Black Killer Whale Baby - Chapter 151

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

Chapter 151
People still couldn’t tear their eyes away from the plaza.
Even I, who was explaining, found myself unable to look away.
“What we need to do is gather materials while this is happening.”
“…Isn’t that my job, not yours?”
Strong and beautiful. That figure, stimulating every sense of the beastkin, would captivate anyone who laid eyes upon it.
What if I had been in that position? I couldn’t help but wonder.
After all, I was a greedy orca too.
On the other hand, there was a certain satisfaction in witnessing a sight I could never have seen in my previous life.
It felt like displaying a masterpiece in the sunlight—one that had been stored away in a dark private warehouse, destined never to see the world’s light again.
‘If Father were a painting, he’d be a masterpiece.’
I forced myself to tear my eyes away.
The merchant who had brought the goods was standing across from me, but he too was too busy staring blankly at the plaza.
Crash!
A beastkin went flying—I couldn’t tell who.
‘An impatient one rushed in recklessly.’
Judging from the passersby’s talk about the increasing number of carnivorous beastkin, I knew some hot-headed fool would fall for Father’s provocation.
“A weasel.”
“You can recognize them from that distance?”
“Where do you keep your eyes?”
“…Dolphins don’t need good eyesight.”
I laughed. Right, you’re bragging about how smart you are, aren’t you?
“Yeah, smarty, why don’t you hurry up and calculate? That merchant’s hands are trembling.”
“Ah…!”
Levai hastily paid the merchant.
Though I had made a fuss, the merchant was too busy watching to properly count the money.
This guy won’t last long in business.
Even so, the merchant tilted his head, apparently curious.
“You look quite young, yet you’re buying herbs that aren’t even commonly used.”
“They’re not for me—I’m running an errand for my Teacher.”
“Is that so? Seems like quite a knowledgeable apothecary. Actually, it’s no exaggeration to say our City of Dragons is the largest market for medicinal materials.”
“That’s right. My Teacher told me the same thing. But then you must know quite a bit about herbs…?”
“Of course.”
“Where can I find the brain of a red frog?”
“…There’s an apothecary looking for that? Don’t tell me you’re actually a poison maker, not an apothecary?”
“No. You must know that sometimes deadly toxins make excellent medicinal materials?”
“….”
The merchant, though suspicious, reluctantly provided the information.
“Ah, where was I?”
Bang! Bang! The sounds kept echoing from the plaza, making it impossible to concentrate.
It was exactly what we wanted.
Levai eventually obtained all the information he needed, and asked one final question.
“Have you ever heard of the tail feathers of the bluebird?”
“Huh? Isn’t that an animal that went extinct a hundred years ago? Around that time, it was known as a material for elixirs. Now it’s just a legendary ingredient, but why do you ask?”
“I was curious since you seem so knowledgeable.”
“Ah, that’s absolutely impossible to obtain now. Though who knows? There were rumors it brought good fortune, so it might remain as a treasure in some noble family’s collection?”
After hearing this much, we moved on.
From then on, we acted covertly while avoiding people, gradually gathering the materials we needed.
‘This is going smoother than expected.’
I glanced at Levai.
This was all thanks to that resourceful dolphin.
Just as planned. His skill at impersonating an apothecary’s disciple and gathering supplies without raising suspicion was an art form.
“We should stop here for today. If we buy any more, even with Pierre drawing attention, we’ll stand out.”
“Understood.”
Levai and I relocated.
In the meantime, rumors had spread with remarkable speed.
As we walked, the commotion about the plaza incident was palpable in the air.
‘Whether human or beastkin, they all love a good fight.’
People say the most entertaining things in the world are watching fires, watching fights, and gossiping about others’ love lives.
At that moment, I encountered someone at the entrance of the market.
A man with deep reddish-brown hair and eyes.
“I greet you, miss.”
It was Drex, the moray eel beastkin that Illia had sent.
In nature, moray eels wait quietly for prey, then snatch it up when it appears nearby.
Inheriting these traits, he possessed the special ability to scout and detect his surroundings.
“No need to greet me every time.”
“…Yes.”
He appeared to go about his duties silently, but his expression seemed somewhat vacant.
“Is there a reason you were staring so intently?”
“No, I was just thinking that in nature, moray eels are practically apex predators among aquatic creatures, aren’t they? I heard you even eat sharks.”
“That’s an exaggeration.”
In the previous loop, the moray eels had sided with Lirivel. I remembered them being extremely difficult opponents to deal with.
Stealth was useless against them, and they possessed absurdly overwhelming strength.
‘Illia, you certainly have good judgment. Bringing these creatures into play.’
“Have you gathered the target quantity?”
“Yes. And…”
The moray eel beastkin continued slowly.
“I also inquired about the ‘ivory of the white elephant’ you mentioned, but everyone just laughed, saying I was searching for materials from fantasy…”
“Is that so?”
“Should I continue asking?”
“Well, let’s observe the situation as it unfolds. Just nothing too conspicuous.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Then let’s head back.”
I hadn’t expected to achieve everything in a single attempt.
It was more about assessing the operation’s effectiveness and surveying the market, yet I’d accomplished far more than anticipated.
“From tomorrow onward, you won’t be able to come with me, so use your own judgment. Everything must remain undetected. You understand, yes?”
“Yes….”
“Yes, understood.”
* * *
When I returned to my room, I didn’t use the door.
With Atlant’s assistance, who was already waiting, I climbed through the window instead.
‘Fortunately, this room isn’t on a particularly high floor.’
Thinking this as I entered, someone came bounding toward me.
“Calypso…!”
It was Ekion. I patted the boy as he naturally nestled into my arms and surveyed the living room.
Hmm?
“Did you two fight?”
That’s because Ekion and Whale both looked rather worse for wear.
Whale shook his head with a stoic expression.
“No, we were just building camaraderie.”
“…What kind of camaraderie wrinkles clothes like that?”
“Isn’t that just how children grow up? That’s what Levai said.”
“Ah. Did you think I’d fall for that?”
He was being ridiculous. It was a transparent excuse.
I frowned and stared at Ekion.
“Ekion, tell me honestly. Did you bully Whale?”
Ekion possessed the strength of a dragon, and though Whale was a unique Orca Beastkin, his specialty was healing abilities.
Ekion shook his head vigorously.
“He said he wanted to examine me.”
“Examine? Ah, diagnose?”
“Right.”
Whale nodded. Ekion quickly continued, speaking urgently and defensively.
“I’m not doing anything Calypso dislikes. I dislike it, but… that’s necessary for Calypso.”
That phrasing was a bit odd, but… this was the first time I’d heard Ekion speak positively about someone other than me and Father.
“It’s not ‘that’—it’s Whale.”
“…Whale.”
“Whale, I’m asking you too. Is there truly nothing that happened?”
“Nothing happened. I was simply curious about how my power interacts with dragon strength.”
“Ekion wouldn’t have had anywhere to heal, would he?”
“Would there truly be nowhere?”
“What?”
What was he talking about? I blinked.
“You came here to find someone important, didn’t you?”
“And?”
“That person—it seems you need to find them quickly.”
“…Why?”
“Because his vital essence is being depleted. In simpler terms, his life force.”
I froze. All this time, I’d assumed Ekion’s constant drowsiness was related to his abilities.
Or perhaps it was due to growth.
After all, hadn’t he grown taller after sleeping deeply?
“He must have had someone who was mutually complementary to him. It would have been fine to stay apart for a while… but now we’ve reached the limit.”
“…So you’re saying I need to bring him here quickly?”
“Perhaps.”
A chill ran down my spine. The time I’d agreed upon with Tus was actually the year I would turn ten.
According to Whale, coming two years early was the right answer.
I pressed my hand to my chest.
“I’ll go get him soon.”
At my response, Whale’s expression relaxed slightly. I found myself thinking anew that the Orca Beastkin was truly a benevolent being.
Certainly, the subtle tension between the two boys that I’d sensed in the carriage was nearly Ekion openly expressing his displeasure.
Yet even in this situation, Whale had been concerned about Ekion’s condition.
“And another thing.”
“Another thing?”
“The power that boy possesses… well, let’s just call it power. The flow of his power is unstable.”
Whale gave the example of Father, whom he’d diagnosed not long ago.
Typically, those with great power feel like a river—taking a certain form and flowing at a steady pace.
“His power is like magma. You know what a volcanic eruption is?”
“I do.”
“Right. The characteristic of magma is that it’s boiling and you never know when it’ll erupt.”
“….”
As I listened, something came to mind. Waiting without speaking, Whale continued.
“If left as is, he’ll erupt…? To put it more simply, that’s a ‘rampage.'”

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