Stella handed me some books from her lab.
「Introduction to Fairy Science」 – By Stella Bellhawk.
「Fairies Unveiled」 – By Stella Bellhawk.
「Honey. Water. Iron.」 – By Stella Bellhawk.
While the titles didn't seem particularly exciting, I thought their content might help me understand fairies better.
"Here are my research books on fairies. I'm originally selling them, but I'll give them to Theo-kun for free."
Stella spoke as if handing over the books was a significant favor. However, I couldn't help but notice the boxes and stocks piled up in a corner.
Perhaps she noticed my gaze and felt embarrassed, as she swiftly pushed the boxes full of books aside with her foot.
"… Well, I produced a lot of these in the beginning. Tartar, take these and put them somewhere out of sight! And do some cleaning in the lab!"
"It's going to be a lot of work…!"
Tartar diligently began cleaning, just as Stella had instructed. As I watched her work quietly, Stella softly said to me.
"So, you're going to choose me as the champion, right? I can teach you various things that you don't know. Many things."
It was pretty blatant. However, the appeal was working.
Stella had lived for a considerable amount of time being an Elf, possessing a wealth of knowledge and experience. Her position as a professor was more than just an empty title.
"Why don't we forget the past and start over on good terms? Theo-kun, if I can secure the head position of the Bellhawk Family, I can also invest in you~."
It wasn't a bad offer. If I pushed a little further, Stella might even bring an even better deal to the table.
However, I had no intention of accepting Stella's proposal.
That was because the conditions she laid out were contingent on her winning the trial by combat.
She seemed confident that she would win.
However, could Stella really defeat the Hunter who was powerful enough to pierce through Aira's barrier? In the original story, even though Stella was the Head Hunter, she ultimately met a ruthless end at the hands of the protagonist's party.
Even though the Hunter hadn't grown as much as in the original story, and this was not a duel to the death, I still didn't trust that Stella could defeat him.
I didn't know much about her abilities to begin with.
Was there even someone who could defeat the Hunter in a duel?
In web novels, the protagonist would always win, because they WERE the protagonist.
If I tried to think of someone who could fight against the Hunter and win, only Aira would come to mind.
Or perhaps Elga, who had recently gained a Status Window and had been rapidly progressing.
Come to think of it, choosing a champion was quite the challenge.
"Then, Theo-kun, see you in the Exploring Fairies Lecture tomorrow."
"You're teaching class tomorrow?"
With that, my conversation with Stella came to an end.
"Okay, goodbye. Tartar, our guest is leaving, bid your farewell."
"Comrade Theo…! The cake was good…! I shall remember the help I received today, I swear by my tail…! Let's have a pork cutlet party with Gargar, Purpur and Marmar next time…!" ℞𝘼NÔ₿ƐŜ
"Okay then, take care of yourself. Don't get in trouble."
As I left Stella's old and shabby laboratory behind, I had to admit that she was more sophisticated than I had originally expected.
I thought she was going to be rough and uncouth, but she'd carefully considered my position of power and extended her goodwill to gradually gain my favor.
A subtle atmosphere that was different from other arrogant young elites.
Was it a unique social skill that the Bellhawk Family, who expanded through commerce, possessed?
She thoroughly understood the constantly changing power dynamics.
It also meant that the moment I became of no use to her, I'd be discarded like an old container of leftovers in the fridge…
But before that happened, I should try to gain as much as I could.
At the moment, the nature of the Casanova job was feeding lecherous thoughts into my mind.
… Should I claim her body?
It was highly unlikely, but it didn't seem impossible. I could employ a scholarly approach like an investigation into whether a mixed offspring could be born between a Half-Fairy and an Elf.
I should head back to my dormitory for now.
With a moment to spare, I skimmed through the books Stella had given me. The contents were filled with challenging academic terms, making it hard to understand, but there were bits and pieces that were helpful.
Nymphs were said to get along well with young girls who hadn't married yet, sometimes taking care of them like mothers or sisters.
「What a very fairy-friendly book…!
Gained job experience for 'Half-Fairy'…! + 50」
「Reading nourishes the mind and soul…! It's like honey in your mouth…!
Job: Half-Fairy 1+ Level…!
Half-Fairy Lv. 7 → Half-Fairy Lv. 8
You can do more fairy-friendly things…!」
As I mindlessly read the book, my Half-Fairy experience points increased.
Eating candy and getting smacked in the head increased my 'Half-Fairy' experience points, which had been somewhat stagnant lately. So it was a bit surprising to see a level-up all of a sudden.
Simultaneously, I sensed that the magic energy in my body was circulating more vigorously.
And my nose got so sensitive that I could smell the gum paper in my pocket that I was saving for later when I might be low on sugar-.
Without even trying to intentionally listen, I could hear the enthusiastic squeaks of Keongkeong spinning on the wheel.
At the same time, the words, which would usually be hard to distinguish, were clear and crisp. It seemed like my vision had sharpened as well.
This must be because my 'Half-Fairy' level had increased. Initially, I thought it was a lackluster Job, but with these level-ups and improvements, it'd proven to be quite beneficial.
Was it a late-game job?
As I flipped through the book about Nymphs, I suddenly became curious about who my mother in this world might be. She must be a Nymph too. Where could I find her? I was not even sure if she was still alive.
It seemed like whether it was in my original world or this one, some things remained the same…