LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 923
<923 – Titosso's Test (4)>
Titosso looked curiously at her palm, gazing down at it.
“Not shining…”
It’s quite strange.
Titosso suffers from a syndrome where mana is excessively generated.
She has been tormented by mana all her life and managed to free herself from that pain by wasting the overflowing mana through the unnecessary function of a light stand, aided by it.
However, the light stand was starting to show its limits.
Not only her experiences and knowledge had grown through various incidents, but her mana techniques had as well.
The sheer amount of increased mana she possessed began to soar explosively, and the ripple effect had caused the shining function she acquired to ascend rapidly as well.
Now, it’s gotten to the point where the automatic manifestation synergy between the mana technique and the shining function is so overwhelming that controlling it has become a challenge, with light continuously saturating her surroundings.
‘Maybe what Oknodie said is right. If my abilities strengthen like this for just a bit longer…’
Even with her eyes closed, the dazzling light scorches her optic nerves, penetrating walls and engulfing her surroundings, leaving no one able to stay by her side, and she herself would suffer for it.
Her shining is composed of an enormous amount of light attribute mana puzzles.
Already, her shining has dulled not only her physical senses but even her mana detection senses.
Foreseeing the ‘future’ of this ability.
No, envisioning the ‘catastrophe’ isn’t difficult.
It’s quite tragic, really; it involves Titosso’s senses being paralyzed and everyone around her dying in a spectacular flop.
‘So, was that how I could get close to Oknodie? Or did Oknodie realize that it would come to this from the very start?’
Though her attributes were of light, her mana exhibited similarities to dark mana.
It’s a double-edged sword; if her uncontrollable mana grows beyond a certain threshold, it will induce widespread trouble, leading to self-destruction, affecting herself and everyone around her.
“Ah! I need to write in my diary.”
Thanks to the habit of writing letters to keep her father, mother, and older sister informed of her health status, she has become accustomed to diary writing.
She secretly jots down her personal experiences or feelings she doesn’t want anyone to read in it.
━━━
Year xxx, Month xx, Day xx
I couldn’t write in the letter to my sister that I’m being called weird because of the light stand. Even though I’m mad at her, I don’t want to worry her.
Year xxx, Month xx, Day xx
I lied to Mama, saying I’m doing the growing-up exercises every day. But Oknodie said that the smaller you are, the stronger you are, right? I don’t want to look weak!
Year xxx, Month xx, Day xx
I told Papa he’s my favorite in the whole world, but that was a lie. Lately, I like Oknodie more! I don’t dislike Jiang either. Did you hear that story where I hung the kids who were gossiping about me out the window for three hours? But sometimes, I hang out there for ten minutes too, and it’s scary… Is it really that awful to steal only the strawberries from a strawberry cake?
Year xxx, Month xx, Day xx
Oknodie told me that if you steal someone’s food, their food collection judgment fails. So, if someone has their food taken away, they instinctively get mad. What a terrible thing to do, akin to committing an atrocious act towards someone who killed your parents. I’m such a piece of trash… And thank you, Jiang, for forgiving me after hanging me for just ten minutes…
Year xxx, Month xx, Day xx
Oknodie is such a fool. A total nitwit. He said it’s stuff only to do to people who kill parents. To think I was duped by him! I hope pens break during Professor Weird’s lecture tomorrow!!!
━━━
Her diary often had this vibe.
A personal treasure trove of memories and emotions, sometimes used for venting frustrations.
The content of her diary changed according to her father, mother, and sister’s interests.
━━━
Year xxx, Month xx, Day xx
Papa keeps worshiping Oknodie, which is a bit concerning. It’s good that Kanelle City became clean and the revolutionaries and the Thief Guild were eradicated thanks to Oknodie, but recently, I don’t know if I’m Papa’s daughter or if Oknodie is Papa’s daughter. Why does he ask about Oknodie’s current state? And why does he want the cup Oknodie drinks from? What’s he planning to do with the giant Oknodie statue he’s erecting?
Year xxx, Month xx, Day xx
Mama says a clever woman gets married in her teens, so she urges me to snag a rich guy from the Foundation.
They say that Foundation kids have guaranteed talent and are diligent in training, making them genuinely great marriage candidates, yet Papa says it’s better to marry late!
━━━
Papa goes into worship mode when Oknodie receives funding for the half-collapsed city reconstruction from Jezel, and Mama pushes me to grab a rich guy because a Foundation man is the real deal.
Hence, she spills her unspoken feelings and complaints.
Usually, families bring up such topics first.
But today, the topic in her diary seemed different.
“How do I say I can’t use the light stand anymore?”
If she sends a letter saying she can’t use the item meant for exclusive use among popular kids and a mana saturation syndrome remedy, her entire family would come rushing to the Academy with all their possessions, begging every single professor, “Please save our daughter!”
━━━
Year xxx, Month xx, Day xx
I really should keep the fact that I can’t use the light stand a secret.
If I get swamped with assignments while begging the professors to save me, there’s a chance I might die of overwork before dying from having too much mana!
But I’m really bad at lying. Oknodie and Jiang tease me about it all the time… How do I trick them?
Hmm, I guess I’ll have to say I’m sick and overwhelmed with assignments and can’t reply for a while!
━━━
After jotting down her realizations with satisfaction, she stuffed the letter into the mailbox.
Then, she began to train in mana control, monopolizing all her break time today.
The reason Titosso, who isn’t particularly diligent, could dedicate herself to training was simple.
I injected giant’s blood, so until I can control the mana supplied through my blood, it’s perfect for experiments, as the blood itself feeds on mana to prolong life! The professors should be able to give me points while harvesting blood too, right?
What if the giant’s blood also strengthens? What if I can’t get out because I get too big and end up trapped in the building and die?
Then I’ll just smash the building!
What about the repair costs?
…You got this!
Repair costs?!
She hopes it won’t come to having to smash a building for a hefty compensation!
Of course, Titosso’s worries were entirely unfounded.
On the very same day, she learned that the effects of giant’s blood were not about getting bigger but stronger.
“This is troublesome.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m losing interest in teaching.”
The additional bonus of Professor Aktrus, who teaches explosion studies, lamenting the loss of fun in teaching was a bit troubling.
“There was a thrill in blasting magic with the overflowing mana, but if I’m losing mana to blood, what use are you?”
“Hick! That’s too mean!”
“Be quiet. You, with neither explosions nor light stand, are just a crying one-trick pony. Hand over your blood and keep crying.”
“No, please don’t bring the syringe!”
“If you want it, control your mana. Give me some explosions. Give me back my teaching fun. You fraud.”
With plenty of mana but lacking in control techniques and talent, Titosso sometimes thought it might be better to offload all her responsibilities to the giant’s blood and savor the freedoms and safe lifespan without the light stand.
However, such complacent thoughts vanished instantly at the sight of the syringes thrust at her by the professors.
“I’ll leave two syringes here today.”
“Why is the quantity doubled?!”
“Looking at the collected blood, your mana regeneration is insane. We might as well syringe the other professors from the Knight Department’s labs and if you can’t enhance your control, we may have to do a bet over claiming you as a student!”
The professors have begun to covet the blood for ulterior, suspicious purposes!
The syringe marks on her arms disappeared quickly thanks to the professors’ healing spells, but Titosso’s wounded heart, which had become a mere tool for betting, remained unsoothed.
Moreover, there were other inconveniences that could fit in her diary.
“U-Umm, Titosso. Do you have a moment?”
“Oh no! Not this again?! I hate it!”
“Just a minute! Not just me, that, um…
“Someone confessing?”
“Y-Yes!”
“This is the seventh time since morning! We’re friends, right? Why are you suddenly asking me to be your girlfriend? I don’t like love!”
“Am I that bad that you hate me?!”
“Well, you’re not great, but we hardly had deep conversations!”
Lacking the usual halo and with her strange light stand absent, she has received plenty of confessions from boys she hardly knew.
She began to understand her mother’s saying that it would be easier to marry early.
“Today’s assignment is a gift for someone precious. Michael, what gift will you give?”
“The love cookies I made will charm anyone who eats them! Titosso, please accept my gift!”
“No!! Absolutely not eating!!!”
Today, yet another boy fainted yelling, “Oh, heavens!!” but Titosso felt no pity whatsoever.
In reality, the one who deserved sympathy was not the rejected boy, but rather her; the one rejecting so many boys while enduring their curses.
“Is that him again?”
“I can understand why he hid his beauty…”
“He’s so radiant. Why doesn’t he do it now?”
“Is he trying to enjoy the popularity?”
“Ugh, gross…”
“I feel sick. Could you show some consideration for us, who have to witness our classmate get rejected suddenly?”
“Titosso messed up my assignment. I need to check with a team member if they’re preparing well; if he drops, what am I supposed to do?”
“Hey, keep it down.”
“Did I say anything wrong?”
“No, Jiang is glaring at you from outside the window…”
“……Our temporary classroom will crash after class! It’s not like I’m hanging outside the window!”
Jiang tilted his head while wearing a fox mask.
“Whether you live or die is none of my business. It’s your fault for being weak. Who told you to gossip about my friend?”
“I’ll tell the professor!”
“Go ahead. If you want to dangle on a cliff after graduation, whether I’m from the upper class or you’re from the lower class, who do you think will be stronger?”
“……”
Thanks to Jiang, who is always helping her, she felt a bit guilty.
“Jiang. I think I cause more trouble when I don’t shine compared to when I do. So many people are suffering because of me.”
“Those losers have their karma.”
“No, I mean other people.”
“Those who confessed are responsible too.”
“That’s not it; it’s the seniors betting with the professor about me… the ones I injected with giant’s blood and barely got through are getting tortured from being transferred forcibly…”
“…I do feel a bit sorry about that.”
Even Jiang, who usually threatens normal classmates, questioned if it was even human behavior.
On the other hand, she thought that before the professors, it was Oknodie who first pulled such tricks on Titosso that maybe the students have a bit too much mana.
“Still, I can’t let things go on like this. Titosso’s daily life is the most threatened compared to others.”
“Planning to help?”
“There’s a method.”
“Wow! What method?”
“Ask a professor proficient in mana control for help.”
“…But Professor Aktrus treats us like blood bags?”
“You should ask the upper professors for help.”
Although Professor Aktrus is a competent person boasting the strongest power among the Empire Faction professors, it’s doubtful whether he is the strongest professor in the Academy.
“I heard a professor named Buzhaar, whom Oknodie mentioned earlier, is the best among the professors teaching fourth years. Learning from him could be a direct path, right?”
“…Didn’t Oknodie say he’s the most dangerous professor in the Academy?”
“But we’re still in our second year; wouldn’t he take it easy on us?”
“Is that so? Hehe.”
Titosso chuckled foolishly.
It was a naïve giggle that didn’t consider Jiang throwing her friend to a dangerous professor out of sheer annoyance with the gossip.