OHNIR – Chapter 44
Chapter 44: The Secret Sign
It had to be said, Gloria’s mentality was that of a perfectly qualified villain. Even though she had secretly developed enough affection for Kelusta to make plans, when they actually met, she could still keep a straight face and pretend not to see the brown-haired girl looking at her pitifully.
Since Gloria was determined to give her the cold shoulder, Kelusta had no choice but to helplessly stick to her original plan.
From the looks of it, when she was unconscious in the medical room, even when his sister paid a personal visit, Wend had reliably kept their secret about developing a potion. As a result, several days passed peacefully, and the cauldron in the classroom continued to steadily brew the potion without interruption.
The duke’s son was truly resourceful. It was unknown what he said to the potions professor, but he actually managed to persuade that professor—who wished he could just press down on his students’ skulls and pour knowledge in—to willingly suspend classes for a full two weeks. This was to allow students to review and fill in any gaps in their knowledge from the completed lessons.
Of course, the enthusiastic atmosphere at the Holy Light Magic Academy, where everyone was so overjoyed they wanted to throw a ball to celebrate… that goes without saying.
In short, thanks to Wend’s outstanding operational skills, the “Coaxing Squad” had enough time and a suitable venue to focus on creating the Fake Illness Potion that would be used to trick the duke’s daughter.
…However, just two days later, after making her twenty-third mistake, the persistently unhelpful Kelusta was fiercely thrown out of the classroom by the stone-faced potions genius.
While trying to salvage the horn powder in his hand, which was being incessantly gummed up by slug slime, Wend shot Kelusta a glare as sharp as a knife and said coldly, “Until I give you permission, you’d better not set foot in this classroom again, Miss Breviou! As a qualified potioneer, I have a responsibility to ensure that the potions I create are safe and not forbidden—which means I must do my best to eliminate all uncontrollable factors, and absolutely cannot allow it to inadvertently turn into a deadly poison that kills without a second thought.”
Kelusta, who had just learned that fifty milligrams of slug slime was enough to poison a rhinoceros: “…”
Before she could guiltily apologize to Wend, he turned away in a huff, losing his gentlemanly demeanor for the first time, and mercilessly slammed the classroom door in her face.
“I didn’t mean to,” the unskilled but meddlesome slacker mumbled aggrievedly, staring at the dark, tightly shut door before her. “It can’t be helped. It’s not my fault I’m bad at studying!”
The System held back for a moment, but couldn’t resist asking, utterly speechless, “Then whose fault could it be?”
What kind of twisted logic is that? No one forced sleeping pills down your throat, yet you have the nerve to act as if falling asleep in class wasn’t your intention.
However, the thick-skinned Kelusta faced the System’s soul-searching question with brazen confidence. She pouted, her eyes darted, and she retorted loudly and illogically, “Of course it’s your fault! If you hadn’t volunteered to do my homework and exams for me, would I have become so depraved?!”
—Meek and submissive before the tool man, but I come out swinging against Old Sy!
“???” the System said, shocked. “What do you mean, volunteered… Wasn’t it because you were forced to copy the proportion formula a hundred times in potions class until your hand was too sore to even hold a cup of water, and then you threatened me with the mission completion rate—that I reluctantly agreed to help you with quizzes and exams?”
“But you still agreed,” Kelusta said unreasonably. “I don’t care. Anyway, what was said back then was recorded. If you go back on your word… I’ll report you to your headquarters!”
System: “…”
In the end, my trust was misplaced.
You’re something else, Kelusta the Exploiter.
Spurned by Wend, Kelusta had no choice but to continue shining where she excelled. So, she went straight to the teaching building to corner Musen again.
The temperature hadn’t been high these past few days. The morning frost had made the wisteria that once wound around the corridors vanish without a trace. Only a few uncleaned purple petals lay forlornly on the ground. The snow-white pillars stood bare, a sight that was somewhat jarring.
Kelusta watched for a moment, then sneezed melancholically.
Ever since waking up in the medical room, she had been drinking the cold remedy Madam Lechena gave her. But perhaps because she rarely took medicine as a child, it had little effect even after several days. Her nose was stuffy, and she had to carry a pile of handkerchiefs with her at all times.
Having learned her lesson, Kelusta wore a long dress with a cloak today, one of the outfits Wend had tossed her when he finished work the day before yesterday.
The usual exquisite fabric, simple colors, and perfect fit… Regardless of whether Wend had an aesthetic sense incredibly similar to his sister’s, Kelusta didn’t believe a boy could judge a girl’s clothing size by eye alone.
“My money’s on Gloria,” even the System said confidently. “She’s a classic tsundere.”
Kelusta was now a trendy vessel thoroughly indoctrinated with knowledge from the System’s database. She might even have a shot at becoming the next meme queen. Forget tsundere; she could even perfectly recite “the pale yellow dress.”
“Hard to disagree. I think it was Senior, too,” she said, stroking the fine velvet of her cloak with great interest. “She likes it when I wear white.”
With this outfit, Kelusta was no longer so cold when she went out that she’d start reciting poetry. Even standing in the drafty corridor, she could lean against a pillar with composure, waiting to ambush someone.
The girl’s golden eyes listlessly scanned the crowd of people walking out and passing her by. Suddenly, her gaze sharpened as she sensed a pair of eyes watching her from behind.
Kelusta spun around abruptly, coming face-to-face with a pair of clear, leaf-green eyes not far away.
The boy who had grown up with her stood tall and straight, perfectly still. The expression on his handsome face was cold, no longer holding the water-like gentleness of the past.
Same scene, same location. The only difference this time was the absence of a tense, sword-drawn atmosphere between them.
Kelusta quietly watched Kevit, her expression as unreadable as his. The two stood there in the surging crowd, looking at each other for a while, until Kevit frowned. He paused, his body swaying slightly, and looked as if he was about to lift his foot to leave, to be the first to end this chance encounter.
Suddenly, a chilly breeze blew past them, carrying a cold that raised goosebumps. It actually penetrated Kelusta’s cloak, feeling like ice against her skin and making her teeth start to chatter.
The brown-haired girl’s gaze darkened slightly. She stared straight at Kevit and opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something.
The tip of Kevit’s half-raised shoe immediately dropped back to the ground. He narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Kelusta. His expression held a well-hidden trace of nervousness as he feigned calmness, waiting for the words she had yet to speak.
But Kelusta, under the apprehensive gaze of her former childhood friend, suddenly raised a hand and quickly covered her mouth and nose—
Then, with an “Achoo!” she unhurriedly sneezed.
Kevit: “…”
Speechless and awkward, he watched Kelusta pull a handkerchief from her pocket. As she wiped her palm and the tip of her nose, she gave the utterly perplexed Kevit a look that, though silent, clearly conveyed a tangible “Why are you still here?”
Kevit discreetly took a deep breath and, pretending nothing had happened, finally took that step. Without looking away, he walked against the flow of people toward the entrance of the teaching building.
However, he hadn’t taken five steps, just as he was brushing past the brown-haired girl, when he heard that familiar voice call out, stopping him in his tracks. It was calm and steady, yet carried an indefinable meaning.
“Kevit.”
This time, it seemed she really had something to say to him. Kevit sighed quietly and turned around, only to be met with a small, smiling gesture from the girl in front of him.
One hand was formed into a circle in front of her, while the other was poised in the air, making a pulling motion. Her index and middle fingers were pressed against her thumb, level with the top of her other hand, aimed directly at Kevit from a distance.
In his eyes, it was a gesture he couldn’t be more familiar with.
It was as if Kelusta were holding a ready slingshot, the invisible pellet aimed right at Kevit’s heart.
He froze, his eyes widening slightly. But the girl making the gesture closed one of her own eyes. The hand held back suddenly released its three fingers, as if she had just shot the invisible bullet. She pulled her hand back and looked at Kevit with a grin, just like when they used to play together as children. Her smile was clear and bright, and even her golden eyes were steeped in joy.
Kevit’s heart skipped a beat.
His brow furrowed, and his green eyes stared intently at Kelusta. For a moment, she couldn’t read anything in his gaze, which made her heart tighten. Her own gaze sharpened, and the smile on her lips gradually vanished.
After a few breaths, as if finally satisfied to see the brown-haired girl’s body also grow tense and rigid, Kevit’s expression softened. His features relaxed, and he slowly raised both hands, placing them over the left side of his chest as if he had truly been struck by the invisible bullet Kelusta had shot. He even bent his knees cooperatively.
After this brief series of actions, he lowered his hands and resumed his inscrutable, nonchalant expression. As if they had just exchanged a secret sign, he turned calmly and casually away, as if nothing had happened, and continued on his way toward the teaching building.
Leaving Kelusta alone where she stood. She let out a soft breath and rolled her eyes ambiguously at his retreating back.
“…Temporary Host,” the System’s voice sounded, hesitant and utterly bewildered. “What… are you two doing?”
Hasn’t Kevit already gone over to Starangui’s side? Last time, he even got a good beating from his own Temporary Host…
But this time they met, aside from not speaking, they acted as if that previous incident had never happened. In the same place, at the same time, they engaged in an incredibly childish, make-believe game of slingshot.
Setting aside how embarrassing it was—since no other students noticed them anyway, and Kelusta’s thought process had always been an enigma to the System—Kevit seemed pretty normal. For the past decade or so, he had been a model youth. Could it be that as soon as he joined the villain’s camp, his IQ started to plummet?
No way, no way. If it’s really that ridiculous, I can’t accept it.
“Making contact,” Kelusta said with composure. She stretched her arms lazily as if a weight had been lifted, grinning so wide her eyes disappeared. Like a little fox whose plan had succeeded, she said mysteriously, “Don’t ask. If you ask, it’s a strategic secret. When the time is right… you’ll naturally know everything you need to know.”
Comments
Post a Comment