Black Killer Whale Baby - Chapter 20

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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 20
They were grunting and adjusting the educational materials at a sluggish pace.
‘How stupid is Caron that he’s stumbling around here like this?’
Finally, I turned my head away after watching Caron, who had been silent and holding his breath since that day.
Had my life ever been this smooth before?
I wasn’t exactly normal for feeling uneasy about this, but I couldn’t help it.
‘My life has been so turbulent!’
Of course, I knew I shouldn’t think like this at merely three years old.
But my life, which had been going so well just moments before, had been thoroughly ruined by the original protagonist’s schemes!
This experience had given me a wake-up call.
‘No matter how smoothly life seems to flow, a single variable could destroy everything!’
As I breathed heavily, a bright voice reached my ears.
“Master, are you finished? I’m all done!”
“All done!”
“…Suddenly I’m curious—is it your hobby to always speak in unison?”
“Oh, Ruga is copying me!”
“No, Ruba is copying me!”
“Sure, sure. So it’s a hobby. I respect that.”
I nodded casually and patted Ruga’s head.
Then Ruba insisted I do the same for her, so I patted her head identically.
“Master! Teacher said we can play with blocks once we’re done! Want to play blocks?”
“No, I don’t engage in such childish games.”
I politely declined Ruba’s request.
Then the twins who had been offering the blocks, along with all the other children focused on their activities, came rushing over with sparkling eyes.
…What is this?
“Wow, that’s cool.”
“That’s how our father talks.”
“I want to talk like that too!”
I shook my head gently.
“You should use that way of speaking when you’re older. There’s an appropriate manner of speech for each age.”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
The gathered children nodded earnestly.
I dismissed the children.
You’re interrupting my thoughts. Go on, shoo, shoo!
It was unfortunate that what remained were ultimately the twins again.
“Master, our mother wants to see you once.”
“Is that so? Thank you, but tell her I’m not someone who can meet just anyone.”
“Oh, but she really wants to greet you!”
“Greet you!”
Chirp, chirp. They chattered away like little chicks, making it impossible to ignore them, so I turned my head.
“What’s with the greeting?”
“We’re thanking you!”
“Thanks to you, Caron doesn’t hit our heads anymore!”
“And we don’t get kicked either!”
My expression became complicated.
The fact that these children had been bullied came back to mind once more.
Of course, I understood that whale children had sturdy bodies, making them difficult to compare with ordinary human children I’d seen on Earth, yet I felt a bit sorry for them.
“…Did you get hit that much?”
“We and Nero got hit the most.”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Nero was the name of a beluga whale-human child in this class.
I moved my head back and forth and cracked my knuckles.
“Want me to give you one more hit right now?”
“Huh, really?”
“Huh!”
“Yeah. I think we could manage it once if we do it without the teacher knowing.”
Come to think of it, I’d beaten these kids so much that one hit hardly seemed like revenge.
And our Beluga Twins’ eyes sparkled with delight at this.
“We’ll be loyal to you!”
“Loyal!”
“What’s with all this loyalty talk?”
Your loyalty is useless to me right now. Maybe when you’re older.
I waved my hand dismissively, telling them to go away now, but the twins didn’t back down.
These little remoras!
“Is there anything you need? Our family is rich!”
“Yeah. My father is richer than that.”
“We have lots of delicious food at our house!”
“Yeah. I’m already warm and full.”
No, wait. I suddenly grasped at a thought that had flashed through my mind.
Then I straightened up from my sprawled position.
“You don’t need to give me anything, but I’m curious about one thing.”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
“Have you two ever tried cooking?”
“Huh?”
After I asked, it seemed like a pointless question.
Yeah, this wasn’t a question to ask little children like this.
The thought had come up so suddenly that the words just tumbled out before I could stop them.
“…Um, no. Never mind. I picked the wrong people to ask.”
I was about to shake my head when both my hands were suddenly grabbed.
“Cook for us!”
“Our father does it!”
“Really?”
According to them, in the Beluga Family, men who couldn’t cook well weren’t loved.
I’d never heard such a thing before, but since they said so, I nodded along.
“Is that so? Then let me ask your father who cooks so well. The thing is…”
* * *
“It’s lunchtime!”
“It is!”
Lunchtime at the Elementary Education Institution was like this.
Students either ate the lunch boxes they’d brought in the morning or ate meals the Handmaidens or Retainers brought at the appointed time.
Among the families who cherished their children dearly, relatives would sometimes bring meals themselves.
In my case, I had no family or relatives who thought of me that way, but I didn’t go hungry either.
“Kyaa, Calypso. Say ‘ah’. Aah~”
“Aah~.”
“Kyaaak, so cute.”
There were certainly things that changed with each cycle.
This cycle was no exception, but if there was one particularly different thing, it was that I’d become close with the Handmaidens for the first time.
It was strange.
In previous cycles, it hadn’t changed no matter how hard I tried.
‘It wasn’t that I didn’t make an effort.’
But in cycles one and two, when I hadn’t awakened the power of water, I’d endured in a harsh cramped room where I could barely see even a single maid before being sold off.
In cycle three, I’d run away from home without even attempting to befriend anyone, and when I returned, I’d become strong enough that I didn’t need to talk with the Handmaidens.
Because of that, what was happening now felt novel.
‘They say herring merfolk have exceptionally good adaptability.’
They’d begun adoring me the moment they adapted to that shabby building.
It was truly remarkable adaptability.
‘This feels awkward…’
It was terribly awkward for me.
After all, there should have been someone in this world who cherished me.
Moreover, no matter how much willpower dominates the body, sometimes childlike behavior would emerge instinctively, which was troublesome.
Look at now. My body nearly rushed forward at the sight of food.
‘That won’t do.’
Otherwise, all my effort in overcoming language would be for nothing.
I solemnly grasped the fork and spoon and spoke.
“Next time, I’d like sausage.”
“Kyaa, yes! Calypso.”
Eiya, who had been organizing the lunch box side dishes, lifted her head sharply and nodded eagerly.
Then Biyo and Dede beside her became excited, stood on either side of me, and asked.
“Calypso, your hair is a bit disheveled. Would it be alright if we braided it into two pigtails this time?”
“Fine. But don’t pull it too tight. It hurts when I bow my head.”
“Yes, of course! Of course!”
“I’ll help too!”
I couldn’t quite pinpoint when Misa had grown so close to the Handmaidens, but at this point, I could almost believe they’d known each other for ages.
The two of them eagerly braided my hair while Misa waved candies and chocolates around, urging me to eat.
Eiya diligently made airplane sounds as she offered me a spoon.
It was quite a chaotic situation.
Damn it, there’s no need to spoil me like this. What would happen if the Orca Family Matriarch found out?
But I quickly changed my mind.
Yes…! Go ahead and dote on me all you want!
‘I’m lenient with those weaker than myself.’
When I recalled that most of the blushing Handmaidens were delicate aquatic beast-folk, I couldn’t even bring myself to be angry.
It was certainly beneath my dignity, but since the Orca Family Matriarch wasn’t watching anyway, what did it matter?
“How is it that our young lady’s complexion is so fair and radiant? It matches her hair so perfectly!”
“And the hair itself. How can it be so soft?”
“I’ve never met a child as well-behaved as you, young lady!”
Dede, who had experience as a nursemaid multiple times before, added the final comment.
‘Hmm, they speak so eloquently, yet they can still treat me like a child. I suppose it’s because my body is so small.’
I gazed down at my tiny hands and felt a peculiar sentiment wash over me.
As I mentioned, such meticulous attention was a refreshing novelty I hadn’t experienced in other cycles.
So after they arrived, I simply allowed them to braid my hair into five strands, style it into cute buns, and dress me in elaborate outfits that suited the look.
Even when it was bothersome, I let them.
‘Looking at their behavior, it almost feels like a childcare story.’
In any case, since it was mealtime, I was busy chewing diligently.
Meals are very important for growth.
‘What I need is growth and a dragon, though.’
While I ate, the Handmaidens who had been happily braiding my hair gathered together and began chatting among themselves.
“Speaking of which… I heard the dragon festival is being held again this year?”

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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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