Chapter 21: Benefiting from Being His Partner
With the remaining 10,000 Credits, Shani still hadn’t made a profit. But she only needed to give Jeryon one more gift, and her savings would increase by a whopping 50,000 Credits.
Finally, she could smile.
Mercer, who was walking ahead of her, had no idea that his student’s mood had completely turned around.
Mercer, every instructor, and even the Headmaster of Feline Tower knew about Jeryon’s condition.
If the king hadn’t personally insisted on enrolling Jeryon in the academy, the Headmaster would never have accepted him. After all, the Headmaster was the king’s younger brother and Jeryon’s uncle.
The Headmaster had instructed Mercer to let one student become Jeryon’s partner.
After Jeryon claimed another victim, the Headmaster planned to bring the matter before the Board in Nova City.
Because they were family, the Headmaster couldn’t speak too frankly with the king. That was why he needed officials from Nova City to step in.
At the same time, the Headmaster had told Mercer to inform Jeryon’s future partner that even if her rank dropped, she would not be expelled from the academy.
Not only that, she would receive a full six-year scholarship, a guarantee that she could not be expelled for academic reasons during those six years, and one Beast Energy Elixir.
The first benefit alone was incredible, since the thing Grand Academy students feared most was being expelled for failing to meet academic standards.
The second benefit was even more astonishing.
A Beast Energy Elixir could instantly increase a beastman’s beast energy by 300 points.
The elixir wasn’t sold in stores. It only appeared at auctions, where bidding started at 50,000 Credits, though it usually sold for over 100,000 Credits.
Three hundred energy might not seem like much for high-ranked beastmen, but once someone reached the limit of their current rank, those extra 300 points could help them break through that cap.
As valuable as it was, the elixir was extremely difficult to produce, making it incredibly rare.
Even prestigious families owned no more than ten, and those had to be shared among multiple branches of the family.
Mercer had intended to explain all of this to Shani.
Once they were far enough from the doors of Classes 4 and 5, Mercer stopped walking.
"Girl, do you know about Jeryon’s condition?" he asked.
Shani nodded and immediately put on a miserable expression.
"I know, Instructor. My fate..." She covered her face with both hands as though she were on the verge of tears.
Mercer felt sorry for her. "That’s why—"
Before he could continue, Shani interrupted. "I’ll be Jeryon’s partner."
Mercer blinked in surprise, then relaxed. At least he wouldn’t have to persuade her anymore. "But first—"
He was cut off again.
"Since my luck is this terrible... may I ask for one favor, Sir? It isn’t anything unreasonable. I just want to treat my classmates to some drinks before class resumes."
She had already asked the system, and it confirmed that the potion’s effect wouldn’t weaken if it was mixed into another drink, as long as the entire drink was consumed.
"It’s my way of saying goodbye to everyone. Maybe after this, I won’t..." Shani pretended to sob again, trying to earn Mercer’s sympathy.
"Of course, girl. Now, stop crying," Mercer comforted her.
The academy wasn’t actually going to expel Shani, but Mercer agreed anyway. He’d completely fallen for her act, believing she was a kind-hearted girl facing a tragic fate.
Mercer ordered twenty-one drinks through his smartwatch and paid for them himself.
Finally, he had the chance to explain the benefits Shani would receive without being interrupted.
Shani couldn’t hide her shock. ’I get all those benefits because of Jeryon?!’ She suddenly felt that Jeryon was her lucky star.
Then another thought crossed her mind.
Those benefits were based on the assumption that her rank would drop after becoming Jeryon’s partner.
But with the system’s help, Jeryon wouldn’t drain her energy at all. In fact, she would be the one saving him.
’If things turn out differently... will I still receive those benefits?’
Shani’s mind immediately began racing. She couldn’t let those rewards slip away.
Just two steps away from the classroom door, she stopped Mercer again.
"Instructor... am I really going to receive those benefits?" she asked uncertainly.
"Of course," Mercer answered without hesitation.
Shani let out a heavy sigh and lowered her gaze.
"If there were a written contract... I could show it to my family. That way, they wouldn’t worry while waiting for me to receive the benefits."
"The academy will grant those benefits immediately," Mercer assured her.
They were promised directly by the Headmaster. There was no way the academy would back out.
Still, Shani sighed again. "But... what if the rules change two or three years from now? I might get expelled..."
Mercer was convinced the academy would never revoke those benefits.
Still, he understood why Shani and her family might worry.
After several minutes of thinking while looking at the sad expression on her face, the soft-hearted instructor finally gave in.
"In that case, let’s speak with the Headmaster and sign the contract right now."
Shani deliberately hesitated for another few minutes so she wouldn’t look too pushy. Only then did she nod in agreement.
Together, they headed for the Headmaster’s office in Lion Building.
They left Panther Building and boarded a mini hovercar, since Lion Building was quite far away.
Along the way, Shani saw nothing but dense trees.
After crossing a bridge over the lake, Lion Building finally came into view. Like Panther Building, it stood ten stories tall.
The Headmaster’s office was on the third floor, along with the Vice Headmaster’s office and those of the senior instructors.
No one could access that floor without permission. But, Mercer had already contacted the Headmaster.
Feeling sorry for his nephew’s next victim, the Headmaster agreed to sign the contract immediately.
The contract itself had already been prepared. It was originally meant to be given after Jeryon resonated with his partner.
So by the time Shani arrived on the third floor, the document was already waiting on the desk.
All that remained was to sign it.
...