Black Killer Whale Baby - Chapter 136

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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 136
Agenor wore a sullen expression, while Lirivel’s face was filled with suspicion.
Moreover, something had clearly happened—Atlant’s clothes were disheveled.
‘Why does Second Brother look like that and no one else?’
If he’d fought with Lirivel, he should have been in worse shape. It was ambiguous. Besides, Lirivel looked perfectly fine.
I asked Atlant with a puzzled expression.
“…Did you two get into a scuffle while I was gone?”
“You!”
Atlant reacted far more defensively than expected.
I thought he might explode with indignation at being accused, but instead he stared at me intently before abruptly turning his head away.
He looked like he had far too much to say.
“Forget it. Never mind. We’ll talk about it later.”
Atlant shook his head, which only deepened my confusion.
‘What’s wrong with him?’
But for now, I nodded and moved on to the urgent matter at hand.
Or rather, when I turned to look at Levai and Whale….
For some reason, that side was equally strange. Whale was gazing at me with such earnest concern.
‘Why is he like that again?’
Anxiety filled his usually straightforward face. Seeing his vulnerable expression, I felt worried.
‘The diagnosis of Father took such a long time, didn’t it?’
He sweated profusely too.
And he even collapsed the moment it was over….
Before I could even voice my concern, Whale suddenly spoke.
“Hey, Calypso. Are you hurt?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Unable to express himself through words alone, Whale emerged from Levai’s embrace and scurried toward me.
His expression seemed urgent.
The moment Whale reached out his hand, I instinctively flinched backward.
I stopped once I realized I was in Father’s arms.
But the combat stance that emerged was simply an ingrained habit of my body.
“Hand.”
“Oh.”
I naturally looked down at my hand, only to be startled by the handkerchief wrapped around it.
‘When did this get wrapped around my hand? Oh, did Father do this?’
Did Father even carry a handkerchief?
Since he preferred things neat, it wouldn’t be strange for him to carry one.
Yet on the other hand, Father carrying a handkerchief in his pocket felt somewhat unfamiliar.
As I gazed at the handkerchief, I realized something.
‘Isn’t this Mother’s handkerchief?’
I was startled by the pattern on the handkerchief, but decided to move past it for now.
Discussing it here wasn’t ideal—there were far too many ears listening, and I doubted Father would answer anyway.
First, I gave Whale a reassuring response.
“It’s fine. A little saliva will heal this right up.”
Tapping a wall was nothing. My nails weren’t broken or missing, and no bones were fractured.
It would mend quickly.
“If I may be so bold, Noble Lady, beastkin saliva possesses no such properties.”
“Levai, you don’t understand jokes. You should work on that.”
“…Work on what, exactly?”
“I prefer a scribe with a sense of humor.”
“Who said you have a scribe?”
Thanks to Levai’s cold water, the chaotic atmosphere settled into calm.
“All right, all right. We can discuss your position later.”
I shrugged and climbed down from Father’s embrace.
“Levai, Whale. I’m sorry for startling you after you came all this way to find me.”
When I apologized sincerely, Levai and Whale exchanged glances before answering in unison.
“…No, you didn’t.”
“You didn’t.”
I patted Whale’s shoulder and approached Levai.
“Now that I think about it, I realized I forgot something earlier. I shouldn’t have gotten angry at the materials—I should have asked first.”
Really, I was careless. Since I was meeting Whale for the first time in this life, I’d momentarily overlooked something crucial.
“Let me ask you something.”
Just now, I should have asked coldly and rationally instead of getting emotional by recalling my painful past.
What exactly was Whale’s ability?
I narrowed my eyes sharply as I asked.
“When Whale mentions materials, does he sometimes ask for things that can’t be obtained in this world?”
After a moment of silence, Levai slowly shook his head.
“No. Everything he mentions exists in this world.”
“….”
“It’s equivalent exchange, after all.”
Equivalent exchange.
He doesn’t demand things that don’t exist in the world. Exchange would be impossible otherwise.
“Whale’s specialty is quite remarkable. He always mentions materials that the person seeking treatment can actually obtain.”
“…Right?”
I let out a bitter smile.
Yes, I should have thought of this the moment I heard the words “equivalent exchange.”
‘Materials that can be obtained.’
Well, better late than never.
‘Right. Good—so it’s not impossible, then?’
Soon my smile shifted to one of confidence.
I glanced briefly at the sofa where Whale had been examining me earlier. A few sheets of paper lay scattered beneath it.
The moment Whale began reciting the ingredients, Levai moved as if he’d been waiting, pen in hand.
I remember how quickly his hand moved across the page.
“I saw you writing down all the ingredients Whale mentioned earlier. Did you get everything?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Then how long do you think it will take to gather all those materials?”
Levai started to answer reflexively, then stopped short, pressing his lips together.
Suspicion flickered across his face.
“…Why are you asking me that?”
I paused for a moment, considering how to answer his question.
But what truly mattered right now was….
I needed Levai’s active cooperation.
Not because someone forced him, but because Levai himself chose to help.
‘For that, I’ll need to have a deeper conversation.’
I glanced at each of the people beside me in turn.
“Everyone, step outside for a moment.”
“Goodness, am I just an errand runner? Come when called, go when told….”
“Yes, Sister!”
“Hmph, when the master speaks, one obeys quietly. What’s all this fussing about?”
“….”
Lirivel’s words were clearly directed at Atlant, though.
‘Lirivel… you’re hardly the obedient type yourself, are you?’
I stopped myself from saying anything and successfully sent the three of them out without complaint.
Illia hesitated for a moment, then spoke with a thoughtful expression.
“Um, Calypso. Once this conversation is over, it might be good for you to step outside the basement.”
“Hm? Oh, alright.”
She wasn’t one to speak nonsense, so I nodded.
And so I sent everyone except Levai and Whale out of the room.
The moment the door closed, I turned my head.
“Now then, shall we talk frankly?”
Levai made no attempt to hide the wariness in his expression.
“What conversation would that be?”
With only Father and me remaining, Levai quietly tucked Whale behind him, unable to conceal his anxiety.
I shrugged.
“Well, we have quite a few things we could discuss.”
“….”
“For instance, why you protect the last remaining Orca Beastkin in this world?”
Levai’s eyes grew still.
It was indeed an expression unsuited to his age. Which made me appreciate it all the more.
“You speak strangely. How could you possibly know that?”
“You underestimate my intelligence gathering. I already know the Orca’s abilities—did you think I wouldn’t know this?”
“….”
The reason Levai had come to protect the one and only Orca Beastkin in existence.
That reason was none other than….
“That child’s mother—another Orca Beastkin—was your mentor, wasn’t she?”
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Why? You dreamed of becoming an apothecary.”
“….”
“I don’t particularly want to argue with you. And I have no intention of spreading your secrets around.”
I would have preferred to take time with this, but I didn’t have that luxury.
“Everything said here will remain secret until my dying breath, if that’s what you wish.”
I hadn’t planned to leak information so freely, but there was no choice.
Right now, speed was everything.
I had to find the materials as soon as possible.
“I will, of course, and Father here as well—we’ll all swear the Oath of the Sea.”
“…Is that truly so?”
Knowing that only an oath could open the mouth of this distrustful strategist, I swiftly made the Oath of the Sea myself.
Father did as well.
Only then did Levai speak.
“Sigh. It feels as though I’ve been bewitched by a phantom….”
Levai’s expression seemed to say, “How does someone like this even exist?”
“Just how much do you know, exactly?”
“More than you’d expect?”
I wiped away my smile to prove I wasn’t joking.
“And I’m more serious about saving my Father than you think. To do that, your secret—something even the Dolphins of the same Noble House don’t know? I can keep it secret as long as needed.”
“….”
“You don’t actually hate saving people, do you? That’s why your ability was discovered by the Sharks—while you were saving someone, wasn’t it?”
This was speculation.
Why would the Orca Beastkin’s ability only be known to the Sharks?
What if they were discovered while helping someone?
“I don’t understand why you speak as though you know everything.”
It sounded angry, but I knew better. This was Levai’s way of surrendering.
“And why everything you say turns out to be true. Why I find myself wanting to believe you, even once. I truly don’t understand.”
Levai stared at me silently for a moment, then let out a small sigh.
“…It will take ten years.”
Ha, ten years?
Did I look like I’d wait that long?

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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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