Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Welcome, Dodo! (2)
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* * *
"Irang? The balloon's gone flat."
Sernal asked casually, and Irang freaked out.
"G-Get... fired..."
"Mr. Ser nal got kicked out of the Special Task Force? Why...?"
Terisha cut off Irang's words, staring at Ser nal with a look of utter disbelief.
Sernal glanced sideways at Edinal and let out a short sigh.
'I thought you two knew.'
He then put on a troubled expression.
It was an incident everyone in the know was aware of, but no rumors connected to him had surfaced.
Everything had been completely hushed up, so no one mentioned his name, nor did any echoes of that day reach him.
Even knowing the reason, it felt strangely unfamiliar all over again.
"I didn't think it was something to bring up on a day like this, so I'll tell you later."
Sernal didn't consider it anything particularly special anymore.
It had been about a year since then, and no matter how big the incident, public interest had long faded.
Still, people would remember, so it wasn't the right topic for Dodo's welcome party.
"Would it... take alcohol to get through it?"
Irang stammered.
"Yeah. Might need to get pretty drunk."
Sernal grinned and looked at Edinal.
"Team Leader. Tell me where to put these decorations."
"I'll mark the spots."
Terisha fluttered her wings, scattering sparkling powder.
The powder that had been floating around her spread out in all directions, twinkling like markers.
'Perfect. Gotta attach them at the right angles.'
Sernal walked around briefly to find good spots for the decorations, and Terisha carefully followed.
"...Um, Mr. Ser nal."
Terisha lowered her voice to call him. The earlier exchange was still nagging at her.
"Yes?"
"If something's troubling you, tell me too."
Terisha fiddled with her fingers for a brief moment. This place was like her home. She could face anyone's gaze here without shame.
That's why every team member here was precious to her.
Sernal was no exception.
"I want to help. I'm... your mentor, right?"
I won't run away.
Her eyes seemed to carry that message as Terisha's sincerity bordered on desperation.
For a split second, Ser nal's expression stiffened slightly.
"Why?"
He sensed it wasn't a light remark, so he responded with a bit of distance.
Getting close was fine, but this felt like it was closing the emotional gap too abruptly.
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop earlier... I'm really sorry about that."
"No, it's fine. I was the one who let a former department member show up in a crowded place and caused a scene."
"I've had... similar experiences. No, I know even saying 'similar' might be rude, but I've felt that same sensation of being forced to shoulder everything alone."
Sernal felt a fresh sense of unfamiliarity as Terisha's usually confident face mixed with distress, her voice growing softer and softer.
But one thing became crystal clear.
Terisha genuinely wanted to help him.
"...Sorry. I overstepped. It must feel burdensome—please just forget I said it."
"Thank you."
Sernal averted his gaze slightly.
It was sincere, but it still sounded oddly off, making it hard for him to fully accept the words and emotions.
Still, he had to say what needed saying.
"And sorry if I came off prickly."
"No, not at all. It didn't sound like that one bit."
Terisha's voice brightened, and Ser nal gripped the decorations with mana. He glanced at her, and she was smiling brightly.
"Alright, I'll set the order."
Terisha wasn't content with just moving the marked sparkling powder to form numbers; she even coated the decorations with it to display the numbers. Ser nal memorized them all and placed the decorations in one go.
With a snap, they were attached, and Edinal clapped lightly.
"Wow, that's super convenient. Hey, Ser nal. Can you inflate the balloons too? Looks like Dodo's coming early."
"Sure. Odd jobs are a mage's lot in life."
Sernal drawled, making a face of annoyance as he pumped air into the balloon with magic.
Irang, who had been diligently blowing one up, looked utterly deflated.
"That's not how you do it."
"Why not?"
When Ser nal asked back, Irang shook the balloon vigorously.
"It needs heart."
"This has heart too. I infused it with mana, wrote the magic words letter by letter so the mana would understand, and cast the spell. Appreciate my heart too, please."
"...Ah, no, put my heartfelt balloon up too. That's... all I meant."
Irang held out his balloon with a face like he was holding back what he really wanted to say.
"Got it."
Sernal chuckled as he floated the balloon, then voiced a sudden question.
"But is this against nature's will too? Wouldn't shaman arts be faster?"
"No, this doesn't go against will. I just prefer blowing them up myself."
"Then you can do the rest. I won't touch them. For Irang's heart."
"W-Wait, Mr. Ser nal. Ser nal?"
Sernal ignored Irang and turned his head.
Tootun was still dangling from the window.
I want to help too.
That will was so strong that Ser nal glanced at Edinal. She nodded, so he beckoned Tootun.
They'd have to clean up afterward anyway, so having the cleaning guy join wasn't bad.
"Waaah."
The moment the door opened, Tootun came in with 'chomp chomp' sounds.
Seeing the decorations, his blue eyes sparkled.
"Prettyyy."
Tootun melted into a gooey puddle in an instant, raising both hands high.
٩(´∀`*)۶
* * *
Petal by petal, carried on the wind, gently nudged the door open.
For some reason, unlike last time, she couldn't see inside from outside.
Had she gotten the date wrong? The thought made Dodo stamp her feet.
A peek inside showed it was awfully dark. She tiptoed in quietly, then panicked.
'What do I dooo? Dodo got the date wrong. They might point fingers again, saying Dodo can't do anything.'
Dodo's ears folded as she reached for her phone tucked in her tail, but a sudden bang made her eyes fly wide.
Pop!
Lights flicked on, and colorful confetti rained from above.
Dodo gaped at the falling paper.
Then she slowly noticed the words on the wall.
Welcome to the Civil Complaints Division, Dodo.
Even the simple message filled Dodo's eyes with tears instantly.
Welcome.
Those three words resonated deep in her chest.
'There's a place that welcomes Dodo.'
"Welcome, Dodo!"
Edinal popped out from the side, smiling at her, but froze mid-sentence.
"Oh? A-Are you crying?"
"...No. Dodo's... not crying."
Dodo clamped her lips shut, swallowing her tears with effort.
Irang, holding the flower necklace he'd prepared, hesitated, and Terisha, about to sprinkle glitter, approached with a startled face and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe Dodo's tears.
"It's okay, it's okay. Don't cry."
"Dodo... isn't crying."
"W-Welcome."
Irang sidled up carefully and draped the flower necklace over Dodo, and her sobs burst out.
"...Waaah."
Sernal glanced at Irang as tears plopped down.
"You made her cry."
"I-It wasn't me!"
Ignoring Irang, Ser nal pulled out his own handkerchief and wiped Dodo's tears too.
"S-Sorry Dodo suddenly cried..."
"It's fine. What can you do when you feel like crying? Just don't do it in front of complainants. I'll stop you then."
How exactly?
Irang wondered idly.
Sernal pulled a gift from his bag that he'd prepared for Dodo.
It was unmistakably a smartwatch.
But sized perfectly for Dodo's front paw.
"Stick out your front paw."
At Ser nal's words, Dodo sniffled 'waaah' and extended it.
Pop!
Then Tootun, wrestling with the fireworks, set one off late.
"Eeeeek!"
Tootun and Dodo's screams overlapped.
Tootun melted like he'd been doused with fresh water.
"S-Sorreee! I was trying to time the fireworks right toooo!"
"No! Dodo's happy!"
Tootun and Dodo blurted in panic, then looked at each other.
Blink blink.
Soon they were grinning at each other.
Their eye levels matched pretty well.
"Dodo. Look down."
Sernal said calmly, and Dodo blinked before lowering her head.
"Waaah..."
Dodo's mouth fell open mid-sniffle.
A smartwatch dangled from her front paw.
"Dodo really, really didn't know. It weighs nothing."
"Yeah. Made it super light so it won't bother you while running, and as a bracelet type so you can take it on and off anytime."
"Dodo can take it off and on freely? Can Dodo try?"
"Of course."
At Ser nal's reply, Dodo used her toes to slide the smartwatch down, and it slipped off easily.
"Waaah..."
Her awe was brief; tongue out, she grabbed it with her toes, slipped her paw between, and it clicked shut with a 'snap'.
Dodo's eyes widened.
"It—it! Attached itself to Dodo's paw!"
"Exactly. Phones are too impractical for you now, so voice control it is. Usage is similar. But it's set to only the first registered voice. Irang helped with that. So, Dodo."
"...Y-Yes?"
"Register it. Your voice."
"Dodo's... voice?"
"Yes. Touch the smartwatch screen with your paw."
Following Ser nal's instructions, a screen appeared. Dodo looked at him.
"If you're ready, touch it once more."
Dodo took a deep breath and tapped again.
Please speak.
The smartwatch prompted, and Dodo exhaled, opening her mouth.
"It's Dodo."
Registration complete.
"It worked! Dodo's voice is registered!"
Dodo wagged her butt, her many tails swishing along.
"No need to charge it separately. Swapped the power source for sunlight."
"Can Dodo ask how you did it? It's so amazing!"
"First, I bought the smartwatch and enchanted it one spell at a time. 'Enchanting' means infusing magic. So... nah, it's magic."
Sernal started rambling but cut himself off.
People didn't like magic talk much.
Why?
"You can tell Dodo anything. Dodo loves amazing stuff!"
"That's a mistake, Dodo."
Edinal warned Dodo while looking at Ser nal. His face was already lighting up with excitement.
Some people ended up in a major just to get a job, but others chose it because they truly loved it.
The term "perfect job fit" applied to them, and it described Ser nal right now.
He genuinely loved magic.
For all his laziness, he'd tweaked everything from day one if he didn't like it—maybe even creating work for himself.
"Anyway, nice to meet you, Dodo. I'm the team leader here, Edinal Roth. I talk casually to team members, so if it's uncomfortable, let me know. I'll switch."
Edinal crouched down with a smile.
"No, Dodo's fine."
"This is Terisha. Second longest here after me. She'll help with your desk work going forward."
Terisha pocketed the handkerchief and bowed elegantly while standing.
"Pleased to meet you, Dodo. I'm Terisha, your desk work mentor from now on."
"Nice to meet you too! Dodo will learn hard!"
Mid-way through her enthusiastic reply, Ser nal felt a sudden oddity.
Terisha had been his mentor too, so no big complaints, but wasn't something off?
"Desk work... mentor? Since when did we split desk and field mentors?"
"Starting with you, Dodo? Ser nal, you've got tons of field experience, so no need. As for field mentor, you pick, Dodo."
At Edinal's seamless segue, Ser nal and Irang exchanged looks, then eye signals.
You do it.
Ignoring their silent exchange, Edinal pointed at Irang with her palm.
"First, Irang here's been in Civil Complaints longer than Ser nal. Lots of experience means varied skills and coping methods. He's a bit slippery, but good personality. Takes good care of people, fun too. Just... motion sickness might pop up anytime."
Irang nodded at the spot-on intro.
I get motion sickness.
He spelled it out to Dodo with his eyes.
Edinal immediately pointed at Ser nal.
"You saw Ser nal last weekend. Special Task Force alum, for starters..."
"Special Task Force?"
Dodo's eyes widened with longing, and Ser nal cut in sharply.
"It's not flashy like it sounds to outsiders. Total dump."
"You can't tell if he's nice or not. Can be stiff, might... have stuff to learn? He handles jobs in his own extreme style. But maybe... something."
Edinal trailed off, fiddling with her hair needlessly.
She wasn't dissing Ser nal's methods; they just weren't suitable for anyone to copy.
Not only heavily magic-skewed, his magic was unique. No one could dare imitate it.
"Right. For field mentor, Irang fits better. Same shaman arts lineage."
"...Mr. Ser nal?"
Irang called softly, lips pursed.
I told you, motion sickness?
His eyebrows twitched, brows furrowed in facial plea.
"Yeah?"
But Ser nal played oblivious, so Irang smiled at Dodo.
"Sorry, Dodo. I can't do it. Motion sickness and all."
"What kind of motion sickness? Can Dodo ask?"
At her purely curious eyes, Irang smiled sheepishly, fiddling with his mask.
"...Lots, but the one where I misunderstand on my own. Goblin race, you know."
Irang cut his words short.
'The thing he mentioned last time?'
Sernal recalled Irang's words from the Hanul Construction incident.
—Mr. Ser nal wants to be friends with me. Taking it further, aren't we already friends? That's how I think and say it.
Seemed he was suppressing goblin traits for social life.
• Places extreme importance on relationships in life.
Even accounting for goblin traits, Irang seemed a bit extreme.
Remembered him muttering in the taxi too.
"...Uh..."
Dodo rolled her eyes, ears folded.
Picking suddenly got hard.
"You can pick me as mentor. But no misunderstandings, okay? I might draw lines abruptly. That alright?"
Irang spoke again, and Dodo quietly shook her head.
"...Dodo hates lines. Promo Division drew one on Dodo."
Whatever the line, Dodo hated it. It was lonely. More than living alone in the mountains.
"Then, for today, how about lightly shadowing Ser nal on field work? It'll feel different from the weekend."
Edinal smoothly handed the task to Ser nal, who widened his eyes.
'No way. Why me?'
"Irang. Take care of her from now on."
As the decision flew past his protest, Irang crouched and extended a hand to Dodo.
Dodo grabbed and shook it with a grin, and Ser nal felt a pang in his gut.
'...Round and round, it lands on me. I'm still an apprentice myself.'
He was in probation too, just like Dodo—'trainee period.'
Experienced hire or not, apprentice, why wouldn't they acknowledge it?
'This sucks, for real.'