Chapter 130: Diary 3
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 130: Diary 3
Imperial Year 525, May 29
Day 14 of Special Training
I’d say the day started off well enough. Key phrase: started off. I don't even have to explain the implications of that, do I?
Usually, I wake up naturally because Chirpy chirps so loudly in the morning, but since I left him with Professor Elicia yesterday, I had to drag myself out of bed on my own today. It’s been a while since I’ve had to use my own willpower to wake up, and honestly, it was such a chore.
What? You’re asking why I didn't just ask the spirits to wake me up?
You mean those lazy bums who spend the entire commute to school half-asleep on my shoulder or the Pushover’s?
I was the one who had to wake the spirits up this morning, and you expect me to ask them for a wake-up call? If I did that, I’d probably end up showing up to school during lunch break.
They say ordinary spirits usually stay in the Spirit Realm and only manifest when their spiritist is in combat, but mine are the exact opposite. They stick by my side all day and only pop into the Spirit Realm for maybe five minutes once a day.
Of course, I’m not saying I hate that. Honestly, I prefer it. The spirits are precious friends who have always kept me company whenever I felt lonely.
Anyway, after waking up those sleepyheads, I happened to run into the Pushover this morning, so we walked to school together. Fortunately, he was wearing the perfume I gave him again today. It’s just a bit of fragrance, but for some reason, the corners of my mouth kept trying to twitch upward on their own.
Thinking back, I should have naturally told him to let me know if he runs out while we were walking. Next time, I won't overthink it; I’ll just mention it like it’s a passing thought.
So, I headed to the Special Class in the basement with the Pushover... but before that! Of course, we stopped by the faculty office first. You know why, right?
Obviously, it was to see Chirpy, whom I’d left with the professor yesterday. So the Pushover and I walked into the office and... I was seriously shocked.
Up until yesterday, Chirpy had been growing so fast that he felt heavy whenever he sat on my head, but now...
Now he’s grown so much that I could probably ride on his back! Does this even make sense?! I know they say he grows fast, but is it even possible to get several times larger in just one day?
According to the professor, Chirpy is a Divine Beast from a species that went extinct due to some past incident. But why was the egg of an extinct Divine Beast just lying around in a corner of the Academy?
Professor Elicia said she didn't know the reason either. She did say that if I raise him well, he’ll definitely be a great help, but... I don't know.
I was surprised for a moment by the term "Divine Beast," but looking at the giant Chirpy, only one thought came to mind:
He’s gotten so big; can I even keep raising him?
If he keeps growing several times larger overnight like this, it’s going to be impossible to keep him indoors.
But luckily, Chirpy can control his own size. Right now, he’s staying in a small form so he can sit on my head without being a burden.
Honestly, I was a little... no, a lot taken aback, but things were still fine up to that point. Actually, I think things were even good up until the Special Class students all attacked Professor Elicia together.
Thanks to the mask the Pushover lent me, I could feel myself getting stronger day by day.
My mood started to sour right after Professor Elicia’s class ended. Yeah, to be precise, it was from the moment the Pushover started talking to Clara.
When Professor Elicia’s class ends, most students are so exhausted in body and soul that they’re either slumped over their desks or lying on the floor half-fainted. But the Pushover? He’s like a fish in water, wandering around the room and chatting with students who are already half-dead.
Of course, there’s no set order to who he talks to, but he usually chats with Lucas or Kuran since they’re closest, and then moves on to the other boys. And obviously, he talks to me too.
But after all that chatting, he usually ends up going over to Clara—who is either reading a book alone or slumped over her desk—and starts blathering about this and that.
Even if I only eavesdrop a little, Clara either ignores him or gives nothing but one-word answers.
An ordinary person would have taken the hint and left by then, but the Pushover! He just stands there grinning like an idiot, acting like he loves her short responses! At this point, isn't he a literal pushover?
Why does he insist on talking to Clara when she only gives him one-word answers? He should spend that time paying attention to m— No! No! I just wrote exactly what was in my stream of consciousness!
I need to go take a cold shower. I’m going to pass out from the heat of my own anger at this rate.
* * *
The cold shower seems to have cleared my head a bit. Okay, let’s keep writing calmly. Let’s see, where was I?
Right, I was at the part where the Pushover keeps talking to Clara. Thinking about it is making me mad again.
Of course, that’s annoying enough, but let’s just let that slide for now! He’s always been like that with Clara.
But what was truly annoying, absurd, and infuriating started when someone knocked on the classroom door just as the Special Class students were finishing their rest and getting ready for lunch.
It’s rare for anyone to visit the Special Class, so we all glanced at each other until Lucas, acting as the representative, said, "Come in," and then that woman walked in.
Platinum blonde hair tied up for easy movement, a body without a gram of fat, and a face that looked a bit dazed but was undeniably pretty even to another woman...
No, no, more importantly! Is a second-year even allowed to just waltz into a first-year classroom? Shouldn't there be a school rule against this?
Johanna Freya’s sudden appearance was a surprise, but everyone in the Special Class could guess why she was there. She obviously came to see the Pushover. She’s visited a few times before, after all.
Usually, when someone visits unexpectedly, a person gets flustered, but this idiot Pushover? He looked so happy to see Johanna Freya that he immediately ran over shouting, "Senior!" Ha! Anyone watching would have thought he was a puppy meeting his master.
That was already quite a sight, but the conversation that followed was even more ridiculous.
"Senior, what brings you here? Ah! Could it be that you missed me in that short span of time?"
"...... Let's eat."
"Oh? Your face turned red. But since I am a considerate gentleman, I won't point it out. How about it? Are you moved by my tact?"
"..............."
"Ahahaha! I'm joking. But why the generous invitation today instead of eating with your fellow Disciplinary Committee members?"
"...... Because I wanted to eat with you today...."
"Only today? That means you didn't want to eat with me on other days! Sniff, sob, I'm hurt. A massive waterfall is already forming in my eyes."
"................. I want to eat with you today, too...."
"Kuuu! That's it! Now that's touching."
"That's touching," my foot! Do you have any idea how much of a nuisance it is to suddenly show up and ask someone to eat? And the Pushover just happily accepts right away! And what? Her face turned red? As far as I could see, she looked exactly the same from start to finish. Is the Pushover not just lacking intuition, but lacking eyes entirely?
The behavior they’d shown so far was annoying enough, but what followed was even more of a spectacle.
Johanna Freya stared intently at the Pushover, then, without a word, she started stroking his head. The other Special Class students were so shocked watching that. And of course, I was too.
Ha! It’s honestly so absurd; I’m still pissed off thinking about it.
The Pushover is part of the problem! He’s not a puppy that loves being petted; if someone suddenly strokes your head, you should say you don't like it or brush their hand away! There was absolutely no need for him to bend his knees just so Johanna Freya could pet him more comfortably!
But regardless of who was watching, Johanna Freya—still wearing that unreadable expression—kept stroking his head until she suddenly frowned as if something displeased her.
So, did the frowning Johanna Freya pull away from the Pushover?
No! I wish she had. Instead of pulling away, she leaned in even closer. And then, she suddenly started sniffing him. And it wasn't just a normal sniff! How did she do it, you ask?
At first, she turned the Pushover’s body around a few times while sniffing, but then she buried her face right into the crook of his neck and sniffed him openly!
She only pulled away after the Pushover whispered something to her, but if he hadn't managed to pull her off...
After finally getting Johanna Freya off his neck, the Pushover glanced at the stunned Special Class students and said, "Uh.... enjoy your meal?" before practically fleeing the room.
I naturally ran straight to the cafeteria to find him, but there was no sign of him anywhere.
He wasn't just missing from the cafeteria; the Pushover, who usually comes straight back to the Special Class after eating to do what he calls "photosynthesizing," didn't return to the classroom even five minutes before the end of lunch.
Fortunately, he did return right before lunch ended.
But the Pushover who returned didn't smell like the perfume I gave him at all; he was covered in a completely different scent.