Episode 14 – Memory (3)

Memory (3)

“……Sigh.”

When I opened my eyes after wiping my drool, it was already break time.

I blankly looked around the classroom.

-Want to relax at my villa this weekend?

-Your family’s yacht is nice. Let’s sail sometime.

-There’s a ball at my mansion tonight. Should I give you an invitation?

The privileged children of prestigious families were chattering away, each with their elegant gestures and refined language.

“Hey. You really don’t have a textbook?”

That’s when Layla called out to me.

“Do you have a textbook?”

She asked, resting her chin on her hand.

“……”

I ignored her lightly. Instead, I looked at the desk next to mine. A textbook was open on the desk, but there was no one there.

Did they go to the bathroom?

“Hmm.”

I glanced around and quietly picked up the textbook. I quickly skimmed through it and then placed my hand on the cover.

I don’t have the luxury to waste a thousand ren on a textbook, so I thought I’d try to ‘memorize’ it in my 「Notepad」.

“……Remember.”

There’s no need to say it out loud, but it’s a simple self-suggestion. Similar to the concept of shouting during training.

“Ugh!”

But at that moment, my mana was sucked away drastically. An unexpected headache surged. Heat rose in my eyeballs and a trickle of nosebleed flowed.

I covered my nose. I wiped the nosebleed with my sleeve and opened 「Notepad」

[77 / 100]

■ Diary

■ Memory

└Perion

└Heart

└Untitled

Just one book took up 9 of the capacity. The mana consumption just now was quite severe too.

“What is this.”

Is it that the more expensive it is, the more it consumes?

No, even so, 1,000 ren isn’t that expensive, is it?

I rubbed my temples and changed ‘Untitled’ to ‘Latinel Ⅰ’.

“Hey, Shion. Why did you register for Latinel?”

……But, there’s been a guy who’s been talking non-stop from the back seat since a while ago. She’s incredibly persistent, even if I don’t respond.

“Hey. Why did you register?”

At Layla’s words, I responded briefly.

“None of your business.”

“What did you say?!”

Layla furrowed her brows.

“‘Don’t bother with such a pathetic human.'”

Suddenly, Elise’s voice seeped into my ears.

Her language was definitely not Edsilla’s common language, but I understood it in an instant.

I was surprised and turned to look at her.

Layla smirked.

“‘Shion. That. We. See. What. Look. This guy. Doesn’t understand. Latinel.'”

It’s clear.

It’s ‘Latinel’.

Layla’s sentence is not smooth and is broken, but anyway, I can hear it.

Why is this happening?

I tilted my head, but soon I got the idea.

……No wonder it took up 9 of the capacity.

It seems to be the effect of 「Memorizing」 the textbook. There’s no more variation in the actual Latinel that Elise spoke than in the textbook.

Ding dong dang—

Just then, break time ended.

The students who had left their seats returned, and Lady Beatrice gracefully entered from the front door.

“Oh, student. Did you sleep well?”

Lady Beatrice was the first to look at me and smile brightly.

“Yes? Ah-”

“It’s okay. You can sleep. But.”

Then she handed me a piece of paper. I was slightly taken aback. The title of the document was too harsh.

[Elective Drop Form]

“Student, please submit this after class today.”

“……”

I looked up at her. Her expression was benevolent, but somehow, her cheeks seemed to twitch.

She spoke.

-This is not a class for a lowly being like you.

At that moment, I was slightly taken aback. My eyes widened, and my ears perked up like a rabbit’s.

It was admiration.

Somehow, her voice reciting the Latinel sounded like she was singing. The tonality was not much different from a harmonious rhythm. It was also like the chirping of a bird.

It was a beautiful pronunciation.

“……Wow.”

It really is true that the more you know, the more you see.

Before I 「Memorized」 the textbook, it felt like an alien language, but as I began to understand Latinel, I seemed to understand why this was considered a noble’s education.

“Make sure to submit by the end of the class?”

I remained silent.

Beatrice raised her eyebrows stiffly, urging me.

“Do you understand?”

I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. Giving up is no different from failing, and the damage to my grades would be significant.

“…….”

I silently moved my lips.

When this lady just spoke Latinel, when she recited aggressive sentences like lyrics, I watched her mouth.

It was a very important observation.

The pronunciation of a language is made through the interaction of the tongue, lips, vocal cords, and other parts of the mouth, and they are clearly part of the body.

Therefore, ‘foreign language conversation’ could also be considered within the scope of ‘Look-See-Do’.

I can remember with my eyes and follow with my body…….

—No.

I recycled the phonemes she had spoken and followed them.

—I am a student suitable for this class.

Although the power of the Mana Heart was somewhat depleted, I didn’t care.

“……Oh my.”

She widened her eyes.

I added with a small smile.

—Your voice is truly beautiful, Lady Beatrice.

Then, the lady’s stiff face softened, and a small commotion arose in the classroom.

Layla muttered from behind.

“……What’s with his pronunciation.”

It was somehow a bit annoying dialogue.

* * *

After the Latinel class, the corridor at 1 PM.

Layla was walking with a pout.

“Ah~ Why is there an assignment from the first class…….”

The Latinel teacher had given out some sort of writing assignment from the first week.

“It’s ridiculous. The first week should be easy! Isn’t that right, Elly?”

As Layla grumbled, demanding sympathy, she suddenly puffed her cheeks as if she remembered someone.

“But, where did Shion learn Latinel?”

Shion Ascal. The guy who received the teacher Beatrice’s favor throughout today’s class and was suspiciously good at Latinel.

“Isn’t that right, Elly?”

But Elise remained silent. She has been silently biting her lips since a while ago. It seems like she’s chewing on something.

Layla became curious.

Why isn’t she answering?

“It’s strange! How did he get good at Latinel? Isn’t that right, Elly?”

“…….”

Despite her efforts to provoke a response, Elly remained silent. Only then did Layla sense that Elly’s mood was off.

“……That’s strange~”

“…….”

Layla turned her gaze and looked out the window.

There were 1st and 2nd graders sitting in the stands eating their packed lunches, others running around the playing field, and… a flyer?

“Huh?”

A piece of paper was stuck in the window frame. Layla reached out and grabbed it.

[At Your Service]

: Acquisition of items, delivery, transfer, and more.

: From simple errands to complex tasks.

: We assist in everything.

: Please contact #05 001-3021-4302. It’s a safe number that doesn’t reveal either party’s phone number.

“What’s this?”

“….”

Elise showed a flicker of interest. Layla didn’t miss her gaze.

“Elise, look at this.”

“…It’s trash.”

“Wow, I’ve seen these on the streets, but never in Endex. Interesting, isn’t it?”

“Throw it away.”

Elise quickly turned her head away, but Layla was oddly intrigued.

Not just simple errands, but complex tasks, meaning they’ll do your assignments for you…

“I should throw it away~”

Layla put it in her pocket. Elise furrowed her brows.

“What are you doing?”

“I threw it away. Into my pocket.”

“….”

Elise’s eyes narrowed.

“No~ You never know~ Latinel is so boring. I could use that time for my electives-”

“Do you think the people distributing those flyers know anything about Latinel?”

“Ah. Maybe not.”

Layla touched her earlobe.

“But just in case… Ah? There’s Shion.”

A buzzcut head stood out outside the window.

That bright yellow buzzcut could only belong to Shion in Endex.

Elise also looked in that direction.

“Elise. Didn’t he find a Latinel tutor somewhere?”

Shion. The guy who suspiciously excels at Latinel.

As he was leaving the school gate, Elise and Layla watched him with narrowed, questioning eyes.

* * *

“Good work, Shion.”

At 11 PM, when the popular Endex restaurant [Wayward Meat] was closing for the day.

The boss patted my shoulder and handed me my weekly wage and a bag of meat.

They say kindness breeds kindness, my weekly wage is 500 Ren and my daily wage is 3 kg of meat. Thanks to this, I’m eating 3 kg of high-quality protein every day.

It’s different from before my regression. Back then, hospital food and sweet potatoes weren’t enough, so I had to scavenge for leftovers and weeds until I almost died of food poisoning.

“Yes, have a good night.”

“Alright, see you tomorrow.”

I stepped outside the restaurant. The world was already dark, and the stars were missing.

“But why isn’t the message coming?”

Walking down the tree-lined street leading to Endex, I turned on my phone.

“Is the flyer not good enough?”

I pulled out the [At Your Service] flyer from my pocket.

I want to start cancer treatment by April or May at the latest. But I need at least 20,000 to 30,000 Ren in hand to even consider treatment…

[Endex]

As I walked, lost in thought, I found myself at the main gate of Endex. However, the entrance was coldly closed.

After 11 PM, not only outsiders but also Endex students are prohibited from entering.

Of course, I had already thought of a way.

A wall about 3m high surrounds the Endex premises.

Just climb over it. As quietly and carefully as possible.

“Let’s see….”

I walked along the wall and jumped at a suitable spot. Then, like climbing, I crawled up and jumped into the premises.

Thud-

I landed successfully, but a flyer fell out of my pocket. It fluttered and landed at someone’s feet.

I looked at her.

My body froze.

“…Ah.”

There was a person within ten steps of me.

Her long, untied hair was as red as fire, and a small ember and thick smoke wavered in front of her lips.

“Hmm.”

The only S+ tier noble in the Index.

Soliette Arkne.

She silently looked at me as she lit her cigarette.

“…”

It was too sudden, but facing her directly like this, I was suddenly reminded of the past.

Certain 「Memories」 exploded in my mind like fireworks.

It even made it slightly hard to breathe.

This woman hasn’t changed at all.

Her wild hair, her indifferent eyes, her tightly closed lips, nothing has changed at all.

Perhaps that’s why.

Without realizing it, I blurted out a greeting.

“It’s been a while.”

At that, Soliette furrowed her brows slightly. She exhaled the smoke from her mouth and asked,

“Hmm… What are you doing here? This is a women’s dormitory.”

“Ah, right. It’s the women’s dormitory.”

I smiled blankly. I had accidentally jumped over the wrong wall.

Soliette silently looked at me and then pointed to the forest path between the women’s dormitories.

“If you walk for another five minutes in that direction, you’ll reach the men’s dormitory. There should be no guards at this time.”

“…Is that so? Thanks.”

My voice trembled strangely as I thanked her.

Soliette shrugged nonchalantly.

“Don’t mention it. But this is a secret.”

She said, tapping her cigarette. Not on the ground, but on a portable personal ashtray.

Seeing me stare, Soliette offered me her pack of cigarettes.

“Do you want one?”

“…What?”

“It’s a good one. It’s 30 Ren per stick, quite expensive.”

I chuckled and shook my head.

“I quit. Thanks to someone.”

There was a time when cigarettes, tobacco, were the joy of my life.

Since I was going to die anyway.

A stick of cigarette, a cup of coffee, a pill of drug, a shot of stimulant, whether I do it or not, I was going to die anyway.

No matter how hard I try, I can’t live long.

…But then.

On a clear day, in that time that has now disappeared, I did something strange. I made a promise with someone to ‘live healthily’.

It was too impulsive a decision.

“Is that so? You quit. I’m envious.”

Of course, promises are made to be broken. I already have Perion in my body, so I might have already broken it.

Even so, it’s ‘as much as possible’.

I plan to maintain ‘as much as possible’ a regular habit and a healthy diet.

“Hmm.”

Soliette bent one knee to pick up a flyer. She quickly scanned it and handed it back to me.

“Here.”

“Ah, but this is-”

“Yes. I know. It seems like they’re scattering them randomly. I saw one nearby too.”

Randomly.

I got a hint from Soliette’s words.

It shouldn’t have been ‘random’.

The strategy to appeal to the Index guys was to upscale, but my flyer was too cheap….

“Well, I’ll be going.”

“You seem capable.”

I quickly added to her, who was about to turn around. Soliette smirked.

“…This flyer?”

“Yes. According to it, you’re an expert.”

That’s true.

I am an expert.

Stalking, background checks, driving, delivery, construction, cleaning, organizing, tracking, deduction, checkpoints, searches, and so on, there’s nothing I haven’t done.

“You’ve been rolling around at the bottom for a few years.”

That’s true.

I’ve lived in the ‘underworld’, where murder is legal and monsters run rampant, for a full five years.

“Do you believe that?”

Soliette looked at me with somewhat pitiful eyes, but right now, she probably needs someone.

“There’s no harm in believing, right?”

We have an unexpected commonality.

We both have a ‘nemesis’ we want to kill, even if it burns our souls. We live for revenge. We are similar in that regard.

“If you have errands, give me a call.”

I held out the flyer to her. Soliette waved her hand.

It was a rejection.

“Suit yourself.”

I left the flyer in the air.

A single piece of paper fluttering down. Soliette, who didn’t seem interested.

“But, you know. That cigarette…”

Looking at her still smoking, I hesitated for a moment before speaking.

I knew.

At this time, she doesn’t need anyone or anything.

Whatever I say, it’s just unnecessary meddling.

“Smoke moderately. Before you regret it later.”

But well, this is something you first said to me.

You’re the one who once asked me to live healthily.

“…Me? Why are you suddenly preaching?”

Soliette glared at me like that, and I turned around with a smile.

I walked down the forest path she had pointed out. The dense weeds rustled. Somewhere, owls hooted.

Strangely, I felt good.