Chapter 387

Although they learned the class location slightly late, the kind students went up to the small auditorium together to guide the merchants.

And the experienced merchants who had already participated in Acherandir’s specialty, Uli’s pop quiz, for several years were inspecting the students’ faces with sharper eyes instead of asking such naive questions.

—Look, that student over there is from the Lesterol family…

—Oh, it is Young Master Trian.

—Yes, they say he is promising, so it would be wise to pay attention to him.

They intended to watch the promising ones among this year’s freshmen in advance to gain profits later.

—Trian, you’re amazing! The merchants are already talking about you!

“Hmph! It is only natural. I don’t even care anymore!”

—As expected of Trian!

Hearing the merchants’ conversation, Trian’s gang became highly cocky and headed triumphantly to the small auditorium.

Naturally, Roan and his friends also drew the merchants’ attention.

—Look, over there! They’re coming!

—It is the Saintess candidate!

—Young Master Wycronon is here too!

As they looked perfectly normal on the outside, the merchants focused on Sion and Demona with looks filled with respect.

And a few quick-witted merchants nudged their neighbors and spoke.

—More importantly, keep a close eye on the student between the Saintess candidate and Young Master Wycronon.

—Huh? …Hieek! W-What is it? Are you telling me to watch him because he’s a really dangerous guy?

‘Those bastards…’

Roan was tempted to flip everything over regardless of them being merchants or not, but barely held back.

*Humm—*

*Control your temper. It isn’t even wrong.*

‘It’s the truth that is more offensive.’

*That is also not wrong.*

False Divinity laughed heartily.

Even in the midst of that, the merchants’ conversation continued.

—Nonsense! That person is indeed the rumored Young Master Darc. Heavens, I thought it was an exaggeration when they said his face made you worry if he’d get stabbed, but to think it was true…

—Hmm? What? Is he by any chance that holy clockmaker who appeared like a comet?

—Yes, the one who was ruthlessly worked to the bone by the Holy Emperor’s Palace… oops, this is a secret.

—Of course, of course.

The merchants looked at Roan with pity and sympathy.

…Naturally, Roan was extremely displeased.

*Step, step—*

Roan walked toward the merchants who were talking about him.

“H-Hieek! Guys, stop Roan!”

“R-Roan! Hold back!”

“We have an exam today!”

The friends instantly gasped in horror and held Roan back.

Actually, they had also heard all of the merchants’ conversation, but they pretended not to hear, fearing Roan would feel even more displeased.

But they should have had some limits to their meddling!

Roan spoke to his friends with a terrifying expression.

“I’m not trying to do what you guys are thinking.”

“Th-Then, you’re just going to break something?”

“…I mean I’m not planning to use violence.”

“Ah, aha.”

Only then did the friends quietly release Roan’s limbs which they had been holding onto.

They had held on so tightly that it throbbed even after they let go.

‘I have never caused trouble so far, yet they act on their own…’

Roan wondered what in the world his image was like among his friends.

*Humm—*

*Should I tell you?*

‘No. Anyway, there’s something I need to ask those guys.’

As Roan approached, the merchants flinched in surprise and feigned ignorance.

“How do you know that I made the clocks?”

—W-We didn’t steal them!

“…? I suppose you didn’t.”

Roan simply nodded, wondering what kind of absurd nonsense that was.

Only then did the merchants realize Roan had not come to kill them or break their bones, and spoke hesitantly.

—A-Actually, last week, Professor Uli released the clocks made by Student Darc outside the school. He strictly told us never to mention that a student made them, but…

—Well, because it would be big trouble if the Principal found out…

The rest could be understood without even listening.

—At first, we wondered if a student really made it, but the Paladin guys guaranteed it. Saying it would be fully possible for the Young Master…

Since Uli released the goods and the members of the Paladin Merchant Group added to the rumors, it must be a rumor that had spread widely across the commercial circles near Acherandir.

Roan gestured as if he had heard enough.

“Understood. But just one more thing…”

—Yes, is there something else you are curious about?

“How much does the professor sell the clocks for per piece?”

—Hmm… 300 Gold per piece, which would be 30,000 talants by the standards here.

Although it was an astronomical price, it wasn’t that expensive considering it was a rare clock.

A significant discount for selling it secretly must have been applied.

Roan nodded.

“He didn’t sell them that expensively.”

—Hahaha, of course. The items Professor Uli procures are always reasonably priced.

*Flinch—!!*

Hearing those words, not only the friends but also the surrounding students trembled significantly.

Reasonable?

Of course the price was reasonable.

However, the reason the price was reasonable was due to the students’ labor being sold for dirt cheap.

Although the merchant saying such words would absolutely never realize that secret.

However, since Roan already knew the general fact, he was not very surprised.

“Yes, thank you for the explanation.”

—Not at all, Young Master. We are the ones looking forward to today as well!

The merchants also grew much more natural now that they realized Roan was not as dangerous as he looked.

At any rate, by this point, quick-witted students were bound to guess roughly how today’s pop quiz would be conducted.

“Do you guys also get it now?”

When Roan asked, the friends nodded solemnly.

“Well…”

“Talent show?”

“A talent show… Demona, does that even make sense?!”

The friends scolded Demona for making a guess that showed absolutely no sense.

Demona protested with an aggrieved voice.

“Why? It’s held in the small auditorium, and they told us to pay attention to the famous kids! Isn’t that exactly like a talent show?”

“Then why is the audience only made of merchants?”

“Well, because they have a lot of money, obviously~ Since it’s Professor Uli’s class~”

…

The friends were left speechless by the weirdly fitting logic.

Was it really a talent show?

[Oh dear, I’m embarrassed…]

Bell was already twisting his tail and wings in embarrassment.

‘It is not a talent show.’

[A-Ah, it’s not?]

“Roan, is it really a talent show?”

“How could that be?”

“Then what is it?”

Naturally, the friends other than Demona seemed to know the answer.

However, Roan did not confirm their guesses.

He gestured with his chin toward another group of students engaged in chitchat.

—What do you think today’s exam is?

—You fool, seeing that so many merchants have come and it’s held in the small auditorium, don’t you get it? It’s an auction, an auction! Sigh, you have no sense at all.

Naturally, guesses about the pop quiz were continuing there as well.

*Pop—*

—U-Ugh, Professor Uli?

Suddenly, something looking like Uli popped out from the roadside bushes and blocked the students’ path.

The startled students looked closely, and fortunately (?), it was not the real Uli, but a Golem that looked very similar, albeit slightly simpler in design.

The Golem, which almost perfectly modeled a Five-Colored Squirrel, held out its hand to the students.

—Beep, leak of exam contents detected. Please pay a fine of 50 talants.—

—H-Hieeeek!!!!

True to being Uli’s Golem, it was a Golem that viciously levied fines!

—Beep!

—Beep!

—Beep!

Before long, Golems popped out from everywhere, and a situation unfolded where they collected fines from the students.

Roan spoke to his friends who were staring with open mouths.

“That’s what happens if you speak carelessly. Watch your mouths.”

*Nod, nod—*

The friends didn’t even answer in words, only nodding their heads.

*Stuff—*

…Demona literally stuffed one of her own fists into her mouth.

It could be called a wise coping method, quite unlike Demona.

Meanwhile.

—Beep! Leak of exam questions detected. Please pay a fine of 50 talants!—

—Huh? I didn’t talk about the exam, though?

—Tsk.

*Swoosh!*

—????????

Among them, Golems ran away after failing to frame students…

It wouldn’t be far-fetched to consider that much as a design flaw.

Whether that design flaw was intentional or accidental would require a more in-depth discussion, though.

* * *

Avoiding the eyes of Uli Golems, Roan and his friends safely entered the auditorium of Saint Hetrona Hall.

The preparations for the exam were already roughly finished there.

Various holy item kits brought by the merchant groups gathered here in the name of sponsorship, and numerous materials used to modify those kits.

—Wow, are we using these?

—Quiet! Even if we make them, do you think we’d be the ones using them?

The students looked at the items with curious eyes, but did not touch them carelessly or show high expectations.

They remembered the famous saying that staying quiet is halfway to success.

—Hahaha, students, you may take a look.

—Yes, because they are items we donated to the school.

On the other hand, the good-natured merchants smiled and urged them to take a look in order to get acquainted with the Acherandir students, but.

—You donated them to the school?

—If so, strictly speaking, the current ownership does not belong to you merchants, correct?

—…? Yes? Ah, yes, that is true, but.

—Then I think this is enough.

—Yes, why did you donat… no, thank you for the donation.

Incomprehensibly, the students rejected the offer by strictly examining the ownership.

An attitude showing they would have touched the items if they still belonged to the merchants!

The merchants could not understand why these young students were acting this way at all.

—Ho, hoho… The students are all very level-headed.

They simply thought that Acherandir had raised its students well.

Behind them, a group of merchants was only nodding.

—It seems Professor Uli is still the same as ever.

—Hmm, it was like that in my days too.

…They were seniors who had graduated from Acherandir.

The novice merchant members who came with them tilted their heads.

—But is it really okay to make students do this kind of thing? What if he’s criticized for being too profit-oriented…?

At the words that showed they knew nothing of the world’s ways, the seniors scolded them sharply.

—Ahem! Pathetic talk! Do you not realize this is a training ground for raising industrial pillars!

—Tsk, tsk, tsk. This is why you cannot help but look at academic background, even if you try not to!

An extremely natural favoring of alumni networks was committed.

The novice merchant members had slightly hurt expressions, but they had no choice but to shut their mouths since they knew very well that the capability of the seniors from Acherandir was outstanding.

And the students who entered late looked at the sight inside the auditorium and tilted their heads.

—Huh? Why are there so many people?

—…I think they are all merchants?

—Hieeeek! C-Could it be human trafficking?

—If it’s Professor Uli, then…?!

Roan shook his head upon hearing those words.

No matter how bad Uli was, he wouldn’t cross the line to that extent unless one made a mistake.

Had Bell been here, he probably would have shown a similar reaction to the students.

He had been obsessed with human trafficking ever since the Balance of Light and Dark event.

At least Bell was young and cute.

Roan was deeply worried about what to do with the students who had long passed the age of being cute.

‘Ah, I am a black mage, so why am I worrying.’

That was something for the holy spirit Harden to worry about.

*Creak—*

At that moment, the closed doors of the auditorium opened once again after all the students had entered.