Chapter 100. The Academy Spring Festival (2)

Radel told Armandy he would take a look around the booths for a while and went outside.

He planned to stop by the first-year booths nearby.

Right in front of him, he could see Inette’s booth.

Inette’s followers were wearing splendid clothes and guiding people outside.

‘Aren’t those clothes you wear at a banquet?’

The only banquet Radel had been to was the small one held at the Imperial Family-hosted hunting competition, but he could at least tell that the clothes they were wearing were formal attire for participating in an event.

“Everyone looks great. Can I come in too?”

As Radel went over and greeted them, Inette’s followers were startled.

“Hey, you are?!”

“Did you come to our booth to spy?”

Even if the booths were competing, he hadn't planned on going as far as spying…….

However, from experience, Radel knew well what kind of words Inette’s followers responded to.

“That's right. I can't help but be wary.”

As Radel said, shrugging his shoulders, the followers’ faces strangely brightened.

“I knew it……”

“Well, our booth is quite unique, after all. Hmph!”

Inette’s followers grumbled, feigning embarrassment.

Seeing them looking obviously proud, Radel, thinking this was the time, asked.

“So what kind of booth did you open? I was surprised because it’s so lavish.”

“You were surprised? Ahem, well, you don’t often see such high-quality formal wear at the academy.”

As the followers’ vigilance decreased, the story flowed out of their mouths.

“Wouldn't something lavish stand out and be good? It was all our princess’s idea.”

“That’s right. How clever she is! Her Highness said we don't need to worry about the budget, and what we have is enough.”

“Shall we say it's a strategy to attract people with the dignity that flows from us?”

Unconditionally lavish!

It seemed to be Inette’s idea that it would attract people’s attention even from afar.

Radel thought it was just like Inette and nodded.

“That's a good idea. Can I go inside and take a look?”

When Radel asked, the followers, while grumbling, opened the way for him.

“Well, I suppose so.”

“You’ll be surprised when you go in. You won’t be able to believe we only spent 1 gold, ahem.”

Did they really open a booth with just 1 gold?

Radel became curious at their words.

Radel still didn't know what kind of booth Inette had opened.

Even when he asked Inette, she wouldn't tell him, saying he would find out at the festival.

“Welcome!”

When he entered the booth, the inside was decorated like a teahouse.

But all the first-years working there were wearing formal attire.

The tapestry on the booth walls and the carpet on the floor were all luxurious items.

Tunia, who recognized Radel, gave a nod of greeting.

Tunia was also serving in formal attire.

People were chatting and drinking tea inside the splendidly decorated booth.

It felt like attending a tea party where nobles gathered.

“What, when did you come?”

As Radel appeared, Inette approached.

Inette was also wearing a banquet dress that she didn't usually wear.

“I just came. So this is what you were preparing. It’s incredibly lavish, isn't it?”

“I was holding back. A student shouldn't be too extravagant.”

Inette grumbled that she hadn't even decorated half of what she had planned.

Tunia had nagged her, saying that even this much was like bringing a noble’s reception room here.

“This is the menu. Take your pick.”

Looking at the menu Inette handed him, even Radel couldn't help but be surprised.

The teas were all high-quality, but the prices were very cheap.

Isn't this a loss the more you sell?

She had definitely said they opened with 1 gold earlier, but both the interior decoration and the types of tea they were selling were not on a level that could be solved with just 1 gold.

As Radel was surprised by the menu, Inette said smugly.

“See? I put some thought into it.”

“Aren’t these all expensive teas? It’s too cheap.”

“Of course. It’s because I used the tea leaves I have. This means 1 gold is enough!”

Radel finally understood the secret of the 1 gold.

“Then those decorations too?”

“Yeah. That one was brought from Dave's house.”

“That sofa too?”

“Whose was that again? Anyway, I told them to bring the sofa from their reception room.”

No, the important thing here isn't who saves more money, but who makes more sales…….

But seeing Inette's proud expression, it seemed there would be no good in bringing that up.

Anyway, the purpose of the festival was for everyone to have fun.

“At this rate, isn't our booth going to be number one?”

Inette said confidently and crossed her arms.

Seeing Inette acting as if she had already won everything, he felt like he could already see the reaction after the festival was over.

‘It’s going to be another mess.’

Radel thought he should drink his tea and leave quietly.

* * *

The next booth to visit was Leon’s booth.

Perhaps because Leon had many followers, the line was quite long.

There was no doubt that all the people standing in that line were magicians.

Because they were all having conversations like this.

“To think I can see the 9th Prince’s magic!”

“No, I was waiting in the line for the water element magic, but they cut it off right in front of me. I really thought I was going to go crazy.”

Listening to the stories, it seemed they were showing some kind of magic inside the booth.

Radel looked at the schedule posted in front of the booth.

Magic performances were scheduled by the hour.

Water element magic performance, fire element magic performance…….

But the performer was only one person, Leon Silvert Cretian.

‘A solo performance?’

Dumbfounded, he was checking the schedule again when a follower of Leon approached Radel.

“It seems you want to see our Prince Leon’s beautiful magic. Unfortunately, this performance is already full.”

“Ah, is there a capacity limit?”

“Of course. We’re in a difficult situation because there are too many people.”

Radel looked at the magicians clamoring in front.

“Please let me in! I absolutely must see His Highness’s performance!”

“Me too! I will use transmutation magic to become smaller! I will be as quiet as a dead mouse!”

Leon’s followers were working hard to control the people who couldn’t get into this performance, saying firmly.

“There are no exceptions! Please maintain order!”

“The next performance is scheduled, so please stop the commotion!”

Radel nodded at the sight.

“Leon’s popularity is indeed amazing. Then, can I just take a quick look inside and leave?”

“Normally, you can’t, but since you’re the grade representative……. Just for a moment.”

Somehow, it felt like the grade representative part was an excuse, and he just wanted to boast about how great Leon was, but Radel followed him without a word.

“You have to be quiet.”

Leon’s follower warned as he led Radel behind the tent.

Don’t make too much noise, or it will disturb the performance, don’t get too close to Prince Leon, and so on.

Radel listened to the various warnings and entered the tent.

Inside, a huge stage was set up.

It was so big and grand that he wondered if they had spent all 10 gold on the stage.

On that stage, Leon was performing magic with dazzling skill.

“O, flames of hell that burn and incinerate the wicked!”

Normally, Leon didn't chant such long spells.

It seemed he was adding a lot of modifiers because it was a magic performance.

As Leon used fire element magic with a large arm movement, a thunderous roar erupted from the audience.

There were even audience members who reached out to Leon, wailing.

“Waaaaah!”

“Prince Leon! Your Hiiiighness!”

As the audience got excited, Leon’s followers next to them swung their staffs and shouted.

“Do not get close!”

“Any act of disrespect towards His Highness will be immediately stopped!”

Radel was speechless at the sight he had never seen before in his life.

In Radel’s eyes, this was not a booth.

This was, so to speak…… a hot space like a concert hall.

Radel quietly left Leon’s booth.

* * *

Radel, after looking around the first-year booths, sat on a bench for a moment to catch his breath.

Neither Inette’s booth nor Leon’s booth seemed to be interested in sales.

‘It will be hard for them to keep up with our booth in terms of turnover rate.’

Perhaps because the riding time for an amusement ride was short, the turnover rate was very fast.

It was even more so because they were operating three amusement rides at the same time.

Of course, the students who were constantly using wind element magic were on the verge of collapsing.

To prepare for that, Radel had stationed Gusto with health recovery potions and magic power recovery potions, as well as in case of an emergency.

“Where should I go this time.”

Radel, with a much lighter heart, spread out the Spring Festival map.

As it happened, the second-year booths were set up near the first-year booths.

“Senior Anesha told me to stop by.”

He remembered Senior Anesha from the Grade Representative Meeting telling him to come play at her booth if he had time.

She had said that after a major is decided, they sometimes open booths by major during the festival.

When Radel went to the second-year booth area, there were indeed various booths.

Finding Anesha’s booth was easy. It was because it was decorated to look like an alchemy workshop, no matter who looked at it.

Radel cut through the sparkling smoke flowing from the booth and went inside.

“Hello.”

“Oh? You really came, junior!”

Anesha, who was stirring a small pot, spotted Radel and was delighted.

The people inside the booth were either experiencing making potions with the explanation of the academy second-years or tasting various potions.

They were potions that drew people’s curiosity, such as a potion that made one’s mouth feel refreshed when drunk, and a potion that made one make cute sounds when drunk.

“Did you make all of this, senior?”

“Yeah. Me and my friends made them. There are a lot of fun ones, right?”

When Radel showed interest, the second-years next to Anesha acknowledged him.

“Isn’t that the first-year representative junior? We saw you during the night class.”

“Right, right. The junior who took a whole bunch of alchemy ingredients by himself.”

Radel bowed politely.

“Thank you for the night class. We were much obliged.”

“Obliged for what. You’ll be preparing too if you choose the alchemy major.”

“Seeing how you took the ingredients then, you have talent. Won’t you major in alchemy?”

They were seniors who immediately started recruiting for their major.

Anesha waved her hand and stopped her friends.

“Do you know how many professors are eyeing him? If you foolishly try to entice him, you’ll get on the bad side of the other professors.”

It was the first time Radel had heard this story.

But considering Senior Anesha’s personality, there was a high probability that she was joking to tease Radel.

“Anyway, thanks for coming. Oh, Venus also set up a booth. Have you been there?”

“Senior Venus too?”

He couldn't help but be surprised when the name of someone who didn't seem likely to participate in the festival came up.

Come to think of it, the 5th Prince, Venus, was also a second-year.

It seemed he had a decent relationship with the second-year representative, Anesha.

“Yeah. It's behind our booth, so go see it later.”

Radel, curious about what kind of booth Venus had set up, decided to go see it right away.