Chapter 160
Chapter 160
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 160
Chapter Title: An Invitation to Ainsidel's Home
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I know it's a terribly sudden and bewildering question.
Put on the mask, or don't.
I only asked to gauge his reaction.
*If he's hiding something, it'll show.*
But no answer came.
I was stabbing some sauerkraut I'd gone down and bought again with my fork when I looked up.
"...?!"
I couldn't believe my eyes.
Class 1-A Ainsidel was staring right through me with his mouth agape.
He was so utterly still that I started wondering if I'd done something wrong or if there was something behind me.
Only after I glanced back did Class 1-A Ainsidel finally speak.
"...Huh?"
"I asked if I could come over to your place sometime.... No weird intentions."
Now Class 1-A Ainsidel's eyes were shaking wildly.
His reaction was so over the top compared to the question that I ended up flustered instead. I waved my hands as I said,
"Sorry. I just wanted to get closer, but it was too abrupt."
"No."
Thud!
Ainsidel slammed his glass on the table, foam rising to the brim.
He downed his beer in one go without even pausing for breath, then wiped his mouth.
"Sure."
"......"
Sure?
Then why did he look so solemn about it?
Ainsidel fixed me with a stare, unblinking, and asked,
"You're okay with that?"
"...Of course. That's why I asked if it was fine. More importantly, won't your stomach hurt? Chugging booze without eating anything is asking for trouble."
"I'm fine. Totally."
Ainsidel shook his head vigorously, rambling incoherently.
Yet his voice remained as flat as ever.
"You're sure I didn't mishear that earlier?"
"Yeah. You heard right. And I really just meant visiting as a friend."
"I know. I get it. So you're saying you'll come to my house? Those were your words?"
"That's what I said."
I narrowed my eyes and tilted my head.
But he was already ignoring every bit of my body language.
I just gave up and smiled.
"So, when should we go? I ought to properly greet your uncle, so how about after training one afternoon when he's home?"
"...Yeah. No, I'll ask first."
No matter how I thought about it, his ready agreement was surprising. Sure, I'd brought it up first, but that was with intent.
We weren't close at all, and yet it worked. Hard to believe.
Maybe he had his own motives, like me, but that reaction just now was confusing.
*Could it really be...?*
No.
Then why hasn't his favorability gone up?
As I scanned the surroundings, lost in thought, Ainsidel was staring off in the opposite direction.
A long silence stretched out.
After blinking at me for a while, Class 1-A Ainsidel murmured softly.
"It's the first time I've ever brought a friend home."
I stared straight at his face.
Our eyes met—Ainsidel's and mine.
"My uncle... might say no. He's strict. But I'll try to convince him."
His voice had picked up a subtle rhythm.
If I had insight, I could've read his mind right now.
I pulled up his favorability window—which still hadn't budged—and dismissed it with a smile.
"Sure."
* * *
We could've just hung out in the dorms, or if we really wanted to go out, there were plenty of spots around school.
No real need to go to someone else's house.
Yet Class 1-A Ainsidel hadn't questioned my reasons.
*Is he really that focused on making friends, or does he have his own agenda?*
People with ulterior motives tend to act unnaturally like this often.
Just like me blurting out about going to his house.
*More importantly...*
Hangover...
I pressed my forehead and closed my eyes.
Luca's body really wasn't built for alcohol. I hadn't felt drunk while drinking, but the aftermath was hitting hard.
*Just three glasses, and this?*
Okay, three 500ml glasses was a lot.
For Luca's body, anyway.
I finished my brief reflection and pulled an elixir from my pocket, downing it.
*Who'd have thought I'd use elixir as a hangover cure instead of Dawnlight?*
A year ago, I'd have had no idea what that even meant. You really never know what's coming.
Narke, who'd been watching, asked,
"Want me to purify your liver~?"
"Nah. Let's start the meeting now."
"...Yeah... Narke.... Let's wrap it up quick and head to training...."
I was here for our third strategy meeting.
Everyone looked rough—probably up late partying last night.
I probably did too, but purifying all of Bayern in a hungover state had done me in.
Narke spoke up.
"First off, this exam targets Rank 4 berserkers. You know that's the highest grade we'll face in the field, right?"
"Yeah."
Our team leader was naturally Narke.
I was first place but had no intention of leading, so having him step up was convenient.
"They said to follow the Mimesis protocols to the letter. That said, I think we have to assume the school might throw us into something like last time—a train station with ten thousand people milling about, or drop us at 2,500 meters altitude."
I nodded and asked,
"Narke, any guesses on what the school might do?"
"Huh? Haha, I'd need to see the professors' faces for that. Haven't run into them much~"
Yesterday and today, only our homeroom profs.
If the 1st Academy was setting it again, even Narke wouldn't know.
The others, unaware of his abilities, just took it as a joke.
"Alright, let's talk key stuff. I'm basically useless without my unique ability, so Oswald, you start us off."
"Your divine power *is* your unique ability~"
Oswald quipped, snapping his fingers playfully.
This guy was the biggest wildcard on our team.
He was the one who'd handled Faust during the festival.
Maybe because he'd been attacked by Pleroma before, or maybe just his personality, but he moved the most aggressively.
Oswald pinched his nose and said,
"Anyway, I'm not much use. Good sense of smell, but Vitriol's odorless."
"Hmm, true.... Still worth noting. Helen, you next?"
Narke pointed to another teammate.
One of the two Class 1-A kids I'd teamed with at the potion contest.
"Invisibility. Only when I'm in top condition, but it counts as a unique ability."
"Ooh~"
Oswald whistled in admiration.
This exam had elevated a lot of students with standout unique abilities.
Makes sense—if everyone's similarly skilled, they pick the ones with unique abilities.
It'd come down to how well you applied and leveraged yours.
"Cool~ What's the range?"
"Anything I'm touching. But it lasts less than a minute."
"Probably illusion-based magic. Get good, and you might even tap divine power someday?"
Narke said that, then turned to the next student.
Another of Leo's countless "friends."
Leo doesn't see them that way, but they think they are.
And like most of Leo's self-proclaimed friends, they don't like me.
I don't care if they do or not—as long as it doesn't mess with training.
"Fire. You saw it in yesterday's exam, right?"
He glanced between Ainsidel and me as he spoke.
Not addressing me directly. Still salty about losing on the same field.
When it was his turn next, Class 1-A Ainsidel just shook his head silently. Narke smiled and coaxed him.
"Come on, tell us. Might be useful if we play it right."
"Useless. Especially in this combat setup."
"I'll be the judge of that."
"......"
Class 1-A Ainsidel eyed Narke.
Then, looking away, he said flatly,
"I can read the past of objects by touching them."
"Objects? Hmm~ That's a cool ability?"
Narke stared into his eyes and asked,
"Does your family have it too?"
"Some do, some similar. Why?"
"Just that people with similar vibes often have similar abilities. Thought it was cool, personally."
*Hmm...*
Truth is, Narke can easily read unique abilities without asking. He figured out Asman's quick enough.
He reads fixed, unchanging things fast.
But if it's constantly shifting or tangled, it's harder.
That's the pattern.
He knew Ainsidel's ability already but dragged it out and asked about family for a reason.
Anyway, overall, a standard lineup.
Not just our Team 2—Teams 3 and 4 too.
"Alright, unique abilities shared. Time to train?"
Narke stood and said.
* * *
The third training went smoothly.
*Is this okay? Feels easier than the second round.*
No one like Philip scared of me; everyone leveraged their unique abilities well.
Other teams probably similar—dropping six from here seemed harder.
*Whatever, it's comfy. Good.*
School might pull a Zukschpitzer field, so stay vigilant, but vigilance doesn't fix it. Enjoy the peace while it lasts.
Maximize it when you can.
Training over, Narke encouraged the group, then stood before Class 1-A Ainsidel.
"Hey, Haike. You look cheerful today."
"Yeah?"
Class 1-A Ainsidel replied curtly.
He didn't look cheerful at all, for the record.
"Yeah. Felt you did well in round two, but today's training was killer. Looking forward to more."
Narke said that, then called out to the students.
"Alright, you're dismissed. Narke and Lucas have strategy stuff."
"Yeah~"
"See ya tomorrow!"
They waved and left.
Class 1-A Ainsidel lingered by me, then said gruffly, same as before.
"I'll check at home. If it's good, let's go today."
He warped away. Narke tidied the training ground and led me outside.
"Going to his place, huh?"
"Yeah."
"He said his unique ability reads objects' pasts, right."
Narke brought it up out of nowhere.
I confirmed the soundproofing spell and nodded.
"But that's not all. From what I read, it works on people too."
"Past of the soul, or the body?"
"Does it matter much~? Not sure that far. Probably Haike hasn't used it much himself."
Narke plopped down at a lounge spot outside the training ground and continued.
"It's not automatic on contact. Since he doesn't use it often, it probably needs his intent. Still, he's approaching you, so watch yourself."
"Got it."
Silence fell briefly.
Narke, gazing out the window, spoke up suddenly.
"And one more thing you should know, Lucas. That guy has the same ability as Ainsidel."
"What?"
Here, "Ainsidel" without Haike means the obvious one.
"Reading the past is Ainsidel's unique ability. Of course...."
Narke narrowed his eyes, tapping his temple.
"Met too briefly, and he's a tough read, so I couldn't get beyond the unique ability."
"Helpful enough. That's why you brought up family earlier."
"Yep. Families often share similar abilities."
Then they're blood-related.
He first introduced as "Ain," and I was the first to say Ainsidel aloud.
Since I read it from his status window, low chance he faked the surname.
*They look nothing alike, but blood?*
Looks aside, maybe insides match.
"But, Narke."
"Yeah?"
"Your power fully works on Haike?"
"......"
A grin spread across Narke's face.
"Nope. You're in a similar boat, right, Lucas? You have insight-like stuff too."
"Yeah. It's fuzzy in spots."
"Same here. Feels like hitting a wall when I try. Never expected to meet someone like that at school. Wild~"
I fell silent, deep in thought.
Deciding not to dwell on what he couldn't read further, Narke shifted from Ainsidel.
"By the way, Lucas, you like sauerkraut?"
"Hm? Why?"
"I was at a food stall yesterday, and you kept going down for more."
"Not that I love it—just familiar taste."
"Haha, fair~"
Then, far off, a white blob peeked our way. Spotting me, Elias dashed over.
Break time, apparently.
"You guys still here? Thought of you and boom—surprise~"
"Team talk."
I expanded the soundproofing and replied.
Elias pulled a chair and sat by us.
"Yeah? Kids, got something to tell you."
Narke, catching on, jumped in.
"You checked Primrose Pass last night too, huh."
"Yep. Went home. After the art fest, Empire News suddenly pulled the Primrose Pass article."
"They pulled the article?"
All those charges for seizure and search, and now this?
*Hmm...*
Intentions crystal clear.
Ties to Primrose Pass, signaling they're dropping the investigation soon.
"Yeah. Local papers'll follow soon."
Elias clenched his fist, eyes wide.
"Knew it—scraped and burned the articles ages ago~ See?"
"Thorough...."
"Damn right. Listen. Primrose Pass venues banding together to sue the Empire? Makes sense?"
"Uh? Kinda, but their heads are rolling now~"
"Exactly! So the prosecutors end the probe 'cause they're scared of a lawsuit? You buying that?"
Our eyes met Narke's.
*As expected...*
Heat not even died down, and they're rushing to close it?
If they're tangled in berserker cases like Elias thinks, this can't stand.
And overlooking their crimes—not just one or two?
"Looks like a long talk. You guys free later?"
"Heading to Haike's."
"What?!"
Elias reacted dramatically again.
"Why go there?! They said yes?"
"Dunno. He went to ask the family head."
"Oh.... Really?"
Elias stroked his chin, thinking.
"Luca."
"Yeah."
"There's a way to visit Ainsidel's birthplace *and* hear about Primrose Pass. Kill two birds, save time."
"......"
"Spit it out."
"Let's go together."