Chapter 123

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Translator: ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠MadScientist

Chapter: 123

Chapter Title: Kim Chur's Growth

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"Then feel free to use me until your anger subsides. Even my body, if you wish..."

"...Yes? No, what?"

Suddenly, Leme started spouting nonsense and unbuttoning her shirt, freezing my brain in an instant.

"W-Wait a second! I'm fine! You don't need to do that!"

"I see. Understood."

Leme calmly buttoned her shirt back up with her usual blank expression.

"Then how about a grand prostration?"

"No, hold on! How do you even know about that?!"

"I heard that one of the B-Class cadets did this to you, Sir Ian. The rumor is that you like it..."

"Wait just a minute!"

Damn lore. That senior bastard.

Bragging about making a junior do a grand prostration?

When did rumors even start that I like grand prostrations?

Why was Leme going this far, anyway?

I couldn't even fathom why she felt the need to apologize so excessively.

If it was just a formality, she could've notified me and left.

Even if I reported it, the Limgoft Archmage Duke Family would protect Karindol.

There was no need for Leme to offer her body or a grand prostration—such extreme measures.

"I'm fine. Really, you don't need to go that far."

"I see. Then perhaps a prostration..."

"No! Even if you did that, it wouldn't help! Karindol was the attacker—why are you going to these lengths?"

"But I need to receive your full forgiveness and be certain you won't make an issue of it."

"So you want to wrap it up cleanly to avoid any backlash later?"

Even after I repeatedly said it was fine, Leme kept coming up with increasingly bizarre ways to apologize.

She even offered money and expensive magic stones, which I also refused.

I just wanted her to leave, but she showed no signs of budging.

She seemed utterly desperate for my forgiveness.

Hmm. Could be.

Nobles' ways are gross, sure,

but Leme's just a handmaid doing as ordered.

If she fails to handle it and I go after Karindol again,

Leme could get in serious trouble.

Given Karindol's personality, she'd take it out on Leme.

"Haa..."

I let out a deep sigh.

The gallery was right.

If she left without properly handling it, Leme would face something awful.

She tried to kill someone else—how harshly would she treat her own handmaid?

"Alright. I absolutely won't seek revenge on Senior Karindol for yesterday, or report it. So please stop."

"But,"

"For real. Even for your sake, Senior Leme, I won't. You'll cover for her with the family anyway."

"That's true. If harm comes to Lady Karindol's body, the family will strike back hard."

"Exactly. So stop bothering me."

"...Understood."

Leme finally nodded.

She's thorough, that's for sure.

I pitied Leme enough to reassure her, but I had no intention of letting it slide completely.

If another chance arises, or once I get stronger soon, I'll deal with it.

No way I'm leaving someone who thinks trampling others is normal unscathed.

"Then I'm off. Gonna be late."

I left Leme behind and headed to class.

"So that's what happened."

"Hmm... Leme, the junior."

After class that day,

I held off on reporting to the chancellor and told only Harisha what happened.

"Karindol causing trouble is true. It happens often. But victims haven't objected much, and with Limgoft pressure, it never goes public."

"As expected."

Harisha's explanation matched the gallery's guesses.

Rarely, Harisha looked frustrated.

"It's infuriating, but even I can't take on an Archmage Duke Family right now. No victims stepping up."

"It's fine. I'll get stronger eventually."

"Heh. Just like you, Junior Ian."

I'm no apostle of justice.

But having been through that, I'll pay it back someday.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Truth be told, I was angrier about Leme right now.

Beating Karindol felt great, but Leme was pitiful.

"More importantly, impressive, Junior Ian? Beating Karindol."

"Just luck."

"You know it's not luck. You were no joke against me either. Did you lower your circle then?"

"No, I broke through to 5th Circle after."

"Broke to 5th in that time? Wait, you beat Karindol junior with 5th...?"

Harisha's eyes widened, speechless for a moment.

Right. She thinks I'm 4th Circle.

Now suddenly 5th, and beat Karindol at 5th.

"Ha, haha... Just how amazing are you gonna get, Junior Ian? Such a tantalizing talent."

"Politely decline student council."

Fortunately, Harisha didn't pry further.

Felt like she was being considerate.

Not digging into tough circumstances.

"Anyway, is this part of what the president mentioned before?"

"No. Karindol's personality was always like that. Again, that's far-future stuff. Not targeting mages at your level yet."

"Got it."

Karindol's attack seemed unrelated to the Archmage Duke's goals.

Just a crazy bitch from the start.

With that, I chatted more with Harisha and parted.

Got all the info worth hearing from her.

"Ian? Heading to the training room again?"

On the way out from the student council room,

I ran into Hisenna, walking with a feather stuck in her hair.

She'd just come from the Familiar Care Volunteer Club, it seemed.

"Ah, Hisenna. No, heading to the dorm first. Need to refresh Kim Chur's food and water."

I ignored the feather in her hair.

She probably didn't know it was there.

Such a sloppy look was so un-Hisenna; I wanted to watch longer.

"Really? Is Chur growing well?"

Ah. It fell.

As Hisenna tilted her head, the feather dropped.

Realizing it only now, she flushed red.

"Growing great. Too well, problematically. Appetite's skyrocketed lately, and size-wise, way bigger than adoption."

"Really? Seemed big at the subjugation festival, but grew more since?"

Kim Chur's been eating a ton lately.

Used to last days on one fill-up,

but eating faster over time; now twice a day.

Size grew proportionally, hugely.

Was calf-sized; now nearly torso-sized.

At this rate, giant cat's inevitable.

Good thing no litter duty.

Grandis intelligence for sure—

Taught once to use toilet; now hops up, does business, flushes.

Even closes door when I'm around.

"Grew a ton more since. Chur's food bill outstrips mine now. Wanna see? Shall I bring him?"

"Really? Can I?"

"I'd appreciate it. Got time?"

"Of course. You?"

"Finals soon, so planned to watch Chur then study theory."

And finals soon.

Hisenna tilted her head at "study theory,"

but nodded with an "aha," recalling my midterm notes score.

Other cadets find theory easy, no study needed.

Damn early education.

"Then I'll help with theory too!"

Decided to study after; headed to dorm.

Couldn't enter boys' dorm, so Hisenna waited outside.

Soon, I struggled out hugging plump Kim Chur.

Hated leaving home; barely dragged from under bed.

"Whew."

"Whoa. Really grown."

"Do familiars grow this fast usually?"

"First time seeing one grow this quick."

Hisenna too, first for her.

Grandis different, huh.

"Nyaha-"

Kim Chur wriggled from my arms, dropped.

Spun mid-air, landed safely.

Yawned hugely, sauntered to sunny spot, flopped down.

"Total dog-cat."

"Much tamer than at the club."

Turning into a fat pig, yeah.

And looks changing with size.

Kim Chur's exact beast: [Black-Shined Slasoni].

Not cat—slasoni.

Indeed, whiskers growing slasoni-style.

"Nyaa~"

"Oh my, Chur's gotten so chubby~"

"Nyaaang~"

Hisenna scratched Kim Chur's belly as he lay sprawled.

Chur purred happily, stretching out.

Long time posting Kim Chur update to gallery.

Honestly, growth speed lately worried me.

Wish Furrylike would explain.

And right on cue, Furrylike appeared.

What. Furry lover predicted this.

Grandis have rapid growth phases?

And truly waiting for this moment,

Furrylike answered my questions right away.