Episode 9. Raise Pets Responsibly 1
Episode 9. Raise Pets Responsibly 1
"Ugh......"
As soon as I woke up, fatigue made my body feel sluggish.
I don't know why, but it's because I didn't get enough sleep yesterday.
Out of habit, I approached the sink and drank tap water as a makeshift breakfast, then entered the bathroom.
Trickle......
"Hmm......"
There are a few embarrassing aspects since becoming a girl, and peeing is one of them.
Always having to sit down to do it feels somehow shameful, and it's been so hard to get used to the sensation of something warm coming from a body part I never had before.
It's fine when I'm sitting on the toilet thinking about other things, but when my mind goes blank and I focus solely on what my body is doing, like now, I can't help but acutely feel that aforementioned emotion, and tears often well up.
Right, that's another embarrassing thing. Crying more easily.
Things that I would've just cursed at and brushed off indifferently before now suddenly make my eyes well up with tears, and I end up crying. Pitifully sniffling while crouched down.
Not only that, but sometimes emotions well up inexplicably in my heart. Like I thought before, do all girls really go through this?
Anyway, my body feels sticky and smelly in various places. I'm usually the type to just wash my hair and face in the morning, but today it seems I'll need to take a full shower.
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"I'm seriously dying."
I muttered unconsciously while putting on excessively large gym clothes.
"Why would you say something like that?"
Seyeon, who had already changed clothes beside me, stared at me intently as she spoke.
"Just, I'm a bit tired."
The aftereffects of sleep deprivation plagued me all day. A dazed feeling seemed to linger around my eyes.
"You did look like it. You slept through the entire class."
Seyeon said with a bitter smile. Since it was true, I had nothing to say in response.
Anyway, we went out to the training ground. When we arrived, the other two members of our team were already there waiting for us.
"Hello."
"Yeah......"
Since we'd only met twice, it was a bit awkward, and I received their greetings somewhat stiffly.
Anyway, training starts today, and I'm curious how it will proceed. But since it's the first day, they'll probably go easy, right? They'll likely save the more intense training for later. Like sparring, for example.
"Today we'll be conducting team vs team sparring matches."
?
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The gist of what the teacher said afterward was this:
Even if you become Hunters, who knows how far you'll rise? You might imagine futures where you all become S-rank, A-rank, or at least B-Class Hunters joining prestigious guilds, but who's to say you won't end up as bottom-tier Hunters struggling to make ends meet day by day? In those depths, it's common to form parties with complete strangers (like recruiting for a game party). Of course, even A-rank and B-Class Hunters sometimes do this.
...For these lengthy reasons, they're having teams that have only been together for two days spar against each other.
"Hmm......"
I'm not angry, just sad. I don't know why the world is doing this to me. 'I haven't even properly used my ability yet.'
"Yubin, what's your ability?" Eunbyeol asked that. Seyeon also turned to look at me, waiting for an answer.
"Just, heal and buff. You know, that. Vitality Boost."
"Ah, the one that strengthens the body?" Even though she phrased it that way, I don't know, but I nodded anyway.
"What about Seyeon?"
"Me? I'm the complete opposite of Yubin. I'm more on the debuff side."
"What kind?"
"Like charm, or disrupting concentration."
"Charm...?"
Hearing the word "charm," Eunbyeol's eyes narrowed slightly. Seeing that, Seyeon gulped. Could it be...
"Are you a succubus mixed species?"
"...Yeah."
When Seyeon answered like that, the atmosphere became awkwardly chilly.
"......"
'I think I know what this is.'
When you learn someone is an orphan or has a disability. That is, when you become aware of an uncomfortable sensitive spot about someone.
Regardless of what you normally think, people tend to become hesitant and find it difficult to speak freely.
Isn't this a similar situation now? I'm not exactly sure what kind of treatment Mixed Species receive in this society, but it might be an attribute that's treated similarly to the sensitive spot I imagined.
"I see. Nice to meet you."
"...Huh?"
Seyeon answered bewilderedly.
"I'm a bit connected to that. My dad is, what was it, part of a foundation for Mixed Species equality and such."
"Ah......"
Seyeon nodded as if she understood what it was. Of course, I don't know what foundation that is.
Is it a very famous foundation? Or does Seyeon know about it because she's a Mixed Species?
Since I can roughly guess what kind of place it is just from the name, I didn't ask separately.
Anyway, next was Eunbyeol's turn. Eunbyeol presented the bow she had been carrying on her shoulder to us. Its silver gleam made it look extremely expensive.
Eunbyeol smoothly explained her ability as if she had prepared it in advance. Her voice was clear and beautiful, like a news anchor reading from a script.
A strange power that made listeners inevitably drawn in was embedded in every element - her tone, manner of speaking, and timbre. We even applauded after hearing her explanation.
And her boyfriend, Haseong, while extremely taciturn, did speak when necessary. His voice was unexpectedly clear. He explained things well like his girlfriend.
It seemed he could speak well but just hated opening his mouth very, very much.
So what does that mean?
I'm the only awkward one here.
'What should I do?'
What should I do? I'll just have to do my best for now.
Anyway, we briefly planned our strategy and got ready.
"Let's do our best, guys." At Eunbyeol's words, we nodded.
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"Augh......"
To get straight to the point, we got completely wrecked.
The opposing team consisted of 3 boys and 1 girl, the opposite of us, with all the boys being Combat Class and only one girl being Support Class.
First to go down was me. Somehow they knew I was a Healer (or buffer), so right after starting, I got hit by something (couldn't tell if it was a sword, arrow, or magic) and rolled miserably on the dirt ground before collapsing pathetically.
And I remained unconscious like that until the sparring ended.
So it became a 4 vs 3 fight right away, and apparently we lost because our team was numerically disadvantaged and they were just too skilled.
"Yubin, are you okay...?" Seyeon asked in a worried voice as she grabbed me under both armpits and helped me up.
"......" Her asking if I was okay instead of blaming me actually made me feel more miserable.
By the way, apparently the last person remaining from our team was Seyeon, who's supporting me right now. Eunbyeol, also covered in dirt like me, excitedly told me that Seyeon somehow held out 3 against 1 despite being Support Class.
'That's amazing.' When I asked Seyeon what happened, she just gave a faint smile and didn't open her mouth.
'She must be more impressive than I thought.' Maybe I should become closer friends with her. Of course, getting close for this reason seems a bit mercenary... but my primary goal is to survive in this novel.
Anyway, this training session ended filled with sparring and the teacher's feedback.
I was about to return to the classroom thinking I'd just go home in my gym clothes, but Seyeon grabbed my wrist from behind and said:
"Yubin, aren't you going to shower?"
"Shower?"
"Yeah. You got so messed up, you should."
Ah, now that she mentions it, I remember. Since almost half of this school's classes involve physical training, there had to be communal shower rooms. Which means...
I have to show my naked body without even underwear to my classmates.
Whoosh-
Just thinking about it made my face turn red.
'Why, why am I like this...?' My body heats up on its own, though I don't know what exactly is so embarrassing about it.
It's clearly not strange. Don't you show your body to strangers just by going to the neighborhood bathhouse?
Plus, since girls are even less reserved about same-sex nudity, it should be fine. Probably.
Thinking that, I soon realized the reason. It was purely because I had become a girl.
From a mental perspective, it's similar to me as a guy suddenly entering a shower room full of female schoolmates.
'No wonder I'm embarrassed......'
While my head was filled with such thoughts, Seyeon had already dragged me by the wrist and arrived at the shower room.
While I was hesitantly looking around, Seyeon boldly took off her clothes as if she were at home.
"Yubin, what are you doing just standing there?"
"Ah, well, it's just......"
She tilted her head and looked at me for a moment, then seemed to notice my discomfort, narrowing her eyes and giggling.
"Yubin, you're really shy."
"A l-little."
"We're going to see each other in embarrassing situations a lot from now on, you can't be like this already."
"Huh?"
"Just kidding. Hurry up and take off your clothes."
Though hesitant, I did as Seyeon said. The sensation of fabric brushing against and falling from my body felt strangely new today.
The shower room we entered was quite noisy. The sound of water showering down and girls talking floated up through the steam.
"Hmm....."
This is... surprisingly not shocking.
How should I put it... It feels like looking at specimens of Paleolithic women in a museum. Interesting, but not exciting.
Probably because it's too realistic.
I'd only seen naked women online before. The information from such places is surprisingly curated. Simply put, I'd only seen pretty people.
But this place was different. Ordinary reality was being shoved clearly in front of my eyes.
The girls' appearances varied. Some with extremely small breasts. Some with nipples pointing in strange directions like broken joysticks. Some with narrow, masculine pelvises. Some with just plain unattractive faces. Some chubby or skinny.
More unusually, there was even a girl missing part of her body.
Seeing such diversity, I thought 'it's no big deal.' To the point where my earlier fuss about undressing became embarrassing.
Thinking that, I looked around.
I saw Seyeon silently standing under the shower spray.
"......"
Right then, the emotion I felt when I first saw my own naked body in the bathroom resurfaced.
Seyeon's body was as beautiful as mine. That is, the curves my body had, this girl had them too.
Especially her stomach. Unlike my soft, fleshy belly, Seyeon's stomach had clearly defined, toned 11-line abs.
And the line from there through her pelvis down to her thighs formed a distinct curve.
"Gasp......"
"......?"
Seyeon glanced at me curiously as I sharply inhaled.
'We're special girls among these ordinary people......'
Though it's a bit embarrassing to say something so grandiose, it was clear that we were the prettiest ones here.
"Hehe......"
Thinking that made me laugh for some reason.
'Huh?'
I immediately closed my mouth.
'...Why am I happy about this?'
An inexplicable happiness bloomed fluffy and soft in my heart.
Am I happy because I'm prettier than other girls...?
'That's ridiculous.'
There's no way I, who doesn't even like being a girl, would be happy about something like this......
"Sigh......"
Since becoming a girl, it feels like my way of thinking is being forcibly changed.
Somehow feeling bad about it, I kept quiet and washed my body after that.