The Magic Academy's Physicist-Chapter 31: Keep The Auctions To The Auction House

Duchess Klais Hasfeldt and The Second Prince, Klion Philiut. Unintentionally, the relationship between the two took a turn for the worst.

According to the contract, Klais was to receive 30 000 gold from Klion and hand over Aether. It had been fine up to this point.

The issue was Aether’s acceptance into Tilette. It was unknown how she caught wind of it, but her assistant who detested being sold off to the Prince busted herself through the Academy doors and in doing so, rendered everything futile.

It was an unprecedented situation. The Prince believed that Klais broke the contract to insult him. Although it was definitely a misunderstanding, he wouldn’t listen to her now.

In the end, Klais lost both her slave and the gold. Since it came to this, there was only one thing she could do.

That was to at least bring Aether back under her control somehow.

It wasn’t actually possible to go back to master and servant like before. With abilities that ranked her second in the admissions test, she’d have no problem graduating despite being a Golden-Eyed who struggled with the practical. The Prince didn’t seem aware of that.

There was no need to further complicate things. Klais decided to put on a calm face and treat Aether like she did any of her other undergraduate students. That way, if she could resolve things between them and gain her cooperation, she’d be able to use her again as a graduate student.

Klais had worked Aether for three years. It would be four years until she graduated from the Academy. She should be able to change part of her perception.

“The Basics of Fire Magic involves both theory and practical. As such, I will need a TA. Would someone like to volunteer?”

This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

She could always come up with a cause. Klais looked down at Aether who was sitting in front of her and applied unspoken pressure.

Well, it couldn’t really be called pressure because Aether was attending class in the very front seat like yesterday. Contrary to what she had thought, Aether didn’t seem to be holding any grudges against her.

At least, that was how she perceived it.

“Alright, then. How about you, Miss Aether?”

Until the girl opened her mouth.

“No, thank you.”

From that, Klais realized that she had miscalculated.

It wasn’t a roundabout answer, but she used direct speech instead.

There was still a grudge, unsurprisingly. She’d have to offer more specific conditions to better coax her.

From an earlier conversation, Klais knew that Klion intended to get Aether expelled from the Academy. If Aether were to fall to Klion’s will, then his words would come true.

If I can’t acquire research funds, then I must at least complete Flare before the end.

Hence, she needed to do whatever necessary to stop Klion. Klais felt that she no longer needed to defend herself to the Prince.

To start, she set the first bait.

“Unlike the class rep, the position of a TA lasts for the semester. Of course, you will be compensated.”

At that, another student showed interest.

“How much is it?”

She decided to start low.

“I’m thinking about five bronze pieces a month, as it won’t be a difficult job.”

Hearing that, most of the class clicked their tongues. They didn’t see this as being worth the trouble.

Most of the new students were nobles. Five bronze coins was something that they could easily ask of their parents as snack money.

The next step was to slowly raise the price.

“Alright. Then I’ll adjust it to between one to three silver pieces. You’ll only be required to carry teaching materials or help with the practical lessons. If you’d like, I can ask the school and write up a contract.”

How much distrust would there have to be in the relationship to mention writing a contract between a student and the teacher?

But this statement wasn’t aimed at the other students.

“Although this subject is about Fire Magic, the basics involve using scrolls to put theories into practice. Whichever Elemental’s blessing you have won’t matter. If anything, I would prefer to have a TA more proficient at the written rather than the practical. I’ll ask once more. I would like the one who received perfect marks on the written, Miss Aether, to do this. What do you think?”

It was the beginning of the semester when students had yet to know who was who. It was too early for them to be concerned with such things.

From their perspective, it didn’t exactly matter who did it. They were happy as long as they themselves didn’t have to take on a bothersome job.

As such, no one was opposed to it.

“How does that make sense?”

Except for one person.

“No matter how true that is, how could you have a Golden-Eyed who can’t even use the simplest magic without mana grass as your TA?”

The Second Prince Klion. He was acting to get Aether kicked out of the Academy no matter what.

His thoughts were obvious. This much was within her expectations.

It was just then. Looking between Klais and Klion, Aether opened her mouth with a calm smile.

“If my classmates don’t all agree, then I don’t think I’ll be able to be a TA. We’re here to learn together, after all. It wouldn’t be a good class if people were unhappy about it.”

Klion grinned wide at her words.

“There you go. The Golden-Eyed knows her place as well. Miss Heerlein, the fact that you are designating an assistant without considering everyone and even using silver to bribe a specific person doesn’t reflect well on you.”

No. Like this, it would go as the Prince wished. She had to bring Aether under her in any way possible for the sake of developing Flare.

In the short span that she didn’t stay attentive, the Prince took it a step further.

“It doesn’t matter who! If there’s anyone who steps up to be Miss Hasfeldt’s assistant in the Golden-Eyed’s stead, I’ll pay them five gold per month!”

It was unheard of. Bronze or silver coins were one thing; five gold coins was an amount that was attractive even to nobles.

“If that’s what His Highness says....”

“Then maybe it’s okay?”

The number of those interested grew.

She couldn’t get caught up in the Prince’s pace like this.

“Miss Aether, how about eight gold pieces? If you agree to it, you’ll be designated immediately.”

Klais also raised her offer to Aether. There was always a shortage on research funds but she was a Duchess; she could afford this much.

Flare. If only she completed Flare, the country would sponsor her once again. She just needed to be patient until then.

“Ten pieces! Ten pieces will be given if you become the assistant instead of the Golden-Eyed!”

“Miss Aether, I’ll offer you a bit more. How would you like twelve gold?”

“Ha, what a pain. Fine. Fifteen pieces!”

At this rate, it was never going to end. It got to the point that Klion tried to make a deal with Klais directly.

“Alright, then, Miss Hasfeldt. I’m well-aware of your financial situation. I’ll give a hundred gold a month for you to pocket so why don’t you choose another student?”

A hundred? Klais snorted at that.

It was a mere 100 pieces, nowhere near 30 000. For nobles, the sum of money manipulated by them was at a different level compared to commoners.

Unlike when the offer was first made, the market value for Aether Corp. had dropped down to a hundredth of what it was. It was hard to be satisfied if the gold couldn’t be offered in the ten thousands like before.

It’s already spilled milk.

Aether’s admission was a reality. Though she hadn’t wanted to admit it at first, Klais reached a place where she could tell herself that it wasn’t so bad her assistant was attending school as a student.

─ Think about it carefully, Klais. If Aether is properly educated and becomes a combat mage, she could research together with you as well as be a soldier who can thwart the beasts. It’s twice as good so why do you want to keep her a slave?

To be exact, it was the constant brainwashing slash convincing she’d been subjected to for a month by a colleague.

A blessing in disguise, they called it.

If the last time had been the peak, the perfect time to sell.......

Now, it’s the trough.

So she intentionally went for an aggressive investment.

“Twenty gold.”

The eyes with which Klais gazed at Aether were the most serious yet. Her face was that of someone who was trying to buy stocks predicted to skyrocket.

**

What an absolute shitfest.

The plan was to use the opposing relations of Professor Hasfeldt and the Second Prince to incite conflict between them but.... it headed in a screwy direction.

“Ten pieces will be given!”

“I’ll offer you a bit more. How would you like twelve gold?”

“What a pain. Fine. Fifteen pieces!”

[Keep the auctions to the auction house, please.]

Because of that, the students’ expressions, including mine, turned dumbfounded. Even Lotte sitting next to me had a face that didn’t understand what was going on.

That was expected. This situation only made sense if one knew everything about the relationship between me, Hasfeldt, and Prince Philiut.

[It doesn’t look like it’ll finish. The whole class is going to be wasted if it goes on.]

That’s what I’m saying.

As they say, time should be spent like gold. Unless I sided completely with one of them, it didn’t seem that this shenanigan would come to an end.

The Prince or Professor Hasfeldt.

I wanted neither.

Then, let’s think. What was the reason for Hasfeldt suddenly acting this way when she was going to sell me to the Prince only a while ago?

A deal had been made between the professor and the Prince, which was broken as a result of my actions. Although I had been the one to enter the Academy, the Prince’s personality would likely have made it so that he held Professor Hasfeldt accountable.

Anyway, from the professor’s perspective, she basically lost both me and the money.

[I see, that’s what it was. It’s definitely a scheme to get you under her foot in any way since she won’t be able to get the money.]

It was a common thing in every country for a professor to treat an undergrad well then transform when they went to graduate school.

In other words, it was an appeasement. She was dangling a carrot because the stick wasn’t working. I already knew what she wanted.

“Alright, then. Professor Hasfeldt, I’ll give you a hundred gold monthly so why don’t you pick another student instead?”

The Prince’s offer wasn’t that appealing. Compared to 30 000 gold, at least. A mere hundred gold per month? That was the kind of sum that got traded between nobles out of boredom.

There was another side to the Prince’s wage offer to Hasfeldt. It meant that that was how low he perceived Hasfeldt’s worth.

On the other hand, Hasfeldt saw this as being in the same Academy with me for another four years at least so she was in no hurry. She’d put on a facade and try to play nice in the meantime.

She was surely going to coax me into graduate school a third time. Obviously, I needed to catch when that happened and make a break for it then.

“We need to move on with the lesson so we can’t waste anymore time. Aether, I leave the choice to you. I’ll give you twenty-five gold pieces.”

Ah yes, of course. I should give my answer soon. Because I know better than anyone how impatient you are.

Right then, a brilliant idea crossed my mind. It was an ingenious way to screw over both of them.

At Professor Hasfeldt’s prompting, I moved my lips.