Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter Title: Pranks, Scars, and Amusement Plans
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It was lunchtime.
I was aggressively chomping, tearing into, and savoring the hamburger that had appeared for once.
Yoon Na-rin, sitting next to me, stared at me with eyes full of disgust, but there was nothing to be done about it. A long-awaited instant meat side dish was more than enough to make me lose all reason.
The academy always shoved veggie stir-fry at me while nagging about nutrition, but a hamburger? This was... a rare delicacy.
I even stealthily snagged one of Han U-sol's hamburgers. Three per person meant a third gone wouldn't stand out much.
"Anis, how's supplementary class going?"
"......No. It's boring."
The lessons didn't even enter my ears, and there wasn't anyone to chat with anyway. I just waited endlessly for class to end. It was pure torture.
"Ahaha. But you said you meet a friend afterward?"
"...Yeah."
"That's great. You made a new friend. Lately, training leaves me too wiped out."
Sorry I can't play with you. Yoon Na-rin said it with exaggerated cuteness.
Sorry I can't play with you—the kind of thing you'd say to a niece or little cousin. Sorry, but as a superstar accustomed to solitude from the start, I didn't feel lonely just because you weren't around to play.
As someone aiming for the pinnacle of solitude, feeling lonely or scared when alone? Absurd.
The path to ultimate solitude was one you had to walk alone from the beginning. Isn't that right, Grand Master?
――………
No answer from the Grand Master. Oh, right—I chased him out.
This guy's such a freeloader stereotype, leaving without even cleaning up. Zero consideration for the next occupant.
Feeling relieved I'd booted out such a shameless slob long ago, I turned my attention back to Yoon Na-rin.
"...Training going well?"
"It's tough, but I think it's paying off."
As I'd mentioned before, Yoon Na-rin was showing insane growth.
She'd always had talent, but was she just half-assing training until now, or had she cranked up the intensity?
'...Both?'
I envied Yoon Na-rin and Han U-sol's growth. My magic power had stalled again.
What the hell were they eating to boost their magic power so fast? Some constellation sponsoring them or something?
Speaking of constellations, it would've been nice if the novel I possessed was a constellation story. Then I wouldn't be stuck like this, and when alone, a constellation could've chatted with me.
"Anis, wanna hit the vending machine?"
"What're you talking about?"
"...Nothing."
Han U-sol, who didn't read webnovels, couldn't catch my reference.
The more he trained, the stronger Han U-sol got. And as he grew stronger, his abilities evolved.
No, "evolved" didn't cover it—it was too drastic. "Blossomed" fit better.
The limitations on his abilities had mostly vanished.
Previously, he couldn't modify the stats of weapons he'd already created, but now he could.
So I handed over all my weapons to him for upgrades.
Hummm—
A faint light flowed from the weapon in Han U-sol's hand.
"All done."
"Yeah."
I took the weapons back from him as if it were the most natural thing.
The blue straight sword moved from his hand to mine. My beloved sword, Lapis Lazuli.
It felt like taking a weapon to the blacksmith in an RPG. Except no cost, no risk of it breaking!
You're even stronger now, Lapis!
I wondered if a status window existed, wouldn't it display something like that?
Having upgraded all the weapons from Han U-sol, I started whistling a tune.
"By the way, Anis, doesn't supplementary class start soon?"
"......Ah."
...Shit.
Come to think of it, supplementary class was about to begin.
My whistling cut off abruptly at his words.
"Haha. Well, I'll head to training then. See you later."
"...Yeah."
I slumped my shoulders and trudged back to class for hellish supplementary lessons.
"Finally."
After finishing all six supplementary subjects, I stepped out of the academy gates.
"This body... liberated."
Today's supplementary classes were especially infuriating. Silbi Bell kept bombarding me with questions while I spaced out, and I got every one wrong, so she even kicked me out of the classroom.
It was an eternity of humiliation and torment... But now, nothing could stop me.
Time to vent this frustration on Betty.
I, Anis Harper, poster child of the strong preying on the weak, prepare yourself, Betty. Today's stress level is double. Can you withstand my whims?
Grinning wickedly, I entered the cafe, when suddenly Betty popped out of nowhere in midair, screaming.
"Waaah!!"
"Gyaaah!!"
Startled, I screamed and fell backward in a pathetic butt-plant.
The loud noise drew stares from around.
"......"
I stood up expressionlessly, pretending nothing happened. Mortifying.
Betty burst out laughing gleefully.
"Hahaha! How's that! You were sca—"
Thwack!
"Ow!!"
I flicked her hard on the forehead.
"It hurts..."
Betty clutched her bumped head, sniffling.
...Did I hit too hard? I lost control in the moment.
I felt a bit guilty. Seeing her teary eyes, on the verge of bursting into tears, made it worse.
"...Serves you right for scaring me."
But I didn't apologize. True top-laners never overused apologies.
Life happens—you flick a bit hard sometimes. I struck a pose of ultimate solitude.
"It hurts......"
Betty kept sniffling, staring at me.
...What do you want me to do?
I stirred my coffee cup with the straw, pretending not to notice.
"......"
"......Sorry."
But I finally caved to her persistent puppy eyes.
"...Pe-People were staring, so old memories triggered... Couldn't control my strength. Sorry."
Me on the floor.
People looking down, smirking.
――Heh heh. Loser. Nice fall.
――Stomp her. Don't let her up.
Trauma trigger.
"You get that too? Me too."
"They hated my tattoos, stomped me hard." Betty pointed to the tattoos on her body.
Betty had lived a tragic life like me. My tragedy radar never failed.
Were those tattoos from childhood? Curious, but might be rude, so I didn't ask.
"...I see."
In the dim evening room cafe as the sun set, our conversation turned into a parade of misfortune stories.
Not like army tales, but we enthusiastically shared our miseries.
Oddly, the mood wasn't depressing. Maybe Betty's naturally bright personality, or sharing similar pains and empathizing.
"That reminds me of when I got cut by broken glass. Happened to me too—left a scar on my chest."
When I was young, my dad threw me into a window. Deep cut, ugly scar.
'...But my body's different now, it's gone.'
"What? For real!? Show me!"
"H-Hey!? Wait!"
Betty's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she lunged at me.
I couldn't resist her momentum and fell backward.
Luckily, the room cafe chairs were sofas, so I just sprawled out, unhurt.
I tried to get up, but Betty swiftly straddled me, pinning me down.
"Y-You crazy bitch! Get off!"
As Betty ignored me and reached for my uniform buttons,
Creeeak. The door opened.
"......"
It was Han U-sol.
Han U-sol froze the moment he opened the door.
"Uh... you here?"
Don't just stand there—help me out.
"Ah... I see. My misunderstanding."
Han U-sol muttered after hearing my explanation. I could guess what misunderstanding, but he didn't have to look so embarrassed. Gross.
"Misunderstanding? What kind?"
Betty innocently asked Han U-sol, who clamped his mouth shut.
"Ahem."
Awkward air hung heavy. Uncomfortable. Needed to change the subject naturally. I cleared my throat and called Betty.
"Betty."
"Yeah?"
"Our Betty... ever heard of Arsenal?"
"...? Huh?"
Betty tilted her head. Clearly hearing it for the first time.
"Betty. What about Man City?"
My forced topic shift worked—the silent Han U-sol perked up and asked her.
"Oh, yeah, I've heard of that. Soccer team, right?"
"......"
Han U-sol's face lit up as he started chatting about it with her.
'...Damn. He's excited.'
...You poor souls who don't know Arsenal's romance.
We left the cafe for a restaurant. Late for dinner, but plenty still open.
Shoveling fried rice into my mouth, I said,
"By the way, tomorrow's already the weekend."
"Yeah. Time flies."
"Let's go out!"
"Finish eating first, Betty. You're spraying it."
Betty pouted at my scolding.
"Haha. I've got training this weekend too... You two go ahead. I'll join right after."
Training on weekends? That's why I look like a slacker by comparison.
...Wait, I am slacking? Haven't trained much lately thanks to supplementary classes.
I resolved: Play with Betty Saturday, train brutally Sunday. Ideally train Saturday too, but she'd die of loneliness. I always put friends first.
"...Betty. Where do you wanna go?"
I asked, and Betty beamed.
"The amusement park in District D!"
...Amusement park holds bad memories.
After dinner, we left the restaurant, sent Han U-sol off, and Betty walked with me. She insisted on seeing me to the dorm.
At the dorm entrance, Betty called my name.
"Anis."
"Yeah?"
"Why do you want to be a hero?"
"Huh? Well, because..."
To save people. I answered.
"...Why?"
"...? Huh?"
But Betty wasn't satisfied and asked again.
"...Never mind. See you tomorrow."
"...? Yeah. See you."
I watched Betty's retreating figure, then turned to the dorm.
Tick. The clock outside the dorm pointed to 9.
It was 9 PM.