Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Even a Hopeless Loser Breaks His Nose Falling Backward
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“Ugh...”
Tail let out a short groan.
His throat was parched like it was burning up, and his whole body screamed in agony.
Even twitching a finger took effort.
“Urgh...”
He forced his eyes open, and an unfamiliar white ceiling came into view.
Where the hell am I?
No way it’s that cliché nonsense where he croaks and gets reincarnated somewhere else again?
As his blurry vision slowly cleared, he sensed someone nearby.
The curtain was suddenly yanked back, and a familiar face appeared.
“Oh? You’re awake.”
He turned his head slightly. Pale blue hair like the sky, with pointed elven ears poking out between the strands.
And at the same time, a stunning face paired with voluptuous curves caught his eye.
It was the runaway princess, Alice.
In her hands were some leaves and a water bottle.
“Painkilling herbs and water. Here, eat up.”
She handed him the herbs and water.
Tail struggled to sit up and took them.
“Ah... Thanks.”
Alice gave a faint smile at his words.
“Don’t mention it. The priest is running late, so I’m just filling in. And...”
Her deep navy eyes fixed on Tail.
“...I should be the one thanking you.”
At that moment, Tail’s hair fluttered gently.
A warm, pleasant breeze brushed past him inside the building, where not a whisper of wind should have been.
He knew it right away.
Ah. The wind spirit hasn’t left her yet.
Now she just needed to reconnect with the spirits, and she’d be back on track.
She was probably expressing gratitude for that.
“Well, you helped me out a ton anyway, so we’ll call it even.”
“That’s not the only thing.”
She took the water bottle from his hand, twisted the cap back on, and continued.
“Thanks to you, I think I’ll ace the entrance exam too.”
Tail nodded at her words.
And for good reason.
In the end, Tail’s team had definitely sliced off a piece of Titina’s cloak.
That should be enough for the whole team to pass.
Tail brushed it off casually.
“Speaking of, this must be the academy infirmary, huh?”
Alice nodded.
“Yes. You collapsed at the end... so I carried you here straightaway.”
Carried him?
“...You did?”
Since when were elves that strong?
“Ah, that’s...”
As Alice started to explain, someone approached Tail’s bed.
“Who else?”
The curtain flew open with a booming voice.
And there stood a young girl with her pink hair tied back in a single ponytail.
“It was me who carried you!”
Standing tall and proud was the instructor, Titina.
Her white tiger ears atop the pink hair twitched slightly.
“Hoo. Feeling better?”
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Her white tiger tail swished with every word.
“Ah... Yeah...”
Tail felt an ominous vibe.
Those gleaming eyes.
She definitely had something to say.
“By the way, Tail.”
A mischievous smile crept across her lips.
“Congratulations.”
“...Huh?”
Congratulations on what?
The academy entrance exam results already out?
As he puzzled over it, Titina pulled something from her pocket.
It was a scrap of fabric.
Specifically, the piece of her cloak that Tail’s teammates had cut off together.
She folded it neatly and handed it to him with a beaming smile.
Her bright, joyful grin sent cold sweat trickling down Tail’s back.
This felt bad.
The moment those lips parted, something terrible was coming.
And sure enough, Titina spoke.
“To Tail...”
She said it brightly.
“I’ve got a special offer for you!”
What the hell?
A special offer?
Tail stared blankly.
Titina nodded as if it were the most natural reaction.
“Of course, of course. Shocked, right? I get it. That’s the feeling.”
No, what kind of offer?
But Titina winked like she knew everything.
“When do you ever get an offer from a war hero?”
Tail’s eyes widened.
Not at the “offer” part.
But at “war hero.”
Titina. War hero...
Something clicked in his mind.
No way the instructor Titina is...
The war hero who led the Bellenuus Empire to victory.
And in the original story, the top villain who teamed up with the villainess Cecilia to betray Chloe...
Titina Larry?
Tail’s jaw dropped slightly.
Titina Larry.
She’d lost her entire family to the Tieren Empire and, burning with rage, took up the sword and sided with Bellenuus.
Afterward, she became the greatest non-human swordsman, bringing the empire countless victories in the war.
Her blade mowed down hordes of enemies.
And in her wake, only corpses littered the ground.
That’s why the emperor even bestowed the title ‘Radiant White Tiger’ on her.
But those who’d seen her on the battlefield called her something else.
‘Mad Tiger.’
Both allies and enemies who witnessed her berserk slaughter of humans dubbed her that.
Of course, Titina utterly, utterly despised the nickname.
Despite being non-human, her loyalty earned her a high position in the empire—a remarkable figure.
But by the novel’s end, when Chloe hooks up with the male lead, Titina was utterly broken.
And the cause was her disciple.
Her one human she’d opened her heart to, whom she’d raised as a disciple.
But the disciple was framed and sentenced to death.
Unable to protect even him, guilt consumed her, leading her to join Cecilia’s rebellion.
But who was that disciple again?
He couldn’t remember, no matter how hard he tried.
I heard he was a commoner who got framed out of jealousy.
Never caught the name.
Anyway.
This war hero—the future number one threat to the empire—was her?
Tail eyed Titina dubiously.
“I can’t spill the details of my offer just yet~ But if you get all A’s after enrolling in the academy, I’ll tell you then. Ahem.”
Titina’s lips twitched like she was dying to blurt it out right now.
There was no trace of brokenness in her innocent, pure demeanor.
This woman’s really a villain?
He’d sooner believe penguins could fly.
For real.
Clinging to a sliver of hope, Tail asked.
“Instructor.”
“Yes~ Tail? Curious about the offer?”
Sparkle, sparkle.
Titina’s eyes lit up.
“Are you Titina of the Larry family?”
“Huh?”
She tilted her head, wondering why he’d ask that.
Tail prayed inwardly.
Please, please, please, please. Say no.
Please say, I’m not.
But his wish went ungranted.
Titina answered matter-of-factly.
“Yeah, why?”
Haa... Fuck.
Tail swallowed a sigh.
From now on, the penguins I know fly around in the sky.
He rubbed his face with weary eyes.
No, he’d somehow raised the heroine and villainess right.
Now it’s the top villain showing up?
Even a hopeless loser breaks his nose falling backward.
Out of nowhere, the obvious event girl from that first inn encounter turns out to be this lunatic?
Tail screamed silently.
Damn you, novel!
He really wanted to cry.
The entrance exam’s end time.
The priest’s treatment plus Alice’s herbs had definitely helped him recover.
Despite Alice telling him to rest, Tail dragged his weary body to the academy entrance.
For good reason.
Yujin should be coming soon.
He and Yujin had agreed to meet here after the exam.
In a world without cell phones, missing each other would be a nightmare, so Tail pushed through the fatigue.
Then again, Yujin’s such a scatterbrain.
He’d probably wander around looking for me and get lost.
Better to tough it out a bit than deal with that.
As he leaned against the wall, lost in thought.
“Tail!”
A familiar clear voice called from afar.
There was Yujin, with his tanned skin and deep brown hair.
His beautiful features and oddly feminine vibe drew glances from passersby, despite being a guy.
And at the same time, the person next to the frantically waving Yujin caught Tail’s eye.
“!!!!”
The instant he saw him, Tail’s eyes widened.
Luxurious jet-black hair.
Snow-white, flawless skin in contrast.
Mysterious golden eyes that seemed to hold the sun.
Not quite shed his boyish charm, but handsome enough to rival an idol.
If Tail was a bit manly, this guy was a total pretty boy.
Like a fairy, maybe.
But setting aside the looks.
Tail clocked it immediately.
That guy’s...
This novel’s male lead.