Chapter 53
Chapter 53
Episode 53
“…”
There was no need to panic.
With my intelligence of 80 plus Oz’s intelligence of 160, totaling 240, I could overcome this situation.
“Why would you two lie to me like that?”
First, let’s consider why Eleanor was wearing that creepy smile.
She was an attention seeker. Someone overly concerned with the gazes of others.
So, she wouldn’t like being excluded. Especially not when a secret was involved.
Yes, Eleanor must have felt betrayed.
“Actually…”
“Actually?”
Then I had only one option.
“Your birthday is coming up soon, right?”
I just had to say that everything was for her.
“We were secretly discussing what to get you. But now that you’ve found out, it can’t be helped.”
“Oh…”
Fortunately, I knew Eleanor’s birthday.
Some games had systems that celebrated the player’s or the characters’ birthdays.
Broken Sky was the latter, and as a collectible RPG, players received bonuses on the birthdays of the characters they owned.
Moreover, Eleanor was the main character. That meant all players received bonuses on her birthday.
Anyone who had received that bonus would know Eleanor’s birthday.
“I…I see. I didn’t know…”
The heavy atmosphere instantly turned awkward.
The shift was so abrupt that it took a moment to adjust.
Eleanor chuckled and scratched her head.
“Haha, I ruined your plans without even realizing it.”
“It’s fine. You’re always oblivious to the atmosphere.”
“…That’s not a compliment.”
Even though she said that, she couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth from turning upwards. It seemed I had handled this perfectly.
I had overcome the crisis.
“Hehehe, that change in attitude is disgustingly fake.”
Just as the atmosphere was settling down, Baekyang made an unnecessary comment.
“Gotcha.”
“Eeeeek!”
Eleanor, who had been dragging Baekyang by the ankle, suddenly flipped her over.
Despite the cute battle cry, her actions were terrifying.
Baekyang screamed as her face hit the ground.
“Why don’t we stop this and go eat lunch?”
“Should we race?”
“Let’s put Baekyang down first.”
If Eleanor ran while holding her like that, Baekyang might be grated like cheese.
“If you insist, Master. Baekyang, do you want to walk now?”
“I-I’ll walk.”
Baekyang, who had been rolling on the ground, finally seemed to snap out of it and answered immediately, without her usual drawn-out speech.
“I’ve thought this for a while now, but Baekyang would have been better off being born an oni instead of a human.”
Baekyang, scrambling to her feet, dusted herself off and started grumbling.
Perhaps because of Noah’s earlier remark, my attention was drawn to her.
Hmm, now that she mentioned it…
“Master?”
“…We’ll be eating dinner instead of lunch at this rate. Let’s go.”
“Two outs.”
As expected of Eleanor, who was sensitive to gazes.
How did she notice everything?
She could sense it whenever the attention shifted away from her, even slightly.
Maybe Eleanor also had [Contemplation].
Perhaps because it was a slightly awkward time for lunch, the academy restaurant was relatively empty.
More importantly, something unexpected happened…
“Hmm…? Did something happen?”
“No, I just thought it was unexpected that you have such good table manners.”
It was easy to forget, considering her usual behavior, but she was royalty.
A certain elegance was evident in the way she ate.
Even if it was an act, it would be difficult to maintain such details, and the difference was quite noticeable.
“Hehehe, it’s nothing special.”
Despite her words, Eleanor couldn't hide her beaming smile.
She was so simple.
“Compared to…”
“What? Why?”
Baekyang was practically feral.
Were oni a type of yokai?
The way she tore into the giant steak without even cutting it was barbaric.
“Baekyang, look. This is called a knife…”
“Aren’t you underestimating me?! I know what a knife is!”
“Then you’re doing this on purpose? Is this some kind of oni custom?”
Was this how Tia felt when I burned down the dorm?
I started to suspect this was some kind of oni cultural practice.
“I just like eating big pieces of meat.”
Baekyang said that and then took another bite out of the steak.
She had horns, and the fangs that were visible whenever she opened her mouth wide made me realize she was an oni, a type of yokai, not a human.
“Master, are you sensitive to table manners? Should I punish her?”
Baekyang glared at Eleanor.
She seemed to feel betrayed.
“No, I just thought her fangs were interesting.”
“Ah, I understand. I sometimes feel like pulling them out, too.”
“…”
Baekyang, who had been engrossed in devouring her steak, went pale and closed her mouth.
As the atmosphere grew quieter, a group entered the restaurant.
“Ah, Scientia’s facilities are quite good, as I’d heard.”
“Since we have this opportunity, why don’t we look around a bit, in addition to our research?”
“That’s not a bad idea, but she’ll be angry if we move around without permission.”
“Of course, I know that. Do you think I have a death wish?”
They were strangers.
Outsiders, and judging by their attire and conversation, researchers.
“It seems the time has come.”
“Huh?”
Main story Chapter 3.
The time when the "Outer Beings," the main villains of the game, began to appear in earnest.
The game didn’t specifically mention researchers, but the circumstances were clear.
Even Tia, as reckless as she was, wouldn't act so carelessly in a place filled with researchers from various nations.
She must have persuaded them, even if it was through coercion.
“Sorry Noah, but I have to go.”
Since I knew the timing, it wouldn’t hurt to confirm the enemy’s presence beforehand.
Since this enemy wasn’t human, just seeing it with my own eyes would be helpful.
“Ah, Master, wait.”
“…?”
Just as I was about to leave,
Eleanor stopped me.
“Can we order one more dish?”
“Are you assuming I’ll pay for it, of course?”
I almost fell for it.
“You wouldn’t do that much for your cute disciple?!”
“Your self-esteem is truly… Fine, order whatever you want. What do you want to eat?”
“Seeing you two eat steak makes me want some, too.”
“Alright.”
It wasn’t like I couldn’t afford it. I was a little worried about spoiling her, but it was fine for once.
Besides, after Chapter 3 ended, Eleanor would start saving money, even on food.
This would be one of her last chances to indulge.
“Then I’ll be going.”
“Okay, Master. Enjoy your meal!”
I left the restaurant, leaving the two of them to finish their meal.
How should I confirm the “Outer Being” that Tia brought in?
I could ask Tia directly, but that would arouse suspicion.
I could try to blend in with the researchers, but since I was unfamiliar with them, it would take time to gain their trust.
Then it would be better to approach someone from Scientia who would participate in the research…
Someone with extensive magical knowledge, and someone I could easily approach.
“Aira Merlin.”
It was time to approach the professor in charge of my class, Class 4 of Year 1.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After Oz left, Baekyang, who had finished eating before Eleanor, watched as she cut into her steak, having already finished her pasta.
“Noah.”
“Yeah?”
Baekyang, practically lying on the table, looked at Eleanor with half-closed eyes.
“Earlier…”
She was an oni who enjoyed deceiving and playing pranks on others. Naturally, she was sensitive to lies.
She could sense that most of the people around Eleanor were covered in lies.
‘How pitiful.’
Everyone, regardless of who they were, carried big and small lies.
But if there were so many people stained with lies, there was only one explanation.
The problem lay with Eleanor herself.
‘I don’t know the exact reason, but…’
Baekyang couldn't help but be intrigued by Eleanor.
That’s why she approached her, and…
“Yeah? What about earlier?”
“…”
…became captivated by her. To be honest, there were very few people in Scientia that Baekyang truly connected with.
Humans and oni lived differently.
That’s why it was easy to become friends with Eleanor, a fellow mischief-maker.
‘This is difficult to say.’
But perhaps as a consequence, Baekyang, having gained a friend with similar tendencies to an oni, had become closer to humanity.
That’s why she hesitated to reveal Oz’s lie.
She didn't want to see Noah get hurt.
‘Really, why should I even worry about this?’
The only consolation was that they genuinely cared about Eleanor.
But even white lies were still lies.
‘Noah, too…’
Everyone around her was lying.
Oz, Lucia, Ulla, Marie, and even Eleanor herself.
‘Relationships built on lies can’t last.’
As an oni, there were things she could sense. She knew everyone cared about Noah.
But they were deceiving each other, hiding important things.
Such relationships were destined to fall apart.
“Oz was lying earlier.”
That’s why Baekyang decided to gradually reveal those lies.
She wasn't trying to cause discord.
Rather, she thought it was necessary to untangle the lies before it was too late. Once the lies became too intertwined, it would be impossible to unravel them.
‘Even if it hurts, Noah will be able to forgive those lies.’
So, it was up to her to expose those lies and inflict small wounds.
“Yeah? I already knew that.”
“What…?”
But Eleanor’s reaction was different from what she expected.
Instead of being hurt or condemning Baekyang’s suspicion, she spoke nonchalantly.
“I never told him when my birthday was.”
Baekyang found Eleanor’s smile unsettling.
“Th-Then why?”
Why did she let it slide?
Eleanor popped a small piece of steak into her mouth and said,
“His excuse was amusing. I wanted to see how he would handle it. That’s why I let it go.”
“…”
“Aren’t you curious? Hehe.”
Baekyang flinched at Eleanor’s mischievous smile and backed away slightly.
Eleanor hadn’t been fooled.
She had simply given Oz a reprieve.
“As an oni, you understand this feeling, don't you, Baekyang?”
“What…?”
“Don’t you think so?”
“Uh… Y-Yes.”
“I thought you would.”
Baekyang recalled her careless remark before entering the restaurant.
–I’ve thought this for a while now, but Baekyang would have been better off being born an oni instead of a human.
Yes, it was a careless remark.
This wasn’t just a mischievous prankster.
‘She’s a demon…’
She wasn't becoming more human. It had just seemed that way in comparison.
Baekyang, sensing the unknown emotions hidden behind Eleanor’s bright smile, cautiously averted her gaze.
She looked at the pieces of steak Eleanor was meticulously cutting.
“Y-You like your steak rare.”
“Hmm? Oh, right. I prefer it this way.”
“I see…”
Baekyang stared at the cross-section of the steak, emotionlessly sliced by Eleanor’s knife, and shuddered.
She knew it wasn’t true, but the red pieces of meat and the flowing juices looked like they were stained with blood.
‘The old saying ‘silence is golden’ is true.’
Baekyang closed her eyes, recalling an old adage from the Federation.
She couldn't bear to face this gruesome reality any longer.
Slice
The only sound she heard was the slicing of meat.