Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: A Crack in the Fluffiness
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"No, guys. Why did the patch turn out like this?"
— Viewer Custom patch for the party leader — Viewer Horrible hybrid "Ugh, seriously. You plague-ridden bastards. How does a perfectly fine kid turn into this in the blink of an eye?"
— Viewer LOLLLLL right? — Viewer Proud AF — Viewer LMAO even Boss Lady doesn't know about Party Leader?? Loyalty loyalty77^^^ "Uh... yeah, whatever. Looks like it turned out pretty good in its own way. Glad you're adapting. Don't fight, get along."
In a situation that only drew sighs, there was no point dragging out the chat. The real priority right now wasn't educating the newbies.
"Grandpa Herman!!"
"Yeah, Ga-eul. Gramps ain't deaf yet."
His words left me sheepish, scratching my head as I continued.
"You have the treasure map, right, Grandpa?"
Grandpa Herman grinned at my words and reached into his pocket.
"Found it quick, huh? Have fun?"
"Yes! You're the only one I found, but it was fun."
"Heh heh, that's what matters."
With his kind smile, the neatly folded final treasure note appeared in his open palm.
"Guys, we found it!!"
— Viewer Wooo!!! — Viewer Wooo!!!! — Viewer I saw! We found it! My heart pounded over something as simple as a single treasure map.
"Alright, alright. Let's open it."
The map unfolding slowly under my fingers suddenly hit a snag.
"But this isn't gonna say something cheesy like 'The adventures and precious memories you experienced are the real treasure,' right?"
— Viewer LOL no way — Viewer LOL don't worry, sashimi's here "Ahaha. Right? We only got one life. But kidneys are the most expensive, yeah?"
— Viewer You're killing me LOL — Viewer Party leader my eyes are bad "I'll hook you up with corneas too."
Unknowingly gripping too hard, I smoothed out the crumpled paper to reveal a long passage of text.
"Lemme read it. 'After overcoming all sorts of trials, you've finally obtained the last treasure map, blah blah, why's this rambling so long. We sincerely blah blah this precious moment, trials passion luck whatever. Got it?'"
— Viewer LOL confirmed — Viewer Feels super shortened but confirmed I sprang up from the table, a cigar that wouldn't burn even after minutes clenched in my teeth.
"Guys, grab your tools. Let's go."
— Viewer Let's gooo~ — Viewer Go go let's go As I rose from the table and headed for the party hall, the sound of chairs scraping came from behind.
Turning around, I saw the whole group standing and approaching me.
"You all coming too?"
Gulp. Gulp.
"Kuh— haha. We all found it together, so we go together."
Whether laughing or exclaiming, Dennis—now chugging straight from the bottle without even bothering with a glass—swaggered over on bowed legs.
"Perfect! We end with a bang together. Let's go get our treasure!"
The people drawing close smiled warmly at me.
"Treasure's all dug up."
"Hold up a sec."
Just as I was getting sentimental over my majestic party members, the one who cast Sudden Stop was Isabel.
"Ga-eul. Come here."
"Huh? Why?"
Isabel pulled out a comb from who-knows-where and turned me around.
"Not a kid anymore, how much running around did you do?"
— Viewer LOL ran around all puffy chasing treasure "Mm. A teeensy bit?"
Isabel gently brushed my hair with soft strokes.
She straightened my disheveled clothes and fixed my crooked ribbon.
"There, all done. Our Ga-eul, how are your eyes this pretty? Looks like jewels crafted into flowers swirling in them. Not a single ugly spot."
Finishing up, she patted my head like Grandpa Herman.
Her touch brimmed with affection.
"Ahaha. Ga-eul's slightly frizzy hair suits her even better. So cute."
My chest bubbled with a weird floating feeling.
"Mongle-mongle."
"Mongle? What're you saying?"
"Nothing. Let's go get our treasure."
After Isabel adorned me like a flower, we headed to the party hall and flung open the blocking door.
My standout looks already drew stares, but with the crew behind me, it felt like the entire hall was gawking.
"They're staring hard."
— Viewer Boss wanna pop 'em? You gotta stare in moderation, but they gawked openly like monkeys at the zoo, making my blood boil.
The fluffy feeling got shoved straight into the gutter.
"What're you staring at! Can't manage your inkwell nerds? I'll rip 'em ou—mmph! Mmph!"
A massive hand urgently clamped over my mouth.
Following it, I saw the chairman shaking his head furiously with desperate eyes.
"Mmph!!"
"Party leader, please!"
— Viewer Why's our leader's brakes always busted — Viewer Never fixed 'em LOL — Viewer Inhibitor! Inhibitor!! I slowly nodded, and only then did he gradually release his hand.
"Fuck. I'll shove an eyedropper in their sockets."
"Eek!"
I swatted away the chairman's hand lunging to cover my mouth again as he flinched.
"Chairman asshole. If you got eyes, look at those fuckers."
The crowd stared back as if it was natural, everyone joining in.
From the 2nd and 3rd floors, they peered down like zoo monkeys too, eyes full of all sorts.
Curiosity. Interest.
Jealousy. Lust.
A cesspool of desire.
"You."
As my hand pointed them out one by one, the giants beside me tracked with their gazes.
"You too."
They flinched and turned away whenever a giant's eyes landed.
Fine when they do it, burdensome when I do, apparently.
— Viewer Those bigshots gonna get in trouble? — Viewer LOL bit by rabid dog, they're the ones in trouble — Viewer Two rabies shots for ya The orchestra music that had been playing nonstop had also gone silent at some point.
"Even elite eyeballs aren't something you can just swap out at will, right?"
Streamers get exposed to invisible viewers' gazes until the broadcast ends.
24/7 under eyes, except sleeping. Inside home, outside too.
Even I, used to stares, felt grossed out.
Not normal gazes, but ones soaked in desire, looking down like inferiors were natural.
Since that weird energy filled my eyes, desires showed clearer.
"Watch your jaw and eyeball angles. I'll smash if you lift 'em like you're hot shit."
— Viewer Damn angle teacher protractor Han My voice echoed softly through the hollow silence.
Click-clack. Click-clack.
As I finished my gentle warning and stepped forward, a high heel sound pierced the quiet.
A grandma well over seventy approached me, flanked by guards, her wrinkled face twisted in a nauseating smile.
"Tsk tsk. Madam Shaolin. Quite the spirited lady."
She greeted me, but her eyes were on Herman. Her demeanor tilted my head instinctively.
As I pondered how to handle this pushy old hag, the chairman stepped in front of me.
"Old witch. We settled this earlier."
"Oh? One-sidedly?"
"Land passed down since ancestors. Where I was born and raised. I'll die before selling it to bloat your belly."
"Grew up different from your wishy-washy dad who ruined the house."
"...Don't insult my father. He was kinder and more upright than anyone."
"Heh heh, father and son indeed. Blood's thick. Both fools."
"......"
The chairman's fist clenched so hard his nails dug in, trembling.
"Know your place. Can't tell rock from gold nugget."
Not my business, nothing I could do anyway. I'm a guest, or uninvited even.
But still.
'Can't just watch this.'
I shoved the chairman back and stood between him and the old lady.
"What about it, you old hag."
"...What did you say!?"
— Viewer MAX EMERGENCY!!!!!! — Viewer Party leader causing incident again pls stop her!! — Viewer Emergency! Emergency! Block the crazy bitch!! "Ha, haha. Uhahahahaha."
Drip.
The cackling madwoman suddenly stopped laughing like nothing happened.
"...Looks like a nation-toppling beauty, but mouth like a sailor. Girl, if you knew who I am, you'd show some respect, no?"
With Grandpa Herman behind me, her bold approach meant she was top-tier nobility here.
Her jaw slowly lifting toward me, eyes slowly descending.
Perfect asshole angle.
Suddenly, a bizarre energy stirred inside, flooding my mind with the urge to half-kill her.
Dizzy-headed, the whatever-Shaolin hag leaned in close, peering at the red whale badge on my chest.
"Hmm, how'd a thunderbolt-headed nobody like you get Lord Melville's approval? Crimson... Crimson Whale?"
She scrutinized the brooch-like badge—bigger than a pin—then looked up, meeting my eyes.
"Oho... Indeed! My eyes are bad, saw it late. 'Peerless beauty' doesn't do you justice. If you move, won't topple a nation—shatter it to bits."
"Don't flap that shit-stinking mouth, hag. Lower your jaw before I omakase it."
— Viewer Sigh party leader hits everyone no nationality race LOL — Viewer Most unbiased motherfucker... As my words ended, she raised a hand to halt her charging guards.
"Fine. Successor to Lord Melville needs that spirit. Girl, got a fiancé? None? How about my son? Nah, too many. My grandson then? You'd more than qualify as matriarch of Hong Gate."
I was dumbfounded watching her ramble solo, beating her own drum and biting the stick.
"Old timer, bullshit takes sickness too. Warning you—touch my kid, I'll rip off all your limbs."
"Tsk tsk, impudent girl. Young and clueless about the world. Illegit or hidden daughter of Melville, whatever—you got one life. Remember that."