<234 - Same Time, Different Experience>
As soon as I got my hands on the spy, the first thought that crossed my mind was the existence of another Maid Reap.
“Can we bring Reap to the Academy too? She’s a maid, after all. What about Jonnas?”
“Excuse me, what is your relationship with them?”
“It’s my butler and maid that I trained with outside before coming to the Academy!”
“That’s impossible.”
“Tch. This spy is useless…”
“…I can’t give you a definite answer, but I will try my best to meet your expectations.”
Well, I don’t really think it’s going to happen. If you’re a elementary student, you have to whine a little.
My detailed acting paying attention to the lonely child—that’s brilliant!
“Do you know where the scholarship students on the list are right now?”
“If it’s that, I can help.”
With April’s help, the Akka hunting began to pick up pace.
[Challenge Goal: Teach the Villain (2) achieved.]
[900 Points acquired.]
[Challenge Goal: Teach the Villain (3) achieved.]
[1800 Points acquired.]
[Challenge Goal: Teach the Villain (4) achieved.]
[2700 Points acquired.]
From 3 Akka to 9, then 18, and now 27!
I’ve been hiding everywhere, from the bushes to behind trash cans, and even on rooftop fences, diligently controlling mosquitoes. I was trying to enjoy the athletic event at a good cost, even if I earned fewer points, but thanks to April, my search efficiency has improved tremendously, and I’m earning more points instead.
‘At this rate, I might even reach 36!’
This is already my personal best record. I successfully tormented a scholarship student sitting by the window on the rooftop, and with a leap from the hanging rooftop fence, I landed inside.
Maybe I’ll search for the rest at a more leisurely pace.
“Oknodie, what are you doing here?”
“Ah.”
Just as I relaxed, a cynical voice came from above the water tank.
Jigoku, holding a cigarette, looked down at me.
“See? Did you see everything?”
“I saw it all.”
Crap…
Of all times, I got caught using mosquitoes to torment the Akka. If Jigoku reports it to the Student Council, I’m definitely going to the Great Prison as a criminal.
If additional charges are found, I’ll be sent down to the third floor jail instead of the second floor next to Yumi.
“Could you pretend you didn’t see it just this once?”
“Why should I?”
“I’m begging you. Please?”
Jigoku stared at me quietly.
Not showing that crazy attitude of shooting at the air like at the beginning of the semester, but that polite silence gives off a sinister feeling.
I can’t read what he’s thinking.
“You know, during Summer Vacation.”
“Huh?”
“Promise to come visit me on my boat. Then I’ll keep it a secret.”
I really don’t know what he’s thinking.
Is he inviting me to a comrade event at this timing?
It’s not that I dislike it.
With events ranging from the [Treasure Hunt] adventure to [Ghost Ship Capture] and [Harbor Raid], it’s not a bad deal.
Just a bit unsettling.
I really want to ask why, but I should focus on getting out of this situation first.
“Sure!”
“Okay. Then you can go.”
That’s when Jigoku finally let me go.
*
On the Academy rooftop.
Usually, I wouldn’t have dared to go up to the rooftop, passing through the area of second and third years, but during this week of the athletic event, they sealed off the classrooms of the upperclassmen with hammers, nails, and wooden planks for indoor activities and opened up some common facilities.
It was a policy that indicated as you progress through grades, you get to enjoy such facilities, and Jigoku used it as a spot to smoke.
The rooftop water tank was good for sneaky smoking since it had an open view and no one came by, but since the facilities are usually closed, it seemed hard to come back here.
‘Will second years even be able to come here? No, that seems impossible. It’s a little sketchy to come up here passing by the corridor for third years.’
Jigoku, calmly enjoying a puff of smoke, suddenly wrinkled his brows.
Someone had come up to the rooftop.
I decided to keep my presence hidden and be on guard, but the person who came up was someone I knew.
Jigoku doubted his eyes.
‘That kid… What on earth is he up to?’
His school uniform was a mess with dirt and grass stains, and there were holes in his pantyhose from getting scraped by a tree.
Staring blankly at some unknown point, with a strange focus, he approached the rooftop fence with no fear and leaned over the fence.
‘Suicide attempt!?’
I suddenly found myself witnessing a shocking scene.
Shouldn’t I stop this?
I want to, but…
What if he gets startled by my voice and falls?
Then he would just plummet!
‘For the love of everything, please don’t have those dumb thoughts and come down.’
I had no choice but to trust.
Trust in Oknodie’s will to live.
As I anxiously watched for what felt like a long time, a scream echoed from below.
Oknodie’s grip tightened on the fence, and he came back down onto the rooftop.
Someone’s painful scream seemed to have sparked some fear of jumping in him.
“Oknodie, what are you doing up here?”
“Ah.”
Oknodie jumped, startled at the voice.
“Did you see everything?”
“I saw it all.”
The always confident little kid couldn’t lift his head and was avoiding my gaze.
“Could you pretend you didn’t see it just this once?”
“Why should I?”
“Please, I’m begging you.”
What exactly happened to him?
Could it be… someone did something to the child?
No, there’s no way that’s true.
Oknodie is strong.
He’s not a kid who could easily fall victim to someone’s wrongdoing.
Thinking back on it, this child wouldn’t have stir up a suicide attempt out of nowhere.
Even if he fell from that height, with Dark Mana, he would probably just get some scratches.
Looking again, I began to understand the hints.
The dirt on his clothes signifies he was in a crawling position.
The grass stains indicate he was hiding in the bushes.
Hanging on the rooftop fence was an act to look over the edge.
All these actions have a commonality.
Stealth.
Espionage.
An act of discreetly hindering something.
‘During the athletic event when it’s in full swing? To avoid others’ eyes? What on earth are you trying to do?’
While I was hiding out smoking, Oknodie certainly wasn’t smoking.
He was risking himself hanging on that dangerous rooftop fence to look over the edge where he risked being seen.
The purpose was purely espionage.
‘Was that it!?’
The revelation struck me like lightning.
Oknodie was spying.
On the other students.
In a crawling position.
Hiding in the bushes.
Hanging on the rooftop fence.
Quietly, avoiding everyone’s eyes.
I began to understand the feelings of that child.
-Don’t let the filthy villagers into the festival!
-Did someone steal something?
-Look at that kid. He’s got money.
-He must have stolen it from somewhere.
-If you don’t want to get hit, hand over all your money right now!
In the poverty-stricken hinterland village.
The day I went to the festival for the first time with the money earned from selling clams and fish.
Jigoku encountered the world’s evil.
People labeled her as a criminal.
They justified that crimes against criminals are not crimes.
No one came to defend her when she was robbed of her money while buying festival food on the street.
To the villagers, she was just a dirty, unpleasant child who could commit crimes at any moment.
‘Tch. I brought up unpleasant memories.’
I couldn’t help but see the past me overlapping with her.
If she can’t enjoy the grand festival that everyone is enjoying, it’s probably because she is conscious of people’s stares.
She’s a child of the Foundation.
There will surely be endless whispers.
Those weaklings who love to slander others wouldn’t let such a golden opportunity slip by.
So Oknodie began to hide.
Wanting to play but unable to, because people would exclude her.
Wanting to mingle with others but feeling rejected.
“During Summer Vacation.”
“Huh?”
“Promise to come visit me on my boat. Then I’ll keep it a secret.”
That was the reason behind the invitation.
I want to tell this child.
I want to tell that past self that resonates with Oknodie.
That the festival you wish for isn’t that big of a deal.
I would take her and let her experience it.
“Sure!”
Carefully, hesitantly.
As I saw him darting down the rooftop stairs while looking over his shoulder, I couldn’t hide my bittersweet feelings.
The cigarette in my hand had already turned to ash, down to the filter.
*
“Oknodie, where have you been playing today?”
“Here and there!”
As dinner time approached, Oknodie met Isabel, Son Ohchun, and Jezel in front of the cafeteria.
Seeing her happily chatting with upperclassman comrades, April took up her pen.
━━━
Request for support
Due to unidentifiable focused enforcement during the athletic event, a significant number of scholarship students experienced mission failures and injuries.
Additional personnel increase is requested to respond to the intensified internal surveillance activities in the future.
Request for on-site deployment of battle maids and administrator-level personnel from the butlers to the Academy.
It seems urgent to reinforce personnel for protecting the chief scholarship student Oknodie, especially with concerns about the warrior’s interference.
━━━
Oknodie, surrounded by comrades, smiles brightly and chatters away.
She seems to not mind it, but she can’t obtain the same bond with her exclusive butler and maid who trained and grew alongside her.
In April’s eyes, Oknodie, who spent the whole day repelling the plots of dozens of scholarship students and now acted as a “good kid” while mingling with her comrades, appeared somehow sad.
Today, what she did was entirely different from theirs.
Even though they share the same space, they don’t share the same memories.
The same could be true for the next four days ahead until the grand athletic event ends on Friday.
‘If I could call the butler and maid to the Academy, maybe that person would feel a little bit happy?’
Though I used the warrior’s name, that wouldn’t be enough for the Foundation to move.
Sometimes, a hint of arrogance or exaggeration is needed for rational handling of work.
Thus, April’s request for support was sent to the Wahyhiemhai Foundation headquarters.
