Chapter 18: Never a Quiet Day (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 18: Never a Quiet Day (3)
The Wolf Class was left in a daze after the storm named Rachel had swept through.
Unlike the whispering cadets, I couldn't easily bring myself to speak. Chloe's face was clouded with gloom. Fortunately, she seemed to have regained her senses, but her face was dark with storm clouds, looking utterly dejected.
It seemed she was incredibly frustrated by how helplessly she had been suppressed by Rachel. Still, to defend her a bit, her opponent was the fourth rank of Joaquin Academy.
That meant only three out of twenty-five hundred cadets could hold an advantage over Rachel in a fight.
Furthermore, given the Spear Saint Family's tradition of marrying only the strongest of their generation to preserve a powerful bloodline, her innate physical strength was likely among the absolute best in the academy.
To be honest, Chloe was more in the wrong for drawing her blade first, but Rachel was the one who had provoked her to "bring it on." It was hard to say who was more at fault.
But the problem was that Chloe was in my class, meaning we had to spend nearly a year together, while Rachel was in the Star Class, whom I would rarely run into. I scratched my head.
I couldn't just coldly say, "Well, you drew your sword first." If I did, the target of her next stabbing spree would probably be me.
Chloe's shoulders slumped in dejection. Feeling a bit sorry for her, I was about to say something to comfort her when she hesitated for a moment and mumbled first.
"...Do you like them big too, Geomma-kun?"
"What?"
"...Do you like, like... big breasts too, Geomma-kun?!"
"..."
Chloe shouted, her teary eyes wide and innocent.
That was what she was upset about?
I was dumbfounded. I thought she was sulking because she'd been unilaterally overpowered, but it was because of breasts. No wonder she had been looking at me with her head tilted, her hands clasped over her chest.
Breasts, huh...
I stroked my chin and thought.
Well, while I did have a generous appreciation for breasts, it was just that Rachel's milky-white pair was overwhelmingly aggressive; Chloe wasn't actually that flat.
In the martial world of breasts, perhaps only Medea could even hope to compete with Rachel. Even Abel was no match for her. A pair of massive breasts that made most other women look flat as AAA batteries flashed through my mind.
But if I spoke honestly here, I would definitely be poking a hornet's nest. Chloe was still gripping a utility knife in her right hand.
Without my sashimi knife, I was no match for Chloe, who had grown stronger than before. I didn't want to bleed as a price for a slip of the tongue.
In the end, the answer was already decided, and I just had to deliver it. She was still a growing girl with a bright future, so who knew?
...Though the chances seemed rather slim. I wiped my face with my hand and spoke.
"I... don't really care for big breasts."
"..."
Chloe glared at me with narrowed, suspicious eyes. Her grip on the utility knife hadn't loosened yet. I swallowed hard and quickly added:
"Actually, I might even prefer smaller ones."
I would gladly pay for the sin of betraying my conscience as a man someday. For now, survival came first.
"...R-Really?"
"Yeah."
At that, Chloe's face brightened. The smile she had lost returned to her lips. Only after wiping the tears from her eyes with her sleeve did she slip the utility knife back into her pocket. I let out a sigh of relief.
Chloe smiled brightly as she tucked a loose strand of her short red hair behind her ear. I wasn't entirely sure, but... was that a gesture to appeal to me as a woman?
A vibe that was too spring-like wasn't good either. After all, Chloe was a yandere. If she grew any fonder of me, she might try to stuff me into a refrigerator at any moment.
Sensing instinctively that things would get dangerous if this continued, I quickly blurted out the first thing that came to mind to change the subject.
"By the way, Chloe... how is Nox doing after that incident?"
At the mention of Nox's name, a shadow instantly fell over her face. She really seemed to detest her older brother.
Come to think of it, I wondered why Chloe hated Nox so much. She hated the Auditore family as a whole, but with Nox, it felt more like a deep-seated resentment.
But I decided not to pry, as digging into someone else's family matters felt inappropriate. Besides, I wasn't that curious. Getting deeply involved with a family of assassins would only mean having to watch my back at night.
As I fell into thought for a moment, Chloe spoke, her voice tinged with a slight dryness.
"My brother is currently hospitalized at the Academy Affiliated Hospital."
"Hospitalized? Why? Subspace sparring doesn't leave physical injuries."
Chloe shook her head in denial. The side hair she had tucked behind her ear fell loose again.
"...Actually, I haven't visited him, so I don't know the details, but from what I've heard, it's definitely not a physical injury. So you don't need to worry about it, Geomma-kun!"
"Hmm."
I had sliced him up ruthlessly, but he hadn't seemed weak enough to have his mental state completely shattered by just that.
Is that bastard planning something else?
Physiognomy is a science, and Nox's cold, fishy smirk came to mind. Could he be pretending to be hospitalized to lower my guard, only to ambush me in the middle of the night? It was highly possible.
And sneak attacks were his specialty. Of course, I could just crush him again, but next time, I might actually end up cutting his throat. Preventing any unfortunate incidents beforehand would be the best course of action.
"Chloe, could you tell me which ward and room Nox is in?"
"...What?!"
Chloe's eyes widened in surprise. I smirked, giving her a bright smile, and replied softly.
"Men usually bond by trading blows. I'm just going to have a quick, manly chat with him."
"...But still."
Talking to Chloe, I got the feeling that her relationship with Nox wasn't purely hostile, but more of a love-hate dynamic.
Chloe bit her lip and let out a low groan, looking deeply worried. This was the perfect moment to unleash my ultimate move.
"Chloe."
"Yes?"
I gently placed my hand on her head and patted it, wearing a smile honed by years of working in the food service industry.
"Please."
"...!"
Chloe's face flushed red like an active volcano.
『How to Deal with a Yandere, Rule 1: First, pat her head. That will get you halfway there.』
It was a moment that made the nights I spent studying Neotube before bed completely worth it.
* * *
The VIP room of the Joaquin Academy Affiliated Hospital.
Nox lay buried in his bed, trembling. An emotion he had never felt in his life writhed within him. His heart wouldn't stop pounding.
The intensity of whatever was welling up from deep inside him showed no signs of fading, even with the passage of time.
It was because of that bastard.
Kang Geomma.
A name he could no longer even bring himself to utter aloud. He could only mutter it silently in his mind.
Every time Kang Geomma's pitch-black eyes flashed in his mind, he felt a tingling sensation spread from his extremities through his entire body.
It was a vivid terror he was experiencing for the first time. The mixture of rage toward that bastard and self-loathing was agonizing.
He had lived his entire life without knowing defeat. No matter who the enemy was, they had all grown cold before the Crimson Ring Blade of Nox, the Genius of Auditore.
But that was only until yesterday. Nox had lost. No, if it had been a simple loss, it would have been a blessing. The moment that guy's atmosphere shifted, Nox had been ruthlessly sliced up like sashimi in a matter of seconds.
Having his flesh sliced didn't hurt. But the agonizing pain of a broken spirit stripped him of any will to even stand up.
He wondered, Would it have been different if it were night? But the mere thought of clashing blades with Kang Geomma made his joints twitch in unnatural directions.
"Fuck!"
Nox gnashed his teeth and slammed his fist onto the side table. The apples, bananas, and other fruits in the basket jumbled together and bounced high into the air. The metal table dented deeply in the shape of his fist.
Kill him. Kill him. Kill him.
Yes, he could kill him. Nox's true calling was an assassin. With the full power of the Auditore family, they could easily sever Kang Geomma's head.
Nox's mind was consumed by a single, obsessive thought.
I must kill him and bring Chloe back.
Chloe belonged to the Auditore. Furthermore, her potential as an assassin was equal to, if not greater than, Nox's own.
It was just as the cold flames of vengeance were burning in his eyes.
Knock, knock.
The sound of knocking echoed against the white walls.
"Who is it?!"
Nox furrowed his brow and barked sharply toward the door. As if in response, the sliding door of the hospital room slid open with a cold, mechanical creak.
"It's me."
It was Kang Geomma. Nox slumped back onto the bed, his face blank with shock. His jaw clenched. The fighting spirit that had been burning so fiercely just a moment ago vanished the instant he saw Geomma's face.
"Y-You..."
He stammered unconsciously. His teeth chattered so hard he almost bit his tongue. He barely managed to force his jaw shut.
Kang Geomma strolled over to Nox, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. He pulled out a nearby chair and slumped back into it.
"The Auditore family must be loaded. This room is insane."
He scratched the back of his neck, casually scanning the room. It was a simple action, yet cold sweat began to bead on Nox's forehead, eventually trickling down in streams.
"Can I eat this?"
"..."
Kang Geomma gestured with his eyes toward the apple in the basket on the side table. Nox nodded slightly. It was the moment he truly understood what an involuntary reflex was.
"Thanks."
He picked up a plump apple and took a large bite. Seemingly enjoying it, he ignored the juice splattering around his mouth and continued to crunch away.
Nox's lips twitched, but no sound escaped his teeth. He felt nothing but pure terror. Facing him made his stomach churn, to the point where he felt nauseous.
As Nox covered his mouth, Kang Geomma, without a change in expression, picked up the paring knife from the basket. Is he here to finish me off? Nox's body froze in sheer panic.
At that, Geomma tilted his head, picked up another apple, and began to gently peel it. The apple peel, shaved so thin it was almost translucent, looked like a ribbon of silk. It was a godlike display of knife skills that left Nox utterly spellbound.
"If you can't stomach real food, at least eat some fruit."
He then placed the perfectly peeled, smooth sphere of fruit on the side table. Even then, Nox flinched. His body was reacting involuntarily to every single one of Geomma's movements.
"Well, you look fine, so I'm off."
Kang Geomma stretched lazily, stood up from the chair, and headed toward the door. Nox's eyes darted rapidly between Geomma's retreating back and the paring knife on the table.
Now's my chance.
He was completely unguarded. Nox slowly, stealthily reached his arm toward the table. Even the sound of his hospital gown brushing against his skin was silent.
At that exact moment, Geomma, with the door half-open, slightly turned his head back. Nox met his chilling gaze.
"Oh, and."
"..."
"If you're thinking of getting revenge on me..."
His dry voice seemed to shatter the very air in the room.
"I will wipe out the entire Auditore bloodline."
Click.
The door closed.
The apple on the side table split and bloomed into eight perfect slices.