The Obsessive Regressor of The Academy

39. First Assignment (3)

The trade syndicate Saya managed wasn’t particularly large in scale. However, the income it generated was quite considerable. This was largely due to the fact that the main items it dealt with were related to magic engineering.

The Lappid Magic Tower crafted and sold magic tools and scrolls, but they didn’t handle the distribution themselves. Even just looking at the largest scroll shop within the academy grounds, it was clear that they only provided the scrolls through the syndicate. Creating and managing the shop was entirely up to the syndicate.

Saya’s was one of the syndicates that had formed such an alliance.

Recently, the Magic Tower had begun a magic tool business. Magic engineering machines and magic tools were distinctly different, but they still shared certain similarities. Saya had purchased these Magic Tower-made magic tools to study them, and then gone directly to the Magic Tower to secure a contract.

It hadn’t been easy.

The Lappid Magic Tower, if one were to be precise, was a group made up of individuals who were more like merchants than mages. Persuading them and demonstrating the potential had taken at least two years.

Her mind and body had been left in tatters during that process, but all of it was healed by the income she earned after the Magic Tower started its magic tool business. To embellish the process a bit, she could have taken a bath in gold coins. On top of the money she was already earning, regardless of the size of her syndicate, her situation had become very prosperous.

‘I’ll mass produce engineering machines to supply to the battlefield, and hand over the magic tools I pre-booked to the Plendia family head.’

Saya’s business methods differed from those of typical merchants.

Instead of opening a shop, she personally traveled around, selling to only a select few.

It was a risky method, but Saya had succeeded spectacularly. It was possible because she was able to capture the hearts of the nobles with her unique words and gestures that changed to match her counterpart.

Also, the magic tools she handled were often related to beauty, which made them popular with wives and young nobles.

Now, there were even people offering bribes to receive the magic tools coming in from the Magic Tower first. Saya’s smile never faded when that happened.

However, she was a little concerned that new customers hadn’t been increasing lately. Maintaining existing customers was possible by providing various services, but the task of creating new customers had come to a halt.

The reason she had entered the academy was due to this background.

The academy was a special ecosystem filled with young nobles. There was no better place to attract customers. It was also good for studying magic engineering, and not bad for building connections, so for Saya, the academy was the perfect stage.

In that respect, it was fortunate that the disciple of a great mage was in her group. She had already heard rumors, but it was her first time seeing him in person.

Saya thought as she walked towards the magic engineering faculty building where he was teaching.

‘He’s more handsome than I thought, and his tone was quite domineering. It seems like he did it on purpose, but he’s a mage, so it’s hard to grasp. Judging by the fact that he doesn’t have a last name, he’s from a commoner background… but he didn’t seem intimidated.’

The magic engineering faculty building was quite far from the magic engineering faculty building. Thanks to that, she had to encounter many people on the way. She glanced at a red-haired girl walking nearby with a blank face, then quickly turned her head back.

Wizards, in essence, didn’t fuss so much over each other’s station.

Unless they were middling sorts, those who had found their footing tended to hold magical prowess more sacred than bloodlines, valuing a wizard’s capabilities above all else, be they noble or royal.

Warren’s pure admiration for Asel’s magic, despite his own aristocratic birth, stemmed from this very bedrock.

Unlike the usual young, highborn nobles who resented wizards treated as their equals, Warren, born to magic himself, considered rank meaningless. This paved the way for a largely smooth first encounter with Asel.

‘Quill is a mercenary, Asel a commoner, Warren a noble but of a relatively mild temperament. Not a bad combination. If I can only rein in Quill, it might be worthwhile to maintain contact even after the assignment is over.’

Frankly, Quill was inconsequential. It was Asel and Warren with whom she wished to cultivate ties, if possible. Knowing as many skilled wizards and spiritists as one could was simply sound practice. Even accompanying Asel on errands was a preliminary step to win his favor.

‘First and foremost, befriend Asel. Warren can wait.’

Lost in thought, Saya found herself before the School of Magecraft building. She settled onto a conveniently empty bench to wait for Asel’s class to dismiss. It was tedious, but observing the passersby made it bearable.

“……?”

Scanning her surroundings, a woman with striking red hair caught her eye. She’d been walking near her just moments ago. Leaning against a wall, fingers tapping against the sword at her hip, Saya regarded her with a tilted head.

She’d noticed they were heading in the same direction, but it appeared their destination was the same as well. Saya swung her legs back and forth, studying the woman’s face intently.

And then, her identity dawned on her.

Grace Bydiel. One of the figures topping Saya’s carefully compiled list of people to befriend.

She hadn’t expected to encounter someone she hadn’t even had a chance to speak to in a place like this. Saya narrowed her eyes slightly, bringing a finger to her lips. Just then, students poured out of the School of Magecraft.

Class was over. Saya immediately rose, straining to spot Asel in the throng. Moments later, she found him, his brow furrowed in thought. Saya hurried towards him.

“Asel.”

“Ah, Asel!”

“?”

“?”

Their voices overlapped. Saya pricked her ears, turning to the source of the second call. Grace was staring at her with an expression that seemed to ask, *what is this?* A hostile gaze, quite unfair from Saya’s perspective, as she’d done nothing at all. Instead of shrinking, however, she offered a small smile.

“Greetings, Lady Bydiel. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“……*Yōko*.”

Grace muttered. Her voice dripped with unconcealed displeasure and hostility.

Muttering an unfamiliar word to herself, then suddenly being hostile to someone she barely knew. Saya was at a loss.

“Why are you here?”

“I have an appointment.”

“What kind of appointment?”

“Why should I tell you?”

Grace’s hostility did nothing to coax pleasant words from Saya’s own mouth. No matter how accustomed she was to accommodating others, she couldn’t help but respond in kind to such baseless dislike.

“What are you doing?”

Then, Asel, having organized his thoughts, opened his mouth with a slight furrow of his brow. At once, the ice-cold expression on Grace’s face bloomed into a smile.

Saya didn’t outwardly show it, but watching this, she wondered if Grace had gone mad and turned her head toward Asel.

If they weren’t going to be reasonable, there was no reason for her to grovel. A merchant who bows and scrapes only loses. She resolved to mark Grace’s name as “pending” on the list when she returned to the inn and opened her mouth.

“Hello, Asel. As I mentioned yesterday, I’ve been waiting.”

“Purchasing supplies?”

“Yes. You remember, don’t you?”

“I do.”

Asel said that, then turned his gaze toward Grace, whose lips were twitching.

“Grace, is something the matter?”

“…No, just… I thought we could spend some time together, maybe have dinner…”

Saya burst into a soft laugh at Grace’s timid mumble.

“Oh my, I’m so sorry. Asel already has a prior engagement with me today.”

“Shut up. I wasn’t talking to you.”

“…Aren’t you acting a little *different*? Are you perhaps suffering from a split personality?”

Saya asked with a bewildered tone, but Grace cleanly ignored her. Instead, she took another step toward Asel and said,

“You have a date with the Fox?”

There was no need to ask who the Fox was. Asel chuckled dryly, glanced at Saya, who was wagging her tail, and nodded.

“We’re in the same group for this assignment. I thought we could prepare things together.”

“What she did to you…!”

Grace shouted that, then clamped her mouth shut, realizing that Asel wouldn’t remember anyway.

To explain what was in her head, she would need to tell Asel about her regression. Before that, she’d only be seen as a crazy woman.

No, perhaps even revealing her regression wouldn’t change that. Grace felt a sudden wave of melancholy and bit her lip hard.

“Grace? Are you alright?”

Asel opened his mouth, his hand gently touching her shoulder. Grace read the concern and question in his eyes and forced a smile. She didn’t want to give him anything to worry about.

“No, it’s nothing. Just… a sad thought suddenly came to mind. It’s fine now.”

“…Is that so?”

Asel didn’t seem convinced at all, but Grace continued to speak.

“You said you had plans? Have a good time. Let’s eat together another time.”

She didn’t wait for a response. She smiled at Asel, then began to walk away at a brisk pace. Asel narrowed his eyes and watched her retreating back.

A mage’s intuition told him there was something about her, but there was no way to know what it was. Unless Grace told him herself, he would likely never even guess.

‘I should have a proper talk with her later.’

As Asel turned, thinking this, Saya, who had been standing quietly, looked up at him and asked,

“Shall we go then?”

“Where are we going to start?”

“I bought the rations yesterday, so we don’t have to worry much about that. Now we just need to buy the remaining supplies.”

“For instance?”

“Hmm… Magus Tower artifacts?”

Saya flashed a bewitching smile.

*

Asel himself had quite the interest in Magus Tower artifacts.

The artifacts, which various Magus Towers, including the Lepid Tower, promoted as their main business, were undeniably effective, as their reputation suggested. They were on a completely different level from the artifacts made by just any Tom, Dick, or Harry. Asel had only heard of them, never actually seen one.

‘I wonder which is the better piece of equipment, compared to this bracelet.’

The Bracelet of the Flow, an artifact personally crafted by the Witches’ Coven. Judging by its effects and incantations, it was by no means an artifact to be taken lightly. If one were to purchase it directly, it would likely cost a hefty sum of gold.

Considering that the market prices of Magus Tower artifacts were fundamentally insane, obtaining an artifact of this caliber for free was a truly remarkable stroke of luck. Asel, once again realizing the Witches’ Coven’s wealth and capabilities, raised his head.

A building with a marble exterior, one entire wall replaced with glass so that the interior could be seen from the outside. It wasn’t particularly tall, but conversely, the flow of mana felt from the basement was considerable. It meant that the building was dug deeper downwards than upwards.

“This is the largest artifact shop on the Academy grounds.”

Saya explained, wagging her tail playfully. As she said, the amount of mana emanating from the building itself was quite substantial.

The shop’s exterior walls, the glass, and even the interior, were plastered with all sorts of warding and protective magic. Of those, only a few had custom-made incantations. Most of it was the power of the artifacts.

“This is a shop where all sorts of Magus Tower artifacts gather. It’s one of the few cooperative businesses between the Magus Towers even in the Empire. They tend to overcharge shamelessly, but still, the effects are guaranteed.”

“…Are all the artifacts inside made by Magus Towers?”

“There are a few that aren’t. More importantly, instead of talking about it here, shall we go inside for now?”

Saya said, tugging on Asel’s sleeve. Asel obediently followed her lead into the store.

The mana that he felt outside started to become more distinct. A mystical place where all sorts of incantations lived and breathed, reacting intensely to a single gesture. Without realizing it, Asel seized one of the mana currents and simply shook it.

At that moment, one of the artifacts on display began to surge wildly, as if it were about to explode. The employees, who had been inspecting the artifacts nearby, startled and hurriedly clung to the trembling artifact.

Asel was just as surprised. It was obvious that it was his doing, so he quickly grabbed the surging mana and calmed it down again. Before long, the trembling artifact rested quietly on the floor. An employee and Asel simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief.

One of the employees, who happened to meet Asel’s gaze, smiled awkwardly and opened his mouth.

“Well… it doesn’t usually do this, it seems like it suddenly malfunctioned. Haha, the other products will be fine. Please don’t worry too much.”

He said this because he mistakenly thought Asel’s sigh was out of worry of the danger from the artifact’s surge. Asel did not bother to correct his misunderstanding and smiled as if relieved.

Sometimes, a white lie is better than the truth.