Chapter 118
Chapter 118
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 118
Chapter Title: Pudding's Escapade and Kun's Invitation
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1
"Shall we hunt for some Easter eggs...?"
I'd safely escaped the tea ceremony club and was now rolling around on my dorm bed.
There were still plenty of Easter eggs hidden around Esterro Academy.
Statues that appeared in specific spots at night, a clock tower that ran backward only under certain conditions, a lake where something massive swam around, and more.
There was fun in tracking them down one by one.
It was a bit different, but still the joy of exploring mysteries.
"Well... it's hard to just enjoy them purely now...."
Easter eggs themselves were harmless little jokes that didn't affect the game at all.
So I'd enjoyed them carefree... but in this world, they were tied to something important.
The Tartar Hall Easter egg had Precursors trying to steal it, or unfamiliar runes inscribed on it.
The mirror world had an egg with runes inside, and a black dragon I'd never seen before hatched from it.
Because of that, I couldn't enjoy them innocently anymore.
If I dove in determined to uncover the hidden truths, I didn't even know exactly what these Easter eggs were connected to.
It was hard to enjoy, but I couldn't ignore them either.
That was the dilemma.
"By the way... what's this now?"
I lifted just my head from the bed.
At my feet, Pudding was rolling around, covered in dirt and wrapped in a muffler.
I decided to ignore the dirt on the carpet for now.
"Pudding, did you go outside or something?"
-Kyu!
Was that a yes?
Pudding was quite the talker and kept trying to chat with me.
Of course, I had no talent for understanding dragon speech.
This was when a proper interpreter came in handy.
"Choco, what happened?"
Called by name, Choco hopped onto the bed and pointed at the open window.
From the gestures, I got the gist.
"Pudding snuck out while I was gone?"
Nod nod.
"And you chased after to keep it from getting caught?"
Nod nod.
"You even put the muffler on it?"
Nod!
"Oh man, good job. You're such a good boy."
I didn't even want to imagine what would've happened if Pudding got spotted by someone.
I lavished Choco's head with pets as praise.
But that was that... Pudding trying to go out alone was a problem.
I couldn't take it for regular walks, so what was I supposed to do?
Leaving it in the room didn't work either, as today proved.
Choco could tag along and watch it... but I couldn't be absolutely sure it wouldn't get caught.
This was tricky. Real tricky.
Another dilemma.
"For now... Pudding, let's get you a bath."
I couldn't tolerate it wandering around caked in that much dirt.
I sat up and scooped up Pudding, who kept rubbing against my feet.
-Kyukyu!
Pudding looked up at me with sparkling eyes, delighted to be held.
It was so cute-looking... Wait, what was that around its neck?
"Where'd you even get this?"
Pudding had a necklace with a shiny transparent gem dangling from its neck.
It was definitely something I'd never seen in my room.
"You didn't take someone's lost item, did you?"
Pudding looked totally clueless.
Instead, Choco mimed digging in the ground with a shovel enthusiastically.
"You dug up something buried? Then it should be fine."
If it was buried, it probably didn't have an owner anymore.
I tried to take it off to wash Pudding, but it headbanged like crazy.
"...You don't want it taken off?"
-Kyuaa!
Apparently so.
Maybe because it was pitch black, it liked shiny things like a crow.
Well, whatever—it could keep the necklace on while I washed it.
I carried Pudding to the bathroom with a sigh.
I'd never raised a kid before, but this sure felt like child-rearing.
2
"That's right! It totally feels like raising a kid!"
Ethan nodded vigorously as he crossed the hallway.
His always vibrant blue eyes clearly showed signs of exhaustion today.
"That... tiring, huh?"
Noel asked, shoulders hunched a bit.
He was probably worried since we'd be volunteering together this weekend.
Ethan rubbed his chin and shrugged.
"It's not that bad for me... but buddy, how was it last time we volunteered?"
He meant when we'd played with the kids at the orphanage.
No need to reminisce—the answer came right away.
"I nearly threw my back out."
Kids were cute.
But behind that cuteness was terrifying stamina.
My stamina was below average at the academy, but by normal standards it was pretty good—and even I was wiped out.
Kids must've had super batteries installed: strong and long-lasting.
"No wonder I'm getting worried...."
"But kids are cute. Super cute. That's why even when it's tough, you get your energy back! Don't worry too much!"
Tiring but energizing— wasn't that a contradiction?
I was volunteering too, so I wasn't one to talk.
Would my stamina hold up...? Nah, think of it as extra physical training.
For reference, Leon said nothing.
With his stamina, he didn't even seem human, so no worries taking him along.
"Well, if it isn't..."
Suddenly, an unwelcome voice came from ahead.
We all turned to look, and familiar red hair caught my eye first.
Same color as Kane's, but shorter and neatly styled—Kun strode over, sweeping back his hair.
"I wondered if we'd meet, and here we are. Leon."
"...It's been a while. Brother."
Leon bowed slightly toward Kun's fake smile.
I didn't like it either... but with all the eyes around, I just nodded curtly.
Ethan and Noel, unaware of the situation, bowed too since Leon called him brother.
More importantly, why was this guy here?
"Are you studying diligently?"
"Yes, I'm striving every day."
Maybe because others were watching, Kun acted like a kind, caring older brother.
His fake smile, tone, even his voice pitch—all changed.
His acting was downright chilling.
Leon, meanwhile, was utterly mechanical.
His emotionless demeanor wasn't much different from usual... but there was a key difference.
He wasn't showing dislike—just bottling it up.
Unable to stand it, I cut in.
"What brings you here?"
"I came to give a lecture for the underclassmen after so long."
No one else to lecture, so they call this guy?
It was absurd... but rationally, it wasn't.
Kun Hilfenberg had entered Esterro Academy as top student, graduated early in three years as top again.
Not stopping there, he finished his master's in two years; instead of a PhD, he handled elite diplomatic work for the royals.
Born into a great noble bloodline, duke's family status, innate talent—all combined.
He wasn't a martial prodigy like Leon, but if you didn't know his dark side, he seemed outstandingly normal.
"I won't interrupt your time with friends. See you after the lecture."
Kun smiled brightly and left.
He gave me a lingering look as he passed....
Why'd he look at me like that?
So creepy.
"He seems kinda fake...."
Only after Kun was fully out of sight did Ethan mutter absentmindedly.
Then he remembered Leon's brother and clapped a hand over his mouth.
"Sorry! Buddy! I wasn't thinking!"
"No, it's fine."
Leon shook his head calmly.
Then he glanced in the direction Kun left and added curtly.
"I think so too."
3
"The driving force behind my being here today comes from many sources, but I'd like to say that a challenging attitude is the most important."
Kun spat fervor from the podium.
I half-listened to his speech with glazed eyes.
If it weren't mandatory attendance, I wouldn't be stuck in the back of the lecture hall.
It was boring enough to kill me, and suppressing yawns was exhausting.
I was starting to suspect this was torture disguised as a lecture.
The content was predictably clichéd.
Just earnest self-help drivel straight out of any motivational book.
Soon he'd say early birds fly higher so do miracle mornings, cultivate note-taking and double-checking habits, approach everything with a positive mindset like seeing half a glass as half full.
Were the devs of this trash game obsessed with that "pain makes youth" crap, or was it universal bullshit...?
Hearing it from Kun's mouth was killing me.
I'd always hated self-help books.
Life wasn't simple enough to diagram.
Countless variables affected each person's path; no advice could predict them all.
But self-help books always implied blindly following would guarantee success—pure nonsense.
Cloud-grabbing without considering reality.
And like most, they assumed success came purely from skill, no luck involved—arrogant as hell.
Often preaching value monism: certain habits or outlooks were just wrong.
No way I could like them.
And Kun of all people spouting this cookie-cutter stuff was the funniest.
Born into privilege, gifted with top talent, groomed to bloom—did he have the right to preach challenges?
With the Hilfenberg backing, he was primed for any challenge; overflowing money and honor meant failure barely hurt.
Just learn and move on.
It was thinking impossible for someone whose life could crash from one failure.
Like the marshmallow experiment's fatal flaw.
You can't expect someone starving to wait ten minutes for two marshmallows when one means survival now.
Well... maybe only someone who's been to rock bottom could think that.
Everyone around me sparkled with focus on Kun's speech.
Esterro Academy was an elite track for those excelling in power, talent, or wealth.
Perfect soil for his words to sink in.
Of course, some couldn't buy it.
I glanced at Leon beside me.
He stared blankly at the lecture.
Not really listening.
Just killing time.
Honestly, same here.
I just wanted to nap in the dorm hugging the kids.
Since I couldn't, here I was rambling thoughts.
"That's all from me. Time's up perfectly. I'll head out. As a senior, helping juniors is natural, so contact me anytime you need."
Kun wrapped his passionate lecture and stepped down.
Students and staff erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.
Too lazy, I clapped exactly three times.
Clap, clap, clap.
Their good reactions... well, understandable.
Kun Hilfenberg packaged himself masterfully.
Like Lucius's son: tall and handsome, eye-catching red hair, charisma in those scarlet eyes.
Appearance to public persona—image-making on point.
Graduated academy in five years with master's, brilliant mind, innate confidence—naturally adored.
Getting one-upped on vacation was basically me cheating.
Ignored evidence, sniped his plan dead-on.
Without me, he'd have poisoned as planned, framed Leon.
Silently eliminated all accomplices and evidence from existence.
Meticulous and ruthless.
Even I couldn't have found proof if it went off without a hitch.
Problem was he'd keep bothering Leon....
"Ah, Leon. Dinner together? I know a great place."
Lost in thought, Kun approached from the podium.
Leon nodded silently at his kind-brother mask.
Speak of the devil.
What a scumbag.
I patted Leon's shoulder for encouragement and stood—then Kun smiled and added.
"It's been a while, so join us. Theo Agrit."