Chapter 39
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: What a Cute Young Lady?
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"Tail!"
Yujin came rushing over in a few quick strides.
Following behind him was Ethan Philoff, the male lead from the original novel, who wore a faint smile.
"Hello. You must be Tail. I've heard a lot about you."
His voice was polite and formal.
The male lead from the novel, alright.
He was practically sparkling.
But Tail averted his gaze from the way Ethan was looking at him.
The male lead, Ethan, overcomes countless trials.
Which meant...
He goes through a shit-ton of ordeals.
Being anywhere near him meant a 100% chance of getting dragged into them.
And that was something Tail absolutely wanted no part of.
Tail forced a casual smile.
"Ah, yeah. Hi."
Then he grabbed Yujin's wrist and continued.
"We have plans, so we'll head out first."
Polite, but drawing a clear line.
Ethan blinked slowly before smiling back.
"Sure. Got it. See you around once you enroll, Yujin."
"Ah, yeah!"
Tail kept a firm grip on Yujin's hand as he hurried away.
After they'd walked some distance...
Once Ethan was out of sight, Tail let go of Yujin's hand and spoke up.
"Yujin."
At the deep, gravelly voice, Yujin—who had been looking down—lifted his head to meet Tail's eyes.
His green eyes trembled faintly.
Tail pressed on regardless.
"Don't get chummy with Ethan."
Getting close to him would probably drag Yujin into a ton of trouble too.
Even talented fallen nobles had struggled with those ordeals.
For a commoner like Yujin with just a bit of holy power, it'd be lights out in an instant.
This is all for your own good.
But whether Yujin understood that or not, his expression was complicated.
Yujin's lips parted slightly.
"...Why?"
The look on his face as he stared at Tail seemed oddly flushed.
"Why don't you want me getting close to Ethan?"
Yujin's voice trembled just a little.
Why?
Why indeed!
"'Cause you'll die. I got sucked into a novel my friend read, and that guy's got a rough ride ahead. Dodge it now or regret it."
-No way could he say that.
He'd just get labeled a lunatic.
Whatever. As long as Yujin stayed away from Ethan, it'd be fine.
Tail kept it simple.
"Hey, don't ask why. Trade secret. So, you gonna hang with him or not?"
Yujin let out a small chuckle at Tail, who seemed utterly sincere.
"Yeah, that's you, Tail."
"Huh? What'd you say?"
Tail hadn't caught the quiet mutter and asked again.
But Yujin didn't answer. Instead, he ruffled Tail's hair.
"Heh. Our big ol' Tail's still just a kid at heart, huh?"
Tail swatted his hand away, bristling.
"Wanna die?"
He'd died in his late twenties.
Now he was eighteen.
He was definitely over thirty. Kid? Please.
"Anyway, stay away. It's a hassle."
"Yeees~ Got it~"
Tail sighed at Yujin's half-hearted reply.
Nobody ever got him.
Tail and Yujin headed straight back to their inn.
"I'm hungry. Wanna grab something?"
"But everywhere's packed."
Sure enough, with evening setting in, every table in the inn's first-floor dining area was taken.
"What now? Another place?"
It was right then that Yujin turned.
"...Huh?"
In the middle of the dining hall, at a table, sat a familiar woman.
Sky-blue hair shimmering like waves, deep ocean-blue eyes.
A voluptuous, curvaceous figure.
Pointed ears that marked her as no human.
Tail's eyes locked on the familiar sight as he called out.
"Alice?"
She paused mid-cut of her food and looked up at the sound of his voice.
"...Tail?"
It was indeed Alice.
Yujin tilted his head, realizing they knew each other.
"Oh? A friend of yours?"
"Yeah. We were on the same team for the entrance exam earlier."
Yujin clapped his hands delightedly.
"Nice! Then we can ask to join her since seats are full!"
"...Huh?"
Before Tail could say a word, Yujin dragged him over to Alice.
"Hi. Seats are all taken—mind if we join you?"
Alice stared blankly at Yujin for a moment before slowly shifting her gaze to Tail.
Tail gave an awkward smile under her eyes.
Then Alice spoke, slow and deliberate.
"...Sure."
Her permission lit up Yujin's face.
"Thanks!"
Tail and Yujin sat right down.
They quickly ordered from the waiter, and soon their food arrived.
Roast chicken and potato soup.
"Dig in."
Yujin carved into the chicken immediately.
Tail, whose stomach wasn't feeling great, spooned up some potato soup.
Clink.
Clatter.
Silence fell.
It was quiet.
Oppressively, suffocatingly quiet.
The only sounds were the three of them with their utensils.
If not for the lively chatter around them, it would've been unbearable.
Well, no real connection between Alice and Yujin anyway.
Alice wasn't the chatty type regardless.
Of course, sociable Yujin tried breaking the ice several times.
"What'd you get, Alice?"
"Potato stew."
"Oh, tasty? I'll try it next time."
"Yes."
"Ah... uh... How was the entrance exam today?"
"Good."
After the curt replies, Yujin gave up and just ate.
She talked more than this during the exam.
She felt twice as stiff and cold now.
Maybe one of those elves wary of humans.
Well, our chats back then were in urgent situations anyway.
As Tail mulled it over, Alice finished her meal and stood.
Noticing, Tail spoke up.
"All done?"
She hesitated, pausing as she moved to pass.
Then, awkwardly, she replied.
"...Yes. I'm finished, so I'll head up. Enjoy."
Definitely warmer in tone than before.
Not fully friendly, but Tail caught that she was making an effort—for him.
Guess teaming up once earned some courtesy.
While Tail pondered, Alice vanished up to the inn's second floor.
Tail stared blankly at the spot she'd left.
A few days passed.
Until the admission letters arrived, Tail and Yujin decided to stick at the inn.
"Tail, let's go! We're sightseeing the capital today, remember?"
Tail blinked blearily at Yujin shaking him awake.
Yujin, up early as usual, was neatly dressed.
Come to think of it, I've never seen him change.
Weird.
He always seemed freshly washed and dressed by the time Tail woke.
As he spaced out, Yujin yelled.
"Tail! When we heading out?!"
"Yawn. Alright, alright. Right now!"
Tail stretched long and hard, got ready, and headed out with Yujin.
The capital buzzed with splendor, light, and life.
All sorts of races, ages, and genders mingled in the crowds.
Everyone seemed excited.
"Whoa! Tail! Strawberries! They look so good!"
And one extra pumped-up friend to boot.
Yujin beamed at the strawberries.
They did look plump and ripe—clearly the best ones cultivated.
"Oho. Strawberries, eh?"
Then an elderly woman emerged from the stall.
She glanced at Yujin and smiled kindly.
"My, what a cute young lady."
"...Pardon?"
Yujin's eyes went wide.
The grandma chuckled anyway, picking a strawberry and wiping it off.
"Here, miss. Try one. Just a bite won't hurt."
She was dead certain Yujin was a girl.
Yujin flailed his hands in panic.
"N-No, it's fine."
"You remind me of my granddaughter. Go on, have a bite."
As the grandma insisted, Yujin took it with both hands and shot Tail a desperate glance.
His anxious eyes shook, like he couldn't let this slide.
Tail got it instantly.
Ah, he wants to hide that he got called a girl.
With his slimmer build compared to other guys, Yujin got that a lot.
And he hates it.
He'd blown up every time.
First time Tail saw him mad.
After that, no monk at the monastery dared call him a girl.
Probably letting it slide this time 'cause she was an old grandma.
Yeah, something like that.
Tail shrugged it off as no big deal.