Published at 12th of March 2026 6:33 pm

Chapter 721

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

Come to think of it, Angrago. I told you not to get interested in the festival, but you kept saying youd participate.

Oh no.

Angrago realized he had made another slip of the tongue and blamed himself.

Perhaps his intelligence had declined because the food had become terrible since the semester started.

Like this

It requires more mana than expected.

Thats true. Ill help you charge it whenever I get the chance.

Itll take quite a while, so its fine.

Salko declined Lee Hans offer.

Just from the explanation, the process of charging mana into artifacts was more labor-intensive than expected.

It would be a waste of time for the already busy Wardanaz to help with each task.

No. I just meant charging it with my mana.

I, I see.

After temporarily charging everyones paper bundle artifacts, Lee Han asked.

So what do you think? About meeting regularly?

I agree. Moradi might not agree though.

I agree too. Of course, Tutanta might not understand the current situation and cause internal strife.

Lee Han made an expression of being fed up.

Tijiling, who had been listening in front, nodded her head.

Look at both of them. Even Tiziling Priest is fed up.

I agreed to the meetings.

Ah. I see. Right. Ill take that as agreement.

Cooperation is always welcome, Lord Wardanaz.

Thats right. It wouldnt be bad to join forces and burn the upperclassmen.

At Nigisols words, the other students turned their gazes away, pretending not to hear.

Though there were some extreme opinions, the second years needed to stick together now.

The fantasy of meeting reliable and dependable upperclassmen for advice had long since disappeared.

More difficult and complex lectures, greater responsibilities than in first year, upperclassmen who only thought of exploiting underclassmen

To endure such situations, there was nothing but unity.

But Wardanaz. Did you bring in a lot of food?

Giselle suddenly felt puzzled and asked.

Earlier too, Wardanaz had been talking as if he had secured quite a bit of food.

Surely there wouldnt have been a chance to smuggle during enrollment?

To some extent.

How?

Oh my. Its time to go to lectures. Well then, everyone see you at the next meeting. Everyone hang in there.

At Lee Hans words, not only Giselle but others also reflexively responded with Yeah, take care.

Giselle only realized it was night after Lee Han had completely disappeared.

Wait. Its night right now.

Amazing. Even though it was clearly night, when he said he was going to lectures, it didnt sound strange at all.

***

When morning came, Lee Han visited the 7th floor and headed to the cooking club.

He wanted to confirm the stories he had heard yesterday before lectures started.

Uhaha, Wardanaz!

Falkrious, who had been lighting a fire under a cauldron as big as his body and preparing ingredients since dawn, brightened up upon seeing Lee Han.

As an underclassman he had marked as talent to lead the cooking club in the future, his appearance was bound to be welcome.

Welcome, welcome! Did you come to help with our soup clubs work?

Yes. Senior Falkrious.

Puh. But theres nothing to help with. One of our soup clubs rules is everyone boils their own pot.'

Falkrious stretched out his hand to stop Lee Han when he tried to help.

The cooking club was one of the clubs often misunderstood as having iron-clad discipline.

The clubs membership conditions were strict, they managed club-owned buildings and grounds rigorously, and members moved in perfect coordination during every meal time, leading to misunderstandings, but inside it was actually quite free.

Selling food to Einroguard students at the clubs restaurant was entirely up to individual freedom.

You just had to procure ingredients yourself, cook, and sell them.

The club merely helped its members.

Then is the rumor about one gold coin per dish also fake?

That ones real.

Uhaha! Thats like a tradition and identity of this Iaktus Soup Club, so we cant raise it any higher. Sorry, but please understand.

I wasnt wondering if you could raise it, but if you could lower it.

???

Falkrious was flustered at receiving a completely unexpected question.

It was a question no underclassman or upperclassman had ever asked before.

There were plenty who wanted to raise prices, but wanting to lower them?

Youre asking if lowering is possible?

Yes.

Why?

Well, just curious?

Underclassman. Have you ever wondered why there are no ballrooms near Einroguard?

Usually near Empire schools, there were social clubs as well as ballrooms and banquet halls where those social club members could dance or drink.

Basically, students were beings who liked to have fun, and if they enrolled in boarding schools, their families were usually wealthy.

Naturally, citizens of cities adjacent to schools also welcomed such students as money bags.

But Einroguard didnt have such things. Since going out was rare to begin with, you had to go quite far to find a village.

I havent particularly wondered about it

Think about it once. Why do you think that is?

Students dont go out, and you cant operate targeting village people, can you?

Puh, right! You know well. When you think about it, its obvious logic. Thats why everyone doesnt bother asking.

??

Your question about lowering prices sounds exactly the same to me!

Looking at the senior bursting into laughter, Lee Han made a displeased expression.

This wasnt such a funny question, was it?

After laughing for a while and wiping away tears, Falkrious apologized.

Sorry. You could be curious! Did I laugh too much?

So is it possible?

Hmm! It wouldnt work. Other members would lose out.

I see. Then when do you make the oath?

What oath?

The oath not to sell cheaply

Ah. Did you hear from someone outside the club members? Uhaha! Half the rumors at Einroguard are false rumors. Why would we make an oath about something like that? What idiot would sell cheaply!

It was just a verbal promise, and the cooking club wasnt generous enough to use expensive reagents and materials to make members swear not to sell cheaply.

Puh. Dont believe false rumors too much. I once heard there was an Unbreakable One at Einroguard. But I searched for over a year and couldnt find it.

Thats

Senior. Were here.

With tired voices, other members appeared from behind.

Even though it was morning, the upperclassmens faces looked full of fatigue.

Looking down, he saw that in one hand they held bronze geese, and in the other hand baskets full of screaming mushrooms.

Wardanaz? Youre Wardanaz, right?

Hello.

Nice to meet you! Ive really been wanting to meet you.

We had to make some concessions because of interference from other clubs, but youll definitely like our club the most.

The upperclassmen smiled brightly.

Thud!

Then one of them suddenly collapsed to the side. Lee Han cried out in shock.

Are you alright?!

Ah. Im fine. Dont worry. I just heard too many screams at the farm.

The sounds that screaming mushrooms emitted were toxic, so even mages could faint or get seriously hurt if they heard too much.

We originally wanted to pick some Crescent Honey Fruit, but there were too many monsters there today.

We really need to increase our mercenaries. At this rate, well have to abandon the eastern part of the farm without even being able to enter.

Wait. Senior.

Oh. What? Do you have a question?

Why do monsters appear in the clubs farms and pastures?

Hm? Of course monsters appear in farms and pastures

The senior who was tilting his head paused.

Come to think of it, monsters dont usually appear much in farms or pastures outside, do they?

Thats generally the case. Except for the occasional one that wanders in from outside.

Oh right. Thats how it was. Sorry about that.

The senior apologized and explained again.

The pastures and farms that the Soup Club owned were a bit different in concept from those outside.

How should one efficiently obtain food at Einroguard?

Normally one would farm and raise livestock, but it wasnt easy for already busy students to secure the necessary amounts through such heavy labor.

However, mana sometimes creates miracles.

In places where mana accumulated, unpredictable changes and strange phenomena occurred, and among them was the rapid growth of crops and livestock.

Miraculous lands where crops and livestock prospered abundantly even when left alone.

The Soup Club students had identified several such locations and were using them as farms and pastures.

I feel like Ive experienced something similar?

Lee Han fell into thought while listening to the upperclassmen.

Come to think of it, Lee Han had experienced something similar too.

When managing Professor Thundersteps garden, hadnt the crops grown much more abundantly than expected?

He had been speculating it was because of the staff the Wood Spirit gave him, but hearing the upperclassmens words, it seemed Lee Hans mana had also had quite a significant influence.

But monsters also gather in places where mana accumulates. It cant be helped.

Once you get used to it, its nothing much. Haha.

With all that accumulated mana, the Soup Clubs farms and pastures had to be considered monster lairs.

Whenever members wanted to secure ingredients, they formed parties, prepared thoroughly for combat, and went in.

I had pointless expectations again.

Lee Han, who had expected proper farms and pastures, squeezed his eyes shut.

He had made pointless expectations again.

Looking back, the senior who had collapsed from the screaming mushrooms was still unconscious.

Youre late! Did you guys go by yourselves?!

Yeah. You lazy bastard.

S-sorry. Cant you share just for today?

One senior who arrived late looked at the ingredients the members had brought and pleaded desperately.

However, the members were cold. Falkrious burst into laughter and shouted.

Uhaha! Thats quite a joke!

S-senior. Please help me just once.

Ill help you prepare the food!

I dont have ingredients! If you could lend me some ingredients

Isnt there an ingredient right there?

Falkrious pointed his finger. The late senior turned his head.

There was a stone on the ground.

Just put it in and boil it!

Whos going to eat that!

Then you should have gotten up early and secured ingredients. Pfft. Why do you think your friends got attacked by bronze geese from dawn and fainted from screaming mushrooms!

Falkrious laughed heartily and patted the late seniors back.

If you dont earn anything today, just earn it tomorrow. Pffhh.

I have equipment to buy today. Senior! Then please lend me some money!

Uhahaha!

Senior!

Uhahahaha!

The late senior realized there was no point in saying more and hung his head low.

Huhu. One less competitor.

I will dominate the dining hall today.

Lee Han didnt understand why the upperclassmen were muttering with such enthusiastic voices and asked a question.

Is there a reason to compete?

Of course there is. Junior. We all sell food for one gold coin. Then which food will students buy? Delicious and hearty food? Or soup with just stones boiled in water? If you prepare half-heartedly, you wont take home a single penny.

!

Seeing the upperclassmen preparing while burning with competitive spirit, Lee Han realized.

The Soup Club was definitely not a harmonious social club.

Rather, it was a fierce battlefield that seemed like Einroguard itself had been transplanted here!

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