Chapter 110
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: Is There a Festival Going On or Something?
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Is there a festival going on or something?
Blink.
An unfamiliar ceiling.
Su-hyeon, who had risen with the sun as usual, sat up.
A bed really is better than the floor, after all.
She pondered buying a folding mattress.
...Come to think of it, that might work.
Since she's short, she could probably just fold it up and use it anyway.
"...Huh?"
Sensing a presence nearby, she glanced over to see Ga-eun lying there, staring back at her.
Curled up on the outer edge of the bed, she looked terribly uncomfortable.
'Why's she doing this here instead of her own room? Ha-neul must feel left out.'
Her back was precariously draped over the edge, as if the slightest nudge would send her tumbling off with a thud.
Su-hyeon wriggled her way out of bed.
Then, with her tiny hands, she firmly pushed Ga-eun's back inward.
There was no headboard, of course, but the persistent prodding must have been annoying, because Ga-eun groaned and squirmed further inside.
'Good.'
With that, Su-hyeon draped her own thin blanket over Ga-eun.
One side ended up pinned under Ga-eun's body, flipping it inside out, but that wasn't the point.
'No Ha-neul? Is she sleeping with So-yeon?'
Standing on tiptoes, Su-hyeon peered up at the loft, but it was empty.
'What now.'
She was awake, but nothing to do.
Normally, she'd head straight to the bathroom and do some photosynthesis.
Truth be told, she'd only enjoyed it at first. Now it was just mindless routine.
Still, with nothing else, maybe she should?
Sizzle, crackle. Tap tap. Thump thump.
She swapped her slippers for sneakers.
Toddler-sized ones with Velcro straps.
'Gotta wash these later.'
They were dirtied from yesterday's run.
Click.
Creeeak...
The dim hallway.
The door at the far end slowly opened.
A good ways down from normal height...
Poke. A head of vibrant green hair peeked out.
Leaves rustling atop it, and pale cheek slightly squished against the doorframe—her trademarks.
Clang!
Whoops, she'd let go of the handle too suddenly.
With no one around, the sound echoed deafeningly.
Sneak.
She glanced back into the room, but only Ga-eun's sleeping back was visible, still out cold.
Whew, good—she hadn't woken.
"Phew."
Su-hyeon sighed in relief and slowly closed the door.
Then...
"Do you usually wake up at this hour?"
"Eep...!"
A voice suddenly from above her head.
A bone-chilling subsonic growl, like a beast's roar.
Su-hyeon nearly lost control right there.
Her... human dignity...
Thanks to a burst of focus, she managed to just collapse to her knees.
Carmen pinched Su-hyeon's nape between two fingers and lifted her up.
For a split second, Su-hyeon felt like a claw-machine prize.
"Th-thank you. Uh... good morning...?"
"Indeed. More diligent than you look, Trainee Kim Su-hyeon. Sleep well?"
Even in the dark hall, Carmen's blue eyes gleamed sharply.
"Y-yes... Did you sleep well too, Instructor? You seem to be up even earlier than me..."
Su-hyeon's green eyes darted about.
Hm?
"No! I can go a week without sleep and barely notice. So last night, instead of sleeping, I reworked the entire curriculum and schedule messed up by those anomalies."
"Pardon?"
The kid's eyes widened at the mention of an all-nighter.
"N-no, you can't do that. If overworking becomes a habit, someday when you're older, uh... Wait, no, um... Do Awakeners not age like that?"
Carmen chuckled at the sight.
Adorable? Sure, that too.
Even tigers looked cute to her—how could this little thing not?
But more than that, the bold way she blurted her concerns despite hesitating piqued Carmen's interest.
'Daring to worry about me, of all people.'
She didn't even avert her eyes.
Though if they locked for more than a few seconds, she'd glance away slyly.
Sneak...
As Carmen met her gaze head-on, Su-hyeon furtively rolled her eyes.
It looked like gauging the mood, but Carmen saw it for what it was: Su-hyeon's effort to see people as they truly were.
Her body trembled in fear, yet her mind resisted colored lenses.
And Carmen wasn't one to hide her intimidating aura, so her legs must be jelly.
'...Though I can't tell if her shaky voice is natural or from fear.'
Truth be told, Su-hyeon's slight openness stemmed from yesterday with Ga-eun.
Specifically, that heartfelt vow to never vanish without a word—it had chipped away a bit at Su-hyeon's 'fear of forming bonds.'
She felt surprisingly at ease now, unbeknownst even to herself.
"Anyway, morning briefing's still a ways off. What's the occasion?"
"Uh... Just heading to the bathroom... and getting some fresh air...?"
Carmen whimsically decided to tag along on the kid's dawn stroll.
"A predawn walk? Sounds good. Mind if I join?"
"Y-yes!?"
"What's wrong?"
"N-nothing..."
Of course, to Su-hyeon, it was pure dread amplified.
Why...? She'd planned to leisurely breathe the morning air, sigh about how nice mountain air was, gaze at the misty peaks, compare to home scenery and shrug it off as meh...
But now the boss monster wanted to party up?
"Hm?"
No refusal option available.
1. Yes.
2. Go ahead.
3. Wow, great!
4. Let's go together.
"N-no... Wow, that sounds awesome..."
"Hm? Hahaha! This'll be fun. Alright, let's circle the whole camp."
"Y-yes...? Isn't that a bit too much...?"
"March."
"Eek! B-but the bathroom first...!"
A short while after Su-hyeon was half-dragged away by Carmen...
Ga-eun stirred awake.
Having chattered endlessly with Brüel until nearly midnight before crashing.
It sounded just like the first night of a school trip.
Though she'd booted out the room's actual owner, Ha-neul, and roped Su-hyeon in too.
"Ugh... Huh?"
Reaching for her phone by the pillow, Ga-eun realized this wasn't home and opened her eyes.
Opening them, right in front of her was a head of light green hair...
"...?"
Gone?
The bed's center held only a slightly rumpled pillow, lonely.
"...Su-hyeon?"
Eyes snapping wide, Ga-eun bolted upright.
She frantically felt the bed's middle, but the warmth had already faded.
Ga-eun panicked.
......
Rise-and-shine time had passed, but morning roll call still had a buffer.
Bang bang bang!
Room 2's door shook violently.
Creeeak.
"Ugh, what... already...? Huh? That team leader or...?"
With her looks, high rank, and personality, Ga-eun already drew plenty of attention. Even without intros, everyone at camp knew her.
"Sorry! Could you help for a sec? It's urgent...!"
"...What's wrong?"
The participant's face grew serious at her fidgety distress.
Unlike her initial marathon vibe, Carmen strolled quite ordinarily.
With Su-hyeon perched on her head, no less.
She'd apparently meant to give a piggyback, but thick traps and long hair turned it into a hug-the-noggin situation.
'Is this... fur? No, a mane...?'
The fluffy strands brushing her chin and thighs were delightfully soft.
Anyone who knew Carmen would foam at the mouth seeing this.
"Comfortable? Shoulders would've been nicer, but muscles make it impossible. The slope and all."
"Y-yeah... But I'm not heavy, you don't have to..."
"This weight? Laughable. And with your stubby legs, it'd take forever to see everything. This is easier."
"......"
Carmen hiked even sheer cliff-like inclines, overlooking the forest.
'Ugh...'
Higher vantage than usual tickled Su-hyeon's gut.
Instinctively, she clutched the hair tight.
Her soft strength couldn't budge a single follicle, naturally.
"Trees are back to normal. Was yesterday's sneaking out for this?"
"...Pardon?"
"Saw your awakening: plant growth acceleration. You went out to save them, right?"
"Y-yeah... As expected of the instructor."
"Impressive. Hard to believe you're E-rank."
"R-really?"
"Yes. Where'd you get tested?"
"Uh... Just locally, kinda rough..."
"Retest here. You'll rank higher for sure."
"O-okay..."
They ended up chatting more than expected.
Carmen's hearty yet thoughtful consideration helped, and Su-hyeon's stress eased too.
Probably her longest talk with a near-stranger since childhood.
"Why become a Hunter?"
Carmen asked, heading toward the main gate.
Su-hyeon had loosened up, freely gripping the hair now.
"Well, truth is, I don't really care about being a Hunter."
"What!? Then you're just here for fun!? I flew from America to instruct!"
"Eep, s-sorry!"
"Kidding. Uahaha!"
Su-hyeon forced a grin.
"...Ha, hahaha."
When Carmen suddenly gripped her own thigh, Su-hyeon nearly leaped off her head in shock.
Did yanking the hair that hard not hurt...?
Awakeners' scalps must be tough too.
As 6 a.m. neared, daylight strengthened, signaling stroll's end.
Brief roll call, morning PT, then breakfast awaited.
Approaching the main building, Carmen sensed irregularity.
"Hm? Quite the commotion."
"What's up?"
"Everyone's up. I didn't tell them to—no wake-up call. Planned extra PT for the sleepyheads."
"......"
Carmen smacked her lips regretfully.
Closer now, Su-hyeon felt the bustle too.
"Su-hyeon~? Where are you?"
"Hey, Kim Su-hyeon? Su-hyeon!"
"...!?"
A bizarre scene.
Strangers calling her name everywhere.
Not total strangers—fellow participants, upon closer look.
Men and women alike, in sleep-mussed clothes, scurrying about camp.
"Looks like they're hunting for you."
"...R-really...?"
And the busiest bee was one in particular.
Ga-eun.
"Su-hyeon! Where...! Ugh, even Ms. Brüel is missing..."
"Ga-eun!"
Su-hyeon waved, and Ga-eun zeroed in like a ghost.
"What the heck is going on...?"
"You! Where were—oh, with the instructor... Never mind, that's a relief. Haa..."
Ga-eun arrived at breakneck speed, face a whirlwind of emotions.
Stomping in frustration, clutching her chest in relief, rubbing her dizzy head.
"S-sorry...?"
Su-hyeon couldn't hide her bewilderment at the emotional display.
"Seems calmed down enough."
Carmen set Su-hyeon down and drew a deep breath.
"TREASURE HUNT OVER!!! Everyone prep and assemble at the field!"
Rooooar—
"!!!"
A volume that shook the camp to its foundations.
Su-hyeon felt her soul eject then reinstall.
Ga-eun seemed to snap to under the lion's roar too.
Her knees buckled mid-hug toward Su-hyeon, face blank as if departed.
"...Ugh."
"Sleep well...?"
"Y-yeah... uh... y-yeah... eung..."
......She back?
A small palm patted Ga-eun's cheeks: slap slap.