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Episode 28: Level Test Results
Pop! With a sound, a thick fog spread around, and Julius appeared kneeling on one knee. How embarrassing.
“Did you call me, Master?”
…The dialogue was more burdensome!
“Umm, yes. I called.”
Besides, he was wearing only colorful underwear under his neat shirt, whatever was he doing when he was called?
‘I really hate it. ‘
Perhaps Julius was summoned while eating stew in his room in comfortable clothes. I saw some bits of stew on the spoon in his hand.
Being summoned without knowing what’s going on during a meal.
‘I feel bad thinking about it like that.’
Right then.
“…You’re dressed like a pervert, f*ck.”
‘Oh, Heinrich. You can’t use bad words like that! You just have to keep it in your head like me!’
For a moment, Julius’ shoulders shook as if he was agitated at the chihuahua’s reckless remarks. And suddenly, the hypnosis of the ring ended.
“Damn it, damn it! Where am I, all of a sudden?! What have you done to me!”
Feeling the master’s first use of power, he looked around in great bewilderment.
Then he approached the three children standing in a crooked row with blurred eyes.
“Such language from you guys? …Anyway, it looks like you are all right.”
I guessed he was worried though.
‘But please don’t come any closer! Ah, ah. Your ugly leg hairs are showing, Teacher.’
I asked, cautiously holding the Pluto ring in my arms.
“Hey Teacher, every time I summon you, will I hear a ‘pop!’ sound and see a thick fog?”
“Oh, that can be set by the individual. It’s my taste.”
‘Your taste sucks.’
Julius raised his finger as if showing special consideration.
“If you don’t like it, I can clear the fog.”
“Please silence the sound too.”
“……!”
Julius spoke as if he was outraged by my relentless demands.
“Then you don’t have to summon me as you please!”
I replied with a smile.
“That would be difficult.”
“Ugh…!”
I shrugged and said to Julius, who had an angry expression on his face.
“First of all, take us all to the Forest.”
He had no choice but to obey his 12-year-old little master’s first order.
***
After returning to the Forest.
Miss Rose hugged the three of us and cried for a long time.
Sasha, Julien, and other children were also crying and hugging each other, so I comforted them and distributed the candy I brought.
“Heuk! I thought I couldn’t see you anymore, I thought!”
Thanks to the delicious candy, the children overcame the dilemma of a situation in which tears flowed.
Miss Rose said that we should first have an absolute rest – eat a lot of delicious food and rest in the room.
Thanks to this, the meeting with Madam Mimosa was also delayed.
‘When I meet Madam Mimosa, I have to act well.’
I should never be caught of being an Awakened, absolutely!
I was determined to do so, but something came to mind. No, wait a second…
‘Madam Mimosa can perceive the color of the soul, so she will know whether I have awakened or not, right?’
I knew from reading the original that there was a special magic in her eyes.
‘Then isn’t it just a matter of time before I get caught?’
I hurriedly went to my room alone and carefully called out Sordi and Um.
“Sordi, Um!”
But there was no answer from the other parties. It seemed that I couldn’t call them when I wanted to.
‘Will I be caught like this?’
But I had a strangely weird belief. A strange belief that Sordi and Um would not have let me go without countermeasures.
[…The cave is safe, so stay for a while. It’s dangerous to go back like this, sweetheart.]
They gave me that warning.
If I was going to be caught by Madam Mimosa, they wouldn’t have let me go because it was dangerous, right?
…Good.
‘I’ll trust Sordi and Um.’
It was too late to come up with a solution now, so I had no choice but to go listen to the ‘level test result announcement’.
***
After heading to the auditorium, as per tradition, all the teachers were present, including Miss Rose and Madam Mimosa.
All the Trees were seated on the small children’s chairs.
Firstly, with flushed rosy cheeks, Miss Rose shouted out loud.
“You don’t know how much I’ve been looking forward to this. I’m glad everyone passed the test safely!”
“Wow!”
The wide-eyed children raised their hands and clapped.
“Are you curious about the test results? So, shall we announce it now?”
“Yes!”
Shake, shake— Raising their eggplant-like fists, the children answered excitedly.
“Then first, Heinrich!”
Heinrich stood up slowly with his characteristic arrogant and unwavering eyes.
“Our Heinrich has become the top level, special level 1 again!”
“Wow!”
“Awesome, that’s really cool Heinrich!”
Heinrich smiled smugly, receiving the envy of the children. He was clearly showing off.
“Now, can our Heinrich say a few words?”
Heinrich looked at the crowd with his usual arrogant eyes and said while tapping his chin.
“Well, it’s always special level 1, so it’s boring. What’s so good about it?”
“……!”
Even as I stared in surprise at the acceptance speech that contained so much of his personality, the Trees were reacting innocently with their eyes twinkling, saying “Wow!” and “Cool!”
I was one of them.
‘As expected, my baby’s not humble attitude is so good.’
And then, it was Sislin’s turn. Miss. Rose, who was looking at the presentation paper, said in surprise.
“Oh my, and there’s another one in our Forest!”
“……”
“Sislin has defeated a lot of high-level monsters and has become special level 1!”
“Wow!”
All the children cheered and clapped. However, Heinrich frowned as he looked at Sislin, saying, “Oh, really?”
‘Ah, was Sislin that strong?!’
It was a fact I was not aware of at all. Miss Rose continued, saying,
“Of course, in the middle, he released his suppressor, but instead, taking into account that he bravely led his friends into the cave, there is no point deduction.”
My heart felt more at ease, and I was proud of him.
‘My baby beast, you’ve worked really hard.’
As I was admiring him, Miss Rose asked,
“Now, Sislin, how do you feel?”
Sislin said nothing, looking at the Trees with an indifferent face.
“Thank you.”
It was a grave-like calm. He looked very cool, so the kids were like, ‘Oh oh’, with their eyes lit up.
‘That is amazing… How can you be so calm?’
I would have been very happy.
After all, the clingy maniac Gwanggong sprouts were not easily lifted? Even though he was young, it was quite heavy.
The next announcements were, in turn, Sasha and Julien. Sasha summoned 104 chicks and bravely killed 5 moles, and was promoted to level 4.
Sasha achieved her goal and happily performed a celebratory performance on stage.
‘She’s level 4, but she’s showing off much more flamboyantly than the level 1s!’
That was so cute.
After Sasha’s passionate performance was over, it was Julien’s turn.
“This is Julien’s first level test. He didn’t catch any monsters, but he raised a fallen friend and took him to the infirmary. So, the score for a good child is… level 8!”
Julien’s sky-blue eyes widened.
Soon, Julien bravely raised his egg potato fist and shouted, “Yes!” and everyone was envious.
“Next, Annette!”
Gulp.
It’s my turn.
At that tense moment, there was a voice that cut through the excitement of the crowd like a knife.
“I will do Annette’s presentation.”
It was Madam Mimosa.
She approached me slowly with her characteristic strict expression. My heart was beating fast.
‘Sordi, Um, please…’
In my test results, I only wrote ‘one slime’. The big monster that awakened me was written as ‘killed by Sislin and Heinrich’. That was what we decided on.
My awakening was completely concealed.
But if she saw the light of an Awakened in the color of my soul.
‘If that’s the case…’
And if it was simply a mistake that Sordi and Um just let me go.
‘My future will be very difficult.’
I would be in a position of a piece of meat, where I do not know where I would be sold to.
“Annette.”
Madam Mimosa peered silently into my eyes with her gold ones. My throat was tight, and cold sweat ran down my spine.
‘She’s looking to see if the color of my soul has changed to that of an Awakened.’
“……”
Madam Mimosa, who looked at me for a moment, made a mysterious expression that could not be understood.
Then she bent down to the point where I could barely breathe, and said in a very low voice.
“Since I met you, it’s always been a series of surprises.”
‘Please, please, I hope the surprise is not against me…’
Madam Mimosa’s eyes narrowed.
“You’re the best student in the Forest, but you’re the kid who doesn’t always do as expected.”
After she finished speaking, Madam Mimosa straightened herself and read the announcement.
“Annette caught one slime, but she showed her wits in a crisis and was recognized for bringing her friends back to the Forest. She is to maintain her existing level 5!”
“Waaah! Annette!”
“You’re so brave, so cool!”
I looked at the Trees with a blank face in surprise for a moment, then smiled broadly.
‘Fortunately, I didn’t get caught!’
Phew, I sighed in relief. For some reason, I felt like I knew the reason.
Sordi and Um used the expression ‘Heir’ rather than ‘Awakened’ to describe me.
The essence of my soul did not change through awakening.
It was just that I had inherited the soul of Exordium. The essence of my soul was the same, so the color itself might not have changed.
‘Anyway, I’m so glad I deceived Madam Mimosa.’
The children ran up and congratulated me in unison.
“Really, congratulations Annette!”
“You said you wanted to be level 5 again this time, and amazingly, you’re level 5!”
‘Heuk-heuk, good children.’
Though I didn’t level up at all.
‘In a situation where I had 600 points and claimed my next goal to be 600 points, I just stayed at 600 points!’
Still, everyone congratulated me happily.
I felt their pure hearts, so I was able to laugh sincerely. Hehehe.
After the level test result announcement was over, Sislin strode towards me.
Then he immediately hugged me and said,
“Congratulations, Annette.”
“……!”
My face turned red like a peach. And I could see Heinrich, whose face was 10 times redder than mine.
“Hey, you naughty bastard, where are you hugging?”
***
After all events were over.
In the quiet office, Madam Mimosa was talking to someone.
The voice over the communication area had a sullen purple energy. Like the blade of a guillotine that cut down criminals.
[The child did not awaken. Even with that kind of stimulation… It’s disappointing, Madam. What if it doesn’t happen in the future? ]
“Like you said, she might not be able to do it forever. In this Forest, that is.”
[What do you mean?]
“……”
Madam Mimosa slowly folded her arms and looked at the moon outside the large window of her office.
“Forest. It means that we can no longer expect her to germinate properly in this soil. But… If we change the environment where Annette is, there is a possibility.”
It was a pale moon.
“Some Trees only awaken after adoption.”
[Then.]
“I’m thinking of starting ‘socialization training’ for Annette’s adoption.”
[……!]
“As soon as possible. From tomorrow.”