702 – Poor Child (2)
Darknodi had a dream.
To get along with friends who exist only in memories.
– Oknodie. Look at this?
– Ugh, my eyes!
– Hehe. It’s a revenge wrapped in cellophane!
…A revenge that gets damage even in memories.
Naturally, the first friend she faced in the academy was Titosso.
“Oknodie?”
“Yeah.”
Titosso, who approached like an excited dog meeting its owner, hesitated and carefully scanned the surroundings.
“Are you okay, Nodi? Not feeling well? Want to eat Pizza Bread?”
“Pizza Bread? That’s… not in the food encyclopedia.”
“The Cheddar Potato Pizza was sold for points to fund the noble faction!”
Titosso, though not as extreme as Oknodie, was a student at the Gift Academy and put aside even the basic gluttony to offer food.
Feeling a mix of emotion and worry about what would happen if a newb suddenly faced a week of starvation experience, she thought:
But, to be fair, it was also because Titosso had set aside her gluttony for Oknodie’s sake.
‘Oknodie’s energy is different from mine.’
The Oknodie in her memories was always cheerful.
– Ah, Ishtar! Hello!
– …You left me in the dormitory maze and then say such a cheerful greeting?
– But my navigation skill experience points went up, right?
– It did, but it was scary!
– Warriors should navigate well. Otherwise, they’ll get lost even in the Demon Realm!
The lively greetings from Titosso, directed at Ishtar, who had feelings of resentment, could easily be misinterpreted as annoying, especially when paired with her blunt face.
Darknodi struggled to sound cheerful despite wearing an ill-fitting mask.
“Tito. Want to hang out today?”
“Wow, really? That sounds great! What should we do?”
“Day Dungeon?”
Thinking she should make the most of the opportunity while Oknodie was conceding the academy, Darknodi subconsciously chose a path for growth.
The Day Dungeon had the path to Professor Bronze’s treasure vault, and the mimic hidden in the stairs had long since become Titosso’s trauma.
“Ugh. It feels bad, right? You said you’d never go to such a scary place again!”
“How about the library?”
“Forbidden books are scary!”
“Want to swim in the river up ahead?”
“Did you forget? Last week, Professor Sadako unleashed water ghosts at the bottom of the river!”
“…How about just playing string figures?”
“Sounds awesome!”
Yeah, growth can happen outside too; the interaction with friends can only happen here.
Let’s relax a bit more.
More than anything, the Titosso she met in person… wasn’t as annoying as she thought.
With a pure and clear smile and consistent friendly demeanor, Titosso unintentionally opened the locks of Darknodi’s heart, disarming her.
As if this is what friendship feels like.
“Ugh, I cut my hand!”
“It’s mana string figures. Just wear string gloves on your hands to block it.”
“Ugh, the string keeps digging into the gloves!”
“Release mana in a way that shines light in all directions. If you increase the output slowly, you won’t get cut and can endure it.”
“W-wait, this isn’t a string figure!”
Darknodi felt a little hurt inside.
“I thought we could play and train at the same time… You don’t want to do mana string figures, do you?”
“Ah, I don’t want to, but I don’t want to see Nodi make that face… Uuugh…”
After some contemplation, Titosso replied with a downcast expression.
“Let’s keep going…”
Titosso obtained [Mana Control Technique Experience +15], while Darknodi obtained a mix of [Intimidation][Torture][Gaslighting][Evil Child] experience points.
‘So this is what it felt like. The feeling when Oknodie’s pure goodwill isn’t acknowledged by others.’
Recreating the memories that previously existed only as a result of others’ experiences, Darknodi finally felt she was Oknodie’s permanent echo.
‘I need to meet the other friends too.’
Notorious for being a boring yes-man like Rosinante or Gwakjo.
The emotionless Alpha and Cruel are also on the list.
The distant Seonhwang Hiuqmag and the Jibsa Jang Okashii-ne were also relations to mend.
The awkward days living in what felt like a failed first-year debut with the Vampire gang are now behind.
This academy life will be filled with daily fun as Insaanodi!
*
Jezel couldn’t hide her gloomy feelings.
“It seems Oknodie has been seriously hurt since contacting the Foundation. There’s a wall that feels somehow in her attitude, which makes me uneasy.”
“She offered to clean up after lunch, glancing at me as if she thinks that only by behaving this way can our relationship be maintained.”
Sadness appeared on Isabel’s face as well.
Normally, a child who only eats would be commendable if they did the dishes, but if you see the reason is fear of being abandoned, you couldn’t help but feel sorrow.
“Have you seen that little rat eat like a mouse? She matched our ‘eating speed,’ as if any moment could be the ‘last supper.’ Is she going to disappear again?”
Even Son Ohchun, who had felt sympathy and fear towards the powerful Oknodie, couldn’t help but feel sorry for her now.
“Rumors coming in aren’t good either. She taught Lotto and Hestia advanced fighting techniques that had never been taught before, while teaching Rosgini and Sandkooker a mana flow technique that has increasing effects when practiced as a couple.”
“…Isn’t that a good thing?”
“Advanced fighting techniques are vicious skills using [Numbness] and [Mana Control Technique] to detach joints and repeatedly combine them, switching between long-range and short-range combat. It’s not something you can easily teach a friend.”
Obviously, after receiving this brutal technique, Lotto ended up in the medical building, and Hestia was sporting a cast.
“The mana flow technique is good for anyone to learn, right? Last year in the second semester, Professor Diogenes said he’d be fine even if he had to eat dirt to gain mana, but practicing it with a partner is a class act.”
“If they both use the same level mana flow technique, they can gain mutual benefits, but if one is weaker, they could absorb the other’s mana in a voracious manner.”
“…Did that kid come back possessed by a demon? Why’s she gotten scarier?”
Is this truly what being poor is like?
Isn’t that just Oknodie being scarier than usual?
As Son Ohchun doubted his senses, only Jezel could interpret this phenomenon.
“I think I know the root cause of this series of events. Oknodie is anxious right now.”
“Suddenly?”
“It’s not sudden. Since last summer vacation when we visited the Tower of Training, haven’t you felt that the Foundation is trying to make Oknodie feel distant and worthless, like something to be discarded?”
“That’s true.”
“In reality, Oknodie has jumped to third year, and the gap in our abilities has grown even wider. She’s been spending a lot of time outside the academy, and just like during the Four Kings’ attack, she no longer accompanies us in her tasks.”
The only selected one who has excelled while Oknodie slacks off was Ishtar, who is now top student.
“If this continues, our relationship will sever. Though some distance is needed, there can also be distance born from failure to build a relationship. If Oknodie thinks so, her desperate push for improvement makes sense.”
Time spent on leisure has become precious.
If you spend a day playing, ten days of togetherness can vanish.
Normal training isn’t enough.
At the same pace, the gaps between them would only widen.
Even the cold Ishtar feels regret.
Now, if things don’t change, there might not even be someone worthy to be around.
Oknodie was becoming isolated.
Because of her rapid growth.
Because of the continued pressure from the Foundation.
She’s losing her friendships and becoming a lonely powerhouse.
Just like Jiang said, the Foundation is guiding Oknodie to abandon all feelings and become a true assassin.
“Let’s help her.”
“Even if we help… how?”
“We’ll let her know. We’ll be a ‘place she can come back to’ whenever she wants without feeling pressure to abandon us.”
Conveying sincerity to continue the bond of the heart.
Much like how family, friends, and lovers maintain long-lasting relationships, having a mutual understanding is essential for long-time friendship.
Oknodie’s years of life have been too short, and with so many adults around not letting her realize this truth, she has yet to grasp it even though she knows.
“Cheh. Isn’t it something that Jonnas, the butler, should be teaching?”
“He’s likely too busy preventing the Foundation and elf assassins from targeting Oknodie.”
“Well… that’s unavoidable.”
Let’s convey sincerity to Oknodie.
While pondering how, Isabel suddenly came up with a simple yet effective idea.
“How about a new menu festival? Everyone brings a new dish they’d love to share with each other.”
“Ha ha. I’m worried it’ll turn into a punishment game.”
“Uwahaha! You’ll have to starve all day long for it to taste good!”
They informed Oknodie’s other friends about the new menu festival, each preparing their own dishes, and inviting her to the event.
Imagining Oknodie’s eyes sparkling with joy, unable to stop saying “Wow!” as she tasted new foods, everyone smiled happily.
But all their smiles vanished when they saw Oknodie, covered in dirt and coughing up mud after every cough.
“Professor Sadako, you crazy teacher… Did you bury this child alive?”
“I’m sorry. I ate too much dirt… cough cough. I can’t eat that much, but… I’ll try my best to eat one more… cough cough.”
“Just go to the medical building! You don’t need to eat!”
As they watched Oknodie limp away, her friends and Isabel, who held her tears back while helping her, all had the same thought.
Poor Oknodie.
Professor Sadako really crossed the line.
“I can’t hold this anymore. No matter how much of a professor she is, this isn’t right. Anyone who wants to protest with me, follow along!”
She was once the only woman in the Seoguyeon and ranked second.
From the once glamorous Sebiche Ducal House of the maritime nation, Florence.
She had shed her splendid titles, but rising from loneliness, she now stood as the formidable Countess Agassi of the current Sebiche Count family.
With determination, she rose boldly.
Oknodie’s friends, steeling themselves for a serious fight, followed her.
