The Academy Regressor is Obsessed

The merchant group Saya runs isn’t that large in scale. However, the income it generates is quite substantial. This was possible because the main items they deal with are related to magical studies.

While the Lepid Magic Tower manufactures and sells magical tools and scrolls, they don’t directly distribute them. As can be seen from the largest scroll shop on the Academy grounds, they only provide scrolls through merchant groups. Creating and managing shops is entirely left to the merchant groups.

Saya’s group was among those that had formed such partnerships.

The magical tool business recently started by the magic tower. Although magical engineering machines and magical tools are clearly different, there were still similarities. Saya bought and examined magic tower-made magical tools like this, then personally visited the magic tower to make a contract.

It wasn’t easy.

The Lepid Magic Tower is, if anything, a group of people closer to merchants than magicians. It took a full two years just to persuade them and show potential.

In the process, her mind and body were worn ragged, but seeing the income generated after starting the magical tool business with the magic tower cured everything. To exaggerate a bit, she could bathe in gold coins. Adding that to the money she was already earning, the situation became very affluent regardless of the size of the merchant group.

‘I’ll mass-produce engineering machines to supply to the battlefield, and pass on the magical tools to the head of the Plendia family who pre-ordered them.’

Saya’s business method was different from ordinary merchants.

Instead of opening a shop, she personally went around selling to a very small number of people.

It was a gambling-like method, but Saya achieved success spectacularly. It was possible because she captured the hearts of nobles with her unique speech and gestures that change to match the other person.

Also, many of the magical tools she deals with are related to beauty, so they were popular among noble ladies and young nobles.

Now there were even people who would bribe her to receive magical tools from the magic tower first. Every time this happened, the smile never left Saya’s face.

However, recently she was a bit bothered that new customers weren’t increasing. It was possible to maintain existing customers by providing various services, but there was a brake on the work of creating new customers.

This background was the reason she enrolled in the Academy.

The Academy is a special ecosystem where young nobles are abundant. There was no better place for attracting customers. It was also good for further studying magical engineering, and not bad for building connections, so the Academy was the optimal stage for Saya.

In that sense, it was lucky that a great magician’s disciple was in the same group. She had already heard rumors, but it was her first time seeing him in person.

Saya thought as she walked towards the magical studies department building where he was having class.

‘His face is more handsome than I expected, and his tone was quite overbearing. It seemed like he was deliberately acting that way, but since he’s a magician, it’s hard to tell. Judging by his lack of surname, he’s of commoner origin… but there was no sense of intimidation.’

The magical studies department building was quite far from the magical engineering department building. As a result, she had to encounter many people on the way. She glanced at a red-haired girl walking nearby with an expressionless face, then quickly turned her head back.

Magicians basically don’t care much about each other’s status.

While mediocre magicians might care, those who have reached a certain level tend to regard magical power as more sacred than bloodline, so they consider only one’s capability as a magician important, regardless of whether they’re noble or royalty.

This underlying attitude was why Warren, despite being of noble origin, purely admired Asel’s magic.

Unlike young and authoritative nobles who look down on magicians receiving similar treatment, for Warren, who was born a magician, status had no meaning. Thanks to this, there was no major friction in his first meeting with Asel.

‘Quill is a former mercenary, Asel is a commoner, and Warren is a noble but has a relatively gentle personality. Not a bad combination. If I can somehow train Quill, it might be good to continue interactions even after the assignment ends.’

To be honest, Quill didn’t matter either way. But if possible, she wanted to maintain friendships with Asel and Warren. It was right to know as many skilled magicians and elemental magicians as possible. Going out to purchase items with Asel was also groundwork to gain his favor.

‘For now, becoming close with Asel is the priority. Warren comes after that.’

While thinking, Saya had already arrived in front of the magical studies department building. She sat on a suitable empty bench and waited for Asel’s class to end. It was boring, but watching the people walking around made it somewhat bearable.

“…?”

A woman with red hair caught her eye as she looked around. It was the woman who had been walking near her until just now. Saya tilted her head as she stared at her leaning against the wall and tapping the sword at her waist.

She had been aware they were going to the same place, but it seemed their destinations overlapped as well. Saya swung her legs back and forth while staring blankly at her face.

As she did so, her identity suddenly came to mind.

Grace Bydel. One of the people occupying the top line of the list Saya had written down of people she wanted to build connections with.

She hadn’t expected to meet here someone she hadn’t been able to even start a conversation with yet due to lack of connection points. Saya narrowed her eyes slightly and brought her finger to her lips. At that moment, students poured out of the magical studies department building.

The class had ended. Saya immediately got up and tried to find Asel among the flowing crowd. Not long after, she was able to spot Asel with a face that seemed deep in thought. Saya approached him with quick steps.

“Asel.”
“Ah, Asel!”
“?”
“?”

The voices overlapped. Saya perked up her ears and looked at the owner of the voice. Grace was staring at her with eyes that seemed to say “what’s this?”. It was such a hostile gaze that it was quite unfair from Saya’s standpoint, who hadn’t done anything. But instead of being intimidated, she smiled brightly and said:

“Hello, Lady Bydel. I didn’t expect to see you in a place like this.”
“…Youho.”

Grace muttered. Undisguised displeasure and hostility dripped from her voice.

She muttered an incomprehensible word to herself, then suddenly showed hostility towards someone she had no connection with. From Saya’s perspective, it was utterly bewildering.

“Why are you here?”
“I have an appointment.”
“What kind of appointment?”
“Why should I tell you that?”

As Grace became hostile, good words didn’t come out of Saya’s mouth either. Even for someone like her who was used to adapting to others, when someone shows such groundless dislike without any reason, there was nothing she could do.

“What are you doing?”

At that moment, Asel, who had organized his thoughts, opened his mouth with a slightly frowning face. At that, Grace’s expression, which had been ice-cold, brightened up.

Saya didn’t show it outwardly, but seeing this, she inwardly thought Grace might be crazy as she turned her head towards Asel.

If the other side doesn’t treat you well, there’s no reason to grovel from this side either. A merchant who bows down to the other party only suffers losses. She resolved to mark Grace’s name as on hold in her list when she returned to her lodgings, and opened her mouth.

“Hello, Asel. I was waiting as I told you yesterday.”
“To purchase items?”
“Yes. You remember, right?”
“I do.”

Asel said this, then turned his head towards Grace, who was opening and closing her mouth.

“Grace, is something wrong?”
“…No, it’s nothing. I was just thinking we could have dinner together or something…”

Saya burst into laughter at Grace’s timid muttering.

“Oh my, I’m sorry. Asel has a prior appointment with me today.”
“Shut up. I didn’t speak to you.”
“…Isn’t your attitude too different? Do you have multiple personalities?”

Saya asked in an incredulous voice, but Grace cleanly ignored her words. Instead, she took a step closer to Asel and said:

“You have an appointment with the fox?”

There was no need to ask who the fox was. Asel let out a hollow laugh and glanced at Saya, who was swishing her tail, then nodded.

“We’re in the same group for this assignment. We were going to prepare some things together.”
“Do you know what she did…!”

Grace shouted like that, then realized Asel wouldn’t remember anyway and tightly closed her mouth.

To blurt out the contents in her head, she would have to tell Asel about the regression as well. Before that, saying anything would only result in being treated like a crazy woman.

No, perhaps even if she revealed the fact of regression, it might be the same. Grace felt a momentary sense of depression and bit her lip hard.

“Grace? Are you okay?”

Asel opened his mouth while placing his hand on her shoulder. Grace read the worry and question in his eyes and forced a smile. She didn’t want to create something for him to worry about unnecessarily.

“No, it’s nothing. I just had a sad thought suddenly. It’s nothing now.”
“…Really?”

Asel didn’t seem to believe her at all, but Grace continued speaking.

“You said you have an appointment, right? Have a good time. Let’s eat together next time.”

She didn’t wait for an answer. She showed Asel a smile, then started walking away quickly. Asel narrowed his eyes and stared at her retreating back.

A magician’s intuition was telling him there was something about her, but there was no way to figure out what it actually was. Unless Grace spoke about it herself, it was clear he probably wouldn’t even be able to guess.

‘I should have a conversation with her later.’

As Asel thought this and turned around, Saya, who had been standing still, looked up at him and said:

“Shall we go?”
“Where are we going first?”
“I already prepared food yesterday, so we don’t need to worry much about that. Now we just need to buy the rest of the supplies.”
“For example?”
“Hmm… Magic tower-made magical tools?”

Saya smiled seductively.

Asel was also quite interested in magic tower-made magical tools.

The magical tools that various magic towers, including the Lepid Magic Tower, put forward as their main business had effects as certain as their reputation. They were on a completely different level from magical tools made by random people. Asel had only heard the name, but had never actually seen them.

‘I wonder which would be more amazing when compared to this bracelet.’

The Bracelet of Flow, a magical tool directly crafted by the Witch Association. Looking at its effects and formulas, it was by no means a magical tool to be taken lightly. If one were to try to purchase it directly, it would probably require an enormous amount of gold coins.

Considering that the market prices of magic tower-made magical tools are basically insane, obtaining such a high-level artifact for free was an incredibly amazing thing. Asel once again felt the wealth and ability of the Witch Association as he raised his head.

A building with exterior walls painted with marble, and one wall entirely replaced with glass to allow viewing the interior from outside. It wasn’t that tall, but conversely, the waves of magical power felt from underground were huge. This meant it was a building that dug deeper downwards rather than upwards.

“This is the largest magical tool shop on the Academy grounds.”

Saya explained while swishing her tail. As she said, the amount of magical power emanating from the building itself was quite substantial.

A shop plastered with all sorts of barrier magic and protective magic not only on the exterior walls but also on the glass and interior. Among these, only a few were directly woven formulas. Most were the power of magical tools.

“This is where all sorts of magic tower-made magical tools gather. It’s one of the few collaborative business entities of magic towers in the empire. They tend to blatantly mark up prices so it’s expensive, but the effects are guaranteed.”
“…Are all the magical tools inside made by magic towers?”
“There are a few that aren’t. More importantly, instead of talking like this out here, shall we go inside first?”

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

As they did so, the magical power felt from outside began to be perceived more clearly. A place of mystery where all sorts of formulas breathe and react violently to a single gesture. Asel unconsciously grasped one of the writhing magical powers and shook it.

Along with this, one of the displayed magical tools started to go berserk as if it would explode at any moment. Employees who happened to be checking the magical tools nearby were startled and hurriedly clung to the trembling magical tool.

Asel was surprised as well. He quickly grasped the rampaging magical power that was clearly due to his own mischief and calmed it back down. Soon after, the trembling magical tool quietly settled down on the floor. The employee and Asel both let out sighs of relief at the same time.

Among them, one employee who happened to make eye contact with Asel opened his mouth with an awkward smile.

“Um… It doesn’t usually do this, but it seems to have suddenly malfunctioned. Haha, the other products should be fine. Please don’t worry too much.”

He said this thinking Asel’s sigh was due to feeling danger from the magical tool’s rampage. Asel didn’t bother to correct his misunderstanding and smiled as if relieved.

Sometimes a white lie was better than the truth.