Chapter 152
Chapter 152
One day.
As I, Lapin, lived alone trapped inside the Black Tower, I stared at the moon beyond the iron bars and thought for the first time.
…That I wanted to leave this place.
I didn’t even know how long I had lived in the Black Tower.
From the moment I awoke, my entire world had always been only this place.
What kind of life had I lived before this?
Who had my parents been, where had my hometown been—there were no memories at all.
Why was I here?
What was I living for…?
Sometimes, whenever the Witch visited, I carefully asked her those questions, but the answer that returned was always silence.
So I clung to an invisible hope.
Someday, wouldn’t someone save me?
Wouldn’t someone take me out of this place?
With such thoughts, I waited endlessly.
…It was a foolish thought.
I realized that truth only when I escaped the Black Tower by myself.
The reason was simple.
The moment I saw a baby bird breaking out of its egg, I broke the iron bars as if I were possessed.
Yes.
If I didn’t break my shell, I would forever live and die trapped within it.
“……”
Ruffled and dazed, I opened my eyes.
The morning sunlight spread dazzlingly.
This wasn’t the Black Tower, but Villed’s storage room.
Thanks to the soft, fluffy blanket Villed had given me, I felt warm and comfortable.
– Kooo…
Beside me, steady breaths of a Sea Otter could be heard.
Everything about this was so good that I could hardly believe it.
Right now, I was wearing the uniform of Yggdrasil Academy.
When I had been in the Black Tower, I couldn’t even imagine myself like this.
If miracles existed, they must refer to things like this.
…Yet somewhere deep inside, a small unease still lingered.
How long would this freedom and peace last?
Even so, I didn’t let go of hope.
No one had helped me in the Black Tower.
But this time was different.
I had someone I could rely on.
‘I'll protect you.’
Villed’s voice echoed in my ears.
He clearly said he would protect me.
Maybe someone else would say those were just empty words… but I felt his sincerity.
Instinctively, I knew.
Villed was different from other people.
I didn’t know the reason.
For some reason, my body carried an instinct that I had to stay by Villed’s side.
Whenever I stayed with Villed, my heart felt as calm as if I were held in a parent’s arms.
Though I didn’t remember what a parent’s embrace felt like… maybe it was similar?
I quietly opened the storage room door and stepped outside.
As always, Villed was diligently working at the livestock shed early in the morning.
Right as he was feeding hay to the animals, I approached him before he noticed.
I grabbed the hay before he could and began feeding the animals myself.
“Are you helping again today?”
“Yeah.”
Now, I took the initiative to help with his work.
You used to whine, but you’ve grown, Lapin.
Feeding the animals with Villed, I briefly sank into thought.
After the festival ended yesterday, the Academy entered winter break.
Most students returned to their hometowns.
“Lapin, Villed! See you next semester!”
Last evening, even Karin had groaned while dragging her big luggage to the Academy bus.
There probably weren’t many students left now.
Among first-years, only about fifty were waiting for interviews with the top three Elite Departments.
And even they would leave as soon as their interviews were done.
After finishing some chores, I went into the storage room to rest for a bit.
I sat on a chair and pulled something out of my Subspace.
‘…Good. I managed to get this.’
In my hand was the trophy I had received from the festival.
Embedded in it was a red jewel.
Crimson Archive Blessed by the Goddess
It’s a jewel taken from a ring containing XXX’s memories! It gives good influence if placed near animal friends or eggs!
‘…Strange.’
It felt different from other items.
Just looking at this jewel made me feel something unusual.
It wasn’t unpleasant. Rather, something in my chest warmed.
‘Is it just me?’
To experiment, I showed the jewel closely to Hwayo and the other spirit beasts.
…The result was unexpected.
All of them suddenly started crying when they saw it.
“Hey, why are you crying all of a sudden?”
At first, I was flustered.
Since they suddenly shed tears, I thought it might be a bad influence… but it wasn’t.
It was the opposite.
The Animal Farm friends feel deep emotion!
Hwayo’s mood has greatly improved!
Boogie’s mood has greatly improved!
Shurk’s mood has greatly improved!
Pau’s mood has greatly improved!
Ramji’s mood has greatly improved!
Your bond with your animal friends has deepened even more!
Even as their master, I could feel it.
Right now, the spirit beasts were in their best condition ever.
‘It’s definitely a good item… but why?’
I, too, was filled with an indescribable bittersweet feeling as I looked at the jewel.
‘…I don’t know. It must just be a very good item.’
Since it clearly had positive effects, I planned to keep it on me.
‘Later, I should separate the jewel and turn it into an accessory.’
I placed the trophy into my Subspace and was about to resume work at the livestock shed.
…That was when an unexpected visitor arrived.
“Student Villed, have you been well? Whew, I’m glad you’re still at the Academy.”
Standing at the storage room entrance was a black-haired man with glasses.
He looked a bit unsettling, but I naturally greeted him.
“…Assistant Lahan, what brings you here?”
“Professor Ruber wanted to see you for a moment.”
“Professor Ruber?”
“Yes. There are Finders candidates interviewing today and tomorrow morning. Would tomorrow at 4 p.m. at his office be okay?”
“…Why is the Professor calling for me?”
“Hm, even I don’t know that part.”
A sudden summons from Professor Ruber.
I paused to think.
‘Is it about the Comprehensive Exam? No, I already finished discussing that with Kunking.’
Not to mention, it had already been two weeks since the exam ended.
‘…What could he want to talk about with me?’
I needed to find out his reason. Accepting seemed wiser than declining.
“Understood. I’ll visit tomorrow.”
“Great. I’ll tell the Professor.”
With that, Lahan answered and casually left the livestock shed.
It was a relief that he didn’t pry into this and that.
After seeing Lahan off and working in the livestock shed with Lapin, I suddenly asked,
“Is there anywhere you want to go for the trip?”
“Mm…….”
Lapin stayed silent for a long time before opening her mouth.
“It doesn’t matter. Anywhere is fine if I’m going with Villed.”
“……Yeah. Let’s definitely go tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
Lapin nodded vigorously, as if she were truly looking forward to the trip.
When Villed left to check the sea farm, Lapin stood in front of the kitchen in the storage room.
Villed had told her not to cook ever again…… but Lapin had no intention of giving up cooking.
She had watched Rupina make pancakes right beside her.
That memory still remained. She thought she could replicate it.
Lapin closed her eyes and let her imagination unfold.
After eating the pancakes she made, Villed shed tears of deep emotion and pleaded with her.
‘It’s far better than Rupina’s, far better than anything I’ve ever made. Please forgive me for telling you not to cook. Ms. Lapin! You are the best, the best!’
‘Hmm.’
In her imagination, Lapin shrugged in response to Villed’s desperate pleas.
“Hmph.”
Even imagining it made her snort in satisfaction.
Fueled with determination, she began preparing to make pancakes…….
But she lacked ingredients.
Still, driven by motivation, Lapin gathered whatever she could find and simply tried making them anyway.
“Fire control…… fire control……”
This time, she carefully adjusted the heat so the pancakes wouldn’t turn into basalt.
As a result, she at least succeeded in not burning them.
Lapin placed the pancakes on a plate and topped them with butter and honey.
With that, they were complete!
……No. Were they complete?
They seemed a little squishy? And something watery looked like it was seeping out?
The smell wasn’t quite what she remembered either……?
Blinking, Lapin took a bite of one.
“……Ugh.”
No.
This wasn’t the taste.
Lapin shook her head.
She’d tried to follow exactly what Rupina had taught her, so what went wrong?
It must have been because she forced it with missing ingredients.
Lapin pulled out the coins from her pocket.
They were the allowance Villed had given her as thanks for helping at the stall.
With this money, she had enough to purchase proper ingredients.
Clutching the coins tightly with both hands, Lapin headed toward the Main Building’s commercial district.
Maybe because it was vacation and all the students had left.
There wasn’t a single person around.
When she entered the mart to get ingredients, only the owner was there.
“Oh? There’s still a student around? I was just about to close…… What a coincidence, lucky you!”
“Thank you.”
Lapin unfolded a crumpled piece of paper.
It was the memo where she had written down the ingredients Rupina used.
She bought everything on the list, then hugged the fully stuffed bag with care.
With these ingredients, she would be able to make wonderful pancakes for Villed.
Just as Lapin was about to return to the livestock shed with light steps—
– Baa-!
A young lamb’s cry.
Why would there be a lamb here? It must have been a lost one.
Thinking she had to save it, Lapin walked toward the source of the sound.
It came from an alleyway between buildings.
– Baa-!
A pitiful voice.
Just wait a little, I’ll save you……
Lapin overlapped the situation with herself back in the Black Tower, and walked toward the sound.
But……
“…….”
At some point, the sound vanished.
“Baa.”
Lapin tried making a lamb’s cry with her mouth.
At Villed’s livestock shed, the lambs understood her voice.
But…… now there wasn’t a single reply.
Only then did Lapin realize how unfamiliar her surroundings were.
“……Strange.”
She walked through the alley.
After walking for a long time, she somehow began to run.
Running, running, and running again.
The same place.
The same spot.
The same scenery.
“…….”
Lapin’s breathing quivered slightly.
She had experienced this once before.
During the school trip at the Rekorox Mansion.
An endless corridor that repeated forever.
Back then, Villed had been with her. Because Villed was calm, she had also been able to stay calm.
But……
Now was different.
Villed wasn’t here.
In this endlessly long alleyway, Lapin was all alone.
“I…….”
Even so, Lapin kept running forward.
Even if the same path kept repeating, she ran to the very end.
“I have to…… give the pancakes…… to Villed……”
……Then it happened.
Something appeared at her side before she knew it. Lapin stopped and looked at it.
Fluttering and floating…… a black butterfly.
“Ah.”
Lapin’s eyes widened.
She stumbled back and turned around.
Flutter…… flutter…….
It wasn’t just one butterfly.
Countless butterflies had gathered, too many to count.
“……Ah.”
Thud—.
Lapin dropped the bag she had been holding so dearly.
She clutched her chest.
She was scared.
Her legs wouldn’t move.
Her voice wouldn’t come out.
Her heart felt like it was going to burst from fear.
The gathered black butterflies soon formed the shape of a person……
And from within them emerged the figure of a noble woman dressed in black.
A black fan covering half her face.
A wide-brimmed hat layered with black lace.
A soft, veiled fabric flowed down along her face, giving her an otherworldly, mysterious air.
“Ah, ah…….”
Lapin could barely breathe now.
She knew this woman very well. One sentence summed it up.
……The scariest person in the world.
“Lapin.”
The woman in black took one step at a time toward her.
“Did you enjoy your life at the Academy?”
She folded her fan and smiled sweetly.
“My beloved child.”