Chapter 169
Chapter 169
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 169
Chapter Title: Amnesia (2)
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The three people standing behind Yuri were so shocked they couldn't close their mouths.
Meanwhile, Yuri quickly ignored the astonished mutterings from behind him.
He rubbed his nose with his index finger.
"Good little goody-two-shoes, you're pretty good... at judging people, huh?"
The qualifier "annoying" that had been stuck in front of his name had already vanished.
Yuri smiled contentedly, a bit embarrassed.
Shake, shake-.
Behind him, Theresia, Arin, and Poppi all shook their heads side to side in unison.
*Don't get fooled by that guy's words,* they signaled desperately to Gunter.
Just as Gunter's gaze reached the three of them, Yuri stepped forward, blocking his view.
Then he patted Gunter's shoulder.
"Anyway, you came to the right place! Ahh, no one has as much to teach as I do! You've made the best choice!"
The three behind Yuri shook their heads again, but Gunter was already looking only at Yuri.
"So that means... you'll allow it?"
"Hmm... well?"
"......"
"Honestly, I'm pretty busy, no time to teach you anything."
"No need to worry about that. I'll find my own learning. You just... treat me the same way you treat them. That's all I need."
As he spoke, Gunter pointed at Arin and Poppi behind Yuri.
Arin and Poppi's jaws dropped.
Their faces clearly screamed, *Is he insane?*
In contrast, Yuri's eyes sparkled.
"Really? Really-really? Really-really-really?"
"......?"
"You really want me to treat you just like them?"
"Of course."
"Ooh, great! Then I'm totally welcoming you!"
At Yuri's cheer, the three behind him sighed.
They looked at Gunter with pity.
Just as Gunter noticed their expressions, Yuri blocked his view again at the perfect moment.
He grinned brightly and extended a hand to Gunter.
"Come on in, you're No. 4 from now on!"
"Thanks for the welcome."
After shaking hands with Yuri, Gunter tilted his head.
"But what's No. 4 mean?"
At the question, the three behind Yuri opened their mouths wide.
*Run away!*
*Run away!*
*I'm hungry!*
Unfortunately, their silent screams didn't reach Gunter.
"Ahh, you'll figure that out in time."
Yuri threw an arm around Gunter's shoulders and turned him around.
He said in a cheerful voice,
"Alright, let's get the situation sorted first."
"Sorted? What do you mean?"
"You coming to learn from me by my side basically makes me your master, right? Isn't that so?"
"......?!"
Gunter flinched.
Seeing this, Yuri smirked slyly.
"What? Not true? So you just plan to use me then?"
"......"
Gunter was at a loss for words.
He let out a wry chuckle at the foolishness in his own heart.
*Coming to seek knowledge... and protecting your pride?*
Yuri was right.
Asking for teachings was no different from taking him as a master.
Yet he felt resistance to the word "master" just because Yuri Holland was young.
Gunter scolded himself and nodded.
"You're right. Since I'm seeking knowledge, it's only natural to think of you as my master."
With his thoughts sorted, Gunter's voice sounded steady, and Yuri grinned.
"But good little goody-two-shoes, how old are you?"
"Sixteen."
"Ahh, okay then. Master at the same age? Just testing you."
Yuri waved his hand dismissively, chuckling.
His crinkled eyes sparkled.
The golden pupils within gleamed.
"Well, no need for fancy master stuff... but you admit you're asking for my help and want to learn from me, right?"
"Of course."
"Then if you're getting something, you gotta give something too, yeah?"
"Hmm... What do you want from me?"
"Something, sure."
"What is it?"
"Just do what I tell you."
Gunter blinked.
"...What you tell me?"
"Nothing big, just this and that."
"Hmm......"
"Won't make you do anything weird, so no worries. What do ya say, wanna do it?"
"Hmm......"
"Wanna or not?"
Under Yuri's prompting gaze, Gunter nodded.
"As long as it doesn't go against my beliefs or my honor as a knight, I'll do it."
"Ayy, perfect! I won't ask for that kinda stuff, so don't worry!"
"Got it."
Finally getting the answer he wanted, Yuri beamed and released the arm-around-shoulder.
"Alright, come this way."
Yuri led the way.
As Gunter started to follow,
A pale white hand landed on his shoulder.
Grab-.
Startled by the sudden grip, Gunter turned to see Theresia with a stern face.
Only then did he remember her presence.
*Come to think of it... why is this senior here?*
Everyone in the 50th Cohort knew Arin and Poppi were Yuri's crew.
But Theresia's involvement wasn't known, so Gunter's confusion was natural.
After staring blankly at Theresia for a moment, Gunter realized his rudeness and bowed quickly.
"Long time no see, Senior Theresia."
"......"
Despite the polite greeting, Theresia just stared at him silently.
"Um... Senior?"
Feeling the awkwardness, Gunter called her again.
She finally spoke.
"...I'm No. 1."
"Pardon?"
Without answering his question, Theresia walked away briskly.
Dumbfounded by the suddenness, Gunter floated question marks over his head.
Grab-.
Another hand on his shoulder.
This time, it was Arin.
"I'm No. 2."
Then she chased after Theresia.
And it didn't end there.
Grab-.
The heaviest hand yet landed on his shoulder.
Poppi, leaning in slightly, threw a word at Gunter.
"I'm hungry."
Then she passed him and followed the others.
Left alone, Gunter stared blankly at their retreating backs and muttered softly.
"No. 1... No. 2?"
And earlier, Yuri had called him No. 4?
*Then Bobikurtankapurtabi is No. 3...?*
He sort of got it, but what the hell did No. 1 through 4 mean?
As Gunter pondered, Yuri's booming voice from afar cleared it up instantly.
"What're you waiting for, slaaaaave— I mean, worker No. 4!"
...Pretty sure a word got swapped in the middle there?
Gunter's brow furrowed slightly.
"Damn, I'm swamped here, hustle over, worker No. 4!"
Urged on repeatedly, Gunter muttered in a daze.
"...Worker? Me?"
* * *
Thud-.
The two-handed sword with its broad blade sank deep into the ground.
Soon, the blade scooped up a fistful of dirt.
Plop-!
Then it was just repetition.
Thud-plop!
Thud-plop!
The two-handed sword kept plunging in and out of the earth.
"......"
Its owner—Gunter, digging with a sword for the first time in his life—was a bit spaced out.
*What... is this?*
Called "worker No. 4," Gunter had received simple instructions from Yuri.
"Dig."
"......?"
"Dig."
"What... exactly?"
"What else? The ground, duh. No chit-chat, dig from here to there quick."
Yuri's white finger swept from under his feet to a distant tree.
At least 100 meters.
"......"
Even with Yuri's kind explanation, Gunter blinked in confusion.
No, he couldn't comprehend the situation itself.
*Suddenly digging... why?*
Seeing Gunter stand there dumbly, Yuri sighed in frustration.
"Haa... Demo only once, watch closely."
Yuri drew his own sword and thrust it into the ground.
Then.
Slice-slice-slice-.
He started digging in an instant.
Gunter's eyes went wide at the sight right in front of him.
*Fa-fast?!*
A single-edged sword just two fingers wide was scooping dirt faster than a decent shovel.
Before a minute passed,
Yuri had perfectly dug a thigh-deep pit. He dusted the dirt off his hands.
"See? Dig like that."
"Th-that... why me?"
"Why? You said you'd do what I say to learn from me."
"......"
"What? Can't? Does this violate your beliefs?"
"Well......"
"Or your knightly honor? Just digging some dirt?"
"...No."
"Then we're good! Get digging. Lots to do today."
With Yuri's cold words, all Gunter could do was nod reluctantly.
He glanced sideways and asked,
"Um... what with......?"
"Hah, this guy really has no clue. Gotta spell out everything?"
"......"
"Dig with hands or sword like me!"
"Sw-sword?"
"Sword's better than hands. Yours is wide, perfect for digging."
"......"
"Anyway, from here to there is your quota. Make sure it's done."
With that one-sided order, Yuri left without hearing a reply.
That was about 30 minutes ago.
Scrape-plop!
In that time, Gunter managed one more pit similar to Yuri's demo.
Creak-.
Stretching his back, Gunter grimaced at the loud crack of his joints.
*Just this much and my back hurts this bad...?*
Was it because his body hadn't fully recovered?
Feeling a strange self-loathing after tiring out from one pit in 30 minutes,
Someone approached him.
"Don't worry, it's not you being weird."
"...Senior Theresia?"
Gunter blinked at her sudden words.
She smiled faintly.
"Muscles for fighting and muscles for labor are different. Even how you use them differs, so it's just unfamiliarity making it hurt."
"...Is that so?"
"Yeah, I was the same. But you'll get used to it, pick up the knack, and it'll be fine."
She pointed to her own pits.
Gunter was speechless seeing several times more pits than his, all lined up neatly.
*All those... with just a spear?*
Truly astonishing.
Theresia encouraged the dazed Gunter.
"You'll adapt faster than me, I bet. I struggled more at first. Hmm... as No. 1, tip: don't think of scooping, think slicing or cutting the earth."
"Th-tha-thank you."
"Yeah, do your best, No. 4. Ask if you don't know, to this No. 1."
She left with a kind smile.
Gunter was left stunned.
*...What do I even call this?*
He'd definitely been encouraged.
Even got "No. 1's special tip."
*Got it, but......*
...Why did it feel so off?
Gunter turned blankly.
Thud-thud-thud-.
Arin was there, swinging a wooden pickaxe.
Feeling his gaze mid-swing, she turned.
"Hm?"
Spotting Gunter standing idly, she glared daggers.
"Hey!"
She yelled and marched over, planting herself in front of him.
Hands on hips, her eyebrows furrowed into an inverted eight.
"This is how... the newbie slacks off!"
"...Newbie? You mean me?"
"Who else, No. 4! The only newbie here!"
"......"
"This veteran sky-high above is working non-stop, and you fresh punk dare lounge with your back straight?"
"...Not allowed?"
"Obviously not! No stretching till 50 pits—never heard that rule?"
Gunter, still not adapted to the situation.
His voice trailed off small.
"...Never heard."
"You heard now? What're you doing? Bend over and work!"
As No. 2 senior barked and turned to leave,
"Um......"
Gunter stopped her.
"What?"
Gunter chin-nodded at her wooden pickaxe, as she eyed him haughtily.
"That... where'd you get it?"
Realizing his gaze on her pickaxe, Arin smirked.
"Oh, this?"
Like, *Finally, you appreciate good stuff.*
She slung it over her shoulder for show.
Then snorted.
"What, wanna know why?"
"I... want to use one too."
Arin's eyes iced over instantly.
"Remember this, No. 4."
"......"
"No tools till 100 pits."
Arin whirled away, cold aura trailing.
"......"
Gunter spaced out again, watching her go.
Right then.
Thump-thump-.
Poppi lumbered over with a huge log on her shoulder and jammed it into Gunter's pit.
Huff!
Snorting hard, she glared at him.
"I'm hungry!"
Her eyes matched Arin's from earlier when she said *How dare a newbie rest!*
"I'm hungry!"
Yelling her incomprehensible line, Poppi strode off into the woods again.
Left alone in the vast clearing, Gunter.
He looked to the sky and thought.
He'd stepped into a place he really shouldn't have.