Chapter 678 Interlude: Asteria“s Typical Day as a Student Part 16
Note: If you can"t remember what happened in this Interlude, you can go back and read the first 15.... Trust me, reading this is important for the whole story...
d̴͎̕l̷̜̄̊ f̴̮͊k̵͕͋j̵̛͇͚a̸̼͗ s̵͓͚̐̑d̶̠͍͛l̴̥͑͝k̵̞̾̐ f̴̟̺̂j̸̯͓̑̕i̶̬̎̏ ẁ̵̲͠ e̷̬̳̿l̸̗̅͝ ḱ̷̡̠̔ j̴͎̩̃̈́c̸̯͝l̸͚̔ k̸̤͎̃d̸̛͚͈͐ş̴̋̓m̸͔͊ f̸͙̜̾̓l̷̙̤͋k̸̡̦͊d̷̖͑ s̵͎̬̚a̵̞̎͐j̵̨͋͝ḽ̸̭͝ k̶͔͑͠s̷͖̹̍̂ã̵̮̱̕ ḓ̶͓̓͌j̴͕̅f̸̨̆̅l̸͈̒̇ k̸͉͘s̶͈̲̈́d̵͚̭̔̄ j̶̢̻͗f̵̖̅̐ͅḽ̵̛͗ͅ k̴͖͒s̵̝̔͌ḑ̵̳̉̆ j̶͎̽f̸̡̰̿l̶̺͐ķ̶͑ d̴̨̈́ŝ̷̮j̷͚̎̍ f̸͍̓͝l̶̩̄͘ǩ̴̗̯̊ s̸̳̈̓d̷̩̏́ǰ̸̣͑ l̸̯̪͝f̵̘̈̊k̶͈̏̀ j̵͔̐̋s̶̭͐̚d̸̦̼͋͘a̸͉̥͗ l̴͍̒͛k̵̡̩͆̈f̵̋ͅ s̶͕̎d̸͖̫̃̈́a̴̼̠͘ m̷̯̹̈́͆c̵̮̑̀s̵̠̣̅d̶̛͕ ,̵͌ͅm̸͎͆͐c̷̱͇̈ l̶̢̙͊k̵̫͈̒d̵̨̀̅ͅ s̸͚͗̆j̷̧̛̊f̵̰̐̀f̵̝̈́͂ l̸̰̗͌̈s̷̗̀d̵̼̈́ k̸̪̥͘j̷͍͆͊ f̵̭͇͆͐ḻ̶̳͐s̶̙̓͝k̵̰̥̍̔ d̵̮͆͆f̴̨̭̈́̈ m̶͈̑l̶̫̏́s̴̊͆ͅ d̵̥̼̄̃à̷̧̤c̴̛̞ ṁ̸̜̿l̷̡̛̞k̶̺͚̊ d̷̜̭͆s̴̙̿j̶͖̠͌̋ c̵̩̱̓͛l̵͉͋͝k̷̞̀̌ ș̶̭̃d̸̛̺͈̓m̷͍̓ ç̵̠̅̐s̵̼̔͒d̵͔͈́̓ f̴͕͐ļ̴̲́̐k̵̳͘̚s̵̱̫͂̈́ d̶͈̄̐ͅi̸̳͔̋ṙ̴̝̥̌p̷̡̜͋ o̶͕͑͝w̶̾͌͜ͅe̷̢͓͝m̸̢̿ l̵͔͓̏k̸̯͖͒ḟ̵̜͚ j̷̘͗͂l̵͙͉͛̈́ş̴̻͐͊a̸̮̿̎ ḳ̵͊j̴͚̮͆͘ c̴͙͗o̴̹̍i̸̤̪͘a̴̛͕͝ j̴̣̅ḷ̸̣́̇k̶̭̭̀e̶̟͈͐̐m̶̳̋f̷̡̱̅ḽ̸͆̅ǎ̶͉͗ é̷̼̑k̴̲̈́j̸̭̈̒ c̵̩͔̑̈́m̴̤̈l̴̬̣͐̕ ķ̴̣̉d̴͖͍̈́s̶̙̜͌͘á̶̦̫j̴̫̘͝ j̷͚͈̅̅ọ̷͋͂i̴̛̤̩d̵̡̎͜ s̴̳̀̔a̸̳̠͒̈́l̶̻̯̀̓ j̶̼̊͂f̸̝̦͗͌ā̸ͅd̷̰̒̂ s̸̛̖̦w̸̲̄ȩ̸͕͐ õ̵͎ͅṛ̵͒ u̶̫̚w̷̠̫̆o̵̻̫̓i̶̛̦͙͋ e̶̫͊̌͜n̸̹̆n̴̗̹̈̍z̸̠̀̾ i̵̲͋̓c̵̹͑ḧ̸̢́͂z̷̼̍ c̸͚̃̒v̵̧͒̍j̸̝͗c̸̼̦͊͌ z̵̨̝̏͂v̸̤̭̆n̵͖͖͛͗ c̸͎͈͑͑ṽ̸͓z̷̧͎̿̃c̴͕̽͂ ư̷̤̋v̸̪̈̽ô̴̼z̸̗̅ i̶̜̩͗̓ư̶̧͠v̷̛͜ i̵͔̯̕͝ẑ̶̲̒v̶̹̞̇u̷̦͖̔i̷̺̪͆̚ o̶̥̫͐̅z̴̢̏̃j̸̘͋͝ e̶͎͛́ẃ̸ͅṛ̸̍ w̵͉͙͑̈́e̷̯̤͆́ä̷̟̩́h̸̺͝ k̷̰̘̃̊j̸͙̈́̂f̶̫̗̏̎ d̴͙͙̃h̷͓͌̒͜a̵̩͑ k̶̲̆͆ͅj̵̱͔͋f̴̥̝͑͂ĥ̸̲͇̄ ḁ̶̓̄͜d̴̹́f̵̞͠ h̵̳͂̈a̸̢̲̐d̵͔͚͆j̷̛̲͉͋ k̴̡̗͋s̴̙̒m̷̗̊ k̸͈̋͌h̸̯̜̎̀f̵̞̱͒ ù̷̧w̵̮̑é̸̙͔ä̴̺̖͛ h̴̭̙̆j̸̩͈̋͘ä̴̛̲̜ ǹ̴̳̩f̸͎̀̀k̵̘͠ d̶̖̂j̸̰͛̀a̷̫͖̚f̴̗͚̑͊ n̷͐̚ͅk̷͙͍̏̉à̵̢̀ d̵͉͌j̶͕̼̎̾s̴͓͖̐f̴͖̯̚ k̶̩͖̇̀j̷̡͍͆͋d̸̖̊̋ s̶̰͚̍̾a̴̡͒ṇ̷̌ f̵̥̋ͅä̴̫̠̈ḓ̸̦̉͠f̷̯͛̎ a̸̙͂͝s̷̫̅́d̴͓́ k̸̲̇j̸͈̈n̸̐͋ͅç̴̟̚ ḱ̵̪s̷̳̏j̸̛̜̿d̶̹͒ a̷̯̱̍̂ǹ̵͇͘ǩ̴̻ j̴̧́s̷̻̎̂a̶̲͍͗ d̸̛̾͜n̸͕̏f̸̦̓
[[[At the very moment that Asteria, Kuro, and their other cla.s.smates felt their s.h.i.+p entering the Imperial Abyss Palace, they were immediately a.s.saulted with the worst and foulest aura that they could ever feel in their whole lives.]]
[Everyone in the cla.s.s]: Blergh!
[[[Everyone felt the urge to vomit, as the malicious aura pouring down on their bodies was potent enough to make them sick. Some even began crying at this time, with the likes of Kibou and Celeste sobbing loudly as they ran around like headless chickens.]]]
[[[Only Kuro and Asteria were able to keep their calm at this time, but even these two did not look pleased with what was happening now.]]]
[Teacher Kuro]: Oi Asteria, what the h.e.l.l is this aura? I thought the Abyss Realm are courteous to their visitors? Why the h.e.l.l are we being forced to suffer this way then?
[Asteria]: Don"t ask me that, Teacher Kuro! I am just a visitor here too, you know!
[[[Both of these two tiny creatures were wary and angered with the aura pouring down on them, but because of their negligible size, both seemed to have no way to resolve the situation.]]]
[[[Even the proud Asteria were rendered helpless, which is a surprise given her intimate connections with the Abyss Realm"s higher-ups.]]]
[Teacher Kuro]: Oi Asteria… if this is a prank made by your uncle, the Endless Monarch will not be happy about it! Just remember that…
[Asteria]: Hey! Why are you making it sound like this is my fault, huh? Hmph, instead of berating me, why don"t you just a.s.sist my cla.s.smates? Look at them! They"re already sickened by this aura, and they might vomit! Ugh, you wouldn"t want their stinky regurgitation staining your lovely s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p, right?"
[Teacher Kuro]: ….
[Asteria]: ….
[Teacher Kuro]: ….
[Asteria]: ….
[Teacher Kuro]: …We"re still not done here, Asteria. I swear, once I fix this dilemma, I will make you talk about your involvement here…
[Asteria]: Whatever, Teacher. You can punish me all that you want, but I won"t fret. I have no f**king involvement with what is happening here, so don"t waste your time barking at me.
[Teacher Kuro]: As long as nothing worse happens aside from this "rude greeting", I might be able to accept your excuses, Asteria. But if something else occurs here, don"t expect that I will be lenient to you later….
[Asteria]: …..
[[[Judging by the words exchanged between these two, it was apparent that Kuro did not trust whatever Asteria just said to her.]]]
[[[There is no way that Kuro can trust Asteria, not with the way that she is behaving now.]]]
[[[Asteria did not even look trustworthy at all during their conversation, which is a telltale sign that she was hiding something from Kuro.]]]
[[[It was just too bad that Asteria"s lips were shut this time, and it seemed that no action by Kuro will be able to make the dumb fairy cough up.]]]
[[[But as long as the only bad thing that will happen to Kuro and her students was caused by this aura, Kuro still has the heart to let Asteria off. Who knows, this malicious aura could just be a greeting by the Imperial Abyss Palace towards all of its visitors….]]]
[[[However, if something bad happens after this "malicious greeting", Kuro will not even let Asteria leave her sights!]]
[[[After all, if Kuro and her students were to experience another malicious attack after this aura downpour, there is a high chance that Asteria had done something to induce this change!]]]
[Teacher Kuro]: Asteria, the Abyss Realm promised me that while this field trip could be slightly traumatic, it won"t give you and your cla.s.smates any kinds of physical danger. I believe that promise by the Abyss, since they abide with all their contracts
[Teacher Kuro]: So I will not be happy if I see something that tries to attack us right now. That will just make me unhappy to the Abyss.
[Teacher Kuro]: And it will also make me unhappy to you too, since you"re related to the Abyss….
[Asteria]: ….
[Teacher Kuro]: But as long as you can say to me right now that nothing else will happen here, everything will be fine…
[Teacher Kuro]: Can you do that, Asteria? Can you promise me that nothing else bad that will happen to me and your cla.s.smates from this point?
[Asteria]: ….
[Teacher Kuro]: Asteria, just tell me that you didn"t have any pranks prepared for us… Say that, and I can still give you a good evaluation for this trip…
[Asteria]: ….
[[[With her suspicion on Asteria now at full blast, Kuro had no choice but to try and make Asteria stop whatever she was planning to do, if she is indeed planning one.]]
[[[This is the only thing that Kuro can do to prevent anything bad from happening, which she is actually confident on doing. After all, the past Kuro was able to make Asteria listen to many of her commands…]]]
[Asteria]: ….
[Teacher Kuro]: Asteria, as much as I want you to be a silent kid, now is not the time for that. State to me your promise already, and we will be done here.
[Asteria]: …
[[[But contrary to what she had expected, Kuro"s attempt to entice Asteria did not show any signs of progress at all.]]]
[[[Asteria did not even show any reaction in regards to what Kuro said, as if she did not also acknowledge her offer.]]]
[[[This was made worse by the fact that Asteria"s cla.s.smates continued to cry at this time, and there were now actual sounds of retching that could be heard coming from the restroom.
[Teacher Kuro]: Asteria, just say the promise. How hard can it be? Come on, it"s just a few words…
[Asteria]: ….
[Teacher Kuro]: Hey, I said speak! Can"t you even do it, huh?
[Asteria]: …..
[Teacher Kuro]: F**k!!!!
[[[At this point, Kuro had begun to fear the worst. She already had the inkling of what was actually happening, and this knowledge did not make her feel happy at all.]]]
[[[Of course Kuro still held the hope that what was happening to them right now was just an isolated case, and that nothing else bad would occur on them…]]]
[[[This small hope however was quickly wiped away by Asteria, who now chose to suddenly talk after her few seconds of silence.]]]
[Asteria]: Um, I"m sorry Teacher Kuro, but I can"t actually state that promise right now. You see…. My uncle had already set his plan in motion in regards to us…. So even if you want me to make a promise right now, it won"t work.
[Teacher Kuro]: !!!
[[[[Asteria sounded slightly guilty as she said these words, but there were no expressions of remorse present on her face. It was as if she just slightly hurt by her confession, and that she felt nothing else from that.]]]
[[[This of course brought Kuro to a state of near fury, as she now had to experience both extreme rage from Asteria"s sudden betrayal, and extreme desire to just pound this dumb fairy into tinier pieces.]]]
[Teacher Kuro]: W-what did you say? Your uncle had a plan against us? But that"s-
[Asteria]: Teacher Kuro, I am really sorry about this, but I have no say against what my uncle is planning. So please… if you want to keep all of us safe, I suggest that you allow the incoming Abyss Monsters to take us away to my uncle"s house….
[Teacher Kuro]: You little s**t! So your s***y uncle really has some plans on us? Argh! I should have detected this earlier!
[[[With her sharp mind, Kuro quickly realized what Asteria was telling to her.]]]
[[[Asteria"s uncle appeared to have some nefarious intentions against Kuro and her students, and he seemed to be using this field trip as his chance to realize these intentions!]]]
[Teacher Kuro]: F**k!!!
[[[Once she had reached this line of realization, Kuro quickly knew that she and her students must not stay in the Abyss Realm anymore. Staying here for longer will just expose all of them to more danger, which is definitely the worst-case scenario here!]]]
[[[So even though Kuro was itching to give Asteria a severe punishment at this very moment, Kuro had no choice but to put all of her focus on escaping this place….]]]]
[Teacher Kuro]: Hey my students, all of you get down! This field trip is already cancelled! Come on, get back to your seats and buckle up! We shall be rus.h.i.+ng back to our campus right now, and we must not waste time! Go-
0̸̬͎̍̈2̸̱̼́͋9̷̢̼͊̋ 8̵͎̲̾0̷̹̮͝0̸͔͆̚͜ 9̵̛̻̼8̷̣̀̃0̷̖͙̅̽ 9̶͓̰͌3̷̙̏8̶̺͘ 2̵̦̥̒3̶̙͝9̵̞͖͗8̶͉̔̈ 4̴͓́ͅ0̸̗̳͛͂ 9̴̡͂2̵̪͎̔3̷̛̪͈8̸̨̓̚ 4̴̭͙́̄0̴̩͈̒̆9̶̪̗̽ 2̸̰̅3̴͍̗̂8̷̧̖͐ 4̴̯̽̑0̸̼̞̉͑9̷͈͎͊ 2̵̮͆̀3̴͓͋8̶͖̆ 4̶̛̲̱ 9̵̛̻̼8̷̣̀̃0̷̖͙̅̽ 9̶͓̰͌3̷̙̏8̶̺͘ 2̵̦̥̒3̶̙͝9̵̞͖͗8̶͉̔̈ 4̴͓́ͅ0̸̗̳͛͂ 9̴̡͂2̵̪͎̔3̷̛̪͈8̸̨̓̚
[[[But just like any other horror movie scenes where the main characters" hope of surviving was extinguished, Kuro"s attempt to escape was quickly sealed as a ma.s.sive, maggot-filled hand grabbed their s.h.i.+p whole.]]]
3̷̡̠͌2̸̖̰̃͝4̴̲͙̈ ǔ̸̥̓2̷͕̥̿3̶͕͚̓ 4̵̼͔́̚2̸̡̲̔̔9̶̻͒̒ 8̵̱͕̋3̶̩̾́͜4̷͙͕͒͆ 9̸̹̹̿͗2̷̠͌3̷̝͂͝ 8̵̢́3̴͓͈̉͝9̷̟̗́ 4̸̬̝̆̂8̸̱͗2̵͖̟̇ 3̶̠͛0̷͙̔9̶͇̗̽͐ 8̵̯̤͘͠4̷̢̗̑̓0̵̢̟̎ 2̷̜͐9̷̮̪̾̏ 8̵̢́3̴͓͈̉͝9̷̟̗́ 4̸̬̝̆̂8̸̱͗2̵͖̟̇ 3̶̠͛0̷͙̔9̶͇̗̽͐
[Teacher Kuro]: F***k!!!!
[[[Kuro tried her best to maneuver her s.h.i.+p out of this new obstacle, but all of that was in vain, as the maggot-filled hand just crushed her s.h.i.+p like it was a thin aluminum can.]]]
"Crunch…."
[[[All the weapons, boosters, and thrusters attached on Kuro"s s.h.i.+p sputtered and died out as they were destroyed out of their existences. Even the powerful forcefield s.h.i.+elds and defense mechanisms were destroyed in an instant too.]]]
[[[What was only left from the s.h.i.+p was a barely stable hunk of metal, one which the maggot-filled hand just threw straight towards a nearby black hole….]]]]
d̴͎̕l̷̜̄̊ f̴̮͊k̵͕͋j̵̛͇͚a̸̼͗ s̵͓͚̐̑d̶̠͍͛l̴̥͑͝k̵̞̾̐ f̴̟̺̂j̸̯͓̑̕i̶̬̎̏ ẁ̵̲͠ e̷̬̳̿l̸̗̅͝ ḱ̷̡̠̔ j̴͎̩̃̈́c̸̯͝l̸͚̔ k̸̤͎̃d̸̛͚͈͐ş̴̋̓m̸͔͊ f̸͙̜̾̓l̷̙̤͋k̸̡̦͊d̷̖͑ s̵͎̬̚a̵̞̎͐j̵̨͋͝ḽ̸̭͝ k̶͔͑͠s̷͖̹̍̂ã̵̮̱̕ ḓ̶͓̓͌j̴͕̅f̸̨̆̅l̸͈̒̇ k̸͉͘s̶͈̲̈́d̵͚̭̔̄ j̶̢̻͗f̵̖̅̐ͅḽ̵̛͗ͅ k̴͖͒s̵̝̔͌ḑ̵̳̉̆ j̶͎̽f̸̡̰̿l̶̺͐ķ̶͑ d̴̨̈́ŝ̷̮j̷͚̎̍ f̸͍̓͝l̶̩̄͘ǩ̴̗̯̊ s̸̳̈̓d̷̩̏́ǰ̸̣͑ l̸̯̪͝f̵̘̈̊k̶͈̏̀ j̵͔̐̋s̶̭͐̚d̸̦̼͋͘a̸͉̥͗ l̴͍̒͛k̵̡̩͆̈f̵̋ͅ s̶͕̎d̸͖̫̃̈́a̴̼̠͘ m̷̯̹̈́͆c̵̮̑̀s̵̠̣̅d̶̛͕ ,̵͌ͅm̸͎͆͐c̷̱͇̈ l̶̢̙͊k̵̫͈̒d̵̨̀̅ͅ s̸͚͗̆j̷̧̛̊f̵̰̐̀f̵̝̈́͂ l̸̰̗͌̈s̷̗̀d̵̼̈́ k̸̪̥͘j̷͍͆͊ f̵̭͇͆͐ḻ̶̳͐s̶̙̓͝k̵̰̥̍̔ d̵̮͆͆f̴̨̭̈́̈ m̶͈̑l̶̫̏́s̴̊͆ͅ d̵̥̼̄̃à̷̧̤c̴̛̞ ṁ̸̜̿l̷̡̛̞k̶̺͚̊ d̷̜̭͆s̴̙̿j̶͖̠͌̋ c̵̩̱̓͛l̵͉͋͝k̷̞̀̌ ș̶̭̃d̸̛̺͈̓m̷͍̓ ç̵̠̅̐s̵̼̔͒d̵͔͈́̓ f̴͕͐ļ̴̲́̐k̵̳͘̚s̵̱̫͂̈́ d̶͈̄̐ͅi̸̳͔̋ṙ̴̝̥̌p̷̡̜͋ o̶͕͑͝w̶̾͌͜ͅe̷̢͓͝m̸̢̿ l̵͔͓̏k̸̯͖͒ḟ̵̜͚ j̷̘͗͂l̵͙͉͛̈́ş̴̻͐͊a̸̮̿̎ ḳ̵͊j̴͚̮͆͘ c̴͙͗o̴̹̍i̸̤̪͘a̴̛͕͝ j̴̣̅ḷ̸̣́̇k̶̭̭̀e̶̟͈͐̐m̶̳̋f̷̡̱̅ḽ̸͆̅ǎ̶͉͗ é̷̼̑k̴̲̈́j̸̭̈̒ c̵̩͔̑̈́m̴̤̈l̴̬̣͐̕ ķ̴̣̉d̴͖͍̈́s̶̙̜͌͘á̶̦̫j̴̫̘͝ j̷͚͈̅̅ọ̷͋͂i̴̛̤̩d̵̡̎͜ s̴̳̀̔a̸̳̠͒̈́l̶̻̯̀̓ j̶̼̊͂f̸̝̦͗͌ā̸ͅd̷̰̒̂ s̸̛̖̦w̸̲̄ȩ̸͕͐ õ̵͎ͅṛ̵͒ u̶̫̚w̷̠̫̆o̵̻̫̓i̶̛̦͙͋ e̶̫͊̌͜n̸̹̆n̴̗̹̈̍z̸̠̀̾ i̵̲͋̓c̵̹͑ḧ̸̢́͂z̷̼̍ c̸͚̃̒v̵̧͒̍j̸̝͗c̸̼̦͊͌ z̵̨̝̏͂v̸̤̭̆n̵͖͖͛͗ c̸͎͈͑͑ṽ̸͓z̷̧͎̿̃c̴͕̽͂ ư̷̤̋v̸̪̈̽ô̴̼z̸̗̅ i̶̜̩͗̓ư̶̧͠v̷̛͜ i̵͔̯̕͝ẑ̶̲̒v̶̹̞̇u̷̦͖̔i̷̺̪͆̚ o̶̥̫͐̅z̴̢̏̃j̸̘͋͝ e̶͎͛́ẃ̸ͅṛ̸̍ w̵͉͙͑̈́e̷̯̤͆́ä̷̟̩́h̸̺͝ k̷̰̘̃̊j̸͙̈́̂f̶̫̗̏̎ d̴͙͙̃h̷͓͌̒͜a̵̩͑ k̶̲̆͆ͅj̵̱͔͋f̴̥̝͑͂ĥ̸̲͇̄ ḁ̶̓̄͜d̴̹́f̵̞͠ h̵̳͂̈a̸̢̲̐d̵͔͚͆j̷̛̲͉͋ k̴̡̗͋s̴̙̒m̷̗̊ k̸͈̋͌h̸̯̜̎̀f̵̞̱͒ ù̷̧w̵̮̑é̸̙͔ä̴̺̖͛ h̴̭̙̆j̸̩͈̋͘ä̴̛̲̜ ǹ̴̳̩f̸͎̀̀k̵̘͠ d̶̖̂j̸̰͛̀a̷̫͖̚f̴̗͚̑͊ n̷͐̚ͅk̷͙͍̏̉à̵̢̀ d̵͉͌j̶͕̼̎̾s̴͓͖̐f̴͖̯̚ k̶̩͖̇̀j̷̡͍͆͋d̸̖̊̋ s̶̰͚̍̾a̴̡͒ṇ̷̌ f̵̥̋ͅä̴̫̠̈ḓ̸̦̉͠f̷̯͛̎ a̸̙͂͝s̷̫̅́d̴͓́ k̸̲̇j̸͈̈n̸̐͋ͅç̴̟̚ ḱ̵̪s̷̳̏j̸̛̜̿d̶̹͒ a̷̯̱̍̂ǹ̵͇͘ǩ̴̻ j̴̧́s̷̻̎̂a̶̲͍͗ d̸̛̾͜n̸͕̏f̸̦̓