Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Silver Rookie Theo #8
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Friday morning.
「This lecture has been temporarily canceled due to the professor's circumstances. Pick up your assignments from the TA.」
As I sat in the Fairy Studies classroom, TA Marmar came in and wrote that on the blackboard.
Fine, the first lecture was one thing, but canceling the second one too? I wondered if that was really okay, but there wasn't anything I could do about it.
At this rate, Professor Stella would get kicked out of this school soon. And then I'd be in trouble too, since I'd just barely made a connection with her.
Looks like I'd have no choice but to stake everything on that research paper.
With those thoughts, I casually got up from my seat and slipped out of the classroom, chatting lightly with Marmar as I went.
"Marmar, how's it going? You settling in okay at Arc?"
Marmar lit up like she hadn't talked to a person in ages and came at me rapid-fire.
"Comrade...! This place's class system.... It's utterly repulsive to imps...! Dividing people into ranks and promoting discrimination.... It's unforgivable...!"
Marmar was that revolutionary imp who dreamed of an equal world.
To a guy like her, Arc's rankings and hierarchy must look like nothing but a product of horrific discrimination.
Still, something about it bugged me.
"So what's with that speech pattern, anyway?"
"This is the latest trendy nymph speech...! To join Fairy Night, everyone has to speak like a proper fairy...!"
"Yeah? You can drop it around me. Talk normal. You're making me wanna flick your forehead if you keep it up."
"But..."
"But?"
"But... I can't go back to my normal speech...! I forgot how it works...! I just keep talking like this...!"
Tears welled up in Marmar's orange eyes.
I didn't know the full story, but it seemed that ridiculous clown-like speech pattern had gotten stuck on her.
Who in their right mind would talk like that on purpose, anyway.
That aside, what came out of Marmar's mouth—"Fairy Night"—piqued my interest too.
"What's Fairy Night?"
"Every Friday evening...! A secret underground fairy base hosts an exclusive fairy event...! And they even sell treasures from Demon King Angmar...!"
"For real? King Solomon's treasures?"
My half-fairy ears perked up.
Having Halphas and Belial's spells, plus the status window, I'd personally felt just how incredible Demon King Angmar's legacy and treasures were.
But tonight, of all nights.
As far as I knew, the Silvers' opening ceremony was tonight.
If I went to Fairy Night, I couldn't attend the Silvers' event naturally. And vice versa.
Which one should I pick?
No contest.
"Where's this Fairy Night happening?"
"Central building...! It's a super secret, mysterious spot for fairies only, but you're a half-fairy, comrade.... You'll definitely sense the location...!"
I decided to go to Fairy Night.
I had no idea what they even did at the Silvers' opening ceremony.
Besides, I was already set on grabbing a Gold Brooch and Platinum Brooch ASAP, so I had zero interest in building loyalty to the Silvers' silver brooch club.
I needed to climb the ranks quick if I wanted to sit in on Aira's classes and teach her some manners.
The only worry was the penalty for skipping the opening ceremony.
Schools loved docking points for stuff like that.
"Hmm."
Still, the potential Angmar Demon King treasures at Fairy Night outweighed any penalties.
* * *
And so, that evening.
I headed to the central building with Marmar after she got off work, where the Fairy Night event was supposedly held.
I'd stopped by the central building once before to visit Lady Kallira's infirmary, so finding it wasn't hard.
The problem was locating that secret, mysterious meeting spot.
"Hoe~ Everyone, come join the secret and mysterious Fairy Night event~!"
As we approached, middle-school-aged girls were already out front, handing flyers to passersby.
"Everyone, join the secret and mysterious gathering for fairies only~!"
Behind them loomed a big sign.
「Secret and mysterious event 'Fairy Night' in the underground conference room. 3rd floor auditorium.」
They were advertising it blatantly. Where was the "secret" part?
Underground conference room, my ass—it was the 3rd floor auditorium.
It was so baffling I felt dizzy, like I might puke.
I knew fairies were a whimsical race, like kids playing pranks, but this...
It made me seriously question if I should've gone to the Silvers' opening ceremony instead.
It wasn't too late to turn back.
"Comrade, let's hurry...! They're giving buffet vouchers to participants today...! A chance to stuff ourselves...!"
With Imp Nun Marmar pushing my back, I reluctantly headed to the 3rd floor "underground conference room" for the secret meeting.
Finally, at the auditorium entrance, I saw a big placard reading "Fairy Night."
Standing guard below it was a blue-haired girl in a feathered mask like a masquerade attendee, plump and sturdy.
She wore a nymph robe, and her figure peeking through was flat as a pubescent girl's.
Probably a nymph thing.
"I'm Dornoi of the ditch-water nymphs! Entry fee is 50,000 coins per person!"
50,000 coins?
That's 50,000 won. Enough for ten 5,000-coin pork cutlets at the school cafeteria.
And everyone had to pay?
I hesitated, but Marmar whipped out her wallet from her pocket and handed ten bills to the entrance nymph.
"Here, ten bills. 100,000 coins. For two...!"
"Marmar, you sure? That's a lot of money."
"You're a first-timer, comrade. I'll treat you specially...!"
And just like that, I was cleared to enter the auditorium.
Or so I thought.
"Hold it~! That guy's got barely any fairy aura~!"
The guard nymph Dornoi blocked me.
Reason: I barely registered as having fairy energy. Maybe because I was only half-fairy.
"I am a fairy, though."
"Fairies don't talk like that~! Guards~!"
At the blue-haired nymph guard's call, tiny nymphs popped out from everywhere, ropes and clubs in hand. They looked vicious.
More importantly, "fairies don't talk like that"?
Was it my speech?
Nymphs were famous for their weird speech quirks, so despite hating it, I gritted my teeth for entry.
"I really am a fairy...! Let me in...!"
What the hell was I doing?
A primal self-loathing welled up from my chest, like tentacles from the abyss slimy-raping my confidence.
The encircling nymph guards eyed each other and nodded one by one.
"She really is a fairy."
"Looks like it~!"
Fuck.
By imitating Marmar's goofy speech, I got inside.
The place crawled with nymphs of all hair colors in wild outfits.
Tables were littered with empty plates that once held candy and candy wrappers. Already devoured, huh.
"Comrade~! Buffet over there...! Food first...!"
Starving Marmar grabbed an empty plate and started piling food.
Since she'd dropped 100,000 coins, I figured I should eat to get our money's worth.
The soggy sweet-and-sour pork and cold stir-fried pork reminded me of old school lunches—surprisingly edible.
Whisper whisper.
As I ate at a table, I overheard the nymphs across from me.
━The Nymph Relief Club's fundraising is kinda slow lately...
━The foundation's business isn't what it used to be... People aren't loving nymphs like they used to...!
━But loving and cherishing nymphs is the truth carved in 2,000-year-old ancient murals, the Nymphs' Way...!
Not exactly deep conversation.
I'd come here for Angmar's treasures, anyway.
I quietly asked Marmar, who was emptying her third plate.
"So where do they sell those treasures?"
"Fairy shop over there...! Food's done, wanna check it out, comrade...?"
"Sure."
* * *
Marmar and I headed to a corner set up like a flea market.
Kids' pretend shop vibes—mats on the floor piled with junk.
Shells and broken glass shards with price tags. Nothing caught my eye.
"This the right place?"
"Yes...! That honey-water-haired nymph over there sells Angmar's treasures...!"
Marmar pointed to a golden bobbed nymph sitting on the floor, hair like diluted honey.
As I approached, my eyes went to the junk spread out. Pottery?
A label below:
「Nymphs' Way Jar: Depicts two nymphs competing in the ancient martial art 'Watermelon.' Also called Watermelon to non-fairies.」
"Hmm."
Not impressive.
I said to the honey-haired nymph,
"Heard you sell Demon King Angmar's treasures here."
She scrunched her face.
Shit, faux pas.
"I heard you have Demon King Angmar's treasures here...!"
Her furrowed brow relaxed.
Jesus.
I just wanted out of this clown show. How long did I have to keep up the stupid speech?
The honey-blonde nymph spoke.
"I'm Goldnoi, nymph of luxury and treasures! To see the Demon King's treasure, gift me 50,000 coins!"
Nymph of luxury and treasures? What?
Curious, I listened as the self-proclaimed Goldnoi explained.
"Treasure nymphs have keen senses to spot real from fake...! Everything I, Goldnoi, handle is genuine luxury...! Not like the fakes everywhere...!"
Whoosh.
Marmar pulled out her wallet and offered 50,000 coins to Goldnoi.
"Show us the treasure...!"
Goldnoi grinned sleazily, rummaged in her bosom, and pulled out a small box. A tiny wooden one.
"Dug up Arc's entire grounds for this...! The ultimate treasure...!"
A pencil-case-sized box holding Demon King Angmar's treasure? Doubtful. But as it slid open, I was stunned.
Inside: A picture and writing.
Four bowling pins standing on a plate, surrounded by doughnut-like letters.
PAIMON.
That's what it said.
Zuuuung.
It glowed, flooding my eyes with info.
「Paimon: High-rank physical destruction spell. Power and mana cost increase with caster's circle.」
Simple.
A high-rank physical destruction spell.
An active attack spell, right?
One of the things I'd desperately wanted for boosting my combat power.
I couldn't wait to test it.
"10 seconds. Time's up! That's your 50,000 coins' worth! More peeks cost more, or buy it!"
Treasure nymph Goldnoi snapped the wooden box shut and sealed it.
"Marmar... I got no more money now... TA pay is way too low...!"
Marmar smacked her lips regretfully, but I'd gotten all the info I needed.
"Can you get more of these?"
"Come to next week's Fairy Night...! Treasure nymph Goldnoi is always here peddling...!"
Got it.
I'd made the right call coming.
Next week too.
「You're now a proper half-fairy!
Job: Half-Fairy level up!
Half-Fairy Lv. 5 → Lv. 6
Your fairy instincts are stirring...!」
Shhhh.
A strange chill ran through me.
I instinctively sensed it was my mana-like power growing.
Like my mana pool going from 100 to 120?
Leveling Half-Fairy boosted mana. Hitting 6 triggered changes for sure.
Half-Fairy had its perks after all.
I'd thought it was nothing but downsides.
Pairing mana-boosting Half-Fairy with my mana-hungry weird spells? Solid synergy.
Anyway.
Eager to test the destruction spell, I decided to head out with Marmar.
I walked her back to the staff dorms.
"Gotta starve a few days now..."
Under glowstone streetlamps, Marmar stared at her empty wallet, crestfallen. She'd blown a ton of cash for me.
150,000 coins. Staff daily pay averaged 50,000, so three days' wages gone.
"You should've saved. Why spend so much?"
"But it helps you, comrade...!"
"Yeah?"
"If Theo comrade rings the alarm on this discriminatory world, I, Marmar Marnoi, can endure a few hungry days and spinster professor's tyranny...!"
"Marmar..."
Something hot surged in my chest.
She was rough around the edges, but Marmar was my die-hard ally.
That's when it happened.
"Aaah—!"
Marmar's body floated into the air.
"Has Marmar finally learned to fly like a proper little devil...?"
"No, this is..."
Marmar was hoisted up by her long, skinny imp tail gripped in a massive hand.
"Chattering noisy imp pest...!"
A huge guy.
Over 2 meters? I had to crane my neck; Marmar dangled like a caught mouse, flailing.
"Put Marmar down now...! My tail's gonna rip off...!"
But the man didn't stop—he yelled at me instead.
"Theo Gospel. There you are. Skipping the Silvers' opening ceremony! Ditching it to hang with this weirdo imp?"