Ch.116Waiting People (2)

I didn’t need to ask her to buy ingredients from the beginning. This restaurant already had all kinds of ingredients anyway.

So was I just trying to take a walk for nothing? The guild is so spacious that just looking around would probably pass the time quickly.

Still, going out today was a good choice. Thanks to that, I learned information about the enemy and increased the possibility of Leo returning.

With this improved mood, I started preparing breakfast for Ju-an. But somehow, moving my body feels more difficult than usual.

Right, I’m on my period now. Though it’s not so bad that I can’t move at all, so it should be fine?

But looking at my current physical condition, cooking for 20 people does seem a bit overwhelming. And with my period on top of that, it might even be impossible.

I feel like I just want to rest, but that would make me feel uncomfortable.

If I can at least be helpful, I can endure something like this. And homemade food would be much more satisfying than boxed lunches, right?

While I’m at it, I might as well make food for everyone else too, not just Ju-an. So I should make about 30 portions?

Somehow, thinking about 30 portions makes the task seem daunting. But since I don’t have anything else to do, I’ll just take it slow.

So I began cooking, dragging my heavy body along.

***

It seems the human body really does have its limits. I managed to make 10 portions somehow, but I really don’t have the energy to make any more than that.

I’ll have to feed them this first, and if it’s not enough, tell them to go to the restaurant. If I weren’t on my period, I could have handled this much more easily.

Anyway, now I’m at a crossroads. I can either give all of this to Ju-an or divide it among everyone else except him.

Of course, the latter would be much better. Ju-an has been eating well since he came to this world anyway.

But I’m going to choose the former. I made everything with only what Ju-an would like in mind.

With these thoughts, I entered the conference room where Ju-an was, and saw everyone moving busily.

“What if we split into four groups and attack from entrance number 4?”

“I think it would be better to rush together through exit 3 and then scatter at emergency exit 7.”

“It wouldn’t be bad to have someone distract at back door 2 while the rest enter through different routes and then regroup at the center.”

Everyone is so busy discussing entry methods that they don’t even notice I’m here. It’s obvious they probably won’t notice me for quite a while if I just stand here.

I should tell them that even a journey to Diamond Mountain begins with a meal, and suggest they eat something first.

“It’s lunchtime now, how about everyone eats something?”

“Ah, we’ll eat after we finish this, senior.”

“When do you think that will be?”

“Probably in about five hours.”

“Isn’t that too late?”

“We’re so short on time we’d need to borrow a cat’s paws.”

Seeing Ha-eun using even her doppelgangers to keep thinking about this, it must really be urgent. But I know this kind of mental strain can be quite taxing.

It should be fine though, since Rebecca is right there and can easily handle any minor incidents.

But I’m not sure about Ju-an’s situation. Judging by how much he usually eats, he’s probably hungry.

“Ju-an, aren’t you hungry?”

“Not really, probably because I haven’t been physically active.”

“So you’re just going to keep doing that?”

“Yeah. Today I think I need to focus on this.”

“What about food?”

“I’ll eat after I finish this first.”

As soon as our conversation ended, Ju-an and Ha-eun immediately resumed their strategy meeting. There was no place for me to join in.

The situation was similar for everyone else. If I tried to talk to them now, I’d probably just be a distraction.

Maybe this is actually better. What I just made can be eaten later anyway.

I trudged out of the room with heavy steps. What should I do now? Should I just go back to my room and rest like yesterday?

I want to do something, but I’m not sure what. Should I force my stupid brain to work and try to help them with their planning?

It’s frustrating to wander around not knowing what to do. With only a week left, what am I even doing?

While aimlessly wandering around the guild, I finally found something I could do.

Wouldn’t it be better to go to the training facility ahead and practice shooting? I can easily create ammunition anyway.

If I keep dividing my mana, I can shoot tens of thousands of rounds. Though the power would be as weak as a toy gun.

I heard before that if you train your supernatural power to the extreme, your first ability awakens.

Trying to awaken that seems like the best option right now. Maybe I could find a secret weapon there.

With these thoughts, I entered the training facility and ran into someone I didn’t particularly want to meet.

“…Why are you here?”

“What, am I not allowed to train here?”

The orange-haired person glared at me as they spoke. Certainly, this is a public training room, and that person is a member of this guild like Ju-an, so there’s no problem with them being here.

If anything, it would be more reasonable to question why I, who don’t belong anywhere, am here.

Fine, I’ll just ignore that person and do my own thing. After all, I was the one asked to deliver the emblem, not them.

So I started continuously firing bullets created with my supernatural power toward the target.

***

A gun without recoil or air resistance calculations is really convenient. Thanks to that, even a novice like me can easily hit that target.

If this were a real gun with recoil and all that, what would have happened? Would I have died at the hands of that demon on the first Sunday?

Looking at it this way makes me feel strange again. Back then, I was the one managing Ju-an’s mental state and saving him from near-death situations.

But now it’s the opposite—I receive mental support from Ju-an, and he protects me multiple times.

Everything changes in the end. I, who thought I would never adapt to this body, have perfectly adapted to it.

Ju-an, who used to sit around doing things, has become incomparably stronger than before.

Rebecca has also become brighter, and Ha-eun has fallen in love with magic—everyone is gradually changing in this world. And they continue to change.

But that’s a bit scary. The fact that the man I was is almost disappearing and only the woman I am now remains still makes me uncomfortable.

After living as a man for 19 years, I’ve changed into a girl in less than a month—how did this happen? Well, I’m still me, so I guess it doesn’t matter much.

With these thoughts, I continued pulling the trigger, skillfully hitting the target. But will this continuous shooting actually help?

It should. After all, improving my shooting skills is much better than just lying around doing nothing.

But now my fingers are starting to hurt from pulling the trigger so much. I should take a short break and continue later.

As I put down the pistol and looked around, I noticed the orange-haired person enthusiastically swinging a dagger in the air.

With just the two of us here, it’s inevitable that my gaze would fall on them.

That orange-haired person seems really skilled with the dagger.

“What are you looking at?”

“Just watching what you’re doing.”

“Are you going to mock me for being unskilled?”

“Far from unskilled, you seem really good at it.”

I don’t know if it’s because I’m an amateur, but the way they move with such angular precision makes them look like a professional.

But contrary to the saying that praise makes even a whale dance, the orange-haired person frowned instead.

“Usually compliments should make me happy, but hearing them from you just irritates me.”

“Don’t worry, I’m just irritated by you for no reason too.”

“I haven’t done anything to you though?”

The orange-haired person claimed innocence, but that would be easy to refute. Because…

…Actually, thinking about it, they really haven’t done anything.

“…Well, I guess you can just dislike someone. You dislike me too, right?”

“At least I have a reason to dislike you.”

“Reasons are easy to make up. But why do you dislike me?”

“If the boy you liked had his heart stolen by someone else, do you think you could like that person?”

Their tone suggests someone who has given up and found peace. Could they really have given up?

“So you’re not interested in Ju-an anymore?”

“Of course I’m still interested, but I don’t particularly want to pursue him anymore.”

“Why not?”

“Because there’s a fox who already received an emblem from Ju-an and keeps toying with me.”

“…That wasn’t my intention.”

Most people wouldn’t flirt with someone else’s crush after they’ve already confessed. They would know they don’t have a chance.

And I also have deep feelings for Ju-an. So there’s absolutely no room for interference.

Thanks to talking with that person, I no longer need to worry about unnecessary love concerns. It seems like I’ll be able to have Ju-an all to myself now, unless something significant happens.

…I don’t even feel strange thinking about loving Ju-an anymore. Maybe my mind has completely changed into that of a girl?

But the thought of dating a man still feels terrible. Ju-an is just a special exception.

Since there’s no one to interfere anymore, I should just think about it leisurely. I might have mistaken friendship for love.

After taking sufficient rest, I pulled the trigger again, aiming at the target.

…By the way, when should I give him that emblem I received?