Chapter 31 : Chapter 31
Chapter 31 : Momentum
Sal hadn't expected much when he signed up for the Administration class.
In a corner of his mind, he thought it would just be time spent reviewing what he had already learned from his father.
However, within minutes of Jez opening his mouth, Sal was forced to admit he had been completely mistaken.
The content was basic, but it possessed an entirely different depth.
The only advantage Sal had over the other students was that he had to take fewer notes.
Nevertheless, even on the first day, there was an abundance of things to learn.
"Do you know what the most valuable resource in this academy is? Information. Of course, you can chase after Q-Credits like the other kids. But doing that only puts you in competition with your cohort. But what if you have something no one else has? Your own unique ability, a peculiar training method, or something you discovered somewhere in the academy? You can trade things like that with other students multiple times. It creates recurring revenue, not just a one-time reward."
"You've seen Crafters stuck in their workshops, working themselves to death to create a single masterpiece, right? But here's the thing, you can only sell that piece once! But... what if you sell the blueprint? You can sell it to multiple Crafters simultaneously, and the profits would be much larger. The production process, expertise, secrets... that's where the real value lies. Being able to snatch that up when the opportunity arises is something only possible if you become an information broker!"
Sal smiled as he organized his notes.
He recalled the image of Crafters hunched over in the workshop, sweating profusely as they immersed themselves in their work.
Jez's perspective was surprising yet logical at the same time.
Sal suddenly thought of Pavi Mackles.
Sal had bought the tutorial video series she produced for 50 credits.
When he thought about how many people might have purchased that video package and how much more profit she gained compared to doing each engraving or crafting job herself, his eyes widened.
Sal began to formulate ideas for educational videos he could produce himself.
He even thought, 'Should I just sell blueprints for Q-Credits?'
Jez continued his explanation.
"Administration class is different from other classes. I hope you didn't register for this class with the mindset of coasting through the semester. Because it will be a nightmare. The truly useful information will be revealed in later classes. But until then, you must earn your seat in those classes yourself."
The students began to murmur.
"It starts today. I'll give you exactly two weeks to earn the qualification to enter the next level of class. Surely some kids will give up, complaining that it's unfair. Saying the structure favors high rankers with lots of Q-Credits."
"I am a fair man. I know exactly how many Q-Credits you all have. But that means nothing for this assignment. Everyone starts from the same line, and you must get ahead with your own abilities and wisdom. And if you break the rules? All the Q-Credits you've earned so far will be transferred to the other students who followed the rules. And you will have to report directly to me how you earned each credit."
"Now, I'll tell you various ways to earn Q-Credits even if your abilities are mediocre. Has anyone heard of the credit floor above the workshop?"
Sal almost raised his hand.
"If you have commercially useful skills, they will hire you there on short-term contracts. You can also sell items you've crafted or traded. That's for high-end goods, but at your level, you can start by bartering with other students."
"There's an entire book on negotiation inside the Folio, but we'll cover that in class later too. Starting a service business is one of the most profitable choices within the academy. Even in this space right now, there are a few Appraisers and Restorers."
Sal felt like he had been making eye contact with Jez for a while now.
"Those skills make money at first. But if you settle there, you'll soon be pushed aside by other kids. It's the same for Crafters. If you stick to only one method, you'll be caught up quickly. So how should you grow?"
'How?'
Before he knew it, Sal was drawn into Jez's way of speaking, inwardly asking for the answer every time he posed a question.
"Let's say you made a knife and earned 100 Q-Credits. You could make three knives a week, right? Maybe push yourself to make four. That means you can earn a maximum of 400 credits per week, but, how will you increase that?"
This time, Jez didn't answer.
It didn't seem to be just a rhetorical question.
Sal tried to think it over, but a few students raised their hands first.
"'Can't you just make more expensive weapons?'"
Jez shook his head and pointed to another student with their hand up.
"'Since a Crafter's skills improve over time, can't you just raise the price of the knife?'"
Jez waved his hand lightly and said with a playful expression.
"Good try, but no."
Several answers followed, but all were rejected.
Then, a thought suddenly occurred to Sal.
He raised his hand, and Jez pointed at him.
"What if you outsource the production and take a commission?"
Jez clapped his hands and pointed precisely at Sal.
"That's it! For example, let's say a certain Crafter makes knives so well that there's high demand. What happens if that Crafter outsources the production and just attaches their name to it? Customers still pay 100 Q-Credits to buy the knife, and that Crafter can pay the outsourced maker a certain fee and still have plenty left over."
'That's the power of a brand.'
Sal recalled the many people who thought of the auction house as soon as they heard his name.
"This is the power of a brand! For example, I wouldn't hesitate at all to entrust my most cherished weapon to the Argento Auction House."
Jez gestured toward his bladed staff lying on the desk, then raised a hand toward Sal, who was sitting embarrassedly in his seat.
Then he pointed to another student and said he only rides cars from that student's family brand, and praised another student's family restaurant as the best.
Like that, Jez rattled off the families and specialties of over ten students.
Sal wasn't the only one surprised.
Many students in the room looked at him with astonished expressions.
"This is the power of a brand! Create your own brand at Quest Academy. A brand of your own, out from under your family's shadow."
"Of course, that might be premature. Money, information, and brand... these three elements will be truly critical standards for your success going forward."
Jez took a sip of water at the podium and continued.
"Even while I'm speaking here, I'm earning credits. Because I invested in a few guilds active in the Red Zone. There was some emotional judgment in why I invested in them. They were almost expelled due to a lack of credits. On the other hand, I had Q-Credits overflowing. Now, let me point out the important part here."
"Because I had Q-Credits, I could buy the next semester for students about to be expelled and save them."
"Because I had Q-Credits, I could buy minority stakes in more than five graduate guilds. Two of them have already risen to Initiate status."
"Because I have Q-Credits, I can pick any of these towers, look down at the world, and take a piss."
"Because for those with Q-Credits, even the rules bow their heads."
***
For Sal, the remaining hours passed in the blink of an eye.
He realized deep in his heart that this would become his favorite class.
Sitting on the edge of his desk, Jez literally did exactly what he said he would.
Every student leaving the classroom was inspired by him, contemplating how to tackle the next assignment.
Sal's imagination was also burning brightly.
He realized that possessing all three abilities—Appraisal, Restoration, and Crafting—put him in an excellent position to gather initial capital.
He could create blueprints to sell repeatedly, and there was much to consider from a branding perspective as well.
Sal felt the urge to contact his father and find out more about Jez.
Since Jez seemed to know about his family, his father would likely know about Jez too.
Just a few steps after class ended, he heard some students talking about the party being held this evening.
"Ah, the party!"
Excited by the Administration class, he had completely forgotten about the party.
But he didn't deliberate for long.
He quickly organized the situation in his mind.
There was enough time to participate in both the workshop and the party.
Right now, his Q-Credits had been reset to zero, and he wanted to make a deep impression on Jez.
Through the stories he heard today, he realized that the Q-Credit system meant more than just simple currency.
The fact that it was an asset that wielded power not only within the academy but even in the world beyond completely shifted his perspective.
Sal had no regrets about the Q-Credits he had spent so far, but he was now firmly determined to earn rather than spend.
Jez had taught them how to take the first step toward financial independence, and Sal possessed more resources than anyone else in that class.
That was why he wanted to show even more that he was not someone who settled.
Jez already knew Sal's potential, and Sal wanted to exceed those expectations.
The workshop was busy as always, but he saw many unfamiliar faces.
Most seemed to be first-years.
Porge was moving between groups explaining this and that, and Sal realized that he was ahead of schedule in grasping the workshop system.
The Silver Cohort hadn't even taken the Intro to Crafting class yet.
Upgrade was nowhere to be seen, but a few regular Crafters who usually kept their spots were still there.
When a few of them looked up at Sal, he nodded and greeted them.
But Sal didn't linger and walked straight toward the elevator heading to the credit floor.
As the doors opened, a few people shouted wishing him luck, and Sal smiled and waved his hand before standing in the space moving two floors up as the doors closed.
He was headed to the floor where the beautiful auction house was located.
Fortunately, Vanessa was not in sight.
Both she and the receptionist on duty at the time would know him as a Mythos Crafter.
There was a general store on the first floor, but according to the map, the space for commission work was set up separately in individual booths located on the left.
A woman in uniform glanced at him with a puzzled expression, but Sal handed her the Silver Token he had received from Vila.
"Are there any appraisal requests I can handle right now?"
Sal spoke with a confident tone.
This was his stage, and he knew this world better than anyone.
After all, he had lived his entire life mingling with people like this.
The woman checked the token and gave a gentle smile.
"Ah, yes. You are registered as an anonymous request. Is it alright if I don't call you by name?"
She spoke politely and gestured for Sal to follow.
"I'll guide you to a private booth. Are you okay with meeting the Reavers Guild directly? They arrived a little while ago and have finished the initial inspection."
Sal nodded, and the woman continued her explanation.
"Usually, we have items waiting for appraisal ready, but this time we distributed some requests to external Appraisers. Would you be willing to personally re-examine the appraisals they did?"
Sal laughed and shook his head.
"Not if it's for free. If you handed it over to external Appraisers because you didn't want to entrust it to me, then they should bear the cost too."
The woman's smile stiffened slightly, but she opened the door and spoke calmly.
"I'll inform the Reavers Guild that you've arrived. Once the work is done, please fill out all the appraisal documents. It's necessary for settlement."
With that, she left, and Sal was left alone in a bright booth with a comfortable leather sofa, a refreshment area, and, most importantly, a large work table with well-organized appraisal tools.
Sal raised the corners of his mouth and activated his ability.
Everything he needed had been given to him.