Ishtar was new to this, but in reality, there was a student who had already visited this facility and even the lab last year.
– “They say Professor Weird kidnaps lowerclassmen who are likely to fail due to a lack of talent and perseverance around this time every year!”
– “…Kidnaps them to do what? I can’t imagine that such a foolish student would ever be able to meet the professor’s expectations.”
– “Last year, they were tasked with awakening a spirit needed for practical training.”
– “A spirit? Spirit mages require quite a bit of talent, don’t they? That sounds like a skilled student.”
– “The person who woke up the spirit got absolutely clobbered by it, so they need someone to take the hits instead!”
– “…”
Oknodie and Jiang.
And Dobi.
– “Hitting someone like that won’t get you what you want. The world doesn’t work that way. Instead, promise to get Dobi a fairy tale book to read later.”
– “Lies! Humans always deceive spirits. If you want to buy trust, you must pay the price!”
– “If you don’t bring it, I’ll come find you to claim your head. That’s how assassins keep their word.”
Dobi’s memories of the spirits shone dangerously in his mind.
– “Life…?”
– “Yes. It would feel better to just kill them.”
– “Death to liars!”
Huff!
“What, what’s wrong?”
“Phew… I momentarily recalled some unpleasant memories. Memories from when I was a small and insignificant being… times when I was troubled by much more trivial issues than the end of the world.”
For Oknodie and Jiang, it might have been a little outing to save the poor Dobi, but the past Dobi remembered was far more painful, bitter, and significant.
In reality, he had been clobbered by spirits, joined a library expedition to get a fairy tale book, and accidentally opened the door to Oknodie’s memories, witnessing the moment of the world’s end—a time that changed his life.
To him, the journey of being captured by spirits and seeking a fairy tale book was far more impressive than the memories of his past life.
“Since that day, I thought I’d never return, but… to think I’d gain a chance for revenge like this. Thank you sincerely for calling me.”
“It wasn’t exactly my intention, but I’m glad you have the ambition. However, what I’m planning is the rescue of Oknodie, not some operation to completely destroy Professor Weird’s ravaged botanical garden.”
“Isn’t it?”
“Seriously, it’s not. So put down the Molotov cocktails.”
Dobi pouted and pulled out one Molotov cocktail, two Molotov cocktails, three Molotov cocktails… How many of those cocktails did he bring?!
As Dobi paused while putting down the Molotov cocktail, he lowered his voice and made a serious suggestion.
“Think again. If we set fire to the botanical garden after being attacked by Professor Sadako and it becomes a wreck, they might not be able to discern whether it’s our doing or due to the professor’s assault.”
“If the botanical garden burns, the people inside will die too.”
“Do you know that the giant tree is called the [World Tree]? It’s not the kind of tree that simply burns when set aflame. Spirits sleep and play inside it, and it has enormously increased its life force.”
“Even if the risk of burning or suffocation has been removed, it’d still be dangerous if Professor Weird finds out.”
“Quite the opposite. Plants are like a thorn in Professor Weird’s eyes. If we burn away those invasive demon plants, how easily could we slip past?”
Is that so?
The original Ishtar would have deemed such a ridiculous proposal worthless, but after repeatedly witnessing how Oknodie’s absurd ideas yielded better results than those of more rigid folks, the current Ishtar felt a tad tempted.
Her childhood friend Yufi often said the same.
A resourceful girl is generally more popular with men than a dull-witted girl.
It may come off as a strange logic for Oknodie’s popularity, while the hero himself is unpopular, but there was a part of Ishtar that struck a chord, so she secretly jotted down [Ways to Gain Popularity] in her notebook after confiding in Yufi.
“Feel free to take them.”
“Really?”
“It will be a short, decisive operation anyway. If we don’t rush in and out, we’ll get caught by Professor Weird. Even with your grudge against the professor, you wouldn’t have the guts to throw a Molotov cocktail at her face, right?”
Such reckless actions wouldn’t come from a fourth-year student who had already suffered enough at the professor’s hands.
And so, after a brief thirty-minute meeting, their duo’s infiltration operation began.
Tweet tweet…
First hurdle, the external surveillance plant network of the botanical garden was entirely burnt down, providing them with a free pass.
Second hurdle, guarding the lab was a 20-meter tall giant sparrow named Tweet-Tweet.
This was where the real challenge began.
While Tweet-Tweet was nothing more than a pet monster the professor playfully toyed with, it was ordinarily an intimidating monster to others.
Just then, while the botanical garden was in chaos, the pet monster spotted a mantis monster trying to flee from the tree.
‘Is it going to dash off at an incredible speed to catch it?’
Contrary to Ishtar’s expectations, a long tongue extending like a tentacle sprouted from Tweet-Tweet’s mouth, piercing through the mantis monster’s carapace and impaling its head in one blow.
The time it took for the instantly slain carcass to be pulled into Tweet-Tweet’s mouth and swallowed was merely about three seconds.
In the stunned silence of Ishtar, Dobi explained.
“When using the entrance, anyone without the passage permission spell gets attacked by that Tweet-Tweet. It’s normally a lazy creature that only works when it feels like it, but it’s likely on high alert right now since it just got smacked by Professor Weird.”
“Won’t fighting such a thing make us detectable to the professor?”
“It’s not an appealing option, but there is a way to get in without encountering Professor Weird. We can choose a student-only part-time job and enter the facility.”
Upon looking at the magical watch’s part-time job search results Dobi presented, Ishtar understood why he was so hesitant.
━━━
[Daily Part-time Job] Playing with Spirits
[Daily Salary] 100-100,000 points (varies based on spirit number and rank)
[Work Location] Inside Professor Weird’s [Botanical Garden].
[Number of Hires] 2/5
[Note] Ensure that the engraved passage spell on your wrist is not damaged. If damaged, you cannot exit the facility until a Jaku or professor restores the spell.
━━━
“If the part-timers break their spell and the instructor doesn’t let them out, won’t they be stuck there with the instructor?”
“Truly villainous for a hero. Spot on with how you perceive Professor Weird’s strategies… High-paying jobs usually carry their risks. Even if it’s not Professor Weird’s job, you always have to be careful when the pay is high. You probably wouldn’t need to take a part-time job now that you’re the top student of the current year.”
“Are you mad at me?”
“…Sorry. It seems the stress from being on the verge of expulsion during my lowerclassman days hasn’t quite faded. Pathetic, isn’t it? Even after witnessing the end of the world, I’m getting angry over such trivial matters.”
“It’s pathetic, but not ridiculous. I too have been defeated by such a pathetic emotion not long ago.”
Dobi couldn’t believe it.
A warrior so beautiful she could be deemed a perfect human created by the gods calling herself pathetic was hard to comprehend.
But Ishtar was serious.
“I didn’t realize how ugly my heart was and how difficult it was to acknowledge that until I competed with Oknodie and maintained an equal relationship.”
“Hero…”
“But having overcome that weakness, I am far stronger now. You are too, right?”
Ishtar was aware of Dobi’s growth.
Before getting involved with Oknodie, Dobi was, by his own words, a student no one paid attention to, facing expulsion.
That same student had now created the Church of the End and was rumored to have endured at a high student level during the Catacombs expedition.
But it was quite regrettable that with such tremendous skills, he ended up hoarding points under the pretense of deceiving new student grades…
Students in this academy aren’t inherently bad.
In most cases, it’s the professors who are bad.
If Professor Weird had given an over-the-top exam, it might even seem like Dobi was playing the role of a rogue returning the stolen grades just like Professor Bronze.
Well, despite differing genders, he was still a student much like herself.
Despite the questionable actions, there must be good intentions for the juniors behind them.
Even while trampling over those unhelpful students, hadn’t she always thought they were working for greater deeds for humanity?
‘These days, I don’t rise by incurring everyone’s wrath like I used to.’
Oknodie had shown a path of growth by pushing oneself to the limits rather than stepping on others.
And now, Oknodie was intending to push himself into a new limit.
The difference was that until now, any trials were welcomed with a smile, while the child was now looking like someone on the verge of depression.
‘Professor Weird. Professors like you have been using Oknodie’s character to exploit him.’
Unforgivable.
She must rescue Oknodie.
Having received the entrance approval spell, Dobi confidently stepped into the tree and said,
“I’ll take care of the spirits alone. You should head to where Oknodie went.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing. I too have gained a chance to rise above the pain of the past and become better. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t even dream of this. The gratitude should be directed towards me for your sake.”
“…”
This kid was doing this on purpose?!
Well… given that it was the spirits who initiated the attack, it’s only fair.
“Just mind your conduct. Don’t attract the professor’s attention.”
“Don’t worry about the soundproof barrier. After experiencing the Adult Kraken’s Kraken Pier, I’ve learned that fear holds the same importance as delicacy. Controlled fear gives longer-lasting terror than uncontrolled fear. Hehehe…”
Was it really such a bright idea to seek help from Dobi?
Trying to put up a shield, Ishtar found Dobi’s devilish laugh and the dark mana creeping up to be quite alarming, leading her to constantly reach for the handle of the Holy Sword.
‘It’s too harsh to betray someone who helped you.’
Determined to redirect her rage towards the student who lured Oknodie away, Ishtar had a vendetta.
Having excessively held onto Dobi’s hair while falling asleep, she remembered the biomana pattern and unique mana wavelength.
The remnants lingering in the air.
Following the stagnant flow, she quickly found the room Oknodie had entered.
[Infiltration]
What kind of conversation might be happening in this room?
As Ishtar peeked through the door, her mouth dropped open.
‘Is Oknodie crying?!’
A transfer student made Oknodie cry.
