Chapter 390

“How dare you commit theft right in front of my eyes?!”

Uli ran amok.

It seemed he thought Roan, who was sweeping up only one type of component, was trying to pocket it in the process.

Roan shook his head as if it were a misunderstanding.

“It’s not that.”

“What do you mean, ‘not that’! Why do you need so many of those components if you’re not going to sell them somewhere?”

“I plan to use all of them, without leaving a single one behind.”

“Without leaving a single one?”

“Yes. If there are any left over, I will return them to you as they are, Professor.”

“I’m going to watch you.”

“On the honor of Professor Diar.”

With Diar’s name brought up, Uli found it hard to say anything more, so he snorted loudly and returned to his place.

Roan also packed various other parts that seemed necessary and returned.

Sion and his friends were watching Roan with peculiar expressions.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

When Roan asked, Sion asked on behalf of the group.

“Wh-Why on the honor of Professor Diar…?”

Meaning, of all things, why did it have to be Diar’s honor.

Roan grinned and spoke.

“Because the honor of a family is not something to be wagered lightly.”

*Chiiill—*

At Roan’s simple words, the friends froze completely.

Did that mean the honor of Diar, the diary of God and keeper of history, could be wagered carelessly?

Roan added an explanation to dispel his friends’ doubts and anxiety.

“Do not worry. I really intend to use almost all of them.”

“Ahem, if that’s the case…”

“True, we can’t complain just because you wagered it!”

The friends thought it would be a bit strange to ask further, so they just nodded.

A classic display of family egoism—as long as their own family’s honor wasn’t wagered!

Besides, since Roan was also the class rep of Diar’s class, it wasn’t altogether strange.

* * *

“Now, do as you please.”

The pop quiz for holy item crafting began.

It had indeed started, but.

…

For some reason, the students could not easily lay a hand on the kits.

No, to be exact, it should be said that they couldn’t even think of touching the kits.

*Crackle— Clack, clack— Whirrrr—!!!*

Because the sight of Uli crafting a holy item on the platform while emitting all kinds of sounds and light was, to use a common phrase, a complete scene-stealer.

Did it feel somewhat like sacrilege to step forward and craft something in front of such a person?

“Hey, Roan.”

“What is it?”

“Earlier, when they said the professor was participating in the exam too, I just let it slide, but no matter how I look at it, it seems wrong.”

Demona actually spoke like this with a discouraged look.

Roan nodded.

“That is normal.”

“Hahaha, I thought so. Then…”

“But since no one expected anything from you anyway, just craft it.”

“Heeing…”

Demona, who had tried to legitimately (?) skip the exam using Uli as an excuse, opened her kit box with a crying face at Roan’s cold words.

The students near Roan also had expressions showing they really didn’t want to do it, but they began to move reluctantly.

—Y-Yeah, we should also get started.

—Even with Professor Uli here, only the first place is decided, so isn’t it worth a try?

—Isn’t the second place decided too?

The students muttered, glancing at Roan.

The reaction of the watching merchants was not very different.

—Honestly, we should consider this auction practically as coming to buy Professor Uli’s goods.

—What about the students?

—That’s just to build connections with promising prospects or powerful families. Honestly, the items themselves are average or even subpar.

No matter how well you taught the freshmen, how well could they craft the items?

The purpose was simply to purchase at a high price out of courtesy and build relations.

Just like most off-campus services.

Yet there were those who were somewhat expected this year.

—Still, wouldn’t the Saintess candidate be different?

—Indeed. There are also the Young Masters of Wycronon and Lesterol.

A name value that was definitely higher than average years.

Furthermore, wasn’t there a student who had already proven himself this time?

—Young Master Darc too… I don’t know if he really made the clock by himself as the rumors say, but I’m looking forward to him for now.

Although with Uli joining the war, the expectations were split.

—Still, he is just a student, so what could be so special?

—It is just that he has the rarity of the Darc family…

But the merchants did not realize as they spoke.

That every single word of theirs…

*Rumble—*

“Um, Roan? Is something wrong?”

…was gradually stoking Roan’s enthusiasm!

Sion asked cautiously due to Roan’s unusual atmosphere.

But Roan did not reply.

Demona, who was beside him, called Sion casually.

“Sion, leave him be.”

“Huh? Foolish Demona, do you know something?”

“No?”

“This foolish Demona…!”

Just as Sion was about to get angry at her for pretending to know when she knew nothing.

Demona raised her voice suddenly instead.

“Does a friend have to know something in order to avoid distracting another friend who is concentrating? And why do you keep bothering him when he’s taking an exam?”

“…Ah.”

Only then did Sion blush and nod.

Demona’s words were indeed correct.

It was only because Roan had been getting angry so easily until now, but in fact, this was indeed the time to concentrate.

However, these were not words to be spoken by Demona, who tried to peek at Roan’s exam sheet and distract him at every opportunity.

Not even knowing that, Demona bragged.

“Item count, there really is a reason why you are still a Saintess ‘candidate’~ To think your training is this lacking.”

“Y-You just make yours quickly!”

Sion quickly chided Demona out of extreme embarrassment and began to focus on her own exam.

Meanwhile, Roan, who heard the two bickering but did not bother to acknowledge it, was…

‘First, I should make the holy power source.’

He was holding the Hilidium rod used to make a holy power source.

Since it was used to craft holy items above a certain level, the merchants’ expectations also rose accordingly.

—Oho, if a holy power source is included, it will at least have a basic quality.

—Since the user won’t need to infuse holy power.

And Roan held both ends of the rod and began to craft the holy power source.

*Rumble—!!!*

A massive amount of holy power—in fact, black mana—began to flow from Roan’s hands into the rod.

After mastering the Void, Roan’s abyss had grown much deeper and more powerful.

Energy began to accumulate inside the rod with an efficiency on a completely different level than when he crafted the holy power source during the first class.

—Hahaha, as expected of the Darc family. His holy power is immense.

*Rumble—*

—Oho, at that rate, it will indeed be a significant holy power source.

*Rumble—*

—Wow, he won’t need to replace the holy power source for about three years! His talent is outstanding, but Professor Uli also taught him well!

*Rumble—!!!!!*

The moment he heard the words ‘Uli taught him well,’ the black mana emitting from Roan’s hands grew even more powerful.

By that point, even the merchants realized something was strange.

—W-Was it originally supposed to take that much?

—When I visited the workshop last time, I saw they passed out from exhaustion after infusing only about half of that…?

Although they were not experts in crafting holy power sources, it was an atypical situation at a single glance.

If that much holy power truly went into a normal holy power source, huge carriages would have already been flying around, and wireless communication from one end of the continent to the other would have become possible.

But there was something even more surprising.

—Whoa! Who is using so much holy power? Has a war broken out?

—It’s Darc.

—Ah, of course.

Despite feeling the unusual holy power, the students indifferently went back to their own business simply because it was ‘Darc.’

‘What on earth does he usually do to make them react like this…?’

The merchants couldn’t help but grow slightly curious about Roan’s daily life.

Around that time, Roan finally stopped infusing power into the Hilidium rod.

The merchants let out sighs of relief for some unknown reason.

—Whew.

—It didn’t explode.

And the moment Roan set the rod on the ground.

—??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!

The merchants were truly the most shocked they had ever been in their entire lives.

—W-What is that?!

—The… the holy power source is floating?!!?!

Although the rod Roan set down should normally rest on the ground.

*Float, float—*

It was levitating about 10 cm above the ground.

Yet as merchants prestigious enough to be invited by Uli, they quickly recalled an absurd legend.

—A… super holy power source…

The legendary holy relic that Hiloa reportedly used in the distant past to sweep away the demons on Earth.

Wasn’t that the characteristic of a super holy power source!

Although they couldn’t tell if it was a real super holy power source at a glance, the quick-witted merchants started moving first without weighing the pros and cons.

—Um, Student Darc, no, Young Master Darc?

—Hey, I’m first. Young Master Darc!

“What is it?”

Roan responded to the merchants with a calm face as if he didn’t even know what he had created.

‘If he doesn’t know anything, that’s actually better!’

The merchants wore the friendliest smiles they could manage.

But they didn’t know.

‘You can assume a merchant’s smile is as intended to fleece you as it is friendly.’

That Roan was already a sly old fox who was dozens of steps ahead of them!

—U-Um, excuse us during your crafting, but didn’t you just make this holy power source?

“I did.”

—It just so happens that our merchant group needs a holy power source! Even if it is bothersome, if you sell it to us, we will pay you a generous price.

Even as they spoke, the merchants could not take their eyes off the floating holy power source.

It wasn’t because they lacked ability.

Because if that truly was a super holy power source, it would be strange to remain calm.

Roan shook his head as if showing regret.

“Thank you for the offer, but I am sorry. I crafted this holy power source to use for my exam.”

—Ah, of course you did! If you find it troublesome, you can just put it up for auction as it is. You don’t need to bother with crafting a holy item.”

Greed glistened in the merchants’ eyes.

Because Roan had performed the ‘I don’t know what this is at all’ act so splendidly.

They would have to compete with other merchants, but at this rate, they might be able to slash the price significantly.

‘Crafting is bothersome, though.’

Roan briefly stared at the super holy power source he had crafted—strictly speaking, it was completely different, but.

It was indeed an attractive offer coming from capable merchants, but he shook his head.

“I’m sorry, after all. I want to pour everything I can into the holy item crafting class.”

—Ah…

The merchants wore deeply regretful expressions, but they found it hard to press further.

First of all, although his family was ruined, he was still a noble of much higher standing than them, and.

Since a student expressed such enthusiastic dedication to make an effort, it was embarrassing for them as adults to argue further.

‘Yes, since we can just detach the holy power source later once we buy the item anyway.’

Since it was a holy item crafted at a freshman’s level, most of its value would probably be evaluated based on that holy power source.

The merchants were about to turn back in disappointment.

Meanwhile, Roan thought.

‘Uli must have heard it too, right?’

Just before the merchants turned away, he cast a sideways glance in the direction where Uli was.

Because the words about pouring in everything were naturally lip service intended for Uli, whose mood had been ruined earlier.

Yet Uli was no longer in his place at some point.

Instead.

‘!!! Whoa, what the?!’

*Sniff, sniff.*

…Without anyone noticing, he was clinging right in front of Roan.