Chapter 1687 (2/2)
Congratulations! Your Skill Fiery Spirit (Un) has grown to Level 98!
After the wind was knocked out of him, Bennio took several seconds to regain his scrambled senses and push himself back up to his feet. At this point, Zack was standing in front of Todd with his head tilted to the side. The other kids have backed away, leaving the two in a circle of bodies.
“He…” Todd licked his lips and nervously adjusted his glasses. “He… my bodyguard has a sister! We met for dinner. He… he can’t be the Ghosthound; the Ghosthound doesn’t have any siblings.”
Zack swayed strangely. He shook his head, which set his red hair bouncing above his face. “You… Heh. You really didn’t know? Hahaha…. Well, I suspect that the sister that you met for dinner… was the talented Neveah, the secretive woman who handles all of the difficult Engravings for Kharon. A celebrity in her own right.”
“I-” Todd was just blinking. Eileen snorted and turned away.
Bennio felt a deep pity for Todd and walked over to whisper the details of his experience of not recognizing the Ghosthound at first… until he had been sitting beneath a statue of the man for almost an hour. But suddenly the kids were very aware of an adult that appeared amongst their number. next to Todd.
“I hope I’m not interrupting.” Ajax, the humanoid beetle and combat instructor for the Order Ducis, looked around at the surrounding children with his glassy eyes. The only sound was a sharp intake of breath. Everyone was tense, especially Zack Krum; all of the older kids at Kharon Academy dreamed of catching the eye of someone from the Order Ducis. The beetle man turned to Todd and arranged his mandibles in his version of a smile. “I’ve been ordered to bring three items for Todd here, to be put up for auction. On behalf of Randidly Ghosthound.”
“He really is…” Todd whispered. Meanwhile, the rest of the kids subconsciously took several steps closer so they could see the treasures the Ghosthound would send.
Zack cleared his throat. “Ahem. Sir Ajax, what… what are the items…?”
Ajax clicked his mouth in amusement. “I see you are expecting something grand. Well, certainly these items are valuable, but I’m afraid you will be disappointed if you expect pageantry.” Ajax flexed his jointed fingers and produced three pieces of paper. He waved them in front of the group of children. “These three are the donations. I will specify that the first and third are designed to be renewed each year for the Under Auction… but they are not inheritances from the Ghosthound.”
The kids sighed as one. Bennio couldn’t help but sigh along with them, wistfully thinking about catching the Ghosthound’s eyes and being instructed personally by him.
Zack Krum managed to keep his composure a little bit better than the rest, simply nodding. “May I ask… what those items are?”
Ajax nodded and hefted the first paper. “This is a renewing license to paint both the inside and outside of any dormitory the user selects as that individual sees fit. Once used, that dormitory can be painted freely for the first week of term.”
Some individual perked up at that, mostly those orphans who were stuffed into the free housing skyislands. But of course, such a prize couldn’t catch the eye of the truly elite of Kharon Academy. Bennio eyed the three demerits on Todd’s wrist. It will help, but three such things are not enough-
“The second,” Ajax continued to speak. He raised another piece of paper. “Is a permit to design a hundred unit villa-style housing skyisland for Kharon Academy students attending on scholarship. Included within the plans is complete freedom to design two specialty areas within that skyisland. Some of the options for those specialty areas include an underwater pool system, an obstacle course, a student-run restaurant or shopping area, or any other option that is submitted before the Kharon Academy Board and receives approval.”
“Shit,” Eileen swore quietly next to Bennio. Around them, the kids began to furiously whisper to one another, making alliances in preparation to bid for control of this option.
Even Bennio was tempted. But he knew that he would be pushed out of the bidding by the affluent students who addressed the Weakness of Ignorance. These crafters, cooks, and explorers had pleaded time and time again with the Kharon Academy Board, but the ability to set up shops on Kharon Academy land was sharply restricted. There were a few spots, but they hotly contested. When there were thousands of students wanting to sell their wares, the hundred or so student stalls were just a drop in the bucket.
But the ability to make a specialty student-run market area…
“And finally,” Ajax raised the last piece of paper, which flashed briefly golden. Bennio watched as Zack Krum’s jaw dropped. “A Golden Referendum.”
Despite the excitement for the prior item, this new announcement silenced everyone.
A Golden Referendum had only been seen once in the past. After years of struggle, the previous most powerful student at Kharon Academy had managed to impress the professors enough to earn one. Which was the reason that they currently had the yearly Kharon Academy Ball.
The Kharon Academy Board was able to make ‘reasonable changes to increase the feasibility of the event’, but a Golden Referendum that obtained 50% of the student population plus one signatures essentially couldn’t be refused. The students could ask for anything with it.
At this rate… Bennio looked at the confused Todd. You’ll be able to buy anything at the Under Auction that you want.