Chapter 28

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 28

Chapter Title: Weekend (2)

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The aroma of meat sizzling on the grill, the sound of family laughter, the clatter of dishes at Runaway Grill.

"Sion! Grill's here!"

Even on this weekend evening, I'm working part-time in the kitchen.

I plan to keep at it for at least another one or two months. Sure, it eats up a lot of time, but there's no risk of getting hurt or dying on the job, and on top of the 600 ren weekly pay, they throw in meat to fill my bottomless pit of a stomach. No reason to quit.

"Grill and plates incoming!"

My top priority right now is passing the College Board in the top ranks. Sure, I could make bigger money doing deliveries, cleaning, or sorting like before, but if I get injured and it messes up my College Board performance, it's all for nothing.

"Damn, this thing just won't clean."

Scraaaape! I irritably dumped the grill into the sink.

I'm starting to get pissed. The sponge isn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠scraping off the grease anymore, and the detergent isn't cutting it. After scrubbing about 200 of these, I've hit the wall where tricks don't work.

"I should grab like ten sponges..."

Then, out of nowhere, an idea pierced my temple like a bullet.

What if I use Perion on the detergent?

I've never tried it on consumables before, so I'm curious.

"..."

I glanced around. Everyone was too busy to notice me.

Swipe—I placed my hand on the detergent bottle.

"Recall."

I murmured softly and activated my dantian. I drew mana to my fingertips. I summoned the memory of Perion and let it seep into the liquid inside the bottle.

Swooooosh...

A murky flow rose from my palm. Colorless mana. Like exhaust fumes, it poured into the detergent bottle.

"...Did it work?"

I'd used about 20% of my mana. Wonder what the effect is.

I dipped the sponge in detergent and scrubbed the grill.

Scritch!

"Whoa?"

The sponge swept away all the grease and charred bits in an instant. Like magic.

"...That's weird."

The effect was way better than expected, which only made it more suspicious.

Let's think about this properly from the start.

What does it mean that the detergent's performance got amplified? Does it mean stronger acidity? More alkaline?

This isn't just confusing—it's a matter of causality.

Not every 'component enhancement' leads to 'performance boost.'

If it worked that way, hydrochloric acid would be the world's best detergent.

"Grill incoming!"

Amid the chaos of water, grills, and detergent, a clear train of thought emerged.

—What is the core function that Perion, a future invention, fundamentally pursues?

Amplification of mana and flesh. It affects not just organs like the dantian and heart, but the entire human body, including muscles and blood. Its mechanism is both mana-based and chemical.

—But is the Perion invented by Libra truly the same substance as the one 'remembered' by my Notebook?

That needs deeper consideration.

"Plates inc... What? The grills are already done? Plates incoming anyway!"

As another tower of plates piled up in the sink, I came up with a hypothesis.

First off, the Notebook operates according to my will. It's my Spectrum, after all.

So then.

Doesn't the Perion remembered by the Notebook also operate according to my will?

In other words, doesn't it amplify the target I choose, according to the 'purpose' I envision?

The evidence is right here with this detergent.

I thought of the detergent simply as a 'cleaning agent,' and it amplified accordingly.

"...Modify."

Suddenly, that word popped into my head.

If I can edit and revise the effects of Perion just like the Notebook writes and erases text...

"Grill!"

Another grill came rushing in.

I squeezed the Perion-laced detergent into the sink. Bubbles formed on the surface. They looked somehow different from before—and they probably were.

"...Done! Good work, everyone!"

Closing time, 11:20 PM.

"You did great today too. As expected from our ace. Thanks to you, Sion, we handled like ten extra tables."

The boss handed me my weekly pay and a bag of meat.

"Take good care of your family."

"..."

Family.

It's not a jab—he's been under the impression for a while that I've got a big family to support. Probably because I haul away kilos of meat every day.

I eat it all myself.

"Thank you."

Not bad at all. Thanks to him, the perks I get just keep piling up every shift.

I left the grill house and headed to Endex. Curfew had passed, so the main gate was closed, naturally.

I hopped the fence without a second thought.

Viiiibrate—

The moment I landed inside the Endex grounds, my smartphone buzzed.

The mining assignment grades are out.

Honestly, I'm confident about my score.

Of course, I only submitted exactly 23 magistones from the mine. By quantity alone, I'd be dead last.

But more isn't always better.

As Chedric said, grading is based on both 'quantity' and 'quality.'

I focused on quality.

"Let's see..."

Appraising magistones is tricky work to begin with. You can't tell the 'grade' by size or appearance alone—sometimes a plain pebble looks like an A-rank magistone to the naked eye.

That's why magistone appraisers exist.

But I had the SZX-9500 Mana Optics Microscope, so I made full use of it to pick only the best ones and submit them.

The result?

Mining: 4.3 CP.

Total so far: 8.8 CP.

I was walking along satisfied with my solid score when...

"...?"

My legs froze. My eyes locked on.

I stared blankly at some spot in the Endex park.

In the dim twilight scenery, someone was running laps on the track.

A man sweating through his workout, looking like a statue come to life. The kind of guy who makes you curse the world for his perfect looks and flawless talent.

Gerkken Kal Dun.

Plenty of others were watching him too.

Especially from the girls' dorm. They're plastered to the windows like barnacles. Wait—is that a telescope?

"...He's the same as ever."

I'd met Gerkken before regressing too.

Back then and now, he was the alpha dog, and I was the bottom-feeding hyena.

He was the continent's greatest swordsman, and I was a cancer-ridden ghost.

He harbored ambitions no one else could match, and eventually became Edshila's first commoner-born congressman.

He had the support of every commoner, but I hated him.

It wasn't just simple inferiority.

Maybe because he was like a master to me?

Because our master seemed to favor him over me?

Or because he ultimately betrayed our master?

I don't know.

I can't understand him, and he can't understand me.

He never even spared a glance for someone like me.

A man living to advance himself and one living to tear others down are worlds apart.

"Keep at it."

I muttered at his retreating back. But suddenly, he stopped. He turned, face slick with sweat, looking right at me. I met his blue eyes without flinching. Instead, I shot back.

"What. Something up?"

He averted his gaze and resumed running through the park.

"...Ears like a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠damn fox."

Gerkken Kal Dun.

I really hate that guy.

Back to Monday, Cleam Hall.

As usual, Elise arrived 30 minutes early for class and paused before sitting.

It was because of Soliet in the far back corner seat—practically her designated spot, shrouded in shadow from the tree outside the window.

Tsk.

Elise clicked her tongue and took a step toward her.

"Hello."

"Yes. Hello."

Soliet nodded curtly, as if it were nothing. No awkwardness or hesitation like Elise had feared. Elise perched on her desk and asked quietly.

"Yesterday. Why'd you ask about that dropout?"

She already knew the reason.

Because he'd mentioned 'Nightmare.'

"Is the dropout confirmed?"

Soliet countered. Elise crossed her legs.

"You saw. He couldn't even submit the paperbird, and he only scraped up a handful in the mine."

Two fails on the College Board means expulsion.

"If he's out, that's fine."

Soliet nodded curtly. Elise said no more.

Maybe this expulsion would be a good thing for Sion Askal.

If he didn't disappear from sight, Soliet might kill him.

"Good work."

"Yes."

Elise returned to her seat. As 9 AM approached, seniors trickled in one by one.

"Elise~ Early as always~ Whoa!"

She shoved Rae off her shoulder.

"So sleepy. Hey, Esher. What'd you do with him last night? You vanished midway."

"Ahem. Up to your imagination. Ah, my back's killing me."

Kain and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Esher bantered nonsense as they sat. Right at 9 on the dot.

Creaaak—

The front door opened, and Chedric entered. Standing at the podium, he checked his wristwatch, waiting.

Counting down to the second.

Elise glanced at her own watch out of curiosity.

9:00:57. 58. 59—

—Clack!

Exactly one second early, the back door flew open.

Elise didn't bother looking.

A senior barely making it to class on time? Pathetic and incompetent, nothing more.

—...Huh?

—Who's that?

But the other seniors did. They turned, curiosity piqued, and froze in shock. Like they'd seen a ghost.

"H-How the hell did that guy...?"

Even Kain spouted a cliché line.

"What is this, no, uh—"

Chedric spoke in Kain's place as he fumbled.

"Sion Askal. Cutting it close."

"...?"

Elise thought she'd misheard. She turned to look a beat late.

Her pupils dilated wide.

"Not late, right?"

The man everyone here was sure would be expelled.

Fussing with his still-damp hair, sitting in the far back.

Sion Askal.

Elise stared blankly at him. Every eye in Cleam Hall was doing the same.

Meeting all those gazes, Sion Askal smirked mockingly.

"Ninety students total. All present, so we'll begin the first College Board process of week two. Follow along."