Chick 289
by Cristae289
Just then, on the TV screen, a mad scientist monster lurched toward Lea’s character, arms outstretched.
Groo, who was about to hand over the light gun, noticed Lea’s poor expression and stared, mouth agape.
‘Is this game too scary for her?’
Groo rolled her big eyes and gave Gidan a look.
Gidan glanced at Lea and then signaled Sergey.
“Should we turn it off? We could play something else.”
“Y-yeah…”
Sergey nodded awkwardly.
Bang!
A light gun shot struck the monster right between the eyes.
With a guttural groan, the monster collapsed.
Lea, having landed a perfect headshot, let out a deep breath.
“Phew, that felt good.”
She gave Groo a gentle smile, pulled her left leg up onto the sofa, and rested her chin on the armrest.
“Sorry. I kind of brought down the mood, didn’t I?”
Groo shook her head emphatically.
Lea, finding the gesture cute, gently fiddled with Groo’s braided hair before letting it go.
“When I was little, I was in a place like that.”
Lea gazed upward, lost in memory.
“I was kidnapped when I was very young. When I came to, I found myself in a room just like the one on the screen. It was for experimenting on children.”
Her words came out lightly, as if it were nothing, and all three listeners fell silent.
“I didn’t know at the time, but later I heard they were experimenting with transferring consciousness into clone bodies made from my genes.”
With a soft breath out, Lea shook her head.
“For a while, I had so many ‘twins.’ In the end, only one was left…”
The last child was a special one.
Though it was a one-sided feeling, Lea, so desperately lonely, had considered the girl like family and even given her a name.
“In truth, I came to Korea to find her. I heard that someone named Yulian was registered at the Korean branch of Eustitia and thought… maybe.”
Groo tilted her head at the familiar name.
“Oh, and my eyes changed because of that. Just like Groo’s, right?”
Lea pointed at her own eyes with a bright smile, and at the mention of Groo’s name, Gidan and Sergey’s faces grew serious.
“So? What exactly is your point?”
The instant Sergey’s question was out, Lea instinctively gathered her power.
“Sorry, but I need to check something. To see if Orchestra is trustworthy.”
Gidan, brow furrowed, swiftly pulled Groo into his arms.
“And if it isn’t?”
“Then I’ll take Groo with me.”
Mana gathered around Lea’s body—a clear signal she was prepared to use force if necessary.
Lea and Gidan, sitting together on the sofa with Sergey, locked tense gazes.
Meanwhile, Groo was left behind, her face a picture of confusion, unable to keep up with the conversation.
“……”
“……”
“……”
After a moment of silence, Gidan let out a dry laugh.
This was the second time he had faced this question.
He remembered when Sergey, upon learning Groo was S-rank, had asked if Groo had also been experimented on—and Gidan had answered it was a misunderstanding.
But before he could answer today, Sergey spoke up first.
“Yes. It’s trustworthy here.”
He took out his contacts, revealing golden eyes.
“I vouch for it. Nothing’s ever happened to Groo. Her eyes are natural.”
Groo, caught off guard, bobbed her head vigorously.
Lea, seeing Sergey’s golden eyes, looked shocked—she realized he was in the same situation as her.
Gidan, too, looked stunned, jaws dropping.
For Sergey to say Orchestra was trustworthy—no one could have predicted it.
He’d always called the place a den of idiots and talked about graduating and leaving as soon as possible.
Yet now, Sergey even took out his lenses for Orchestra’s sake? Was this really Sergey?
Under Gidan’s moved stare, Sergey scowled and fired the light gun at the screen several times in irritation.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Monsters screamed as they dropped.
“So shoot already. Do you want to lose again?”
Wide-eyed, Lea let out a quiet laugh.
“What happened to you, anyway?”
“Beat me and I’ll tell you.”
“All right. I can do this one well.”
The icy mood melted instantly into friendly competition.
Claiming he wouldn’t lose, Gidan picked up two light guns. Sergey, shadowing him, ensured a close match.
In the noisy ruckus, Groo clutched her own light gun, shoulders shaking.
‘…Yulian?’
Groo broke out in a cold sweat, recalling the white Maltese.
Yulian in a Eustitia uniform…
Maybe the one Lea was searching for… was Groo’s Maltese.
In the garden, Yulian basked in warm sunlight, yawning.
She hated being tied up, but the prospect of meeting Lea was even worse.
Suddenly, the ugly hamster, mid-yawn, shoved a Parent Gratitude Snack into Yulian’s mouth.
“Gah?!”
What the—! Yulian sputtered, trying to spit the snack out.
“Ptui! Ptui!”
Still, some of it inevitably went down her throat.
Yulian barked and snarled at Bailach, who simply looked longingly at the crumbled snack as if it were a terrible waste.
“Arrrr—” (You little ugly—)
But then, as Yulian crouched to spring at Bailach, a shimmering aura began to rise from her back.
“Arrrrr… whine?” (Huh? My magic is stronger?)
Tilt?
Yulian sensed something inside her change.
Fwssssh!
In an instant, her mana vanished, and she returned to her usual cute Maltese form.
“Yap yap!” (What the! What just happened!)
She jumped up and sniffed the crumbled snack suspiciously, wary of the hamster.
[Wrathful Parent Gratitude Snack (S+)]
‘S+?!’
Yulian gaped as she checked the info window.
These ratatouille-like things had brought her an S+ enhancer?
For a moment, her body trembled with excitement.
With this… perhaps the Gnosis plan could enter a new phase.
Maybe she, not Dominic, could become the Master of the 99th Floor.
The thought made her anxious.
“Yap! Yap yap!” (Where did you get this!)
She had to get more samples before fleeing.
“Myu?” (What?)
First, though, they’d have to communicate.
“Yap yap!” (Give me more!)
“Myuuu?”
Bailach stretched his neck, feigning confusion.
Infuriated by the mocking act, Yulian began to tremble.
Bailach then turned to Lucifer and said,
“Myu. Myumyut.” (I think it worked. She’s starting to get angry again.)
Now that the docile Maltese was trembling and barking with fresh vigor, Bailach was satisfied, thinking Yulian’s true dog nature was returning.
If she kept eating the Parent Gratitude Snack, she’d remain a Maltese forever.
Inside Bailach’s mind, a banner swayed: [Congratu-lations! Lifelong Mount Secured!]
Meanwhile, Yulian was calculating how to seize more S+ enhancers from these ratatouille rodents.
She didn’t know what their reasons were, but if she stuck around, she might get a second chance to get more.
Once she’d collected enough, she’d tear those creatures to pieces and make off with the snacks.
Resolved, Yulian snorted hot air through her nose.
Lea apologized again and again for the misunderstanding, saying she’d treat them to a meal next time, and then left.
All the mysterious things she had said before the exchange had been due to that misunderstanding.
It was a relief that everything was cleared up.
Groo had never suffered anything bad. The orphanage director had been a good person…
Thinking this, Groo went home and crouched in front of Yulian, worry plainly on her face.
The most troubling misunderstanding was resolved, but some questions still remained.
If Yulian was really the person Lea was searching for…
Groo’s shoulders shook with uncertainty.
“You want to go back soon, don’t you? I’m sorry. I’ll do my best.”
But Yulian quickly shook her head from side to side, as if saying she didn’t want to leave.
‘Huh?’
Groo’s eyes widened in surprise.
Regardless, Yulian curled up on a cushion with Bailach and Lucifer still on her back.
‘What is it? Did she get so close to them that she doesn’t want to part?’
Or…
Even the first time, she’d run away as soon as Lea appeared.
Could it be she doesn’t want to meet Lea at all?
Groo tilted her head in utter confusion.