I'll Smash Everything with Passive Skills-Chapter 64: 0. Confirmation (1)

Shaking!

"What kind of behavior is this?"

A student trembled with rage upon seeing Veris hand over a pouch of money just before the duel began.

He had eyes and understood the meaning behind Veris giving money to a gambler!

"It's just giving money."

"That's not what I'm asking! Should I take it as you're ignoring me?"

The student, a tamer enrolled in A-Class, seemed to take it as an insult. Or perhaps it was possible that Veris had bet money on the boy from the start.

"It's not ignoring you; it's a cold assessment of the situation."

[ The duel will begin! ]

"What does that mean...?"

Even after hearing the shout of the student council president, the student couldn't hide his incredulous expression.

─Swoosh!

"What a loser."

Bang! Scrape!

"Are you insane!"

"What the...?"

For a moment, the student thought his opponent had suddenly vanished from the arena. But as he heard the crowd's shouts, he couldn't help but think something was wrong.

Thud!

"...Huh?"

It was right after that when the wyvern he had painstakingly trained crashed into the large arena.

It was an unbelievable sight. A wyvern was not called the king of monsters for nothing.

With high intelligence, skin comparable to a tough exterior, and extreme resistance to mana.

Even he, as a tamer, thought there was no student in the academy who could easily defeat a wyvern. That's why he had aimed for a high score in this evaluation to advance to S-Class...

[ Winner! Veris von Vitelbach! ]

Despair clouded the student's face. Wasn't this a bit too much?

*

"You seem to be in a good mood."

"Indeed, I am."

On the way back to the mansion after the tournament ended in a hollow manner at the round of 16.

Feeling the weight of the heavy pouch, Veris was greeted by Arwen and Cecilia.

"Isn't it good? Isn't that only natural?"

"Veris doesn't like gambling, right?"

Cecilia huffed, perhaps feeling a bit disappointed that Veris had bet money on her. After all, for a priest, gambling was akin to sin, so her discontent was somewhat understandable.

"That's true. But the payout is this big?"

Saying that, Veris rummaged through his belongings and pulled out the heavy pouch.

Surprisingly, what filled the pouch was not coins or silver but only gold coins of high value.

Someone once said that happiness cannot be bought with money.

This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

Veris thought that was a wrong statement. If happiness cannot be bought with money, it simply means one doesn't have enough money.

"Cecilia likes lattes made with coffee and milk at the café."

"...Why are you suddenly saying that?"

"And she enjoys eating cakes topped with whipped cream."

"Hehe, that's right!"

Cecilia's face brightened as she realized Veris knew her preferences so well.

"Arwen enjoys bitter green tea at the café, especially with a dangerously sweet chocolate cake."

"I see you know everything. It's truly surprising. But it's too expensive, so I can't eat it often."

Veris smiled at the two girls' enthusiastic reactions.

Isn't this the first step toward happiness?

"Let's go to a café."

Veris lightly shook the jingling pouch that made a metallic sound. The two girls nodded eagerly in agreement.

*

"What a coincidence."

"Why are you here?"

"Hoho, they say when coincidences repeat, it becomes fate, my dear."

"Are you not a stalker?"

"That's a matter of perspective."

Veris was left speechless by the Grand Duchess's relaxed laughter.

Unlike the cafés on Earth, the cafés located in the academy and commercial district were luxurious places boasting prices that would make anyone scream.

Thus, customers enter their own 'rooms' to enjoy food and tea, just like the room cafés on Earth.

But...

"You're not a stalker for kicking out the customers of the café we came to and taking the next room?"

It seemed that Grand Duchess Evangeline's sense of common decency was a bit different from that of ordinary people.

"Facing them alone is an adventure, no matter how strong the country. So, you, who possess great power and are not suspected of being a minion of the Demon Cult, are a remarkably attractive gem."

It seemed the Grand Duchess, who was like a guardian deity of Gallia, possessed not just strength but also a way with words.

Veris sighed. His peaceful gambling was being disrupted, and it was bound to leave a bitter taste.

"Why are you being so annoying when I didn't even say no?"

"It's part of my persuasion."

The Grand Duchess spoke without a hint of hesitation. Veris found it utterly ridiculous.

To be honest, Veris held a high regard for the Grand Duchess's earnest will to eradicate the Demon Cult. However, this persistent clinginess was certainly unexpected.

"Then just quietly drink your tea. I promised to buy something delicious for these girls."

Veris's cute classmates... no, acquaintances, were still wearing anxious expressions.

It seemed they hadn't expected the unexpected figure of the Grand Duchess to launch such an active offensive.

"Anytime."

Passing by the still nonchalant Grand Duchess, Veris entered the assigned room.

Bang!

As soon as Arwen and Cecilia entered the room, Veris slammed the door shut.

"Something... is wrong, isn't it?"

Cecilia, who had quietly taken her seat, asked.

Just yesterday, the Grand Duchess had come to the mansion, raised mana, and blocked out noise to have a private conversation with Veris.

Since Cecilia and Arwen had been present at that scene, it seemed they sensed something unusual due to the unexpected visit from Grand Duchess Evangeline today.

"Should I call it a problem?"

Veris didn't feel the need to hide the truth from the two kids, so he began to speak.

The information Veris had so far was that the Demon Cult, those filthy bastards, were gathering around the academy or nearby.

"The Demon Cult, those guys again."

"The Demon Cult...!"

Cecilia's face hardened at the unwelcome mention of the name.

As a member of the Church of Light and a pillar of faith close to hundreds of thousands, Cecilia was one of the people who hated the Demon Cult the most.

While she sometimes had a cute childish side, she was undoubtedly one of the most vehement haters of the Demon Cult.

One of the best reasons was the day she faced Veris as a child, losing dozens of precious companions to the followers of the Demon Cult.

"Are they plotting something?"

While Cecilia trembled with her tiny fists clenched, Arwen asked.

Veris slowly nodded in response.

"The Grand Duchess's proposal to me is simple. She suggested we kill all the members of the Demon Cult."

"What!"

This time, both Arwen and Cecilia gasped in surprise.

After all, it was an absurdly dangerous task to hand over to a student enrolled in the academy. Moreover, the fact that it was based on her own feelings was so bizarre that even shamans on Earth would have to concede.

"...Then, what do you plan to do?"

Knowing that Veris's will was the most important factor, Arwen asked again.

"Hmm, to be honest, I'm leaning towards accepting the proposal."

Veris had witnessed their insane antics multiple times. Therefore, Grand Duchess Evangeline's proposal was certainly not bad for Veris, who hated the Demon Cult itself.

"However, there needs to be room for negotiation."

"Negotiation?"

Cecilia tilted her head in confusion.

After all, for someone who had lived her life spreading the will of the gods, Veris's attitude must have been hard to understand.

For Cecilia, there would be no reason or hesitation in dealing with those who would betray the will of the gods and plunge the world into death.

But Veris's case was different.

The Demon Cult? Of course, he hated them. But when it comes to asking for help or support from others, the most important thing is the corresponding price, isn't it?

And Veris was painfully aware of his own worth. Thus, taking time to make a significant decision was part of that.

"Right. I need to demand something I don't have for the deal to be established."

"What is it that you don't have?"

"Eek!"

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Grand Duchess Evangeline poked her head in. It seemed she had been eavesdropping on the conversation among the three. Truly, the nickname Veris had given her as a stalker was well-deserved.

Startled, «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» Cecilia jumped up from her seat, and Veris shot her a glare.

He was well aware that she was obsessively fixated on him. But this was a serious invasion of privacy.

"I'm sorry. But I'm that sincere and desperate."

"Then you can do as you wish?"

"Please forgive me with a broad mind."

Evangeline, acting uncharacteristically for a Grand Duchess, apologized. Veris was left speechless.

What is a Grand Duchess? It's not hard to mention that title, which sits at the pinnacle of power.

However, when directly confronted with that immense power, one could truly understand the weight of the title of Grand Duchess.

Just look at the Gallia Kingdom. The Grand Duchess, who is under the king and is thoroughly tied to the royal family by blood, is a noble of great power.

At first glance, they may seem like the second most powerful after the king, but even they must bow their heads before Grand Duchess Evangeline.

Yet... the esteemed Grand Duchess herself was directly acknowledging her mistake and apologizing, leaving Veris with no further words.

In any case, with Evangeline coming this far, Veris had no choice but to express his thoughts. Well, since she had been eavesdropping on the conversation, it was somewhat like a confirmation shot.

"What can you give me? Unfortunately, I'm not someone who does free work."

"Hmm. You are right. Therefore, it would be appropriate to give you a corresponding reward."

Having fully entered the room and closed the door, she pondered for a moment before continuing.

"If you confirm that the roots of the Demon Cult have been completely uprooted, I will give myself to you."

...The condition Grand Duchess Evangeline offered was indeed a rather unprincipled one.