Chapter 294 : Chapter 294

Chapter 294. Academy Autumn Festival (5)

“Your ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Highness, it worked!”

“So it really was all about how you phrase it!”

The Cryptozoology majors rejoiced at the fact that someone had gone into the room without resistance.

Seeing their delight lifted Radel’s spirits as well.

“That is right. From now on, it will help even more if you collect consent forms for the experience.”

“Consent forms?”

“Of course. Who knows what people might do to a confined magical beast?”

At Radel’s advice, the Cryptozoology students looked as if they had been struck.

They had never even imagined that a person might harm a magical beast.

Only then did they realize how naïve they had been.

“You are right, Your Highness. From now on, we will definitely collect consent forms.”

“For the sake of our cute and precious magical beasts, too!”

“We completely forgot that humans are the scariest of all.”

It was a very Cryptozoology-major way of thinking.

They seemed to have forgotten that, with ordinary human strength, one could not so much as lay a finger on a magical beast…….

Radel continued working with them while offering sincere advice, then headed toward the next booth.

Naturally, he slipped into a nearby alley.

There was something he needed to check.

The Status Window he had dismissed earlier appeared before Radel’s eyes.

Ding.

[An unknown magic is invading the user’s mind.]

Ding.

[The user’s knowledge regarding the unknown magic has been confirmed.]

[The name of the unknown magic is changing.]

[Asmodeus’s magic is invading the user’s mind.]

[Status Effect Nullification is activated.]

As Radel examined the Status Window, he noticed a new change.

Along with the message stating that the user’s knowledge had been confirmed, the unknown magic’s name had changed to Asmodeus’s magic.

‘Is it because I have experienced Asmodeus’s temptation before?’

It seemed that if one had encountered the same magic previously or possessed prior knowledge of it, they could identify its nature.

Radel’s eyes gleamed at the usefulness of the ability.

Being able to determine what kind of magic it was proved extremely helpful.

It was especially valuable when the caster’s identity was unknown.

Asmodeus’s magic.

Bearing the name of the Archdemon of Lust, it was undoubtedly related to temptation.

The one who had used this magic on Radel had been wearing the robes of a priest of the Supreme Deity Order.

A priest of the Supreme Deity Order using forbidden magic in broad daylight.

Radel recalled the face of the priest he had just seen.

The man looked rather neat and proper, yet temptation…….

Just like Bishop Taylor, who had been captured before, it became clear that there were quite a few heretics even within the Supreme Deity Order.

It seemed best to deal with matters involving the Key of Seal quietly.

However, there was no time to focus on that right now.

“Let us put out the urgent fires first.”

Radel hurried toward the next booth.

***

The first-year Alchemy major booth.

With Professor Cailin’s permission, the first-year Alchemy majors were selling new potions made from ingredients harvested from the intermediate herb garden.

The higher quality of the ingredients had improved the potions, but in truth, their booth was less popular than those run by upperclassmen.

The first-years looked on enviously at their seniors’ booths.

“The fourth-years’ booth has people lining up.”

“Of course it does. They are selling a luck potion this time, too.”

“A luck potion? Does that mean you can win the lottery if you drink it?”

“Not that much, but it seems to give you small bits of good luck.”

Even the slightest luck was enough to tempt people.

After all, was it not human nature to hope for a bit of good fortune?

“I wish I could buy one, too.”

“The senior who made that will probably walk straight into a large Marcellent workshop after graduating, right?”

“Why would they do that? At that level, they would open their own workshop.”

For Alchemy majors, realistic concerns were paramount.

Compared to other majors, they desperately needed proper income to cover ingredient costs and expenses.

“I want to make a potion like that someday.”

“Sigh. Why does no one come to our booth?”

Just as they were sighing, a savior appeared before the weary first-years.

“Why are you all sighing like that?”

The owner of the Dice Shop.

The master vendor who sold the widest variety of goods within the academy.

Radel spoke as he stepped into the booth.

“If you do that, even customers who were coming will turn away. You do not have to smile, but sighing is forbidden.”

At Radel’s appearance, the first-years inhaled sharply.

“Gasp.”

“I-it is Radel.”

Among the Alchemy majors, there was no one who did not know who Radel was.

Whether it was pulling weeds, fertilizing fields, brewing potions, or running a business, everyone had no choice but to acknowledge the natural alchemical talent Radel displayed.

Moreover, unlike the aggressive Combat Magic majors or the finicky Magic Supremacists, most Alchemy majors had modest, everyday sensibilities.

With Radel’s arrival, they grew restless, worried that something might be wrong.

Ignoring their reactions, Radel quickly surveyed the booth and called out to Tunia, who was organizing inventory off to one side.

“Tunia, where is what we prepared?”

“Here.”

As if she had been waiting, Tunia brought out a box.

With practiced ease, Radel opened it and pulled out potions, sticks, and sheets of paper.

He then unrolled a dried sheet and wrote the following in bold letters.

‘Buy 2, Get 1 Free’

‘The students have gone crazy!’

‘Completely insane! A once-a-year opportunity!’

The Alchemy majors stared at Radel’s writing in shock.

“C-crazy?”

“Who is crazy?”

Radel casually pointed at them.

“Hm? You are.”

The flustered students protested.

“What are you talking about? We are not crazy.”

“That is right. Why are you saying such nonsense all of a sudden?”

“There is no crazy person here……!”

Radel merely shrugged.

“You will be soon.”

***

“Oh my, look at this.”

“They say the students have gone crazy?”

Passersby who noticed the paper posted outside the first-year Alchemy booth stopped in their tracks.

It was too provocative to ignore.

Curious about the claim that the students had gone crazy, they entered the booth.

Inside, the students were shouting at the top of their lungs.

“Price destruction!”

“A chance that will never come again!”

“Buy two, get one free!”

Curious customers approached them and asked,

“Is it true that the students here have gone crazy?”

Radel, who was arranging items, immediately nodded.

“Yes, it is true. We are completely crazy.”

“What exactly is crazy?”

At the question, Radel gestured toward the students.

Suddenly, the first-years who had been shouting began to wail.

“Waaah, it is true!”

“We are selling without thinking about profit. We have completely lost our minds!”

“Waaah, it is almost at cost, at cost!”

It was the result of Radel’s training.

Those who had first wondered how they could possibly do this eventually steeled themselves in the face of money.

With potions made by first-years, it was difficult to compete directly with upperclassmen.

In that case, they needed another way to draw customers’ attention.

“Oh dear, students should not go crazy. Let us take a look.”

“Could you show us what you have?”

Finding the students’ behavior amusing, the customers listened to explanations about the potions.

As people began to gather, others grew curious and followed them in.

‘Now it is starting to gain momentum.’

Radel watched with satisfaction.

At the same time, he did not miss the opportunity to promote a new product.

“This is a newly released potion called an Awakening Agent. Are you familiar with the Dice Shop? It will be supplied there soon, but we are unveiling it here at the academy festival first.”

“If you buy it together with a hangover cure, we will give you an extra discount.”

Since the Dice Shop’s hangover cure had recently become fairly well-known, many customers recognized it.

Together with Tunia, Radel diligently bundled the new Awakening Agent with the hangover cure.

Even if they sold it cheaply, it was important for as many people as possible to try it.

The best form of advertising was word of mouth.

Once information spread, the number of customers increased without spending any money.

‘Wait, information…….’

Radel paused briefly and asked Tunia,

“Tunia, can you contact the Dice Shop today?”

“Why?”

“There is someone I need to look into urgently.”

Tunia lowered her voice.

“What is the name?”

“The name?”

“I do not know. All I have is a rough idea of the age and appearance.”

Radel briefly described the priest he had met earlier.

Even as he spoke, doubt crept in.

“Will that be enough to find him?”

“That is more than enough.”

Tunia answered decisively, as if questioning the capabilities of former top assassins were absurd.

Then, while clearing away the box, she asked,

“More importantly, should we not move on to the next booth?”

“Hm? Is it already that late?”

Radel checked the time and quickly drank a bottle of the Awakening Agent.

He then pulled out a Hayden-style Intermediate Potion and swallowed it.

Ding.

[The effects of the Hayden-style Intermediate Magic Potion are activated.]

[Health is fully restored.]

[Magic Power is fully restored.]

[All intoxication effects are removed for 30 minutes.]

[Magic Power recovery speed increases for 30 minutes.]

“All right, I am ready.”

With preparations complete, Radel set his jaw.

The place he had to go next was one he could not endure without this level of readiness.

***

“Where have you been wandering off to?”

The 2nd Prince, Arteo Kudente Cretian, asked sharply.

He was inside an academy festival booth.

More precisely, it was the booth of the Imperial Court Magicians, to which he belonged.

To gain early entry to the academy festival, the academy had instructed them to participate as a regular booth, leaving them no choice but to attend under the banner of the court magicians.

The junior magicians dispatched with him fell silent, watching Arteo’s expression.

“If you are not here, who is supposed to deal with people?”

Arteo had not stepped outside the booth even once.

When visitors interested in the Imperial Court Magicians came by, he merely turned his head with the upright dignity befitting a member of the imperial family.

As a result, the junior magicians, exhausted from dealing with visitors, had been taking turns sneaking out for some fresh air.

And they had been caught.

“Explain yourselves. Where did you go without informing me?”

“W-well, that is…….”

Arteo frowned as he listened.

“A counseling booth?”

They were magicians of the Imperial Court.

In other words, the empire’s finest elite.

And yet they had visited a mere counseling booth within the academy.

“I heard that if you go to the counseling booth, the Spirit of Knowledge resolves any concern…….”

“They say the Spirit of Knowledge gives clear answers, too…….”

The Spirit of Knowledge.

If a Spirit of Knowledge resided in the counseling booth, it made sense.

It was certainly rarer than other elemental spirits.

“And yet you tarnish the honor of the Imperial Court Magicians? Reflect on yourselves immediately!”

Arteo scolded them sternly.

And several dozen minutes later,

Arteo himself slipped away without his juniors noticing.

He was even disguised, in case he might be recognized.

“……Where is it, exactly?”

That place which resolved any concern.

The counseling booth with the Spirit of Knowledge was his destination.