Chapter 57
Chapter 57
Translator: penny
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Shadow Cloak (7)
Before leaving the Trial Room and meeting Lily.
I was trying to turn the Shadow Cloak into a means of transportation.
I'd shaped it into a gaming chair form and taken it for a test drive. The results weren't bad.
For one thing, it was incredibly comfortable.
The speed was incomparable to a carriage, and I didn't get motion sick at all.
‘Even moving this fast doesn't reduce my Sloth.’
Plus, since I wasn't moving myself—Ker was carrying me instead—there was no loss to my Sloth.
That said, there was one problem.
‘...It looks kinda lame.’
It totally lacked cool factor.
This was just a flying wheelchair....
Ker would probably hate it too.
Wouldn't she get pissed, like, "How dare you use me for this?"
So I asked her opinion.
“Ker, what do you think of this form?”
[Hmm.... Not bad. For some reason, it even feels kinda familiar.]
But unexpectedly, she gave it high praise.
She even suggested an improved design.
[Instead, how about something more dignified?]
The chair transformed on the spot.
Blade-like ornaments sprouted from the backrest, and skull motifs were carved into the armrests.
Various other small details were refined, making it look far more luxurious.
“Oh....”
It was like a Demon King's throne.
Middle-school-syndrome level, but at the same time, it struck a chord with any guy's heart.
And it kept the ergonomic design of the gaming chair intact for perfect comfort.
“I like it. Thanks, Ker.”
[Hmph, it's no trouble. Since you've become my master, you should care about your dignity too.]
I praised her since I liked it so much, and she seemed pretty pleased.
After that, I tested out various other forms.
Curiously, no matter how much I experimented, the system didn't stop me.
The system that would nag me for being diligent after just a few skill uses.
Was it because this counted as Ker putting in the effort instead of me?
Anyway, after testing, I ended up with three forms for the ride.
Wings, a magic cloud, and the throne.
Wings were the most efficient when I needed maximum speed.
For stealth, it was best to create small shadow platforms underfoot like a magic cloud and ride those.
And for maximum comfort and impact, the throne form was unbeatable.
‘Alright. Time to head back.’
Lily was waiting, after all.
I switched the shadow to my favorite throne form, leaned back comfortably, and headed out.
“J-Jeron, junior...! I'm so glad you're safe...!”
The moment I stepped out, Lily came running over with tears in her eyes.
“I was so worried when you were late... I thought something happened to you...! After getting caught in such an insane attack...!”
She'd been seriously fretting.
The third trial was set up so mid-trial observation cut off, apparently.
Of course, I'd cleared that trial with record-breaking ease, and the delay was purely because I'd been experimenting with Ker...
But no need to correct her misunderstanding.
“I'm not hurt at all, so don't worry. More importantly, I got the relic.”
I smiled and patted the shadow throne I was sitting on.
“Ah....”
Lily looked at it with wonder.
“I-Is this... a throne-shaped relic?”
“Not exactly—it can transform.”
I switched it back to cloak form to demonstrate.
Lily jumped in surprise.
“W-Wow.... It changes shape this fast, totally freely...!?”
“This should be enough for results, right?”
“Yes...! It's not even about meeting the quota—this is a discovery that could leave a mark in Myth Era research...!”
Lily continued excitedly, unable to hide her thrill.
“It might even be accepted as proof of Myth Era existences.... D-Does that mean the Demon of Sloth really existed...?”
She gazed at me with an ecstatic expression and bowed repeatedly.
“Thank you so much, junior...! It's all thanks to you....”
“So, I get ownership of this relic, right?”
Lily nodded as if it were obvious.
“Of course it's yours...! Um, but...”
She glanced at me cautiously.
“When proving the results at the Academy, could you come with me? And... could I study this relic sometimes...?”
I agreed readily.
“Of course.”
“...Sniff, thank you so much.... I don't know how to repay this kindness....”
Lily teared up again with her thanks.
But inwardly, I was even more grateful to her.
Thanks to her, I got the Shadow Cloak, delegated Ciel's tutoring to rack up Sloth, and all that.
Just keeping her off the dark route was thanks enough.
“Okay, stop crying, senior. Your eyes will swell. Here, wipe with this.”
“Y-Yes, hic....”
I manipulated a hem of the Shadow Cloak to offer it for her to wipe her tears.
Nothing much else I could do, so this would have to suffice.
Then Ker grumbled.
[...Hmph. Using me to wipe another woman's tears? How insolent, human.]
‘Sorry.’
I stroked her soothingly by way of apology.
[H-How dare you...! Get that hand away!]
She grumbled but didn't shake off my touch.
No need to ride some garbage medieval carriage back from Gern to the Academy.
Now I had the excellent Shadow Throne as transport.
Lily insisted she was fine with the carriage and tried to refuse, but I felt bad and just took her along.
Expanding the seat made it big enough for two.
I even added a partition to block the wind, so the ride was perfect.
‘...Slept like a baby.’
I woke from a deep nap to find we'd almost reached the Academy.
“Up we go.”
As we dismounted the throne, Ker shifted back to cloak form in an instant.
‘Stay in here for now.’
At my telepathic instruction, Ker slithered into my Academy uniform shirt and hid.
After quick formalities, we entered the Academy gates.
I was about to part ways with Lily when a better idea struck.
“Senior, let me take you to the clubroom.”
“...Huh?”
I reformed the Shadow Throne and seated the startled Lily atop it.
Then shot straight up into the sky!
“...Eek!?”
Even on a weekend, plenty of cadets were out training or hanging around the Academy grounds.
They spotted us in the sky and started buzzing.
Cadets pointing and gasping in shock, like "What the heck is that?"
All eyes locked on me and Lily hovering overhead.
‘What the hell is that?!’
‘...Is that Jeron? Too lazy to even walk, so he rides that thing?’
I could tell what they were thinking just from their looks.
“Eek...! Junior! E-Everyone's staring!!”
Lily hid her face behind her hair in embarrassment from the attention.
I raised a partition to fully shield her, but lowered mine to bask in the stares.
Because.
[Slothful travel shocks the cadets!]
[Sloth +5!]
[Sloth +5!]
...
‘Kya, just traveling racks up Sloth!’
Couldn't pass up a Sloth-farming opportunity like this.
I'd endured dirty looks before; points were worth it.
I leisurely piloted the throne right to Lily's clubroom.
“Let me know when it's time to submit the results.”
“Y-Yes.... Thank you so much for today.”
After dropping Lily off, I strolled the grounds a bit more, farming extra Sloth.
But soon, points stopped coming.
‘Tch, effect wore off.’
Makes sense—no points on the way from Gern either.
Riding the Shadow Cloak normally probably didn't count as Slothful.
Guess it only counts as a performance if I'm showing off "I'm too lazy to walk" in front of people, and now the novelty's gone.
Still not bad.
One more way to farm points when the situation's right.
And it doesn't deduct Sloth even at high speeds.
‘Time to head in and rest.’
I shifted to wing form and zipped back to the dorm.
[Human, is this your bedchamber?]
The moment we entered the room, Ker asked.
Back in cloak form, she circled the room curiously.
“Yeah, my room. But I've been wondering—how do you see? Do you have eyes?”
Ker laughed at my question.
[Hehe, surprised? I have no eyes, but perception magic lets me see, hear, everything. Quite a rare feature.]
“Ah, got it.”
Whoa, solved a curiosity from game days.
I flopped onto the bed.
[...What's with that lukewarm reaction? You need to appreciate this body's value more.]
Ker grumbled briefly, then floated to a book on the desk.
A magic textbook.
Barely used, still pristine.
But Ker started flipping through it.
[Hmm... So this is how they teach magic these days? Not bad.]
“...Wait, you understand that?”
I looked up in surprise.
[Of course. I embody the essence of magic and black magic.]
Ker spoke with pride.
[Why, want to learn? If you take me as your master, I could teach you specially?]
So she had that setting too.
First time hearing this.
From revealing her true name right away to this...
She acted tsundere, but my trait must be making her subconsciously fond of me.
Anyway, her being proficient in magic and black magic was a cool setting, but did it matter?
‘Not like I can learn anyway.’
If I wanted to learn, I'd have asked Ciel or Lily ages ago.
‘Huh? Wait.’
A sudden thought hit me, and I pulled two notes from my pocket.
Notes with Ciel and Lily's tutoring content.
“Think you can understand these too?”
I showed them to Ker.
If she could...
I could just delegate to her?