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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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Seeing Chrom grinning and handing out Cubes to the students, Lotto couldn’t help but approach and ask.
“Wh-what are you doing?”
“Oh, Lotto, long time no see. Here, take one.”
A translucent cube was placed on his palm.
It felt strange, like stone, wood, and metal all at once.
As Lotto stared at it in bewilderment, Chrom continued.
“You’ve learned mana manipulation, right? Just pour mana into it until it opens. But it’s no fun if everyone opens them right here, so I’ve set them not to open until tonight. Check it before you go to bed.”
“Isn’t this… expensive?”
“That depends on your luck.”
Lotto was about to ask what Chrom was planning with that meaningful smile, but Fiore’s voice interrupted.
“Oppa! We’re out of Cubes for distribution!”
“Alright. That’s all for today! For those who didn’t get one, better luck next time!”
“Aw, come on. If you were going to do this, you should have prepared more.”
“Yeah, whatever. Let’s go to the shopping district.”
The students began to disperse.
Was it just his imagination, or did he feel a chill from Chrom’s smiling face as he watched them leave?
“Good luck.”
Chrom patted his shoulder, and Lotto found himself unable to say anything.
That night.
Lotto, who had barely touched his beloved dinner in anticipation, gulped as he stared at the Cube.
Rumors circulated among the students: Chrom had gone mad in the dungeon; it was a surprise event to befriend other students; or it was just a malicious prank by the ill-tempered son of a nouveau riche family. But Lotto had a hunch.
Chrom Midas wouldn’t do something like this for no reason.
‘He’s not planning a revenge bombing because I didn’t join the dungeon raid, is he?’
No matter what, he couldn’t be that much of a lunatic.
…Probably.
Even knowing it reeked of danger, curiosity, that human frailty, compelled him to open it.
After much deliberation, Lotto finally succumbed to temptation and opened the Cube.
He foamed at the mouth at the sight of the golden light that erupted before him.
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The next day, the academy was in an uproar.
“A-a magic sword! And it’s imbued with a Mid-Rank lightning spell!”
“A-a High-Rank potion!? You can’t even buy these with a chest full of gold and jewels! Why is it here!?”
“Wait. Am I seeing things? Is this… a grimoire with a secret spell?”
“What the—why am I the only one who got junk!?”
“Huh, really? I got some kind of decorative silver shield. I thought Midas was just being generous.”
“Someone gets a magic tool, and I get three copper coins? Are you kidding me!?”
“Damn it, I should have gotten a Cube, no matter what!”
Rumors spread like wildfire: who got what, who traded Cubes and ended up fighting over the contents. An anonymous green-haired girl’s comment, “Oh, I just opened it, and some kind of shiny crown came out. Is this good?” drove them into a frenzy.
Students flocked to Chrom’s magic class.
But Chrom had only one answer for them.
“Hey, I understand how you feel, but you need to be on time for class. Or do you want to have a chat with the professor? Class starts in three minutes, by the way.”
Remembering the red-haired demon waiting for them in the training grounds, the students shrieked and sprinted away.
The remaining magic students, under the sharp gaze of Professor Neville Briggs, had no choice but to focus on the lesson.
A few persistent students tried to approach Chrom during lunch, but they didn’t dare interrupt his conversation with the princess to complain about the Cubes.
They waited impatiently for class to end.
Lyla chuckled, comparing the students glaring at Chrom with bloodshot eyes to Chrom, who calmly sipped his drink, seemingly oblivious to them.
“You’re probably the only person who would use an imperial princess as a ‘do not disturb’ sign, Chrom.”
“Hahaha, I would never be so rude to you, Lyla-nim.”
At Chrom’s nonchalant reply, Lyla rested her chin on her hand, a mischievous expression on her face.
“Oh? Wasn’t your provocation during the last assignment rude enough?”
Chrom shrugged.
“‘Face all trials, fight humanity’s enemies, and become a renowned sword.’ I was simply trying to embody the spirit of this academy.”
Chrom met Lyla’s gaze, his tone polite but his eyes sharp.
“Isn’t it more efficient to sometimes clash with others, and sometimes receive their help, rather than go it alone?”
“Efficiency? Spoken like a true merchant.”
“But that’s also what allows me to do certain things.”
“…”
Lyla hesitated, and Chrom didn’t press further.
“Well, if it was an unnecessary intrusion, then so be it.”
As if to say, ‘If you want more, you’ll have to come to me.’
Lyla Everblaze Barhardt’s expression remained somber until lunchtime ended and classes resumed.
For someone who had spent her entire life shouldering burdens, asking for help was a difficult task.
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After school, the students, finally freed from the shackles of class, approached Chrom.
This time, Chrom didn’t evade them, greeting them with an uncharacteristically polite tone.
“Hey, Midas! What was with those Cubes yesterday!? Can we really keep what we got?”
“Haha, of course. It’s proof of your good luck.”
“Wow, you’re so generous, Chrom! Sorry for misunderstanding you as a miser all this time.”
“Well, misunderstandings happen. Don’t worry about it.”
“Damn it, I should have gotten a good one. Hey, are you not giving out Cubes anymore?”
“Yeah! Yeah! I didn’t even get one yesterday!”
“Hmm, I’d love to meet your expectations, but my finances are limited…”
Just as Chrom trailed off with a mysterious expression, someone in the crowd shouted.
“Then sell them to us! I’ll pay two, no, three gold coins!”
The murmuring grew louder.
“Three gold coins? Isn’t that a bit expensive?”
“Hey, hey, didn’t you hear? Someone got a grimoire and a High-Rank potion? You can’t buy those even if you wanted to.”
“I heard most people got junk like iron swords. It’s a waste of money if you’re unlucky.”
“It’s only three gold coins.”
Opinions clashed: three gold coins were too expensive for a chance at junk, versus it was a risk worth taking.
Eventually, the latter sentiment prevailed.
What was a daunting sum for students from modest backgrounds was a trivial amount for those from wealthy families.
Chrom spoke.
“Alright, I can’t ignore such an enthusiastic welcome. However, preparing items of the same quality as the high-grade ones hidden in the previously distributed Cubes is not easy for me, so I will limit the sales date and quantity.
Every Sunday! After lunchtime, only 300 will be sold.
And thank you for offering three gold coins, but as a merchant with a conscience, I will only charge two gold coins per Cube, up to two Cubes per person.
However, in the hope that as many of you as possible will have a chance at good fortune, an additional fee will be applied for larger purchases. Please be mindful of this when buying.”
The students thought.
‘He’s conscientious, lowering the price from three to two gold coins per Cube.’
‘But shouldn’t the price decrease with larger quantities?’
‘It’s most efficient to buy exactly two Cubes. Midas isn’t very good at business.’
‘We can just have our friends buy them for us, right? Ah, using commoners as errand boys would be good too.’
Of course, not everyone agreed.
To students from poor families, or even those from less affluent noble families, it was just a game for the rich.
But even they couldn’t help but widen their eyes at Chrom’s next announcement.
“Ah, I also accept Cubes instead of gold coins! Ten white Cubes for one colorless Cube! Gray Cubes are exchanged one-to-one, and black Cubes are exchanged at a one-to-ten ratio!”
‘White Cubes, that junk? My dad’s dog used to play with one.’
‘I think there are a few lying around in the family warehouse. Should I bring them?’
‘Mana Stones are too expensive to use them anyway. I should just trade them here.’
In the Kingdom of Sphero, the Midas Company had actively bought up Cubes, so there were very few in circulation. But it was a different story in the Empire and other vassal states.
While some families hoarded them like treasure, hoping for a windfall, most found the cost of Mana Stones prohibitive and left them gathering dust.
Honestly, they were easy to find if one really tried.
Pino, watching from afar, whispered to Fiore.
“But why is he raising the price for the third Cube onwards?”
Fiore replied quietly, so others wouldn’t hear.
“Because it feels like a loss if you don’t buy the two discounted ones.”
Lavaul said with a grim expression.
“One should never carelessly buy things that Chrom-nim sells. Isn’t that right, Lotto… Lotto-nim?”
Lotto, his eyes hollow as if he hadn’t slept at all, muttered.
“…I got 30 gold coins this time… M-maybe I can spend about ten…”
Regret, watching the student who had initially shouted “three gold coins” slip away from the crowd with a smile, shook her head.
What a con artist. There really was no other con artist like him.
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Thanks Chaos!
He truly is a con man