Chapter: 301
After seeing Bedler off, I plopped down in a corner of the booth. Louise approached with a worried look, but I just shook my head, indicating it was nothing serious.
Actually, it was anything but nothing serious. I shouldn’t have to wonder what kind of life I’m living with this divine punishment stacked three times. From now on, I’ll just need to look in the mirror to find out.
But there’s no way I can say to Louise, “Hey, I’ve received divine punishment, isn’t that impressive?” No matter how open we are in our relationship, this crosses the line.
Damn it.
With my eyes wide open, I felt tears threatening to spill, so I quietly closed them. It dawned on me that this world actually has gods who can meddle in human affairs. Enen, having scored a victory in the religious realm, seemed peaceful, but the Northern Region is the only bastion of paganism untouched by his influence. There was no guarantee that the deity from that region would be as passive as Enen.
I was foolish. The Eternal Blue Sky is a divine presence just like Enen; I had foolishly dismissed it as mere traditional culture of nomads.
“If a god is enraged, human strength cannot suppress it.”
As a result, Bedler shook his head without hesitation. Killing a disciple, desecrating a temple, and insulting divine artifacts are bound to anger even the most merciful of gods. Honestly, even I might have lost my cool. While killing a disciple could be seen as self-defense, torching a home and defiling cherished treasures is another story altogether.
“Among the few records about the Eternal Blue Sky, I’ve heard that the first person to serve it had a temple built over their burial site. It reportedly has eight pillars, while the pillars of other temples are usually less than that.”
And the temple I burned had eight pillars. It was like burning down St. Peter’s Basilica in the world of possession. From the perspective of the Eternal Blue Sky, I must be the most despised fool in existence. Even if they’re a foreign nation and I rank them as enemies, grand shrines are not something to mess with.
“Fortunately, there is hope.”
However, even amidst that insane situation, Bedler claimed there was hope. For a moment, I thought he might be spinning a white lie to comfort me, but his expression was utterly serious.
“To be honest… the situation is such that it wouldn’t be surprising if you were dead, but seeing you alive, it seems the Eternal Blue Sky avoids directly harming those who are received by Enen.”
“So it’s angry but retains a bit of reason?”
“Yes, likely if there is a suitable apology along with some compensation, it may grant forgiveness.”
Although I had created havoc that would send anyone over the edge, it appeared that the gods wouldn’t lose their senses over it. So I should just pay up and apologize. In that way, even a god might grant forgiveness.
It’s a bizarrely capitalistic approach, but thankfully it seemed manageable. If he told me to go perform a sacrifice in accordance with nomadic traditions, it would have been more trouble.
“It’s embarrassing for me to suggest that I follow the teachings and pray to another god, but shouldn’t we prioritize saving your life first?”
In the midst of this, seeing Bedler speak with such genuine priestly devotion made me resolve to earnestly contribute to the Dawn Sect from now on. And I might as well pray to the Eternal Blue Sky three times a day for good measure.
Damn it.
What kind of life is this? Not only am I being squeezed by the Crown Prince and Executive Managers, but now I’m also in trouble with a god.
Still, I must stay positive. There’s no going back to Kagan or that burnt temple, but maybe if I manage any divine artifacts going forward, they’ll let it slide.
“I’ll have to negotiate an agreement with the entity involved through prayer.”
Sorry, Eternal Blue Sky. When it comes to compensation, I’ve got plenty to offer. If that temple was still standing, I’d gladly make a donation, but alas, it went up in flames, courtesy of me.
If the Northern Region stabilizes, I’ll even reconstruct that burnt temple…
The fair went smoothly, aside from Bedler’s surprising declaration. Last year’s fair had similarly run without a hitch, aside from the third victory. This year, the additional wizard guests were quietly waiting for the cookie auction, making it almost impossible for anything to go wrong.
“Guests from the Ernesto Academy are set to arrive tomorrow morning.”
“Oh, it’s already time?”
And now, the final guests were arriving. This visit symbolized the end of the long rivalry. It brought a warm smile to the Principal’s face.
They could have come earlier, but since crowding on the first day could create chaos, their arrival was arranged for mid-fair. Honestly, it seems more about controlling the crowds than anything, but what can you do? If the higher-ups say jump, you gotta jump.
Plus, they weren’t treated poorly despite being the underdogs.
“They may be traveling a long way, but I’m sure they will be delighted. Receiving teachings from Duke Marcilio is a great honor above all.”
Nodding with a smile, I acknowledged the Principal’s words.
Though it was partly about controlling the situation, they would only lose a bit of pride while gaining plenty of real benefits. Coming to the fair means Duke Marcilio will teach personally? That’s a must-go, even if I have to walk.
“If we were to bid farewell to children who traveled so far without meeting them, that would be quite sorrowful. A single meeting is essential for a good parting.”
If they find out that Duke Marcilio volunteered for a surprise class, wouldn’t they be touched to tears?
“That’s a relief. It will be an opportunity to showcase just how exceptional our Imperial Academy truly is.”
“Indeed, you’re absolutely right.”
As I casually congratulated the Principal on his win, his smile grew brighter.
Seeing the Principal smile like that warms my heart. After a tumultuous period filled with the bunch of visiting dignitaries, he finally regained that smile. If the Principal retires now, he’ll surely recall the victory in this rivalry over last year’s disaster. A good ending makes everything worthwhile.
After a good long laugh, the Principal cleared his throat and continued.
“By the way, Executive Manager, how many cookies have been made?”
The sudden shift in topic was unexpected, but the content was significant enough to get me to sit up straight.
It’s funny that cookies were treated as important between the Academy Principal and the Executive Manager, but unfortunately, they truly are important. The fate of the Academy may depend on how many cookies we have. They’re essentially cookies shaped like medicine.
“I’ve made about 520. They’re being held safe, so no worries there.”
Upon hearing that, the Principal made a confused face. While 520 isn’t a small number, cookies can be produced en masse. It’s been several days since we decided to auction Duke Marcilio’s cookies, but only 520? That seemed a bit suspicious.
However, the premise of mass production itself was flawed. Duke Marcilio makes cookies whenever he feels like it, and mostly, those cookies have ended up in my mouth.
‘Can’t reduce my stomach space, either.’
As a result, I’ve been hammering down cookies to the point where I’m practically living off them. Given how much I’ve crammed in, I find it pretty remarkable that we even managed to secure 520. I just wish the Principal could understand my struggles.
“Don’t worry. It doesn’t take long to make, and if there’s a scarcity, we can always speed it up.”
Of course, for the sake of my stomach and the Academy’s peace, I don’t plan on continuing this whole binge thing. No matter how exclusive they might be, there are some limits. If we’re too short on cookies compared to the demand, how on earth do you deal with the aftermath?
If we sell cookies individually, we could distribute them to hundreds, but giving just one to guests who traveled so far would be inhumane. Anyone who does that is bound to be blasted for cruelty. The purpose of the auction is that it’s not just about profit but also about ensuring everyone leaves in peace, so we need to tread carefully to avoid any backlash.
A balance is the key—not giving out too many but not too few, either. It’s a familiar task when it comes to civil servants.
“Since it’s the Executive Manager’s task, why would I worry?”
It seems the Principal wasn’t worried either, lightly nodding in response to my answer.
Yeah, no matter how serious I make it out to be, at the end of the day, they’re just cookies. It’s not like we’re handling rare medicinal herbs here. Once Duke Marcilio has his hands on it, they can be made easily, so there’s no need for concern.
—
Compared to last year, the number of visitors has clearly increased, leading to skyrocketing sales.
However, since the production hasn’t significantly increased compared to last year, all the club members were putting in extra effort—except for two.
“I’m really sorry. As your teacher, I should be helping you.”
Akin to being an honorary member of the club, my mentor. His pastry skills were more than enough to warrant a serving, but due to various circumstances, the pastries he made couldn’t be sold.
“It’s alright. Just transporting the ingredients is more than enough help!”
But it didn’t matter. Thanks to my mentor’s magic, we saved a lot of time in transporting materials. While he couldn’t contribute directly to the production, he was instrumental in saving us handling time.
“I’m really sorry… the newbie is a burden…”
This year’s only new club member, Sara. Being unfamiliar with manual work, her pastry skills are still rough, but since I know how much she’s been trying, there’s no thought of scolding her.
Moreover, unlike my mentor, who cannot contribute at all during production due to certain reasons, Sara can help out to some extent. She is diligently fulfilling her own role.
“It’s natural for a newbie to be inexperienced. I was like that once, too, so don’t feel disheartened.”
And so, I supported the downcast Sara. I couldn’t stand to see a club member sulking in a fair that should be enjoyed.
As I comforted her, her slightly teary eyes gradually began to stabilize—
“Can I have two pieces of cheesecake? Today I want two slices.”
—only for her mood to swiftly flip.
The once-gentle lamb had turned into a feisty hen, and I instinctively took a step back. I naturally turned my gaze towards the source of the voice and found someone I recognized.
A woman giving a sidelong glance to Erich at the sales counter. She is Erich’s older sister, and anyone can tell that she has a soft spot for him.
Count Horfelt.
She was here again today as a recurring customer. But strangely, I didn’t feel particularly pleased. If she had come when Sara wasn’t around, I might have greeted her warmly, but…
“Two pieces? You usually just get one.”
“One for you. You’ve worked hard, so you should fill your belly too.”
“That’s what only a sister would say.”
While their cheerful conversation sent a chill down my spine, I felt the sweat begin to trickle.
‘You idiot.’
Watching Erich smile as he wrapped up the cake filled me with weak resentment.
Erich sees her as a treasured friend, which is inevitable, but shouldn’t he reconsider saying “only this sister”? After all, Sara is listening right there.
– Crunch.
Over on the side, I could swear I heard teeth grinding, but I didn’t hear it.
I don’t know. Seriously, I have no clue.
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