Kays Translations

Chapter 83: ☆ Join Us, and Let’s Create a Sweet Future Together! ☆

Although Merlin was deeply curious about what kind of relationship Weber shared with the vice-principal, he didn’t press the question. There were more urgent matters at hand. Clutched tightly in his hand was the freshly signed contract, and the thought of hurrying off to rent the grounds for his new venture filled him with restless anticipation. The very idea of opening a shop within the Academy walls and harvesting the bulging purses of those naïve students thrilled him to no end. He could almost hear the clinking of coins already.

Once Merlin departed from the office, the room fell into a quieter rhythm. Weber, who had been leisurely sipping tea on the sofa with his usual air of casual detachment, turned his gaze toward Jenny. A faint, knowing smile tugged at his lips as he spoke.

“Never thought I’d see it—this little fellow actually has the guts to push through something like that. But what surprises me even more is you. I never expected you to agree to Merlin’s proposal. That’s not like the you I used to know.”

Jenny, elegant and composed, let her eyes drift toward another contract resting on the desk. Her fingers moved with delicate precision, rolling the parchment into a neat scroll before tying it shut with a beautiful satin ribbon. She then tucked it carefully into the drawer beneath her desk, her expression unreadable.

“The reason I was forced to make such a decision… Weber, a large part of that lies with you. If you could properly manage the Arcane Academy, perhaps I wouldn’t be this exhausted all the time.”

Her sigh, long and weary, filled the room with a faint heaviness. Weber only waved a dismissive hand, as if brushing aside both her concerns and his responsibilities.

“Isn’t it just another budget deficit? No big deal. I’ll do what I’ve always done—go hunt down a few legendary beasts, sell off their materials, and fill the coffers again. Problem solved.”

Jenny’s brows knit in frustration, her temples beginning to throb faintly. She poured herself a cup of steaming tea, inhaling its calming aroma, then spoke with strained patience.

“We cannot continue to depend solely on one man’s strength to support an entire Academy. What if something happened to you, Weber? What if you disappeared for years again, as you have before? What then?”

Her voice carried both concern and reproach, the echo of past incidents weighing heavily between them.

“The Academy’s deficit has grown severe. If we don’t implement reforms soon, catastrophe is inevitable. The Six Empires and those ever-watchful Churches have had their eyes on this ‘cake’ you’re guarding for far too long.”

Weber gave her a crooked smile, utterly unbothered. “And yet, isn’t that why you’re here…?”

“Weber!”

His name cracked through the air like a whip. Jenny’s tone turned stern, her presence commanding. Rising to her feet, she strode toward the window, her silhouette framed against the ever-shifting scenery of the Academy’s enchanted grounds. Her voice softened but carried a depth of gravity.

“You know what I am, Weber. As an Astrologer, the patterns in the heavens are never hidden from me. Haven’t you also noticed? These past few years, more and more prodigies have been born, as if the very world is preparing for something.”

Her eyes reflected both awe and unease as she recited the names, one after another, each bearing weight like a prophecy:

“The Fairy Tamer, Stacie. Your own granddaughter, Scarlett, the Dreamer. Arthur, blessed by the gods themselves. Karl, heir to the Sword Saint’s legacy. Delia, a genius of alchemy and potions…”

One by one, the names of first-year students rolled off her tongue like stars being placed in the night sky. Weber listened, but inwardly added one more to the constellation she wove: And Merlin, the boy who just signed that contract with you—he is anything but ordinary.

Jenny’s voice grew distant, as though echoing from a place beyond sight.

“I have a foreboding… A grand era is about to dawn. An age where the heavens blaze with countless stars, but also an age fraught with peril. So many prodigies being born at once—how can it not mean the world itself is shifting beneath our feet in ways we cannot yet comprehend?”

Weber fell silent. His gaze dropped to the teacup on the low table before him. The amber-red tea reflected his shadow faintly, distorted and wavering. A lone tea leaf floated on the surface, stirring without breeze, before slowly spiraling downward, sinking to the very bottom of the cup.

Arcane Academy · Beast Taming School · Back Mountain Clearing —

Perhaps, before long, this place would no longer be known as a “clearing.”

Ever since Merlin had taken it upon himself to reshape the neglected back mountain of the Beast Taming School, the barren wilderness had transformed into a hub of bustling activity. The once-dense forest of ironwood trees had been completely felled, their stumps cleared away. The ground, once uneven and choked with weeds, was now flattened to a bare expanse—ready to be reborn.

Factories, or at least their skeletal beginnings, had risen one by one. The earliest—such as the Lotus Leaf Roast Chicken Workshop and the Braised Meat Workshop—were already complete. Streams of students moved in and out of these places, their robes tugged askew, their faces tired but determined.

At the center of this whirlwind stood Gallant, who bore the title of president of Merlin’s fledgling construction company. Exhaustion clung to him like a second skin. Recruiting workers, managing new hires, overseeing the establishment of a tea factory, and laying roads all at once—it was a wonder he could even remain standing. Were this not a world steeped in magic, such grueling workloads might have already killed him.

Yet under this relentless pressure, Gallant was not alone in his suffering. The students who had signed up for work fared little better. Most still had classes to attend during the day; their shifts were relegated to the long hours of night. To survive the strain, they threw themselves into meditation the moment their lessons ended, using arcane techniques to replenish mental stamina and fortify magical reserves.

The higher a mage’s level, the more resilient their body and spirit became. Thus, through sheer will and training, these young men and women adapted to nights without sleep, their minds sharpened and their energy renewed after a single meditation.

It was almost absurd. Students of the Arcane Academy—supposedly heirs to the world’s most profound magical traditions—were driving themselves to cultivate harder not for glory, not for battle… but for the privilege of working in Merlin’s factories. None dared slack off. To be dismissed from a job meant shame, disappointment, and the painful loss of much-needed coin.

Worse still, recruitment had slowed. With the workforce nearing saturation, students without jobs found themselves on edge, watching others with jealousy. The Beast Taming School students, blessed by proximity, secured most of the coveted positions. Those from other departments looked on helplessly, their only hope being that Merlin would expand further, build more workshops, and open more opportunities.

The phrase “to enter the factory” had become a sensation in the Academy, almost a status symbol. For ordinary students, to have a job at one of Merlin’s ventures was something to boast about, a badge of pride worn as openly as a knight’s medal.

“Hiring! Merlin is hiring again!”

The cry tore through the clearing like thunder. At once, the idle crowd of waiting students snapped to attention, their eyes blazing with sudden fire. Many of them lingered here daily, hoping, waiting, praying for an opening. Now, hearing those magical words, they surged forward as one, hearts racing.

“Quick! Quickly, let’s see what the requirements are this time!”

“Don’t shove me—let me see first!”

“My very body craves work! Craves the factory!”

“I can’t wait to become a true worker!”

“Work is life, work is glory! Those who toil are the true lords of men!”

“Boss Merlin! Look at me! Choose me! I won’t let you down!”

“Silence!”

A crisp, commanding voice cut across the frenzy. Instantly, the chaotic mob fell still, their excitement choked down by awe and fear. All eyes turned to the platform at the center of the clearing, where a slender figure stood tall.

“It’s her…” someone whispered, reverence tinging their words. “That’s Stacie, the Fairy Tamer—Boss Merlin’s very own secretary.”

Stacie, now thoroughly accustomed to the weight of her role, gazed over the crowd with cool composure. With a flick of her wrist, she drew from her space-ring a gleaming placard and set it upright before the students.

“This is the new recruitment notice,” she announced, her tone clear and unwavering. “Those who meet the conditions are to register with Scarlett.”

At her gesture, attention shifted to the side of the stage, where a lone desk and chair had been placed. Upon the desk lay pristine sheets of paper, beside which a quill was held loosely in the fingers of a young girl. Scarlett, the Dreamer, sat slumped over, her long lashes brushing her cheeks. Her lips parted faintly, letting out the soft sound of gentle breathing. Unbelievably, she had dozed off mid-task, still gripping her quill as though she were taking notes in a dream.

The students could only exchange incredulous looks, then hastily pressed closer to read the placard. Their eyes widened as the words came into focus.

Recruitment Notice – Honey Snow Time Beverage Shop

☆ Join us, and let’s create a sweet future together! ☆

As a proud member of the Merlin Group, Honey Snow Time Beverage Shop is devoted to crafting drinks of the highest quality, offering our customers refreshments that are fresh, healthy, and irresistibly delicious. With our brand still in its earliest days, we are searching for passionate, creative individuals to join our family and help us build something extraordinary.

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