Deadline Is Raining in the Status Window - Chapter 75

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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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Not long after Reina Letem and I returned to our room, a knock sounded at the door. When I opened the window leading to the balcony, the Department Head Professor handed me a guitar riddled with holes.
“…Did the person who used this die or something?”
“Dr. Bruno is alive and well. It’s just the remnants of a shotgun blast.”
“….”
“The guitar survived because it was sturdy.”
So you could say it was a lucky guitar. I accepted the instrument that had saved the Former Dean’s life and bowed in gratitude to the Department Head Professor.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how you interpret Dr. Bruno’s composition.”
Well, the Seorita Crown Princess will probably handle most of that anyway, and I’ll just practice guitar until my fingers fall off. But I didn’t reveal my true thoughts—I simply bowed to the Department Head Professor and saw him off. Without an amplifier yet, I couldn’t produce proper sound, but finger exercises were sufficient.
The next day, Reina Letem grabbed the drumsticks of a top-tier drum set she’d purchased with her own wealth and happily tapped away in the room, tapped away in class, and tapped away on my head until I got beaten up. It was a development that deviated not one bit from my expectations.

◇ ◆ ◇

Not long after, construction workers began coming and going to the remote building where the Club Room was located. After a week, each of us had our own soundproofed practice room, and I managed to acquire the “Normal Skill Guitar Performance Level 1” right on schedule. It was the result of steady effort without yielding to Reina Letem’s stick attacks.
After the practice room was built, I shut myself away in the Club Room and played guitar all day long. Of course, I attended classes, but I only attended them—I poured every moment except meals, lodging, and volunteer work into guitar practice.
As I spent my time in the practice room on weekdays and weekends alike, Kanna grew worried and eventually decided to start visiting our Club Room. Kanna supported me in every way and brought snacks. She even brought me report materials and such, but I didn’t have the leisure to submit those things. I had to play guitar.
My fingers blistered and healed repeatedly, forming calluses. Even as calluses formed, I continued playing, and wounds developed on the calluses themselves, so I began wrapping them with bandages. Kanna brought me excellent wound medicine, and Princess Sera brought her personal healer to cast healing magic, but within days I was covered in wounds again.
After practicing for about a month like that, I achieved remarkable results without a single bonus point.

N) Guitar Performance’s advanced skill, R) Professional Guitar Performance Lv.1 skill has been created.

Perfect. With this, I wouldn’t fall short even on a commercial release. I tested my fingers with fluid movements and wiped away my sweat with satisfaction. The skill was definitely different from when it was at Normal level. It felt like I’d shed a layer of skin. My midterms would probably be a disaster, but I had obtained a remarkable skill through my own effort.
Separate from my satisfaction, my fingers stung, and when I checked, blood was flowing freely. The salt from my sweat seemed to make it sting even more.
“Hey!”
How could that girl’s voice carry outside the soundproofed room? Reina Letem, who had been watching me through the glass window, came rushing in with a startled expression.
“Hey! Your hair!”
Was it because of the blood I’d smeared on while wiping my sweat? It wasn’t as if I saw my own blood for the first or second time, yet Reina Letem made a fuss and informed me of a fact worth making a fuss about.
“Your hair has turned white!”
Oh, I forgot to dye it.

That night, I returned to the Dormitory for the first time in a while, scrubbing my hair thoroughly with shampoo mixed with blue dye, and changed into the clothes gifted by the Serpent King’s Tower Staff. As my hair returned to its usual blue hue, Reina remarked with a hint of reproach that if I’d sat still long enough to gather dust, my hair would have appeared white.
“Oh right, White One has been using Gerth’s eyes this whole time.”
“You should have mentioned that first.”
I draped another gown over my shoulders and stood before White One, who was in communication mode. Gerth’s familiar voice emerged.
“It’s been a while, Evan. Hubert and Leri have already departed….”
This was the first time I’d seen Gerth trail off mid-sentence. Finding it peculiar, I tilted my head in confusion, and White One mimicked the gesture before relaying Gerth’s words.
“Your hair appears considerably bluer than usual.”
The dye had faded, leaving my silver hair exposed, so I’d scrubbed it vigorously—but there was no need to explain this. Instead, I deflected vaguely.
“I just got out of the shower.”
“No. I know what your hair looks like after you shower.”
“Then assume that’s how it is.”
“That’s not quite right.”
“Fine, let’s say it’s bluer than usual.”
“Yes. Your hair is currently bluer than usual.”
“Gerth really is annoying sometimes.”
“I am not an annoying person.”
“Yes, yes, I understand.”
Thank goodness. Gerth’s attention shifted to Reina. After letting them bicker playfully for a moment, Gerth seemed to remember his original purpose and turned the conversation back to me.
“Hubert and Leri have departed. Hubert knows more about the Dragon King than I do.”
So he was telling me to ask questions when the time came. I nodded in acknowledgment, and Gerth said something unexpected.
“Not as much as Hubert, but he also knows about the Dragon King’s nature.”
“He?”
“He is he.”
“So who exactly is he?”
“He…. That….”
I was seeing an unexpected side of Gerth today. The man struggled with his words, clearly in distress, before speaking with palpable malice and resentment.
“A grown man who doesn’t act his age, who loves expensive toys, and who has a slimy appearance.”
“The Department Head Professor?”
“That’s him.”
I’d suspected as much since he’d torn off someone’s front door, but it seemed Gerth genuinely despised the Department Head Professor.
“How does the Department Head Professor know about the Dragon King?”
“It’s a secret.”
“A secret?”
“He begged me on his knees to keep it secret, so it’s a secret.”
“….”
“….”
Gerth really did despise the Department Head Professor. I decided not to press further.
“It’s better not to get close to someone so irresponsible and lacking in proper judgment.”
“Mm….”
“Evan? Why aren’t you responding?”
“Hmm….”
That person is our Department Head Professor, and we’re doing volunteer work together, I owe them quite a bit, I’ve received their guidance, and they even gave me a guitar and taught me songs.
It’s clear we’ll continue building our relationship going forward, but there’s such a thing as a kind lie in this world. I’ll bury this matter.
“I’ll give it my best.”
“Do your best, Evan Laef. And the training—”
I grabbed White One and shook them while mentally chanting “turn off the communication, turn off the communication.” White One grew dizzy and slapped my face again. A wound of glory.
“Ever since last time, you do that every time training comes up. What kind of training is it?”
“It’s training to do 3 sets of 500 reps.”
When I answered, Reina Letem laughed and mocked me, saying I couldn’t even do 3 sets of 500 without skills. I threw White One at Reina Letem.
Go bite her. Bite her, White One.
I pushed White One’s back, but the good-natured White One couldn’t bring themselves to bite Reina Letem and instead jumped at me, striking my face with their tail. This traitor—does White One betray their owner just because Reina Letem buys them expensive treats?

◇ ◆ ◇

Whether I won gold medals in all my midterms or not, time flowed mercilessly onward, and the festival period approached. While other professors were one thing, Professor Ha of the etiquette class seemed to trust me quite a bit—when I turned in a blank exam and escaped the test room in first place, they even called out my full name trying to stop me.
I’m sorry, Professor Ha. Your wounded expression was so heartbreaking, but I had no choice. There wasn’t much time left before I took the stage.
Locked away by myself practicing relentlessly, I’d forgotten how to harmonize with others. We had a rehearsal the other day, and since everyone’s skill levels were all over the place, the performance was a complete mess.
“Alright! Let’s practice with energy today too!”
But that Sera Crowell sings incredibly well. She could debut as a singer right now. Damn Imperial Court and their cheats. Since all the princesses are like that, no wonder Seian Crowell gets criticized for being born after his sisters stole all the skills and talents.
“Stop adding ad-libs, Evan Laef!”
“If you’d just back me up properly on drums, this wouldn’t happen, Reina Letem!”
“Shut it, you idiot! This is an ensemble! Why are you showing off like you’re the only one who’s good?!”
“Showing off? Why! Who said you play drums so terribly in the first place!”
“What, you wanna fight?!”
“Rather than expect you to play well, I’d kill you and find a new drummer!”
I expected it, but discord arose in less than twenty seconds after we started. Why does that gorilla get so irritable just because I added some technique to the guitar?
“Calm down, Evan Laef! We’re going on stage as one team! We can’t do it without Reina Letem!”
“I’m sorry, Evan Laef. I said I’d practice, but I haven’t reached the level you’d be satisfied with yet.”
No, Eugene, you’re doing great. Bass is so important. Honestly, I’m showing off because I trust you. How could the guitar roam freely without a solid bass backing us up from behind? Just now, Reina Letem was just being difficult for no reason.
When I said this clearly and firmly, Reina Letem threw a drumstick at me, and I dodged it.
“Treat your instruments with care, Reina Letem.”
“Ugh, I won’t!”
Does that bastard have a death wish? Just as I was about to use a skill, the Seorita Crown Princess clung to me and blocked my attack, while Sunbird clung to Reina Letem and dragged them out of the practice room.

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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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