, new rides were reflected.

They were far taller than the carousel and even the gyro drop.

“‘World of the Supreme Deity,’ which allows one to feel the world created by the Supreme Deity deep in one’s heart, and ‘Into the Supreme Deity’s Embrace,’ an evolved form of ‘To the Supreme Deity’s Side,’ designed to draw riders endlessly into the Supreme Deity.”

“I see…….”

Gusto firmly guided Gillian forward.

“You will understand once you experience it yourself. It would be best for you to ride ‘Into the Supreme Deity’s Embrace’ right away.”

“What?”

Dragged along by Gusto, incoherent sounds spilled from Gillian’s mouth.

The same was true as he was seated on the ride and strapped in with the safety harness.

“Then, have a wonderful time.”

“Pardon?”

In an instant, Gillian was bound to ‘Into the Supreme Deity’s Embrace’ and lifted into the sky.

Rrrrk.

What was happening?

His feet were dangling in midair.

Cold sweat began to run down Gillian’s back.

Everyone except him, however, was smiling broadly.

“‘To the Supreme Deity’s Side’ felt safe because there was a platform, but ‘Into the Supreme Deity’s Embrace’ feels new since your feet are hanging!”

“Exactly! This kind of thrilling sensation!”

“It is amazing!”

Madmen.

The moment Gillian thought that, an even more terrifying sound rang out.

Rrrrk.

Do not tell me it goes even higher?

Gillian’s mouth fell open.

And in the next instant, he lost his senses.

“Aaaah! O Supreme Deity!”

Watching from below, a faint smile appeared on Gusto’s lips.

Another brother had come to feel deep devotion in his heart.

Truly, the 8th Prince was an incredible person.

***

The Supreme Deity 3-piece set had become a 5-piece set.

That meant additional labor was required to operate the new rides.

As the number of attractions increased, so too did the number of people needed to run them.

Behind the Supreme Deity 5-piece set, the sweat of newly recruited workers glistened.

“One, two!”

“Wind!”

WHIIIR!

The workers swinging their staffs behind the rides in time with shouted commands were Academy first-years.

Each had their own major, but they had no choice but to leave their booths and come here.

“Huff, huff.”

“I am going to die from using magic.”

“I have never felt this terrible before.”

They had never pushed a single elemental spell to its limit like this.

On top of that, the control required was immense.

It felt as though they were wringing out every last drop of Magic Power.

“Are you all holding up?”

At that moment, someone appeared behind the rides.

The workers’ faces instantly brightened.

Yes.

All this suffering was for him.

For the noble prince of the Cretian Empire, the magical prodigy blessed with the Dragon’s Blessing.

For Prince Leon Silvert Cretian!

Enduring the severe hardship, every one of the workers was a follower of Leon.

“Your Highness!”

“Do not worry! We will carry it out perfectly!”

“To think you would come personally to such a harsh place……!”

The prince who had recently told them not to approach him.

Even so, just having him speak to them directly made their fatigue melt away.

As Leon’s followers were overwhelmed with emotion—

“Everyone, you are working hard.”

An utterly unwelcome figure appeared, holding something in his hands.

The instigator of this entire situation, Radel Silvert Cretian.

It was practically because of that infuriating 8th Prince that they had begun this madness.

‘Sigh, what should we do? No matter how much Magic Power Leon has, it would be unreasonable to operate this many rides…….’

The 8th Prince had deliberately passed by them while saying such things.

‘What are you talking about?’

‘Oh? You heard me. The truth is…….’

And just like that, Leon’s followers had taken the bait.

Of course, the 8th Prince’s intentions were obvious, but they could not ignore it.

Prince Leon was involved.

How could such menial labor as operating rides possibly befit someone so great and noble?

United in purpose, Leon’s followers stepped forward to help the Integrated Booth.

As a result, the Supreme Deity 5-piece set was running smoothly.

Radel held out the plate he was carrying and spoke.

“Eat this while you work. I just fried it.”

Leon’s followers turned their heads away.

“Hmph. When are we supposed to work if we are eating chicken?”

“We do not have time to pick bones.”

They all knew how good the chicken tasted.

But they were extremely busy.

Seeing the audacious 8th Prince bring food they could not even eat while knowing how busy they were made their blood boil.

Radel, however, spoke calmly.

“It is boneless, so it is fine. I already removed all the bones while preparing it.”

“What? Boneless?”

“Yes. It means it is only meat.”

“Who would bother doing something that tedious?”

“The Lizardmen, of course.”

Leon’s followers were dumbfounded.

It sounded absurd.

Lizardmen painstakingly removing bones from chicken meat……?

And doing so to make the food taste better……?

The Lizardmen brought by the 8th Prince were strange.

They were different from the Lizardmen commonly known.

They worked suspiciously well.

That was not all.

Sturdy men of unknown origin had gathered and were frying chicken without complaint.

Judging by their presence, they seemed like mercenaries or knights…….

Yet instead of swords, they held ladles, wildly mixing batter before dropping chopped chicken into oil with disciplined precision.

‘Are they the 8th Prince’s lackeys?’

Or perhaps they truly were cooks.

After all, the food tasted this good.

CRUNCH.

Unable to resist temptation, Leon’s followers took a bite of the chicken and glanced toward the cooking station.

There was another person there who drew their attention.

‘Who is he?’

A man was delicately brushing sauce onto freshly fried chicken.

And not just smearing it on.

He was carefully coating each piece one by one with a small brush.

All while wearing a bear mascot head and a heart-patterned apron…….

‘That is suspicious!’

Was it really acceptable for someone that dubious to be at the Academy?

Even so, they needed him right now.

Customers kept pouring in without pause.

“One seasoned chicken, please!”

“Two half-and-half, please!”

“One whole plain chicken, please!”

The Supreme Deity 5-piece set was immensely popular, but people could not ignore the smell of frying chicken.

Word spread instantly from the mouths of those who had tasted it.

“Oh no!”

“Huh? What do we do now?”

No matter how fast the Lizardmen and laborers fried the chicken, taking orders was another matter.

Overwhelmed by the flood of orders, they made a mistake.

“Your chicken is ready.”

“Half-and-half order!”

Complaints erupted among the customers.

“Wait, I ordered only seasoned chicken!”

“I ordered plain chicken earlier. Is it not ready yet?”

Of course, Radel had prepared the right person for moments like this.

A friend skilled in magic and quick with his hands: Armandy.

With a stiff expression, Armandy pushed through the laborers and Lizardmen and stepped before the customers.

Whoosh!

Once he stood at the counter, his hands moved too fast to see.

With practiced ease, Armandy took orders, organized them, and swiftly packaged the chicken.

“Yes, two half-and-half and one plain. That is correct, right?”

“Sorry for the delay. I added an extra piece of seasoned chicken as a service.”

“Three seasoned only. These just came out, so they will be excellent.”

Seeing his smooth performance, a warm smile spread across Radel’s face.

The Integrated Major Booth was steadily taking shape.