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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Angel Dust]
[Proofreader – Prototype]
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Chapter 43
“It’s the last day of the festival, let’s take the day off.”
I’m not an evil boss, and I’m not doing this to make money.
So, let’s take a break on the last day. Normally, there’s no overtime or extra work on Fridays.
“Huh… Take a break? We’re not doing business today?”
“Can’t we just do it? This was going well enough.”
But why do they dislike going to have fun? It’s like when the boss says, ‘Today we’ll only work until noon,’ and the colleague sitting next to you retorts, ‘No, I’ll leave at the usual time.’ It’s no different.
Looking at Selena in disbelief, she seems bewildered too.
She even murmurs about showing diligence in unnecessary places.
“Ah! I said let’s take a break! If Karl wants to rest, let him rest! Don’t talk so much!”
In the midst of it all, Joachim, who seems a bit worn out, is earnestly trying to persuade the others.
I see. No more bungeoppang outfit, huh? Let’s see, Joachim. I’ll remember that.
I worked hard to make that outfit for you, but you avoid them because you’re embarrassed? Next is hotteok outfit.
Of course, without the head… Oh, no. Maybe I should just get a rabbit ear and stick it on.
With that, I leave the cooking booth and, come on, why is that phrase still stuck in my head?
Anyway, I’m thinking of taking a nap, but Selena quietly tags along beside me.
“Karl.”
“Oh. Selena. Do you have something to say?”
“Today is the last day of the festival. What are you going to do now?”
“I’m going to my room to take a nap.”
At my response, Selena stops in her tracks and looks at me with a puzzled expression.
It probably sounded quite strange to say I’m going to take a nap on the last day of the festival.
But what can I do? I’m tired. A student returning from military service developed poor physical strength while serving as a sergeant!
“Still… Isn’t it more appropriate to enjoy the festival on the last day?”
“Hmm.”
There was nothing wrong with Selena’s words. I can nap anytime, but it’s not every day there’s a festival.
If I were an outsider, it might be different. But right now, I’m an academy student. Moreover, a returning student.
For a returning student, adapting well to school life and blending in is a top priority.
Otherwise, I might become like Schrödinger’s student, existing and not existing at the same time.
In that regard, enjoying the festival without running away might be the natural thing to do.
Come to think of it, I haven’t even shown my face at the booths run by other juniors.
It’s my last day, so the least I can do is go and say hello.
“…Now that you mention it, you’re right, Selena.”
“Really?! Then, will you hang out with me?”
“With you?”
“Yeah. Um, well. Oh! This might be my last festival!”
Ugh. Just hearing it is pitiful. Academy graduation.
Four years of being an ordinary student, then returning to the noble world… It’s going to be quite regretful.
It’s like graduating from college and stepping into the real world, isn’t it?
Thankfully, there’s no pressure here to get a job as a noble.
‘This is weirder than that.’
When I first returned to school, I didn’t think I’d ever see Selena again.
If we did, I thought we’d say hello and go our separate ways.
We had a lot of embarrassment and a dark history with each other.
But here we are, walking down the festival street together.
“What about that person named Ravrenti yesterday?”
“She said she was going to visit her family. Apparently, she came to me right after she got out of the army.”
“Wow. If she came to you as soon as she got out of the army, she seems to be following Karl very much.”
“…Well, that’s a bit of a stretch. I don’t understand that part.”
Okay. As Rav said, I held onto her and gave her various advices.
I praised her for doing well and encouraged her to do better in the future.
But here’s the thing. I, sitting next to her, couldn’t even hit the target.
Rav must’ve seen my pathetic performance. I was just standing there, smoking and doing nothing.
And yet, she calls me master, and that it’s all because of me.
“That’s what I don’t understand, Karl?”
“What do you mean?”
“Does it make sense that you can’t shoot? The person who was on the battlefield for three years and achieved such great achievements with the sharpshooter calling you her teacher.”
You’ll have to see it to believe it. Let’s see… Ah, there just happens to be something suitable over there.
“Karl?”
The place I led her to is the shooting booth. It’s a place where you shoot model firearms that are made to resemble real guns to some extent.
It’s like a classic game where hitting the target makes it yours!
The operating mechanism is almost identical. Except, of course, that real bullets don’t fly, and the power upon firing is greatly reduced.
“I’ll show you my shooting skills.”
Hmm. Saying something like this makes me feel like a cheesy protagonist saying, ‘Show you my strength.’
But in reality, I’ve hit targets enough to count on one hand during the war.
I received a total of 10 bullets from the student in charge of the booth.
The distance to the target is not far. Most of the targets are even larger than the target paper.
I take aim. Just like before, I steady my breath, aim carefully, and pull the trigger.
Bang!―
“Oh! Just missed it! It grazed past!”
…Yeah. I was expecting that. Let’s try one more time.
Bang!―
“Ah! It was right next to it! Too bad, Karl.”
“….”
No, damn it. Why? I aimed and shot precisely, why isn’t it hitting?!
I was fervently contemplating dismantling this stupid gun right here.
“Karl. Can I try once?”
With sparkling eyes, Selena looks interested.
Since it seems unlikely that I’ll hit anyway, I readily hand over the gun.
“Um, uh… Is this how you hold it?”
“No, not like that. Like this. Here, let me show you.”
Indeed, there’s naturally a difference in skill between a former soldier and a civilian when it comes to handling guns.
The distance to the target is close from my perspective, but far from Selena’s…
Bang! Thud!―
“Ah! I hit it! I hit it, Karl! Hehehe!”
“Um, uh… Yeah.”
What the fuck. How can she hit so easily?!
“Congratulations! Here’s the target you hit!”
“Thank you. Um, can I use up the remaining bullets?”
“Of course! You can use all the bullets you purchased!”
With that, Selena eagerly takes aim again.
Hmm. But why does she keep holding the gun like that? Her shoulders are loose.
“Selena, wait a moment.”
“Um, yeah?”
Even if I can’t shoot, I’m confident in maintaining the correct posture.
Besides, I’m a former soldier. I can’t stand this discomfort! Ugh!
“Like this. Stand like this. Press it against your shoulder.”
“Um, okay.”
“Get your face close to the gun. Look at the target you want to hit.”
I stand behind Selena and adjust the finer details.
Her posture is fine. But I’m bothered by her slightly heavy breathing.
“Do I… do I shoot now?”
I was about to tell her to calm down a bit more before shooting, but Selena was already pulling the trigger.
It seems like the bullet will fly off course again this time―
Bang! Thud!―
“Ohhhh! I hit it again!”
“Congratulations! Wow! This time it’s an even bigger target!”
“….”
No, this can’t be happening. I’m sure her shaky breath made the gun barrel waver!
Why is she hitting but not me? Why? Why can Selena hit but I can’t?
“Now it’s Karl’s turn. Go ahead.”
“…Maybe you should just finish shooting.”
“No, you get two shots, and I get two shots. We have to be fair. Go ahead.”
Conflicting feelings of not really wanting to accept it and my pride as a former soldier clash.
I have a feeling. Even if she uses up the remaining six shots, hitting the target will be difficult.
But if I back down here and say, ‘Let’s stop,’ then… I’ll be surpassed by a female student in shooting, even though I’m not even a regular soldier! Fuck it, I can’t accept that!
“Please. Just one shot. Please!”
I even try kissing the gun, something I never did on the battlefield. I’ve seen some comrades hit targets better by doing this.
When I take aim at the target. The closest and largest one. The one I was supposed to hit for real.
It’s a bit embarrassing. No, it’s really embarrassing, but I have to hit it for now. If I can’t hit the next shot after the first two were just flukes, it’ll be too embarrassing.
‘I never knew receiving a Medal of Honor would be this burdensome. Damn it.’
That’s right. Of all people, it had to be me who received a Medal of Honor.
If a guy like me can’t shoot as well as a girl… I’d rather die.
“Hoo.”
I steady my breath, control my breathing, align the sights, and prepare to fire…
“Wait a moment! Don’t put it there like that!”
Suddenly, from the booth behind us, there was a bang and something exploded.
Everyone else would have heard that, but not me. The next thing I knew, something flew past my ear.
Something was flying through the air. Selena was standing there.
As I realized that, instinctively, I pulled Selena towards me and fired the gun I was holding.
* * *
“Like this. Press it against your shoulder.”
“Get your face close to the gun. Look at the target you want to hit.”
I thought my heart was going to stop. I was worried if Karl could hear it.
When he stood behind me and adjusted my posture one by one. When his hands touched my shoulders and hands. The warmth I felt from behind tickled my neck.
I bit my lip tightly, hoping no air would escape between them.
Maybe shooting isn’t so bad…?!
I wanted to stay closer to Karl, but I had already fired two shots. Now it’s Karl’s turn again.
As I tried to calm my embarrassment and handed him the gun, suddenly…
“Huh?”
I was abruptly pulled aside and found myself embraced by Karl.
At the same time, he held the gun in one hand and pulled the trigger.
Bang!―
A test tube shattered right in front of where I was standing.
If I had stayed there, it could have been a big problem.
“I-I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Are you okay?! Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Ah, I’m fine. I’m not hurt….”
As Selena, held in Karl’s arms, looked at him blankly, she seemed to regret rejecting his confession in the past.
Meanwhile―
‘What the hell is this? Shit.’
Karl stared at the gun in his hand with a bewildered expression.
A gun that didn’t hit even with precise aiming suddenly hit when fired hastily with one hand.
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Angel Dust]
[Proofreader – Prototype]
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