Chapter 357
Simon’s statement was shocking in itself.
— We are not trash, Sir.
The moment his words ended, the audience erupted in cheers, and the judges, their faces flushed red, hurriedly left as if fleeing.
As Simon turned his back and stepped down from the podium, the third-year necromancer students swarmed toward him.
“I see you in a new light, Keyzen!”
“That was so satisfying!!”
“Sorry about yesterday, you’re truly on another level.”
Students all around showered him with thanks. The crowd was so thick that Simon felt a bit flustered, but he accepted the greetings with a smile.
“Really, really, thank you, Simon! You’ve earned my respect!”
In particular, Benz from Aland kept following him all the way, shouting loudly. Amid this fervent welcome, Simon descended the stairs.
“Oh my—”
In the hallway leading out of the presentation hall, Serne was standing with her arms crossed. Benz, following behind Simon, flinched reflexively.
“Wasn’t it Simon’s rule to make as few enemies as possible?”
“......”
“Right? There was no need to say that for the sake of those nobodies.”
As Serne glanced over Benz and spoke, Benz’s face stiffened gloomily.
“Simon’s thesis was the only one chosen by the judges. Crushing those fools and being recognized by Pentamonium would’ve been your brightest scenario, but why do something that puts you at a disadvantage?”
Then, in Simon’s ear, the voice of the student council president he had met yesterday echoed.
— Don’t let others drag your life along! Go your own way, armed with a passionate heart and big dreams!
“I didn’t have such a calculating thought.”
Simon smiled faintly. It wasn’t for the students, nor for profit.
“In that moment, I was simply honest with my feelings.”
Serne gave a meaningful smile.
“Let’s go back.”
Suddenly, Kajan’s voice rang out.
When Simon looked up, Kajan, who had been clinging to the ceiling like a bat, dropped down beside him with a thud.
“Uwahk! What the heck?!”
Benz gave a startled cry and fell on his backside.
“Kajan, why were you up there like that?”
“Daily exercise. Let’s go.”
The two of them left with Simon in the middle. Benz and the other students watched Simon’s back with eyes filled with mixed emotions.
* * *
The incident of a first-year Keyzen kid humiliating the panel of judges, composed of elders, at the student thesis presentation quickly spread throughout Pentamonium.
Strangely enough, there was almost no reaction like, ‘How dare a student be so arrogant’. Necromancers found this new topic amusing.
And as Simon had planned from the start, he registered his thesis, Skeleton Mage and Corpse Explosion, for auction in Pentamonium.
That procedure, which supposedly took weeks if delayed, was surprisingly completed in just two hours, and the auction began immediately. Kajan said it seemed the upper echelons of Pentamonium had gotten directly involved.
“Weren’t we blacklisted by those upper echelons?”
At Simon’s baffled question, Kajan shook his head.
“The rumors spread faster than we thought. And Pentamonium isn’t stupid enough to cover for a few judges and end up staining the whole organization. Rather, they’ll try to use this incident.”
“Right, it’s a blessing in disguise~”
Serne said with a bright smile. She had called it a ‘loss’ to Simon earlier, but judging by her expression now, it seemed she had expected this outcome from the beginning.
In the end, Simon’s actions became a clear issue-maker.
The rumor spread like, A first-year Keyzen kid who humiliated the judges wrote that thesis → It’s about Skeleton Mage’s Corpse Explosion. With that, the central auction house, as well as the second and third auction houses, filled with people.
Simon sat in the audience with Serne and Kajan to watch.
Though it was called an auction, it was closer to an event for buying and selling knowledge. Simply put, Simon would receive money in exchange for sharing his ‘original’ with others.
Moreover, because Simon had formally registered his thesis with Pentamonium, if other necromancers later produced new results based on his research, he would receive royalties. If it hit big, he could be sitting on a mountain of gold.
Simon looked toward the auctioneer.
“Starting at 5,000 gold.”
The starting price alone had already surpassed Simon’s target amount.
With a tense face, Simon bit his thumb.
‘......Isn’t that too high? At 5,000 gold, won’t no one bid?’
While nervously glancing around, the auctioneer finally declared the start of the bidding. Immediately, bids came in.
“5,000 gold! 5,500 gold!”
The number shot up in an instant.
Each time hands went up, Simon, thrilled, bounced in his seat. It felt good to see so many people in the auction recognizing the value of his research.
The price quickly surpassed 6,000, 7,000, and before long—
“10,000 gold! Any higher than 10,000?”
It hadn’t even taken a minute to hit 10,000. Yet the crowd still vied to raise their hands.
“15,000 gold!”
“16,000 gold!”
Triple the original goal of 5,000. At that point, Simon gave up trying to think.
“17,000 gold!”
“20,000 gold!”
“25,000 gold!”
The amount soared exponentially, and in the end—
“30,000 gold! 30,000 gold! 30,000 gold! Congratulations, Sir Bollore! Sold for 30,000 gold!”
Thunderous applause erupted. The man named Bollore, who had won the bid, shot up from his seat and raised both arms in joy.
“......”
And Simon, with a dumbfounded look, pinched his own cheek.
It hurt.
It wasn’t a dream.
‘30,000 gold?!’
If Simon had been a man with no ambitions at all, he could have holed himself up in the mountains and lived without ever worrying about money again.
‘It’s just a Skeleton Mage using Corpse Explosion... Was my research really worth that much?’
He was somewhat dumbstruck.
He had come here to get materials for a Lich’s Life Vessel, but with this income, he could probably buy the highest-quality heart available.
“Congratulations, Simon!”
“Congratulations.”
Serne and Kajan offered their congratulations. Serne, in particular, shook Simon’s arm and spoke in a playful voice.
“Since you’ve made so much money, treat us to something delicious!”
“Ah, yeah! Of course.”
He felt like ringing the golden bell in the most expensive restaurant.
But before going for a good meal, there was something he had to do. At the auction house’s request, Simon went to meet the buyer, Bollore.
The two sat facing each other in an incredibly luxurious room.
“I’ve been wanting to meet you, Student Simon Follentia!”
Count Bollore, whose two-pronged mustache left a strong impression, ruled the volcanic territory of ‘Clonmel’ in the kingdom, and he was also a necromancer.
His territory, Clonmel, suffered frequent monster attacks, so with the kingdom’s permission, he even maintained a private necromancer army. Still, it was difficult to repel every attack.
However, a Skeleton Mage using Corpse Explosion effectively in monster battles and with materials being the ‘Muspel’ that was common in the volcanic region, had convinced him to bid.
Simon fully disclosed 100% of his thesis to the buyer. Bollore nodded repeatedly and marveled as he listened to Simon’s explanation.
“So you could replace the Hexa Theorem here! I envy you. I suppose Keyzen’s professors teach even such original methods!”
Simon only smiled. In truth, it was something he had never learned.
And so, Simon and Bollore lost track of time, exchanging opinions about the new thesis.
“Amazing! Student Simon, your research is no different from saving our territory!”
Bollore carefully placed a copy of the thesis into his bag as he spoke.
“If my research can be of help, that’s an honor.”
Simon smiled as well.
Talking with Bollore gave him a strange feeling of gaining immense strength and exhilaration. He had come to sell his thesis to buy materials for a Lich’s Life Vessel, but to receive such high praise from necromancers active in the field, and to hear that it would even be put to good use, it was remarkable.
Though still just a mere student, he was happy to feel as if he had contributed something to the world beyond school.
“I look forward to your path after graduation. As a senior in the field, I’ll keep watching over you.”
“Thank you!”
As Bollore left, he told the auction staff to finalize the purchase. The two of them stamped the documents with their blood marks, shook hands one last time, and went their separate ways.
Soon after, an auction staff member approached Simon.
“Would you like to receive it in gold coins, or in a banknote?”
“In gold coins, please.”
Simon followed the staff member. And before long—
‘Goodness.’
A treasure chest packed full of gold coins was waiting for him. After deducting Pentamonium Auction House’s 10% fee, 27,000 gold belonged to Simon.
He carefully stored the treasure chest in his subspace.
“You’re that happy? Your face just brightened right up.”
Serne chuckled. Feeling suddenly bashful, Simon scratched the side of his head.
“You know what?”
Serne casually began, as if in passing.
“If you join the Ivory Tower, you could receive dozens of times that amount—”
“Serne!”
Simon suddenly cried out, his eyes wide.
“Could it be!”
“Yes?”
Serne blinked rapidly in surprise.
Don’t tell me… is he swayed by money? Was he the type to be bought, contrary to appearances?
“Besides this kind of knowledge auction, do you think there’s also a goods auction in Pentamonium?!”
“......”
In truth, Simon wasn’t even listening. All he could think about was going all-in on the finest Life Vessel for a Lich.
Serne’s lips jutted out in irritation.
“Hmph, I don’t know!”
“Of course there is.”
Once again, Kajan dropped down from the ceiling.
“Would you like to go?”
“Yes! I want to see it!”
With 30,000 gold in his possession, the world suddenly looked different.
* * *
At the same time.
“Come, come, ladies and gentlemen! Please follow me!”
The Pentamonium Academic Conference, open to the public only once a year.
It was an event that anyone in the Dark Alliance would wish to attend.
Entering via teleportation magic circles alone consumed an astronomical sum, and of course, an invitation from Pentamonium was required.
Receiving an invitation from Pentamonium was a tremendous honor. In noble social circles, whether or not one received such an invitation could determine one’s standing, even swaying fortunes. Indeed, the invitation itself served as a measure of a noble’s power and wealth.
“This time, we’ll guide you to the most dangerous place in Pentamonium!”
The high-ranking nobles who had entered Pentamonium were exhilarated at the thought of being chosen.
The guide, hired by Pentamonium, skillfully catered to the moods of the nobles and noble ladies as he took them on a city tour.
“We are heading right to the front of the Barrier. Please, be careful not to make eye contact with the terrible things beyond it. Should you make the mistake of locking eyes—”
Riding in the carriage, the guide wiggled his fingers with a meaningful smile.
“You might be cursed!”
The ladies gave playful screams of fright and leaned lightly into the arms of their gentlemen, while the gentlemen blushed, putting on airs, saying not to worry, that they would protect them.
Thus the carriage arrived before the Barrier.
“This Barrier was created by the first chairman of Pentamonium, Lord Goris, and was personally maintained by the great Witch of Death. In all of Pentamonium’s history, it has never once allowed an intrusion from outside! This is the reason this city has been able to endure.”
Beyond the Barrier was a desolate black wasteland, so lifeless it was almost oppressive. The figures of zombies shuffling along could be seen.
At the center, the paper-thin Barrier separated two worlds—inside, a highly advanced human civilization; outside, the wasteland of death. The sight was breathtaking.
“It… it won’t collapse, will it?”
One noble lady, frightened by the zombies swaying in the distance, spoke in a trembling voice.
“Haha! Since Pentamonium was founded, it has never once fallen! Now, we’ll have twenty minutes of free time. Feel free to look around as you please!”
The Barrier of Pentamonium was a very famous photo spot among nobles. They gathered in groups, indulging in the height of luxury by taking pictures with expensive magic cameras.
Once the photos were taken, the nobles soon grew bored of watching the zombies outside the Barrier.
“Guide! We’ve seen enough here, let’s go somewhere else.”
“Yes~ My lady, of course! We’ll now move to the highlight of this trip—the Artifact Auction Hall. There, you can participate directly in purchasing rare treasures from around the world.”
“At last!”
As the nobles boarded the carriages again and headed toward Pentamonium’s city center.
Crackle.
Crack.
The Barrier, which had never once in history allowed an intrusion, was beginning to crack, little by little.
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