Chapter 60

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 60

Chapter Title: Mana Space Adaptation Training (2)

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Soliet and Elise looked around their reserved twin room.

"It's warm in here. That's a relief."

It was a decent-sized twin bedroom. Surprisingly clean, and above all, nice and toasty.

"Yeah."

Elise deactivated her Mana Body and glanced at the room's clock. Sure enough, time was flowing eight times faster.

"Looks like the key is to keep earning coins and hole up in the room."

"Yes. That seems to be the way."

Elise lay down on the bed.

The side effects from Mana Body were starting to creep in. Her whole body felt limp and mushy. After all, the One Belt Four Lines style of Mana Body wasn't something a high schooler could master. Running it for one or two hours led straight to exhaustion.

Soliet turned to Elise.

"You'll be busy soon."

"Huh?"

Elise lifted her head slightly while lying down. Soliet added,

"The election."

"Oh."

The re-election wasn't far off. Exactly one year and three months away.

But the behind-the-scenes maneuvering and power plays were already in full swing, and when election season hit, Elise herself would have to help with the campaign.

"We're not one of the Round Table families, after all."

Elise gave a meaningless smile as she said it.

The Round Table families were the ten houses guaranteed seats by the council. They held their council seats semi-permanently through heredity, but could be replaced if challenged and defeated.

"The Petra family is a strong contender for a challenge."

But the qualifications and conditions for a challenge were brutally strict. The family had to have produced three or more consecutive terms in a single generation, and secure the agreement of at least eight of the thirteen Round Table families.

"Who knows."

Elise just raised an eyebrow.

Her father's goal was obviously a Round Table seat, but it wasn't something she was particularly fond of.

"Remember when you called me?"

She smoothly changed the subject.

"You mean when I called you?"

"After the College Board at the mine. You asked about Sion Askal."

Elise shifted only her eyes toward Soliet while lying down.

"What was that about?"

"...Hmm."

Soliet slumped back in her chair, almost like she was lying down. It was oddly sensual.

"It was nothing much. Why do you ask?"

"Just curiosity? I was wondering why you'd take an interest in trash like that."

Trash like that. Soliet's eyes widened slightly.

"A pitiful guy dreaming of being Libra's dog."

Elise knew. Sion Askal was the son of a low-rank knight raised in the Libra Orphanage, loyal to Libra his whole life.

And because of that,

he harbored the grandiose dream of becoming Libra's "guardian knight," and had even declared it openly in front of everyone.

"You seem to really dislike Sion Askal, Elise."

"..."

Elise's lips trembled faintly.

She couldn't deny it anymore, just like Soliet said.

She hated Sion Askal. A visceral disgust she didn't even want exposed.

The more he refused to fail at the College Board, the more he clung to life day by day, showing that face—the deeper her "hatred" grew.

"...It's mutual. That trash might think of me as trash too. Though he's probably the only one in the world who does."

Sion Askal hated her just as much.

Of course, she'd overheard some "horrifying" conversation in Recor Dak, but it was probably just his crude joke.

"Mutual... you mean you hate each other?"

"Exactly. So, what about you?"

Elise shot back sharply.

"You can't like that guy either, Soliet."

"Hmm..."

Soliet pondered for a moment, then nodded.

"Yes. I don't like him either."

Not hate, not like. Just a tool.

Their contract was bound by "money," after all.

"More importantly, want to get some shut-eye? Three hours have already passed."

Soliet pointed to the clock. It was already 1 a.m. In real time, less than 30 minutes.

"...Aren't you going to sleep?"

Elise was getting sleepy. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠No, she'd been sleepy for a while. Her side effect from overusing mana was drowsiness.

Of course, it was one of the best side effects. Far better than vomiting blood, organ damage, or malignant tumors.

Soliet pointed to her cigarettes.

"Yes. If you let me smoke one, I'll be fine."

"Do what you want."

"Thank you."

She lit up like she'd been waiting. Took a deep drag. The tobacco ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠tasted incredible.

"Fuuu..."

She exhaled smoke and looked at Elise. She was already asleep.

Soliet checked her smartwatch.

In this place, three hours made a day, so the day was almost over. Elise only had an hour left to sleep—

"...Ngh!"

Suddenly, a loud groan echoed. Soliet tilted her head and turned. Elise was awake, drenched in cold sweat.

Soliet calmly asked,

"What happened?"

"Hah, hah..."

Elise, face blank, panted and muttered,

"Had a... bit of a nightmare."

"I can see that."

The hotel itself was pretty creepy. Walls soaked blood-red like steeped in gore.

"Tough assignment. Won't get proper sleep for 30 hours."

"...Yeah."

Elise massaged her temples while lying down.

"Gotta go monster hunting again soon."

"Yes. To rest properly, we need at least five more."

I'm still wandering the corridors. The temperature keeps dropping, but my full gear keeps it bearable. Instead of resting in my room, I've been searching the hotel and found some clues.

Ran into a few seniors now and then, but they all bolted. My looks, probably.

"...Hollenz."

The alphabet felt both unfamiliar and familiar. Like I'd seen it somewhere, but couldn't place it.

Anyway, while walking, I found an elevator. Floor guide next to the buttons.

"Might as well hit the casino."

I pressed the elevator button. Ding! It arrived immediately.

I stepped in without thinking.

Sob sob... Sob sob...

"Hm?"

But inside was a kid. Covering its face with both hands, crying.

Sob sob... Sob sob...

The sobs echoed surround-sound style. Elevator ghost, huh.

I approached it.

"Hey. Crying?"

I tried to pat its forehead to soothe it, but suddenly the kid snapped its head up.

"..."

No eyeballs. Empty sockets, blood tears streaming down.

I stared straight at it. No need to dodge.

Stuff like this was everyday in the underworld.

"...Cute."

I murmured and placed my hand on its forehead. It panicked and vanished when I blinked.

Ding—

The doors opened again.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

First floor, casino.

"Lots of stuff."

Empty space lined with slot machines, card tables, roulette, all sorts. But not a single person.

...Ah, one person.

"Uwaaaah—!"

One senior. Not in Endex uniform, though.

He flailed at empty air, screaming.

"Wh-what is this! Wh-what happened here, d-don't come closer! Stay back!"

Whatever he wasn't supposed to touch. He hopped around like a butterfly in the empty casino, foaming at the mouth almost—

"Forfeit! Forfeit, forfeit!"

Then smashed his own smartwatch.

Vanished instantly. Forced teleport, probably.

"...What a weirdo."

I scanned the casino. Spotted the exchange desk over there. Silhouette behind frosted glass.

Knock knock.

"...Anyone there?"

—Yes. There is.

"Can I use the casino?"

—Yes.

"For real?"

—Yes.

I couldn't help but grin.

I used to love addictive stuff, and gambling was one of them.

"How does it work?"

—Exchange coins for chips.

"Mana coins?"

—Yes.

"You mean exchange the mana coins on this smartwatch for chips?"

—Yes.

"How much?"

—10 coins per chip.

"Then I want about ten chips."

100 mana coins. My entire fortune earned sniffing out Hollenz Hotel info.

—Tag it on this reader.

Reader right in front of the desk.

"Any precautions?"

—Yes.

"There are?"

—Yes.

"Can you tell me?"

—Yes.

"If there are, will you tell me?"

—Yes.

"Tell me then?"

—Caution.

"...Tell me the precautions."

—Precautions.

"Ah, what is this?"

My head hurt for a sec, but I chalked it up to underdeveloped AI limits.

I tagged my watch on the reader.

"Exchange 100 coins."

100 coins gone from watch, counter slid out 10 chips.

"Thanks—"

—However, precautions apply. Once you touch these chips, you can never return to how things were.

"Now you say?"

—Precautions.

"...So, never return to what, exactly?"

—You cannot return to before touching the chips.

"..."

Pretty philosophical.

Once you touch 'em even once, you're in "touched" state, can't go back to "untouched."

"Whatever. Thanks."

I grabbed the chips. Weird texture. Like mixed with mana stones? Wait, whole thing's a mana stone?

Cool.

I turned, grinning, ready to play—then froze.

"What the."

Suddenly packed with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠people.

Three seconds ago, it was empty.

I stood still, eyeing them.

Pale enough to see veins, but no veins like mannequins. Hands and feet existed but blurry.

They sat at the bar, slots, tables, roulette—doing stuff, but no voices.

Dead silent.

Only eerie sounds of shuffling cards, bouncing roulette ball, spinning slots. No human speech.

Wind brushing collars felt chilling.

"..."

I walked silently to a table. Six ghosts playing hold'em.

Gulp—

I swallowed and asked them,

"...Got a seat?"

That instant, everyone in the casino turned to me.

Cha-la-la—slots flashing, ta-ruruk—roulette spinning, and hundreds of ghosts staring only at me.

Not one missing.

I waved it off.

"Keep doing what you're doing."

Asked the dealer again.

"Got a seat?"

Dealer said nothing.

"Seat?"

Thud—tapped the table lightly with my axe handle.

Finally, one ghost vacated. Others refocused on their games.

I placed chips on the table.

"Deal the cards."