Professor’s Meeting
The Governor’s Office of Sky Island has disappeared, and the board has become ineffective, making it the powerful decision-making body of the Academy.
The professors sat around a table.
In the center of the table was a magic stone awakening potion that the Student Council had barely submitted after much effort.
A professor who analyzed the potion spoke up.
“It seems to bear the touch of the Cult.”
“Oh.”
“Is it really the Cult? It hasn’t been 20 years since the previous Craft Lord eradicated them.”
“It’s a remnant, but it is the Cult. Such manufacturing technology isn’t something a newborn could acquire all at once. It’s the Cult’s craftsmanship.”
Sighs were heard from various corners.
“Still, since they are remnants, it shouldn’t be a big problem, right? Surely we don’t have to be on guard every day or anything?”
“There’s no way they would recover in the meantime. The distribution of awakening potions might be a desperate measure for talent recruitment.”
“Even if they are remnants, we should still think about our response, shouldn’t we?”
Amid the murmurs, one professor frowned.
He had also been in charge during the battle when Viscount fell from the flying ship.
“What kind of Cult are we talking about? Everyone is misreading the situation!”
His fist slammed the table.
“It’s the Demon Realm! The Demon Realm! What kind of funding would a ruined Cult have to use the fins of Skywhales in an awakening potion!”
It’s not like they plundered a great clan without leaving a trace.
“The disgusting demons have revealed their true colors! They are absorbing the remnants of the Cult and engaging in despicable tricks! I knew it! I knew it!”
The expressions of some professors changed.
“Indeed…”
“The demons are more plausible than the Cult.”
“Professor Marius makes a valid point.”
Marius’s eyes sparkled.
“We need to search for the demons on Sky Island immediately! The Academy’s students too! We should never have let demons into Sky Island in the first place! The foundation was wrong!”
“Isn’t that a bit too blunt?”
One professor, resting his chin in his hand, opened his mouth with a vague expression.
Marius frowned.
“What? Are you siding with the demons?”
“Of course, I’ll side with those demons. What of it?”
So, what now?
Their gazes clashed intensely.
A quiet nerve war ensued.
Moments later, Professor Carlo, reading the analysis report of the awakening potion, set the report down.
“The meeting is getting heated. Everyone, please calm down. What will the students think if they see this?”
Marius exhaled before turning his head.
“I am just worried… emotions have indeed run high. I apologize.”
“Yes, Professor Marius. I understand.”
Carlo glanced around at everyone.
“The opinions are divided. Since they are remnants anyway, how about we watch this issue calmly?”
All eyes turned toward him.
“Let’s assign the Student Council to monitor the awakening potion distribution in the surrounding shops and wait for a report later.”
The meeting continued and eventually concluded.
One task was handed over to the Student Council.
—
After completing the smuggling, I even managed to find a construction company in the Demon Realm and returned to the Student Council.
Pastel looked at the dormitory construction schedule, which was not quite finished, with a frown.
Dormitory Construction – Construction to begin in the summer vacation.
Ugh.
We can’t evict students who are doing fine and start construction. The plan is to begin construction during the summer vacation when most students go home.
It’s true, but
It’s just too true.
Aaaaah.
Pastel raked her hair in frustration.
My Demon Lord’s legacy…!
Exploring the ruins under the dormitory…!
The power of reproducing magic stones (a wish), yum yum yum…!
Ugh.
Life is too hard, Pastel.
Is the harsh reality truly this cold to a starving child?
”The first semester is originally short. Summer vacation will come soon.”
That’s not true.
”If you really want to get it quickly, what about reviewing the library materials? If you’re lucky, you might deduce the secret entrance in the dormitory’s basement.”
Huh?
Spending time in the library where I can’t make noise?
The top student Pastel can’t do that~.
Pastel made a blank expression, doing her best to pretend she didn’t hear.
Wah wah, I need to do Student Council work.
I’m the vice president and head of finance and planning and publicity and volunteer services and discipline, so there are just too many things to do.
She squirmed on the Student Council sofa.
Wriggle wriggle.
Laze around.
Ugh.
It’s too hard to work.
Life is too hard, Pastel…!
Aaaaah.
The harsh decisions of the professor’s meeting crushes the dreams of a smuggler!
What should the poor dreamer of smuggling do here?
What dream is there in monitoring the shops?
But there was an answer.
A short while later, a merchant visited the Student Council. He was also someone who owned one of the shops that were to be monitored.
Pastel, with a blank expression, sat face to face with him.
The merchant seemed to have a lot weighing heavily on his mind. He nervously took out a small box from his bag, his hands trembling with cold sweat.
Then, he slid it toward Pastel.
“Ahem. This is a token of goodwill from our shop to the Student Council.”
The box clicked open.
Gold bars were stacked neatly.
Ugh.
Pastel’s mouth dropped open.
Whoa.
The gold bars are greeting me!
Hello, hello.
Whoa.
Hello, gold bar friend.
Pastel twisted her body in the brilliant light of her friend.
Ugh.
So powerful.
Then she rubbed her face with both hands.
But I’m sorry, gold bar friend.
See you next time.
Pastel pushed the box away with a calm expression.
“The Student Council does not accept bribery. The monitoring and investigation of the awakening potion will be conducted according to principles and regulations.”
Drug issues are serious, and personal interests cannot mix in.
Personally, I want to search for the awakening potion and nibble too.
The merchant nodded.
“Of course! We will sincerely comply with the monitoring of the awakening potion! It’s about the safety of the students, isn’t it? But that is not why I am here.”
Huh?
The merchant was sweating profusely. He seemed to be desperately hoping that the other party would catch on.
But realizing that the other party was an innocent girl, he eventually confessed.
“It’s just a very minor case of tax evasion, haha!”
Tax evasion?
A hearty laugh echoed.
“Oh, it’s just a very, very trivial matter! Hahaha!”
Tax evasion.
Ugh.
A flash of realization struck.
A perilous journey to save a starving child.
Meeting pirates, encountering rogues, and all sorts of perilous adventures.
Could this merchant also be someone trying to help a starving child?
Ugh.
Pastel’s eyes widened.
She looked down at the gold bar friend.
Is this friend actually for a starving child (me)?
Ugh.
I’m sorry, friend.
I couldn’t believe your good intentions.
Pastel’s bad hands swiftly grabbed the box of gold bars.
Her righteous mouth muttered quickly.
“The Student Council promises to focus on monitoring the awakening potion. Aside from that, there will be no other matters that attract our attention.”
“Of course! We will also earnestly comply! Hahaha!”
The merchant grinned.
Pastel’s lips turned up.
Hehe.
“You….”
Huh? Where’s that echo coming from?
Did I mishear?
The merchants began to visit the Student Council one after another.
The power of merchants working in the shops rumored to be expensive in Sky Island was formidable.
The boxes piled up rapidly.
Gold bars and gold coins sparkled.
Whoa.
Pastel inhaled sharply.
“Wahh!”
Gold bars, gold bars.
Gold coins, gold coins.
How much tax evasion have these people done?
The naive Pastel, completely ignorant of tax evasion, had no idea.
Hehe.
I need to turn all of this into smuggled goods.
Oh yeah.
—
In a gloomy shopping building.
Merchants gathered.
“We can’t just hand over the money like this! This is the Academy’s ruthless suppression of the shops!”
A merchant shouted from the stage.
“Right! Right! This is an infringement of our shop rights!”
Good-hearted tax evaders agreed.
In stark contrast to the enthusiastic atmosphere, at one table, the merchants engaged in serious discussions.
A seasoned-looking merchant frowned.
“Ugh, it’s as rumored, Craft. To pull half of us away through flexible bribery, we have been hit unprepared while divided.”
“Didn’t you say that the Viscount was merely an innocent girl? I clearly saw her presenting a glowing dragon at the festival.”
One merchant appeared dejected.
The seasoned merchant chuckled.
“Are you naive? The glowing dragon was never important. It didn’t matter if it failed.”
Craft’s tricks have been consistent for generations.
Usually, they manage their image meticulously, only to reveal their dark underbelly when it’s crucial.
What image to create depends on each clan leader.
“This time, it’s the innocent girl. Because of her appearance, everyone gets fooled every time, but now everyone knows, right? Craft is different inside and out.”
“Indeed.”
Another merchant slammed the table.
“I was fooled; I was fooled!”
“Exactly. They managed their image in places that didn’t matter. Which Viscount would proudly present a glowing dragon? There must be some dark motivation behind it!”
The seasoned merchant was sure of himself.
“Yes! You are right! There’s no way she would sincerely do such an embarrassing thing!”
A lean merchant clapped his thigh.
“Then isn’t this a big deal? How can we deal with the best Craft in the Empire with such manipulation?”
The seasoned merchant smiled.
“We must show our strength. It’s a duel trial! We will challenge the Viscount to a duel regarding the infringement of shop rights and win.”
The merchants whispered in surprise.
A duel trial.
The outcome of the duel doesn’t have any legal effect per se.
However, in terms of honor, it’s a different matter. It’s very disgraceful for the loser to not acknowledge defeat. Especially if their title is high.
“From the discreet investigation I’ve done.”
The merchant grinned sinisterly.
“It seems the Viscount has a score of zero in combat!”
“Really?!”
The merchants were very surprised.
The seasoned merchant laughed.
“We cannot lose in this duel!”
The merchants whispered among themselves.
This can be done.
We will definitely win!
One merchant felt uneasy.
“But can we really do this? Pointing a sword at someone is close to blasphemy.”
The merchants hesitated. Anxiety began to spread.
The seasoned merchant smiled.
“Well, I have considered that too.”
“Oh, as expected of you! Quickly tell us the method!”
“I heard students whispering during our investigation of the Viscount. I didn’t catch all the details, but I surely caught important keywords!”
“What are they?”
The seasoned merchant clenched his fist.
“It’s an arm wrestling duel! With this, we won’t need to point a sword!”
“Oh! You are a genius!”
“The hidden talent of the merchant alliance!”
“The god of manipulation who surpasses Craft!”
The merchants erupted in excitement.
A little while later.
Receiving the invitation from the surrounding merchants’ alliance, the Viscount arrived.
A representative of the shops stepped forward.
“Viscount, we challenge you to an arm wrestling match in a duel trial.”
“Gasp!”
The pink-haired girl’s eyes widened.
“How did you know I’m just a good-headed child!”
Aaaaah.
The seasoned merchant confidently called a mercenary.
The burly mercenary showcased his massive muscles. His bronze muscles bulged.
Flexing.
Aaaaah.
The cruel death game that targets the weaknesses of just a good-headed child…!
The mercenary and the girl took their seats at the table.
Aaaaah.
“The merchant alliance swears to accept the results….”
All sorts of procedures were mentioned.
And the duel began!
The girl squeezed her eyes shut.
“Yahhh!”
This is the best of just a good-headed child!
The table creaked.
“Aaaah!”
The mercenary rolled over with the wreckage of the table.
Silence enveloped the room.
One merchant was sweating profusely.
Moments later, merchants held their breaths at the back of the shop as if they had arranged it in advance. The seasoned merchant rolled on the ground, getting kicked.
“Hey, you foolish child!”
“Ah! Don’t do this! I was just manipulated by Craft’s information operation!”
