Chapter 148
Chapter 148
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 147
Chapter Title: Festival Date (2)
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Noon passed, and lunchtime arrived.
Elenoa had left to spend time with King Orpheus, leaving me alone once more.
Rather than returning to the lab, I figured I might as well patrol and take in the festival.
That's when I came across an unusually rowdy tent. Normally, I would have passed by without a second glance.
But not only was there a crowd blocking the street, a familiar melody drifted out.
"......"
On closer inspection, it wasn't just people gathered—ghosts that normally wandered harmlessly around the academy had been drawn by the music.
A crudely scrawled sign hung over the tent: [Professor Deus's Lab].
"......"
Circling around to the back, I found Owen pounding away passionately at a small piano, eyes closed in total immersion.
Slipping quietly past the boy, I reached the front, where a miniature dueling ring sat—the kind used for old-fashioned games with tin tops or spinning tops.
And in that ring.
"Go!"
"Don't back down! You got this!"
Hands on both sides, decked out in flashy decorations, were locked in battle.
One person stood on each side, channeling their mana like threads to control Professor Per's prosthetic arms.
"Come on! Walk! Don't just spin like a top—stake your life on it!"
Pindenai was in the center, running the gambling and hyping up the crowd.
"How about this one? As you can see, this prosthetic..."
Even Professor Per Petra was set up in the corner with a stall, recommending prosthetics to students.
The mere fact that this monstrous hybrid bore my name was already giving me a headache.
Just then, Erika Bright and Professor Karen pushed through the crowd.
Erika glanced at me, approached, and asked.
"Um, reports came in about bloody hand-to-hand duels happening here, with gambling on the side..."
"Wow, I wondered what the fuss was about, but the tipster described it perfectly."
Professor Karen shook her head in amazement.
"I'll handle it."
"Yeah... good luck."
"Fighting."
The two trusted me and left. Taking a deep breath, I approached Owen.
"Huh?"
I grabbed the boy's hands mid-performance, stopping him, then slammed the piano keys hard.
Boom!
The harsh sound drew everyone's eyes.
Without realizing it, I scowled deeply, my face etched with anger, and spat out one line.
"It's over."
* * *
"Wasn't it fun?"
"......"
"The idea was honestly great."
Pindenai chattered beside me as we patrolled the streets together, sounding disappointed.
"Yeah, honestly, the idea itself wasn't bad."
I had to give credit where it was due.
I never imagined a single event combining Pindenai's dueling ring, Professor Per's prosthetics, and Owen's performance could satisfy everyone at once.
But it had crossed the line.
"Professor Per's prosthetics were too perfect—that was the problem here. Hands moving with blood flowing made it way too grotesque for the academy festival."
"That's what made it fun."
"Of course, the biggest issue was opening a gambling den. Let me say it again: this is the academy. The students' festival."
"Yeah... sorry about that. Got carried away."
Pindenai admitted her fault straightforwardly. Truth be told, I wished she'd ditch the maid outfit with outsiders around.
Surprisingly, the festival vibe meant no one batted an eye at her.
They just treated it like part of the event.
"Anyway, stay low during the festival. No unnecessary commotion."
"I wasn't planning to stir anything up on purpose."
Scratching the back of her head, Pindenai looked around. Students laughed and shouted, eating food or playing pranks.
"Peaceful" fits many scenes, and this moment lacked nothing to earn the word.
"Bored?"
That's why I figured the usual Pindenai would find this sight lacking.
She lived for battle and bloodshed, after all.
But unexpectedly, she spoke with a thoughtful expression.
"No, it's nice to see."
"......"
An answer I hadn't anticipated.
As I fell silent, surprised again today, Pindenai continued.
"Listen, I've been fighting because I was born into a world where I had to."
"......"
"And I'm fighting now because I don't want to create more people like me, and because I hate that damn republic that collars us."
"Yeah."
"They say we were robbed of freedom from birth. I've been battling to take it back."
A place where even the freedoms we take for granted were casually stripped away.
Especially for Pindenai, who equated to slave class in Griffin Kingdom terms.
"We shout every day: For freedom! Take back our freedom! Escape the republic's oppression! Like a broken music box."
"......"
"But one day, most of the scrap merchants died in a Salvation Corps trap. Know what I thought then?"
She glanced at me.
The conversation felt out of place amid the festive street, but I listened calmly.
"What did you think?"
"Fuck, do kids really need to bleed for this 'freedom' shit?"
"......"
"Maybe they should've just bowed their heads and survived?"
Her words carried weight.
She'd said most of the scrap merchants died—likely the non-combatants, the children.
"That's the doubt I carried over the mountains."
Hands shoved in her pockets, Pindenai glanced around again.
She shrugged, as if realizing something.
"Yeah, this is how good it is."
"......"
"That's why everyone thrashes around screaming for freedom. Because it's this good."
"Pindenai."
Her reaction made me call her name without thinking.
"Huh?"
For some reason, it felt like she'd slip away if I didn't.
Maybe that's why I, uncharacteristically, racked my brain and pointed to a nearby drink stall.
"Want something to drink?"
"Thirsty? I'll get it."
For once, she pulled coins from her pocket and bought drinks. Ice floated in the juice—perfectly drinkable, nothing special.
We stood there sipping for a bit. Pindenai downed hers fast, saying it was good, even crunching the ice.
Watching her, I voiced the thoughts I'd organized in my head.
"Our contract is for five years."
Crunch.
Pindenai crunched ice and replied.
"Yeah, I know. Feels like at least two years, but it's only been half a year. Crazy."
I continued as she let out a hollow laugh.
"In five years, my business will be done, and you'll be free of our contract."
"Probably."
Her gaze drifted far, imagining that day, tinged with reluctance.
"Then, if I've achieved my goal and the continent still stands..."
"......"
"I'll help you this time."
Five years was plenty to decide the continent's fate.
If I succeeded in stopping it, helping Pindenai against the republic afterward didn't sound bad.
"Ha, saving the continent? Big scale there, Master."
"Didn't you feel it while traveling with me?"
She teased playfully, so I shot back slyly—unusually for me—and she laughed instead.
"Yeah, I felt it. Got myself one hell of a master."
Giggling, Pindenai slowly stopped laughing and let out a wistful sigh.
She looked around and changed the subject.
"Master, what if I'd been born in Griffin?"
"......Griffin isn't some paradise on earth."
Her dodging my offer bugged me, but I played along.
"Kids here talk about that a lot. What if this, what if that."
"......"
"What if I'd been born in Northsweden? Would it be that different now?"
She prodded insistently.
"Probably still have that foul temper."
"Heh."
"Not as strong as now, but maybe I'd have noticed your talent and joined the guard."
"Oh, yeah, that tracks."
She nodded in agreement. I stretched my imagination further.
"Working in the guard, you'd catch Darius's eye, get chummy with the family..."
"From what I've seen, playboy-you back then would've hit on me right away."
"......"
I stared blankly at her; she met my eyes.
Fine, I'll yield this time.
"Yeah, maybe... no, definitely."
You're more alluring than you think.
"So I'd bitch and moan, 'screw you,' but end up as the northern village girl falling for your sweet talk and moves?"
"......Not sure you'd like the old me."
"It's just hypotheticals—why so serious? I'd picture the master I've known."
She smirked, closing her eyes briefly, exhaling deeply with a raised lip corner.
"Total waste of imagination. Me as a northern country girl? Doesn't suit at all."
"......"
"But."
It felt like she'd added, *it'd be fun*, unspoken.