Chapter 263

Chapter 263

Around the time Jennifer was running all sorts of imaginations in her head.

Roan thought that research had not yet been properly conducted in detail.

“Anyway, it’s common sense, so keep that in mind. Just by reading enough books related to wine, this level of inference is possible. Or you can tell your family to try it once.”

Apart from the common sense (?) Roan taught, thinking common-sensically, there was no way the successor of the Diella family hadn’t read such books.

However, when Roan concluded it this way, Jennifer trembled slightly but pulled out a notebook from her pocket and began to scribble something down.

“Could…… you say that one more time?”

“Sure, it’s common sense, so as much as you want. Write it down well. Mature for a month at 33.3 degrees……”

Roan slowly taught his common sense to Jennifer.

‘Roughly, the mass production of Gefrun wine will be accelerated by half a year!’

……To be precise, Roan’s knowledge was scheduled to become common sense about half a year from now.

Even then, it wouldn’t be public common sense, but limited to those closely related to wine.

At any rate, although unintentional, it was Roan who brought innovation to the Empire’s wine industry revolution.

After faithfully writing down Roan’s words, Jennifer spoke with eyes slightly different from before.

“Thank you! Darc, I’ll have to contact my family to know if your words are true, but…… if it really works, I can give you a hundred boxes of grapes, or even a hundred boxes of wine!”

Surprise and gratitude!

She still didn’t know if he was kind and friendly as Zion had said, but to teach such common sense so nonchalantly, at least it seemed true that he was incredibly smart.

Roan politely (?) declined.

“I don’t need a hundred boxes.”

“Uh…… still, it’s a bit awkward to just pretend nothing happened after hearing this, so then……”

Jennifer, who pondered for a moment, clapped her hands and said.

“Or how about grape seeds of a variety suitable for the Ehadan Estate?”

“That, I appreciate.”

Roan also nodded.

Although he planned to flee the Empire once he graduated, until then, he had to at least pretend to rebuild his family.

Tending to a vineyard as a pastime would serve as a great disguise.

At any rate, thanks to the conversation with Jennifer, the atmosphere became much more harmonious.

Roan turned his gaze to El.

El was focusing on Roan with sparkling eyes, wondering if he would tell him something helpful for his family too.

“El, you……”

“Yes, Darc. Just say the word.”

As expected of a model student, El had already pulled out a notebook and completed preparations to take notes!

Roan looked at that sight with satisfaction and said.

“Study hard.”

“……Huh?”

That’s it?

El wore a slightly disappointed expression.

However, it was unavoidable for Roan.

‘Because the Zaphenard family is so plain that just doing what they’ve been doing is best.’

Just like El’s character, his Zaphenard family was plainness itself!

Should he say it was an estate that suffered losses instead of gains if they tried to focus on doing something.

Instead, the people of the Zaphenard Estate were all famous for being kind, so it was a sufficiently wonderful region just with that.

El sulked and put his notebook back inside.

Nudge, nudge─

Zion poked Roan’s arm again.

“Why this time?”

When Roan asked, Zion spoke while secretly checking the two’s reactions, lest they find out she had been poking Roan all this time.

“Why aren’t you utilizing the secret information network for Zaphenard?”

“……Didn’t you tell me not to show off that I have an information network?”

“T-That’s true, but……”

Just like Roan’s words, Zion could not say anything more since she had her own words to account for.

─ Here is your meal~

At that moment, the dishes that ‘North Sea Horn Trumpet’ boasted of were served.

The most eye-catching thing was, as expected, a giant grilled fish about the size of a typical female student’s torso.

“Wow, what is this?”

“I’ve never seen such a large fish before!”

Jennifer and El opened their eyes wide.

In the Empire, most of which was inland, fish was mostly common preserved foods like salted mackerel.

Though their situation was probably a bit better since they were nobles.

When Roan was contemplating how he should explain.

Fortunately, Zion stepped forward first since it was a fish she knew.

“This is a fish called Lighthouse Sea Bream. It got its name because it shines like a lighthouse even in the deep sea at night. It’s also a fish that lives only in the North Sea.”

At that, Jennifer and El nodded and even clapped their hands.

“Wow~ Saintess Candidate, that’s totally awesome!”

“Lighthouse Sea Bream, you really possess a lot of knowledge?”

Meanwhile, the two also gave Roan a subtle glance as he sat quietly.

Since the atmosphere had eased up, they were doing things they wouldn’t have even imagined until now.

‘I know Lighthouse Sea Bream too…….’

Not just Lighthouse Sea Bream, but also flower-mackerel, pear-fish, ganurungi……

Roan clapped lightly as if forced, feeling disappointed.

“Yes, truly wonderful.”

He also wanted to receive such pure admiration, but why was it that every time, they only gasped and flipped out in shock.

Zion, who received praise from the three, flushed and shook her head.

“Ah, it’s nothing. Compared to Roan……”

“And even humble!”

“As expected, there is a reason you became the Saintess Candidate!”

Zion, who received a shower of praise every time she spoke a word!

Roan glared at the two, feeling displeased for no reason.

“……Mmh. We should eat now.”

“Ahem.”

The two, who wanted to prevent the atmosphere from turning icy again at all costs, quickly changed the subject.

‘‘To be so stingy with praising a friend, as expected, Darc is indeed narrow-minded!’’

The four people each carved out the thick flesh of the Lighthouse Sea Bream.

After savoring a bite of the savory grilled fish, Roan casually asked the other three students.

“By the way, is everyone’s preparation for the quiz going well?”

“Cough!”

“Ack!”

“Hack!”

Zion, Jennifer, and El, who choked all at once at a question reminiscent of a professor—no, the principal!

In fact, they talked about quizzes with other friends too, but when Roan asked, it couldn’t feel more uncomfortable.

‘‘‘W-Well, since he is doing well himself…….’’’

The only class they had seen was the Basic Attribute Training, but at least in terms of grades, there was no freshman who could match Roan.

……In fact, not just in grades, there was simply no freshman who could match him at all.

Jennifer and El, who could not keep Roan waiting forever, nodded and replied.

“For us, I mean, for us, we are doing so-so……”

“Anyway, we don’t know what kind of quiz will appear, so there isn’t much to prepare, is there?”

“Aha, as expected.”

Roan nodded at the sincere worries of the two.

‘‘As if he knows……?’’

Even that felt like a professor.

Roan also had his own thoughts.

‘I should score some points with the kids on this occasion.’

Although they looked lax, one was Jennifer, the focal point of the female students, and the other was El, who was widely popular.

If he gave them quiz tips, he would be able to recover his reputation that was hitting rock bottom.

“For Basic Holy Magic, it will be helpful if you go to the library in advance and read the book Practice of Basic Utilization of Borrowed-Name Holy Art. Even if the level is low, it is important to use various Borrowed-Name Holy Arts indiscriminately.”

“Ah, there is such a book……?”

“It wasn’t on the textbook list, though?”

“Yes, it’s not on the textbook list, but it’s a book Professor Beleck references for class.”

“““?????”””

The three were dumbfounded by Roan’s nonchalant tone.

Did Roan really take the first-year classes once, no, three more times all by himself?

Naturally, each professor would have reference books for class in addition to textbooks, but how on earth did a freshman know that.

Roan, completely unaware of their doubts, savored one more piece of fish leisurely and spoke.

“For history class…… since you’ve come to the commercial district, it would be good to purchase a decent excavation shovel.”

“Well, that could certainly be the case.”

“The merchants will try to sell products from the Date Guild, but make sure to buy Zico Guild ones. The Date excavation shovel is not meant for the quiz.”

That can’t possibly be common sense?

At this point, it was not at the level of a tip, but a walkthrough!

Jennifer and El blinked and stared at each other, wondering if they were hearing correctly.

……Seeing that the other also wore a similar expression, they seemed to be hearing correctly.

What was Zion doing?

Scribble─ scribble─

‘Find and read Practice of Basic Utilization of Borrowed-Name Holy Art in the library, practice of various Borrowed-Name Holy Arts is important! Buy Zico Guild excavation shovel……’

She was diligently writing down Roan’s words in her notebook.

Jennifer and El, who belatedly saw Zion taking notes, suddenly had a thought cross their minds.

‘Ah, aha!’

Then, the two pulled out their notebooks a beat late.

“Also…… for Professor Vulcan’s class, it’s best to just prepare nutritional supplements for the beasts the day before. Or study common sense……. For supplements, the Richmond Guild’s is fine. For the World of Prayer, there is nothing to prepare right now, so if you are really worried, just prepare a standard holy mark. The recommended god is……”

As the three wrote down his words diligently without exception, Roan felt satisfied and gave them moderate-level tips.

‘This level of tips was frequently posted as community walkthroughs, so it should be fine, right?’

If they received better grades than the average playthrough through this, intimacy was basic, and the pride of being a veteran was a bonus!

Of course, Roan’s altruistic intentions and El and Jennifer’s intentions were slightly different.

‘‘So he’s telling us to offer the things he lists on our own!’’

Somehow, they should have realized from the moment they chose a restaurant with private rooms!

Moreover, seeing that Roan’s friend Zion was also writing it down diligently made them even more convinced.

……The two had misunderstood the friendship of Roan and his friends as something quite dangerous.

Roan, who had roughly passed on the quiz walkthrough like that, asked his friends with a satisfied look.

“How is it. This should be enough, right?”

“Very sufficient!”

“Don’t worry!”

Jennifer and El nodded, already wearing loyal eyes.

‘……What do they mean by don’t worry?’

Roan thought their replies were slightly strange.

If they do well on the quizzes, it’s good for them; it wasn’t something for him to worry about?

On the other hand, Zion was extremely happy to see Roan, who had always invited students’ fear, finally building friendships with other classmates.

“Roan, you are truly amazing!”

Sure enough, once you get to know Roan’s sincerity, there is no need to be so scared!

……Of course, it is still scary from time to time, though.

Anyway, she had wondered a bit at first why he suddenly stopped the passing Jennifer and El.

The speech and knowledge that made the two his allies with just a single meal was truly astonishing.

In a way, Zion did capture Roan’s intentions accurately.

“Hm? Ah, yes. Thanks. It’s not something to be called amazing, though.”

Roan accepted Zion’s greetings moderately.

The looks Jennifer and El gave him upon seeing that were fresh.

‘……No matter what, isn’t it a bit much for the Saintess Candidate to act like that?’

‘Well, since the opponent is Darc.’

Besides, didn’t this mean they could also enter the influence of the terrifying Roan now!

The world could not run solely on justice and rules.

……Jennifer and El had unintentionally realized the adults’ circumstances a bit early.

Having finished the meal, the four decided to part ways in front of the restaurant.

“Then, see you all tomorrow.”

When Roan offered his greeting first, the three with bright expressions also exchanged their respective greetings.

“Great!”

Zion was simply proud.

“Yes, I mean, see you tomorrow.”

“I’ll handle it well on my own!”

‘Handle what……?’

Jennifer and El, harboring somewhat suspicious thoughts.

Roan felt somewhat uncomfortable watching the two, but returned to the dormitory for now.