There’s Something Special About Her - Chapter 41

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

Chapter 41.
It was truly strange and bewildering.
Here was Rene Berk’s pale, ordinary face—yet with Giselle Roth’s hoarse manner of speech and voice.
I stepped closer and examined her more carefully.
Standard Disguise Art is most vulnerable at points of heavy muscle movement, like the corners of the mouth and eyes.
It’s unavoidable when you’re layering thin membranes or structures on top.
But on Giselle Roth’s face, I couldn’t detect a single hint of the subtle lifting that would betray such a technique.
So I had no choice but to ask.
“Which one is your real face?”
I’d never seen Giselle Roth up this close in the Nest before, so I had no way of knowing.
“Is it possible the one as Rene Berk is—ugh!”
“You little—”
Next thing I knew, I was grabbed by the collar.
“When did you figure it out? How did you figure it out?!”
“Can’t—can’t breathe, Roth!”
I hammered desperately at the back of her hand, gasping for air, and Giselle Roth finally let me go—though she was snarling the whole time.
She shoved me away roughly as she did.
“Talk straight. When did you know?”
Giselle Roth’s voice had lost all its jesting edge.
The teasing had to stop now.
“I became completely certain yesterday. That cookie hanging on the doorknob had medicine in it, didn’t it?”
“…What evidence do you have that I’m the one who did it?”
“The cookie’s shape and handwriting looked like you were being careful to change them, but you can’t hide this.”
I stuck my tongue out slightly and pointed to it as I spoke.
“It tasted like Rene Berk’s cookies from the past year. My sense of taste is rather sensitive.”
“Ha, right. That would be it.”
Giselle Roth ran her hand roughly through her hair and muttered to herself.
She seemed furious with her own carelessness.
Not changing the dough recipe had been her mistake, after all.
She could easily vent her frustration at me for being an easy target—but instead—
watching her irritate herself was rather endearing.
“But it tasted good.”
“Are you mocking me?”
She throws a fit even when I compliment her.
I take back what I said about her being endearing.
“So the cookie—fine. What about the rest?”
“Hm?”
“You said yesterday was when you became certain. That means you spotted something earlier too.”
“Ah, that.”
Should I tell her or not?
I thought about it for a moment, then decided to tell her.
The cookies she’d made all this time had been delicious, after all.
“It’s the gift you gave me.”
I gestured with my eyes toward the box she was holding.
“…The candy box?”
“Could you shake it for a second?”
She eyed me suspiciously but shook the box as I suggested.
“What is this? Why did you tell me to shake it?”
“Because it doesn’t make any sound.”
“And?”
Is she quick-witted or slow? It’s hard to tell.
I let out a small sigh and continued.
“The candy box you normally carry around makes a sound.”
She stiffened.
Giselle Roth startled and pulled out the candy box she usually kept from her apron pocket.
When she shook it gently—
Clink-clink.
“That sound.”
“Damn it all.”
Giselle Roth buried her face in one hand.
She had to be embarrassed.
She absolutely had to be.
To be caught by a fresh Newcomer just because of a candy box—of all things.
“Everyone has their own habits, but I kept hearing the exact same sound every time we met. Roth, Rene Berk.”
I should probably stop here—but why would I?
I decided to tease her a bit more while I had the chance.
This was payback for everything so far.
“And there were two more people—that man I ran into on the way up to Raven Tower.”
“You…”
“And the kidnapper who took me from the Ward.”
Giselle Roth’s eyes flew open in shock.
“You were awake the whole time?!”
“You only grazed the back of my neck.”
“You cunning little—”
Unable to contain herself, Giselle Roth lunged forward, grabbed my collar, and shook me like I was a piggy bank.
And between shaking me loose change-style, she said:
“So from now on, carry your candies in this box instead. I picked one that doesn’t rattle.”
“You little—”
Giselle Roth’s eyes grew even more menacing.
Those already-intimidating eyes seemed to blaze even brighter with anger.
Wait, why?!
That thickly cushioned candy box was incredibly hard to find, you know!
I was just about to explain how much legwork I’d put into searching the Castle’s commercial district—
“Hahaha! Ahahaha!”
Giselle Roth, who’d been holding my collar, suddenly burst into laughter.
Bent double, hand on her belly.
It was genuinely terrifying.
“W-why are you suddenly—please, use words!”
“Hehehehe, the Captain said to raise this one well. Looks like you’re the real deal.”
Giselle Roth wiped tears from the corners of her eyes and murmured, then let out a satisfied breath with a “Whew!”
“Yeah. You might be worth raising after all.”
Those words made my ears perk up.
“Does that mean you’ll teach me properly now?”
“Yeah. I’ll roll you around until you’re useful.”
“I’ll do my best, Senior.”
I finally had my mentor’s approval.
And my heart felt lighter too.
The kidnapping, the storage room, the drugged cookies—
all the time I’d spent being dragged here and there by Giselle Roth’s hand, I’d managed to repay even a little of it.
“Haha, laughing that hard made me hungry.”
Giselle Roth finally stopped laughing and spoke to me.
“You stay in here for a bit. Don’t let strange rumors spread.”
“Yes, Senior.”
I answered obediently, and Giselle Roth brushed off her apron and grasped the doorknob.
Then she paused suddenly and spoke.
“Oh, and from now on, call me Senior. Where did you get the nerve to call your mentor by her name?”
Beneath the gruff rebuke lay a gentle consideration.
It was so very like Giselle Roth.
I smiled softly and answered.
“Yes, Senior.”
Chapter 5
“Can’t you take it a little easier?”
“Easier? Easier?”
At my words, Giselle scoffed.
“Did I hear you right? There’s no way a Newcomer would dare say something like ‘easier.'”
“Even if you’re my mentor, this is tyranny!”
“You’re spouting nonsense. Straighten up that backside.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I’d relaxed my posture for just a moment, and somehow she knew.
Her attention to detail was uncanny.
Muttering under my breath, I lifted my lowered rear end back up.
After sitting like that for a while, my weight shifted forward and the crown of my head began to throb.
Just then, Dimart Shuren entered the Nest and stopped short, startled to see me with my head pressed to the floor, hands behind my back.
“Goodness, what a fright!”
“Welcome, Senior.”
“Well, why are you like that, Rene?”
“I’m not entirely sure myself. You should ask Giselle.”
“Well, now.”
Dimart clicked his tongue, but Noah Benton, who’d been watching from the side, explained on my behalf.
“Rene got three questions wrong on today’s test.”
“And? She’s pressing her head to the ground over three questions?”
“Three questions?!”
Giselle flared up and cut in.
“She should get them all right!”
But I had my own complaints too.
“Besides, those questions came from outside the material you told me to study!”
“Do you not know what Preparation means? And straighten that backside—don’t slouch!”
“I understand!”
Her eye for detail really was incredible!
If I’d known, I should’ve just gotten them all right.
I murmured complaints and shifted my head slightly to the side.
Anything to ease the throbbing.
‘Is this really what I became a Raven for?’
It had already been ten days since I’d passed the final test.
At first, Giselle Roth had taught me gently, easing me in.
Even though it was supposedly to verify my qualifications, she felt guilty about the drugged cookie and dragging me to the Underground Prison, apparently.
But that meager conscience didn’t last long.
One day she pulled out the Bernheim Empire Compendium and started racing through several chapters a day.
It’s only because it’s me that I can keep up at all—anyone else wouldn’t dream of passing half the test at the pace she’s setting.
“Rene, this must be exhausting…”
Noah Benton squatted beside me, fanning me with his hand, offering comfort.
“It’s fine, Noah.”
“When this is over, I’ll apply some—”
“Why is the Nest so noisy?”
A woman’s unfamiliar voice echoed through the Nest.
Her tone was cool and composed, befitting her steady nature.

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