[Will you change to ‘Caron’s Rat’?]
I blankly stared at the system window that appeared before me.
As you can see, this game has a reclassing quest.
You could go to a specific character to request a reclass, but sometimes, like now, the change of class is offered to you.
Stats, level, affinity, relationships with characters, etc.
It varies depending on various factors, and becoming a ‘rat’ is something every player in this game experiences at least once.
If there were a few differences.
‘It’s exceptionally early, and Caron himself made the offer?’
You could become a rat starting from Chapter 4.
That too only after passing a year-long training and test.
“Of course, you’ll be a formal rat only after you graduate. Until then, I’ll personally train you.”
“Keke, surely there will be rigorous training involved?”
“Do you know about rat training as well?”
“Well, it’s not exactly confidential information. Everyone knows about the rats.”
“That’s true. Fine, I’ll exempt you from the rat training. I’ll make a special case with my authority.”
Somehow Caron seemed more docile than usual… Could it be my imagination?
‘Becoming a rat. Normally, I would’ve flatly refused…’
The class name isn’t just ‘rat’, it’s ‘Caron’s Rat’.
A class name that even I, an 18-year veteran, have never seen before.
‘I’m getting curious…’
In this game, ‘reclassing’ not only affects stats and skills but also significantly impacts the story.
‘As a rat, you must forcibly execute orders from above, and you can only form parties with other rats.’
‘And the high likelihood of death is a bonus.’
Given the effort and time invested, the benefits are so poor that most players reject this class.
‘Of course… Since Caron personally offered it, there must be some differences. Not to mention the name itself, Caron’s Rat.’
Above all, the chance to learn Caron’s secret techniques was also appealing.
However.
[Rejection Penalty: Affinity drops by 2 levels, ???]
That ‘???’ is the problem. What on earth could it be?
An undisclosed penalty. It’s something that can’t help but worry me.
And in times like these, it’s best to ask.
Since Caron and I are quite close(?), he’ll respond kindly!
“I’m curious about something… What happens if I refuse?”
“I’ll kill you.”
“…?”
Killing someone for refusing a reclass? Really, is this dude serious?
I glared at Caron, and he glared back at me. His gaze was such that it wouldn’t be strange if he buried someone right then and there.
‘Hmph, he really is that type.’
I momentarily forgot. In the game, he’s known as the ‘Bad Ending Maker’ who suddenly appears and twists your neck.
“Make your decision quickly. 10… 9… 8…”
10 seconds… no, in 8 seconds, it wouldn’t be surprising if my head was facing the opposite direction.
I quickly thought it over.
Fortunately, I managed to finish my calculations before the countdown to death ended.
“I refuse.”
“Good, you’ve made a wise choice. Starting today you are… huh? What did you say?”
“Keke, I said I refuse. I mean, I won’t become a rat.”
Caron’s eyebrows narrowed. No, they furrowed.
I had various reasons for refusing to become a rat.
The high chance of death, the restriction on free movement, and the availability of much better reclasses, among other reasons.
But the biggest reason I refused Caron’s offer was…
‘It was too obvious that he thought I would accept.’
I also entertained his rather fantastic reasoning.
And his attitude, more docile than usual.
Not to mention, he even smirked.
His behavior showed he hadn’t considered the possibility that I would refuse.
So, I refused.
‘Because I don’t want to see Caron get what he wants!’
In the game, how many times had Caron twisted my neck?
At the decisive moment, my neck was twisted in the game so often that even in reality, it had once turned to the right by about 30 degrees.
‘They say revenge is a dish best served cold, even if it takes ten years…’
That saying was spot on.
Of course, it took me 18 years instead of ten.
“While being a rat has its downsides, the job itself is quite manageable. We value work-life balance.”
“Isn’t that only when there are no missions? I heard some missions last for years…”
“But the salary is high. There are bonuses too.”
“That’s because it includes a life allowance. I heard rumors that the bonuses are actually death allowances.”
“Even though you could learn directly under me?”
Hmm, that sounds more like a demerit than a merit.
But I couldn’t say that.
“Surely, it’s an opportunity too great for me. As such, I must decline.”
“I can’t understand it. You once dreamed of being a rat…”
“Keke, I have other duties to attend to. Being a rat entails too many restrictions… I’m sorry.”
I bowed slightly, putting genuine feeling into the act.
I could feel with my entire being that Caron was not pleased.
‘Surely this won’t ruin our business relationship, right?’
Perhaps one of the rejection penalties, the ‘???’, might mean just that.
I couldn’t afford to break the business relationship.
And at times like these, leveraging Caron’s ‘weakness’ in conversation is best.
“And my dream was to be a rat for the Lester family, not yours, Professor Caron.”
“…!”
Was my response too provocative? Caron’s eyes flashed.
This damned [Twisted Speech] skill!
‘And my dream was to become a small domain’s rat like those of the Lester family. Becoming a rat for someone like Professor Caron, who operates across the continent, is too much pressure for me.’
— How could that sentence have been translated like that!
It was a statement that, if Caron twisted my neck 720 degrees, I would have no complaints.
Could turning myself 360 degrees get me forgiven?
Ah, but dying would still be the same, wouldn’t it?
I was seriously contemplating whether rotating just 180 degrees might let me live when he said,
“What a shame. I thought this job would be perfect for someone as cunning as you.”
Calling someone cunning to their face. What is he talking about?
The [Translation] skill must have glitched. Or… Caron is just a jerk.
Oh, was he always a jerk?
[Your affinity with Caron has decreased by two levels due to your refusal.]
It’s a penalty for rejection. My affinity has dropped by two levels, but that’s not really a problem.
It just turns a cruel Caron into an even more cruel Caron.
‘The problem is the ??? penalty…’
It can’t be ‘death’. Caron needs me too much for that.
He pushed so hard for me to become a rat because he liked me too much.
And that’s also why I boldly gave up the reclass. I calculated that Caron wouldn’t kill me.
“Hmph…”
Caron pressed his forehead. He seemed to have a headache. Naturally, since he failed to recruit a pretty boy.
I reached under the bed and my hand grasped something thick and long.
The shadow on the floor, as hefty as I thought…
It was a bottle of alcohol.
“Keke, care for a drink?”
“Impudent. There’s nothing you won’t do in front of your teacher.”
“Well, we are both adults here.”
In reality as well as in this world, the age of adulthood is fifteen.
Clink-.
The alcohol, which had a very low alcohol content, occasionally drunk to lighten the mood. I poured it into our glasses.
As Caron checked for poison, I asked him,
“By the way, are the rats safe? It was a major battle, so there must have been casualties.”
Then Caron stared at me blankly.
Why is he looking at me like that? Were there more deaths than expected?
“…No need to know. No need to feel sad either.”
“Is that so? Still, I think it’s appropriate to mourn them at least.”
“…Maybe.”
As he raised his glass, he said,
“One drink for a safer world, and another for…”
“For those nameless rats who sacrificed their lives.”
Clink-.
The glasses chimed, sending a clear sound through the room.
Caron emptied his glass and left immediately.
Left alone, I emptied the bottle and realized.
“Come to think of it… what happened to the reward?”
The reward for providing information about the Four Heavenly Kings.
It was a night of getting ripped off.
“Impudent brat.”
Caron muttered to himself.
To think his carefully considered offer was rejected outright.
‘Such an arrogant brat.’
The problem is that he liked that arrogance even more.
-And my dream was to be a rat of the Lester family, not yours, Professor Caron.
Such arrogance reached the heavens.
It also meant that his loyalty to the Lester family was sky-high.
‘Such unwavering loyalty, something you don’t see in the youth these days.’
Even though the Lester family was a fallen one, he still showed loyalty.
If such a child pledged allegiance as a rat, how reliable would that loyalty be if it extended to himself and the Emperor?
Not just that.
‘He even commemorates the deaths of rats that others wouldn’t even acknowledge.’
Making Zero a rat wasn’t just about recruiting talent.
It was a fierce ‘contest’ between men.
‘This is going to be a very interesting game.’
Zero, be prepared.
I will make you a rat, no matter what.
Caron felt a surge of competitive spirit that he hadn’t felt in decades.
[Your affinity with Caron has increased by 5 levels.]
…System, what kind of nonsense is this?
The first thing that greeted my waking eyes was the blue system window.
Not only had Caron’s affinity dropped by two levels, but it had also increased by a total of five levels.
Is something wrong with my eyes? But even rubbing them, the message was the same.
The statement about a five-level increase in affinity remained unchanged.
‘What? Does Caron also enjoy being despised?’
Ah, let’s correct that and remove the ‘also’.
I’m not a masochist who enjoys being despised.
‘The mysterious ??? in the rejection penalty. So this was it.’
A five-level increase in affinity.
It’s closer to a reward than a penalty, but calling it strange wouldn’t be wrong.
The idea of Caron having an affinity for me.
What could be more terrifying than that!
So, it was acceptable to consider it a penalty.
‘It’s regrettable that I didn’t receive the reward for providing information…’
I can just sum it up and settle it next time.
For now, let’s focus on reality.
Looking at the clock, it was almost time for class. I’d have to skip breakfast.
Pressing down the cowlick on my head, I headed to the classroom.
Luna and Rezé were already there.
“You skipped breakfast? We both ate.”
“Keke, yesterday was a strenuous day.”
“Moderate it. Or you’ll wear yourself out.”
“…?”
Why should I worry about wearing out my bones just from meeting Caron?
In some ways, it was a statement that could provoke quite horrific imaginings.
‘Well, that’s not what’s important right now.’
The grand plan to take advantage of Caron for the sixth quest. That ambitious plan had failed.
‘I thought using Caron would easily prevent Adonis from becoming hostile to me…’
I also failed to prove the assumption that Adonis=Douglas, but it felt like something was intentionally blocking it.
It seemed as if the problem with Adonis was meant to be resolved just between the two of us.
‘Hmph… I should lay low and clear Adonis’s suspicions for now.’
Act quiet and demure, like a perfectly ordinary student anyone would see.
‘No, I was always an ordinary student, wasn’t I?’
Still, I need to keep an even lower profile. Blend in as much as possible.
“There, there goes that demon again…”
“Do we really have to sit in the same class as a demon?”
“I’m already tainted. Sob sob…”
Murmur murmur-.
Ah, the classroom is filled with contempt as usual today.
But that’s okay. I’ve grown used to the disdain. Just being looked at can’t actually harm me…
“Yipe! Ack! Ugh!”
Next to me, Rezé suddenly made a bizarre sound and began twisting her body oddly.
It looked as though she was being hit by invisible fists.
‘What’s going on, is she a zombie?’
Has the pufferfish rabbit evolved into a zombie rabbit?
“What’s going on? What did you do to my friend this time?”
“Keke, Luna, I think we might want to run. Usually, nothing good follows a scene like this.”
“Your face is more terrifying, you know?”
Hmm, are all zombies pretty boys these days? Seems like the bar is high even for the undead.
“Squeak!”
That’s when Rezé let out a death rattle and flopped onto the desk.
“Ah, she’s fainted.”
“I can see that, you know?”
The reason Rezé collapsed wasn’t hard to deduce.
Sitting at the back, Adonis was sending us a menacing glare.
To think someone could faint just from a glare. Is Rezé that weak, or is Adonis that powerful?
It might be a bit of both.
“That jerk… he dared to mess with my friend?”
Fwoosh!
Luna’s eyes blazed with fury.
This is not good. At this rate, my ordinary academy life is going to crumble.
“Keke, Luna, please calm down. He’s just a child.”
“A child?”
“Yes, look at him. Doesn’t he look younger than fifteen to you?”
Adonis, with his youthful face and stature, was unbelievably small for his age.
A golden-haired pretty boy—that was Adonis’s overall vibe.
“Maybe he was promoted quickly due to special circumstances. Perhaps he stares at Rezé because… he likes her?”
“Hmm… our Rezé is cute. He’s young, but he’s got high standards.”
“Keke, exactly. So, Luna, please forgive him. Be the adult here.”
“Mmm! That’s right. I am a splendid adult.”
I managed to hold Luna back from charging at Adonis.
Phew-.
As I adjusted my shirt collar and took a breath,
Luna sprang from her seat.
She walked steadily forward and stopped…
Right in front of Adonis.
“What?”
“Oh, you cute little thing.”
With that, Luna began to vigorously ruffle Adonis’s golden hair.
His hair became thoroughly tousled.
“I’m being nice, so let this be a warning. Don’t glare like that again. My friend has a weak heart.”
“…?”
“Be careful next time.”
With those words, Luna walked back towards me.
A look of ‘Huh, that’s how an adult acts. I might be quite cool, huh?’ was plastered across her face.
Adonis, who had been staring blankly at Luna’s back, now turned his gaze towards me.
‘Ah, I see. You orchestrated this?’ his eyes seemed to say, with a slightly ferocious look.
An ordinary academy life, huh.
Perhaps.
It had been doomed from the start.
–TL Notes–
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