Welcome to the enchanting fire show that’s actually a chaotic fire show at Vesuvius Volcano!
“I’m going nuts. If I don’t show these tourists something, they’ll have no idea and end up getting themselves blown to bits during a volcanic eruption.”
“If it’s too hard, just say so.”
“Are you really okay with that?”
“Well, there’s no other choice. We’ll have to ask the tourists for understanding. The Jangryeol School will pass all the responsibility onto us, and even if we stop the demons, the tourists will know the truth, so we’ll just have to refund all their travel expenses.”
“Is that really okay…?”
“If things stay as they are, it’d be great, but the Volcano Four also gets their information through tourists, and once the volcano erupts, the astronomical compensation fees will be directed at our school, but at least fewer people will die, and we can prevent a disaster.”
“…”
“On the other hand, the Red Magic Tower will buy up all our non-mainstream school’s assets with money and then forcefully expel us or turn us into debtors… but the place with the tower isn’t necessarily just the Red Magic Tower. If our hearts are united, these old folks will proudly call themselves red wherever they are.”
“……”
“Even if it means becoming economic criminals in the Empire and getting locked up in prison, our will won’t change.”
“That’s not okay at all!!”
The nonchalant laugh from Magni was indeed impressive. With their blatant rhetoric appealing to human conscience, they made Rosgini’s fire show an undeniable fact.
“These old men are picky in a different direction than the imperial officials♡ If this happens every day, my stomach will get wrecked♡ I can’t handle that acid secretion♡”
Masugaki shuddered, but who would refuse such a good technique?
I’d better remember this and use it when I have trouble persuading someone!
“There’s only one solution. Let’s make a spectacular fire show to ensure that the volcano’s insurance remains intact by mentioning demons or eruptions in the tourists’ conversation.”
Satisfy the tourists so they can leave the mountain safely. Stop the demons without a volcanic eruption. Keep the Volcano Four’s insurance intact as before.
It’s a tough challenge to protect everything at once, but if the non-mainstream elders at the Red Magic Tower don’t want to end up as economic criminals in the Empire and enter a big school (prison) at such an old age, we have no choice but to succeed in this tough challenge.
But then again, if you think about it more, aren’t Koreans the ones who are told to study to the point of death in their teens, twenties, thirties, and even into their forties?
Isn’t sending the elders from the game world to a big school to preach the truth of life by letting them know about Korea’s good culture also a way to deliver life’s truth?
“Oknodie. Don’t think anything silly.”
“Yup?”
“Though you might not think so, the elders are old. If they’re kicked out after losing the authority of the tower and the results of their studies, they’ll never return to their current position. The Jangryeol School, who chased them out, will be so uncomfortable they’ll want to tarnish the honor of those expelled. If they’re truly imprisoned, they might all pass away in there.”
“I haven’t said anything yet!”
“When you say ‘yet’, you’re confessing to have had silly thoughts!”
“Tsk. I really didn’t say anything. How did you see through my thoughts?”
“I heard it from Countess Arcadia. Whenever there’s something to do with you, if I don’t rein in the silly stuff before it happens, something big ends up happening.”
Ugh. If it’s Older Sister Arcadia, there’s no arguing.
To learn the secret from an older sister who can’t be lied to is quite sneaky of Rosgini.
“Can you tell me that secret as well?”
“No way. I received it on the condition of keeping it a secret.”
“Tsk. So we’re really doing the fire show after all?”
“Yeah. It’s either an enchanting fire show or a chaotic fire show.”
“Yay! Fireworks!”
“Pfft. Silly kid♡ You’re too excited♡”
In the game, we merely repelled invading enemies; we never had such firework events, so it made it even more exciting.
“Shall I teach you the traditional Korean game of jwi-bul-nori first?”
“Let’s hear it.”
“It’s a game where you spin a hollowed-out can, playing with it until you end up burning the fields!”
“What? That’s monstrous… Even the wicked nobles will learn a thing or two!”
“Uh, it’s not a game with bad intentions!”
“Then why burn down the fields?”
“Uh… I’m not sure? But there must be a reason. Surely, Abuji will know!”
“Now it’s become a tale of wicked deeds committed without knowing the meaning behind actions!”
Unfortunately, jwi-bul-nori was rejected.
One reason for its rejection was being labeled as a demonic concept, but the biggest reason was that there were no fields near the volcanic area to begin with.
A jwi-bul-nori game where you can’t burn fields isn’t a jwi-bul-nori at all!!
“I-I actually found a field where they were growing herbs that retain heat.”
Magni, feeling the guilt of ditching responsibilities, timidly approached as one of the abandoned apprentices.
There were many pesky and labor-intensive tasks left for the apprentices, most of whom were youths in their late teens or early twenties, same age or even older than Rosgini.
“How large is the area?”
“About 100 pyeong.”
“100 pyeong? Hmm… just barely safe!”
“We think so too. Let’s go take a look.”
But in the field, not a single green leaf was in sight, only dug-up earth and piles of brown soil.
“There’s a field, but all the herbs that were being grown were taken back by the Jangryeol School when they withdrew. As you can see, all that’s left is just land.”
“Senior, you should have mentioned that first… What if you waste even more time?”
“I-I’m so sorry!”
“Phew. I wasn’t trying to scold you. I understand you had the intention to help, so just be more thorough in delivering information next time before wasting time.”
I began to feel awkward just like the senior who was bowing his head in apology.
After all, we would need to discuss anything else than jwi-bul-nori and take away Rosgini’s time.
There were only two days left until the so-called enchanting fire show mentioned in the flyers.
Two days is a short time.
There’s even less time to plan a captivating fire show.
“Don’t you have anything to advise, Masugaki Princess? Even if it’s not as meaningful as Oknodie’s jwi-bul-nori, just throw something out there. We might catch an unexpected clue.”
“For now, you don’t have to worry about the demons attacking until the fire show starts♡ That’s when tourists gather, making it a perfect time for demons to invade♡”
Masugaki Princess placed her chin in her hand, thinking, then smiled mischievously like a little devil who had come up with a naughty trick.
“I’ve seen fire plays even in the palace♡ If you make a dragon or phoenix shape and have it fly through the square, the common folks will love it, the palace magician boasted about it♡”
“Creating a dragon or phoenix with my magical power is impossible! If it’s a creature I’ve never seen, I have to imagine it, which will use up more mana and result in a lower quality of manifestation!”
“Isn’t a magician supposed to have a good memory~? Kekek. What about the Dragon Principal’s weekly event? Did you forget it because it was too scary?”
Rosgini replied with a grumpy face.
“While I appreciate you overestimating me, only the upper class experienced the Dragon Principal’s teachings in the first semester. The lower class doesn’t meet him even during weekly events.”
“Oh my. So you don’t even know what your academy’s principal looks like~?”
“Don’t even start with those useless words! I’ll make your horrid tongue feel like it’s burning from my specially made fiery candy from the Red Magic Tower!”
“Ah! Why should you keep all the good stuff to yourself? Give me some. I want to eat it!”
“Why would you want to eat what I’m giving as a punishment…?”
While I was licking the specially made spicy candy from the Red Magic Tower, Rosgini’s fire show began to take shape a bit.
“I’ve endured many weekly events, at least I can figure out how to surprise the audience.”
Surprise magic from ambush techniques.
Fool the audience through magic scale distortions.
“It may be a bit strange to say this, but… the principal’s tricks match up well with the Red Flame School.”
“Really?”
“The Red Flame School has been creating something from nothing. They lack control and output, so packaging small things into grand illusions and surprising people with flair isn’t unfamiliar.”
“That’s unbelievable! I can’t believe Rosgini was a master at over-exaggeration! You are the root of the wickedly priced snacks that lack cost-effectiveness!”
“Stop spouting nonsense. I really don’t have time. Pulling these tricks would only satisfy common tourists; it wouldn’t meet the expectations of higher-ranked tourists.”
Magic is a thing that inspires awe through its strangeness.
Wealthy high-ranking individuals long forgotten the feeling of awe as magic has become recognized as a convenient tool.
What kind of magic was used?
What conditions are required for the casting of that magic?
How much do you have to pay to hire a magician who can handle that magic?
It’s nearly impossible to satisfy an audience that thoroughly analyzes and evaluates every aspect.
“We need a new magic. Something that even the haughty nobles won’t know, something that brings awe.”
I understood Rosgini’s worries.
Yet I questioned the direction of those worries.
“What rank did you come in during the final exam?”
“Suddenly? Well, I was 54th.”
“Did you ever get a score when you faced a question you didn’t know in the exam?”
“There were times. It’d have been when I’d eliminate all options that weren’t correct, then choose between the answer candidates or… when I knew the output from the familiar spell’s derivation, I’d guess from the multiple-choice answers.”
“What about in practical? In a speed match where you win by reaching the finish line first, if you fall behind due to a lack of proficiency in flame onslaught, you’ll simply be left behind?”
A fiery determination danced in Rosgini’s eyes.
“I’ll set the path on fire if I have to! I’ll trip those fast ones up and pass all alone!”
“That’s it!”
“…you want me to set the audience on fire?”
“No! How could you have such a wicked thought?! If Rosgini wants to be a flame mage who sets the world ablaze, that’s a bad ending route, so hold yourself back!”
“Ha. So what answer were you hoping for?”
“If the orthodox way isn’t working, we must resort to unorthodox methods. If we can’t astound them with just flames, we can use other magic or supplementary means.”
“But linking different types of magic on top of the already taxing flame magic due to mana shortages? How do you plan to manage the mana consumption?”
“That thought process is faulty from the start! You say you’re using all your mana to satisfy the audience, but that’s not our goal. Our goal is to send them back happily without paying any compensation!”
Rosgini’s earlier spark of competitive spirit vanished like a lie.
Anxious and restless, her eyes trembled like a flickering flame in the wind.
“What are you trying to do to the tourists?”
“Hey, you know… I just happened to acquire a nice instrument. Let’s change it to a concert!”
“What?”
“It’ll be a fire show where we have to endure playing until all the flames go out! If mana runs low, there’ll be a gimmick where the noble tourists will have to revive the fading flames!”
“Why would they endure such a thing?”
“Uh… you see? For my practice piece?”
As Rosgini’s previously scattered thoughts began to settle, a fiery determination ignited in her twinkling eyes.
Ah! That’s the angry chef’s triangle eyes— the one who throws a tantrum every time Isabel complains she’s already tasted the food she cooked!
As I was pondering whether to pull out a pot lid from my bag and wear it on my head to shield myself from a kick, unexpected support came through.
“That sounds fun♡ Let’s throw in a prize of 10,000 gold coins♡”
“Our non-mainstream school doesn’t have such a fortune. We’re even borrowing from the tower since we have no money.”
“Ha~? You think we could count on a shabby tower that just begs for development costs every month? Use the check I’m giving you♡”
Masugaki Princess pulled out an enormous check for 10,000 gold coins.
A staggering amount equivalent to the appraisal of the backpack 2nd edition (artifact, +12 enhancement)!
The rage in Rosgini’s eyes was replaced with heartfelt awe.
“W-How can you pull out such a large check… Did you plan on helping us from the start and brought money along? Did you tell the Emperor and receive a grant?”
“Not at all~! I was just too busy to spend my pocket money while taking the exam♡”
“…”
Now, the lure to entice tourists became the pocket money of the Imperial Royal Princess Masugaki, totaling a hefty 10,000 gold coins!
