Chapter 215

A talisman for each person, exactly matching their number.

“Roan seems to be fully grown up now……. Phew.”

Yusina let out a deep sigh of disappointment.

Sion tilted her head, seeing Yusina looking so dejected her shoulders almost touched the ground.

‘Is she not amazed?’

A grandmother she met for the first time knew even the people who weren’t there, so why wasn’t she amazed?

……Sion truly could not understand.

Roan shook his head as he listened to the two female students’ conversation.

‘I should teach Sion what quick-wittedness is sometime.’

To become the Holy Emperor, one couldn’t simply be good at studying or using holy spells.

If it were possible with just that level, Roan would have cleared Sion’s playthrough several years earlier.

‘Then I would have been going through this hardship several years earlier.’

……Though it didn’t seem to be entirely a good thing.

“At any rate, two talismans are left.”

Roan took out the talismans he had intended to give to Espard and Tyrmi, and spoke.

There was no harm in keeping them, so he would have to give them to someone.

After thinking for a moment, Roan spoke without much meaning.

“Shall I just give them to Demona and Hector?”

Since they were leftover anyway, keeping them would only take up inventory space—not that there was actually a concept of inventory—so giving them to those two would make them very happy.

……Though it could become a problem because they would be *too* happy.

However, Sion jumped at Roan’s words.

“D-No, you can’t!”

“Huh? Why not?”

Roan asked as if surprised.

He couldn’t understand why Sion was stepping forward when it was something he obtained and he was the one giving it.

Of course, from Sion’s perspective, there was plenty of reason for that.

‘If you do that, it’s like being treated on the same level as Demona and Hector!’

What if rumors spread at school that she carried the same talisman as those two?

……Honestly, she didn’t think anyone would criticize a Saintess candidate over something like that, but Sion simply disliked it.

Since Sion disliked it that much anyway, Roan adjusted his thoughts slightly.

‘Indeed, why should I favor those guys.’

In that case, he could just give them to other friends.

“Then what about giving them to Rafia and Riel?”

“Hmm, I don’t care about that.”

When Roan asked, Sion readily nodded her head.

Since Rafia and Riel were her roommates and they were very close, it actually seemed nice.

Just then, Yusina jumped this time.

“What you mean, Sion! Are you telling Roan to give those to girls right now?”

“Huh? They’re friends, so what?”

“Indeed. Why is that, Saintess?”

Roan and Sion tilted their heads and asked, as if wondering what she was on about.

When they asked back so naturally, Yusina was momentarily at a loss for words.

“Uh…… is that so?”

It wasn’t something she needed to go out of her way to stop.

After pondering for a moment, Yusina finally found a reason.

“Right! If you do that, it means you’re only giving talismans to female students. What kind of rumors will spread about Roan at school?”

“Ah, that’s true.”

Sion nodded.

Yusina’s slumped shoulders lifted slightly.

Even in her own opinion, it was a fairly plausible reason for something made up in a hurry.

However, Roan stared at Yusina with a bewildered expression.

“W-Why……?”

“No, it’s nothing major.”

As Yusina asked, feeling secretly guilty, Roan shook his head and spoke.

“I’m just wondering if there are any rumors about me that could get any worse.”

““…….””

Yusina and Sion opened their mouths wide at the same time.

‘C-Come to think of it, that’s true.’

The path Roan had walked until now was certainly spectacular.

It was no exaggeration to say that Roan already received the envy and jealousy of almost the entire student body.

For an ordinary student, a rumor like ‘he only gave gifts to female students’ might be rather embarrassing and shameful.

But in Roan’s case, it would stop at the level of ‘Well, that much was to be expected, he was an annoying basterd anyway.’

Since malicious rumors covered heaven and earth anyway, it was like dropping a single drop of water into a vast ocean!

“Who! Who is spreading bad rumors about Roan! Bring them here! I shall punish them!”

Hearing Roan’s self-deprecating words, Espard flared up in anger.

“A-Ah, no! The kids are just playing around like that~ Uncle, you don’t need to worry about it~”

“T-That’s right, Saint!”

Yusina and Sion hurriedly held Espard back.

……If he really brought them all, a major catastrophe might occur where barely any first-years remained at Acherandir.

At that, Roan spoke in a tone that showed he was not pleased at all.

“But I don’t want to give them to the professors either.”

“““…….”””

At that, not to mention Yusina and Sion, even the angry Espard shut his mouth.

The faces of Acherandir’s colorful faculty swept through their minds.

Vulcan, Beleck, Atoga, Uli, Timothy, Pluvang, Diar, Kaina…….

By the time Kaina’s face came to mind, Roan gave up thinking any further.

Anyone else aside, Kaina was truly out of the question.

Unless he wanted to get his head cracked after going through the trouble of giving a gift.

*Nod, nod—*

Although they didn’t share a single word, the four individuals nodded at the same time as if by agreement.

“Just give them to Demona and Hector.”

“I think that would be best too.”

“I don’t know well, but at least it’s better than giving them to the professors.”

“……Indeed.”

In the meantime, Roan had also reached a similar conclusion.

Even if it was a bit troublesome, it was better to give them to those two who wouldn’t cause any backlash.

While discussing the disposal of the remaining talismans like that, the group arrived at Gilsburg’s outskirts where the Paladin Merchant Group was waiting.

“Ah, over here, Professor! Saint! And students!”

Gordon, the caravan chief who had come out in advance, welcomed the group warmly.

“Did you have a fun time yesterday?”

To Gordon, it was a casual greeting.

But.

“Uh…….”

“Hmm…….”

“Well…….”

For some reason, the expressions of Roan’s group were not very good.

In any case, Tyrmi merely substituted it with a nod.

The others wore complex expressions to readily say they had a good time.

“Well, yes, it was fun!”

“The inn was very splendid.”

Then, perhaps finding it awkward to explain the details, their answers popped out a beat late!

“Ah, ahaha, I see…….”

Gordon’s expression became slightly awkward.

He had secured the best lodging in Gilsburg in his own way, but did they not like it much?

Only then did the group realize Gordon had misunderstood slightly.

“Ah, it was truly wonderful! I actually rode an elevator for the first time.”

“I’ve never seen such a bathroom either!”

Espard and Yusina, who could be called the group’s relationship managers, did their absolute best to clear up Gordon’s misunderstanding.

Only then could Gordon smile comfortably.

“Hahaha, I’m glad you liked it. Well, let’s have a simple meal and head to the campsite.”

Gordon called one of the caravan members and distributed pre-prepared sandwiches.

“Wow! Sandwiches?”

Yusina was highly pleased.

Normally, one would think of hard rations when it came to food prepared by a caravan.

“Haha, since you are precious guests, I put in some effort. Thanks to that, those guys will also enjoy their meal.”

Indeed, the caravan members who were already eating were also holding similar sandwiches in their mouths.

It seemed he had prepared it deliberately in case Roan’s group felt uncomfortable.

“Of course…… though my pocket is not very happy.”

“Ah, ah…….”

Gordon spoke bitterly, patting the pouch hanging from his waist.

* * *

On the way to the Eddinger Campsite.

Sion asked Roan.

“Roan, how long will it take to reach the Eddinger Campsite?”

“Well, it’s not that far. It depends on how much spatial holy art is deployed, but if it is weak like now, about thirty minutes.”

As Roan said, it was a spatial holy art that Yusina could manage to endure after receiving Pallangi’s sedative prescription (?).

“Aha~”

Sion admired Roan, who answered nonchalantly as always.

“But what kind of place is the campsite? I heard it’s not just a place for camping.”

“Yes. If we must define it, it’s a sort of free market. It is a culture that originated from peddlers and adventurers camping and bartering with each other. Therefore, there are no tariffs and no separate administrators. It is also polite not to question each other’s identity. Usually, they walk around wearing robes.”

At this rate, he was practically a walking encyclopedia of Empire culture.

*Gleam—*

Tyrmi’s gaze looking at Roan gleamed a bit more sharply.

“Roan is correct. That is why even if I discover black mages, I just let them be as long as they don’t cause trouble. They will likely pretend not to know us even if we go.”

“Wow~”

As even Espard agreed, Sion was further amazed.

Knowing that much detail about the Eddinger Campsite, where he had likely never been, was certainly surprising, but she did not ask further.

She simply accepted it since it was Roan.

In short.

“Wow, Roan, how do you know such things? You’ve never been there before, right?”

Asking like that was something only novices did.

Yusina, who couldn’t possibly imagine she had suddenly been treated as a novice by Sion.

Roan had also become used to such questions by now, so he answered naturally.

“I read it in a book.”

Yusina asked once more playfully.

“Which book~?”

Her trick to see if he would remember the title of the book was obvious.

“A Study on the Empire’s Responsibility Concerning the Formation and Development of Campsite Culture.”

Of course, Roan knew the title of the book.

……He had actually read it too.

“???”

Yusina tilted her head, as if she had given up understanding around the middle of the title.

……It was indeed a long title.

“T-There is such a book?”

It seemed no one in the carriage had read the book Roan mentioned.

“……Ahem.”

Even Gordon, who would frequent places like the campsite the most, was the same!

‘At this rate, the future of the Empire’s commercial sector is dark!’

Roan lamented deeply.

Espard turned to Tyrmi and asked.

“Does the Professor know?”

For some reason, a hope that Tyrmi wouldn’t know either dripped from his tone.

“Yes. I’ve read it.”

But Tyrmi thoroughly ignored Espard’s expectations.

Tyrmi was surprisingly a bookworm.

Because knowing any kind of knowledge allowed her to avoid duels in various situations.

And Tyrmi was formally a professor of Acherandir!

The kind of professor who normally stacked books high in her office.

In any case, since even Tyrmi certified the book existed, it was awkward to speak further.

“My…… Roan really reads a lot of books.”

Espard said, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

“Well, I don’t read that much. It’s just a basic refinement.”

Roan shook his head as a sign of modesty.

After coming to this world, he had realized it.

‘I still have much to learn!’

That more and more knowledge was needed to survive.

Although he had managed to get by with the knowledge he possessed so far, as his grade rose and his range of activity widened, he had to study even more.

……Of course, this was strictly Roan’s personal thought.

‘If that is basic refinement for him, then I am…….’

The listening Saint, Saintess, and Saintess candidate suffered significant emotional damage.

“Y-You just need to grow up kind and healthy, Yusina, Sion.”

“T-That’s right, isn’t it?”

“Thank you…….”

As Espard spoke with a sheepish smile, Yusina and Sion also agreed with similar expressions.

Better to be kind and healthy than smart!

‘Tsk, tsk, how are they going to navigate this harsh world with that attitude…… I guess they really are flowers grown in a greenhouse.’

In fact, although Espard, Yusina, and Sion had not grown up without experiencing any hardship or receiving only precious treatment.

To Roan, who had to survive as a black mage while weathering harsh storms in the Holy Empire, it was bound to look that way.