Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Is This School Full of Perverts?
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"What, what is this? Where'd you get it? Did you buy it with Talent? Can I buy one too?"
Swish swish.
If I had a tail, it would've been spinning like a helicopter propeller. It was a bit embarrassing, but come on—it's been 48 hours since I last played a game! How could I hold back?
"H-Hey, hold on... Yujin, calm down..."
"Hehe, it's Puyomon Golden Version? Choi Seo-ah, you actually know your stuff."
I managed to hold onto a shred of sanity and didn't snatch the game console away, but I was already burrowing into her arms, staring at the screen like I could burn a hole through it.
Let's see... third gym leader, huh? Hehe... stuck at the noobs' wall of tears.
"Yujin, I have a lot to say, so... could you back off a bit?"
"Oh."
Only when Choi Seo-ah, unable to bear my frenzy any longer, hoisted the game console over her head did it finally end. Hmm, I think I showed a pretty embarrassing side of myself.
"...Want to sit next to me?"
"Oh, sure..."
Glance.
I stole a sidelong peek at her. Unlike me, who was totally hyped up, Choi Seo-ah looked incredibly downcast and sad.
S-Suddenly, I feel bad...
Me, feeling guilty for digging into Choi Seo-ah's secret just to satisfy my curiosity. Her, depressed because her hidden secret was exposed.
We were sitting right next to each other, but in that moment, the distance between us felt infinitely vast.
I thought it'd be some light secret like snacking on treats, but hiding a game console in this school is a huge violation. Her reaction earlier makes sense now...
...From now on, no more meddling in others' business just for kicks if it annoys them.
"Yujin, you despise me now too... right?"
"...Me?"
"You've only been here a short while, but you've felt it to some extent. What it means to be at the pinnacle of Stella in this school."
The pinnacle of Stella... I hadn't been in Stella long, but I could imagine the weight of responsibility and pressure it carried.
Everyone in this school looks at Stella with envy—even a nobody like me! How intense must it be at the very top?
"...On top of that, I'm the chairman's daughter and heir. A position where I can't just act freely, and yet I used it to deceive and trick others."
Ah, so that's how she got the game console—perks of being the chairman's daughter. Guess I'm out of luck then... tch.
"Well, if we're splitting hairs, yeah, but..."
"...Yujin, you know it too, don't you? The pressure on a child born to geniuses."
Thump.
"...You knew?"
What? I thought only Catherine knew. Did she tell her because they're friends? Doesn't seem like Catherine's style.
"It's info I dug up on my own. Even if Catherine recommended you, I had to check if you were Stella material..."
Ah, so that's what it was.
No wonder even the teachers I'd never met didn't bat an eye when I joined Stella, and neither did Choi Seo-ah in her student council president role.
"Child of geniuses... yeah, that's gotta be burdensome. All those eyes on you..."
In a way, even though mine was a bit different, I'd holed up at home for the same reason.
"That's exactly why you need a place to breathe or a hobby. And for you, Choi Seo-ah, that was gaming, right?"
I just realized—Choi Seo-ah... you're a lot like me, aren't you?
"...Yeah. It was the one thing I could do without worry, always having to be ahead of everyone else, never allowed to fall behind. But I had to hold back."
"No, I mean... isn't gaming fine?"
"...What?"
"Just what I said. Gaming's not a bad hobby, and the rules here are way too strict!"
Badmouthing the rules in front of the chairman's daughter feels kinda off.
Absolutely not because my phone got confiscated—it's just weird to ban games in this day and age, right? Kids need some breathing room!
"Even if you say that, these are traditions passed down through generations at the academy. Me changing them..."
"I think fancy hobbies like flower arranging, tea ceremony, or golf are great, but if you're truly enjoying it, popular ones like games or comics are fine too."
I'd been sitting facing forward out of guilt toward Choi Seo-ah, but now I turned to look her straight in the eye.
Her large, sparkling eyes usually held the world in a cold gaze, but right now, in this moment, they were fixed directly on me.
"You saw the kendo club kids and the social dance club today. They shone brighter than anyone and looked so happy practicing. That's why I didn't cut their funding and hung out with the social dance club for over an hour even though it wasn't my thing."
"Yujin..."
"Just now, munching on potato chips while gaming—you looked brighter and happier than anyone to me. Not the Choi Seo-ah who acts like she owns the world, but human Choi Seo-ah."
Squeeze.
Warm.
"So, feel free to enjoy it. If you're still worried, I'll climb to Top Star and change the rules. That'd be fine, right?"
"Yujin as Top Star..."
"I'm an outsider in this position, so I can make bold changes. Just hoard some Talent or whatever, yeah?"
Grin.
"Ahaha... ahahahaha!"
What? Why's she laughing all of a sudden? Wasn't this a touching scene?
"Yujin, I'll trust you and wait."
"Huh?"
Jingle.
After laughing for a while, Choi Seo-ah took the silver rosary that had been dangling from her chest and placed it around my neck.
"I'll lend you this rosary until then. As a token of trust."
"Well, it's okay, but..."
It feels like I've received something incredibly precious and symbolic. Can't refuse in this atmosphere. My neck feels psychologically heavy now...
"Haa, I feel so much better. I'd braced myself for getting caught someday, but I'm glad it was you, Yujin."
Well, if Seo-ah feels better, that's good.
"...We still have time before heading back to the dorm. Want to play together? Only if you like games, Yujin..."
"Of course!"
Seo-ah pulled out the game console she'd set aside, flashing a sparkling smile. Airi too, but if the kids who fear Seo-ah at the academy saw this smile, they'd change their minds.
"Truth is, I'm good at studying but bad at games... so I got stuck here."
"Where where, hehe. Stuck on the plum boss, as expected?"
"Yeah... Do you know this game well, Yujin?"
On the screen Choi Seo-ah showed, the party had been wiped by the milk tank and returned to the Pokémon Center.
"Expert level! Cleared it right away on release, and probably over 10 times after. Wonder where you got this masterpiece... I can guide you step by step!"
"...This game's over 20 years old, and you cleared it right after release?"
Oh.
"Oh, uh... I-I think I mixed it up with another series. They keep releasing new ones..."
"Really...? I don't know much either. Grandma snuck it to me..."
Phew, dodged that somehow.
Anyway, grandma? Seo-ah's grandma would be the former chairman, right? She sure allowed gaming... grr, the rules should've changed back then.
"Anyway! This plum boss is insanely tough! Without a strategy, especially with spiky porcupine, it's even harder."
"...I think this spiky porcupine is cute."
Aaah, I thought spiky porcupine was cute too when I first played... until I saw leaked internal data from some hacker.
No need to shatter Seo-ah's illusions with that info, right?
"The gym's tough, but spiky porcupine carries you after. Plus, there's an easy strategy here!"
I manipulated the movement buttons on Seo-ah's game console and headed outside the town into the grass.
A moment later, a pervy-looking Puyomon appeared.
A guy you'd normally ignore, but useful here.
"Go! Puyoball!"
Ting—ting—ting.
Captured easily, as expected.
"Wh-Why catch this Puyomon? I hate how it looks..."
"Just wait. Talk to everyone meticulously in Golden City, and there's a hidden Puyomon you won't find otherwise."
"...Really?"
After that, we traded the ugly-faced one for muscle guy in Golden City, leveled up muscle guy... went through the whole process, and stood before plum again.
Swapped lead Squirtsquir for spiky porcupine to take it out, then muscle guy.
Critical Low Kick—one-shot!
"Amazing..."
"Hehe."
"I challenged this gym leader over 10 times and lost every time."
"...Without leveling up?"
"Yeah... I thought at this point I could clear it, but chalked it up to my skill being lacking."
What? She's bad at games but has real gamer spirit.
...No matter how I think about it, Seo-ah and I could be great friends.
"Hey, Seo-ah."
"Yeah."
"W-Will you... be my friend?"
We played games together on impulse and I got the rosary, but no official friend confirmation yet.
If she says yes, friend number two after Airi... didn't get confirmation from Airi either. Ugh, gotta ask her tonight.
Realizing you thought you were friends but they didn't is the worst...
"We're not friends."
"...Not?"
See? Like this.
My chest stings.
"You took the rosary, right? That makes you my precious little sister."
"Little sister... like the dorm little sis? Airi called me that too."
"Not like the simple dorm sister relationship. It's the one precious person I choose in all of St. Teresa Academy. As your big sister, I have to lead you and protect you."
Wait wait wait wait.
That sounds super heavy just hearing it? I just wanted a gaming buddy friendship...
"S-Seo-ah... I refuse..."
"You accepted it?"
"No, I didn't know about the rosary and..."
"You already took it and put it on."
Squeeze.
Seo-ah hugged my waist tight, immobilizing me.
Does she think I'll run? Smart cookie.
"Or... do you hate me?"
Looking up, her eyes had a hint of tears.
Where did the charismatic empress from this morning go, leaving this cute crybaby?
"Well, it's fine, I guess."
Friend or big sis, whatever. As long as we game together.
"Take care of me from now on, Seo-ah."
"Big sis."
"...Big sis."
Squeeze, squuuueeeze.
"Ow! Ouch! That hurts! It hurts!"
Everyone at this school needs a grip strength test.
My waist is gonna snap... oof.