Chapter 52
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Chapter 52 - 메스가키 + 조교 = M's가키 (1)
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Bratty Girl + Tamer = Master's Bratty Girl (1)
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"...Lucia..."
I managed not to stutter purely thanks to the Prince on the Bed trait.
"Yes, Master?"
As Lucia approached me with the kitchen knife, I suddenly understood why protagonists in horror movies just stand there instead of running from the killer closing in.
....It wasn't that they didn't run.
...They couldn't run.
...Drip ...drip
Blood droplets were still falling from the blade, making it clear the deed had just been done.
"...Hehe... I thought you'd be a bit later... but you caught me."
Lucia smiled beautifully, as always.
But right now, even that smile felt terrifying.
I forced myself to stay calm and asked her as if nothing was wrong.
"Lucia, where's Vivian?"
"...Vivian?"
Lucia tilted her head for a moment before glancing away.
"...Vivian's right over there...?"
I turned my head in the direction she was looking...
—Wriggle
A lump of unidentifiable meat lay on the table.
"...."
My body went rigid.
This was beyond chills.
A soul-shattering terror welled up inside me.
...What the hell.
What on earth had happened while I was away?
The genre of the world had suddenly shifted.
...Why?
Even after playing Academy's Tamer hundreds of times, Lucia had rampaged a few occasions sure.
But it was always stalking, abduction, confinement—nothing as insane as this had ever happened, not once.
What the hell is going on?
No matter how I racked my brain, I couldn't believe Lucia had done something like this.
"...Master...?"
"..."
As Lucia drew closer, I instinctively backed away.
...She probably wouldn't harm me, but instinctual fear was unavoidable.
"Oh my..!"
Lucia looked startled and set the kitchen knife down.
"...Sorry. I didn't realize I was still holding the knife... I wanted to finish prepping before you got back."
"...Lu...cia.."
My voice came out so hoarse it was hard to believe it was mine.
"...Wh-what is that... meat..."
"...Ah."
At my question, Lucia parted her lips slightly before closing them.
"...You figured it out right away. I was planning a surprise dish..."
She smiled shyly, as if embarrassed.
"...Answer the question..."
"This is..."
The brief moment before she spoke felt eternally long.
"...baby drake meat."
"....?"
But Lucia's answer was completely out of left field.
"Drake... meat?"
"Yes. You had such a hard time with mana backlash today, so I went to the black market and bought some baby drake meat for its calming effects."
When the hell did she even go there?
Before I could voice the question, Lucia continued.
"Prep's almost done, so just wait a little. I just need to stir-fry the cuts and add them to the stew."
As she lifted the meat, it was unmistakably inhuman in shape.
...What a relief.
The sudden drake meat was totally unexpected, but still a huge relief.
Not knowing how to react, I kept a stiff expression, and Lucia asked in surprise.
"Ah... Master... You're not mad that I didn't visit you in the infirmary, right...? I heard from Vivian and stopped by briefly, but I didn't go in because I didn't want to disturb your taming session..."
"...Vivian told you?"
"Yes, but she seemed so shocked that I... um, knocked her out for a bit. Excuse me, I put her to sleep..."
Lucia puffed out one cheek as she glanced at the bed.
When I checked the bed, purple hair was poking out from under the covers.
I approached and pulled back the blanket to reveal Vivian, fast asleep with puffy eyes.
"...If she cries and apologizes like she's about to die, it's impossible to stay mad."
"...."
Apparently, what Lucia had been looking at wasn't the table, but the bed.
...Well, yeah... The bloody knife and meat visuals were too shocking.
Thinking back, her gaze had been closer to the bed than the table.
"Ah, but Master, is your stomach okay? Should I make porridge instead?"
"...No, it's fine. No problems at all."
"Hehe, good. But Master, why are you sweating so much...? Are you still feeling unwell somewhere?"
"Just a bit hot. Don't worry about it."
"Ah! Got it. Then, please wait just a moment. It'll be ready soon!"
Only after watching Lucia return to cooking could I finally let out a sigh of relief.
Whew...
...I was scared.
Truly terrified, thinking the genre had switched from RPG to psycho horror.
Then, as Lucia slammed the knife down with a thunk, my body flinched involuntarily.
"...Come to think of it, Master."
"...Yes."
"I saw Professor Tristan at the black market."
...Tristan again.
Lately, I'd been hearing about Professor Tristan far too often.
Tristan just dies in Chapter 2's main event instead of saving the students, and that's it...
If Loreos straddled supporting and main roles, Tristan was an ambiguous professor hovering between supporting and extra in my assessment.
"I was disguised, so he didn't notice me, but he bought stuff awfully familiarly."
"Did you check what he bought?"
"...Hmm, creek snails, millennium wood sap, moonlight bird feathers... and more...."
After hearing Lucia's rather long list, I fell into thought.
...Judging by the ingredients, it's some kind of antidote? And a pretty high-grade one at that...
In this world, 'recovery' and 'healing' powers were held only by a rare few with unique abilities, always in short supply.
Even fewer could detoxify poisons requiring top-tier antidotes.
But a Carnea professor should have plenty of money?
As expected from the empire's premier institution, Carnea professors earned top-tier salaries.
So there was no need to brew antidotes the hard way—just hire a powerful healer.
"...Any more info on Professor Tristan?"
"Hmm... Nothing else really... If I had to say, he doesn't live in the staff dorms?"
"...."
That was unusual, but Tristan seemed to hate communal living, so it fit.
Still... something feels off...
As I pondered the source of my unease...
"Here, Master! All done!"
Lucia placed the finished dishes on the table one by one.
Grilled eel, steamed oysters and abalone, garlic, drake meat...
...Minus the drake meat, the combo felt awfully familiar.
This is straight-up an aphrodisiac set...
As I took a bite of the drake meat, Lucia's eyes sparkled as she asked.
"Is it tasty?"
"It's delicious."
"Hehe, glad to hear it."
Not flattery—Lucia's cooking was genuinely top-notch.
On par with Carnea's exclusive chefs.
When did she even learn this...
In the first playthrough, Lucia was perfect outside but a klutz at home—overslept, couldn't cook—but now she whipped up masterpieces like this...
"...Then... eat up... It's all good for men..."
...Judging by Lucia's sticky gaze, tonight would be a long one.
At the Creampie Inn in Sankisan Village.
The innkeeper兼pub owner, a man with shiny hair and a long scar across his face...
Gigamind was wiping a beer mug.
Ding—
"We're not open yet..."
The door opened, but Gigamind spoke without looking up.
Tristan sat down at the counter, ignoring him.
"...Got any requests?"
"...You never listen. Sorry, but what's posted on the wall is all we've got. The imperial family's been deploying subjugation squads directly, so outsourced adventurer gigs have dried up."
Tristan glanced at the notice board briefly before sitting back down.
"...Come on, Gigamind, don't do this."
"...Sigh... Tristan. I get your situation, but isn't it time to give up what's hopeless and start living your own life?"
"....This is my life."
"This is living? You're a mage great enough for a Carnea professor post. But if you keep this up, death'll come quick. How long are you gonna waste your life chasing the impossible..."
"....Gigamind."
The air grew heavy.
Not just a mood—mana leaking from Tristan physically weighed down the atmosphere.
"Don't..."
Tristan's raspy voice echoed chillingly.
"...ever say 'impossible' in front of me again."
It was sharp enough to make an ordinary person piss themselves, but Gigamind ran a pub dealing with rowdy adventurers.
He could endure it and brush it off.
Gigamind raised both hands in surrender and apologized.
"...Alright, alright. I crossed the line. My bad, so let's drop it."
Tristan's mana vanished in an instant, and the heavy air returned to normal as if nothing had happened.
"...Sorry. Been on edge lately."
"Get on edge twice more and you'll kill someone."
"...Sorry."
Tristan apologized again, and after a moment's hesitation, Gigamind pulled out a request sheet.
"...Sigh, ogre herd subjugation. Minimum four people, recommended eight or more. At least one with recovery-type unique ability..."
"...Thanks."
Without waiting for him to finish, Tristan checked the pay, grabbed the sheet, and stood.
"...You're not going alone again, are you?"
"Not enough pay to split... Already splurged yesterday anyway."
"Hey, even for you, this request solo is dangerous..! Damn it! Tristan! Listen to me for once..! This ogre herd's not like the usual!"
"...Thanks."
Bam—
With Tristan's curt thanks, the Creampie Inn's door shut.
"Haa..."
Gigamind stared at the door for a moment before slumping into a chair and lighting a cigarette.
A bitter taste filled his mouth.
Adventurers dying on requests was commonplace, not even gossip-worthy.
Having warned him was more than enough duty fulfilled, but the bitterness lingered—as a fellow father, he empathized with Tristan.
"...Damn it. Just don't die out there."
Muttering a curse, Gigamind stubbed out the cigarette and resumed wiping mugs.
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