Deadline Is Raining in the Status Window - Chapter 285
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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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With a positive mindset came positive fortune. I decided to think about how to utilize this skill later and simply resolved to enjoy today. Since Gerth promised to prepare something delicious to celebrate the end of the semester, the entire household gathered together.
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The banquet held at the top of Serpent King’s Tower brought together all of my family. Gerth and Seian Crowell were there, of course, as was Hubert, along with Aldo whom Seian looked after, Eleanor Mother, and Titi. I had invited Rael Neftis as well, but he declined, saying he had a regular Dekarucha Fan Club meeting. Instead, Bruno, whom I hadn’t invited at all, attempted to enter Serpent King’s Tower, only to be turned away by Hubert.The beginning of vacation was always a joyful and delightful day. On this fine occasion, I proudly displayed my report card to Gerth and Seian Crowell. Both reacted with unbridled joy, exactly as expected, and praised my efforts.”Well done, Evan. Your mother’s blessing has borne fruit.””Not bad for you. You didn’t cheat by blocking the exam hall or anything, did you?””What a foolish notion. Only results earned through genuine effort constitute my true grades.”Yet something seemed off about my demeanor. The usual frivolousness was completely absent. With grades this excellent, I should have been insufferably arrogant, boasting about being someone who delivers when it matters. But I showed no such conceit.”Did you eat something bad? Did you pick up something off the ground today? Are you sick?””My digestive system is robust. Brainwashing or hypnosis might be possibilities, though.”As my two husbands examined me with concern, I laughed heartily and assured them it was nothing serious. There had simply been a mission from Mother Goddess. She had demanded I become the top student of my class, but unfortunately I failed to achieve it and received a failure penalty.”What happened to you?! What’s wrong with you—did you catch some kind of mental illness?!””Evan. What exactly have you lost?”I answered that it wasn’t anything significant and smiled benevolently.”I’ve lost my sexual desire.”I was merely serene. Gerth and Seian Crowell were severely shaken.”For how long…?”Gerth was the first to regain his composure. He had experienced the loss of sexual desire before. Back then, with Hubert’s and my efforts combined with various tonics and supplements, he had recovered it. This time would be the same. It had to be. Mother Goddess wouldn’t be so cruel. There had to be a time limit to this loss, or a way to recover it. Gerth waited for my answer with hope.”Permanently, she said.”Gerth’s hand trembled like a vibrating bell. He couldn’t calm down. Of course, one could live without doing such things. But Gerth and I were newlyweds. Without it, the heart dies!”What kind of nonsense is that?! I’ve only done it once with you!”My situation is better than his, Gerth thought, and spoke without any filter.”I’ve done it three times.””…Are you bragging?””Yes. I’ve won.”As Gerth straightened his shoulders proudly, Seian Crowell clicked his tongue and dragged his fingernails across Gerth’s face. No wounds appeared, but it tickled slightly. And strangely, a sense of satisfaction welled up. This was the moment I realized why Seian enjoyed being hit by me.”We already have a child. Even if we followed proper procedures, we couldn’t produce offspring. There’s no real need to do it. Besides, didn’t Seian say he wouldn’t do it with me again?”No one loses anything. As I spoke with confidence, Seian’s face turned crimson and he shrieked.”Who said they really don’t want to?! You idiot!”He could only be described as a true fool. Seian was so furious he was on the verge of collapse, while Gerth reached a characteristically pragmatic conclusion and tried to persuade him.”If we go to the Seed Storage Facility, we can get an injection that removes sexual desire. If we both get it, the conflict with Evan will disappear.””You go get it alone, you lizard bastard! I’m not giving up!”Seian Crowell was a man who, lonely or sad as he might be, never broke, and quietly refused to surrender. That’s how he endured the Imperial Palace’s coldness, and after enrolling in the Academy, despite endless ridicule, he continuously maintained the top position, received scholarships, and lived on.”Let’s go see that Apet! Since your condition is abnormal, couldn’t we turn back your body’s state to the day before?””Since it’s the will of Ursu, it probably won’t work, but if Gerth agrees, I’ll try.”
The beginning of vacation is always a joyful and happy day. On this wonderful day, Evan Mitchell confidently waved her report card and showed it to Gerth and Seian. The two, as expected, were overjoyed and praised Evan’s efforts.
“You did well, Evan. It was worth asking Mother for help.”
“Did you do something out of line? You didn’t pull any tricks like blocking the entrance to the test site, did you?”
“What a pointless effort. Only the results I achieve through my own hard work are my true accomplishments.”
But Evan Laef’s condition seemed a bit off. There was no trace of her usual frivolous demeanor. If she had gotten grades this good, she would normally be strutting around boasting about how she gets things done when she sets her mind to it, but she wasn’t being arrogant at all.
“Did you eat something bad? Did you pick up something off the ground today? You’re not getting sick, are you?”
“Evan Laef’s disguise is solid. Brainwashing or hypnosis might be possible, but…”
As her two husbands looked on with concern, Evan Laef laughed heartily and said it was nothing serious. She simply had a mission from the Mother Goddess. She had been told to become the top of her undergraduate class, but unfortunately she hadn’t achieved it and received a failure penalty.
“What the hell happened to you! What’s wrong with you, did you lose your mind?!”
“Evan. What exactly did you lose?”
Evan answered that she hadn’t lost anything significant, and smiled gently.
“I’ve lost my sexual desire.”
Evan was simply gentle. Gerth and Seian were deeply disturbed.
“How much longer…?”
Gerth was the first to regain his composure. He had experienced losing his sexual desire before. Back then, he was able to recover it with the help of Hubert and Evan Laef’s efforts and the power of various tonics. This time would be the same. It had to be. The Mother Goddess wouldn’t be so cruel. There must be a time limit to losing sexual desire, or there must be a way to regain it. Gerth waited for Evan Laef’s answer, holding onto hope.
“It is said to be permanent.”
Gerth’s hand trembled like a vibrating bell. He couldn’t calm down. Of course, they could live without doing that. But Gerth and Evan Laef were newlyweds. If they didn’t, their hearts would die!
“Hey, what are you talking about! I only did it with you once!”
At least my situation is better than his. With that thought, Gerth spoke without any filter, letting his words spill out carelessly.
I did it three times.
“…Are you bragging?”
“That’s right. I won.”
The moment Gerth suddenly straightened his shoulders, Seian clicked his teeth and dragged his fingernails across Gerth’s face. It didn’t leave any scratches, but it tickled a little. And strangely, a sense of satisfaction welled up inside him. It was the moment Evan realized that this was why Seian kept hitting back.
“We already have a child. Besides, even if we went through the formal procedures, we couldn’t leave behind descendants anyway. It’s not something we need to do. And besides, Seian Crowell didn’t say he wouldn’t do it with me again.”
When Evan Laef spoke confidently, “Nobody loses out,” Seian Crowell’s face turned bright red as he shouted back.
“Who the hell doesn’t want to do it?! You idiot!”
He was a guy who could only be described as a complete idiot. Seian was on the verge of collapsing from anger, and Gerth reached a conclusion typical of himself and persuaded Seian.
“If we go to the Seed Storage Facility, we can get an injection that suppresses sexual desire. If we both get it together, the conflict with Evan Laef will disappear.”
“You’re right, you damn lizard! I’m not giving up!”
Seian Crowell was a man who never broke down, no matter how lonely or sad he felt, and who quietly refused to give up. That’s why he endured the cold treatment at the Imperial Palace, and even after enrolling at the Academy, despite being constantly insulted, he maintained his top ranking consecutively, lived off scholarships, and persevered.
“Let’s go see that Apet! Since something’s wrong with her condition, couldn’t we just revert your body’s state to how it was a day ago?”
“It probably won’t work out because it’s Ursula’s will, but if Gerth agrees, I’ll go.”
“Why do we need her consent?”
Seian Crowell narrowed his eyes, questioning when I had ever been the type to listen to others, and I offered another gentle smile as I explained the origin of this mission.
“This mission was created in the first place when Mother Goddess granted Gerth’s wish.”
I revealed this shocking truth, and Gerth’s eyes widened.
“Because of me? All of this is because of me?”
“Not exactly because of you, Gerth.”
“No. It’s because of me.”
Now that I thought about it, I could piece things together. When I had sighed, expecting Evan not to show me the report card again, I’d heard a voice say “Granted.” My hearing was sharp enough that I’d dismissed it as a distant sound, but if that voice belonged to Mother Goddess, then Gerth was the source of how I’d ended up like this.
“I’ll take responsibility. I’ll go settle things with Mother.”
“Fighting is not good.”
“I won’t fight. I’ll resolve it.”
Gerth said that once he finished eating, he’d ask Ilyong to take him directly to Mother.
Seian Crowell, whose anger cooled as quickly as it had flared, wore a slightly suspicious expression before he began unfastening the buttons of his shirt. The man teased by fluttering his shirttails slightly, then suddenly threw his shirt wide open before me, proudly displaying his slender waist.
Evan Mitchell regarded Seian Crowell with eyes as cold as ice.
“You’ll catch a cold. Button up.”
“Has she completely lost it?”
“….”
Silence fell over the dining table. It felt like a funeral.
Eleanor Mother, Titi, and Hubert, having heard such crude and lamentable news at a family gathering, said they’d go out to eat since staying here would give them indigestion, and left.
Only Evan ate her meal with vigor.
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The next day, Gerth departed for the Universe holding Ilyong’s hand, while Seian Crowell showed me to Apet only to return disappointed.
I reflected. Throughout my life until this moment, my mental state had never been clearer, yet others avoided me like this. One cannot satisfy others simply by satisfying oneself. The woman gained another insight and chanted the Buddhist mantra of impermanence over and over.
「You! I’ve been looking for you! Now that it’s break time! When you’re free, let’s test our strength against each other!」
Since the weather was nice, I had intended to take a leisurely walk all the way to Serpent King’s Tower, but a small mechanical king appeared before me. At the same moment, a status notification window descended from the sky.
Machina the Mechanical King’s wish has been granted. If Machina and Evan Laef engage in combat and Machina wins, the mechanical power within Evan Mitchell Neftis Laef’s body will be transferred.
“Is what you want the power that was originally yours?”
「Huh? Oh, oh, Mother already left a message?」
“I’ll return it.”
Since it was never truly mine to begin with, it was only right to return it when the owner asked. The moment I tried to pierce my own chest with an ice pick conjured by Evan’s magic, the Machine King screamed and blocked me.
「Kyaaaaa! You’re insane! You’re insane! Hey, you crazy bastard!」
“Apet is nearby. Just extract it quickly, go to her, and ask her to repair it.”
「That’s not the problem, you crazy bastard!」
The Machine King spontaneously conjured a drill and spun it with a whoosh, dispelling Evan’s magic. Having prevented Evan from damaging his own body, the Machine King smacked Evan’s head with his pincer arm—clack-clack.
「Let’s fight then! If I win, I’ll legitimately take it! I’ll receive it safely through Mother!」
“I will definitely win. This fight is pointless.”
「This little brat really gets my gears grinding.」
Steam rising from his head, the Machine King actually vented steam with puffs, then retrieved an album jacket and thrust a challenge at Evan.
「This is the new band I just created! We’ll settle this with album sales, you bastard!」
“What are you talking about, you lunatic.”
Even after washing away my afflictions, my view of him as a lunatic remained unchanged. Evan felt a slight sense of relief at his own constancy and accepted the album. The design was futuristic overall, and all four band members wore Object Heads—and among them was a friend Evan knew.
“Does Chirpy’s Father make music?”
「I don’t have many self-propelled limbs among my appendages! So it turned out this way!」
Evan felt terribly sorry for Chirpy’s Father. He’d ended up in a band he was never meant for, all because he served the wrong master. Come to think of it, Evan wasn’t meant to play guitar either—how had he ended up doing this? Evan recalled his freshman days, which now felt so distant, and shook his head.
Whenever something strange happened in life, it was usually Sera’s fault.
“Since we’ve come this far, you already know, but album production isn’t easy work. Even if we suddenly decide to compete.”
「You’re already an established group! You have to take on this kind of handicap!」
“That’s a fair point.”
Dekarucha was a world-class band, so it was natural for a rookie to be at a disadvantage against them.
“Hmm, even if we rush to release a single album, there’s the question of whether all members can participate….”
If we exclude people with scheduling conflicts, it would be a fair enough competition. Evan judged this acceptable and accepted the challenge.
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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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