The auction that started at 20 Tilons had closed at a staggering 198.5 Tilons. Soon, the 100 Tilons distributed to Ordinas Club members would also be deposited. Conveniently, tomorrow was Wednesday—a day with no lectures.
Warm sunlight streamed through the elegant glass windows, casting their geometric shadows on the marble floor. The sharp sound of leather shoes tapping in a steady rhythm filled the corridor as they struck the white marble tiles.
As the Gold Dragon mentally calculated the Tilons in his account, walking through the main building of the Academy, a voice called out from the end of the hallway.
“Heather, do you have a moment?”
It was Olivia Riney, professor of Spirit Studies.
“Hello. I do. What’s this about?”
Adrian dipped his head politely. Olivia smiled and lightly tapped the windowpane beside her with a finger. Was she gesturing for him to come over? Adrian strode up to the window where the professor was standing.
“Adrian, will you be staying at the Academy during the break?”
“Yes, it looks that way.”
“Ah, I heard you’re a member of our Ordinas Club.”
The professor smiled warmly. What was she getting at? Adrian waited silently behind a practiced smile, hoping Olivia would continue. She gave him a curious look, as if appraising the new student in front of her, before finally parting her lips to speak.
“You know that Ordinas is a joint social club between the Spirit Studies and Alchemy departments, right?”
So that’s why she said our Ordinas. Adrian nodded in response to the professor’s question.
“…Yes.”
“Oh, but that’s not what I was going to say. First, I just wanted to brag. Look at this—”
Olivia grinned kindly as she pulled something out and held it between her thumb and forefinger. It was a button—one from the sleeve of the Basamiel Academy uniform.
“I won this at auction.”
“Ah… I see…”
So she’s the big spender who bought that button for 198.5 Tilons. Adrian tilted his head with a vague, disinterested expression that clearly said, So what do you want me to do about it?
“Congratulations…?”
“Do you have any idea how fierce the bidding was? I almost lost to Professor Edwin in a bidding war.”
The professor then muttered under her breath, “…Ungrateful brat.” It was barely audible—but unfortunately for her, dragons had exceptional hearing, and Adrian caught every word. He simply ignored her grumble with the poise of a seasoned pro.
Then it happened.
“So, I heard from Edwin—”
Olivia’s smiling expression gradually faded into her usual neutral look. She was clearly about to get to the point.
“You told him you couldn’t say where you found that mana source, right? Is that true?”
She narrowed her eyes into a smile, studying the student before her with keen interest. If it had been the original human Adrian Heather standing here, he would’ve panicked and spilled everything about Mount Dohenia. But for a dragon? Not a chance.
“Yes, that’s correct. Which means… does the publicly disclose the seller’s name?”
Is that really necessary? Adrian arched a brow, annoyed by the feeling that he was about to be roped into something troublesome.
“Of course. The Academy auctions aren’t some kind of black-market exchange, you know?”
Hmm. Olivia seemed to find his irritation endearing. She touched her chin thoughtfully, as though considering something.
“There’s a student currently researching the mana coming from this button… How about assisting in that research as an assistant this semester?”
“I appreciate the offer, but—”
Adrian opened his mouth to give a quick refusal, but Olivia was faster.
“There’s compensation for research assistants, so why not hear me out first? A semester’s three months, so… a total of 1,000 Tilons.”
The Gold Dragon was conflicted. The Ordinas Club already paid him a monthly membership fee… Normally, he wouldn’t even consider an offer like this.
But then—his eyes flashed as he recalled the sword proudly displayed in the glass case inside the Academy’s main hall. Ugh, do I really have to go this far? Adrian shut his eyes tightly.
Even worse, 1,000 Tilons was the equivalent of ten months’ wages. Being a professor’s offer, the pay was far above average for Academy standards.
Seeing the student’s hesitation at the price, the professor grinned and—thunk!—casually rested an arm on his shoulder.
“And! You’ll receive half of it up front on the first day of the semester!”
She proudly laid down her trump card. Adrian, who had been gazing out the window in contemplation, snapped his eyes open. Slowly, he turned his head back toward the corridor of the Academy.
Sunlight poured warmly through the glass window, illuminating Olivia’s back in such a way that it looked like a radiant halo was glowing behind her. Adrian stared at her blankly for a moment before opening his mouth.
“Looking forward to working with you.”
“You’ve made a wise choice. Since it’s exam period right now, let’s talk again sometime next week.”
Having said her piece, Olivia turned from the window and ascended the nearby staircase with a casual “Well then—” as she departed.
Left alone at the window, Adrian let out a quiet sigh and roughly tousled his hair.
***
When he opened the dormitory door, he saw Mikhail sitting on the bed, immersed in mana training.
“……”
Mana training involved closing one’s eyes, sensing the mana drifting through the air, and deliberately manipulating its flow. To become a Sword Master, one needed to excel at that skill. Internally, Adrian scoffed.
Trying to plant a tree the day before the world ends—what a joke.
What the prince really needed now wasn’t some Sword Master training that would only matter a decade from now. It was 10,000 Tilons.
“Mikhail.”
Adrian’s voice rang out clearly. Though quiet, it was more than enough to disrupt Mikhail’s focus. The prince’s closed eyelids twitched at the intrusion.
Normally, it was considered taboo to disturb someone engaged in mana training, where concentration was everything. But Adrian, being an ignorant commoner in everyone’s eyes, ignored that social norm without a hint of guilt and spoke again.
“What are you doing? Why aren’t you answering?”
He strolled toward Mikhail’s bed, grinning.
This was the Dragon’s petty revenge on the prince who was making his life difficult over Fellen Deeps’ sword.
Luckily for Adrian, Mikhail had his eyes closed and couldn’t see the smug curve of the dragon’s lips—because if he had, he might’ve drawn a real sword right then and there.
Mikhail clenched his eyes tighter in an attempt to reclaim his shattered concentration, only to let out a quiet sigh. Then, irritated, he snapped his eyes open.
His blood-red pupils glared at the intruder with icy clarity.
“…Don’t you even know the basic courtesy of not interrupting someone during training?”
Inside the dorm room, Adrian tilted his head with an innocent expression.
“Really? I didn’t know. Sorry.”
Then he casually waved his hand in a half-hearted gesture and added, “Well, go on. Try again.”
He had already succeeded in disrupting the clueless prince’s training, and that was all he’d come for.
Mikhail stared at him in disbelief, then slowly leaned to the side and collapsed onto the bed with a thump.
Mana training had been over the moment that guy stepped into the room. He exhaled deeply, finally releasing the breath he’d been holding to maintain focus. His torso swelled and contracted with the motion.
“So, aren’t you going to study for exams?”
Failing an exam, regardless of the Academy’s liberal policies, was still a disgrace for nobles and royalty alike. Yet for someone in that position, Mikhail showed a shocking lack of interest in academics.
“I don’t need to.”
“…What? How does that make sense?”
“I’m going to half-ass it.”
“A royal should be setting an example. You really think that’s okay?”
Adrian let out a snort of disbelief, looking over at the prince sprawled lazily on his bed, staring up at the ceiling.
“They’d probably prefer I flunk. There are plenty of people who’d be thrilled to see me waste away in the royal palace for the rest of my life.”
“……”
It wasn’t a lie, nor did it sound exaggerated. Mikhail spoke plainly, then turned his head toward Adrian, who remained silent. His crimson eyes followed, subtly scanning Adrian’s reaction.
“…Still, I doubt they want you getting expelled from the Academy.”
The dragon slid in what he really wanted to say under the guise of casual conversation. The prince let out a short laugh, muttering as though it was the most absurd thing he’d heard. His confidence bordered on arrogance—probably because he remembered the weight of that penetrating gaze he had felt during the entrance ceremony.
“With how much the royal family donates in tuition? You think Basamiel would kick me out? They’d have to be insane.”
Adrian gave a slow nod, his expression unreadable. There was so much he wanted to say to the prince—but none of it he could say out loud.
