Sickly Girl, but a Drug Addict

Fortunately, neither Student Council President Thunder Emperor nor Vice President Ice Emperor.

They didn’t seem to be monitoring me or having me followed.

I was worried that Professor Yggdrasil might label me as the culprit, but is he planning to leave me alone for now since he only has suspicion but no physical evidence?

Anyway, the old school building is safe for a while.

From the professors and caretakers. Even from the Thunder Emperor and Ice Emperor!

Now I just need to find a place to cultivate ephedra.

A sunny and dry place, that is.

If I ask Nava, would she tell me?

She’s practically the commander-in-chief of the old school building’s ghosts.

“I’m truly… sorry for leaving you two like that! I’ll grant any request you desire.”

Count Train raised his voice in apology as soon as he saw us, loud enough to shake the underground gambling den.

Why does this pose seem familiar to me?

Has the sophisticated AI copied even politicians’ apology videos?

The gambling den was empty except for us, so his voice resonated throughout the underground space.

I covered my throbbing ears and knelt before him.

“I’m fine.”

What I wanted was decided from the beginning.

Count Train, who lowered his body in apparent embarrassment, must know this as well.

“But there is something I need. Can you get it for me?”

Shana Midgard needs Vermilion Heart.

And a lot of it.

“How much… would satisfy you if I brought it?”

Should I be grateful to the Thunder Emperor who I wanted to blow the back of her head off yesterday?

Barak Train is feeling sorry for me.

But why is he so sorry?

Was he a person with a warmer heart than he appeared, despite being a villain?

“How much can you provide?”

“That’s….”

If he’s a devil with a warm heart, would he indulge my whims a bit?

“As you can see. I… need quite a lot.”

I may not know how to gaslight.

But at least I know how to appear desperate.

When living as a wanderer, there were times when you had to appear favorable to others.

My favorite method is begging with my head down, which I’ve shown before.

Whether on a cold bare floor.

Or on a soft carpet.

It’s a perfect place to support my forehead.

“I’ll try my best! As much as I can. And why are you bowing your head? I’m the one who did wrong…!”

Count Train tried to raise my upper body which was flat on the floor.

…It’s not enough.

I can’t feel at ease until he clearly states ‘how many bottles’ he will give.

I need a lot, a lot of Vermilion Heart.

I want to stockpile at least as much as what’s piled in the academy professors’ safes.

“It’s not enough….”

“What do you mean not enough? I haven’t even….”

“That’s not enough.”

Not enough.

If you’re going to bring something, say it clearly.

If it’s ambiguous, I’m thinking of taking you down tonight.

It’s already annoying that you know Rukia, and there’s no reason to leave someone who speaks vaguely alone.

“100 bottles.”

I pressed my body closer to the floor.

“I need 100 bottles.”

Rukia laughs out loud.

“Department head! Isn’t that too greedy? Even though Daddy is a big shot, 100 bottles at once is impossible!”

Count Train, who had jumped up, glared at Rukia.

“I will definitely get them for you. Even if they’re not genuine. Do you mind if they’re counterfeits like the sample I gave you before?”

I was convinced.

The dimension of possibilities simulation also indicates that Count Train will move according to my intentions.

“That’s fine. That’s enough.”

He said I would gain a friend.

There’s no sign of that yet.

So there’s no problem with relying on counterfeits for a while.

“Actually, I have a new company… Oh. I mean. This isn’t something I need to tell you two, but….”

“Then there’s no need to tell us.”

“…Right. Sorry for making you worry unnecessarily.”

Well.

Those who operate counterfeit manufacturing companies are eliminated as soon as they’re caught by Athenas and the Drug Control Bureau.

So just surviving seems to earn the recognition of the Fire Sword Ghost.

I suppose it wouldn’t be bad to continue trading with this person and collect information about what’s happening around the final boss in advance.

The Fire Sword Ghost is so secretive that even information obtained by chance is rare.

Right now, the academy matters are more important so I can’t pay proper attention.

But if possible, knowing both sides would add blue to my future.

I’m worried that the meeting area with Count Train is the underground of the old school building, so I don’t know when faculty members might discover us…

This part should probably be considered for gradual change.

With maximum security for my survival, that is.

“By any chance, could I receive the requested items before this evening?”

“T-This evening, you say?”

“Yes.”

I’m still lying face down.

Though I’m testing Count Train, it’s still an unreasonable request, so I maintain a humble attitude.

As if in deep thought. Scratch, scratch.

The time he spends stroking his beard gets longer.

“Alright. With the items… I’ll see you this evening.”

“On the contrary, is there anything you want from me?”

“…Nothing yet.”

Only then did I raise my head and show an elegant smile.

You’re quite a decent person,

Barak Train!

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

————————————————

[Hughes Year 31, 1st Semester]

[Regin Academy Early Semester Ability Verification Guide]

— Target

All academy students

— Time

1st-2nd grades: 2nd week of March

3rd-4th grades: 3rd week of March

5th-6th grades: 4th week of March

— The top 9 performers in each grade will be awarded the ‘Fafnir’ badge directly by the principal

————————————————

Every beginning of the year.

The academy conducts a practical test called ‘Ability Verification’ to check the status of students’ abilities.

Due to the academy’s characteristics, practical skills are prioritized over academics, so this early semester Ability Verification.

The end-of-semester Ability Verification at the end of the 1st semester.

The end-of-year Ability Verification at the end of the 2nd semester can be considered big events as exams.

A badge called ‘Fafnir’ is awarded to top performers in major events, including the Ability Verification.

The more badges one has, the closer they are to the top of the academy.

In the case of the current student council members, all of them are Fafnir badge holders.

The Thunder Emperor, who is in the 5th grade this year, has as many as 18 Fafnir badges.

Usually hidden by her cape.

When she lifts her cape, small golden dragon heads dangle on her jacket chest.

Naturally, it’s an object outside the interest of me and the Social Service Department members.

If you receive it, you become famous.

It’s like throwing a stone at a precarious future vision card tower.

And even if you collect them, there’s no use except playing Go with stones of the same color.

Besides, what’s important now isn’t the Ability Verification or ‘Fafnir badge’…

“Did you hear the rumor?”

“Which one?”

“They say there’s going to be a dormitory inspection along with this Ability Verification….”

“What, really?”

“Ah~. Where should I hide the things I bought from downtown again.”

“I know, right.”

“Do you have a hiding place?”

“Wouldn’t the old school building be the easiest?”

“But that’s….”

“Ah. Right. That’s a bit….”

“I’ve already arranged to take care of each other’s things with an upperclassman from another grade. Want to do the same?”

“Really? That would be great!”

It’s the unannounced dormitory inspection that will be conducted along with the Ability Verification.

It’s already a lot to worry about with important events occurring during the Ability Verification.

And on top of that, a dormitory inspection?

In the future vision I cleared, there was only the Ability Verification, so what’s this all of a sudden?

But there was no need to confirm the truth of the rumor.

If I were Professor Yggdrasil, I could certainly order this to catch the culprit who raided the safe.

‘The old school building… will it be okay?’

There might be students who innocently believe that the dormitory inspection will end at the dormitories.

But I’m not one of them.

How could I believe that?

Ghosts may be scary, but if necessary, professors and caretakers will burst into the old school building.

Should I create a fake culprit to be caught instead of me?

Would that cancel the inspection and allow us to continue storing precious items of department members in the old school building?

Nava raiding downtown Regin because the refrigerator disappears.

Yormu wandering around the campus in a monstrous form because the confinement room disappears.

Rukia performing gambling magic shows at the downtown comic book cafe and playing tag with the Student Council President.

It’s terrifying to imagine our Social Service Department friends, whom we’ve gathered with difficulty, scattering in all directions again.

No, right.

That too, but.

…What am I going to do?

“Department head. What are you doing? You look like you’re about to hit someone.”

A discussion with Rukia, who appeared at the right timing, was necessary.

“Rukia. Can we talk for a moment?”

“Talk? Is there another problem?”

“Yes. A very big problem.”

Why does this happen right after I get 100 bottles of Scarlet Heart?

I don’t want to destroy the life water I barely obtained because there’s nowhere to hide it.

It feels like the world has been against me since the new semester of Hughes Year 31, which is the background of the game.

From the day I was caught at the scene by Professor Yggdrasil, continuously.

Walking with Rukia along a deserted corridor, looking around, I whispered softly.

“As you know, I received a gift from Count Train yesterday.”

“Yeah, yeah?”

“Since there’s a lot, I hid it in the gambling den for now as an urgent measure.”

“Kuhehe, that’s right.”

I grabbed Rukia’s shoulder firmly with a serious expression.

“The upcoming Ability Verification. There’s a rumor that they’ll conduct an unannounced dormitory inspection then.”

Bang.

Like someone hit by a brick on the head, Rukia opened her mouth wide and started trembling.

“N-No! My collection…! The gambling den…! The secret passage!”

I only mentioned the dormitory inspection, but she seems to understand everything.

As expected of a brain.

“If they inspect, they definitely won’t just do the dormitories. They don’t touch the old school building because it’s troublesome. But if they decide to, they can sweep it clean like catching mice.”

“If there’s an agreement with Nava, that’s possible, right?”

We looked into each other’s eyes and aligned our thoughts.

We could tell without saying that our goals were the same.

“We need to persuade Nava!”

“That’s the perfect answer.”

“But… how? Even though Nava is friendly to us, she hasn’t definitely taken our side.”

Nava Fenrir.

She belongs to the Social Service Department, but she isn’t hostile to the student council and professors either, a neutral faction.

It wasn’t for nothing that the faculty entrusted the old school building to her.

Always with a gentle voice and a loose smile.

An epicurean who becomes relaxed only when food is in front of her.

“Before next week, before the Ability Verification starts, we should either persuade her….”

…However, persuading her with gourmet food is nearly impossible.

Her favorite food is abundant everywhere.

That option is a trap card that leads directly to a bad ending.

“We have no choice but to find another way.”

2. A Bolt from the Blue. End.