The field trip ended quickly, but instead, Jiang’s interest moved to the treasure vault.
“Velvet-senpai provided the treasure vault access permission. When and where can I use this?”
“You can’t use it just like that, but when you become a second year, you can enter once.”
“Second year?”
“Those who entered with a numbering ticket can check the corresponding numbering artifacts of their ticket number. They prohibited equipment by making things like armor available for purchase with points for permits and usages, so nobles will unlock their personal equipment first, but newbies without such equipment will gather energy balls for Numbers rentals!”
“Can’t I just take it?”
“The numbering artifacts are so special that even professors are eyeing them. Theft—well, Professor Bronze might make it work?”
Jiang felt a bit indifferent.
“I already have a treasure from the Tower of Training that Papa Oknodie gifted me.”
What Jiang pulled out was a memorization case (+7 enhancement) that automatically boosts memorization after a day. It was a fitting treasure for someone like Jiang who deals with memorization a lot. Considering his friends were trading unnecessary treasures or selling them for points, Jiang was quite lucky.
“Still, the numbers artifacts from the treasure vault sound better.”
“Why?”
“They’re selectively curated treasures with utility among the existing artifacts ranging from official ranking 1st to 999th. Plus, the numbers in the vault…”
“The numbers?”
“Are all relics of +10 enhancement or higher!”
“!”
Of course, a relic of +10 enhancement is better than a treasure of +5. Jiang lowered his memorization case.
“If this memorization case becomes +10, what additional effects will it have?”
“Random poisons might be applied to memorization?”
“Poison!”
“It could explode upon impact or turn the surrounding area into a swamp, freezing the person hit.”
“Enchant!”
“The memorization case might look incredibly formidable as mana swirls around!”
“That would be too conspicuous; I’d prefer not to.”
Jiang thought it would be meaningless to say it while wearing a fox mask! Yet, it seems he has developed a greed for the treasure vault.
“Basically, when you enter the upper class, everyone will have at least one platinum ticket, so access to the treasure vault will be possible. When you become a second year.”
“How many tickets does Oknodie have?”
“Ticket number 15. It’s a highly valuable double number!”
He states it confidently, but it’s a setting not found in the original work. A ticket’s a ticket; a treasure’s a treasure. Honestly, I thought they were received randomly. However, there was vague experiential knowledge that receiving Michael’s ticket generally yields good treasures.
[Recognized Talent by Michael]. An examinee with hidden reputation has a good entrance exam evaluation and receives numerous positive boosts afterward, which includes access rights to high-value artifacts.
“How many tickets did Jiang have when he enrolled?”
“One double number and one triple number. Ticket numbers 39 and 143.”
“Eh? Those numbers belong to Uncle Jezel.”
Jiang flinched.
“Did you transfer the ticket from Uncle Jezel?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“I made a deal.”
“Hmm?”
“Don’t you like that?”
“Maybe a little? Uncle Jezel was a comrade who took the entrance exam with me and helped me in various ways.”
“But I can’t just return it. I got it as a result of a legitimate trade.”
Jiang did use a workaround, but it seems the act didn’t involve any illegal violence.
“Then let’s make a deal!”
“What deal?”
“If I want early access to the treasure vault, I need the Student Council’s permission and the professor’s permission separately. I’ll get the professor’s permission for you, so please return the ownership of the triple number ticket to Uncle Jezel!”
With the points gathered by a first-year, even paying for the Numbers artifact rental on campus would be tight. Jiang pouted his lips.
“Does Oknodie like Uncle Jezel, or does he like me?”
“Jiang likes you!”
“Then, wouldn’t it be okay to turn a blind eye to the person I like having good items?”
“Uncle Jezel is good too.”
“If you like Uncle Jezel, does that mean I’ll hate Oknodie?”
Gasp. How could you think such a bad thought?!
“Jiang’s a naughty kid!”
“Hehe, that’s right. I’m a naughty kid. But will you still keep Uncle Jezel’s share?”
“I will! Uncle Jezel is a unique talent!”
“And me?”
“Jiang is less unique than Uncle Jezel!”
Shock washed over Jiang’s face.
“Am I less than that uncle?”
“Your appearance frequency is indeed higher, isn’t it?”
“Did I lose to that uncle just because of his beard?”
“About the appearance frequency!”
“What does that appearance frequency even mean?”
“Probabilities of appearing at the academy!”
Reluctantly, Jiang answered.
“There’s a condition.”
“Huh? What condition?”
“Going to meet the mentor together during vacation.”
━━━
[Winter Vacation Event] Spending vacation together is the true symbol of friendship!
Jiang wants to become closer with you. On the road to meet the dangerous assassin lady’s mentor, will you risk it all for friendship? Or will you distance yourself from friendship for safety?
Be careful. People blinded by friendship may not notice the dangers approaching them!
━━━
Jiang’s mentor is Rung Nosa. A renowned expert listed among the continent’s top ten thieves. The tenth most famous thief on the continent. He’s an excellent figure capable of obtaining rare functions related to assassination.
“Sure, let’s go meet him!”
“Really? Aren’t you scared or reluctant?”
“Our Papa is scarier!”
Indeed. Jiang’s expression stiffened with the memory of Papa.
*
“I grant permission.”
Professor Bronze easily granted the treasure vault entrance rights to the kids, who were about the height of her chest or head. It would be troublesome if the kids attempted theft or committed a terror act. Therefore, she doesn’t easily grant permission to first years.
However, the diligence of Jiang and Oknodie, who have already been receiving special training known as daily quests or weekday dungeons in the underworld, had been sufficiently proven to Bronze.
“I’m curious about the treasures those kids will get.”
With such a reason, Professor Bronze naturally led the two to the treasure vault as an escort. Since the Numbers Treasure Vault is an important facility within the academy, first years can’t enter without permission.
If they randomly searched for a way to enter, it might lead to the disappearance of precious students.
[Trap Release]
[Trap Release]
[Forced Transmission]
[Trap Release]
[Activation Delay]
[Trap Release]
[Deactivation]
Just by tapping the end of her staff on the ground while walking, traps would activate or deactivate in succession. Since the troublesome ones could change the activation conditions or be thrown to another dimension, the first-year students could follow along without the danger of traps.
“Oknodie, didn’t a mana wave equal to Grand Magic just spread here?”
“I think so!”
“If we came here alone, would we have died?”
“What if we were unlucky? Well, it’d be fine! I know many patterns, so if we don’t run into a 0.01% freak accident, we won’t die!”
You’re confident you’ll survive and break through with a 99.99% chance? Talking while receiving the mana wave from the Grand Magic in real time is quite impressive for boasting.
“The foundation’s early training is astonishing as always. There’s no way an 11-year-old could undergo this amount of training. Could it be that the first years of Oknodie trained in a special dimension where time flows differently?”
Oknodie, who had been cheerfully skipping along, suddenly reduced his stride.
“I don’t know.”
Caught 100%. Professor Bronze, accustomed to Oknodie’s way of speaking, was sure of it.
“How’s the relationship with Professor Destroyer these days?”
“W-Why all of a sudden?”
“Have you held hands that don’t need to be, or did he invite you to dinner at night, perhaps showing you some good toys?”
“I had dinner!”
“Confirming the facts, huh? Oh, never mind it. It’s nothing.”
Upon arriving at the Numbers Treasure Vault, Professor Bronze activated the mana panel at the vault’s entrance and extended her hand wide to the side. Following her gesture, dozens of mana techniques shot up and were inputted into the panel.
“First year students Oknodie and Jiang, remember this. To enter the Numbers Treasure Vault, you must pass through 999 traps and input 99 security spells.”
“Where do we get information about the traps and security spells?”
“You can either pay points to the instructor in charge of the vault or exchange information obtained through trading.”
“…How much do the points cost?”
“1000 points per trap. 10,000 points per spell.”
“……Is it 1,989,000 points for just one entry?”
Professor Bronze smiled faintly and comforted the utterly shocked Jiang, the first-year student.
“Of course, this many points is only relevant for inferior students.”
“Do exemplary students get the answers from the professors?”
“No, they can just barrel through the traps and survive or solve the spells before the time limit expires.”
“……What happens when the time limit expires?”
Professor Bronze’s gaze drifted casually to the ceiling. Jiang, who raised his tensed head creakingly, discovered a blood-stained iron plate and a transmission magic circle in the ceiling.
“You’d have to endure the increasing weight or escape via the transmission magic circle. By the way, the crime of a person unqualified trying to gaze upon treasures is three days of imprisonment.”
“……”
“Well, with the knowledge you got from [Developing Insight] and [Everything Disassembled], you could manage half of those 999 traps. You’ve got a significant advantage over other first years. Isn’t that nice?”
“Really? Half of them?”
“You should be able to notice traps that won’t kill you. That alone would be a huge help.”
“…………”
Jiang’s words had drastically reduced.
