Chapter 79
Chapter 80
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Me, the Key? (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Lunchtime, same as always.
On my way to the canteen to buy a drink for Luena.
That's when Melissa suddenly appeared and said this.
🧠 TELEPATHY 🧠 "Celen." "Yeah."
🧠 TELEPATHY 🧠 "...You might be the key." She said it with considerable urgency.
Yet her eyes were filled with conviction.
The moment I heard those words, my movements froze without me realizing it.
Acting as if nothing was wrong—
I straightened my poker face, then silently observed Melissa for a moment.
Melissa.
Was it because she'd gone through the same loop seven times?
She was particularly hard to read.
Even compared to most kids our age,
you had to look much more closely and carefully to barely get a sense of what was going on inside.
But right now... she was an open book.
Like she'd stripped away every layer.
I narrowed my eyes and scanned her from head to toe.
Those eyes definitely—
weren't probing or vague speculation.
They belonged to someone who'd already reached a conclusion.
'Well... doesn't seem like she's joking around...'
I looked at Melissa and asked calmly, as if it were no big deal.
"What key?"
"What key? Obviously—!"
Melissa's gaze flicked briefly behind me.
Students passing by.
The usual lunchtime bustle.
A perfectly ordinary scene where no one paid our conversation any mind.
Soon enough, she looked straight at me again.
Then, more composed than before, she sent me a telepathic message.
🧠 TELEPATHY 🧠 『What else? Obviously the key that might shatter this Regression!』 "Ah, I see."
I just nodded indifferently.
Gave a few casual nods like that, then continued on toward the canteen as planned.
I tried to brush it off nonchalantly,
but Melissa clearly had no intention of letting it go.
Once again, her head-shorter-than-mine body popped out, stubbornly blocking my path.
Her anxiety was plain as day.
Melissa took a deep breath, like she was steadying herself.
Anyone could see she was trying to suppress her desperation.
I furrowed my brow at her.
"Move."
"Talk to me. You're scared too, aren't you, Celen?"
Her eyes darted around again.
Soon, telepathy flowed into my head.
🧠 TELEPATHY 🧠 『Scared that Luena might Blacken and become the Final Boss. Scared she'll follow the Compelling Force to a miserable end.』 "......"
🧠 TELEPATHY 🧠 『That's why you've been running around for the past two weeks gathering info, prying into our business, even trying to convince Aren Brendina, right?』 Melissa was right.
Yeah.
That's exactly what it was.
I'd tried to convince myself it couldn't happen, clinging to that belief,
but that nagging "what if" never quite left my mind.
'If there's even a 1% chance of failure, eliminating that 1% is the retainer's duty—and a thief's ironclad rule.'
So—
Over the past two weeks, I'd scraped together every scrap of info I could.
I'd done everything in my power.
I'm not irresponsible enough to ignore that.
But.
"Was I?"
"...What?"
"Don't remember."
No way was I admitting it straight up.
At least not in front of Melissa.
Not even a little.
For a split second, Melissa's face went blank.
As if this was the last thing she'd expected.
I just shrugged casually and sidestepped her.
A moment later—
The pint-sized girl blocked my path again.
"...Hey, does this sound like a joke right now?"
"Huh? What?"
"Are you messing with me?"
"Messing? No idea why you're grabbing an innocent underclassman like this, senpai."
With that, I slipped quickly into the crowd.
Hiding my presence and ditching one person?
Child's play for a thief. I could do it blindfolded.
Sure enough, a flustered voice came from behind.
"...This, this jerk. When did he—?!"
I didn't need to look back to know.
Melissa was scanning around, trying to find me.
Of course, I—
was leisurely weaving through the crowd, standing in front of the canteen lady.
Pushing through the extremely crowded canteen at lunchtime.
Normally a brutal struggle.
But for someone born with a thief's blood? No problem at all.
Slipping through this mob was boringly easy.
"What'll it be, hon?"
"Peach tea and one iced latte, please."
I bought the drinks as planned, then leisurely exited the crowd.
Of course—
avoiding the direction Melissa might spot me from.
I quickly stepped out of the canteen and strolled through the peaceful spring campus.
But unlike Marian,
Melissa unfortunately wasn't a total blockhead.
A moment later—
An annoyingly familiar telepathy rang in my head.
Nonstop.
🧠 TELEPATHY 🧠 『Celen Noir—! Stop messing around. It's not funny!』 🧠 TELEPATHY 🧠 『This isn't the time for games! You at least have to hear me out! Please talk to us, yeah?』 🧠 TELEPATHY 🧠 『I know you're dodging on purpose!』 🧠 TELEPATHY 🧠 『Quit driving me crazy and come out!』 🧠 TELEPATHY 🧠 『Don't think you can handle this alone! Please, Celen! We'll cooperate fully!』 Like she was screaming right in my ear.
Melissa's desperate telepathy hammered straight into the depths of my mind.
A total assault on my sanity and nerves.
But early training really does matter.
I've dealt with this kind of racket plenty at home.
"Ahahahahaha—! This is totally hilarious—!"
"...Grow up, please."
Blasting away morning, noon, night, and dawn—
from the room next door, my one and only little sister Trisha, who's always yapping loudly.
After a decade-plus of noise pollution from her,
this level was practically a gentle lullaby.
'Maybe give her some pocket money next time home. Nah, shouldn't encourage it.'
I pictured Trisha beaming triumphantly and quickly dropped the idea.
The telepathy kept coming, still frantic.
I ignored it completely and hurried a bit toward the back of the campus.
Where Luena was waiting.
Today—
unlike usual, we were sharing the bento I personally packed.
I'd planned to just grab cafeteria food...
But yesterday, Luena subtly hinted at something she wanted to eat.
So I got a day pass, bought ingredients, and woke up at dawn to make it myself.
'Always been a spoiled one, from back then to now.'
I looked at the two cups in my hand and smiled wryly.
Iced latte.
Peach tea.
Subtle, fragrant flavors.
Luena's tastes hadn't changed from past to present.
'...Well, if they did, I'd just adjust.'
Still, I liked that they hadn't.
These little unchanging details gave me a strange sense of relief.
I glanced up, surveying the campus.
Students bustling about.
Boys chasing a ball on the field.
Laughter and chatter spilling from everywhere.
The usual lunchtime scene, unchanged.
Regression,
Compelling Force,
Final Boss, whatever.
Just looking at this campus, it all felt like nonsense. So peaceful.
"...You might be the key."
A moment ago—
I recalled Melissa's words.
"...The key, huh."
I muttered to myself, staring down at the cups.
The liquid inside shimmered in the sunlight through the clear glass.
Six Regressions.
Six failures.
This was her seventh life.
For someone that cynical and jaded to be so convinced...
Meant it wasn't idle talk, at least.
Over the past two weeks—
While gathering info for Luena's sake,
I'd inevitably gotten tangled up with Melissa's crew.
And yeah, I'd warmed up to them a tiny bit.
I didn't like how they pegged Luena as evil outright,
but talking it out made me understand their side, like an ant's eyelash worth.
More than that—
Maybe because she had a childhood friend too,
or because I had her Status Window as leverage.
Her tone was grumpy, but she subtly looked out for me.
Choosing her words carefully,
holding back instinctive hostility.
So—
I couldn't just dismiss her words as meaningless noise.
But I had no intention of rolling over either.
'Time to seize control.'
I'm still in the superior position now,
but I need to lock this momentum my way completely.
Make it crystal clear I'm on Luena's side, not theirs.
'Yeah. That high-maintenance girl's side.'
I chuckled softly,
heading leisurely to our promised bench.
Luena's probably sitting there blankly somewhere.
Gazing sleepily at the sky,
or anxiously scanning for me.
Looking around busily.
The usual scene.
In that unchanging daily life—
I planned to hand over the drink like nothing happened,
strike up a bland conversation like always.
With a face like I knew zilch.
Protecting this routine is my top priority.
That's when—
A familiar face appeared before me.
Luena.
She was holding the bento I'd made, her eyes sparkling.
"Ah, Celen—!"
"What? You didn't eat and waited? ...Hey, hold on."
I'd been speaking casually, but clamped my mouth shut.
The cloth scrap Luena was sitting on.
That wasn't a picnic mat—
it was a blanket worth two months' living expenses for commoners.
'No need for even this to be the same as always.'
I rubbed my throbbing temples and handed her the peach tea.
"What's this? Why ditch the bench to sit here?"
"Huh? The bench was full. And this spot's wider and quieter."
"......Hey. ...Never mind, whatever."
Normally I'd nag, but I kept my mouth shut.
The second our eyes met,
she smiled brightly, without a hint of suspicion.
Her eyes lit up like she was thrilled to see me.
I didn't want to shatter today's peace, which felt just like always.