I Will Be Unrivaled With The Skill [Sewing]! They Said It Was A Bad Skill, But With Effort, I will Make It A Hit~ - Chapter 52

Episode 52: (Ara~)Oh My, How Lovel

While Seneca was speaking with Apiana, Maior was in Instructor Attalos’s office.

“So, you want to ask me for information about that shop?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Maior explained to Attalos about Gladius and Spelunca, hoping to gain his cooperation.

“I’ve never heard the name ‘Spelunca,’ but I do have a lead. There’s someone who would likely know about it.”

“Really?”

Maior leaned forward eagerly.

“Yeah. But introducing you to that person comes with risks for me. So, I need compensation.”

“Compensation?”

“That’s right. This request goes far beyond my role as a teacher. So, I’d like to take it as a contract between adventurers.”

Ah, so that’s how he’s framing it, Maior thought, finding it reasonable.

“It’s a success-based reward, of course. What do you want in return?”

“The secret behind your skills.”

“A secret?”

“Yes. Seneca, Maior—you two are leveling up far too quickly. There must be something behind it. I want you to share that information with me.”

Maior pondered deeply.

That secret was their lifeline, and the fewer people who knew about it, the better.

They could always claim there was no secret, but at this point, Attalos wouldn’t be fooled.

“Tell me about the risks you would be taking. Right now, I don’t think the trade is fair.”

When Maior said that, Attalos narrowed his eyes and spoke slowly.

“There’s no point in hiding it, so I’ll be honest. Gladius-sama and I are acquainted. Right now, he holds a precarious position within the church.”

Attalos didn’t go into detail, but Maior suspected it had something to do with Lucius.

“If students go to Gladius-sama on their own, that’s one thing. But if I, as an instructor, appear to be using the adventurer academy to expand his faction, it could become a serious issue.”

“I understand your concerns. However, it’s still not enough to justify revealing the secret of leveling up.”

Attalos stroked his chin in thought.

“Well, I figured as much. Then let’s adjust the terms. I promise not to disclose any information about leveling up to anyone else. Furthermore, I’ll teach both you and Seneca a technique I developed after reaching Level 4. I guarantee it will be beneficial to you both.”

Maior felt a sense of suspicion.

They had been the ones asking for a favor, yet somehow, the negotiation had shifted in Attalos’s favor.

On top of that, offering a technique he developed at Level 4 was an incredibly generous deal.

The information they had on leveling up might not even be relevant to someone of Attalos’s level, so why was he so willing to offer such a trade?

After thinking for a moment, Maior had a hunch and decided to ask.

“…This technique—would it be more beneficial to me or to Seneca?”

Attalos averted his gaze with a feigned look of innocence.

“…Seneca.”

Maior’s eyes immediately narrowed.

Of course, Attalos was curious about the secret to leveling up, but now it was clear—he just wanted to pass down his knowledge to the daughter of his dear friend.

As a teacher, he was being far too biased.

“So that’s why you suddenly framed this as an adventurer’s contract?”

“I have no idea what you mean.”

Attalos refused to meet Maior’s gaze.

All his usual dignity was gone.

Maior let out a deep sigh.

“…I accept those terms.”

“Good. In that case, it’s best to put everything in writing for situations like this. Let’s draft a contract.”

Attalos suddenly spoke with a crisp, businesslike tone, and Maior nodded.

Whether this was a good or bad thing for either of them remained unclear.

“The higher you rise as an adventurer, the more contracts you’ll have to deal with. You should get used to it now. You come from a merchant family, right? It would be wise to get some proper training in contract dealings.”

Maior had to admit she was starting to see the necessity. With the long break coming up, she could consult with her family about it.

Attalos wrote the contract on high-quality parchment, and Maior carefully read through it multiple times, ensuring there were no loopholes before sealing it with her magic.

“Maior, while this won’t turn into a major incident, you should be extra cautious when dealing with church-related matters. I know you two are already careful, but double that caution. The situation is that complicated right now.”

“Understood. Attalos-san, are you affiliated with a church faction?”

“No, nothing like that. But I do owe Gladius-sama a personal debt. We exchange information when necessary.”

“I see,” Maior replied.

“Now that the contract is settled, let’s get to the introduction. The deadline is tomorrow, right? That means we have to go tonight. Meet me in two hours in front of the ‘Helo Fountain’ in the eastern part of the capital. Dress like an ordinary city girl—anything will do.”

With that decided, Maior headed back to the dormitory.

When Maior returned, she found Seneca talking with Kito. She had taken longer than expected due to finalizing the contract.

Hearing about Seneca’s plan to visit Spelunca, Maior explained the contract she had made.

“So that means Seneca is guaranteed to meet Gladius, and Maior has a strong lead, huh?” Kito commented.

“Yes, that’s right. I was thinking of having Seneca or Kito handle the contract with Attalos-san instead, but he refused, saying, ‘The one who overcame the trial was Maior.’”

“A trial, huh? I wonder if the fact that only one person could go has some deeper meaning?”

“Hmm… who knows?”

As Kito and Maior discussed, Seneca listened quietly.

“Seneca, Kito… I’m sorry. I decided to tell Attalos-san about the leveling secret.”

“It’s fine with me,” Seneca said without hesitation. She didn’t seem bothered in the slightest.

“I think it was the right call, too. As long as he doesn’t spread it around, there’s no issue. In fact, we should go further and bring Attalos-san onto our side,” Kito said with a bright expression, as if she’d just had a great idea.

“Bring him onto our side?”

“If we’re telling him anyway, why not fully explain and make him an ally, like Yulia-san? He’s a renowned Gold-ranked adventurer, right? We’ll need experienced mentors as we continue to grow.”

“Mmm…”

For some reason, Seneca let out a dissatisfied hum.

Maybe she was recalling how she had actually lost in their recent mock battle, despite everything else that had happened.

“That makes sense. Attalos-san already has a connection to Seneca, so he’s probably trustworthy. With his experience, he’d be a reliable ally.”

“Kito, you should meet Attalos-san when we talk to him,” Seneca suggested.

Maior agreed.

“He’s a veteran adventurer, so he might have useful insights for potion development too.”

“Oh my, how lovely,” Kito said, looking delighted.

“Then let’s all go together when we talk about leveling.”

Seneca tugged lightly at Kito’s sleeve.

“That sounds like a good plan.”

“I need to head to my meeting with Attalos-san soon. I don’t know when I’ll be back, so I won’t see you tonight, Kito. I’ll report everything in the morning.”

“Got it. I’ll be at the magic academy doing some research. See you tomorrow.”

With that, the three of them set off to tackle their respective tasks once again.