Chapter 21
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Chain of Hatred (3)
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"I was looking at the diary. Question. Answer."
Lucy asked once again. It was the same tone as her previous question.
*Nod.*
I steeled myself and nodded.
I'm a dumb goblin. Please give me one more chance...
"You can read letters. Question."
What? I thought she'd chew me out for stealing a peek at her diary?
She was more bothered that a monster could read?
"You can write letters. Question."
*Shake head.*
I could read letters, but I couldn't write them.
It was because of the illiteracy penalty.
A long time ago, a quest had popped up: 'Inject semen into a woman's body.'
The trigger was peeking at a beastkin woman bathing in the forest and getting hard.
She was a cow beastkin, and those massive tits were just too tempting.
The result? Predictably, failure. Illiteracy penalty applied.
To lift the illiteracy penalty, I just had to grab any beastkin woman and creampie her.
Easier said than done—it gave me a headache, so I gave up.
I hadn't felt the need for literacy until I met Sera, anyway.
"During the intelligence test, I'll teach you how to write."
No point—even if she taught me, I couldn't do it. It wasn't an intelligence issue; it was the penalty.
Well, if I played the idiot just right, I'd pass the intelligence test no problem.
The next day. Lab 7.
I was running endlessly.
A wall stood five meters ahead, but every time I took a step, it receded farther.
Lucy stood off to the side, impassive, using spatial manipulation magic to trap me on a hamster wheel.
"Kehk... hek..."
Thick saliva pooled in my mouth.
It felt like I'd been running for about thirty minutes. Couldn't we call it quits? I was gonna collapse.
"Run faster! A turtle's quicker than you!"
Kasha nagged from the side.
That damn beastkin bitch was already wearing me out, and now it was twice as bad.
Wasn't this supposed to be an intelligence test? Why'd it turn into a stamina test?
"Hey, why's this thing even doing this?"
Kasha voiced the exact question on my mind.
For once, she was being helpful.
"Stamina test isn't over yet. Stamina is part of virility."
Lucy answered flatly.
So it wasn't done yet. Okay. One mystery solved.
Now the remaining question was this:
Why the hell was that beastkin bitch even here? Couldn't she just fuck off?
I shot Kasha a glare full of that sentiment.
"Hey, you wanna die? Open your damn eyes right."
Kasha glared back.
Sigh, what good was a pretty face with a personality that bitchy? Who could put up with a woman like that?
...The old me, before my head got bashed in, might've managed.
Back then, a pretty face was enough to make me fall head over heels and hand over my liver and gall bladder.
I'd fallen for my wife from a past life because of her looks too. Looking back, what an idiot.
If you're gonna fall for a pretty face, just fuck her and move on. Why marry her and ruin your life?
In the end, she even stabbed me...
Staring at the wall while running brought all sorts of thoughts bubbling up.
...Thirty minutes later.
"Keheek... heek..."
I collapsed spread-eagled on the floor, gasping ragged breaths.
"One hour. Better than average, but nothing special."
"Hmph. Even if a goblin stood out, there's no use for it anyway."
Lucy's curt assessment harmonized nicely with Kasha's needless jab.
"Today's tests end here. I'm off to do purification."
Purification? It was from Sera's diary yesterday.
She did it periodically to suppress the curse.
So, while Sera and Lucy were out, should I sneak a peek at the diary?
I hadn't read it thoroughly last time and missed a lot.
As long as the beastkin bitch didn't interfere, it was doable.
"Staring at that ugly mug wore me out. Gonna rest in my room."
Kasha yapped loud enough for me to hear.
Her tone pissed me off, but the content was music to my ears.
For once, no interferers. This was my chance.
"Gob. You're cooking again. Question."
*Nod nod.*
I nodded eagerly at Lucy's words, like I'd been waiting.
"When you're done cooking, head back to your cell on your own."
*Nod.*
Perfect. Plan's on track.
"Don't try anything funny. I can sense everything that happens in the mansion."
*Nod nod.*
Of course. I know full well.
I didn't get the exact mechanism, but Lucy could detect all spatial shifts in the mansion.
Meaning I'd get caught the moment I entered Sera's room.
But during purification, she wouldn't rush back right away, so I had to read the whole diary in that window.
Scrape, scrape, scrape...
I steadied my nerves while peeling rabechoco.
Now? Had they started purification yet?
Too early, and Lucy would pop in via teleport.
Timing was key—not too rushed, not too slow...
...Should I finish these peeled rabechocos first?
Crunch. The sweet flavor cleared my head.
Feeling good. Time to go!
...
Sera's room.
I made it without running into anyone.
No time to waste—I went straight for the diary.
Luckily, it was right there on the desk.
I flipped it open to the most recent entry.
[Gob's condition is worsening. At this rate, in a few days, Gob will—]
[If he regains his memories, Gob might be saved.]
[The one who stole my memories is probably Lucy.]
[I don't know why she took my memories.]
Had Sera regained her memories? That would explain treating my illness.
But then why the sudden attitude shift toward me after remembering?
Did she recover some bad memory about goblins? Was that why she hated me now?
Thoughts spiraled into more thoughts.
I read backward from the latest entries.
...About ten minutes later.
Thud, thud, thud. Footsteps from outside.
I perked my ears. Getting closer.
Lucy...? Nah, she'd appear silently if it was her.
Sera...? No, not her either.
If purification was done, Lucy would've come first.
Which left...?
Beastkin bitch.
Hide, quick. Where?
Scanning the room, only spot was under the bed.
I dove under frantically and flattened myself.
Holding my breath—BANG! Door flew open without a knock.
Rude bitch. Bursting into someone's room without knocking?
"Hmm~. Where'd Sera go? Should I nap here till she gets back?"
Kasha muttered to herself, then flopped onto the bed.
Creeeak! The bed shook, and dust exploded from underneath.
I squeezed my eyes shut and pinched my nose.
Sneeze was coming any second—driving me nuts.
"Ah~ Being alone is so boring~."
Kasha mumbled, thrashing around on the bed.
Dust atomic bomb detonated below.
Sneeze incoming. Ah... ugh...!
"Kitschoo!"
Damn. Gonna get caught and beaten like a dog.
"Puhaha! Oh man, that's hilarious!"
Laughter erupted from above.
"Idiot, you don't know how good my nose is, do you?"
Was she talking to me?
"I knew you were there from the start. Crawl out already."
She knew all along?
So she deliberately set off the dust bomb? Evil bitch.
I wriggled out from under the bed like a worm.
"Kukuku. Look at you crawling out. Worm's got nothing on you."
Kasha sat on the bed's edge, snickering obnoxiously.
I stood before her, shrinking back.
"Hey, why the hell were you hiding under the bed? Planning to jump Sera?"
Kasha's giggling face hardened instantly.
*Shake head!*
As if!
"Then why were you hiding there?"
"..."
"Oh right. You can't talk. What a total moron."
This bitch always tacked on something infuriating. The type that exhausted you after too long.
If not for Sera, I'd never deal with her face.
"Hmm... How about I tell Sera you were hiding to jump her?"
*Shake head shake!!*
No way!!
"Fine, I'll just say you were hiding under the bed. She can interpret your intentions. Deal?"
Kasha said with a sly grin.
*Shake head.*
That still... Even the best spin paints me as a criminal.
Things were rocky enough lately; couldn't afford a total nosedive.
"Hey, if this won't do and that won't do, you want me to keep it secret?"
*Nod nod.*
Finally, getting through.
"Hmm~ Well, it's not impossible..."
Kasha crossed her legs while perched on the bed.
Her toned, slender figure jumped out at me.
Personality like a bitch in heat, but a model-level body.
Wearing just shorts, her thighs squished together obscenely.
"Keep my secret, and I'll keep yours."
Kasha flicked out her red tongue and licked her lips.
There it was. No way an evil bitch helps for free.
"You have to keep a secret too."
"Keruk?"
I tilted my head.
What secret?
"Everything that happens from now on stays secret until you die?"
Kasha grinned wickedly.
That smile hit me like facing a wolf as a rabbit—chills raced down my spine.
Might be better to just tell Sera the truth...