Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: I Hate Exams (1)
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Thud.
Even with my mind still foggy from sleep, I somehow managed to reach out and silence the alarm. For a second, I wondered if it was just a hallucination since I hadn't set it myself, but nope—it was coming from the plastic box I'd somehow programmed.
At first, it startled me half to death, but after a few days, the sound had grown oddly endearing.
I'd read a novel once where the protagonist suffered auditory hallucinations of alarms due to mental illness. Every chapter had me on edge, feeling like I was losing my mind myself. If I'd possessed someone in that story—with its apocalyptic backdrop—it would've been a nightmare. Hell, getting isekai'd into any world but that one felt like a win.
I was finally getting used to this woman's body, and with no sign of Zenon at school, things felt relaxed.
Wait, no—he knew I was back at school, so couldn't he at least drop by and explain if he was expelled, suspended, or whatever? He never once showed up. All he had to do was tell me that much. Was it really that hard?
I glanced in the mirror, and my lips were pursed in a pout. Was I sulking? Nah, no way. More like seething at the protagonist's sheer ingratitude...
Shhh...
Standing under the pouring water, I stared blankly at myself. I wiped the steam-fogged mirror with my hand, revealing my reflection. The first time I'd seen my pale naked body, I'd been shocked inside, but now? Nothing. Well, almost. It was pretty... and that gave a slight mood boost.
Who wouldn't like looking handsome or beautiful? That was about the extent of it. Guess you could say I'd fully accepted that I was Aisha now. No weird arousal at my own reflection or anything—no one gets off on their own body—so this felt like the healthy track.
Squish...
These breasts were a bit uncomfortable, and with my naturally light frame, the weight up front was seriously distracting. Bras were a pain too. How did anyone deal with wearing these all the time? Part of me wanted to just rock panties and call it a day.
Fine at home, maybe, but not outside.
“Hnnngh...!”
I stretched lightly, then headed straight out the door.
Time to head to school.
#
I'd originally been 22, now 17. A five-year gap—not just a couple years—made blending in with these fresh-faced kids tough. Especially as a girl.
At first, everyone fixated on me because of the auditorium incident, but now the attention had settled to a manageable level. Exactly what I wanted. Ask someone “Who's in our class?” and I'd pop up around fifth on the list—perfectly ambiguous.
No need to stand out or show off.
Not yet, anyway.
I had zero plans to pull some idiotic stunt like hiding my powers when villains eventually showed up. This was early in the story—no villains yet. Better to focus elsewhere than abilities.
And that “elsewhere,” fitting for a student, was studying.
...Fuck, why the hell did I have to do this? Turning into a girl was bad enough, but now cramming after years off? Even college stuff faded after exams—this was overkill.
Plus, I'd enrolled in a ridiculously prestigious school, so the difficulty was insane. Without devoting most of my day to it, even pop quizzes were brutal.
“Aisha, studying again?”
“Yeah... nothing else to do.”
“How do you just live for studying... You do this at home too?”
I nodded slightly at my workbook, and the girl who'd spoken grabbed my shoulders, eyes wide.
“You can't just study all the time! No way. There's a new lounge downstairs—let's check it out, yeah?”
“After I finish this.”
“Aww, Aisha... please...?”
“...Sigh. Fine.”
She clung to me stubbornly, leaving my arm slick. Blame her “snail” ability. Anyway, her whining put me in a tough spot, so I caved and agreed to the lounge. I was mildly curious about scoping out the place anyway.
As I stood, part of her green hair rose up like antennae. Supposedly happened when she was happy. I gave it a light poke, and like snail eyes, it plop—ducked right back into her head.
Poke, poke.
“Ah, Aisha... that tickles...”
“Feels nice. Wanna try?”
“It's my hair, dummy.”
Fair enough. I smirked at her grumbling face. Never imagined I'd befriend a girl. Women weren't a big part of my old life, so chalk this up as a perk of girlhood.
“Frey, but why no shell?”
“Wanna see the shell?”
“Yeah, you're a snail. Show me if you can.”
The girl called Frey smiled faintly and nodded. I'd figured snail from the sliminess after long contact and those antennae, but I wanted to see the shell. Hoped it wasn't super fragile like a real snail's.
Squelch—
But instead of her back, something popped out from her forearm. Looked like a plain shield at a glance, but was this...
“Yup, shell.”
“...Definitely got that spiral pattern.”
Somehow, my energy deflated. I'd pictured a turtle shell emerging from her back to cover her body. A shield? Practical, sure, but... kinda lame.
“Hey, you asked to see it, then look disappointed?”
“No—that's not a shell.”
“Thought it'd come out like a turtle's?”
“Yeah.”
“Dummy. How would I hero if my shell stuck out like that?”
“Fine.”
Frey shot me an exasperated look, then suddenly plastered herself against me. Ah, cling like that and my clothes get soaked...! I squirmed, but sticky mucus from her body made escape impossible.
“Yaaah...! S-sorry...!”
“Dunno. You said 'fine'—peel me off then.”
“Don't get mad over that!”
“Yeah.”
Somehow our positions had flipped from earlier. I tried pressing a bit of ice to her, but Frey just giggled and clung harder, unfazed.
“What shampoo do you use, Aisha? Smells nice.”
“Nooo, let go, Frey...!”
“Gimme a reason I should?”
I wanted to smack that smug grin off her face, but unfortunately, I had a damn good reason not to let my clothes get wet. Right now: no bra, just a white shirt. And my underwear was...
“...My bra's black today...”
Wet white goes sheer. Bra would show through. I blurted it out. My mind went blank. Was this what they called crashing back to reality? Hearing my pathetic mumble, the sticky grip around me vanished.
“Uh... s-sorry, Aisha.”
“...Whatever.”
It was a huge crime on Frey's part, forcing me to say my underwear color out loud. I whipped my gaze away from her flushed face and pouted.
“Gonna hit the bathroom.”
“I'll come with.”
“No.”
“Aishaaa—.”
“Back soon.”
Frey's slime doesn't wipe off easy. Tissue wouldn't dry it fully. Luckily, my chest was only damp—black bra showed faintly. Whew. She always clings when pissed, so this wasn't the first time it'd been a hassle.
Only two weeks since enrollment, but we'd gotten weirdly close. She approached first, sure... without her, I'd be totally alone. Annoying habits aside, I couldn't hate the girl.
I roughly wiped off with tissue and stepped out—door was open, so why'd I slam into a wall?
“Ow.”
Nothing on the way in—what the hell? Grumbling inwardly, I looked up... and locked eyes with a familiar face. Unreadable blue eyes, blank expression, sharp jawline, aquiline nose, porcelain skin, and hair nearly as white.
I met the gaze of that strikingly handsome guy.
“...Long time no see, Aisha.”
The corners of his mouth, always so straight, curved up slightly as he flashed me a bright smile.