NOVEL NEXT Chapter 44
<44 - The Child Needs to Sleep Early>
Lotto spoke with a face full of fear.
“I’m telling you it’s true. That child definitely said before the blackout that there would be a power outage today. How could they know that at that timing?”
“Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand?”
“I’m sure! That child caused it. If it wasn’t them, then something behind them must have helped!”
Lotto’s companions exchanged glances.
“Lotto, it’s best to rest when you’re exhausted.”
“You look really sick; don’t come to the meetings for a while and take care of yourself.”
A euphemistic way of saying, “Don’t show your face at our meetings anymore!”
Realizing that those whom he had befriended from the Empire didn’t believe him, Lotto had no choice but to accept it.
He was used and then discarded, and complaining would only make him a target for mockery.
“…Okay. I’ll contact you when I feel better.”
“I wish you a speedy recovery.”
‘Cowardly bastards.’
He wouldn’t believe insincere greetings.
Having been kicked out of the faction, he wouldn’t have to see them again.
He would gradually drift away until they were complete strangers.
Bwoom! Bang!
Late at night.
In a suffocating mood, Lotto emerged from the training ground covered in sweat.
His heavy heart sank, drenched in sweat like his tired body, and a chilling atmosphere lingered.
“Who’s there!”
“Heh, too slow.”
He had been caught from behind.
Even though he was exhausted after training, how could he let his guard down so easily? This wasn’t a typical skilled person.
Thwack!
As he kicked the ground to create distance, the opponent stood there without trying to escape.
A masked female student waved her hand in greeting.
“Is it true what friends were saying?”
“…What do you want to ask?”
“Did Oknodie know about the blackout?”
“It’s true. Everyone just feels shame for losing to a child and makes cowardly excuses, but the truth is the truth. I didn’t lie.”
“I believe you.”
“…Really?”
“I saw it. That child used a magnificent sword technique the moment the power went out. Even if they fool others, they can’t fool my eyes.”
The masked assassin, Jiang.
Her eyes did not blur even in the darkness.
Especially if she had used ‘mana’, it was unmistakable.
Notorrect
Using the method, the movements of mana also reveal themselves.
Taking advantage of the moment when the safety guard of the dueling ground disappeared, she accurately severed his leg. That was the kind of technique it was.
As the light went out, instead of retreating or hesitating, she stepped confidently toward the enemy, unleashing her sword’s energy toward his leg.
The response speed at that moment was something that could only be achieved if one had prior knowledge; otherwise, it was impossible to react.
‘My mentor said that the scholarship students of the foundation are just trivial pests we don’t need to worry about…’
But that child is different.
Jiang spun around and turned her back on Lotto.
“Just don’t go blabbing too much, okay?”
“Is that a threat?”
“A threat? That troublesome thing, I won’t do. I can just end you. This is merely a token of goodwill for the information I shared with you. Consider it a piece of advice.”
Jiang warned him.
“Even if it’s a facility for new students, it means there’s an organization that can mess with the academy’s facilities and cause a blackout whenever they want.”
“…!”
“I wouldn’t openly antagonize an organization that could easily make one new student disappear.”
Lotto stumbled in fear and collapsed.
“Ah, ahhh…”
I’m scared.
Help me.
He tried to reach out, but Jiang, who had been close, had already disappeared.
There was a clear difference in caliber.
Private tutoring with the martial artist assigned by his family, the reputation he had built, and the praises he received.
None of it mattered in front of true masters.
Today, he had felt the walls three times.
Oknodie.
The Hestia that had blocked her.
Not to mention the masked child who was just as formidable.
From now on, he decided to live like a mouse.
Thanks to the experience that summoned humility he never had, Lotto resolved to be a good person.
*
After leaving the dueling grounds, he was scolded by Jezel and Son Ohchun.
“Wasn’t that dangerous? To genuinely swing your sword against such a weak opponent. You could have faced severe punishment before even starting school.”
“Hahaha! You little mouse, if you enjoy spending people like that, your picture won’t be in the graduation album but on a wanted poster instead. Do you want to be a nationwide five-star celebrity?”
“Ugh! You guys are too much! I just fought hard, and now all I get is that I’d be a five-star fugitive.”
It was an accident, an accident. It’s not my fault!
“Not a single part of that was too much.”
“Isabel!”
“If Hestia didn’t step in herself, it would have been a big deal.”
“I’m sorry…”
“Enough with the apologies; just make sure to express your gratitude properly.”
“Yes.”
If a fatal accident happened like in the original game, it couldn’t have been brushed aside like this.
He hadn’t even succeeded in taking down a leg as planned.
Since there were no casualties, the dueling session ended quietly.
Lotto fled with a face as if he had died and come back to life, while the upper-class members of Group B, who had provoked him, glared at him with a fuming expression before retreating together.
[You have completed the Group Competition (2) event.]
[You have prevented the early downfall trigger of the Chapter Boss. You acquire 50,000 points as a success reward.]
[The favorability of students who feel a sense of belonging to Group A has increased across the board.]
[Due to an ignoble duel, the favorability of students who feel a sense of belonging to Group B does not decrease.]
[The favorability of students with a strong sense of belonging to Group B has decreased across the board.]
[Some competent individuals feel discomfort in your quick response.]
[The attention of competent individuals has increased.]
[The favorability of competent individuals has fluctuated.]
Unlike the fight for dolphin pants, the fight to protect the muscular female characters didn’t inspire much enthusiasm.
He had jumped in out of irritation, but watching the fluctuations of favorability made his stomach churn.
If he became close with those guys, he would be set for a successful future after graduation!
Now that his favorability had plummeted, instead of a smooth path to success, he needed to achieve outstanding grades and solidify his skills to avoid being oppressed by the power of influence.
“Hey, over there!”
Hestia hurriedly walked by.
He called out to her, but when Hestia turned to look at him, her eyes scanned the surrounding crowd.
Soon, her face turned expressionless as she exited the dueling grounds alone.
‘Poor antisocial girl…’
When there are many people, her antisocial mindset probably prevents her from wanting to stay close.
As she hurriedly walked away, it felt pitiful yet somewhat enviable.
“Hey, what was that sword technique earlier?”
“They said you were the top student; you really are strong!”
“Wanna train with me later?”
I’m antisocial too.
With countless hands from the female students giving off a sweet scent, he felt dizzy.
“Ugh! Help me, Isabel.”
“…Hmph. Everyone, step back. Oknodie has just finished a duel and is tired. If you suddenly swarm a tired child, it’ll scare her.”
“Ah, sorry.”
“I didn’t mean to scare her.”
“If you’re interested, come out in front of the dorm at 4 AM tomorrow. Let’s go for a run together!”
4 AM? That’s way too early.
“I don’t want to.”
“Eh? That’s too much~”
“To grow taller, you need to stick to your sleeping hours!”
I said my piece firmly.
The girl who made the suggestion raised her hand and poked me on the head.
Then she pulled her hand toward me…
Bloop!
She organized it from chest height.
“Hey! What was that? I want to do it too!”
Giggle “You’re still such a kid.”
“From this height, I need to sleep until at least 10 AM!”
The malicious pranks of the dolphin pants girls, just as bad as the collective bullying of panty stockings, made my lips pucker.
“Ugh, I’m just below my chin.”
“Ha! I made it down to under the chest.”
“That’s frustrating… I can only reach my collarbone.”
You pesky dolphin pants girls.
Don’t ignite my competitive spirit by playing with someone else’s height!
*
After enduring a long session of height humiliation, I returned to the dormitory with a glum face.
With steps weary from fatigue, I headed to my room and was blocked by a massive figure.
Oh? Did I hit a wall?
Looking up, it wasn’t a wall but a person’s leg.
Whoa.
What’s with that height?
Even after looking up and up, I couldn’t see the face, and I felt defeated as a human.
“Oknodie.”
That’s a voice I heard just hours ago.
The owner of that tremendous height was Hestia.
“Did you chase me all the way here?”
“No, I was just heading back to my room…”
“Oh, so you were going back. Sorry for bothering you.”
We walked side by side to our rooms.
Even walking behind her, Hestia’s huge shadow covered my face, overwhelming my own shadow, which was quite humiliating.
Kuh.
If I’d reincarnated as a male character, I would have easily surpassed Hestia’s height of 190 cm.
It felt so strange to look up at someone I usually looked down upon.
It felt as if I was the weaker one, with people weaker than me above me and I below them.
I must grow at least another 100 cm.
Resolving this, I opened the door when I felt a sudden momentum of surprise behind me.
“O-Oknodie.”
“Hmm?”
“You… you live in Room 111?”
“So?”
“Then does that mean you were the one who helped me… every night…”
“Excuse me, what?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Hestia dashed toward Room 112 as if she were running away.
Her honest reaction was so clear that even the most oblivious person would notice.
That person thinks they had a conversation with me and the Answering Door.
‘I had my intentions, but I feel uneasy not knowing what we actually talked about.’
I was just having a meal alone while being uncomfortable with the surrounding commotion.
I was standing in line at the training ground with no friends to hold my place, so I kept standing there struggling.
Those were probably the kind of things we talked about.
“Hey, Hestia.”
“What?!”
“Never mind. Goodnight.”
As I rubbed my tired eyes and yawned, I heard her surprised voice, “Oh, you too.”
I shot a glare at the wall that wouldn’t listen and simply threw my body onto the bed.
Let’s just sleep.
*
Hestia realized.
‘Oknodie hasn’t been able to sleep on time because he talks to me every night!’
She had gained a lot of comfort thanks to that child, but wasn’t it a bit childish of her to let him be so tired because of her selfish actions?
Hestia reflected on this.
From now on, she decided to talk to the wall only between 9 AM and 9 PM.