“Carbonated water generator?”“Yeah. With this, we can slash the production cost.”Developing and making something matters—but what you really need to make a lot of money is popularization.Popularization begins with lowering unit cost so it can be supplied to many people.For that, in addition to the player-exclusive recipe for “cola,” we also need the carbonated water generator.Fortunately, the blueprint for the carbonated water generator is one of the schematics you can find within the Union.“Union’s Seven Mysteries—if you dig through the related ruins, it’s one of the rewards.”I don’t have it in my hands yet, but if I want it, I can get it immediately.I should bring Chloe along for a ruin expedition in the near future.Besides, from what Ciel told me, Chloe was shocked when she saw me cough up blood and collapse.Since Ciel said she kept that a secret, I’ll help her write an article about the ruins in exchange.There’s also the fact that she answered my earlier request and wrote a favorable piece for Verdandi.Anyway, this Sports Festival will be the groundwork for a big success at the academy festival.When I mentioned the carbonated water generator, Trishi slammed the desk and shouted.“If—if that’s real, it’s truly a revolution, a revolution! There are easily hundreds of low-rank mages who’ve switched careers into carbonated water production because they lack personal R&D funds. The related market size alone is in the trillions! Of course, if you mass-produce a luxury good the sale price will drop, but even accounting for that…”Trishi passionately extolled the advantages of a carbonated water generator.I scratched my cheek and asked:“You know this a little too well. Did you do some related side work?”“Ah, I didn’t actually do it. I looked into a few part-time postings. Because of someone.”“……Mm.”Under Trishi’s sharp gaze, I feigned ignorance for no reason.Well, the one who offered her investment and then canceled wasn’t me anyway. That was what the original owner of this body—Loen—did, so I’m done feeling guilty about it.“Anyway. The point is I can make it.”“But… shouldn’t we be discussing that with the Meister side, not our club?”“I already negotiated with them.”“Really? Who’s the maker?”“……You’re better off not knowing.”I frowned as I recalled what happened then.A few days ago, after class, I made time to visit the Meister Academy.The Meister Academy is for technicians. They specialize in processing and developing artifacts and magic tools.Think of it as the field of Magitech.Originally, that field was under Eredor’s purview, but there were ambiguities bundling it with pure magic, so the academy was later separated.It’s not entirely a separate academy either, so you can think of it as a branch campus of Eredor.At any rate, when I visited the Meister Academy, I tried to contact the dwarf trio Melga, Malgor, and Murgan.Even in the Meister Academy—where eccentrics are common—those three are outstanding research fanatics.“……”I don’t particularly want to recall that day.Compared to them, the foul-tempered and finicky Demian looked like a gentleman.Anyway, the negotiation with them went reasonably well, and there’s no worry of technology leaks.Those three brothers might be a little off, but they aren’t the sort to sell others’ tech and blueprints elsewhere.“They don’t care for money or fame. If you just let them make interesting, new inventions, they’re satisfied.”In a sense, they share a similarity with Demian, who also takes design commissions based on interest.From my perspective, that actually makes them easier to control.Because the methods to obtain over-technology inventions or blueprints that would pique their interest are inside my head.I suspect I’ll be asking for their help often from here on.“Then when will the prototype of that carbonated water generator be ready?”“I’ll have it prepared sometime next week. So in the meantime, get the drink ingredients ready in advance. Tell the other members too. The more hands the better.”I handed Trishi a thick envelope stuffed with checks.“There’s a merchant guild I know. If you contact them and ask for ingredients, it’ll be quick. I wrote down their contact info.”I could do it myself, but there are plenty of other things I need to handle. I’ll leave at least this much to Trishi.With eyes sparkling like stars, Trishi snatched the envelope from my hand.“O-of course! Leave it to me!”“……”Wiping the drool from the corner of her mouth, Trishi tucked the money envelope into her clothes.I let out a sigh and reminded her:“You can keep whatever remains after you secure the ingredients. But the preparation must be thorough.”***The next day. A classroom in Saintea.“That’s all for today’s lecture. Good work, everyone.”The Sacred Studies lecture ended to the grand sound of a pipe organ.This lecture is, truly, very, extremely boring—but merely sitting through it brings considerable benefit.[The level of Holy Power Resistance has increased.]Namely, a level-up to the Holy Power Resistance trait.The gain isn’t large, but for the half-human, half-demon Loen, it’s useful enough.With the choir’s hymn as a backdrop, students flowed out of the lecture hall like the receding tide.“Yawn.”I, too, gathered my textbook with a yawn ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) and stood up.“Lord Loen, are you going to the swordsmanship lecture?”“Well… I suppose I should. After lunch.”Lately my stamina has improved and I’ve gotten used to training, so even if I attend Ishtal’s swordsmanship lecture after lunch, I don’t throw up or collapse—I’m fine.“Come to think of it, Garfield, you should be able to join the swordsmanship lecture again.”“I—is that true?”Garfield’s eyes went round.“Yeah. I settled things with Zimmer. He said you’re allowed to return.”“Ooh! Thank you truly! To think you’d go that far for a humble man like me. Let me buy you a meal. Choose anything.”“I’ll hold you to it. Let’s go.”Just then, as I was about to head off with Garfield for a delicious lunch—Swish—“Loen, pardon me, but do you have a moment?”A calm voice accompanied by the whisper of a cassock brushing past.Professor Andrea of the Sacred Studies lecture approached and spoke to me.Andrea continued with a gentle smile.“There’s something urgent I’d like to discuss. I see you were about to dine with Garfield—if it’s not a bother, would you join me for lunch?”“Understood.”I nodded without much thought.A professor’s invitation to dine. From a student’s position, there’s practically no right to refuse.“Garfield, will you come too?”“Hmm, I wonder if I’d be an obstacle to your conversation.”Andrea shook their head with a faint smile.“Not at all. A student like Garfield is more than qualified to join. I’ll take that as a yes—shall we?”***A high-end restaurant in Saintea’s territory, where we arrived with Professor Andrea.It was lunchtime, but perhaps because it was expensive, there weren’t many patrons.When we headed to a private room inside, someone was already seated at the table waiting for us.“We meet again~ Nice to see you.”Naturally, it was Elena.Judging by who had gathered here, I could roughly guess why Professor Andrea had invited us to lunch.“The club entrance exam matter.”Professor Andrea is one of Saintea’s ten bishops-ranked cardinals and the supervising professor of the Monster Purification Studies Club.It seemed the reply from Celestia proper had arrived regarding the weakness of the “Blood Demon,” which I had given as the answer to Problem 25.“I pre-ordered something light to eat. We don’t have much time before the next lecture, right? If you move too much, you might feel heavy.”“Thanks for the consideration.”Somehow, it felt like she knew I was planning to attend the swordsmanship lecture after lunch.I sat down and glanced at the sparkling carbonated water the waiter poured into a wineglass.Bubbles rising in fizz.Roughly fifty thousand krone for a single glass. More expensive than a decent wine.But in the modern day, carbonated water is practically priced like tap water, so you can guess the margin difference.“How much should I sell it for?”While I recalled the price gap between the two worlds and pondered a production cost and reasonable sale price for carbonated water, Elena spoke.“You know why I invited you to this meal, don’t you?”“……Yeah. But is this something Garfield can hear?”“Of course. Garfield is a member of our club, and beyond that, the Moti family is tied fairly closely with our kingdom.”Come to think of it, the Golden Elephant Guild’s primary trade partner was set as Saintea.As far as I know, they have contracts to supply to temples and the church spread across the continent.In that sense, Garfield is more than qualified to hear this conversation.“All right. What did the reply say?”This time, Professor Andrea answered instead of Elena.“I can’t explain in precise detail, but it caused quite a stir in the leadership back home. Some hardliners even insisted we summon Student Loen to the Papal Tribunal to trace the source of the information—claiming that, since you know it, you might be involved with magi. Those types never know their limits.”“……”No one survives the Papal Tribunal atop that dais. However capable, survival would be unlikely.All artifacts are banned there, so even the Ring of Derode wouldn’t be able to deceive them.The professor continued:“However, aside from that faction, most cardinals reacted favorably toward you. Some even proposed that this should be the occasion to request close cooperation and information exchange with House de Valis. I’m also inclined to think positively.”“I see.”It seemed Celestia’s leadership thought the source of the “Blood Demon” information was House de Valis.House de Valis on the western front has fought monsters at the vanguard for centuries, accumulating knowledge on many kinds.“Before we reach out to Duchess Aslan regarding inter-house cooperation, I felt we should speak with you first.”They could have left it to the leaderships to talk among themselves, but the fact they made a point to tell me directly—this approach pleased me.“Wise choice. You’ll get faster results talking to me than to my sister. And, wouldn’t it be cheaper to deal with Loen the individual than with House de Valis?”“Do you mean…”With a silent nod, I affirmed Andrea’s inference.Formally, it would be “inter-house information exchange,” but in practice, it would look like a one-way transfer of information in return for a considerable price.From the outside, it would look bad for their face, and the information fee would be very expensive.But if they dealt with me personally instead of the house, they could obtain it far more affordably and with less burden.Elena spoke.“An interesting proposal. Are you saying you, as an individual, can provide information beyond what House de Valis can?”“Maybe yes, maybe no.”I do know the weaknesses of various high-rank monsters, but there are certainly things I don’t know.Just like how the shelves of Water Melon Books held countless facts I hadn’t known.“But one thing I can guarantee: it will never be a loss for you or your kingdom.”“……”Elena fell into brief thought.From her side, there’s no reason to refuse.If I truly provide high-grade intel on par with inter-house cooperation at a cheaper rate, that’s a huge gain; and if she later judges there’s no net benefit to working with me, she can always go back and join hands with House de Valis.Having finished considering, she soon extended a hand to me for a shake.“All right, Loen. I’ll deal with you first—as an individual. Elena Sion Celestia. On my name.”

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.