Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: 7: Chipping Away at the Recipe. Picking Up a High School Girl -3
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Someone was standing in front of the door.
Could Agnes have seen what she did to me?
Such worries were fleeting.
Now it was time to deal with the definite problem right in front of me rather than uncertain fears.
"How long do you plan on sticking around?"
"...H-How rude. This is not befitting in the presence of the dragon lady."
"Then?"
"I shall grace you with my presence! Wh-What are you waiting for? Invite me in properly!"
Agnes showed no signs of leaving anytime soon.
Was there some pressing reason for this?
"The nights at the academy are cold! No way! It's nice and warm in here!"
"... "
"...Ack! F-Forget that. It was a slip of the tongue."
Fair enough. Temperature was a serious matter.
Winchester's late cold snaps were brutal.
Still, it didn't quite make sense.
"Can't you just go home? No matter how poor you are, you must have blankets or clothes at least."
Bundling up in those would keep the cold at bay. Especially inside a house with some insulation.
But Agnes's response left me utterly shocked.
"My place is in the seaside district."
"...What?"
"And these are my only clothes. This uniform and my summer outfit."
"Nothing else?"
"Nope. ...Ah, are you mocking this dragon lady as a beggar?!"
I'm not mocking you. You are a beggar...
When words hit too hard and sting, it's because they're true.
For reference, the seaside district was where the truly penniless lived—kids who came to the academy dreaming of turning their lives around on a single shot.
Wind whistled through the cracks in the walls, sirens occasionally lured people out, and merfolk smashed homes now and then. It was daily survival.
A place only the most hardened veterans would stake a claim to.
And they sent dragonkin kids there with nothing but a school uniform?
In the modern world, that would be child abuse worthy of an investigation.
Bunch of bastards, every last one.
Now what to do with this girl?
As I pondered,
[The other party is slightly tense. Special measures seem necessary.]
[Would you like to use the special skill – Pat Pat?]
Text appeared after a long while.
Right.
I'd been focusing on other skills and forgotten about it.
My special skill was originally Pat Pat.
'Use skill.'
A [Analyzing] window popped up in response.
It finished analyzing quickly and gave its answer.
I hadn't had many chances to use Pat Pat, so it was still at its base level. But that was enough for now.
I had a good idea of what she needed.
"But Agnes."
"... "
"You can't stay here forever. This is my clubroom... and I have to go home too."
"... "
Agnes hung her head low.
Even acting like a child, she knew it deep down.
That she couldn't stay here forever.
...As an outsider with no connection to the place.
"So, Ag—"
Before Agnes could respond, the door slid open with a rattle.
"Still here, I see."
"Melissa? I told you to head home."
"Ah, I forgot something... Hm?"
Melissa's pink eyes scanned Agnes up and down.
"Dragonkin? Interesting. Were there dragonkin at this academy?"
"Th-That's right! This dragon lady is the diplomat of the dragonkin—"
"Ahaha! I hear dragon horns are packed with nutrients. How did you know I was curious about their effects?"
"Nutrients...?"
"Good work, assistant. Let's butcher her quick."
Melissa approached with a sinister grin.
Who knew if she was serious or joking?
"Cut it out, Melissa. You're scaring Agnes."
"Of course it's a joke. I don't touch fellow academy students."
"R-Really?"
"Just occasionally."
"Occasionally...?!"
Melissa flashed a triumphant smile.
"Meaning you do touch them, just not occasionally?"
"Eek!?"
Agnes panicked and shoved her head forward.
Specifically, the hornless part.
"I-I don't have horns!"
"Oh ho? So you don't."
"Ugh... Yeah... I've been without them since birth... Please spare me..."
"Hmm... Guess I have no choice then."
Was that sincere? Or a joke?
With her around, the conversation would get messy.
"Melissa, it's late."
"Telling me to head out?"
"That would be nice."
"Hmm..."
"Why the look?"
"Nothing. Just wondering what you and the dragon girl might get up to."
"Nothing at all."
"Haha! Got it. Don't glare like that."
Whoosh.
Agnes adjusted her small bag.
I grabbed the departing girl as she waved goodbye.
"What's up, assistant? Thinking of a threesome—"
"Give me the bag. And no work tomorrow. I've got a sub. Also."
"Also?"
"It's late, so let's go together. We're headed the same way anyway."
Melissa looked surprised at my words.
"You have that kind of thoughtfulness?"
"What? Just meant you'd have company on the way back."
"Nah. Just unexpected."
Melissa chuckled for a bit before turning to Agnes.
"The dragon girl coming too?"
"Yeah. Got something to give her."
"Y-You have a gift for this dragon lady?!"
Her persona kept flipping.
Pick one and stick to it.
Anyway.
"Yeah. Some stuff and a job I want you to take."
Day 2 of the academy semester.
Sure enough, the late cold snap hit.
Cadets lightly dressed started sniffling. Mostly freshmen.
Such blunders were part of becoming seasoned veterans.
"Free soup tastings! Warm up with something hot!"
Students gathered at my call.
A hot bowl of soup on a cold day.
Deep down, I craved a steaming bowl of seolleongtang.
'But this is fantasy land.'
Compromise with soup for now.
"One cup for me, please!"
"Here."
"M-Me too!"
"Coming up."
As crowds formed, hands grew short.
She should be here any moment.
"This dragon lady has arrived—or rather, I'm here!"
Yep, right on time.
Pattering footsteps echoed from afar.
Turning around, I spotted the dragon girl.
"What should I start with?"
"Hand out soup to everyone here. I'll unpack what I prepped."
"Got it!"
The girl in maid attire was Agnes.
Last night.
I'd made her an offer.
To help out at the cafe for a while.
'I was short-staffed.'
Ophelia was with the Disciplinary Committee.
Melissa hadn't committed yet.
Meaning my cafe's workforce was just me.
I needed a club member to work with me.
'Agnes was perfect.'
We needed to get closer.
And she needed work now.
So yesterday, I'd given Agnes a membership application.
Desperate as she was, she signed it eagerly for some cash and daily necessities.
Without even reading the contract carefully.
"Boss! Soup refill, please!"
"On it."
Did she know?
The immense power a single checkmark held in human society.
'Probably not.'
That's how suckers get exploited by bad actors. Lesson learned, kid.
"Haa... So tiring... Everyone gone now?"
Agnes panted heavily.
"Seems so. Good work."
"Th-Thank... Ahem! No need for the act now that work's done. This dragon lady gave her all, so be satisfied."
Pink sparkles burst behind her back.
She seemed pleased with the job.
Even the negative girl mode had faded.
Impressive persona switch, even on second look.
But alas.
Time to switch back to girl mode.
"Let's talk about your future pay."
"Pay!"
"Right. You get money for work. If they try passion pay, report 'em immediately."
"No idea what passion pay is, but got it."
"Okay. Now about your going-forward pay..."
Thump thump.
Agnes's heart raced visibly.
Exciting, right?
First paycheck.
Earned through her own hard work.
Unfortunately, this crappy human world was full of predators eyeing newbies' cash.
Before she fell into their traps and suffered,
"You'll take 20% in cash, and the rest as meals I provide."
"Yeah, we agreed to th—What?!"
"Meals. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Three squares a day, plus occasional necessities. That's the deal."
Flutter flutter.
I waved the contract in front of her eyes.
"That's the paper from yesterday..."
"It's all written here. Winchester labor laws exist, but... this is a super special contract."
A unique one issued by the student council.
Reading it, it almost looked like a slave contract.
Of course, everything was disclosed upfront, incidents were rare, and I'd tweaked it—no full slavery.
"Ah... Ah..."
"You should've read it carefully. Even if you're clueless about the world, just signing blindly?"
"C-Cancel it... I'll rewrite it... Please..."
"Nope. Not changing it. No plans to. Head back now."
From the victim's side, it'd drive anyone mad.
"Agnes."
"Aaaah..."
No.
Not Agnes.
"You're Innocent Chun-sik now."
Teaching society's harshness at the right level was an adult's duty.
This would make her cautious next time.
Call it a vaccine shot.
It hurts, but real villains would devour her far worse.
Looking at her, she'd get fleeced even with money anyway. Once she's more savvy with human society, we can renegotiate.
With proper pay then.
"Don't worry too much."
"Sob... My money..."
"I'll feed you better than 5-star academy cafeteria."
"Really...?"
"For real."
"Then... I want soup... With tons of meat and veggies..."
"Hold on. I'll whip it up quick."
Thinking about food makes it not so bad, right?
For real.