OHNIR – Chapter 8
Chapter 8: Having Her Back
Because they were chatting, the two walked back at a leisurely pace, almost as if they were taking a stroll.
As they reached the tower, Kelusta suddenly realized something. Her smile stiffened. She glanced up at the position of the moon and had a sinking feeling.
Past curfew again!
She’d heard the second-year dorms were separate from the first-years’, which meant she was about to face the furious administrator alone for the second time. The man had threatened to have her expelled last time. If she got caught again, who knew how many points she would lose!
“System, if I can’t graduate and fail to clear the True Ending, what will happen to me?”
The System replied mercilessly, “A sincere reminder: you do not want to know the consequences.”
Kelusta shut her mouth. She didn’t want to have nightmares.
Gloria, beside her, clearly sensed her tension. Out of the corner of her eye, she could even see Kelusta was so nervous that her arms and legs were moving in unison as she walked. Gloria chuckled inwardly but, still wanting to tease her a little, remained silent.
Kelusta, meanwhile, was mentally agonizing over how she was going to die. By the time she snapped out of it, she realized Gloria had already accompanied her all the way to the tightly shut tower door.
“…”
Happiness could be so… sudden.
Before she could even form the words to thank Gloria, the other girl had already reached out and used the door knocker.
Clang—
Footsteps sounded from within, and the right-hand door slowly swung open, revealing the administrator’s gloomy, wrinkled old face. Upon seeing Kelusta, he let out a cold laugh. His voice was hoarse, like a death knell. “You again.”
Kelusta said, “Ah… good evening, sir?”
Gloria stood behind the still-closed half of the door, her blue eyes like the deep sea, watching Kelusta with a quiet, profound gaze.
“I told you last time, little girl! One more late return, and I’ll petition the academy to have you expelled!” The administrator angrily thrust a hand toward her, his long, dirt-caked fingernails nearly poking her in the nose. “Your badge! Now! In the entire first year, you’re the only one who’s late time and time again—”
Oh, Kelusta thought nonchalantly. Isn’t that just because the others are bold enough to stay out all night?
The administrator, oblivious to her irreverent thoughts, snarled like a vicious dog that had spotted a bone. “I’m going to deduct all your points—”
Before he could finish, a slender hand reached out from the girl’s left, gently pulling her back and away from his fingernails.
The administrator froze. There’s someone else?
He angrily craned his neck to look. The moment his eyes fell upon a head of brilliant silver hair, his heart skipped a beat. The ferocious expression on his face shattered, twisting into one of shock and fear. He stammered, “La-Lady Silentdis?”
In all of Nobili, only the Silentdis Ducal Family possessed such beautiful silver hair. Everyone at the Holy Light Magic Academy knew it.
Gloria shot him a cool glance before smiling at Kelusta. She reached out to smooth a wrinkle on the girl’s collar. “Get some rest. I won’t come in.”
Realizing Gloria was doing this just to back her up, Kelusta beamed, her voice as sweet as honey. “Alright. You get some rest too, Senior.”
Gloria smiled softly, gave a small curtsy as she had before, and turned to leave with elegant grace, not sparing a single glance for the dumbfounded tower administrator.
After watching her go, Kelusta turned back to the administrator. She flashed a devilish little smile and said sweetly, “Good evening, sir?”
“…” The administrator said dryly, “G-good evening, student. Please, come in.”
After Kelusta had skipped off and disappeared around the bend in the staircase, the administrator slumped dejectedly into his chair. His mind replayed the image of the Duke of Silentdis’s daughter—her pampered hand resting so naturally on the commoner girl’s collar. The fabric’s stitching was so coarse it was obviously cheap, yet she had so gently and considerately smoothed out its frankly discourteous wrinkles…
I repent to the Goddess of Light, he thought, on the verge of a breakdown. Since when did the commoners at this academy become so formidable?
That’s a duke’s daughter we’re talking about! Is she someone a commoner can just cozy up to?
Kelusta had no idea the administrator was currently questioning his entire existence.
It wasn’t until she collapsed onto her bed that she suddenly remembered a crucial problem.
“Wait a minute!” Like a carp tossed into a frying pan before it was quite dead, Kelusta shot bolt upright. “Gloria said the second-years are swamped with work! How am I supposed to run into her by chance?!”
The System said coolly, “Why didn’t you consider that a moment ago?”
“Ah, my mistake. I was too busy enjoying the thrill of having a powerful backer,” Kelusta said, her self-criticism lacking any real sincerity.
If the System could roll its eyes, it would have spun them like a top tilted at a ninety-degree angle. That might be an exaggeration, but its tone certainly suggested it. “You could always wait for her outside her classroom.”
Kelusta gave it a look of disgust. “Are you an idiot?” she said sarcastically. “Even if I could get my hands on the second-year schedule, I’d only face two possible outcomes—”
System: “I’m listening.”
“One: Gloria’s affection for me plummets, and I can skip all the intermediate steps and go straight to receiving my final punishment,” Kelusta said, deadpan. “Two, and the more likely outcome: before I even get to see Gloria, her admirers and the proponents of the ‘commoners are ants’ theory will swarm and beat me to the point that I’ll wish I could just receive the final punishment instead.”
The System simulated the scene and nearly laughed out loud.
But if it dared to laugh, its temporary host would surely howl in its ear all night. So, for the sake of its own rest, it stated decisively, “The primary directive of the World Line Convergence System is to protect the host’s safety to the best of its ability. Therefore, rest assured, I will not allow you to be harmed easily.”
To the best of its ability… not allow me to be harmed easily…
“…My rational mind tells me I should say thank you,” Kelusta said warily, “but after hearing all those qualifiers, why do I not only feel ungrateful but also have the urge to beat you up?”
The System cunningly dodged the question, forcing the topic back to the original point. “Temporary host, have you forgotten your reward for completing the last mission?”
“The 【Probability Increase MOD】?” Kelusta paused, then it dawned on her. “I can use this MOD to create chance encounters with Gloria!” she exclaimed, delighted.
“Precisely.”
The System paused, then added a reminder. “However, I must advise you as part of my duties that not all mission rewards have to be used for missions… In other words, if you were to follow my earlier suggestion, you could save these five uses for a rainy day.”
“No way!” Kelusta said decisively. “For the sake of my own safety, I am absolutely not doing anything that crazy!”
The System sighed, sounding deeply regretful.
“Very well, temporary host,” it said. “If you need to use the MOD, just inform me. The ‘Probability Increase’ will raise your chances of meeting Gloria to one hundred percent. Please be sure to use it at a reasonable time and place.”
With that major worry resolved, all she had to do now was wait for the right opportunity to raise Gloria’s affection. Kelusta yawned, silently thanking the initial affection bug in her heart.
The Probability Increase MOD could only be used five times. Given how hard it was to win Gloria over… she really couldn’t guarantee she’d be able to steadily gain two affection points with every meeting.
Kelusta hugged her soft pillow, nuzzling into it as her golden eyes narrowed like a lazy cat’s. She recalled how Gloria had deliberately straightened her collar for her, and a low laugh escaped her lips.
Even for a villainess… she’s surprisingly caring.
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