Chapter 203 : Chapter 203
Chapter 203. Marcellent Shop Festival
Radel was sitting in the dormitory common room, working on his Summoning Magic major assignment.
The assignment this time was to devise a magic circle capable of summoning a spirit while limiting the amount of Magic Power used.
While Radel was testing various formulas on paper, someone approached him.
“I heard your shop is holding an event this time?”
It was Inette, who looked somewhat excited.
Tunia was also with her at her side.
Radel could tell why Inette was excited just by looking at Tunia.
“You heard from Tunia.”
“Yeah. I heard it is the Marcellent shopping district festival period.”
“That’s right. Not just us, but every shop in Marcellent will likely participate.”
It was exciting news for Inette, who liked going out to play.
Inette’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“Really? What are you guys going to do?”
“We are going to have special discounts, and we plan to do a buy-one-get-one-free event too.”
Radel had placed orders for double the usual amount in preparation for this festival.
He had already instructed the employees to check the inventory and set aside the event products separately.
However, Inette pouted after hearing Radel’s words.
“Eh, what is that? You do that usually anyway. Isn't there anything a bit special?”
She meant that it was boring considering it was nominally a festival.
“The school festival we did last time would be more fun. Right, Tunia?”
“Yeah. The Noble Experience Cafe was fun.”
“What do you mean Noble Experience? It was a cafe run by real nobles!”
Isn't that the same thing?
Tunia shrugged her shoulders.
Radel, who was listening to the two talk, added as if he suddenly thought of something.
“If you like something special, how about the House of the Undead? That place is real too.”
“What? Are you out of your mind?”
Inette rubbed her arms furiously as if she had goosebumps.
“Even if there is something incredibly fun there, I am not going!”
“......Such a thing won't happen, Inette. Rest assured.”
Tunia spoke firmly as if she didn't even want to think about it.
“You two are too much. Do you know how popular the House of the Undead is?”
Radel came up with a good idea while watching their reactions.
Indeed, as Inette said, a festival needed something special.
Especially if it was an event the customers would like, it would be even more enjoyable.
* * *
‘So much for the shop event.’
Radel, having finished his Summoning Magic assignment, took out the list he received from Edward.
It was the list of prospective followers.
Their names, affiliations, and simple information were written there.
Perhaps because Edward had filtered them once, everyone’s identity was certain.
However, Radel had told the Dice Shop employees to investigate them in more detail.
‘I cannot just accept anyone as a follower.’
It was a given.
There was something he felt while going through the new recruit incident at the Dice Shop before.
Even if he selected them based on passion, character, or ability, an interview alone was not perfect.
He couldn't know their hidden true hearts.
Didn't Tunia also continuously verify the new recruits?
It seemed necessary to establish standards for accepting people.
“The problem is that they are people I have never seen and don't know well.......”
To learn about such people, it seemed important to see their natural appearance after all.
Radel had Edward invite all the follower candidates to Marcellent.
More precisely, to the Dice Shop.
It just so happened to be the shopping district festival period, so the shop would be full of people.
It was Radel’s job to recognize the follower candidates who would be among the customers.
When that time came, it would become clear whom to accept as a follower.
* * *
“Frost Forget-me-nots half-price discount!”
“Take a look around before you go!”
“If not now, this price won't exist!”
The streets were overflowing with vitality.
To celebrate the Marcellent shopping district festival period, every shop had its doors wide open and was soliciting customers.
WHOOSH!
In front of a magical beast specialty shop, a Salamander was spewing fire from its mouth, attracting people’s attention.
“A Salamander, a magical beast essential for blacksmiths and chefs! If you take one now, we will even give you coal for a month’s worth of food together!”
POP!
The magic firework shop showcased fireworks that shone brilliantly even during the day.
“There is no need to wait until night! Because they are clearly visible even when set off during the day!”
Tourists joyfully roamed the city of magic, which was overflowing with things to see and watch.
There was a place they always stopped by after walking around the Marcellent shopping district with both hands full of shopping items and eating delicious food.
It was the Dice Shop.
Precisely, it was the House of the Undead next to the Dice Shop.
“Line up quickly!”
“Did you get a waiting number?”
“Where do I buy a ghost headband? I want to wear that and go in!”
The House of the Undead was always bustling with people, but since it was the festival period, there was not even room to set foot.
Fortunately, the apprentice priests and holy knights dispatched from the temple organized the lines with skillful proficiency, so it did not lead to any accidents.
Gusto, the Apprentice Holy Knight, was also there.
He moved busily together with his fellow Apprentice Holy Knights.
“Please stand in two lines.”
“It takes 40 minutes from here!”
While people lined up according to their instructions, they also fully enjoyed the mood with ghost headbands and skeleton masks.
They were also holding ghost cotton candy, which everyone bought at least once when coming to the House of the Undead.
“Is cotton candy available right now?”
“......Yes, it is.”
And on one side, there was a person diligently making ghost cotton candy.
It was the talent Radel brought from the Academy, Armandy.
As they became short-handed due to the shopping district festival, Radel had sat him down abruptly, saying that since he had done it before, he would do well this time too.
‘Urgh! I swore I would never make cotton candy again!’
Armandy cried inwardly as he moved his hands mechanically.
Like Radel said, perhaps because he made so much cotton candy at the Academy Spring Festival, he was now at the point where he could make it with his eyes closed.
Cute ghost-shaped cotton candy was endlessly born from his fingertips.
“One ghost cotton candy!”
“Two for me!”
The cotton candy was sold as fast as it was made.
‘Stop! Stop coming!’
Far from a break, he didn't even have time to drink a magic power recovery potion.
If there was one thing better than the Academy festival, it was that he wasn't the only one suffering this pain.
“If you bring the House of the Undead entrance ticket, we will give you a Dice Shop discount coupon!”
Someone was walking around wearing a huge doll costume.
Wearing a teddy bear mask, he waddled around handing paper to people.
Without a doubt, he must be sweating profusely inside there.
Armandy grinned while making cotton candy upon seeing that sight.
Because he knew the person inside that was Pirenzo.
Armandy wasn't the only one dragged here because they were short-handed.
‘He teased me last time, serves him right!’
Did he know Armandy’s heart?
Pirenzo, who was wandering among the people, briefly came near the cotton candy stall and took off the mask.
POP!
“Phew, that’s refreshing.”
As Pirenzo caught his breath and drank the water prepared beforehand, Armandy smirked.
“What to do, is it hot?”
“It is, but. It counts as exercise, so I think it is okay. Now that I said it, it is even hotter.”
Pirenzo took off the doll suit as well while he was at it.
Then, a body tempered without an ounce of fat, befitting a former assassin, was revealed.
“Oh my!”
“Is that person a knight? He has a great body.”
Armandy’s mood turned sour instantly at the sound of people whispering upon seeing the sweat-soaked Pirenzo.
They were suffering the same, so why was that guy getting praise?
“Are you trying to make the cotton candy smell like sweat? Don't stay here, get lost!”
Armandy, whose stomach turned, shouted loudly.
And there was a person watching that chaos from afar as if fed up.
It was the 9th Prince of the Empire, Leon Silvert Cretian.
“Even a market floor would be less noisy than here.”
Leon’s face turned chilly.
Fortunately, his chilly expression was hidden by a cute skeleton mask.
Wearing a mask like a visitor to the House of the Undead so as not to be caught by Radel, he came with his followers to spy on the Dice Shop.
Was this place truly the center of the 8th Prince’s faction, and where were the funds coming from here being used?
Leon glared at the Dice Shop with eyes full of suspicion.
Just then, Radel was coming out of the Dice Shop.
“Welcome, this is the Dice Shop!”
Radel greeted with an amiable voice and guided people naturally.
“Ah, that is an event product. If you buy it now, we are giving one more.”
Furthermore, not only did he recommend products to people with an attitude that wasn't burdensome, but he also didn't forget to step away at the appropriate time so the customers could look around comfortably.
In addition, he quickly noticed missing items and displayed them, and in his spare time, he even finished cleaning the stairs in front of the shop.
It was behavior that looked sincere about business to anyone’s eyes.
Even the followers nodded at the sight of Radel working without a break.
“He certainly works well.”
“Did you just see that? He subtly slipped in one more item to sell. His business acumen is amazing.”
“Oh? That is something I needed too. May I go to the Dice Shop for a moment?”
Leon’s mood rapidly deteriorated as he listened to his followers.
It was even more so seeing Radel’s face responding to people while moving busily.
‘Why is he enjoying himself like that?’
The dignity of a royal could not be found in that guy.
Look at that groveling sight!
Wasn't a royal catering to the whims of commoners?
‘For just a few pennies.......’
But why?
Why did that guy look happier than he did in the Imperial Palace?
‘That cannot be.’
Leon clenched his teeth tightly.
There was nothing more to see.
He notified his followers with a cold voice.
“He was a guy crazy about money. We are returning to the Academy.”
* * *
The time when the sun was setting.
People were gathered at the Dice Shop waiting for something.
What they were waiting for was none other than the number lottery.
Radel handed out number tickets to people who came to the Dice Shop today, and among them, the winning people were invited to the House of the Undead evening party held at night.
It was an event Radel prepared after listening to Inette’s words last time.
Because he thought that a special event was indeed needed since it was a festival.
A party held at the House of the Undead!
As Radel expected, people’s reaction was explosive.
Many customers did not return home and were waiting for the lottery for a special experience to be spent in a place where real ghosts appeared.
Gusto went up to the podium to draw the number tickets.
Radel introduced Gusto to the people.
“Here, the Apprentice Holy Knight of the Supreme Deity Order will draw your numbers.”
The Apprentice Holy Knight with a serious vibe, who seemed more fair than anyone, took out balls one by one from the box filled with number tickets.
“Number 118! The person with the number 118 ticket, are you here? If not, we will move to the next number.”
“Me! It’s me!”
The people whose numbers were called jumped for joy and took the invitation from Radel.
“Thank you!”
“Not at all. I am honored to be able to invite you to the party.”
Radel smiled with sincerity.
And looking at Gusto, he nodded slightly.
Then the draw began again.
Gusto picked up the numbered balls one by one with sharp movements.
Unseen Hand.
In fact, his hand was only picking up predetermined balls.
That was a truth known only to a few people in this place.
The people to be invited to the party tonight were already decided.