NOVEL NEXT chapter 183
At that moment, her backpack began to squirm.
Startled, she quickly flung it open, and Veilach leapt out in child form.
“Master, your proficiency has increased.”
“Uuung... a wittow.”
Proficiency didn’t seem to go up very easily—just a tiny bump so far.
“You’ve been turning human more often. The form and duration are more stable than before.”
“Um, but dun you hafta become a hamstuh wots too?”
“……”
Veilach made a face of utter disgust.
“Skills activate by the master’s will. Whether I become a hamster or take human form depends on your intent and need. Right now, it means you require my protection.”
Guru didn’t understand a word and sealed her lips with a serious look.
Veilach helped her to her feet, dusted off her knees, and said plainly,
“I am your follower, your guardian.”
“Um.”
Guru nodded.
'What’s he talkin’ bout?'
“It means you may order me to do anything.”
As if expecting that confusion, Veilach continued his textbook-like explanation with the same blank tone.
“Ahh, otayyy...”
“That’s why I’ll take care of anything that upsets you.”
“Bayii’s gonna do dat for Gwuu?”
'Is Veilach gonna be Gwuu’s sports day partner?'
She had wanted to go with Woojoo...
Feeling sad again, Guru puffed out her lips and made a walnut under her chin.
“Huuung... awight.”
“Then I’ll go kill him.”
Guru’s mouth dropped open.
“Kiww who aww of a sudden?!”
“That delicious-looking—no, the child who upset you.”
Guru grabbed his ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) wrist with a frown.
“Bayii, stawp dwoolin.”
“……”
Veilach wiped his drool-drenched lips with the back of his hand.
“Ehyoo...”
It was getting serious—Veilach kept wanting to eat Woojoo.
“Bayii, you be Gwuu’s pawtner for da sports day.”
“……”
Veilach’s face instantly crumpled. He looked truly disgusted.
From what he’d overheard in the backpack, he had a rough idea of what a sports day was and what being a partner meant.
What the master was asking was for him to participate in physical activities and play with her.
“I am Veilach Shados. First Star of Shados, and First Follower of Sheir. It is a degradation of my station to take part in such juvenile amusement—”
Veilach began monologuing pompously like a grumpy old man, but Guru cut him off.
“B-but! If you twy weally hawd, you might get someting Bayii wuvs!”
“Something I love?”
“Tablet PC.”
Guru pulled up a search on her phone and showed him a picture of a tablet PC.
“It’s kinda wike a phone, but grown-ups usuawwy use it ta watch YouTube. Awso, wif dis you can...”
Guru paused, lifting the corners of her mouth into a sinister grin.
“You can watch it.”
Veilach inhaled sharply at her wicked expression.
“...No way!”
“Yesh, you can watch Zombie Hunter!”
Guru’s phone and tablet were locked down with KidsLock, so she couldn’t freely watch what she wanted.
Modern apps had everything—including full parental surveillance features that let parents monitor what their kid watched on any device.
But if Veilach won the tablet?
He could bypass KidsLock and watch Zombie Hunter all he wanted.
Mephisto, who had caught on, sparkled his eyes too.
Before they knew it, all the hurt feelings about Woojoo had vanished, and Guru, Veilach, and Mephisto shared a deep, unified gaze.
No words were needed—they all had the same goal.
“We win the sports day. And win the tablet PC!”
***
And then, the day of the sports day arrived.
Since it was a special school for Awakened, there was a lot of attention from media and guilds. For high schoolers, many prepared seriously with an eye toward future recruitment.
People strolled the campus with fluttering anticipation for the event.
“Is Serhi coming today?”
“I dunno. I’m hoping he does.”
“Anyone even matched up against Serhi? Gidan?”
“Gidan totally slacked off last sports day though.”
While families, media, and guild reps buzzed across the grounds, behind a tree in the park...
Guru, with Mephisto perched on her head, whispered with Veilach.
“Dis. We da Bwue Team so we gotta tie dis on.”
Veilach accepted the ribbon Guru handed him and tied it around his forehead.
Guru tied a tiny blue ribbon around Mephi’s head, too.
Since Woojoo wasn’t participating, the Chick Class teacher had made a special allowance to let Guru bring in another “friend.”
Guru had her hair pulled high into a ponytail, with the blue team ribbon knotted at her forehead.
The Chick Class’s required events were “Pinata Smash” and “Three-Legged Race.”
The teacher had encouraged doing the three-legged race with family, but Guru hadn’t called Jurim on purpose.
Because Veilach’s participation was a secret!
The prize was a tablet PC—if Jurim found out Veilach received one?
“Bayii wiww get KidsWock’d too!”
And that would destroy their entire Zombie Hunter Plan.
…Well, that wasn’t the only reason.
“Daddy needs ta rest.”
If the #1-ranked Awakened stood next to you, no one would take it seriously.
Sports should be played fair and square. Jurim’s very existence was basically cheating.
At a kids’ sports day, he’d be booed off the field.
Even if Hyeonak constantly took flak as a guild, she couldn’t let them catch heat on a day like this.
Jurim had looked uncharacteristically disappointed.
“Sowwy, Daddy.”
Guru looked up at the sky and gave a brief apology before rising to her feet.
“But Gwuu can’t miss Zombie Huntew!”
Veilach, ribbon tied tight to his forehead, solemnly extended his hand.
“Are you ready, Master?”
SLAP! Guru slapped his hand with all her might.
“Biiit!”
Mephi lifted one leg and spread his wings.
Let’s go. For Zombie Hunter!
***
[Blue 0:0 Red]
Once the sports day officially began, a hologram shot into the sky.
The hologram displayed the score between the Blue Team and Red Team.
From now on, every event’s points would be reflected up there.
“Hoong.”
'Gwuu’s gonna win da first match for da Bwue Team!'
Guru snorted through her nose, steeling her resolve.
The first event was ball rolling.
Guru would be facing off against the Red Team’s Giraffe Class from kindergarten, wearing a big “3” number patch on her back as she entered the field.
In front of her was a huge ball that only two kindergartners could barely manage to roll. Guru cracked her neck side to side.
She was so nervous, her palms were drenched in sweat.
“Gwuu’s stats are aww 2... except fow mana.”
Meanwhile, the opponent...
Guru peeked at Giraffe Class’s Number 3.
They were six-year-olds—a year older. Their big muscles were better developed, and they were at least ten centimeters taller.
“Dis not gonna be easy...”
Guru whispered to Veilach, feeling the weight of the matchup.
Veilach leaned in and whispered back.
“Do not worry, Master.”
Veilach gently gathered a bit of mana.
“I am your follower and your guardian.”
At that moment, the ball lifted slightly.
“Wha?”
He’d lightly adjusted gravity to lift the ball into the air.
Veilach bared his shark-like teeth and chuckled darkly.
“No reason to roll this with our weak little limbs.”
FWEEET—!
The whistle blew.
No time to be shocked.
The floating ball gently moved as Guru placed her hands on it and steered it.
Feather-light, smooth gliding—barely even rolling!
“A-Amazing!!”
Guru gasped aloud, and the announcer widened his eyes and pointed toward Guru’s team’s ball.
“What is that?! The ball is floating! Is this a superconductor ball roll?!”
Guru scrunched her brow.
“Shoo... shoopa-dupa wha...?”
'Wha’s he sayin’?'
But Veilach didn’t understand what “superconductor” meant either.
“Shoopadoo... wha?”
'Wha is dis nonsense?'
Anyway, as Guru and Veilach eagerly followed the ball...
“Blue Team Number 3!”
Gasp! Guru turned her head sharply at the call-out.
“You seem to be from the Awakened Team!”
Guru quickly nodded her head.
“The ball rolling event is about rolling the ball! Number 3 Team! Disqualified!”