How to Live Comfortably as an Abandoned Prince Chapter 53 : Chapter 53

Chapter 53. The Secret Classroom

"This is really cool."

Radel held up the half-map he had found in the classroom.

Unlike the academy map hanging on the wall, this map depicted a different area.

To be precise, it was the location of the dungeons in the academy.

It was certain, seeing the mark for the Academy's Backyard Hill Dungeon.

Besides that, it even showed dungeons Radel didn't know about yet, such as in the basent of the academy's main building or near the annex.

'The color marking each dungeon is different.'

As he examined the map, he discovered a peculiar feature.

For example, the Backyard Hill Dungeon was marked with a red dot, while so dungeons were marked in black, and so in blue.

He didn't know the difference yet, but Radel thought he would have to find out as he cleared the dungeons in the future.

"It's a sha the other half is missing."

Unfortunately, the map was torn, centered on the main building. He searched hard, but the other half of the map was not in the Secret Classroom.

It seems to be over there.

Radel licked his lips as he looked at the doors that were still unopened. It was just a sha that he didn't know the conditions to open the remaining doors.

'At this rate, I don't think my ancestor was an ordinary archmage.'

The academy, Marcellent, and even the Imperial Palace.

To have modified these three places, it seed likely that there would be so record of him sowhere, no matter how long ago he lived.

Radel practiced the Hayden-style potion brewing thod for the remaining ti and then returned to the academy.

In his pocket were the half-map he had found today and the holy water, safely tucked away.

It was a short but fruitful outing.

* * *

Ti flew by in the blink of an eye.

Since Radel had finished the evaluation assignnts first, he spent his ti climbing the mountain to gather ingredients for the Detoxification Potion, or processing and selling them.

And in his spare ti, he studied the map he had obtained from the Secret Classroom and looked for dungeons that were worth clearing.

"The main building is guarded by golems, so it's not easy to get in. Sa for the annex."

Even if he wanted to enter the dungeons in the basents of the buildings, the security was too tight, making it difficult.

The dungeons outside had also been put under heavy guard after Radel returned injured from the hidden boss room.

The only way was for Radel to improve his skills and sneak past the guards.

In the end, becoming stronger was the answer.

Realizing this, Radel doubled his swordsmanship and mana training ti. He also worked hard to gather ingredients and focused on economic activities.

Recently, since Inette had also succeeded in making the Detoxification Potion, Radel's inco had decreased significantly.

He planned to sell for a few more days, then sell the rest to an ingredient shop all at once.

"What are you…… doing right now?"

Inette, who had co to visit the campsite, discovered Radel working.

Radel had Gusto and Armandy spread out the ingredients widely. It felt similar to how items were displayed nicely in a shop.

In front of it, he had written the numbers 2 1 on a sign.

Inette wondered why he had written such a thing.

Isn't 2 plus 1 just 3?

"What does this an?"

"It ans if you buy two, you get one more. Shh, a custor is here."

When soone ca to look at the ingredients, Radel pretended to be arranging them with Armandy, not even looking in that direction.

"Why are you suddenly like this?"

He had been talking to Inette just a mont ago, but as soon as soone ca to look at the ingredients, he suddenly started moving busily.

Radel whispered to Inette.

"This way, the custor doesn't feel pressured. After they've looked around enough, they'll pick sothing and co to pay, so we wait until then."

"But why are you suddenly pretending to be working?"

"If the owner isn't doing anything while the custor is looking at the goods, that's even more pressure. I have to be moderately busy to make the custor's mind at ease."

In other words, he had to create an atmosphere where the custor could shop comfortably.

The idea of giving one more if you buy two, his attitude towards custors, and so on. Seeing Radel, who was now thinking and acting like a rchant, Inette was at a loss for words.

"Excuse ……."

When a freshman who had chosen their ingredients approached Radel, Radel calmly went over.

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

"I heard you give one more if I buy two. Is that true?"

"That's right, do you need this and this? I'll give you this one too for 30 silver."

After Radel skillfully received the money, Gusto packed the ingredients beside him.

After that, Armandy refilled the missing ingredients.

Seeing them work together so smoothly, Inette was confused whether this was an academy or an ingredient shop.

After the freshman left, Inette asked Radel.

"Where did you learn sothing like this?"

"Learn what? I just know."

Inette was completely speechless because of Radel, who spoke like a seasoned rchant.

"Oh? A custor is here. It's the end of the line, so I was thinking of clearing out the stock, but I should sell a little more. Inette, let's talk again later. Or since you're here, could you help organize this?"

"……Alright."

Inette found herself helping Radel with his business without even realizing it.

She didn't even have ti to think if this was right.

It was because custors kept flocking in at the rumor that you get one more if you buy two.

And so, on this day, Radel achieved his highest sales.

* * *

The freshman adaptation period was over.

It ant that from tomorrow, they would be real academy students.

It had already been a month since Radel started living in a tent at the campsite.

It was inconvenient, but it was also fun in its own way.

Radel decided to have a small campfire party at the campsite for the last ti and invited people.

It was because it would be difficult to grill the potatoes he had received from Edward or the ingredients he had gotten from the kitchen once he moved into the new dormitory.

'I'm using everything up today.'

Radel made the campfire bigger than usual.

Gusto and Inette were putting sausages and marshmallows on skewers next to him.

'……Why did I co here.'

Although Armandy was grumbling inwardly, his hands were diligently wrapping potatoes in leaves and throwing them into the campfire.

It was because his body had gotten used to it while being with Radel all this ti.

'Why is a real magician like doing this……?'

His self-pity was short-lived; when Radel, who had brought the firewood, handed out a cup of coffee to each of them, Armandy was politely accepting the cup.

"Thank you."

"Yeah. Congratulations on safely passing the freshman adaptation period."

"Yes, you too, Your Highness."

It was Armandy, who had already been working like a staff mber while being with Radel.

Whatever his inner feelings were, his mouth was speaking politely on its own.

'Anyway, if I keep an eye on the 8th Prince, I can also keep an eye on the 7th Princess.'

Armandy tried to rationalize his reason for being here.

"The Princess made the Detoxification Potion quite quickly."

"Right? I got used to it as I kept doing it."

Inette said to Gusto, boasting.

In fact, Inette's quick success was thanks to the constant supply of Detoxification Potion ingredients.

She had made a groundbreaking offer to buy each ingredient from Radel for 1 gold, allowing her to monopolize the ingredients in the early stages and practice much more than the other freshn.

Although when she went to hunt the Black Poison Bear after completing the Detoxification Potion, she had failed to control her firepower and had blown up the monster…….

Radel smiled, recalling what Inette had said.

"You bragged that you would bring the Poison Bear's byproducts, I believe."

"I really was going to!"

As the potatoes and sausages were cooking, soone approached the campfire.

It was the last person Radel had invited, Edward Paradik.

"Edward, you're here. Welco, we haven't started eating yet."

Radel spotted Edward and greeted him warmly.

He had been planning to grill all the potatoes Edward had brought as a get-well gift today anyway.

"……Is it okay for to be here?"

As Edward hesitated, Radel nodded.

The amount of food prepared was way too much, so they needed even one more person.

Radel picked up a skewer and placed it in Edward's hand.

And he quickly said.

"Of course. Co and sit here."

Edward was taken aback and sat down around the campfire with everyone else.

Seeing Edward, who was slightly frozen among strangers, Inette spoke to him.

"You ca because you want to be Radel's follower, right?"

"What? Ah, no. I just ca today because I was invited."

Edward was about to continue speaking but stopped and bowed his head low.

"……Actually, you're right. I wanted to make a good impression on His Highness."

Radel could tell that Edward had won the favor of everyone here with that one honest remark.

Not just Inette, but even Gusto and Armandy were sending warm gazes at Edward.

Is this the trait that captivated high society?

He was said to be a social butterfly of high society, so it seems that human charm is what's important after all.

As Radel marveled inwardly, he held out a cup of coffee to Edward.

"Right, thank you. Let's do well in the future."

"What? Yes!"

At Radel's words, Edward couldn't hide his joy and nodded his head vigorously.

If he had a tail, he would be wagging it.

This guy, hasn't his first impression changed a lot……?

* * *

Inette was resentful that she had never known the taste of roasting marshmallows over a campfire until now.

"No, if there's sothing this delicious, you should have told sooner! Give the rest!"

"……His Highness didn't tell you until now because he was worried you would be like this."

Inette, who had glared at Gusto who was sighing, reached for a skewer to claim the marshmallows.

The battle between Gusto, who tried to stop her, and Inette, who tried to snatch them, was fierce.

In between them, Edward was deliciously eating the sausages that no one was aiming for.

Radel and Armandy were talking quietly a little distance away.

"So many people failed during the freshman adaptation period?"

"You will find out tomorrow anyway."

Armandy was right.

That wasn't such important information.

What he really needed to hear was what ca next.

"There are those who failed because they lacked the skills, but there are also many who were caught after their identities were discovered by the academy."

"Are you talking about secret organizations?"

"To be precise, 'heretics'."

Armandy emphasized the word 'heretics'.

"They are the most dangerous. This organization has infiltrated every corner of the Empire. They are the ones who carelessly harm the lives of others to make contracts with devils."

The images of those locked up in the Supre Deity Order's underground prison ca to Radel's mind.

And the story of the Archbishop's dream, where the academy was covered in darkness.

"They usually move secretly, but since their scale is so large, it seems they were discovered all at once."

"Why did they try to enter the academy?"

"They are being interrogated, but it seems they are not opening their mouths easily."

Armandy knew one of the reasons the Inquisitors had brought out after torture recently.

It was the elimination of the 8th Prince, who was called the saint of the 'Thirsty Land'.

It seed the existence of a royal who was helpful to the influence of the Supre Deity Order was very botherso.

Armandy roughly guessed the reason why Radel had briefly left with the bishop at the temple.

It was probably to warn him of their approach.

Radel asked Armandy.

"What's the na of that organization?"

"The Black Order. They call devils their master."