Chapter 15
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: I Didn't Want to Know
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I didn't want to know.
At first, I thought it was just aftereffects.
I'm well aware that loud noises can cause tinnitus.
I'd suffered plenty from it back in the military, so I always made sure to wear earplugs at the range.
But this was different somehow.
It was too clear to be tinnitus, and it was taking the form of conversations.
- Good morning.
- Isn't it tough cleaning the second-floor windows of the mansion?
- Did you see that yesterday? I heard the young master and the lady sparred.
- That brooch is so pretty! Where'd you get it?
"Aghhh..."
One at a time, I might not have noticed.
But with multiple voices overlapping at once, it was giving me chills.
What was it like? Like walking past a strip where four phone stores were crammed together, all blasting their ads.
Fucking loud—turn down the music!
No matter how much I plugged my ears, the sounds wouldn't fade, so I pulled the blanket over my head and tried to calm down.
But...
- Oh, really?
- I swear!
- Thud thud.
- Thump thump.
"Fuck...!"
Not just conversations—the footsteps of a maid passing my door and even heartbeats were audible. I felt like I was going insane.
Someone save me... I'm losing my mind!
- Wooong...
Before I knew it, Wong-i had materialized and slipped under the blanket, rubbing against my cheek.
"Wong-i?"
Was it trying to comfort me?
So soft and fluffy—nice texture.
As we rolled around together, Wong-i gave one final press.
"Huh?"
The sounds from outside diminished a bit.
No way...
"Is this your power?"
As if agreeing, Wong-i bobbed up and down.
Come to think of it, Wong-i's attribute was earth, and its type was vibration.
With this vibration ability awakening—something I hadn't understood well—my senses had temporarily expanded... or something like that?
Voices, footsteps—they're all vibrations!
"Wong-i, save me..."
- Wooong...
Wong-i's body went limp, as if it couldn't do more.
Right. Given how fine things had been until now, this was probably a skill I'd gained from getting thoroughly thrashed by Elena yesterday.
Being able to control it overnight would be weirder.
"Guess I'll have to get used to it..."
At least I could take solace that my efforts up to yesterday hadn't been in vain.
The stronger Wong-i got, the better my chances of survival.
The noise had quieted a lot, but enduring it all day still seemed tough...
"...By any chance, can you tone down everything except the heartbeats?"
- Wooong.
Wong-i shivered.
The faint voices and footsteps faded away, leaving only the heartbeats, growing clearer.
"Good job."
Better a bunch of similar heartbeats than varying voices.
Like fantasy study frequencies or whatever—close enough.
"For now, let's get ready quick and head somewhere less crowded..."
Destination: the library.
There might be books on other methods.
I threw on some clothes and hurried out.
"Oh, young master. Good morning."
"You worked so hard yesterday!"
"The way you two exchanged blows was so intense, had me sweating just watching."
"Really? Ahaha..."
The maids cleaning the hall greeted me one by one.
Normally, I'd chat back, fishing for rumors or info circulating in the ducal household.
- Thump thump.
But with heartbeats pounding from all directions, no room for that.
Hell, I could barely hear their voices clearly.
This could be a decent ability if used right, but damn, it was noisy and disorienting.
I gave quick nods and hurried off.
At least the library rarely had visitors unless it was deep-clean day.
- Click.
The library's heavy air and scent of paper welcomed me.
Finally, a moment to breathe—
"Oh, young master? Long time no see!"
"Ah, Maylin."
The librarian, Maylin, widened her eyes in greeting.
I used to come often, but lately, prepping for spars kept me away.
Been a while since I last saw her face.
"Everything okay? You look pale..."
"No, just... Huh?"
- Thump thump.
Something felt off.
This ability let me hear others' heartbeats, not my own.
- Thump-thump-thump-thump.
So whose was this suddenly racing one?
Only Maylin was around here.
...
Did meeting me make Maylin's heart race?
This...
'...Fuck.'
Please no.
I'm not into furries.
No, even then, the lower half should be human at least! Hug me from behind or something!
Wait, goat upper body, human lower? That's messed up too.
"No, it's nothing. I need to find a book alone, so I'll head in."
"Pardon? Oh... okay."
I gave Maylin a quick greeting and dove deeper inside.
I don't want to discriminate against beastkin, but tastes are personal.
And fuck, I really didn't want to know...
"So... you can hear other people's heartbeats?"
"Yes..."
"That's quite the peculiar ability."
Unfortunately, the books on spirits in the library offered no solutions.
There were spirit arts users with similar experiences, but spirits' powers varied wildly, as did the sensations.
No immediate fixes listed.
Arwen wasn't visiting today either, sadly.
On a whim, I checked the back garden, where Eirin was instructing Elena in swordsmanship.
"I've heard of something similar. You're probably sensory-type."
"Sensory-type?"
"I don't know much about spirit arts users, but I've fought plenty. They split into two groups: sensory and emitter."
Eirin sketched in the dirt with her scabbard.
"Sensory-types aren't much different from knights. They use magic to create favorable situations and fight up close."
She drew a figure in flaming clothes and one with wind around its legs.
Huh, Eirin. You draw better than expected.
"Emitters, on the other hand, are like mages—using spirits for ranged magic."
"So I'm sensory-type... but suck at swords?"
"...Well, you could say that."
Trash character.
Already got kicked out of sword and magic academies for no talent, and now no-talent in spirit arts too?
This is rigged!
"Rarely, some had traits of both sensory and emitter."
"Oh, really?"
"Annoying—they attacked whether I closed or widened distance. But..."
I didn't know Eirin's full strength, but she was no slouch.
For her to find it tricky?
If I could pull that off, my ceiling was high.
"I won in the end. Took their head."
"..."
"Years swinging this blade, and I'd lose to some half-assed hybrid?"
But floor was low.
Still trash...
As I slumped in despair, footsteps approached.
"Done."
"Good work."
"...Hey, Sis."
"Yeah."
Elena stopped her swings from afar, sweat-glistened, and approached. I greeted her.
A girl my age approaching like that should be exciting.
But somehow reverent, like watching an athlete—no sparks.
I dazedly watched her wipe her neck with a towel.
"...Huh?"
Something odd.
I heard Eirin's heartbeat clearly, but not Elena's.
She'd just been moving, so it should be louder.
Told Eirin; she hummed.
"Still hearing it now?"
"...Huh? No."
Eirin's heartbeat stopped too.
What, do knights have passive skills to vegetative-state their bodies?
Broken—nerf it!
"Looks like channeling mana blocks the sound."
"...Ah."
Up close, both were subtly enhancing their bodies.
Tricky against knights in real fights, then...
But the fresh quiet felt great.
"Peace is this nice, huh..."
Some things you only appreciate after losing them.
Nodding at the epiphany.
If some guy whined trivially in front of me now, I'd slap him.
Hmm, dash to the duke's office?
Payback for yesterday's rolling.
Nah, he'd wish-grant a smackdown.
"I'll slowly reduce my mana now—focus your senses on the sound?"
"Ugh, just got quiet."
"No gain without pain. To control it, train the ability instead."
Fair.
- Wong-i.
I mentally asked Wong-i, closed my eyes, and focused.
"I'll do it."
"...Pardon? But..."
"Need to retrain sense amplification too."
"...Understood."
Slowly extended senses toward Elena.
Ignore other sounds—heartbeats only.
Waiting...
- ...Thump.
Faint sound.
Mana around her had thinned to the threshold.
Signaled Elena; heartbeat faded.
Repeat: stop, sound, tug-of-war. After ten minutes...
- Wooong...
"Ack...!"
Sudden headache; clutched my head.
No, not after so little?
"That's the limit, it seems."
"Yeah..."
Focusing ate stamina.
Senses expanded; grass in wind rustled.
Throbbing pain sucked, but...
"Feels like I improved a bit?"
State better already.
Signaled three, four times for more mana.
At this rate, usable daily or on-demand?
"Can you help train tomorrow same time?"
"I'm fine, but... this is Lady Elena's slot..."
Eirin glanced at Elena.
Asking permission...
Elena nodded readily.
"I'm good."
"...Really?"
"Two conditions."
Conditions?
Didn't expect Elena—having everything here—to want anything from me.
"What?"
"One: don't call me Sis."
"...Ah."
Figured.
Sudden brother probably irked her.
Her brow twitched faintly each time—holding back disgust?
I gave a wry smile.
"Got i..."
"Call me Lena Sis instead."
"...What?"
"...Nickname."
...Sis? With a cutesy nickname?
Stunned by the unexpected.
Didn't she hate me?
Blank, Elena frowned.
"Answer."
"...Uh? No, got it..."
"......"
"Le... Lena Sis..."
"Good."
Nodded satisfied.
What the hell situation?
Dizzying.
"Second: help with my spars."
"...Spar? Me? But sword-wise, Lena Sis is better."
"Lack real combat experience."
Then spar Eirin—why me?
Elena pondered, tapped her lips.
"Words."
"...Words?"
"Those words last time. Panicked me."
Last time? Back garden tea? No.
During clash—face unmoved then, so makeup jab?
"Same ones, while clashing swords."
"......"
"Training to get used to it."
I gave Eirin a pitiful look.
This right?
Ducal house okay like this?
Eirin shook head fast: refuse please.
Yeah, no way.
Nodding agreement—
Elena closed in, pinched my cheeks, eye-locked.
"Look at me. Eirin unrelated."
"...Ugh."
"Do it or not?"
Do it?
Normally, refuse absurd demand.
"...I'll do it."
"Good."
...Gotta survive somehow.
Few more days like this, I'd go mad.
Faint sigh from Eirin—pretend not heard.
"Now."
Tossed spare wooden sword my way, took stance apart.
"Begin."
...Sudden? No clue.
"Faster."
"...Fine. Don't complain after."
Light swing at defensive Elena, pondering.
What to say?
Tea stuff situational, ineffective.
Need body-shaming like face.
"Hm."
Not ideal, but blacksmith days: heard crude jokes, insults.
Unleash uncle banter...
"Wo... Women belong in kitchens..."
"......"
"Why step out...?"
"Properly. Or no training help."
"No, fuck."
Slightly harder swing.
Life-or-insanity stakes—not optional aid!
"Hoo."
Her demand.
Channeling rising emotion from danjeon, opened mouth.
- Clack!
"You should hold a ladle, not a sword, you bitch!"
"......"
"Daring defy a pillar of the house, sky-like man?"
"......"
"If not for that fat ass, I wouldn't touch you!"
"......"
"Whoa, tits...!"
"Stop, there."
Eirin intercepted, grabbed sword.
"Servants approaching. If we continue..."
"...My image tanks. Thanks for stopping."
"Affects Lady's rep too—natural."
Barely held final word.
Whew, nearly crossed no-return rage river.
"...You think that normally?"
"No, insane? Orphanage forge jokes!"
"Men say that? In front of wives...?"
"Hell no—waist snaps. That's why jokes."
Just pride-preservation flailing.
Everyone knows home truths; that shop owner handcrafted ring for wife—henpecked.
Just coping mechanism...
...Never married pre-possession, clueless really.
"...Lena Sis, must we? Eirin here now, fine—but caught later..."
"...I agree, Lady. For reps, reconsider."
Despite pleas...
Elena just stood, back turned.
Hmm, overdid—cooling anger?
Ears faintly red...
"...Fine, skip this."
"Whew, wise."
Tough condition gone.
Just nickname, she'd help—returned relieved.
Few tough days ahead, but whatever.
"Gotta."