Chapter 26 - I Became the Daughter of the Academy’s Villain

Episode 26 26 - Revealing the Purpose <26 - Revealing the Purpose> Hood disappeared quickly, climbing up a tree and away from us in an instant. The remaining goal naturally shifted to our party of four. "We are the team with the leader of the first gateway." "That monkey guy is not an ordinary size either." "That's too much of a challenge." Most bounty hunters who were targeting those who had earned points did not dare set their sights on us. Thanks to that, we were immersed in idle chatter. "It was worth every penny to hire you as a guard." "Ha-ha! If you're grateful, you should pay more." "Do you have something you'd like to buy?" "Fine liquor is expensive." "Liquor?" I feel my ears perk up. How can I not be interested? My food dictionary includes beverages. If it’s a drink, there’s no reason alcohol can't be included. It’s best to drink it when I can! "Oh, what's this? A little mouse wants a taste?" "Eating and drinking are both pleasurable!" "Would you try this too?" Son Ocheon pulled a flask from his waist. It was the same flask that's been made his waist its home since Sinjeongsan, through the airship, and until the first gateway. "You've had that flask for a long time. Wasn’t it filled with water?!" "Why do you sound so downhearted? Of course, it's liquor." What a drunk. How much had he been drinking? "Well, what do you think?" "Ugh. The smell." How much liquor must I drink for it to register in my collection? A glass? A bottle? If it’s a bottle, do I have to empty it? What about if it’s in a flask? Honestly, I am confident in my drinking ability. Before I involuntarily bought a one-way ticket to another world due to a capsule malfunction, I used to drink heartily with my childhood friend Sia. The way my childhood friend, who always taunted me by saying she'd get me drunk today, would end up collapsing first, was something to behold. Did she also babble incomprehensibly that she would somehow always drink less than me? “…….” Ugh. I'm feeling a bit uneasy. In games, you just click “Drink” and the character drinks in a flash, maybe getting the “Intoxicated” status effect after some time, but... In reality, where I had to use my actual tolerance, there was no chance involved. Oknodie's body was that of a child. And generally, children are weak to alcohol. "Please refrain from giving alcohol to a child. It’s not good for health, and besides, we’re in the middle of a competition." Still, alcohol is a candidate for my food dictionary collection. I should give it a try when I can afford to take a gamble. Hmm... yes. Especially when that hirsute man is sleeping. I'll steal and drink it secretly late at night after the exam. "Little mouse, aren't you worried about getting stranded? We can't even see the leader anymore." "Just track them." There are plenty of hints. [I found the footprints of the vanguard.] [Observational Experience +2] [Tracking Experience +1] [I found leaves stepped on by muddy boots.] [Observational Experience +3] [Tracking Experience +1] [I found bushes and branches that were cut with a knife.] [Observational Experience +1] [Tracking Experience +1] Thanks to the tracking mechanism that advanced every time I discovered a hint with eye-tracking, identifying hints and following them was quite effective even in reality. To be honest, I'm as confident in my tracking ability as I am in my hiding ability. "Oh. Little mouse, do you have hunting experience?" "Of course." "Given your size, did you catch rabbits?" "What are you talking about? I caught monsters too! And sometimes people, oops." "People? You're joking, right?" "Of...of course, it's a joke. Ehehe." Phew. That nearly became awkward. Or did it already turn awkward? The silence that suddenly ensues makes the atmosphere heavy. [The pursuers run away frightened.] [Intimidation Experience +3] Whoops. I was trying to gain combat experience but I ended up unnecessarily increasing a different skill due to my slip of the tongue. [The dangerous presence moves away.] [Detection Experience +1] Thankfully, annoying opponents who would consider attacking us alone seem to have given up. It’s a stroke of luck, even though it’s unexpected. Even for someone of Son Ocheon's level, solitary rogue examinees are quite dangerous. "It’s okay. That won't happen now." Perhaps misinterpreting my thoughtful expression, Isabel reassured me by patting my shoulder. "What do you mean? Ah, hunting? If the situation calls for us to attack, we should. It’s necessary to pass." "It’s okay. Your brothers and sisters will take care of that." It would be nice to have things easy. But that won't do! "What if my sister gets hurt?" Isabel, touched, placed her hand on her chest and silently stomped her feet. Chuckle, she’s really naive. She has no idea that I’m paving the way so that our cook, who must assist with my food dictionary collection, wouldn't avoid preparing difficult meals under the pretext of injury. If she knew my wicked thoughts, she would surely be shocked. Isabel continued to look up into the distance and occasionally wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "Isabel." "You can call me sister." "Sister. Are you crying?" "No. I have an allergy to pollen." "Ahh. That must be tough." "Yep. It'll be better in a bit, so don’t worry." Isabel turned out to be a fool and a liar. We were in a forest without flowers. After that, she kept wiping her eyes nonetheless. * * The details of Oknodie's training began to crystallize. Poison resistance training. Tracking training. Swordsmanship and archery training. Hunting animals and even human hunting experience. 'It’s definitely assassin training.' There’s no denying it. This is unequivocally the training of an assassin. "What's so special about hunting? Back at her age, I also went orc hunting." "Really?" "When I lodged my stone axe in a deer they claimed to have hunted, what audacity, huh? I banged those arrogant fools on the head with the axe right back." Son Ocheon tried to lighten the mood. Eased by the lighthearted talk, Oknodie joined in with a laugh. "Ah, that’s annoying, I know." "...Little mouse, did you send some goons flying too?" "With a bow, not an axe." “......” “No, it’s a joke! A lie! A joke!" "...Really?" Instead of lightening, the mood grew even tenser. Inside Isabel's head, a tragic past unfolded concerning Oknodie. A remote island. Slave children caught and brought together. Only one child could survive and escape. The cruel trial where children who grew up together had to point their blades at each other for survival. Oknodie pretending to be happy to bear the shock of murder, trying hard to forget the dreadful sensation of killing. ‘This child is so pitiful…!’ Despite such a hapless past, her true nature that hasn’t completely vanished lent her assistance. Truth be told, she probably didn't want to kill people, but she had to do it out of necessity for her mission. The cheerful and affectionate demeanor of the child makes no sense otherwise. “Let's all take a break here. There's a stream, and this is the perfect place to cook up some mongoose meat.” Salivating at the mention of meat, Son Ocheon and Oknodie dispersed to gather fuelwood. “Giselle. A moment, please.” “Yes?” “You two are working together to help that child, aren’t you?” “Was it that obvious?” “I had a rough idea about the kind of circumstances the child comes from. A pretty bleak past, I assume.” “Please don’t make it too obvious in front of the child. She’s trying hard to be cheerful. I want to protect her smile at least.” “I understand. That’s why I'd like to help too.” “Are you serious?” “After all, it’s a life once in debt. She helped save my precious adventuring comrades too. Although I fear the forces behind that child, I wish to help as much as I can.” “If you're that determined, I guess you wouldn’t retreat even if I tried to stop you.” Giselle told her stories about Oknodie's unusual nature observed by the butler and the maid during their journey. “I see...even on the airship, she easily eluded the guards.” “It seems that you, Isabel, have also been through no small struggle.” “Ah, this?” Even while engaged in conversation, Isabel skillfully skinned and cleaned the mongoose meat. She was slightly bashful when noticed for her excellent butchery skills. “It’s different for that child. I am eighteen already, and I learned these skills by voluntarily pestering my seniors in the adventuring party because I wanted to be of some use.” “I see.” “From my perspective, Giselle, you’re the intriguing one. You have a ton of items in that backpack. Didn't you just rub in a mosquito-repellent scent because someone mentioned disliking mosquitoes?” “Hmm, my past isn’t something to be proud of. I was a ticket black marketeer, you know.” “A ticket scalper? And yet you entertained the idea of taking this examination. A single Gold Ticket must fetch a pretty price.” “Ha-ha. That hurts more. Because I used a Platinum Ticket.” “A Platinum?!” Isabel had also collected tickets by visiting various examiners with her adventuring party, but she had never acquired a Platinum Ticket. “You're not, by any chance, staying close to that child with some ulterior motive?” “Hardly. The child was raised as an assassination prodigy by a noble family. To meddle with such a child, even a scalper would need more than a few lives to spare.” "…Looks like we both know quite the extraordinary kid." “Indeed.” What does the past matter? As long as the intent to save Oknodie is the same. Isabel felt a sense of closeness to Giselle. “Could they be dating?” “Don’t ask me, little mouse.” “Should we wander around for another hour or so?” “Hmm, should we?” “You two. If you've gathered the firewood, stop the nonsense and come here.” Giselle, who was hiding behind the bushes, called out to them with a smile. Both Son Ocheon and Oknodie displayed expressions of evident disappointment, causing Isabel to let out a chuckle. * * [General Recipe <Brown Tail Mongoose Marinated in Sap> has been added to your Cooking Compendium.] Isabel's cooking skills, honed by her adventuring activities, were indeed superb. “I'm so happy...!” “I'm glad you enjoyed your meal.” Isabel beamed at them contentedly. While she smiled vainly at them for a brief moment, soon attention shifted elsewhere. “There are quite a few coming this way.” “They must have seen the campfire and came to us.” As the men had said, a considerable number of examinees gathered towards us. “Look at them, they roasted meat.” “They even started a fire?” “Haha, what leisure they have.” Tall and dressed in fine garments – they were figures seen before at the first gateway. “What business brings the Western Noble Alliance to this place?” “Think carefully before you speak up.” Giselle spoke with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Son Ocheon stood up with his staff, displaying his massive figure. The nobles flinched and stepped back in the face of the two men’s imposing stances. “There’s a misunderstanding. We didn’t come to fight.” “If not to fight, then what?” After a tense standoff, the examinees from the Noble Alliance finally spoke up. “Could you teach us how to light a campfire?” “We want to eat meat too.” “We can’t sleep without our matrices. Hnnng.” “Forget everything else, please just keep the mosquitoes away. They’re driving me crazy!” “…….” The needs of these young lords and ladies amounted to a plea for help. Author's Note Trivial but adorable