Ch.122122 – The Transformation of Orknody

# 122 – Oknodie’s Change

Until last week, the person who could be called the main character at the Academy was Oknodie.

Small stature.

Vibrant eyes.

Always energetically getting into something with enthusiasm.

Friendliness that would make her follow strangers just for candy.

Skills that stood out in both written and practical work.

There were many, many reasons for everyone to like Oknodie.

However, the students’ reactions changed dramatically in just one week.

Something scary about her.

A creepy child who appears without a sound.

Enthusiasm that makes you never know what she might do next.

Gives me the chills when she pops out from strange places.

It’s unsettling how capable she is, unlike a normal child.

Students who were close to Oknodie actively defended her against these false rumors, but prejudice is fundamentally an instinctive mental process for quick judgment.

In an academy overflowing with numerous assignments and adventurous elements, there isn’t much time to spare for a single student.

That the unpleasant child is actually not unpleasant.

That the creepy child is actually a good child.

How much information must be gathered to correct misinformation and eliminate prejudice?

And how troublesome is it to accept that effort?

Most students, rather than putting in the effort to admit their judgment was wrong in an academy where time was already scarce, simply chose to believe their prejudices.

“Those jerks. When Oknodie helped them, they praised and encouraged her.”

“Let it go, Dorothy. Our efforts won’t improve Oknodie’s reputation. Those who believe in her already do. Those who don’t will only grow more resentful.”

“Miss Isabelle is right. Gossip and rumors in noble houses are typically like this. Rumors spreading among common students won’t be much different.”

Princess Arcadia from the maritime power Florence.

In a country that was a hotbed of mixed cultures without roots, rumors were generated and spread at a pace rivaling the social gatherings of the Imperial center.

“Though I feel sorry for Oknodie, I actually think this is for the better.”

“Why? You’re quite fond of Oknodie too. You even invite her to your expensive networking tea parties.”

“As fewer people seek out Oknodie, she spends more time with me. I wish she could become my own little Oknodie. Hoho!”

Arcadia’s mischievous laugh as she opened her fan had an annoying yet irresistible charm.

“Arcadia, you really act like a noble lady at times like this.”

“My! How rude. I am a princess of a noble family, you know?”

“When you take care of outsiders like Zenya, Niche, or Zhang, you seem quite motherly. They even call you ‘Momdia’ behind your back.”

“What?! Calling a maiden without a lover ‘mother’! Are you trying to make me a holy virgin?!”

“Just kidding, just kidding. Arcadia, you could have any man you wanted if you set your mind to it.”

“Of course!”

Even to Isabelle, Arcadia was an excellent woman lacking nothing—charm, academic prowess, character, charisma, everything.

If anything, her excellence was so overwhelming that men were too intimidated to approach her.

‘Would someone like Andersen, the leader of the Western Noble Association, be a good match for her in terms of status?’

One who voluntarily embraces hardship.

Andersen, known as the model student who selects only the most difficult lectures, might make a good pair with her.

“I’m more worried about Oknodie.”

“Are there more students slandering Di?”

“Not that. I’m worried about creepy students approaching her.”

Isabelle spoke with a concerned expression.

“You know, those guys who approach when a girl is struggling, thinking it’s their chance. They comfort her, talk to her, build emotional connections, and voluntarily nominate themselves as boyfriend candidates.”

“Such impure intentions!! Oknodie has just turned ten—setting aside the age difference, I don’t like those impure motives!”

“There have been some guys hanging around Oknodie lately. So I was wondering if you could look into it…”

Before Isabelle could finish, Arcadia grabbed both her hands.

“Of course! Leave it to me. I’ll chase away all those impure men lurking around Oknodie!!”

That wasn’t quite what she had hoped for.

Isabelle began to worry that she might have ignited something in Arcadia’s heart that could create unnecessary trouble.

* *

Arcadia discovered the first man hovering around Oknodie.

“Zigoku! That crazy pirate is approaching Oknodie while she’s vulnerable—what is he trying to do?!”

“Arcadia’s expression is scary nya! Zenya wants to go home nya!”

“Quiet! I asked for your help in case physical force becomes necessary, remember? If you run away first, I won’t get you any more catnip!”

Zenya, a loyal minion whose soul had already been captured by her favorite food, had no choice but to follow Arcadia despite trembling at her threat.

“We need to get closer to eavesdrop.”

“Nyaa. Zenya has good ears and can hear from far away nya.”

“Then listen for me and tell me what they’re saying.”

Zenya closed her eyes for a moment and perked up her ears.

Then she relayed the conversation between the two.

“No way, you little thing, have you lost your mind? Targeting giant mosquitoes? Those won’t die even if you shoot them.”

“Hmph. But if I raid the blood stone storage where giant mosquitoes keep their blood, it would be useful for trading with seniors.”

“What are you planning to buy with that?”

“A carriage pass.”

With those final words, the two moved away.

As they secretly followed them to their new location, Zenya asked Arcadia:

“What’s a pass nya?”

“It’s a ticket that allows you to use a facility or transportation for a set number of times during a fixed period. I didn’t know the Academy had such carriages.”

“Why would she need that nya?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe she’s trying to reach some distant facility within the Academy grounds? Or perhaps she’s using the carriage to commute to school while avoiding mosquitoes.”

“Nyaa! Zenya wants a pass too nya! Giant mosquitoes scary nya!”

“Alright, stop crying nya-nya. They’re looking this way!”

Eventually, Arcadia had to abandon her surveillance that day because Zenya nearly blew their cover.

* *

The next day, instead of the red-haired pirate Zigoku, she spotted Oknodie talking with a slick-looking, unimpressive sophomore.

“According to Zenya, he offers items that provide supreme mental pleasure as compensation. The nuns of the Thunderbolt Heavenly God Church are not permitted to use drugs.”

“…Don’t misunderstand. I just gave her catnip as payment for cooperation.”

“Consumption of animal-based drugs is also not permitted.”

“If you’re going to talk nonsense, just leave.”

“If you promise to get me a beetle’s helmet shell instead, I won’t withhold my assistance.”

“I don’t know what that is, but if it can be purchased with points, I’ll help you.”

Having replaced the noisy Zenya, who was a hindrance to covert operations, with Niche—Zenya’s close friend and a member of the advanced class, a nun of the Thunderbolt Heavenly God Church.

Arcadia’s expression softened as she watched the doll-like, neat girl focus with her lips tightly sealed.

‘When she’s quiet, this child is as cute as Oknodie.’

Niche always wore heavy chain mail armor and even iron shoes, which looked hot, heavy, and uncomfortable.

Arcadia wasn’t particularly interested in learning about the sacred art mechanism of the Thunderbolt Heavenly God Church, which claimed that only by enduring such discomfort could one achieve thunderous speed.

The school uniform was already humid and uncomfortable enough—why torture oneself with such attire?

‘In this humid weather, wearing such clothing definitely requires overflowing religious devotion.’

The god of the Thunderbolt Heavenly God Church, <Madeus of Holy Light>.

His method of confirming his believers’ faith seemed quite perverse.

It seemed that people involved with religion, whether in a good or bad way, became fanatics, like Andersen the Grand Duke’s son who took the <Using Sacred Arts Without Faith> lecture.

“That senior’s name is Bigstone, and he currently belongs to the Alchemy-Chemistry Club. She is trying to purchase a bug-attracting spray from him.”

“I see. A mosquito-attracting… Wait, attracting them? Not repelling them?”

“Without a doubt. The senior also asked about the reason for purchasing such an ominous forbidden item, and she said she wants to gather mosquitoes and fatten them with dark nourishing tonic to make them even more gigantic.”

A bullied child.

A forbidden elixir that enlarges monsters.

Mosquitoes that are already huge becoming even larger.

Blood stone storage where giant mosquitoes collect blood.

Sacrificial offerings.

All sorts of ominous imaginations unfolded in Arcadia’s mind.

“No, Di!! No matter how angry you are, it’s wrong to take revenge by sacrificing classmates who gossip about you to mosquitoes to steal their blood!!”

Arcadia jumped up and rushed out impulsively.

Oknodie, caught in the middle of her black market deal, quickly waved her hands.

“That’s not it!”

“What do you mean it’s not? Then tell me the truth about why you want to make giant mosquitoes even bigger!”

“Giant mosquitoes don’t grow larger than 1 meter, and if they get any fatter, they become land-walking mosquitoes that can’t fly!”

“My goodness. Were you planning to create such terrible mosquitoes to terrorize passing classmates with attacks on land?!”

“That’s not it, I’m telling you. The blood stone storage is up in trees, and fattened mosquitoes can’t climb trees.”

Phew. So Oknodie wasn’t plotting some evil revenge plan with her mind twisted by vengeance.

“More importantly, please tell me why you’ve been following me. Why have you been tailing me since yesterday?”

“Eh? You already knew?”

“Of course. With all that nya-nya crying.”

“Ugh. Zenya really is useless for surveillance… But why didn’t you say you’d noticed earlier?”

“I was curious why Arcadia was following me.”

Oknodie thought for a moment before answering.

“And if Arcadia was following me with bad intentions, I wouldn’t know how to deal with it.”

Arcadia’s heart melted at Oknodie’s cautious attitude and distance, so unlike her usual self.

“It’s the opposite! I was just worried that you might be taken advantage of by some bad man while you’re feeling vulnerable!”

“Really?”

“Really!”

The bright smile that Arcadia knew so well returned to Oknodie’s previously cautious face.

“Come here, Di. Let me give you a hug.”

“Hehe.”

Oknodie ran over and snuggled into her arms.

As Arcadia gently stroked the back of her head, Oknodie suggested in a subtle voice:

“Would Arcadia like to join in too?”

“Join what?”

“The carriage pass acquisition plan.”

Arcadia held Oknodie by both shoulders, separated her, and looked straight into her eyes.

“I’ve been wondering since yesterday, what do you need the carriage pass for?”

“After the heavy rain and mosquito outbreak, there’s a high probability of a plague event. We need to use the carriage to go to the forest where the antidote is.”

“Oh my. Were you planning to get the antidote in advance for your friends?”

Oknodie tilted her head.

“All my friends have lots of points! They don’t need to go get antidotes separately. Maybe Morb is borderline? But it’s fine because I’ll lend him some!”

Her friends are fine.

They don’t need antidotes.

Then why is she trying to get them?

“Ah, I see. You’re trying to get antidotes in advance to help poor classmates who don’t have points?”

Oknodie is a good child.

That must be it, of course.

But for some reason, Oknodie couldn’t seem to answer Arcadia’s assumption.

She looked hesitant.

Avoided eye contact.

Whistled.

Despite her cute behavior, Arcadia felt a chill in her heart as she watched.

She had changed.

Just as the students’ attitudes toward Oknodie had changed, Oknodie’s attitude toward the students had changed as well.

Arcadia could feel the good-hearted Oknodie she knew disappearing.