NOVEL NEXT Chapter 78
Chapter: 78
Extra rewards, huh.
This kind of thing never happened in the Soul Academy game.
The mere intervention of Agra is already creating new farming, so there’s really no reason to add rewards to it.
So, this has to be seen as an intervention from our useless Lord Jushin.
If only this had happened earlier!
Then I wouldn’t have called you a sloppy, useless, perverted trash, Armadi!
Sorry about that! Lord Armadi!
It’s not like you don’t have any karma, so please be generous!
[Divine Power is Strengthened.]
[The function of the Cross Necklace is strengthened.]
You’re giving me something surprisingly normal, huh?
I thought it wouldn’t be weird for the useless Lord to backstab me here.
The strengthening of divine power means that the Divine Magic I’m using right now will become more effective, so it’s undoubtedly a good thing.
Does strengthening the necklace mean something like boosting luck?
Considering I got more than half marks on the last magic exam just by guessing, my luck does seem good, but I can’t quite tell if there are really lucky situations in my daily life.
Anyway, there’s no reason to refuse the gift, so I’ll gratefully accept it.
It may seem trivial compared to all the tricks Agra played, but this alone must be exhausting for our useless Lord.
I understand.
What can you do? You are the absolute garbage Lord.
While I was provoking Armadi with my inner feelings, another message window popped up.
Ha ha! What’s this? Useless Lord. It seems like you can’t help but be at the mercy of the Mesugaki Skill, can you?
[A random skill you possess is strengthened.]
…What? Random?
Wait, wait a minute.
Sloppy. No, not that. Anyway, Lord Armadi!
Please wait a moment.
I was rude!
How can I say it’s insufficient after you gave me rewards?!
I’ll personally go to the church and repent for this lack of virtue!
So, please, remove the word ‘random’ from it!
The moment I saw that, an unfortunate future came to mind, and I can’t do anything about it!
You don’t have to give me rewards, just please!
Desperately wishing like a madman, but the Lord didn’t understand human hearts.
[The Mesugaki Skill is strengthened.]
Gyaaaah!
This is nonsense!
With how many skills I have, why does “Mesugaki Skill” get strengthened?!
This is rigged! It’s totally rigged!
Hey! Armadi! Check the probability chart!
Is only the Mesugaki Skill listed there or what?!
No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t make sense.
I have good luck!
It said it would further increase that luck, right?!
So why does the worst option come up from that selection? You bastard!
Calm down. Calm down.
Maybe…
Strengthening doesn’t always mean just increasing stats, right?
Sometimes, penalties can be called strengthening too.
So it could mean the translation of the Mesugaki Skill becomes a lot smoother.
Yeah. It must be something like that.
[Provocation ability is strengthened. The increase ratio of physical ability based on provocation increases.]
Yeah, right.
Armadi. You sloppy, useless, perverted, trashy, garbage idiot.
Is it normal for the Lord to screw over his own apostle like this? Huh?!
Just you wait.
I’ll make sure to stomp on your head while telling you that you’re a garbage lord being beaten by your own apostle!
“Lucy Allen? Are you feeling unwell?”
As I was controlling my indignation, Arthur, who had followed behind me, looked at me with concern.
From his perspective, I probably looked like I had been hit hard as soon as I entered a safe zone, which would be worrying.
But I can’t explain my situation to Arthur.
How can I say that the garbage lord screwed me over?
So I just nodded.
Thanks to the mercy of that garbage, my physical condition was perfectly fine, but I still looked like I was seriously hurt.
“Let’s rest until help arrives. I’ll keep watch in the meantime.”
Since there was no reason to refuse Arthur’s kindness, I leaned against the wall and let out a sigh.
*
After that, everything went smoothly.
While Arthur and I were in the safe area, nothing happened.
After resting for a bit, Karl and the professors came by to join us.
Karl, seeing my disheveled state, kept sticking around to check if I was okay.
He was so overbearing that he wouldn’t even let me walk on my own!
Anyway, we were rescued like that, and according to what I said about not being able to take down the dungeon boss normally, we escaped through the entrance on the first floor.
Luca?
That bastard had somehow joined the group of teachers.
When he saw Arthur, his eyes welled up with tears of relief, and I thought that guy would have made a great actor if he were born in modern times.
On top of that, he was great at cutting ties.
The guy who handed Arthur the magical tool had already taken his own life by the time we returned.
Thanks to that, all the blame was placed on the professor who had given Arthur the magical tool, leaving Luca as just a pitiful victim.
If it were up to me, I would want to shout out that this was all that bastard’s doing! But considering my trashy reputation compared to Luca’s high status, I had to give up.
Without any evidence, whatever I said would clearly be treated like a load of nonsense.
It was still time to wait for the moment when I could truly bite back.
This big branch is about this length.
I couldn’t enter the dungeon for several days because of magic inspections, or so they said.
Arthur claimed he also had some responsibility and needed to be punished, so he would be confined for a week.
There were some minor issues like this, causing my match with Arthur to fizzle out, but these weren’t very important.
Ah. Wait, there are two important things left.
First, let’s start with the good news.
The reversal means we’re victorious.
“Here you go, Young Lady.”
As I received a pouch containing ten gold coins treated like one platinum coin from Karl, I felt joy rise within me.
Thanks to doting Daddy Benedict, I didn’t have to worry about money, and now I didn’t have to worry even more.
With this, I could live extravagantly for a while without any problems.
What should I spend this much money on?
Maybe I could talk to Alsatine and get a decent shield?
That would be good.
The shield I’m currently using is just a mediocre supply item.
Let’s get a proper one instead of this kind of thing that breaks every time I fight a strong foe.
I have to think about what the best shield available at this point is.
This needs some consideration.
“And by the way…”
‘Why?’
“Why? Sloppy Dog?”
And one more thing.
This time, it’s bad news.
After escaping from the dungeon and returning to the academy, I tried to verify how the Mesugaki Skill had changed with Karl.
This darn skill has a direct negative impact on me, so I need to check it in advance, or who knows what kind of accident might happen.
There hadn’t been any major changes to the translation of the Mesugaki Skill itself.
It felt a little more casual, but it was just the same arrogant tone as always.
The increase in provocation effects was definitely noticeable.
Even though I didn’t genuinely provoke him, Karl said it felt like he should stop about now.
Considering he’s used to my provocations, how would it be for others or monsters?
The increase in physical abilities was also substantial enough to feel.
I managed to withstand a decent amount of Karl’s sincere sword strikes.
The issue is that along with this, the unique ecstasy of the Mesugaki Skill has increased too.
Ah. Damn. I really need to find a way to get some mental skills or something.
If I keep provoking others with my mind gone, I might be in for a big trouble someday.
Karl, who had been treated like a dog since we met in the dungeon, grimaced as he spoke.
“The Ducal Young Lady Partlan is looking for you, so I came along.”
Hearing that, I turned my head back and saw Joy.
Whoa! When did she get there?
“Hello, Lady Allen.”
‘Hello, Joy.’
“Hi. Foolish Young Lady.”
???
Hey. Mesugaki Skill.
Why are you suddenly using informal language?
You used to speak formally when you had to, right?
Why all of a sudden are you dropping manners with Joy?!
Look! Joy’s glaring at me right now.
Knowing Joy’s personality, I understand she’s just surprised, but it’s still scary!
“Lady Allen. Why did you suddenly drop your formal language?”
Joy squinted her eyes once before asking me.
But I couldn’t give her an answer.
I don’t know! The useless Lord strengthened me, and now I’m suddenly doing this, how would I know?!
If you want to blame someone, blame that sloppy, useless Lord!
‘I don’t know.’
“Why? Is the Foolish Young Lady so stingy that she can’t even take informal speech from the person who saved her life? You’re tall and all but so narrow-minded? How interesting.”
As I met Joy’s gaze, who chuckled at me because of the Mesugaki Skill, my lips felt stiff.
Whoa. This is bad.
I should’ve invited Joy to go to the cafe, but at this rate, forget the Stophe Special Ticket and everything else!
Can this be salvaged?
“Ha.”
Seeing Joy let out a sigh theatrically made me shrink my shoulders inward.
While the Mesugaki Skill puffed my shoulders up, I wondered why I was so bold?!
“Lady Allen.”
‘Yes!’
“Why? Foolish Young Lady?”
I awaited Joy’s answer with the heart of a prisoner awaiting judgment.
I skidded through the entrance exam, barely raised my favorability, and now I’m falling right back down?!
Unfair! So unfair!
Goddamn Armadi!
You’re trying to sabotage my quest clearance, aren’t you? Right?!
“I came to deliver the Third Prince’s words today.”
What Joy conveyed roughly went like this.
Thank you for saving my life.
When the confinement is lifted, I will publicly acknowledge my defeat.
Although I’m still displeased with you calling me the pitiful prince, I won’t make an issue of it.
Instead, I’ll become someone who doesn’t seem pitiful to you.
“That’s all. Congratulations, Lady Allen. You won’t be hated by the Third Prince anymore.”
Joy said congratulations in her usual tone, but for some reason, it didn’t sound like one at all, given what I had done.
Is it really a good thing that things were resolved? Right?
“Then I’ll take my leave. I have an appointment.”
As soon as the conversation was over, Joy stood and prepared to leave.
What to do.
If she leaves like this, I feel like I won’t get another opportunity to invite her out.
But inviting someone who looks peeved to hang out sounds off too.
Ahh. Damn it. I don’t know. Just go for it.
If it doesn’t work out, I’ll just take Frey with me. Whatever.
I’m not sure if she knows what a cake tastes like.
“Wait a moment!”
“Foolish Young Lady. Stop.”
“What is it?”
I pulled out the Stophe’s Special Ticket from my pocket and showed it to Joy.
‘This is the Stophe Special Ticket!’
“Do you know what this is?”
Joy’s eyes trembled mercilessly upon seeing it.