Silk Blond's Puppy Apology
"It was like something straight out of a movie, a fateful encounter, right Potsi?"
"More like a nightmare."
"It was fate for me. The day I met the one person I couldn't control on my terms."
She was spouting romantic lines, but with her straddling my lap, twirling that yellow dog collar around her finger, it didn't feel romantic at all. The thin gold ring spinning around the second joint of her index finger looked just like a cowboy's lasso, sending a chill down my spine. It had a subtle golden sheen—clearly an artifact at first glance. I had no idea what powers it held, but it sure as hell didn't look like anything useful to me.
"Stop twirling that thing. It's distracting."
"Oh? Want me to put it around your neck instead, Potsi?"
The moment I spoke, Silk Blond pounced like a cat that'd hooked its prey, thrusting the collar toward me. With both ends gripped in her fingertips, it hurtled straight for my neck in a precise arc. Assuming it was a sneak attack, it was fast enough to catch even a B-rank awakener off guard.
But if I fell for something like that, I'd have been kidnapped by Ska ages ago, chopped into bits, and turned into her personal maggot pet. Of course, Ska had never actually tried to kidnap me. Or had she? Nah, probably not. Wait, with Ska, it's entirely possible. I must've dodged it unconsciously. Anyway, no ordinary move could catch me. Dr. Emme, Ska, Lapis Julie—they all said, with a bit of exaggeration, that my evasion skills were S-rank. And my evasion prowess, acknowledged by the world's top geniuses, didn't rely solely on Rabbit Hole. After all, I was the one activating it. Without me consciously evading, Rabbit Hole or anything else was useless. Bottom line: I had goddamn elite evasion skills even without using Rabbit Hole.
I wasn't living some amateur life where I'd fall for such a straightforward, obvious attack. I raised my hand blade to block the collar's path. The instant it touched my hand, it snapped onto my wrist like a magnet.
Click.
And nothing happened.
I casually slipped the collar off my fingers and pocketed it to stop Silk Blond's nonsense. Even though it latched on, nothing activated because the artifact's effect only triggered when worn around the neck in collar form. That's why I could dodge it so easily—I knew that.
"Ugh... How do you always slip away like that, Potsi?"
Her "operation collar Paster" failed spectacularly, and Silk Blond furrowed her brow, pouting like a sulky kid. It was still cute, but her question grated on me too much to let it slide.
"That's one question the 3rd Team Leader shouldn't be asking."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"You know exactly who made me like this. And you're the one who knows best."
"Oh, right—it was thanks to me, huh? Forgot about that."
Boing. "My baaaad," she said, sticking out her tongue and bonking her head with her fist. It wasn't even as cute as when Dr. Emme did it with her dead-fish eyes. Fuck, where do they learn this shit? And "thanks to me"? Thanks to... thanks... Hah, goddamn it.
As Silk Blond said, my survival-tuned evasion skills were "perfected" because of her. Not thanks to her—because of her. That's the key distinction. This ability was honed from surviving her crazy antics. Even two years later, just thinking about it woke me up in cold sweats—a full-blown trauma. And she calls it "thanks to her"? Shamelessly? I'd tried to hold out for three months, but my patience was crumbling. The last three days—day before yesterday, yesterday, today—had been a nonstop shitstorm. My mental armor was cracking unnoticed, and her casual "thanks to me" snapped the last thread.
"Get off my lap."
"Nah."
I growled it low, but I saw that comeback coming. Silk Blond shared Ska's temperament. Just like Ska never apologized to me, Silk Blond ignoring me was par for the course. I knew it, so it didn't sting. I just nodded.
"Fine, whatever."
With that, I triggered Rabbit Hole. Not far—just to the chair beside me.
Thud!
It was a super short hop, but without warning, Silk Blond lost her balance and ass-planted on the floor.
"Ow!"
An S-rank awakener's body wouldn't bruise from a fall like that. Still, she drooped the corners of her eyebrows and looked up at me like it hurt. Seeing my stone-cold face, she shrugged it off, stood, and dusted her butt.
Then she cupped my cheek and asked softly, "...Potsi, you mad?"
Goddamn it. Same old trick. Ska, Silk Blond, Lapis Julie—they all did this. They'd rile me up till I was boiling over, then sense it like ghosts and defuse me their own way. Ska would act like a guilty puppy after her chaos, which looked so off on her it made me laugh and forget my anger. Though she was clumsy and crossed lines sometimes. Lapis Julie would vent everything, then hit me with, "But you're the only one I can say this to, Senior. You can't leave my side, right?" She'd blush, ears turning red, head turning away—and poof, anger gone. And Silk Blond? She'd cup my cheek like this, lock eyes, and her stunning face filled my vision, erasing any memory of why I was pissed.
Fuck. Still gorgeous today. What a bitch.
But I couldn't let it slide every time. Keeping my face hard, I shot back coldly, "You just figuring that out?"
"...Yeah. Just did."
Just now? Yeah, fuck, knew it'd come to this. Normally I'd say, "Good, just don't do it again," but not today. No half-assed dodge without a real apology...
"S-Sorry, Potsi. I'm just clueless sometimes."
What?
"Huh? W-Wait, what'd you say?"
"Sorry..."
"Sorry? To me? Why?"
"'Cause I did something sorry-worthy."
"You? Knowing you did wrong? Senior?"
"Potsi, what do you even think I am...?"
Her incredulous tone fell on deaf ears. I was too stunned. It felt like the house I'd only dreamed of dropped from the sky. An S-rank awakener apologizing? To me? Silk Blond, top contender for "never gonna apologize"? Was this a dream? I pinched my cheek. Sharp pain. Real. She actually apologized. This is insane. What's wrong with the world?
I should've been thrilled, but pure joy wouldn't come. This felt wrong. Snap out of it, Paster. She's got an angle. No other explanation. Two years without a speck of remorse, and now this? Even passing Ia Ris would tell me not to buy it. Wait, she kinda confessed already? Nah, not a confession. Close, but not quite.
Gripping my fraying sanity, I focused on Silk Blond. She looked genuinely sorry, head bowed, forehead bumping my chest like she was begging forgiveness.
"Sorry, Potsi. For real."
"..."
Like a cat nuzzling its owner, my anger melted, heart steadying. I'd once wondered what I'd do if she ever truly apologized. Back then, full of grudges, I'd vowed not to forgive easily. But facing real sincerity? Only "forgive her" came to mind. Hell, I was grateful. An S-rank who held her head high anywhere bowing to an F-rank like me? Not easy.
Decision made, a smile tugged my lips. As per her usual request, I placed a hand on her head.
"Senior, just you apologizing first is already..."
Swish.
...Swish? Something slipped from my pocket, cutting me off. At the same instant, Silk Blond darted back like a feral cat caught.
She held the collar I'd confiscated.
"Hehe, Potsi. Sorry's not enough, right? I think so too. So punish me like always. I'll do anything to earn your forgiveness."
With that, she snapped the collar around her own neck.
Click. Blinding golden light flooded the Scout Leader's Room the moment it touched her pale neck.
What the—
I reflexively shut my eyes. When I opened them, Silk Blond had grown dog ears and a tail.
"W-What the hell...?"
I'd been touched by her "apology," and now this? My brain lagged.
She giggled at my shock and explained. "Hard-to-get artifact. Funded by some shady rich group... what was it? Anyway, development flopped—only ears and tail grew. Barely counts as beastman transformation. But..."
She trailed off, crawled to me on all fours like a dog, sat, and looked up.
"...it doesn't get in the way of punishment."
Then it clicked—why she'd "apologized." Not out of remorse. To set this up. Yeah, fuck, figures. No way Silk Blond apologized sincerely. I knew it, but it still deflated me. Exhaustion hit. Wanted to go home. But home's gone. Lapis Julie's at the dorm. Fuck, nowhere to crash. Life's a brutal bitch.
I looked up at the sky—no, dingy ceiling. Sigh. Lowering my gaze, Silk Blond stared up expectantly.
"Master, discipline this dumb bitch who's pissed you off without a clue."
"..."
Discipline my ass. But if it fulfilled her desires as requested, no reason to refuse. Anger gone, reason returned, reminding me of my three-month endurance goal. Yeah, gotta do it. Promised myself.
As I mulled it over silently, pulling out my phone, she clasped her fists by her shoulders, tilted her head puppy-like, and barked cutely.
"Woof woof!"
Like asking, Not doing it 'cause I haven't begged enough? The bark was so amateurish, I snorted despite myself.
"Hah, alright, Senior. Was gonna anyway. I'll give you what you want. Look here."
If you can't dodge it, enjoy it. I held up the fake Hypnosis App before her eyes. The light faded from hers instantly, but her fluffy golden tail wagged furiously—like this moment thrilled her to bits.