Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Gymnastics Under the Moonlit Night
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After wrapping up everything, I finally made it back to the neighborhood as night deepened.
As I walked, I suddenly remembered I hadn't thanked Unnie Euna properly, so I pulled out my phone.
- Hello?
"Unnie Euna. Did you get home safe?"
- Yeah! Ji-ah and Ji-woo made it home too.
"Sorry for the late thanks. Really, thank you, Unnie."
- Kyahaha. No biggie! I had a blast hanging out with you, Ga-eul.
"Come over again next time. It'd be even more fun if you stayed the night."
- Oh! That sounds amazing. The rooftop room was awesome too? Total vibe.
"Right? It suits me perfectly. Great spot for a smoke."
- Whoa. Cut back! You were chain-smoking, Ga-eul.
"Ugh. Now there are two of you. Got it, Unnie. I'm home now. Let's game sometime when you're free."
- Sure, sounds good! Get home safe.
"Nyaa, bye."
I hung up and went to open the rooftop gate, only to find a box sitting all alone at the entrance.
My name was on the recipient label, so it wasn't a misdelivered package.
"Did Santa drop off a snack for my little puffball?"
"Hungry."
"Nyaa. Let's head in and eat."
"Okay."
I nudged the box with my foot. It felt way heavier than a normal box should.
Squatting down, I carefully unpacked it, and what greeted me was an ammo canister.
"Ah, shit."
"Never saw that coming!"
"Baekseol. Where'd you learn that word?"
I shoved the ammo canister into my subspace while ignoring Baekseol, who was rolling around playfully on my head.
"Let's go eat."
"Okay."
"Rooftop, thatched house, or room. Where do you wanna eat?"
"Thatched house!"
"My little puffball sure loves the training ground, huh?"
"Love it!"
I scooped up Baekseol, who kept nuzzling and messing up my hair, and the world flipped in an instant as the space shifted.
—Hiss, hiss.
"Phew—. Nice air."
"Nice!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Basic Training Ground ─▷ Intermediate Training Ground] [Tutorial for Entering the Intermediate Training Ground] I handed Baekseol the Vajra Lantern Flower, and she bolted to the spread-out meal on the porch.
It was the same spot where she'd dip petals into the broth while I ate ramen next to her.
"I had so much meat earlier, I'm feeling queasy. Maybe ramen for me too. You'll have broth, right, Baekseol?"
"Slurp."
"Hmm. No matter how I look at it, that doesn't sound like a domestic bunny. Try this: ramen broth."
"Slurp."
"Ra. Men. Broth."
"Slurp."
"...Foreign breed bunny. Confess your nationality!"
I lunged at Baekseol, rubbing my face against her soft belly, and she freaked out, dropping her precious flower in the chaos.
"Tickles!"
"Don't underestimate me again."
"Didn't!"
Baekseol backed off a step and waved the Vajra Lantern Flower like a patriot waving a flag.
"Alright. Let's eat."
"Yay!"
Baekseol, who'd been keeping her distance, suddenly launched herself into my arms like nothing happened.
Holding her squirming form, I added noodles and soup to the boiling water, and ramen came together quick.
"Broth for you, noodles for me."
"Yummy."
I ladled broth into a small bowl for Baekseol and slurped the noodles straight from the pot.
Ramen was our usual here, but facing the wide field from the porch made it taste amazing every time.
"Huuu—."
Slurp.
Every bite unleashed that umami science-magic from the noodles.
—Vrrr.
My phone buzzed on vibrate midway through the ramen.
"Yes, hello."
- Miss Ga-eul. Hello. This is Director Park Sung-woo.
The caller was the TG director I'd visited before.
"Oh. Long time no talk."
- Haha, yeah. Anyway, the model we discussed last time is ready, so I called.
"Already? That was fast."
- It's a speed race with competitors these days. We're a bit late as is.
"So, by when should I come?"
- You could come tomorrow, but since we dragged our feet, we'll match your schedule. We're all set here.
"Got it. See you tomorrow then."
- That'd be great.
"Yes, see you tomorrow."
- Yes, good night.
Click.
I finished the rest of the ramen, and my heart started pounding belatedly.
One stream changed my life.
Talk about a stark realization.
"Ah, my whole body's itching already. Baekseol, summon the wooden dummy."
Baekseol, mid-petal-munch, flicked her front paw at my words.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Grasp the Story] The moment I moved my hand, the world flipped.
Legs to the sky, head slamming into the ground.
The whole world inverted, then my vision went black.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "——!"
"...Huh?"
"I said get up."
My vision cleared as if nothing happened, and my mind sharpened at the same time.
"Sleeping sprawled out like that in the academy. What were you thinking?"
I slowly lifted my upper body from the desk. Looked like I'd dozed off in class at school.
"Fuck, where am I?"
"Ha. Your mouth's straight out of the gutter. Fits a commoner perfectly."
I remembered the [Grasp the Story] message and the world twisting, but every time I tried to focus, this guy next to me kept picking a fight.
"Shut your trap, you fuckwit."
Bam!
"How dare you!"
The guy next to me shot up from his seat, pissed at my words.
I eyed him standing and glaring. Shiny blond hair, pretty boy type who'd charm plenty of girls.
"I was going to take you as my concubine myself. But this commoner bitch thinks her half-decent looks let her forget her place——."
Hard to concentrate with this lunatic yelling in my face.
I reached for the offending blond locks flickering in my vision.
"Gah! H-how dare you grab a prince's hair! Let go!"
"Prince? You're the prince?"
"You lowly thing. Not recognizing a prince? Grah!"
I shook his hair as he kept babbling, turning his whines into full screams.
"Want to go bald in a circle, Your Highness? Shall I pluck 'em?"
"......"
"Keep that shiny dome from beaming solar rays in summer. Silent mode, trap shut."
No clue where I was, but I gleaned one key fact.
This place hadn't conquered baldness yet either.
"Baekseol! Puffball!!"
She always came running at my voice, no matter where.
No way her better ears missed it, so she wasn't here on purpose.
"Hey. Golden Sun."
Crunch!
"Aaaagh! It's ripping out! Ripping!!"
"Why ignore me?"
"My name is Hoenberk von Gertrude."
"Hoen?"
"Not Hoen......"
Crunch!
"Greeeek! It's Hoen!"
"Right, Hoen. Wanna fuck me? What's this concubine crap? Wanna die?"
"I fell for you at first sight on the way to school!!"
The sudden public confession had the gathering crowd buzzing and squealing.
With the so-called prince's hair gripped, it was clear this place was off its rocker.
"First thing I saw was your ugly mug on the desk."
As I grilled Hoen for info, a group burst in.
Two men led—one black-haired, one silver—followed by heavies in full-plate mail armor.
"Fuck, stop stop stop! One more step and I can't guarantee this guy's follicles."
"Greeeek!"
I thrust the prince forward, and the approaching group halted abruptly.
"What's your name?"
"Ho, Hoenberk."
Cruuuunch!
"Greeeekhoeeeeen! It's Hoen!"
"Yeah, kid. Who's squealing? From now on, you squeal 'Hoen.' Got it?"
"Ho, Hoen!"
Warning alarms blared in my head.
Everyone who'd barged in had swords at their waists.
As tension hung thick, the black-haired man stepped forward with a cold face.
Rip!
"Gaaaaah!!!"
A clump of golden hair fluttered in the air.
"Deaf? Your fault my cutie's got ringworm baldness. Take responsibility."
Step.
Black-hair advanced another step, like he'd actually gone deaf.
Rip!
"Kiiiiieeeek!!!"
"Fuck. Now it's two circles."
Not expecting another yank, black-hair looked flustered up close.
"Come on. One more and he's set. Thanks to you, this guy's future's grand wizard."
Black-hair's face hardened as his right hand drifted to his sword hilt.
I spotted his stance and jammed the prince's face into a headlock at his side.
Then gripped the hair and assumed a sword stance.
"Huu—"
One breath to steady body and mind.
First strike wins.
'Overwhelm with the opener. Strike one.'
"Hoen! Hoen! Sp-spare me. Please."
Senses heightened, focus locked.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Accounting for Tutorial] [Forcing return for safety] ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Story: Tutorial failed] [Failure!] Crushing Failure! Devastating Failure! Apocalyptic Failure! ... ... ... 💥 DISASTER ITSELF! 💥 [This story was a Romance Fantasy]
"Goddamn."