Anyway, after that cold war of nerves ended, we each started our own little after-party.
Millefeuille and I cooked, Ayla set the tableware, and Rudika and Nefty brought out the tables and set up the chairs.
“Senior. It’s all done.”
“Hm. This side is finished too.”
Millefeuille and I cooked together with surprisingly precise coordination.
The convenience store’s cooking space is quite cramped, but our movements never got in each other’s way.
“Normally I would have wanted to do it all by myself… but Senior, you just woke up not long ago.”
“It’s my convenience store. I can’t just leave everything to a guest.”
“Fufu. Yes.”
Even though my cooking skill itself isn’t high-tier, we worked together remarkably well—it was, how should I say… a truly amazing experience.
“Did you feel it too, Senior?”
“What do you mean?”
“Fufu. We work together really well, don’t we?”
“……”
I see, so Millefeuille felt it too.
This is trust. It’s the concept of “party play”—knowing in advance what each other will do.
I see. Millefeuille truly is…
“Of course, I knew it as well.”
“Th, that’s right, Senior? Fufu. As expected of you.”
“It’s a good thing that the trust between senior and junior is so strong.”
“……Yes.”
*Chop. Chop. Chop. Chop. Thump. Thump. Whooosh.*
Was it just my imagination that Millefeuille’s rhythm with the kitchen knife began to change right after that? In the midst of it, the way she precisely divided the ingredients was so clean that I nodded involuntarily.
Hey, are you using skills when you cook? Would you teach me some?
“…By the way, Senior.”
“What?”
“Earlier you mentioned the sea—can we really see the sea?”
Millefeuille came close to me, eyes sparkling, and asked.
“Don’t you know what the sea is? The sea is where the water is salty and—”
“I, I’ve read about it in books. Zefflin itself is an artificial island, isn’t it? But you can’t actually see the sea, right?”
Millefeuille was right.
Even for those admitted from outside, they take a warp portal and arrive directly at the academy district. The sea? No way. It’s just the city right away.
According to official lore, they first spend three days in temporary dormitories to recover from travel fatigue, and send back any items they brought that can’t be brought in.
…It sounds a lot like the military, but Zefflin is strictly speaking also a military-like educational institution—so it’s an academy that trains combat personnel, one way or another.
So these girls, at their flower-like age, can’t experience love or romance and just swing swords and chant magic… that’s a sad story.
While I was lost in such thoughts, the cooking was finished before I knew it, and we all gathered around a table outside the academy, chatting.
“Hm. This is a closing ceremony prepared in a hurry—with no audience to speak of—but I hope you’ll accept it as it is.”
“Oh my, where else could you find a more perfect closing ceremony than this?”
Ayla smiled, picked up the beanshake in front of her, and gave it a light twirl.
“Ayla is right. We’re all gathered here—what use is an audience, and what need is there for lavish food? What matters is…”
“That we survived this final exam in Zefflin once again… and that we’re here raising our glasses with smiles. Senior.”
“Fufu. Yes. Senior Nefty is right. Especially for me—I never thought I’d make it this far.”
Ayla, Rudika, Nefty, and Millefeuille adorned this closing ceremony with their smiles.
What a bunch of good kids.
This old man is moved. You all grew up so well.
“Now, Wolfram. Wolfram, give us a toast.”
Ayla, representing the others, handed the toast over to me.
“In this final exam, most of you achieved truly excellent results. …Though to Rudika, who sparred with me, this might sound like mockery.”
At my words, Rudika widened her eyes, then smiled and shook her head.
“Not at all. On the contrary, losing to Wolfram has made me feel much lighter. I’ve been reminded once again that the world isn’t all about stats.”
“I’m grateful you see it that way.”
I briefly bowed my head to Rudika in thanks and continued.
“As Millefeuille said, in this final exam, we all survived. There are three grade tops here. Not only that… I believe no one here has reason to be dissatisfied with their own results.”
As my words grew longer, Ayla was the first to tilt her head and ask.
“Wolfram. Doesn’t your arm hurt holding that glass up? It’s trembling.”
Hey. I know that.
I’m enduring the pain. Anyway, what comes next is important, so…
“I’ve gone on at least one expedition with everyone here. Nefty and Rudika to the beach, the mountain range, the forest; with Ayla, the mountain range and the snowy plains; with Millefeuille, the snowy plains… and soon we’ll tour Zefflin together, so don’t make that sulky face.”
At my words, Millefeuille, who had been sulking for a moment, flushed bright red and then shook her head side to side.
“Anyway, I want to think of everyone I’ve adventured with as ‘comrades.’”
At my words, the atmosphere warmed. The tension between them faded, and everyone’s gaze turned to me.
Yes.
System-wise, only Ayla is my fiancée, but I consider everyone I’ve adventured with here as a comrade—or a party member.
Nefty shows me endless trust beyond the original work.
Ayla Triasta succeeded in rebelling against her predetermined future.
Millefeuille punched down the fate that was supposed to make her disappear.
Rudika opened her heart and has now become a comrade standing on equal footing with me.
So in the end, the core is the five of us.
Of course, there’s a certain bloodline mate who broke fate and carved her own path—though I can hardly acknowledge her—but I won’t mention her here. As for her… if I exercise the utmost generosity, I might let her in as a token party member.
Anyway.
“I never abandon my comrades.”
From somewhere in the distance, Nefty’s *”We already know that”* brought a smile to everyone’s lips.
“And I want to keep adventuring together in the future. Not just within this enclosed academy district—but truly conquering the northern snowy plains, crossing the desert, crossing the mountain range, passing through the forest, crossing the land where the lamentations of the dead echo—and beyond all that, to the path that reaches the true sky that appears when everything is conquered. I want to walk through every arrangement I know.”
No alcohol was involved.
But having trustworthy friends—comrades who have grown on their own—I couldn’t help but let my mouth run.
Ah, really. This is childish.
But still, as Lee Young-jin, a player with 20,000 hours, speaking my honest feelings—
“Just surviving in this Zefflin? That’s a dull story. Now. I declare in the name of Wolfram von Lohengrin: I will show you the far side of a world you’ve never seen before. Follow me. Cheers.”
At my final toast, everyone, with excited breaths, reached out their glasses without hesitation.
**【Act 3 cleared!】**
**【Congratulations!】**
**【Reward items will be distributed.】**
**【Party functions will be enhanced.** 】
Over the crisp sound of glasses clinking, the celebratory system messages overlapped.
A good end to a good day.
—
The next day.
When asked when we should schedule the beach trip, no one could give a definite answer.
In the midst of that, it was Millefeuille who spoke up first.
*”There’s a friend of mine who’s never had any romantic experience but reads nothing but romance novels.”*
*”Oh my, how pitiful.”*
*”That friend sometimes recommends romance novels to me too, and there’s one set at the seaside.”*
*”Oh my… Is that so? How interesting.”*
*”Is that so? Rudika doesn’t know much about that.”*
*”Yes. Usually, for immersion or admiration, they set the story in the capital of a kingdom or the imperial palace. But since it was a seaside story, it stuck with me more. And in that novel, apparently there’s something called a ‘swimsuit.’”*
*”…Swimsuit? Clothes you wear when swimming?”*
*”Ye, yes. But apparently it, um, slightly reveals the skin…”*
*”H, how indecent! As students of Zefflin… Ah, but it is rebellious in its own way…”*
*”Ah, well, you’d need that to move freely when diving, I suppose.”*
*”…Senior Rudika, you’re really good at central language. Where on earth did you learn the word ‘diving’…”*
*”Nefty, be quiet.”*
*”Yes, ma’am.”*
*”Now, Millefeuille. Keep talking. So what about swimsuits?”*
*”Well… it’s about the sense of liberation at the sea…”*
*”…S, so that’s a thing.”*
*”It’s embarrassing to do it alone, so together…”*
*”Fine. Then where should we commission the outfits…”*
*”Ah, for that, I know a good place in Yggdrasil that makes sturdy ones… at least two weeks…”*
Their voices gradually faded until I could no longer hear them, so I couldn’t fully grasp what they were saying, but somehow a conclusion was reached.
The beach trip would be in at least two weeks. And for those two weeks, everyone would be free to act independently.
Well, that’s fine. The closing ceremony is still a month away.
But come the next day, none of the girls were to be seen.
Hey, we made a promise.
We said we’d become party members, that we’d adventure together.
I trusted you. I gave you my trust.
Are you betraying me…?
“I won’t trust anyone anymore. I’ll live for myself.”
“Hah, that’s such a sad thing to say, Master.”
“…Patrasche. You were there.”
“I am always here.”
And so, for the first time in a long while, I pulled my cart and went out to do business with Patrasche.
The refreshing morning air after so long.
“By the way, Master. I, Patrasche, am truly impressed.”
“What do you mean?”
“Earning money and taking care of your health—the wisdom of a merchant seeking two benefits with one action.”
What is he on about?
“Surely the business you’re about to do, judging by the goods loaded, is clearly pocket change, yet you’re out at this hour before dawn. Master is a fine merchant.”
“……”
“Even after earning tens of millions of rin, your diligence is unmatched. Perhaps your true weapon is not your knowledge but your diligence.”
No.
That’s not it…
I blew through a lot of magic stones using that throne, so my funds took a hit… Want to see the balance sheet?
“Is that so. It’s nothing to be admired.”
“No, truly admirable. That figure who never loses sight of their beginner’s mind. You are a proud human being.”
No.
I told you, no.
Don’t look at me with those sparkling eyes.
—
At the front of the graduate school in midsummer, I set up goods that seemed like they’d sell pretty well.
Though there’s no rainy season, graduate students climb up the sweltering hills of Zefflin from early morning.
For them, I put out chilled ice water and decided to charge 1,000 rin per cup.
“Ughhh…”
“Gwaaaahhh…”
Naturally, sweets were sold behind that. Graduate students really have it tough.
“Phew. Phew. I’m alive.”
“Oh, it’s been a while… U, Wolfram-nim.”
“Hm. You’re all working hard. There are plenty of donuts and other snacks too.”
“Whew. Thank you.”
Saying that, sandwiches and mint drinks went flying off the shelves.
Also chilled soups—poor imitations of vichyssoise—sold too.
What was amusing was that things I threw in on a whim, like “breath deodorizer” and “sweat odor remover” made with handy workers, sold like hotcakes.
Come to think of it, graduate students who do research in the lab and get called in by the professor to stay up all night—when would they have time to shower? They just change clothes and head straight back to the lab.
Thinking that’s why they sold so well brought a bitter smile to my face.
“That’s not a sympathetic smile—aren’t you just happy?”
“You misunderstand.”
Maybe 10% sympathy and 90% amusement.
Just as the goods loaded on Patrasche’s cart had sold like they had wings, and we were about to head back to the convenience store with a clattering empty cart on another good business day—
I heard that guy’s voice.
“Your Highness. It’s been a while.”
“……Zolf.”
The boss of Act 1. The graduate student I’d saved.
“I thought you’d achieved enlightenment.”
“…I’m not dead, you know?”
Right, that was the case.
Now that I think about it, I remember him showing up at the training ground during Rudika and my spar.
“So, what brings you here? Sorry, but most of the goods are gone.”
“No, I came today to speak with you and also to humbly ask a favor.”
“……A favor.”
What, asking to borrow money? I don’t have any. I’m barely hanging on myself.
Want to grab a meal? Sure, let’s do it sometime—I’m a bit busy right now.
Want me to buy a heated floor mat? I don’t get cold easily, haha.
I had countless refusal lines ready, and waited for Zolf—that pitiful, miserable, groveling graduate student—to continue.
“A group of graduate students, including myself, are preparing to become a friendly faction to His Highness Prince Wolfram.”
“Tell me more.”
Suddenly I’m in the mood for a meal. Want to talk over something to eat?
