Chapter 388

Uli, the Five-Colored Squirrel hybrid who barely reached the waist of a normal student, made his appearance.

The merchants cheered.

—It’s Professor Uli!

—Professor Uli, it has been a long time!

The merchants naturally had no choice but to have a close relationship with Uli, who was the easiest to communicate with in Acherandir.

And the students also shouted.

—P-Professor Uli!

—To think we’d see Professor Uli again!

…Although the words were similar, the nuance was quite different from the merchants’.

It was the difference between a cheer and a scream.

Uli showed off a spectacular performance, paying no attention to the people’s shouts.

*Click— Whoosh— Clack— Rattle—*

—Oh! That is!

—Doing ten side jobs simultaneously!

—Doing that allows him to handle as much volume as a decent factory!

Mechanical arms popping out from everywhere on Uli’s small body were assembling as many as ten side job components at the same time.

Naturally, for the merchants whose role was to supply those components, it was nothing short of a wondrous miracle.

And the students thought.

—Handling as much volume as a decent factory?

—That’s probably because he’s running a factory.

They knew the truth but couldn’t bring themselves to say it aloud.

Meanwhile, Uli stood in front of the platform while engrossed in his side job.

*Rattle—!*

The mechanical arms threw all the parts they were holding up into the air.

*Swoosh—*

A box flew from somewhere and caught those parts wonderfully in midair.

‘Can’t he just put them in the box?’

To Roan, it was nothing but a useless performance.

At any rate, after gathering the attention of the massive crowd in the auditorium on his small body, Uli spoke.

“Money.”

???

—??????

Both students and merchants were flustered by the sudden mention of money.

Of course, they weren’t shocked.

Since if it was Uli, it seemed fully possible.

—D-Does he mean he needs money?

—Should we give it to him?

Some quick-witted (?) merchants even approached Uli holding their wallets.

Seeing that, Demona shouted.

“Money!”

“…Still, there is no one who will give you money.”

“Heeing…”

Although she made a crying face at Roan’s cold remark.

In any case, Uli also realized late what he had just said and apologized.

“Ah, sorry. I was thinking about money.”

—Ah, so that was it~

—Thank goodness. It’s not that he needs money.

—Why is that thank goodness for you?

—I thought it would break my heart if he had already spent all the money I earned working so hard on my side job…

…

The students found comfort in something useless and focused on Uli again.

Since Uli was still a professor, he began to guide them about the pop quiz.

“As you all know, today is a pop quiz.”

—Wow! He knew!

“I want to end this quickly, so be quiet.”

—Ah, yes.

“The exam is to choose and craft one of the holy item kits placed in front of you. The instructions are enclosed inside, so don’t worry. If you have the ability, you are free to modify it using other materials.”

At that moment, Demona, who was listening, raised her hand.

“What is it, Class Rep?”

“We haven’t learned how to make holy items, though?”

*Buzz, buzz—*

The naive merchants buzzed at Demona’s courageous whistleblowing (?).

Could it be that there were cases where a pop quiz was given on content not even taught to the students?

But Uli asked back with a rather absurd expression instead.

“I did teach you.”

*Buzz, buzz—*

This time, whispering broke out from the students’ side.

—He says he taught us?

—Ah, did he hold a makeup class without me knowing? I guess so.

No matter how much they thought about it, they had never learned it.

Since it wasn’t pleasant for such words to come out in front of merchants who were strictly outsiders, Uli got angry.

“You must have watched Roan make a holy clock over his shoulder last week!”

—Ah?

—We d-did watch.

It was a valid point, so the students’ momentum died down.

But watching is watching, and learning is learning.

If one could learn just by watching, why did professors and schools exist?

He hadn’t even told them to watch carefully.

Uli’s words did not end there.

“When you go out into the industrial field, do you think anyone will kindly hold you down and spoon-feed you? You’re supposed to watch what your seniors do over their shoulders and figure it out on your own! How can you expect to learn holy item crafting if you can’t even do that?”

Uli seemed highly aggrieved and displeased.

What was surprising was.

—Hmm, the professor’s words are indeed correct.

—Sob, how sorrowful it was when I learned the merchant group’s work…

The merchant group members, who actually worked in the field, deeply empathized with Uli’s words, and some even sniffiled with tears!

Unlike Earth, the concept of a ‘school’ itself was not universal, so the merchant group members who had learned their trade on-site since childhood had no choice but to feel that way.

Just as even the students began to think, ‘Is the professor right?’

“Isn’t a school a place created to eliminate such absurdities and inefficiencies of the field?”

*Chiiill—*

A single remark chilled the atmosphere in an instant.

Everyone’s gaze turned toward the direction of the voice.

Standing there was Roan, whose face matched his cold voice perfectly, also standing expressionlessly.

‘Ah, I got too angry and let it slip.’

He had seen this scene numerous times in , but what could he do when seeing it in reality was even more absurd?

Roan lightly regretted drawing attention to himself for no reason and added.

“Ah, I asked because I genuinely didn’t know.”

He meant it as an excuse, but it didn’t sound that way to the listeners.

—A-As expected of a Darc…

—I heard the Darc family led the reforms like that…

The merchants admired Roan, who had completely changed the atmosphere with a single word.

Indeed, feeling absurdity is easy.

Whispering behind someone’s back is also easy.

But publicly stating dissatisfaction and raising questions about it required immense courage and a sense of justice.

—Indeed, there was a reason why Wycronon and Darc have led the Empire all this time!

—Lord Darc shouldn’t have passed away like that…

The elderly merchants were on the verge of sniffling with tears at the brilliant renown of the Darc family and the sight of Roan, who seemed to carry on that will well.

As merchants who traveled all over the Empire, they had held a good image of the Darc family in their own way.

Roan became even more flustered and spoke.

“No, I really asked because I was curious. I have absolutely no intention of rebelling against the professor…”

Actually, Roan was flustered for a different reason.

‘No one cared when the other kids were whispering, so why is everyone acting like this just because I said one thing?’

He had said it because he was so dumbfounded, but since it was noisy anyway, he thought it would just slide by.

Frankly, the students had cursed Professor Uli quite a lot just now.

Roan had merely done his best to ignore it, fearing it might cause issues with review regulations.

Ah, of course, under school review regulations…

“Roan, I think that is enough.”

“Yes, Professor Uli must have felt a lot from that.”

The friends began to stop Roan, fearing the situation might grow too large.

“No, to begin with, that wasn’t my intention…”

“Yes, yes, we know how you feel.”

“Beautiful courage.”

“Roan, you hold back.”

The friends comforted Roan with smiles mixed with pity.

“No, why should I be the one to hold back?”

“Because he is the professor.”

“Exactly…!”

The stronger one was clearly Uli!

Roan was literally on the verge of jumping in frustration.

Did they think he could do something to Uli if he made up his mind?

It was nonsense.

It would be a relief if everyone in this auditorium combined could even tear off one of Uli’s mechanical arms that they saw earlier.

In the end, Roan decided it was best not to say anything and shut his mouth.

“Good decision.”

“Still, it was a truly courageous act.”

It was practically torture.

To the point where he wondered if it would be better to just coolly reveal he was a black mage and get captured.

‘There is a reason why this character’s difficulty is so high. It is absolutely atrocious.’

Instead, Roan bowed his waist once, wondering if Uli’s mood had soured.

“Tsk, I heard you became Professor Diar’s class rep…”

Yet Uli spoke meaningful words in a barely audible voice!

The effect of being Diar’s class rep was clear, but he had no intention of standing against other professors to this extent.

Roan glared at his friends who had driven the atmosphere into a weird direction for no reason.

“W-Why are you looking at us like that…?”

“W-Was our praise not enough?”

Naturally, the friends couldn’t understand why Roan was acting that way.

Uli, who was still clicking his tongue, briefly concluded his explanation.

“Forget it. Anyway, once everyone is finished crafting, we will sell them through an auction by the merchants visiting the school today. Your grades will be based on the selling price. Any questions?”

*Swarm—*

As soon as Uli asked if there were questions, a large number of students raised their hands.

“The proceeds from the sale will ‘naturally’ be given to you, so don’t worry. Anyone who still has questions?”

*Swoosh—*

At Uli’s words, the students all lowered their hands again.

Honestly, that was the only thing they were curious enough to dare raise questions to Uli.

“Tsk, for holy order candidates to be so greedy for money.”

Uli clicked his tongue as if he disliked it.

—???

Hearing those words, the students tilted their heads in unison.

‘While holy officials are the greediest for money?’

Acherandir’s professors were classified not as simple educators but as holy officials directly under Harden.

Strictly speaking, they belonged to a very high rank among the Empire’s holy officials.

—Ah, does he mean we should greed for it after becoming holy officials?

—That could be it!

The students interpreted Uli’s words among themselves and wore refreshed expressions.

“Then, take a look at what to make, and line up to take one. Since ruining it is a waste of money, only take what you think you can make. If anyone gets caught smuggling it out, I will lock you in the warehouse, so bear that in mind.”

—Yes, Professor!

Most answered brightly, but.

—Hieeeek!!!

…It seemed there was indeed someone who had harbored such thoughts.

“Uldein, come out and teach the kids who don’t know.”

“Yes, Professor!”

Summoned by Uli, Uldein stepped forward with a bright expression.

—Who is that?

The students didn’t really recognize Uldein.

Since he wasn’t a very famous senior.

“Who is it?”

…For some unknown reason, the same went for Demona.

The friends glared at Demona with expressions that seemed to ask, ‘What kind of person is she?’

Their looks accused her, asking how she could not recognize him when they served as class reps together under Uli.

“Why is everyone acting like that? Is he someone I should know?”

‘He is someone you should know.’

The friends said the same thing with fierce eyes.

“Mmm…”

Demona, who had been contemplating for a while, finally figured out the answer.

“Ah! Senior Uldein, who entered the warehouse with me!”

“That’s right~ I’m Uldein from the second year.”

—Wow, Wycronon is amazing!

—She already memorized all the seniors’ names!

The friends stared blankly at the students who praised her for such a thing.

No, if it were something very minor, it might be different.

She had forgotten someone she naturally should know?

Ah, did it mean even this was amazing because it was Demona?

At that moment, Roan spoke softly to his friends.

“Do you see why I feel aggrieved?”

“Uh, yes.”

“We understand well.”

“Indeed…”

The friends looked troubledly at the students who gathered around Demona and sent cheers.

“Ah! He is also Professor Uli’s second-year class rep!”

—Wowaaa!!

—You really know everything, don’t you?

To think I am in the same year as those guys!