Chapter 85 – Level 40 (1)

The Vallaran Royal Knight Academy.

As a place that received the full support of the king, the scale of the academy was truly immense.

To the point that a joke circulated that the academy was wider than a county.

In the center of the academy, a fairly large outdoor resting area was prepared.

It was structured with a fountain that spouted water all year round in the center, chairs around it where one could sit and rest at any time, and plants of various colors harmoniously surrounding it to aid in relaxation.

It was a consideration to allow the trainees of the Knight Academy, which always smelled of sweat, to spend their afternoons like ordinary students, at least here.

It was the best place for the trainees of the academy to gather in groups of threes and fives to sit and chatter.

The chatter was mainly about the topics attracting the most attention at the academy currently.

Trivial contents, such as who was coming as an examiner for which test, or who achieved what result in which mission.

And now.

Henry Camilton was precisely the subject of their conversation.

“They say he’s already back. And that he succeeded in his mission, too.”

“No way! I heard it was a first-class mission?”

“They say he even received an offer to join the Royal Knights.”

“Does that make any sense? It must be a rumor!”

“Well, to say it’s just a rumor…”

“Did he seriously complete a first-class mission all by himself? You want me to believe that?”

If a hundred trainees gathered, it was an atmosphere where ninety of them would debate the rumors related to Henry.

Naturally, most of the details they brought up as proof were groundless, yet strangely enough, almost all of them were true.

“Look closely. Look. If we summarize what you guys just said, Henry Camilton rose to Class A just two months after escaping that barn lifestyle, received an offer to join the Royal Knights, and even rejected it.”

“Right. That’s true.”

“That’s not all. He succeeded in a first-class request, and did it alone. Producing results that greatly satisfied the noble client.”

“Exactly.”

“Does that make sense?”

“Well… honestly, escaping a barn and rising to Class A doesn’t make sense either, does it? Besides, there are people who saw Sir Melissa personally make the offer.”

“Who is that?”

“Well…”

“Besides, isn’t there also a rumor that he reached 2-star knight status? Why would someone like that still remain at the academy? Every noble family would fight to recruit him… ah, not fight, but anyway, they would make offers.”

Questions bred questions, and refutations bred refutations.

The trainees continued their conversation like a wheel turning endlessly, but no matter how much they talked, nothing could be certain.

Because Class A had a completely different curriculum from the trainees of other classes.

While they spent time in classrooms or training grounds, Henry Camilton was surely receiving special instruction in some special place.

“So what I’m saying is, even if it’s not all completely false…”

“Shh. Shh!”

“…Why?”

“Hey. Isn’t that him?”

Triggered by someone’s question, the mouths of almost all the trainees closed at once.

In an instant, dozens of pairs of eyes turned to one place.

“It’s Henry. Henry Camilton. Right?”

“Is that Henry? He looks ordinary.”

“I saw him before. You know, back when he lived in that barn… right?”

Someone nodded, confirming that it was indeed Henry Camilton.

It was a trainee who had belonged to Bain Timothy’s gang.

His face turned white, but the other trainees, not caring about him, began to glance at Henry even more actively.

“Looking at him now, he seems a bit different. Look at those eyes. Doesn’t it feel strange?”

“…Did he really gain some enlightenment? His attitude shows he doesn’t even care about our reactions, right?”

“It makes sense. He’s Class A. Would guys like us look like fellow trainees to him? He might as well be a knight already.”

The atmosphere among the trainees changed rapidly.

To the extent that even the trainees who had been doubting him until just moments ago flipped their attitudes like flipping a palm.

In truth, from an objective standpoint, he looked ordinary as could be, but in their minds, ‘ordinary Henry Camilton’ had already vanished.

For they were at a point where they felt even his casual action of sitting and staring into space seemed to have some deep meaning.

However.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

Henry, the person in question, was actually on the verge of going mad.

‘I had no idea it would be this embarrassing!’

[The movements are so awkward lol]

[lol phew, the sky is blue???]

[Countless requests for handshakes lol]

[The reactions are hilarious lol]

Why did Henry come here?

Naturally, he knew that the trainees’ topic of interest was Henry Camilton.

Therefore, he had avoided crowded places and moved only between his lodging and Rousseau’s training ground.

However.

[Crazy sh*t lol]

[The stronger the stimulation, the faster you get used to it, right? lol]

“…Regrettably, that is a prohibited action within the academy. Rather…”

If it was that much, it was doable.

Although he felt embarrassed enough to die, Henry was someone who knew the value of money.

“Ohh!”

“What is he trying to do? No way?”

“He picked up his sword!”

[He’s practically a celebrity lol]

[Look at their reactions, sh*t lol]

[The knight’s expression looks like crap lol]

A momentary wave of self-loathing washed over him. Though it was not severe, it made him wonder if he really had to go this far.

But that was only for a moment.

‘I have to do it. Absolutely.’

Henry recalled the situation he currently faced.

[Sponsor Shop]

[Level 5 Talent Orb (Circulation)]

* 5,400,000 won

[Level 5 Bundle of Talent Orbs]

* 29,800,000 won

The ‘Talent Orbs’ required to reach the 4-star knight rank now boasted insane prices.

The price of the bundle product was a whopping 30 million won.

Although Woopwoop and Cheongdam Man sponsored large sums from time to time, and other viewers contributed amounts that could not be ignored,

it was still true that the amount was burdensome.

Was that all?

There were not many elixirs left with Rousseau now.

Even if he consumed them all, it was clear that they would not fill the required amount of mana.

‘In the end, I’ll have to get elixirs from the Sponsor Shop too.’

[Lesser Mana Concentrate]

* Can obtain 1% of mana based on a 4-star knight.

* 122,000 won

[Fairy King’s Wing Powder]

* Can obtain 13% of mana based on a 4-star knight.

* 1,400,000 won

The price of the elixirs was also at a level that could not be ignored.

To satisfy the criteria of a 4-star knight, it seemed he would need roughly 12 million won.

‘Even after taking the few that Instructor Rousseau has… it will take at least 5 million won. Maybe even more.’

A free ride—or to use the viewers’ term, a ‘free meal’—was no longer possible.

To obtain something, one had to pay the corresponding price.

The best price Henry could pay was through sponsorships, and to get sponsorships?

“Are you not planning to draw your sword?”

“Of course not! If he draws it, immediately…”

“But he’s Class A, isn’t he? Don’t different rules apply to those guys compared to us?”

He had to endure burdensome situations like the one now.

Furthermore, in addition to simple growth,

‘Now I should check other items too.’

Considering the variety of items available in the Sponsor Shop, no amount of sponsorship money would ever be enough.

For instance, information was the same.

[Information: General]

* The price varies depending on the value of the product.

* Three products can be purchased daily, and the contents cannot be known in advance.

* The content of the products is provided in a way that is close to, related to, or usable by ‘Henry Camilton.’

* Information 1: 9,999,000 won

* Information 2: 7,300 won

* Information 3: 331,000 won

Until now, Henry could only check the two cheaper pieces of information.

Because he had no money.

But considering the fact that the Sponsor Shop always delivered value for its price, Information 1 was something he had to buy eventually.

‘Moreover.’

Gulp.

Henry swallowed hard.

In truth, more than all the other products, the item Henry was currently most curious about was something else.

[Limited Sale!]

[Shaolin Lesser Returning Pill]

* 23,000,000 won

* A significant amount of martial energy can be obtained. A sufficient level of internal energy is required to absorb it.

‘…This internal energy. What on earth is it?’

It was clearly an item placed in the [Elixirs] category.

Yet unlike the items that boosted ‘mana,’ the Shaolin Lesser Returning Pill stated that it increased ‘internal energy.’

The problem was that there was no explanation regarding that internal energy.

It was an unidentified item, and the price was 23 million won.

Naturally, Henry could not help but show interest.

Furthermore, this [Limited Sale] category had always occupied the very top of the Sponsor Shop since he started streaming.

‘It must mean I should prioritize purchasing this, considering what has been done for me so far.’

The Great Mage was such a person.

Or rather, he did not know if the mage was human or not, but anyway.

The mage demanded a clear price, but in return, he thoroughly provided Henry with what he needed.

‘…An algorithm.’

Henry let out a long breath. It was due to the thought that he had to seize the opportunity given just yesterday.

“I cannot ruin a table that is already set. I will definitely succeed.”

Henry stood up from his seat.

The mission was over, and the viewers seemed fully satisfied.

Leaving behind the gazes filled with admiration and jealousy, along with unavoidable awe, Henry headed to Rousseau’s residence.

***

“Another mission!”

Rousseau felt as if he had just heard news of the sky falling.

However, he was a veteran who had been at the academy for over a decade, and at the same time, he was in a position to know what kind of person Henry Camilton was.

Endeavoring to remain calm,

Rousseau began to grasp the situation first.

“…I heard you do not need to perform missions for three months. If the headmaster went as far as to say that, it must mean you achieved a truly great feat, Henry.”

“I have another purpose.”

“I thought so. If you want to see Viscount Camilton, you can just go. There is no need to carry out a request.”

Just a moment ago,

Henry had suddenly barged in and announced that he would carry out a request in the Heritz region.

After all, the ‘other purpose’ he could think of was nothing more than the conjecture that Henry wished to meet his father.

“It is not for that purpose. It is something that must be done… Ah, I plan to go with Austin this time.”

“It is because of Austin!”

“Yes.”

“Henry, I will make sure Austin successfully performs the mission by any means, so…”

For the first time in his life,

Rousseau made a decision to commit misconduct as the chief instructor.

For with his authority, manipulating Austin’s mission score was not a problem at all.

However.

“It is a slightly more complicated issue. If Austin agrees, I will explain the situation to you as well, Instructor.”

“A complicated issue…”

“Also, before that.”

Henry brought up something that was far beyond his expectations.

“I think we need to stop by the Royal Knights first.”

BJ Swordmaster