Chapter: 14
Clear pronunciation, and a natural way of speaking that flowed out effortlessly.
Not a single child in the class could imitate it.
“It’s nice to meet you.”
They hadn’t misheard.
Only then did Karon stop looking down on her and begin examining the little girl from head to toe.
“Wooow, she’s sooo pwetty…”
“She wooks wike a doww. I wanna be fwiends.”
“Do you think Pwankton candy?”
“I wike candy!”
“I wasn’t tawking to you!”
The younger the children, the harsher their standards for beauty.
Or rather, they were simply brutally honest.
To those children’s eyes, the newly arrived Calypso looked like a tiny doll.
“My name is Calypso Aquasiadel.”
Her loosely tied twin pigtails, long eyelashes that stood out even from afar despite her round features, and the brilliant blue eyes that symbolized her direct bloodline…
“I heard this is the smartest class and the highest-ranked class among those receiving instruction.”
Although she wore a blank expression, even that somehow became part of her charm.
“I have high expectations for this class. I hope many of my classmates will live up to them.”
The sharp eyes characteristic of orcas seemed softened, making her look even cuter.
Even the teachers were taken aback by such an ambitious introduction coming from someone who looked nothing like a child.
“W-Wow. Everyone heard that, right? Let’s welcome our new classmate with applause!”
“Yaaay!”
“Wewcome!”
“Come on in!”
“So pwetty!”
Fortunately, the whale children, who generally loved peace, welcomed Calypso with bright smiles and applause.
Instead of sitting among the other children, however, Calypso walked all the way to the far corner and plopped down by herself.
“Alright, everyone. Go back to today’s assignment—building sculptures with blocks—and hand in your finished work. Once you’re done, call your teacher.”
“Yes!”
As soon as free time was given, the children ignored their assignment and began sneaking glances around the lonely Calypso.
The young orcas were no different.
Why did someone this tiny come to our class?
Is she younger than us, or is she the same age but just didn’t grow?
I dunno!
Conversations like that buzzed around the room.
‘Hmph. She looks so spaced out…!’
Only after hearing all of that did Karon finally manage to look down on Calypso again.
“Excuse me.”
Calypso turned her head.
Her expression remained blank.
“That hair color… you’re from the direct bloodline, right?”
Calypso stared at the child who had boldly walked right up to her.
Wow. He’s freaking huge.
‘My neck hurts.’
Looking up while sitting down, he seemed enormous.
He was probably eight years old, the oldest age in this class, and even considering that, he was much larger than other children.
Moreover, as soon as he approached, not only did the other children back away, but even the curious young orcas flinched and retreated.
There was no mistaking it.
‘So this guy’s the boss, huh?’
Calypso casually stretched her neck and stared straight at him.
When you’re aiming for the leader, the first step is always overwhelming them.
“I asked if you’re direct bloodline.”
Calypso’s blue eyes gleamed.
This class belongs to me now.
“You shouldn’t have to ask if you can see my hair color.”
Karon flinched.
Then, realizing he had flinched, he became furious with himself.
Watching him, Calypso made her judgment.
‘There’s no such thing as someone who gets angry easily and is truly strong.’
Someone who’s genuinely strong stays calm even while they’re angry.
‘Like my second older brother.’
Fortunately, it didn’t seem like there were any crazy—or rather, extraordinary—orcas like her brothers in this class.
Though comparing these children to those monsters wasn’t exactly fair.
“How old are you?”
“I’m eight years old. But… you’re awfully small for your age, aren’t you, Lady Direct Bloodline?”
Instead of being embarrassed by the mockery, Calypso simply tilted her head adorably.
It was an incredibly lovable gesture, though she herself seemed completely unaware of it.
“How incompetent are you that, with a body that size, you still couldn’t advance to the intermediate academy and are still stuck in kindergarten… no, this beginner academy?”
“Of course I’m outstanding… huh?”
“I said you’re incompetent, idiot. Isn’t it stranger that you’re still here?”
Calypso answered flatly, and Karon’s large face instantly turned bright red.
“The educational institutions for beastfolk require attendance until the intermediate academy. Most children move up by the age of eight.”
Advancement depended on physical ability and intelligence.
Orcas, in particular, were expected to possess not only strength and stamina but intelligence as well.
“No matter how strong you are, if you’re stupid, you can’t get into the intermediate academy. Why are you proudly advertising how incompetent you are?”
Someone with a body like his who was still stuck here had no business acting proud.
Before long, the children gathered around to watch.
Even the young orcas slowly crept closer.
Calypso lifted her large eyes and glanced around.
‘Lila… probably won’t stop this.’
The teachers simply watched.
“Y-You’re just a tiny little runt!”
“Hey, kid.”
Calypso called over one of the children watching.
The child stiffened as everyone’s attention turned toward him.
Gray hair patterned with dark blue markings.
Various whale species flashed through Calypso’s mind.
“Are you a gray whale?”
“Huh? Y-Yes! Yes… that’s right!”
“Can you count?”
The child hurriedly nodded.
He looked delighted that she’d guessed his race correctly.
“Yes! I’m really good at counting!”
What a good kid.
“Then tell me… what’s that incompetent kid’s name?”
“Karon!”
“Good. And what’s your name?”
“Joseph!”
“Alright, Joseph.”
Calypso confidently held up her fingers.
“Count these fingers for me.”
“O-One… two… three. Three!”
“Good. Now tell Karon how old I am.”
“Yes! The Princess is three years old!”
Karon blinked.
Calypso smiled sweetly.
“Tsk. So you wanted to be in the same class as a three-year-old?”
Karon’s face turned completely red.
Exactly as she’d intended.
‘Even he must realize how pathetic his situation looks.’
To be fair, for an eight-year-old he wasn’t terribly behind.
But he certainly wasn’t in any position to puff out his chest proudly.
What’s with the so-called boss of this class?
‘Even the collateral branch kids from my previous life weren’t this bad.’
These brats have gotten soft.
I slowly looked over the orcas from the collateral branch.
It was easy enough—just look for the gray-haired ones without any markings.
“W-What?! That’s impossible! How could you be thwee years old?! We whales can’t even tawk pwopewly until we’re five!”
Who does he think he’s comparing himself to?
I gave him an indifferent glance before looking away.
I could practically hear him snorting through his nose.
Then it happened.
“Ah! Don’t!!”
At the same time the children cried out, a fist came crashing down where I had been sitting.
Boom!
He was still only a child, but orcas were the strongest creatures in the sea.
The soft floor caved in from the impact.
If he’d aimed just a little better, I might have ended up like the floor.
“Hmph! Even if you’re fwom the direct bloodline, you’re still just a tiny little…”
“You need to learn some manners first.”
“What?!”
Hmm… not sure if this’ll work, but…
I dashed forward and slammed my head straight into him.
‘I’ll let you off with a headbutt instead of a punch.’
…Actually, that was a fake-out.
At this size, my head had a much larger surface area than my tiny fist!
Bang!
Maybe Pierre’s relentless training had really paid off.
Seeing him fly backward, I was more surprised than anyone.
‘…What? The training actually worked?’
I never imagined it’d be useful in a real fight.
“H-He flew away!”
“Karon got sent fwying!”
During that brief sprint, something felt different.
Why?
My body suddenly felt lighter.
For just an instant, it felt almost the same as when I’d awakened the power of water in my previous life.
I looked at my hand, but no matter how hard I clenched it, water still didn’t appear.
As the dust settled, Karon lay sprawled on the ground.
I almost felt sorry for him.
Almost.
But this was nothing.
Something like this would never kill him.
‘Yeah. I know because I grew up getting hit. Stop exaggerating, idiot.’
He simply groaned while clutching his head.
The moment our eyes met, I immediately grabbed one of the nearby blocks.
‘Until just yesterday, Pierre had me cleaning and organizing things until I was exhausted from labor.’
Recalling the feeling of smashing rocks and swinging hammers…
I squeezed with all my strength.
Crunch!
The block shattered into pieces in my hand.
The children gasped in amazement.
Karon’s face turned deathly pale.
“You still want to fight?”
“…”
Among orcas, fights determined the hierarchy.
Karon lowered his eyes.
Every beast looked the same when admitting defeat.
As if I’d been waiting for that moment, I blew lightly on my tiny fist.
“My dad told me never to let myself get beaten up.”
Starting today…
This class belongs to me.
