Hunter Kindergarten, Dolphin Class! - Chapter 94

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 094

 

I opened the door staggering like a zombie. With my shoulders drooping, dragging my feet, I barely made it to the bed and… collapsed face-first onto it.

 

“I’m dying…”

 

One night, two days.

 

During that time, searching for Nabi’s Leg and looking for the missing Seo-ro, even two bodies wouldn’t have been enough.

 

Moreover, during the 2-hour ride on the bus that BOND hastily arranged for us, I couldn’t sleep a wink because I had to keep Seo-ro company in conversation…

 

I still don’t understand why, but Seo-ro gripped my hand tightly as if he would never let go and kept throwing questions at me non-stop.

 

 

He mostly asked about my preferences and hobbies, so it wasn’t difficult to answer.

 

Unlike his usual self, I was happy that Seo-ro was showing interest in me, but…

 

Thanks to that, I now don’t have the strength to even lift a finger.

 

[ It was really, really fun! Right~? ]

 

And… unfortunately, Nabi seemed to have energy to spare.

 

‘She’s really flying around, flying around.’

 

Cruelly, Nabi was bouncing around on top of my collapsed back.

 

Her single arm and leg moved out of sync, pressing down on my back.

 

‘I have no idea what she looks like bouncing around up there.’

 

But as long as I didn’t try to imagine Nabi’s appearance, it felt quite refreshing, so I let her be.

 

‘I think I understand why elderly people ask their grandchildren to step on their backs.’

 

It felt like my aching body was being relieved in every corner.

 

I actively moved my mouth so Nabi wouldn’t stop bouncing.

 

“Right~ It was so much fun. We found Nabi’s Leg too.”

 

[ Right! I’m so happy! ]

 

‘Wow… This is really refreshing…’

 

There’s a problem.

 

Lying still and getting a massage like this is making me gradually sleepy.

 

[ Let’s go camping again next time. ]

 

“Sure, sure…”

 

[ Next time we’ll go with Seo-ro too! And Seo-ra! Ah…! Let’s just go with all my friends! ]

 

“Yeah… That would be fun too.”

 

[ Once I find all the remaining half of my body, I can play even more excitedly. ]

 

“Really? Wow… Nabi is lucky.”

 

[ Right, it’ll take a little time but… That’s okay. Now I can appear in front of my friends! I can play together! ]

 

Just before my exhausted body’s brain turned to mush.

 

“Yeah, now Nabi can also appear in front of her friends…”

 

…What did Nabi just say?

 

Did I hear wrong?

 

Appear? Who in front of whom?

 

“…What did you say?”

 

[ I’m not completely? Perfect? yet. But I can appear! Just like my friends! ]

 

I bolted upright. All traces of sleepiness completely vanished.

 

As I suddenly got up from my position, the White Dog Doll that had been on my back fell onto the bed. The White Dog Doll that collapsed on the mattress looked at me in that state…

 

The black doll’s pupils looked purely innocent.

 

‘It’s been a while since I felt this.’

 

Hair standing on end, and what seemed like long-dead survival instincts awakening again… That creepy feeling.

 

However, I soon skillfully calmed my startled heart. Slowly controlling my breathing… I asked as calmly as possible.

 

“You want to… appear in front of your friends?”

 

[ Yes, I want to play together too. ]

 

“You’ve been playing well as a doll until now.”

 

[ But… In this form, I can’t run or talk with my friends. I want to run together, talk, play house, and eat meals together too! Is that… not okay?]

 

…This is a big problem.

 

I already vaguely knew that Nabi wanted to play with the kids in our class. The way she diligently tried to participate in all the games and studies that the children did without fail…

 

She even asked me to carry a kindergarten bag like her friends do.

 

That’s how much she likes her friends.

 

Enough to want to appear in front of them.

 

‘It would be strange if she didn’t notice.’

 

Normally, I would have been horrified and stopped her.

 

But this time…

 

The obvious lines I used to control Nabi in the beginning, like ‘I’d be sad if you became closer with other friends,’ wouldn’t work in this situation.

 

In short, it was a situation where I couldn’t persuade Nabi with ordinary words.

 

Instead of hastily speaking up, I quietly placed both hands on my waist.

 

‘I thought she was satisfied with doll life since she’s been getting along well without complaints.’

 

Now I see that wasn’t the case.

 

This was just…

 

‘She was enduring it.’

 

It wasn’t that life as a doll was satisfying, but she had been quiet because she hadn’t achieved the ‘minimum appearance needed to play with friends’ until now.

 

‘But as of yesterday, the situation changed.’

 

By finding Nabi’s ‘Right Leg,’ she could now somewhat achieve the ‘appearance’ she wanted.

 

‘Who would have guessed she was playing the waiting game.’

 

And the person who enabled that was me…

 

‘Damn.’

 

Not knowing what that ‘appearance’ might look like was another problem right now…

 

Was there really no way to stop her?

 

As my headache-inducing worries dragged on endlessly.

 

[ I prepared a gift to thank you for finding my leg. ]

 

With those unexpected words, the White Dog Doll’s back tore open. A black hand emerged from between the torn seams, fidgeting as it thrust a fist in front of my nose.

 

-Ding!

 

 

A gift?

 

Looking at the Status Window that kept ringing, I opened my palm as if enchanted.

 

Then.

 

Thud.

 

Thud thud thud.

 

Heavy objects fell one after another onto my outstretched palm.

 

Dazzlingly bright and beautiful golden light…

 

“It’s gold.”

 

My mouth fell wide open. My thought process stopped for a moment.

 

Huh???

 

‘…Is this real?’

 

The brilliant Gold Jewelry sparkled on my palm, reflecting the fluorescent light.

 

The color was deep and the luster natural… I immediately picked one up and rubbed the edge hard with my hand.

 

‘Come on, it could be gold-plated… It’s not coming off.’

 

Crazy.

 

This looks like real pure gold.

 

Conscious of my trembling hands, I looked at Nabi.

 

I thought if I received a gift this time, it might be in the form of ‘Skill Sharing’ like last time…

 

I never dreamed I’d receive such blatantly worldly material goods.

 

Thanks to that, my heart won’t calm down.

 

‘Stay calm. Is this your first time experiencing something like this?’

 

…It is my first time, you idiot.

 

14k? 18k? Don’t tell me… 24k?

 

For now, I ignored my racing heart and thought.

 

Well, I’ve roughly confirmed that it’s real gold, so there’s something else I need to check next…

 

“Where did you get this?”

 

Source verification!

 

[ I found it. ]

 

“Where?”

 

[ On the floor. ]

 

You’re not even a cat, how did you just pick this up from the floor!

 

Fortunately, Nabi seemed to read my frustrated expression and gave me more explanation.

 

[ When going to Rest, you can’t take things like this. So I brought them. You like this kind of stuff! ]

 

How do you know I like this kind of stuff, no wait, that’s not what’s important… Who says that when you die, only your soul goes and leaves behind gold and everything!

 

‘So all of this is belongings of the deceased.’

 

The gold jewelry in my palm all looked quite valuable. Delicately crafted rings, necklaces, brooches, and even bracelets…

 

‘But somehow there isn’t a single simple design.’

 

I looked at them quietly, then carefully placed them on the blanket and let out a sigh.

 

I could secretly sell them at a local jewelry shop…

 

“So what you’re saying is, all of this originally belonged to dead people.”

 

[ That’s right! That’s it! ]

 

Don’t be so cheerful about it!

 

“…Then I can’t use it. This jewelry might have been something the original owner wanted to give to remaining family or friends.”

 

[ It’s okay. The owners of these didn’t seem to have family or friends. ]

 

Oh wow, how convenient…

 

“…”

 

I couldn’t hold back and smacked my forehead with my palm.

 

‘Should I say this was well done?’

 

It wasn’t stolen, just picked up from the floor as a gift. Even gave me only things from owners who no longer exist.

 

Chillingly thorough, yet even kind.

 

Thinking of Nabi’s intentions, I decided it wouldn’t be polite to refuse any further.

 

But still, how could I shamelessly use someone else’s belongings…

 

So no matter how grateful I am, this is… going into storage.

 

‘I can’t even take it to the police station.’

 

Because if they ask how I obtained it, I can’t answer.

 

Ugh…

 

In the end, I swallowed my tears and gathered the jewelry, carefully placing it in the bottom drawer of my desk.

 

Then I turned around and spoke to the White Dog Doll that was staring up at me intently.

 

“Thank you, I like it. I’ll treasure the gift.”

 

[ Yeah! ]

 

Even though there wasn’t a single piece of jewelry I could actually wear.

 

‘I think I might cry…’

 

And seeing me like this, Nabi hummed proudly and finally dropped a bombshell.

 

[ Good, then I can appear in front of my friends now, right? ]

 

 

And so, with favorability that had risen by 7%, the next day a new friend appeared in Ocean Kindergarten’s Dolphin Class.

 

In a rather shocking form.

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