Chapter 173
Chapter 173
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 173
Chapter Title: Spring and Yuria's Chocolate Donut (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Most people think of spring, when flowers bloom, as a warm season.
It's the season when the grass, dormant all winter, begins to grow, and new life is conceived.
But contrary to this common perception, spring is actually quite chilly.
For one, the ground, cooled throughout the winter, needs plenty of time to warm up.
And when spring arrives, people naturally start wearing much lighter clothes than they did in winter.
You dress lightly because the weather has warmed up, only for a cold wind to whistle through the gaps in your clothes?
It's the perfect recipe for catching a cold, no matter how healthy you are.
The temperature can be warm one moment and then suddenly drop below freezing the next.
It's not for nothing that people say spring is just an extension of winter.
‘Though, I suppose another reason is that global warming has lengthened summer and winter, making it hard to experience a proper spring.’
Still, the fortunate thing about this world is that there are plenty of solutions.
Scientific advancements have made carbon capture technology practical, for instance.
Plus, there’s magic that can make trees grow in an instant or purify pollution.
At least I won't have to worry about the world ending from global warming in my lifetime.
‘To think I don't have to feel sorry for the polar bears... Grow up big and strong, little bears.’
...Wait, did I get sidetracked?
Staring blankly out the window, I shook my head hard to clear the stray thoughts.
Then, I continued cleaning my room to prepare for the guest who would soon arrive.
The reason I was just randomly thinking about spring while looking out the window was simple.
It was because winter was ending, and you could say it was about time for spring to arrive.
It was mid-March.
Two months had already passed since the bustling Fixer exam ended.
Time had really flown by in the blink of an eye.
And the surprises didn't end there.
For these past two months... it had been unbelievably quiet compared to the chaotic end of last year and the beginning of this one!
The days were so peaceful that the memories of fighting fiercely for my life were starting to fade.
‘Well, it would be a lie to say nothing happened at all...’
Of course, perhaps because the Fixer Agency is followed by bad luck...
...there was no end to the commotion, even during this peaceful period.
Things like betting the agency in a match against the ultimate gambler, getting entangled with a cyber-plague in a VR world, or suddenly finding themselves in a romance with the hottest idol of the moment.
It was a series of chaotic days, just like you'd expect from the protagonists of a shonen manga.
But the previous incidents had involved big-name factions like the Metahuman Liberation Army or the Invaders.
So it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say these last two months have been unusually peaceful.
‘Come to think of it, I'm glad I returned to the general store. If I had stayed at the agency, I would've been dragged into all those tiresome incidents. My current situation, where I can just step in when it really matters, is perfect.’
For the record, the reason I know about all the incidents I just mentioned is simple.
I happened to be passing by, got unintentionally involved in each one.
And ended up having to discreetly help out with my psychokinesis.
For example, when Raven's hand was worse than the gambler's, I secretly swapped the cards.
Or when the agency crew was in trouble, unable to log out of the VR, I discreetly pressed the exit button.
It might look like I'm just swooping in at the crucial moment, but even Raven admits I was a help.
Otherwise, he wouldn't secretly bring me enough delicious snacks and food to make my stomach burst.
Hehehe, he must be grateful, even if he pretends not to be.
I wish he'd just openly praise and spoil me more.
‘The only disappointing thing is that we haven't made any real progress with the secret lab we found... I was sure we'd find a clue related to the Child of God.’
The secret area beneath Nighthaven, handed over to the Association through Raven, commonly known as the Delta Lab.
All sorts of experts and Fixers were sent in, combing through the interior for days without rest.
And after rescuing and observing the girls who were frozen as if time had stopped, the conclusion was as follows:
Nothing could be determined.
Tidying up a spot for my guest, I let out a sigh at the empty conclusion.
‘No wonder those meticulous bastards abandoned it. Besides the fact that it's incomprehensible to modern science and magic, there's zero meaningful information. We're back to square one.’
Should I consider it lucky that we found the hidden Invader fragment amidst all that?
But even with that, it's a complete mystery who hid it there and for what reason.
As someone full of questions, it was all incredibly frustrating.
Still, I'm sure the day will come when I finally find out.
Forcing myself to calm my anxious heart, I suddenly turned my head at the sense of a presence outside.
“Yuria! Big sis is here!”
“…!”
At the all-too-familiar voice, I shot up from my seat and flung the door open.
Beyond it stood Alice, smiling brightly, holding delicious-looking snacks and a drink.
The snack was a glazed donut, my favorite, generously coated in sugar.
The drink was a rich milkshake, the kind that makes you crave french fries to dip in it.
As soon as a beaming Alice carefully set them down on the desk, I scurried over and threw my arms around her in a tight hug.
Normally, Alice is the one who initiates hugs, so it's not something I usually do.
But I had her come all the way to the agency today, even though it's the weekend.
I felt I should at least show this much sincerity.
“Did you miss me that much?”
“Alice…”
“Yep, yep, it's me, your big sis!”
Of course, she's still the type to show enough affection to walk through fire for me if I asked.
She's a truly precious person to me in so many ways. The thought of using her never crossed my mind.
Besides, if I crossed a line and our relationship soured, I'd be the only one losing out.
When else would I get the chance to be friends with someone so pretty and kind?
“Heeheehee, Yuria is so cute today, too…”
…Or maybe not?
I quietly looked up at Alice's disheveled face, practically drooling, then quickly averted my gaze.
She's still a good person, at least to me.
I didn't want to think badly of her. Must protect Alice.
“Alright, shall we work hard again today? Pronunciation practice!”
“Yeah…”
“But first… let's have a snack!”
Yep, I can agree with that.
I gazed at the donut on the desk, which was emitting a delicious smell, and smiled happily.
Perhaps it's thanks to Alice's gourmet palate.
The donut, coated in sticky sugar, was fantastically delicious.
***
After devouring the donut and milkshake.
I sat side-by-side with Alice at the desk.
What we were going to do today was none other than pronunciation practice.
It was training I'd been doing consistently since I became able to speak two months ago.
I know how I'm supposed to speak, but for some strange reason, my voice won't come out the way I want it to.
The goal was to gradually master pronunciation with Alice's help.
“Okay. Let's try again. Apple.”
“…Sya.”
“Apple.”
“Seut…”
“Apple.”
“Gat!”
“Ap… *gasp*…”
To think I can't even say the word 'apple'... How frustrating.
Holding my breath as I strained my throat, I gasped for air and collapsed weakly onto the desk.
Alice turned her head to the side, her body twitching as if she was trying to hold back laughter.
If she was going to do that, I'd rather she just laughed openly. This hurts more.
*Sigh*, anyway. I want to do well, but it's just not working out…
Feeling sorry for taking up so much of her time, I glanced up at Alice.
There she was, smiling goofily with a slightly flushed face.
It seemed she wasn't frustrated with me at all; I could feel her kind heart.
So, I struggled to sit up, grabbed the hem of Alice's clothes, and conveyed the words full of apology that I'd somehow managed to practice over the past two months.
“Alice… myang…”
“*Sob*…! It's okay! Your big sis knows better than anyone in the world how hard you're trying!”
“Yeah…”
Alice clutched her chest and pulled me into a hug, looking like she was about to cry.
I could feel a passionate emotion from her that could rival a melodramatic scene in a touching movie.
Well, Alice has been by my side helping me for the two months since I first started speaking.
She's the one who would know best how much I've changed.
‘It's great that I can talk now... but why can't I say anything other than a few specific words?’
Pulling away from Alice's embrace and gathering my strength again, I stared at the words circled emphatically in my notebook.
My name, plus Raven, Greg, Alice, David, and Sabrina.
I couldn't get any words out of my mouth except for these six.
It's like the moment I try to speak, an invisible hand chops me in the throat.
Even if I twisted my body and strained so hard I could cough up blood, the result was the same.
In fact, I was just struggling to say a simple word like 'apple'.
No matter what word I tried, the result would probably be the same.
I guess simple training isn't enough to get any better.
As I stared at the notebook with mixed feelings, Alice, who had composed herself, grabbed my shoulders firmly and said with a passionate voice.
“But it's not completely useless, right? ‘Hi’ is ‘nya’! ‘Like’ is ‘kya’! ‘Sorry’ is ‘myang’! If we keep practicing like this, I'm sure you'll be able to speak properly someday!”
“…”
I'm not so sure if that's really a good thing…
My face flushed, and I placed a hand on my soft cheek, letting out a small sigh.
I know it can't be helped, but it feels like I'm just acting cute.
I should definitely never do this in front of people I don't know well.
I made that resolution to myself and went back to my pronunciation practice.
If I keep practicing like this, maybe I'll be able to speak properly someday.
I'll try to take it one step at a time, without getting impatient.
I pictured myself giving a fluent speech and continued practicing until my throat hurt.
Hoping for the day I can fully convey the stories in my heart to everyone.
Perhaps such a small, simple resolution was what sparked my motivation.