Chapter 112
Chapter 112
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: Quack
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【Why are you pretending to sleep?】
Whoosh, whoosh.
A hand made of Lamenta's shadow slipped right between the eyeholes of my mask, then pulled back out.
It was a movement brimming with curiosity, checking if anything was inside.
Blink, blink.
I just blinked without much reaction.
I wasn't actually sleeping.
But it was also hard to say I was fully awake.
More like my consciousness had sunk down, floating in some hazy state of sensation.
I'd simply stopped thinking and stayed still, but hearing it called 'pretending to sleep' made me feel oddly guilty.
【You're pretending to sleep, right?】
Tap, tap.
This time, there was a knocking sound on the cheek part of my mask.
Shadow fingers poked and prodded at my face like it was a toy, click-clack.
I didn't respond and just slightly turned my head.
“…….”
【?】
Then I heard—or rather, felt in my mind—Lamenta letting out a little snicker.
【Busted.】
...No, I'm not.
I wanted to say something, but speaking with my mouth was always impossible.
So, as usual, I chose silence instead.
I protested quietly in my mind, but apparently Lamenta couldn't hear that.
In the end, I let out a resigned sigh and dropped my head with a thud.
I buried my face on the desk, silently enduring the misunderstanding of 'pretending to sleep.'
These kinds of mix-ups had become everyday now.
【Hmm…….】
Lamenta gently placed one hand on top of my mask.
She brought the other to her chin, forming a V, and seemed to ponder for a moment.
【You were taking a catnap, huh.】
Nod, nod.
Only then did I nod my head.
It wasn't real sleep, but not wakefulness either.
That hazy boundary of a catnap, where thoughts and emotions faintly melted away, floating somewhere.
Tap, tap. Knock, knock.
But even after guessing right, Lamenta kept tapping on my mask.
She poked lightly on the left, tapping with her finger.
Then carefully crept to the right, knocking again.
It was like she was using the mask itself as an instrument, playfully drumming a rhythm.
【Ah~ Ah~】
Her mouth made of shadow opened.
A voice burrowing from the air into my ear...
No, ringing directly in my mind.
And then, the next moment...
“…….”
I narrowed my eyes.
This time, she really shoved her face in.
Lamenta grabbed my mask with both hands and poked her head in.
That tiny, pitch-black silhouette instantly covered half my vision.
【Oh...! I can't see anything!】
An innocent voice echoed in my mind once more.
...No kidding.
You're the one blocking it.
You're covering my view.
【Huh?】
Receiving that gaze, Lamenta snickered again...
And this time, she spun her finger around inside my mask.
Round and round, drawing a tiny, foolish circle right in front of my eyes.
【Feels like there's nothing inside the mask. It's totally empty.】
Even tossing in some needless commentary.
...Finally.
“......Enough.”
【Huh?】
Snap.
As if unable to bear it anymore, Rev's hand, sitting beside me, moved quietly.
That hand snapped up Lamenta's shadow.
With the deft motion of scooping a fish from water.
【Why!】
Snap, snap, snap.
Lamenta flailed her legs wildly in the air, letting out a big fuss.
She pressed down hard on the back of Rev's hand with her tiny one, but...
Of course, it had no effect.
I stared blankly at the scene, then quietly turned my gaze forward.
“Then let's summarize.”
Up on the podium in the lecture hall.
Delphine continued speaking, hands clasped behind her back in her usual posture.
“The order doesn't matter. Come find me whenever you want.”
Sparring order is free.
The time to seek out Delphine is left to each student's judgment.
Not first-come, first-served, not by grades.
Just that those with the will should come first.
“Sparring can be observed. However, only with the participating student's consent, and if they refuse, no observers allowed.”
Respecting each student's wishes.
One person's will takes priority over the group's curiosity.
“Artifact use is allowed, but potion use is not.”
The key point here was clear.
Potions for recovery or buffs are banned, but...
Artifacts that directly impact combat are permitted.
For example... things like 【Dreamweaver's Mask】 or 【Cupid's Arrow】, artifacts that could draw out performance beyond limits.
“Hmm... that's all.”
Delphine rested her chin, falling silent for a moment.
She seemed to mull over her words, but with nothing more to add, she tilted her head back.
“For the assignment... after lunch today, come anytime.”
Her tone remained flat to the end.
And...
Tap, tap.
“...?”
“…….”
Turning at the touch on my arm...
Rev's expressionless face moved a pen over prepared paper.
[What's the assignment?]
He looked like he didn't get it.
Not that he didn't know the concept of 'assignment,' but he couldn't grasp what this one entailed.
“…….”
I'd at least heard the summary...
But it seemed Rev hadn't even caught that.
[Spar with prof]
[Spar?]
[Yeah]
[0-0?]
[👍]
The conversation ended short and simple.
As the clock's second hand ticked, Delphine's lecture ended.
Students began filing out of the hall one by one.
“You doing it right away?”
“Huh? Thinking about it.”
“Oh... you're diligent.”
Whispers echoed around the lecture hall.
Everyone chatted with friends, faces excited or tense.
“…….”
“…….”
Rev and I silently headed to the clubroom.
As we walked, I sank into thought.
“...”
With the 'top student' label, observers would probably be allowed regardless of my say.
In Cradle, 'top students' have no rights.
I didn't know where it went wrong, but here, top spot wasn't just highest grade—it was always a benchmark, a target.
So... no room for mistakes.
'One slip and they'll lose it.'
Lately, those looks had faded.
Most now acknowledged my skill.
But... even so, invisible gazes lingered.
Like bugs surviving in cracks, silently glaring.
Unseen but felt, those unpleasant stares.
So...
I have to give my all.
No, more than my all.
“......Do we really have to do the assignment?”
Then, Rev walking beside me asked.
Asking if we absolutely had to.
He clearly looked reluctant.
[Yeah]
“......For real?”
I nodded.
Of course, I knew it wasn't utterly impossible to skip.
But with the assignment announced and underway...
It was no go.
【Wahhh.】
Lamenta pouted in Rev's place.
Her shadowy mouth corners drooped pathetically, her whole body radiating discontent.
***
Swoosh...
A red thread of fate wound around my wrist, and the next moment, my body was already in Nakwol.
“…….”
And right before my eyes sat Uncle Beru, just picking up his spoon.
I blinked blankly, then picked up the whiteboard.
[Hi]
“......Tell me before you come.”
[Not easy]
It's not like I could control it...
And walking from Cradle to Nakwol was a hassle.
Well... regrettable.
“What's up today.”
[Inspection?]
“Why the question mark?”
I waved vaguely and left the room.
Felt kinda bad interrupting his meal.
'Hmm...'
I walked slowly down the corridor.
Faint hammering from the forge in the distance.
Soon, I reached where hot heat seeped through the door.
I placed my hand on the doorknob without hesitation...
- Whoosh!
As the door opened, a whole new level of heat enveloped my body.
Breathing unsteady from the blaze, hammer strikes echoed from inside.
Clang. Clang.
Steady rhythm.
Uncle Pergon silently pounded the anvil in the forge's center, oblivious to my entry or standing beside him, focused only on hammering.
'This fire-watching?'
If not for the insane heat...
It might make decent fire-gazing.
“Whew…….”
About 10 minutes passed.
Uncle Pergon exhaled, stopped hammering, and wiped sweat from his brow.
...Then turned, meeting my eyes.
“......When'd you get here?”
[Just now]
I glanced at the anvil, at my unfinished dagger atop it.
Taking shape in the flames.
[When's that done?]
“Takes more time. Just starting to take form.”
[As fast as possible pls]
“Something up?”
[Assignment]
“…….”
Uncle Pergon still seemed to have cognitive dissonance about me being a student.
Should be used to it by now.
“Sigh... I'll finish within a week.”
[Oh]
The dagger just starting to form.
Finishing in a week... fast or slow, who knows.
I bowed quickly and left the forge.
Any longer and I'd melt.
'Over there.'
I headed to my next stop, Caramel's workshop.
Moved from Gray Zone outskirts to Nakwol.
I threw open the door without knocking.
“Eek...! M-Mask-nim!?”
Poured plenty of Moonlight cash? The place gleamed brand new.
...Caramel crouched on the floor, fiddling with something.
[What's this?]
“Ah, scanner!”
[Scanner?]
“Scans Mask-nim's body to find issues!”
[Can I try now?]
“Ah, no! Just installing, might melt you!”
[Ok]
How does a scanner melt a person...
I just nodded and turned to leave...
“Ah! Wait!”
Caramel stopped me, scurrying to the back of the workshop.
Rummaging through scattered tools, she...
Returned with a glass vial.
...Swirling rainbow-colored potion.
“This is prototype too! Combined 10 potions into one!”
[Drink this?]
“Better than testing 10 one by one—dump all in one, check effect first! Simple, efficient!”
Simple... efficient...
Sure, whatever.
I eyed Caramel suspiciously for a while, then took the vial.
Felt like guinea pig fate #1, as always.
'Really drink this?'
Back at dorm now.
I carefully set the potion by the fish tank.
Beside it, my pollywog lifted its head from the tissue.
Its small, moist eyes fixed on the vial, face saying 'What's that?'
“…….”
Quiet silence wrapped around for a bit...
I nodded solemnly.
Flick.
Hand reached for the rainbow liquid.
“?”
Unexpected.
Tasteless.
No sweet, no bitter, no kick.
Dryly slid down my throat.
'Whew…….'
Deep breath.
Then... I cautiously opened my mouth.
“.........Ah.”
“??”
“...Oh.”
No blood.
...For real? Success?
I blinked rapidly, looking at the pollywog.
It still tilted its head, staring at me.
“What're you looking at.”
“???”
I shrugged, grinned for no reason, and flopped onto the bed.
...Yeah.
If I could speak right now, even if it meant living with potion in mouth forever, fine.
Anyway... I can talk now.
With that thought, I slowly closed my eyes.
***
Next day.
“…….”
My slumped body draped over the desk.
A shadow quietly creeping over it.
【Why's Mask-uncle so down in the dumps?】
Poke, poke.
Lamenta poked her head between my mask's eyeholes.
Followed by...
【Something good happen?】
Utterly baffling sentence structure.
Can 'down in the dumps' and 'something good' coexist in one chat...
I just slowly turned my head, avoiding her gaze.
Drip...
Blood still trickled from my mouth.
...Quacks can't be trusted, after all.