Chapter 92

The work has settled down for now.

If I think about it, it’s odd that I, who am not just the CEO but also a board member and shareholder, was working so hard in the first place.

Of course, it’s not that board members and shareholders don’t work, but from my perspective, everyone below me in this world is pretty much incompetent. So, it took me a while to build a “system” where profits come in even if I don’t do much.

However, with proper guidance and training, the number of people who can do a certain level of work is steadily increasing. I’ve already made a rough roadmap, so by the time this country collapses, it should be fully independent as a “company.”

…Well, let’s put that aside for now.

Why did I rush to finish my work? Let me start with that.

Well, the reason is simple.

There’s a practical training coming up at the academy soon.

This academy, as I might have mentioned before, strongly focuses on producing soldiers.

So, at the end of the term, there’s practical training as a form of exam.

For example, dungeon raids, marches, and other combat-related activities.

And this time…

The first practical training for second-year students.

The content is… a “school trip.”

“Exas, are you ready for the ‘Grand March Drill’ that starts tomorrow?”

While I was working up a light sweat at the training grounds today, a young man from my group named Zess spoke to me.

“Hm? Oh… the trip, right? I haven’t prepared anything, but I’m ready.”

I answered honestly.

“We’re going to spend the first half of the term—two whole months—at the big dungeon ‘Vege Mountain’ in the Carenheit Margrave’s territory for training, which involves thinning out monsters. You shouldn’t take it too lightly.”

“Take it lightly? No, I call that confidence, not carelessness.”

“Is that so…”

“By the way, why are we doing this in this term? Couldn’t it have been done next term?”

“The first term runs from September to November. The second term is from January to March. I guess they don’t want to make students march in the winter.”

“Didn’t we go to a forest in the second term of our first year?”

“That was in late March, practically spring.”

Hmm, I guess there’s no contradiction.

So, basically, we’re going on a school trip while it’s still warm.

“The destination is the Carenheit Margrave’s territory, right? So, it’s the mountains. We went to the sea last year, so the mountains aren’t bad.”

“Well… I doubt you’ll get much rest though…”

“You only get a break during times like this, unlike carefree students like you…”

I mean it. I’ve been working for almost 30 days straight.

Since we’re not in an information-driven society, the response time for every task is slow, and I won’t deny that it feels like the long overtime hours of the bubble economy era, where workers dragged things out just to rack up overtime pay…

Still, it’s true that I barely have time to eat, and I’ve been wolfing down food at party venues.

I won’t die, but I sure feel like I’m going to.

So, the only time I can rest is during class.

…Of course, during downtime, I’ll still be giving instructions via the phone I quickly made. Plus, there’s paperwork.

Seriously!!! If only the local idiots could at least learn to use Excel properly!!!

I was overwhelmed just teaching them how to use the phone.

Just because someone is hailed as a great merchant doesn’t mean they can adapt to advanced technology.

As I sighed at the thought, my three group members, Zess, Holman, and Hector, looked at me with the same dubious expressions as always.

“Well… I guess Exas won’t fail, so it’s fine, right?”

“Yeah, that’s true. If we just keep our heads down, we might even get some scraps, so let’s just leave him be, as usual.”

Yep, still no trust in me.

So, it’s packing time.

Thanks to what we learned in our first year and the training we received as soon as we became second-year students, everyone now seems to understand what gear is good to bring.

Even if it’s not a march, what should you bring on a mission?

In this world, excluding myself, there’s no such thing as “storage magic” or anything convenient like that.

So, people can only bring what they or their attendants can carry on their backs.

It’s part of a mage’s job to think about such things.

Even if I were to fall and end up doing the lowly job of adventurer, a mage’s role wouldn’t change. They’d still be “expeditioning to fight in response to someone’s request,” so this is a basic part of it.

First, as a container, there’s a rucksack.

It’s not a backpack, but more like a big drawstring bag.

In that, you pack a change of clothes, emergency rations, clean cloth, and a travel permit.

Emergency rations are often biscuits, dried fruits, and nuts. You don’t carry too much dried meat because it’s too salty and makes you thirsty.

That’s because, usually, we catch small animals (like rabbits) along the way, butcher them on the spot, and make soup or something.

So, you also bring salt and herbs for seasoning.

The cloth can be used as bandages, towels, or for many other things.

As for the travel permit, most mages receive one from the local lord to avoid being stopped while traveling, so it’s like a passport.

Other useful items include rope, a staff, medicine, flint, and resin.

Then, on a belt around the waist, we attach a pouch for valuables and knives.

And for nobles, it’s common to bring a sword as well.

Even for mages, carrying a fine sword adds to your prestige.

The last item would be a cloak, I suppose.

Since I can prepare everything on the spot, I don’t need any of that.

Alright, I’m ready.

Let’s set off on this trip.