Chapter 78 Disgusted!
Hugo stood frozen in the middle of the library, his legs feeling like jelly. His brain was a battlefield of indecision.
He couldn't decide whether to approach the table or turn around and make a run for it. Should he go over and face her? Or should he turn around and bolt for the exit?
He started pacing in his head, as though holding an imaginary courtroom to debate his fate.
'Okay, let's think. If I run away, I avoid all the awkwardness. No Emily, no reliving my worst nightmare, no Ass Dragon flashbacks. But...' his thoughts darkened.
'I'll definitely fail the test tomorrow. And failing means retaking the course. It's like choosing between jumping into lava now or getting shoved into lava later.'
He paused dramatically, even in his mind. 'But if I go over there... Oh man, what if she remembers me? What if she's sitting there right now, thinking, 'Hey, wasn't he that guy who farted like a trumpet during orientation?''Nôv(el)B\\jnn
He groaned under his breath. 'But I have to pass this test. I've got to suck it up. Worst-case scenario, I just faint and pretend I have low blood sugar. Fainting is still cooler than being remembered as Ass Dragon.'
Taking a deep breath and forcing a smile so stiff it looked painful, Hugo walked toward the table, every step feeling like his last on Earth.
"Finally!" Loli said, looking up as Hugo arrived. "What took you so long? Don't tell me you got lost again!"
Hugo scratched the back of his head, trying to play it cool. "Uh... no. Just, you know, admiring the Obscure Bird Species section."
"Sure," Loli said, rolling her eyes. She gestured to Emily. "This is Emily. Emily, this is Hugo. Try not to lose brain cells talking to him."
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Emily looked up at him, her beautiful face framed by perfect hair, and Hugo immediately froze. Her eyes narrowed slightly, studying him. Hugo's heart skipped several beats.
'Oh no. She's staring. Does she know? Is she remembering me? Did the fart sneeze haunt her dreams?'
Emily tilted her head, her brow furrowing as if she was trying to place him. "Have we met before?"
'PANIC MODE! ABORT MISSION! RUN!' Hugo's mind screamed. But his body betrayed him. He awkwardly stuck out a trembling hand and squeaked out, "N-nope! Never met! Definitely not!"
She stared at him for a few more seconds, her lips slightly pursed in thought. Then she shrugged and shook his hand politely. "Alright. Nice to meet you."
Hugo nearly collapsed in relief. 'Oh thank every deity ever invented. She doesn't remember. Or maybe she does, but she's being polite. No, she definitely doesn't remember. But what if she does and she's just biding her time to ruin me? No, calm down, Hugo. You're safe. Probably.'
He quickly sat down beside Loli, clutching his notebook as if it was a lifeline. Loli wasted no time. "So, what part of the course are you struggling with?"
Hugo gave her a blank stare. "...All of it."
Loli blinked. Then she blinked again. "All of it?"
"Yes."
Her face twitched before she and Emily burst into laughter.
"You're hopeless," Loli said, shaking her head. "Let me guess, you spend all your time in class staring out the window or daydreaming about magical adventures or something equally stupid."
Hugo shot her a glare. "I do not!"
What would this Loli know about a man and his problems? Especially problems related to Death missions?!
"Oh, really? Then why do you always look half-asleep in class? Or are you too busy checking out someone's butt in the front row?"
"I DO NOT STARE AT BUTTS!" Hugo exclaimed, his face going bright red. "I'm just... I have a medical condition! A serious one!"
He had an impending execution. That could count as a terminal illness, right?
Loli leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand with a smug grin. "Oh? And what condition is that?"
Hugo crossed his arms, determined to defend himself. "Short Attention Span Syndrome. It's very tragic."
"Uh-huh," Loli said, clearly unconvinced. "You mean Short Attention Span for Studying and Long Attention Span for Girls Syndrome?"
Emily giggled softly, and Hugo buried his face in his hands. "I came here for tutoring, not character assassination."
"Well, the truth hurts, buddy," Loli teased, her grin widening.
Their banter continued for a few minutes, with Hugo defending his "pure" intentions while Loli kept poking fun at his lack of focus.
Eventually, they got into the tutoring session, and Hugo started feeling like he might survive this test after all.
Barely an hour into their session, Loli's phone buzzed. She glanced at it and groaned. "Ugh, it's my course advisor. He probably wants to lecture me about taking too many electives again." She stood up and began packing her things.
"You're leaving?" Hugo asked, panic creeping into his voice.
"Relax, drama queen," Loli said. "Emily's here. She'll help you out." She gave Emily an encouraging smile. "Right?"
Emily hesitated for a moment but nodded. "Sure, I don't mind."
"Great!" Loli said, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Good luck, Hugo. Try not to fail too badly!"
As Loli walked off, Hugo suddenly felt very exposed. He glanced at Emily, who was now staring at him intently, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Are you sure we haven't met before?" she asked, tilting her head.
Hugo felt his heart drop into his stomach. She knows! Oh no, she knows! She's about to call me the Ass Dragon! My life is over!
"Nope!" he said, shaking his head so hard it could've been mistaken for a seizure. "Definitely not! Must be someone else! Lots of people look like me! I have one of those faces!"
Emily didn't look entirely convinced but let it go. "Alright…"
Hugo let out a shaky breath, his palms sweaty. 'Crisis averted. For now.'
To calm himself, he decided to test out his new system ability, Emotion Highlights.
He activated it, and a faint glow appeared around Emily. Her current emotion popped up in bold letters:
[Disgusted.]
Hugo's jaw dropped. 'Disgusted?! Why is she disgusted?! Is it my face? My hair? Does she already know I'm the Ass Dragon?! Did I smell bad when I walked over?! Oh no. She knows. She DEFINITELY knows.'
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Power stone Goal!
50 PS - 1 Bonus chapter
100 PS - 2 Bonus chapter
200 PS (Quite an achievement as of now) - 3 Bonus chapters.
Castle - 20 Bonus Chapters!