Black Killer Whale Baby - Chapter 115

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 115
I stared blankly at the narwhal. His name was Levin, if I recalled correctly.
“Rejected.”
My blunt refusal startled Levin. Even his horn-like hair seemed to stand on end.
“What? Why? How come?”
“How come? You asked for help, so I answered yes or no. Isn’t that how it works?”
“Well, that’s… true, but.”
Though he was once Suha’s younger brother, I had no intention of recruiting him right now, and upon closer inspection, he didn’t seem to be in dire need of assistance.
‘I thought he might be getting beaten up by Atlant, but that doesn’t seem to be it either.’
On the surface, he appeared fine.
“I was joking. So what exactly do you need help with?”
Though I answered firmly, it was more a matter of attitude—I was willing to listen, so instead of leaving, I tilted my head curiously.
‘Let me hear what kind of help he’s asking for.’
Of course, I wasn’t actually planning to help, just curious.
Well, if it was truly serious, I could consider it once.
Since it involved Atlant, I couldn’t quite guess what it might be.
Fighting, resting, fighting, resting again.
That was his routine, and having lived so simply, I couldn’t fathom what the issue could be.
‘Still, this life is different—he even has a friend now?’
On one hand, I felt a sense of pride.
Because in the previous cycle, Atlant was truly solitary, a lone wolf in the truest sense.
“Second Brother, don’t you have anyone else to talk to besides me?”
“Huh? Why would I need that?”
A fierce man who barely spoke unless it was about combat.
Yet in this life, even he had a friend who stepped forward to help him.
‘You won’t remember, but you’re keeping your promise, aren’t you?’
Suddenly, I recalled the moment when Agenor asked why I wasn’t genuinely recruiting Atlant.
To be honest, there was the conflict with Lirivel and all, and I simply didn’t want to bring in someone who was living peacefully as things were.
And…
I stopped myself from remembering something else.
It was something I hadn’t even thought about when talking with Agenor.
I didn’t want to think about it.
Because thinking about this meant recalling Atlant’s death as well.
“The thing is… Atlant.”
“Atlant?”
“He won’t take the test!”
Despite my serious contemplation, I felt my resolve crumble.
“…He’s not the type to take tests anyway, is he?”
“No, but at least he follows basic rules. That’s not the problem.”
Levin grabbed his horn-like hair in front of me, pulling at it in frustration.
“We have a group project this time, but… he’s not showing up, so we can’t make progress!”
“Oh, that’s unfortunate.”
“And I’m the group leader for this project!”
“…Hang in there.”
Group projects, after all, are the greatest earthly trial for realizing just how foolish and uncooperative humans are as creatures, and for pondering how to make effective use of such animals.
It seems these things exist as you advance grades. I’m learning this for the first time.
Since I only recently experienced the Intermediate Institution, I couldn’t help it.
‘I need to beat down the freeloaders. Teach the disrespectful ones a lesson with my fists…’
Freeloaders are more than enough of a problem on Earth alone.
Even just thinking about it made my blood boil, and while I made this silent vow, I gazed at Levin with pitying eyes.
His situation was dire, but if he was indeed a freeloader, what could I do about it?
“The problem is that my promotion depends on this group project, and I absolutely must get promoted.”
“My goodness.”
“…Junior. I’m sorry, but could you put a little more heart into this?”
“My goodness!”
“Just adding an exclamation mark doesn’t make it work!”
“Right, I got it. I’ll listen carefully, so go ahead.”
Somehow this narwhal looked like he might cry, so I patted him gently as I spoke.
Still, perhaps because he was Suha’s younger brother from before, he felt closer to me than a stranger would.
“No, but Atlant at least pretended to listen to me in other projects…”
“Look, I’m sorry too, but if he only pretended to listen, that means he didn’t actually absorb anything, right?”
Levin’s face fell.
“Sigh, but if I ask him ten times, he shows up three times!”
“Oh… He really is a true friend then.”
To think I’d see that Atlant actually listening to someone else’s words. And to someone who wasn’t even stronger than him?
“What are you talking about? Anyway, as soon as free period ends these days, I absolutely must work on the project, but he won’t come because he’s stalking me!”
I recalled Atlant, who had been following me around like a stalker.
Along with the burning gaze that came to mind afterward.
“Like I said, I really need to get promoted this time. That’s the only way my House will accept me. Please, couldn’t you help me just once?”
“What exactly are you asking me to help with?”
“Atlant acting like that is probably because he wants to fight you. Please, just spar with him once!”
I pondered that statement carefully.
There were many things to consider in what he’d said.
‘The House accepting him? But narwhals aren’t the type to discard someone like orcas do if they’re useless, are they?’
Then why would the House accept or reject him?
Well, that’s probably personal business, so I’ll set it aside for now.
Let me first weigh the gains and losses.
The narwhals’ specialty is, peculiarly enough, invention.
Their specialty, born from their closed nature, has been of great help even in warfare.
And in this life too, it was a specialty I needed.
“Perfect timing. It aligns with my purpose.”
“Your purpose?”
“Yeah.”
I glanced around the area.
As expected, when you mention the orca, he comes running. I spotted Atlant striding toward us with heavy, confident steps.
I pointed at Atlant with my finger.
“I was planning to settle things with him anyway.”
“Ah…!”
“He’s causing trouble for too many people.”
“….”
“What’s with that expression?”
“No, well… I never expected to hear the word ‘trouble’ come from an orca.”
Levin scratched his cheek.
“I’ve heard other whales and beastmen say you’re a nuisance to the ecosystem, but….”
“Did Atlant perhaps bully you?”
“Huh?”
“Does he just hit you? Are you only friends in name?”
I asked with a serious expression.
My heart had taken on the sentiment of a perpetrator’s parent. If it were true, what should I do about it…
Would he want compensation? Or should I let him hit back until he’s satisfied? My head grew complicated.
“No, no! It’s actually the opposite. I received help from him!”
“Really…?”
As I looked back and forth between Levin and the approaching Atlant with a suspicious expression that said ‘him?’, Levin burst into laughter.
“Haha, you know Atlant’s personality well? I thought you two barely talked.”
“I don’t need to talk much to hear the rumors.”
“Right, it wasn’t as righteous a situation or reason as you might think, junior.”
It happened that Atlant wanted to fight against someone in the group that was gang-beating Levin, so Levin was naturally rescued.
“Still, help is help, so we’ve been friends since then.”
“…Does he also think of you as a friend?”
“Haha, probably…?”
Why did he sound so uncertain?
“But I’ve heard about you too, junior!”
“What about me?”
“Ah. Around five years ago, when rumors about you were spreading everywhere, I asked him. Whether he wasn’t curious about your younger sister.”
Five years ago would be around the time I first appeared at the Family Meeting. That’s when the biggest rumors circulated.
“So… Atlant said ‘I don’t have a younger sister’?”
“….”
I wasn’t particularly shocked. I simply accepted it as it was.
‘His nature remains unchanged.’
I was slightly disappointed, but I let it go. Since I hadn’t sought him out on my end, I thought this disappointment was unwarranted.
“Hmm, you’re not disappointed?”
“If there are no expectations, there’s nothing to be disappointed about.”
The moment I said this, I heard a heavy thud of footsteps.
When I turned around, there was Atlant, panting heavily despite the considerable distance between us.
“Well, you see, junior. I thought this distance would be far enough that you wouldn’t hear, but….”
“Apparently it wasn’t far enough.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind. Go ahead.”
Levin hesitated before speaking, his manner quite different from how cheerfully he’d been talking until now.
“You seem to get along well with Agenor, but why don’t you talk to Atlant? And you’re close enough with Bellus to go to the City of Dragons together….”
…That bastard Bellus followed me on his own. Where did such a ridiculous rumor come from?
“Atlant may be fierce, but… even so, he never raises his fists against ordinary whales like me or weaker ones.”
“I know.”
….
“I can’t call that kindness, but at least I know better than anyone that he’s not a coward who throws punches at the weak.”
“…But then why haven’t you talked to Atlant even once until now? He’s been chasing after you so eagerly.”
I met Levin’s eyes.
“It was what he wanted.”
A bitter taste rose in my throat.
The truth was, I couldn’t always recall my previous cycle with such composure.
No, I mostly remember it calmly, but there are certain memories that are particularly difficult.
In my last cycle, Atlant died the most tragically and pitifully among my three brothers.
And it was to save me.
“Hey, Matriarch. If there’s a next life, you know? That thing… I hope we don’t have a war or anything. No fighting either.”
“…What kind of nonsense is that? Are you sick? Did you hurt your head? I told you not to mess around before an important battle.”
“No, don’t curse at me?”
“Oh. So now you understand curses. How impressive.”
It was a conversation right before the final battle.
If I had known it would be our last conversation.
“No, just. You said this is the final fight. Since I’ve fought enough in this life… I just thought it would be nice to live normally in the next life.”
“Hehe, you’d really do that?”
“What? Just, I hope you’d do the same, Matriarch. I will too.”
“Fine then. If there’s a next life, I won’t recruit you.”
“Ah, why!”
You would never have said it so lightly.
So I’m simply honoring your wish to live an ordinary life.
Or rather, I still don’t have the courage to face you, who died so tragically.
Some deaths leave scars that are far too deep.
“Alright, next time, in the next life, let’s both live peacefully.”
…I thought that previous life would last so long. With all of you.
‘Ah, I’ve gone and dredged up something pointless.’
I furrowed my brow as I spoke to Levin.
“It was mutual agreement.”
I knew this was just an excuse.
Somewhere in the middle of our conversation, Atlant had already arrived before me.
His shadow fell across me.
Instead of hiding behind a pillar like a shy snail as he always did, today he had come right up to me.
His face seemed filled with more anger and resentment than usual, so I tilted my head in confusion.
“Second Brother. I can hear you breathing—step back a bit.”
Only after calling out did I realize I had unconsciously addressed him with the same familiarity as the previous cycle.
Damn it.
It was because I had been thinking about my last conversation with him.
Sigh, the same thing happened when I spoke with Bellus—the honorific just came out naturally.
As I grimaced and tried to correct myself.
I instinctively locked eyes with Atlant, who had stepped back.
“Yes. Second Brother, that distance is just right for you—understood?”
Atlant stood exactly on that line I had already determined.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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