Chapter 124

R̀ẽäd̃ ̃óñ ̃K̈​àt̃​Ŕê​àd̀ìn̂ĝĆâf́è

I had planned to stay by Eugene’s side so he wouldn’t feel lonely until he falls asleep.

Since he was physically unwell, I thought he might feel sad if left alone, so it was my way of being considerate.

But it seems I was far more tired than I thought.

Physical fatigue could be mitigated by my super regeneration, so it was probably mental exhaustion.

I ended up falling asleep in Eugene’s hospital room.

Hehe, but it was warm.

Well, actually, maybe a little too hot?

I liked the warmth that came from Eugene’s hand, which I was holding.

Although it wasn’t as warm as Alice’s, it was incredibly cozy.

Without realizing it, I relaxed and drifted off to dreamland.

Even though Eugene has that naive, gullible side to him, he’s still a man.

I wondered if I had been too defenseless.

While I pride myself on having a male inner self, my outer appearance is still Lucia’s.

Isn’t it too shameless for a man and woman who aren’t dating to be in the same bed?

But isn’t it funny to be questioning shamelessness now?

It’s not like me, who went on a bunny girl stroll, has the right to say anything.

When I woke up in the morning, I was in my own hospital room, not Eugene’s.

According to Alice, Eugene had carried me back.

Huhu, he’s really diligent. He could’ve let me stay even if I did something a little naughty. 

Lucia’s pride is in her butt, but she’s also confident about her chest, you know? Don’t men like touching breasts? I know very well since I used to be a man. 

It’s sad that it’s in the past tense. Though I’m not too disappointed since I’ve become a beautiful girl like Lucia.

The reason I, with my super regeneration, was hospitalized was to check if there were any abnormalities in my heart.

The heart that had been carved out by the black knight, a named monster, with his cursed sword.

Unlike ordinary monsters, the attacks of a Death Knight are like curses, carrying a fatal effect that hinders healing. They’re the natural enemies of supernaturals like me, who rely on regeneration.

After completing various precise tests early in the morning and confirming that everything was fine, I was immediately given the discharge procedures.

“It’s really fortunate that there’s no problems.”

Angelica, who had been observing the tests as my guardian, had been making a strange expression the whole time.

It was as if she had something to say but was unsure whether she should say it.

It was unlike the always decisive Angelica, so I was puzzled. But after taking a deep breath, she seemed to have made up her mind.

“Lucia.”

“Yes?”

“The academy doesn’t have any specific rules against dating.”

“Huh?”

“If you both feel the same way, dating is something you can decide on your own.”

“?”

“But remember that you’re still students.”

What is the teacher talking about?

Angelica was rambling about things I already knew.

As I tilted my head, unable to understand her intention, she spoke with a slightly flushed face.

“You’re still immature, so, um, contraception…”

“Huh?”

I couldn’t help but let out a dumbfounded sound. As I stared at Angelica with wide eyes, her face turned as red as a rose, as if she had interpreted my gaze in some other way.

Though she usually has the cold impression of winter’s chill, now she looked like a shy, innocent girl struggling with embarrassment.

Hehe, she’s so cute.

“Was I overstepping as a homeroom teacher…? No, this is for your future…!”

“Um, teacher?”

This was unlike the always dignified teacher.

Where did the iron-willed woman go, leaving only this cute girl behind?

I felt like tickling my chest with a feather as I watched Angelica mumble to herself.

At first, I was taken aback by how sudden it was, but based on her rambling, I could guess what misunderstanding she was under.

She must have come to the room last night when I was asleep.

She saw the two of us on the same bed and jumped to conclusions.

That’s not it at all.

What kind of scenario is playing out in Angelica’s head?

It would only take a few words to correct her mistake, but…

Hehe, I felt like playing a little prank~

Today, Lucia decided to follow in Frey’s footsteps.

In other words, the mischievous Lucia!

“Teacher, I’m sorry.”

I took a step back, creating some distance.

Placing both hands on my lower abdomen, I smiled softly.

Avoiding her gaze as if embarrassed, I opened my lips.

“There’s already a new life inside me…”

“W-what?!”

“I’ve always wanted a family since I’m an orphan, and now I finally have one.”

“T-that’s not… but…”

“It’s okay. Eugene said he’d take responsibility!”

“…”

Angelica’s eyes shook like a boat caught in a rough storm.

With trembling hands, she took out a cigarette and put it in her mouth.

She naturally tried to light it but stopped when she realized we were indoors.

Her expression was incredibly complicated.

She seemed unsure whether to get angry or offer congratulations.

I bit my lip to hold back the laughter that was about to burst out.

This was the first time I’d seen teacher Angelica make such an expression.

Yes, this is what they call reverse charm or gap moe.

I want to hug her like Alice. No, I want to be hugged by her.

But even pranks have their limits.

If it goes too far, it’s no longer a prank.

Before the misunderstanding deepened further, I smiled and spoke up.

“Hehe, teacher, actually, I was just jo—”

But before I could finish my sentence.

The hospital door creaked open.

Thud. 

A fruit basket fell to the ground.

Ripe apples rolled across the floor.

“…Is it true?”

Her neatly braided hair trembled.

Behind her glasses, her eyes were filled with shock.

It was Arin, the class president of Class 1-A.

“Lucia, are you becoming a mom?”

Slipping past Arin, a silver-haired girl came running.

Anastasia, who approached as swiftly as a flying squirrel, crouched down and pressed her ear against my stomach.

Though there was no way she could hear anything, she nodded as if she had. She gently stroked my abdomen, as if caressing the belly of a heavily pregnant woman.

“That guy, Eugene…!”

Arin bit her nails, completely ignoring the fallen fruit basket.

It seemed she had come to visit and overheard the conversation between me and Angelica.

“I like babies. Can I name the baby?”

Anastasia added fuel to the fire. I realized the situation was getting more serious by the minute. It was just a joke, really! Lucia is still a virgin. Pregnancy? Honestly, I’m so scared of pregnancy that I’d never do it. Even if I ever have sex, I’d definitely use contraception.

I felt a sense of crisis that if this continued, things would spiral out of control.

To fix things now, I forced a smile.

“Sorry for startling you. It was all a lie—”

“W-what’s going on?”

Alice, who had gone to fetch clothes for me to wear upon discharge, returned.

Walking in with small steps, Alice couldn’t hide her confusion at the tense atmosphere.

She especially didn’t seem to understand why Anastasia was touching my abdomen.

“It’s Lucia and Eugene’s baby, so how about ‘Ruyu’?”

“Huh? Baby? What?”

At Anastasia’s words, Alice’s eyes widened in confusion.

Her eyes, now as big as lanterns, alternated between looking at Anastasia and me.

Then, noticing Angelica and Arin in her peripheral vision, she muttered, “Ah.” as if she had realized something.

“Alice, it’s just that—”

“THAT FUCKING BASTARD EUGENE!!!”

Before I could clear up the misunderstanding.

Alice—no, Frey—shouted with a face twisted in anger.

Even with the same face, the atmosphere completely changed.

She looked like she’d chew through anything in her way.

With a fierce red glint in her eyes, Frey stormed out of the hospital room.

“Wait! It’s all a misunderstanding!”

I desperately reached out to stop her, but Frey’s movements were much faster than mine.

A loud crash echoed a few seconds later.

AHHHHHHH!!!!!

Eugene’s scream followed shortly after.

A red heat ray had created a new entrance in the hospital building.

The misunderstanding was cleared up only after the commotion had settled.

I had to endure a scolding and a bunch of knuckle raps from an angry Angelica.

My head was swollen, and it hurts a lot to touch.

Hehe, my reward…

◈

“It’s really noisy.”

Leo, who had been reflecting on yesterday’s events with his eyes closed, complained about the noise breaking his concentration.

I thought I heard Eugene’s pitiful scream, but I decided not to pay attention.

It sounded like Alice was threatening to tear Eugene’s lower half and shove it in his mouth, but I’ll pretend I didn’t hear anything.

Was that Alice stammering, “I-I believed you! N-nothing happened, right? I believed you!”? Ah, I don’t know.

“Wait! It’s all a misunderstanding, so calm down!” Lucia’s desperate shout must have been my imagination too.

…Take your drama outside.

“Phew…”

To refocus, Leo took a deep breath.

Closing his eyelids, the light was blocked, leaving only darkness in his vision.

Leo was sitting cross-legged on a medical bed.

Though he had been bedridden with full-body fractures, most of the splints and bandages had been removed in just a day.

Fortunately, his spine and other major bones were intact, but the rest was a mess.

Beyond just broken bones, his internal organs were severely damaged.

Even considering the rapid recovery unique to supernaturals, it was certain he’d be in the hospital for months.

“Faster.”

Supernatural ability: Acceleration.

Leo mainly used it to accelerate his reflexes, visual acuity, and movements.

But that wasn’t all.

His ability had limitless potential for development.

“Even faster.”

He accelerated his natural healing.

Already far superior to ordinary people, his recovery speed increased even more with his ability.

The severe injuries began to heal rapidly.

Of course, it was undeniably a dangerous act.

If done wrong, his bones could heal misaligned, leading to disaster.

Unlike Lucia’s Super Regeneration, which regenerated everything in optimal condition, Leo’s ability only sped up the healing process.

Unlike her, who could regenerate severed limbs, his ability merely accelerated the healing speed.

So, Leo had doctors monitor him to ensure the wounds healed correctly.

If something seemed off, he’d stop the ability, adjust, and then resume accelerating the healing.

Thanks to this, Leo, who was initially told he’d need at least three months in the hospital, was now able to be discharged in just a few days.

Just a while ago, he wouldn’t have dared to try this.

Accelerating only his natural healing.

In just a few days, his skill had improved dramatically.

“Still far to go.”

But Leo wasn’t satisfied at all.

The thirst burning his throat remained unquenched.

“Oh, you’re quick.”

“And yet, you’re so slow. What a pity. So fast, yet so slow. You have no control over your power, do you?”

He recalled the words of the red fox-masked girl.

She was right.

Fast but slow.

He could be even faster but wasn’t.

Because Leo couldn’t handle his own ability.

He had fought the high rank monster, the Griffin. Ironically, most of Leo’s injuries were self-inflicted.

Acceleration beyond his limits.

He couldn’t handle the feedback from the speed.

Against a high rank monster, he couldn’t afford to accelerate halfway, so he pushed even harder.

His muscles, bones, and internal organs couldn’t withstand it, and as a result, he suffered fatal injuries.

“Surprisingly, it was worth a try.”

Yes, it was worth a try.

Leo’s baseless confidence became reality.

By accelerating to the point where his body was crushed and broken, he could keep up with the high rank monster’s movements.

The problem was that it didn’t last long.

Three minutes.

If assistant teacher Si-ul hadn’t arrived in time, Leo would have self-destructed.

He didn’t let the Griffin land a single hit, yet he collapsed on his own.

It was like a third-rate comedy.

“One step. Just one step forward.”

With every fight, Leo grew rapidly.

With each real battle, he took several strides forward.

Now, he was just one step behind Eugene.

Just one step.

But it was a long, arduous step.

The first-year academy students were knocking on the door of awakening.

Despite his astonishing growth rate, Leo was still far from catching up to Eugene.

“I’ll get discharged quickly and start training from scratch again.”

Leo replayed yesterday’s battle.

The duel with the Griffin, over and over.

The shortcomings, the immaturity, the haste.

He didn’t miss even the smallest regret.

“Big bro.”

He clenched his lips.

Deep wrinkles formed between Leo’s brows.

“Big bro, save me!”

A grinding sound echoed eerily.

“Phew…”

Leo exhaled a hot breath.

Bitter emotions mixed in.

“Just wait. I’ll prove that I’m the fastest.”

Acceleration is power.

Being the fastest.

Is proof of being the strongest.

I’ll become strong.

Stronger than anyone.

“Aaaah?! Wait! It’s not true! Believe meeeee!!!”

“Die! Die! Die! Die, you damn rapist bastard!!!!”

“Frey! Listen to me! Eugene’s innocent! It was all a joke!”

“Are you defending this bastard again?! Don’t worry! I’ll take responsibility for the baby! I’ll tear this guy’s limbs off and throw him into the sea!”

“Argh?! It’s hot?! My skin’s melting?! My fire resistance is broken?!”

…Sigh, seriously.

They’re ruining the mood.

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
Actually, there was supposed to be a short battle scene between Leo + Arin + Anastasia + Si-ul that lasted about one chapter.

But it wasn’t there.

I thought the arc would drag on too much, so I omitted it.

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
These dudes got robbed of their screen time…

Protest against the author!!! Give those 4 their justice as side characters!!!! 

Jokes aside, Leo is noob.