Student Council President’s Office.I fell into thought as I stared at the gold bars on the table, shining with a yellowish hue.If I had used the capital from liquidating these gold bars to strip Jeremy’s merchant guilds, I could have secured even greater profit.'But…… it couldn’t be helped.'I hadn’t expected the first-clear reward for the dungeon to be this generous in the first place.Unlike the game, this world does not allow grindy repetition to farm experience, items, or currency; in hindsight I should have «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» anticipated that the first clear would concentrate the rewards, but my thinking was a bit short.'And the timing didn’t match, either.'I glanced at the calendar and shrugged.Since decoding the Eternal Cold-Iron Gate required the light of the full moon, finishing the dungeon exploration before the plan that counter-exploited the stock manipulation was impossible.“Tsk.”What’s past is past. Regret won’t change anything.Be satisfied with having earned additional income worth several billions.The gold bar itself goes for around 100 million krone, but considering archaeological value, I should get at least twice or thrice that.Because this isn’t an ordinary bar—it’s a dwarf-made gold bar minted during the continent’s Golden Age.“Is it that pleasing to you.”While I’d been staring at the gold bars and thinking for a while, Ciel, who had finished tidying the Student Council Office, approached.I accepted the teacup she handed me and nodded.“Pleasing, of course. The more money, the better. Things that can’t be done with money…… are almost none.”There’s even the saying, “If something can’t be done with money, consider whether you simply don’t have enough.”Of course, I’m not hoarding money just because I’m a simple materialist.Partly it’s for personal advancement, but more importantly I’ll need even more money to involve myself in the upcoming main story and prepare for the future.Especially for a character like Loen, whose reliance on alchemy is high.I asked Ciel,“Ciel, what do you plan to do with your share?”For this exploration’s distribution, I gave Ciel three gold bars.Thanks to her, we advanced easily, slaughtering every dungeon monster without lifting a finger.Ciel had flatly refused to accept them, but under my insistence they’re deposited at the bank for now.Ciel gave a small nod.“I don’t have any particular plans. I’m satisfied with my current salary.”“How much do you receive?”“Under the pretext of dignity expenses, living expenses, and operational expenses, my family pays me 20 million krone monthly.”“Mm.”It’s a considerable sum, but considering Ciel’s capabilities, it might not be that high.“Then how much pocket money did I receive from my sister?”“……?”Ciel tilted her head as if to ask why I’d even ask after splurging pocket money all this time.But she soon answered obediently.“I understand you regularly received about 100 million krone monthly. And if needed, you wheedled the Family Head for more.”“I received quite a lot.”Receiving 100 million every month—where on earth did I burn through it all.I nodded with a sigh.“Got it. For now, keep the gold bars I handed over in good condition—you might need them someday.”I added lightly,“If you truly have no use for them, you can spend them later as retirement funds.”“…….”Ciel looked at me for a moment, then nodded with a sigh.“Yes, I’ll do that if possible.”***The next afternoon.After lectures ended, I made time to visit the Underworld.It was to wrap up last week’s stock-manipulation incident and to liquidate the newly obtained gold bars.“W-what do you think? Is it okay?”“You made it well. If you keep at it, your skill will improve quickly.”Reception room of the Panopticon’s Western Branch.I smiled as I examined a pair of bracelets Rize had made.At a glance…… no, even if you glared with eyes wide open, they were indistinguishable—a pair of bracelets that looked exactly the same.One was genuine, and the other was a replica Rize produced—a reproduction.I quietly stared at the two bracelets in hand and thought,'Rize’s Epic trait, [Evil Eye of Replication].'For now it only replicates outward appearance, but if she blossoms fully, it will develop to the point that not only the exterior but even the abilities it carries will be indistinguishable from the original.Her trait applies to all artifacts below the [Legendary] grade, so there’s nothing more to say about its usefulness.While I was holding the bracelets and inspecting them this way and that,Fsssh-.“Ah.”One of the bracelets turned into particles of mana and vanished like a mirage.“S-sorry. It’s not perfect yet.”“No. It’s more than excellent.”Right now, to accelerate talent development, we replicated the artifact using only Rize’s mana.Given that she manufactured this much using nothing but mana—without the core materials of the bracelets—the result is at this level.If we prepare sufficient materials, the replicated item should become complete as well.“No one else on this continent could make a replica of this level without any materials. It’s a one-and-only talent.”“Hehe.”When I praised her and patted her head, Rize smiled brightly.The harsh edge she’d carried while living alone on the outskirts of the underground city had softened. Seeing her wear a smile fit for a child of her age was quite nice.I withdrew my hand from her head and asked,“By the way, Rize, do you have friends here? Kids your age, maybe. An older or younger sister, perhaps.”“No. But I’m fine without them. I’m busy every day just taking lessons and practicing replication.”“Hrm.”I let out a low hum at Rize’s answer.She says she’s fine without friends, but that can’t be her true feelings.It’s good that she focuses on work, but being alone constantly isn’t emotionally healthy. I’ll tell Alfredo to devise some measures.Knock knock-.While I was chatting with Rize, Alfredo entered the reception room with a knock and saluted me.“My apologies for the delay. I had matters to handle.”“It’s fine. My business isn’t that urgent.”When I gestured for him to sit, Alfredo settled comfortably on the sofa.“Hoo.”Unlike usual, Alfredo let out a deep sigh.I cocked my head and asked,“You look particularly worried today. Is it the internal strife in the underground city?”“……Sharp as ever. Lately, their movements have been unusual. We’re currently tracking abnormal shipments of munitions. It’s likely their doing.”I gave a small nod.The current ruler of the underground city is, plainly, the Panopticon.But even the Panopticon can’t fully control every region of the Meteor Isles, which sprawl like an ant nest.And by now, news of Big Brother’s declining health should be out. It’s the time for rebel forces to spring up sporadically here and there.They say other branches of the Panopticon are already fighting fierce battles, so it seems even the relatively moderate Western Branch—adjacent to the Union and the harbor—is being reached by the tentacles of internal strife.I tapped the table lightly and spoke.“Moreover, most of them move in a cell-like structure, so even if you grasp the routes of material transport, it’s so dispersed that catching the leadership is difficult.”“Correct. And they change their hideouts frequently, so there are limits to infiltrating informants. Establishing communication networks is hard.”No matter how farsighted the Panopticon, it can’t scour an entire ant nest.What’s more, they use the Meteor Isles’ undeveloped zones like their own backyard, so tracking and infiltration will not be easy.After a brief thought, I voiced a name.“Gulados.”“Yes?”“Gulados Balkein. Track him.”Alfredo immediately understood my sudden remark.“……If it’s Gulados, he’s certainly among the rebel forces’ leadership in Neo Shadow. I understand he is currently contacting the head of Red Hound.”“Right. If you dig into him, a clue to the solution will appear.”Gulados is one of the main villains of the sub-quest [Underworld].An attendant of the Twelve Venerables, he leads the Underworld conflict using powerful force and Dark Magic Stones.That conflict even entangles the matter of Big Brother’s succession, eventually driving Panopticon branches to the point of pointing blades at one another.In the end, Rebecca wins that fratricidal struggle, but when the pressed enemies even deploy Demons into the battle, the Western Branch suffers heavy damage.Of course.'If I intervene, the situation will shift a little.'If I step into that quest, I can greatly reduce the damage to the Panopticon’s Western Branch, and at the same time deal with the enemy Demons and recover the Dark Magic Stones.Alfredo closed his eyes for a moment at my advice, thinking.Soon he spoke.“……Understood. As you wish, Lord Loen, I will set the informants in motion and try to track Gulados.”It seemed Alfredo had judged there was no particular downside to doing as I suggested.“Good thinking. Then.”I set a suitcase on the desk and showed the gold bars inside.Seeing them, Alfredo gave a small smile.“As expected. I heard there was a mana reaction underground in the Union yesterday—so Lord Loen subjugated a dungeon within the Union.”“Yeah. These are dwarf-made gold bars obtained from the dungeon. Likely from about a thousand years ago.”“I’ll find an appropriate buyer.”Alfredo read my intent and moved things along on his own.Working with someone like this is comfortable, as expected.“I’d appreciate that. As for the fee……”“Between us, there’s no need. I’ll only focus on getting you the highest price.”I’m the one who already brought profits exceeding hundreds of billions into the Underworld.That’s why Alfredo shows me such favor.“Good. And.”I took another jewel box from my pocket and set it on the table.“I’m looking for a jeweler who can craft this gem into a ring.”Click-.When the lid opened, a green-yellow gem burst forth with resplendent, multicolored light.Unlike how he’d only glanced at the gold bars earlier, Alfredo adjusted his monocle, gazing at the gem.“This is…… quite a superb top-grade piece. It also seems to contain a very peculiar mana.”The Stone of Truth.Within the Mir Elin Saga, there exists only one such material of [Unique] grade.“Right. I want a jeweler worthy of this item. I’ll pay sufficiently.”“I’ll look into it, but it will likely take quite some time. I’ll have to send people all the way to the Imperial Capital. No, in fact, even with our information network, I’m not sure we can find someone who can handle this item perfectly. It might be better to consider another method.”“Are you saying it’s difficult?”“Yes. If we get overconfident and something were to happen to this item, that must not be. My apologies.”He could have forced himself to take the job, but Alfredo frankly admitted that it was beyond his reach.That honesty, if anything, pleases me more.“Understood. Then it’s better I look for another way.”I placed the Stone of Truth back into the box.I came here just in case, but it seems that even with the Underworld’s connections and information, finding a jeweler who can work this Stone of Truth is difficult.'……In that case, I’ll have to use the second-best option.'I know someone who has sure ability, though the risk and difficulty are high.Let’s ask that person.Right on cue, Alfredo parted his lips on the matter.“Lord Loen. Regarding that crafting job, I have something to say—are you perhaps on good terms with the president of the Spirit Academy?”“No, if anything, we don’t get along. Are you going to recommend Yuriel Silvawalker?”“Correct. If it’s her, she possesses the authority to process any object in the world.”I nodded quietly.Yuriel Silvawalker.The spiritual leader of the sixteen elf tribes settled in the southern reaches of the continent, the swampy region.One of the few noble High-Elf bloodlines remaining on the continent, and Witness of Oaths.Privately…… she is also Kiriel’s elder sister.

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