I Level Up With In-app Purchases

I Level Up With In-app Purchases – 63

EP.63 R Has Hatched (3)

“A benefactor?? The academy’s benefactor provided the orbs?”

“Yes.”

Following the student council president’s testimony, Yui was summoned to the headmaster’s office shortly after the student council meeting.

After understanding the situation, Yui hurriedly explained everything from the beginning to how things had escalated.

“A benefactor who runs a general store….”

Had there been a recent visit from a benefactor to the academy?

The headmaster, pondering, quickly recalled someone.

“Oh, I remember now. That person did visit the academy recently as a benefactor. But that benefactor provided these mysterious orbs? He didn’t seem suspicious to me. Did I misjudge them?”

The headmaster couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

The insights that person had given him were still vivid, and he hadn’t expected him to cause such trouble.

“I know it’s safe because I experienced it myself. There were no side effects.”

Noticing the headmaster’s negative view of the benefactor, Yui hurriedly defended them.

However, the headmaster disagreed with Yui’s statement.

“You might not have noticed any side effects. Bring me the orb.”

It was reckless to be certain there were no side effects just because she had used it.

Even if there were no immediate side effects, they could manifest later.

The headmaster’s pointed remark left the student council silent.

They realized the headmaster’s concern was valid.

“At the very least, you should have consulted the teachers before proceeding. I regret giving you so much authority.”

They probably thought this was within the student council’s discretion.

But what if the creator of these orbs had malicious intent?

What if everyone who touched the orbs ended up cursed?

As the headmaster continued speaking, the expressions of the student council members grew more serious and pale.

‘They must be sufficiently scared by now.’

The headmaster, having given a stern warning to prevent such incidents in the future, asked,

“So, where is this remarkable orb?”

It was time to see just how extraordinary this orb was, claiming to grant power without risk.

The student council president obediently handed over the box containing the orbs to the headmaster.

Some slots in the box, which held the shiny orbs, were empty.

“Hmm… Are these empty slots where students have already absorbed the orbs?”

“Yes, Headmaster.”

“Huh… This small orb is packed with energy.”

It was fascinating how such a fragile-looking orb could contain so much energy without breaking.

He wanted to take it to the lab and conduct a thorough investigation.

However, he couldn’t act on his impulse because of the anxious student council members watching him.

“I see what you mean by the orb granting power. The energy inside this orb is tremendous. If this power were given to just anyone, it could cause significant problems.”

“I didn’t experience any issues. Adapting to the sudden increase in power was very easy. It felt like regaining lost strength.”

“Is this the same type of orb you absorbed?”

“Yes, it’s the same color.”

“It seems to suit you very well. It makes sense that you’d feel like you were regaining lost strength. This orb appears to be made for you.”

It wasn’t easy to gather much information about the orb just by looking at it.

However, he could understand the potential risks of the orb and why it had been so beneficial to Yui.

“You can’t absorb these orbs indefinitely.”

“Yes, there’s a limit. Sometimes the absorption fails.”

“Many students have tried, but most couldn’t absorb the orb’s power.”

“Yes.”

“It’s a relief. If the power inside this orb could be absorbed by just anyone, it would have been disastrous.”

“Disastrous?”

“For example, a person could explode.”

“Ex-explode?”

The thought of someone exploding left them horrified.

They had never imagined that the item they possessed could be so dangerous.

“Anyway, nobles tend to consume anything labeled as an elixir without questioning whether it’s good or bad for their bodies. Tsk tsk tsk.”

The headmaster clicked his tongue and continued.

“Probably, the fact that only a few people could absorb it was due to safety reasons. It’s natural that not everyone can handle such power. When a completely foreign power suddenly enters the body, it inevitably clashes with the existing power.”

If the power within a person and the power from the orb clashed, it would cause internal chaos.

Thus, it was natural that only a select few could receive the power.

“Given that there are safety mechanisms, it doesn’t seem like this item was provided to you with malicious intent.”

“Oh! That’s a relief. The benefactor is really kind. I insisted on doing this.”

“I’ve met the benefactor myself. For ten years, he has quietly supported the academy students without seeking any recognition.”

“Wow~ Ten years?”

“Yes. I didn’t know he possessed such an item.”

The headmaster, inadvertently revealing the benefactor’s achievements, fell into contemplation.

He was unsure whether to allow students to continue interacting with the orbs or to stop it immediately.

“So, can we continue? There are still many orbs that haven’t found their owners.”

“I don’t think it’s possible yet. While the orb is indeed an elixir for those it resonates with, it’s a dangerous poison for others. If these orbs were used improperly, it could lead to serious problems.”

“But you said the safety mechanisms are well in place.”

It was true that the safety mechanisms were well established.

However, among the students, there would be those who were dissatisfied with the safety mechanisms.

And that increased the likelihood of problems arising.

“You’re aware that many students are unhappy about not being chosen, right?”

“Yes. But there’s nothing we can do about that.”

“The students won’t see it that way. They might try to steal the orbs to use them for themselves.”

“!!!”

What if, in the process of experimenting, they accidentally damaged the safety mechanisms?

“The incompatible power would enter the student’s body and boom! They’d explode. Who would be responsible then?”

“…The benefactor would be in danger.”

“Exactly. We can’t let someone who acted out of goodwill suffer because of this. This isn’t something the student council should handle.”

The headmaster had intervened at the right time before the students could go astray.

The student council members, who hadn’t considered the possibility of someone stealing the orbs, were visibly shocked.

Moreover, they seemed disappointed, thinking they might be told to stop finding the orbs’ owners altogether.

The headmaster, chuckling, decided to console the disappointed students.

“I’m not saying you shouldn’t find the orbs’ owners at all. Let’s put more safety measures in place and resume after checking everything. Does that sound alright?”

“Oh! Yes!”

“Thank you, Headmaster.”

The student council members were touched by the headmaster’s thoughtful approach, suggesting a better way rather than outright stopping them.

““Thank you.””

“Hahaha! You’ve done a commendable job for the sake of other students, even though it wasn’t beneficial to you. You deserve praise. I just meant it would have been better if you had consulted the teachers first. So don’t be disheartened. Understood?”

““Yes!””

“For now, close the operation and leave the orbs here. Is there a student who can contact the original owner of these orbs?”

“I know where he is.”

Yui raised her hand in response to the headmaster’s question.

“Then you shall accompany me to meet him.”

“Yes, Headmaster.”

Having reassured the students, the next step was to uncover the identity and purpose of these orbs.

How did they come into possession of such orbs?

And why were these orbs provided to the students?

‘If it becomes possible to produce these orbs tailored to individuals…?’

It was clear that the benefactor would rake in a fortune from the nobles.

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He was struck by a windfall.

“How much longer do I have to keep receiving this? There’s no more room in the warehouse.”

“This is the last one, sir. Could you sign here?”

“Ha, alright.”

When he first thought of selling the orbs to students, he hadn’t realized it would become such a lucrative business.

After all, weren’t these orbs items that could only be used by summoned characters?

He thought there would be a limit….

‘No set price? Pay according to your circumstances?… Fine.’

He hadn’t expected them to take such offense at his suggestion to name their own price.

It seemed they thought he was provoking them.

Why would that be a provocation?

‘I still don’t get it. Don’t they understand the concept of naming their own price?’

Anyway, the nobles, their pride deeply wounded, had sent carriages filled with gold coins as payment for the orbs.

He had never seen so much money in his life.

The chest was filled to the brim with gold coins.

After receiving one, the next person, seemingly provoked by my ‘name your own price’ suggestion, disappeared and returned with an extravagant golden animal as payment.

Golden toads existed in this world too.

The power they gained, enhanced to 5-star through the orb, must have been that satisfying.

So far, five people, including Yui, had been strengthened to 5-star through the orbs.

Of course, not every character provided excessive rewards as mentioned before.

Out of the five, the remaining two paid a reasonable price.

It’s important to note that it wasn’t the two who paid reasonably that were unusual, but rather the three who paid excessively.

For reference, Yui was one of the three who paid an excessive amount.