Chapter 128: Diary
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 128: Diary
Imperial Year 525, May 17
Day 2 of Special Training
It feels like an eternity since I last kept a diary.
The first time was back when I was newly adopted and things were still awkward with Mother; she was the one who first suggested it. If I try to calculate how long it’s been...
Hmm... calculating is too much work. I’ll just settle on "a long time." What else is there to remember? Honestly, I don’t even recall what I wrote in those childhood journals.
Of course, if I went back to the Rivayden mansion, I could find out... but there’s no reason to go looking for them. More than anything... it’s just embarrassing.
I didn’t know what to do with them, so I just hid them in my room before I left. Lania might stumble upon them, so I need to go back and get rid of them as soon as vacation starts.
Ah! I don’t remember a single thing I wrote, but I still remember a few things about the diary.
Specifically, I still remember the conversation I had with Mother when she first told me to write in one. It went something like this:
“So, Sepia, why don’t you try keeping a diary in here?”
“.................”
“Ah! Of course, I’m not forcing you! You don’t have to write if you don’t want to!”
“...What is it?”
“Huh?”
“...What is a diary?”
“......Ahaha! A diary is where you record the things that happened today.”
“How do I record them?”
“Well... I suppose you can write however you like? It’s not like you’re writing it for someone else to see.”
“......I don’t really get it.”
“You could write it like a report... Ah, is the word ‘report’ still too difficult? Then how about writing it like a letter?”
It was something like that. Even now, I remember the look of panic on Mother’s face when I asked what a diary was. It was actually pretty funny.
The reason I still write my entries like letters must be because of Mother’s influence, right?
Of course, I know now that this isn’t the "normal" way to keep a diary, but who cares? I’m not writing this for anyone else, and no one is ever going to see it.
So, why did I suddenly start writing again after all this time?
There’s no special reason. While I was organizing the gems I took out of the safe yesterday, the cleaning turned into a major project, and I happened to find a completely blank diary. That’s probably the biggest reason.
Also, I thought that recording the details of my daily training might be helpful later on.
In that case, maybe this should be considered a training log rather than a diary.
Hmm............
Enough rambling. Shall I start by writing down what happened today?
Hmm....... Hmmm....... Mmm.
◐ Mm.
★ ★
Hmm.
★ ■ ◎
◎
Now that I’m actually trying to write, the words aren't coming easily. Oh, it’s definitely not because nothing happened worth writing about. If anything, the problem is that there’s too much. So many things happened today that I’m struggling to decide what to record first....
★ ◎
Ah, I started doodling out of habit again. But since it helped me think of something, maybe this much doodling is okay?
I haven’t decided what to write first yet, but I did remember why I stopped writing in the diary I used so much as a kid. It was probably because I was just practicing the same Spirit Arts every day, so writing became a chore.
I guess the dilemma I’m having now is a happy one.......
I’ll erase those doodles later. For now, before I write about the training, I should probably talk about the new addition to the family, right?
Of course, when I say family, I don’t mean that Father and Mother had a baby or adopted someone else.
The yellow bird currently huddled in the corner, crying sorrowfully as I write this, is named Chirpy. While his pathetic weeping almost makes me feel bad for him, the moment I remember why he’s crying, my sympathy vanishes and I just want to laugh.
So, why is Chirpy acting like that?
Pfft. I think he’s just dying of embarrassment because he acted all tough and challenged the spirits, only to get knocked out in three seconds.
Ah! His name was finally decided as Chirpy. Naturally, when the Pushover first suggested the name "Chirpy," both I and the bird looked at him like he was crazy.
It’s so tacky! He chirps, so his name is Chirpy? How can someone be so lazy with naming?
It’s not like he’s going to name a baby "Wah" just because it cries "wah-wah!" ...Actually, knowing the Pushover, he might. I definitely shouldn't let him name any child.......
No, no. This is getting weird as I write it. What I mean is, if! Just if! If the Pushover ever has a child, the wife should be the one to decide the name.
...Still, I might have a child someday too, so it wouldn't hurt to think of some names, right?
...Huh? Ah. You’re wondering how Chirpy became Chirpy when he hated the name so much?
At first, Chirpy was furious when he heard the name, so I thought about it and suggested a name myself. But then he just hung his head and pointed a wing at the Pushover.
Ugh, it makes me mad just thinking about it!
What’s wrong with "Lightning Thunder"?! Honestly, isn't Lightning Thunder way cooler than a tacky name like Chirpy?
I’ve already written this much. I’m getting sleepy now...... but since I’m doing this for the training, I should write at least a little bit about the special training before I go to bed, right?
ㄱ ㅎ
ㄹ ㅓㅡ
* * *
Imperial Year 525, May 18
Day 3 of Special Training
I ended up falling asleep in the middle of writing yesterday, so I didn't get to write a single thing about the training. Since this is a training diary, shouldn't I record at least some of the details? Okay, I’ll write down what happened during training right now.
But first! I should write a little bit about what happened before training.
Lightning Thun... no, Chirpy challenged the spirits again today, got crushed, and is currently crying.
And today, just like yesterday, I went to school with the Pushover. Don't get the wrong idea—it’s not like I went out at that specific time because I wanted to go with him.
The walk to school only takes about ten minutes anyway; there’s no way I’d go out of my way to time it perfectly for just ten minutes.
I did wait in front of the dormitory for a little bit, though! But that was just, you know... right! It’s just more efficient to go together if we’re leaving at the same time anyway.
And, uh, if some guy tries to talk to me on the way to school, the Pushover might find it annoying, so I’m just helping him out. Plus, if I’m walking with him, strangers don’t usually try to talk to me either.
Enough about the Pushover! If I keep this up, it’s going to be a "Pushover Observation Log" instead of a training log. A Pushover Observation Log. That’s not bad... No, no! It’s terrible! Why would I keep an observation log on that guy? It’s creepy!
I’m going to end up not talking about training again today. This is all the Pushover’s fault. Yeah, it’s all his fault. Anyway, let’s talk about the training now.
Hmm.
........ It’s strange. When I write with a stream of consciousness, it flows perfectly, but the moment I try to think and write, I get stuck.
Hmm. Hmmm. I mean, it’s—ugh! Whatever, I’ll write the rest after I shower. It’s not like the diary is going anywhere.
I’m out of the shower, and Chirpy is crying in the corner again. He must have challenged a spirit and gotten beaten up while I was gone. Man, I got sidetracked again. This is Chirpy’s fault, but it’s also the Pushover’s fault.
First, let me recall what we did in the Academy classes.
Today, until lunchtime, we all attacked Professor Elicia together in the Special Class. We failed by such a narrow margin today. I feel like we’ll succeed if we try just a little harder. Of course, things would be different if the Professor actually used mana.
After that, we all had lunch together.
Then, in the afternoon, it was Professor Gedra’s class, so I had a one-on-one sparring match with the Pushover. I really wanted to practice dodging skeleton attacks during Professor Gedra’s time too, but I guess that’s impossible in a crowded place.
Should I just tell the Pushover to ditch class and go on a da... I mean, go train? Since he’s such a pushover, he’d probably give in immediately if I tempted him......
No, no! I’m talking about the Pushover again instead of the training! People will think I spend all day thinking about him!
The more I think about it, the madder I get. I can’t write any more today. Tomorrow, I’m definitely going to write about the training first.
* * *
Imperial Year 525, May 20
Day 5 of Special Training
Finally, I think I can start with the training story today. It’s not a good story, though. Oh, the training itself is going smoothly. I don’t get hit by the normal skeletons anymore, and I’ve mostly figured out the patterns of the weird ones.
So why isn't it a good story?
Because we got caught training secretly in the forest! Thinking about it makes me so dumbfounded that my anger is actually fading.
If we had been caught normally, I wouldn't be this mad. It’s true that the Pushover and I were using the forest without permission.
But why am I so angry?
Because we got caught because of the Pushover! If he hadn't kept singing that weird song—"Miss Sepia, do your best, I'm here for you"—at the top of his lungs the whole time we were training, we never would have been caught.
Anyway, one way or another, the problem was solved. The person who found us was Professor Idra. After she and the Pushover talked for a bit, she actually gave us a permission document.
* * *
Imperial Year 525, May 25
Day 10 of Special Training
It’s already been ten days since we started training. I re-read the diary entries I’ve written so far. At first, I planned to burn or get rid of this diary after thirty days, but now that I think about it, that seems like a waste.
Sure, there’s a lot of embarrassing stuff in here, but since I’m the only one seeing it, what does it matter?
It’s not like there’s any chance someone else will ever read this diary.