Black Killer Whale Baby [EN]: Chapter 13

Episode 13

“Ah…”

Flying fish. I should acknowledge flying fish.

Among our aquatic animal shapeshifters, they were particularly light-mouthed and liked to chatter, like wrens among land animals.

“Besides, it was a shocking enough fact… Rumors spread faster the more outrageous they are.”

*Is that something to say so casually?*

“It sounds like you’re saying my story is outrageous.”

I frowned, and Lyla shrugged slightly.

“Wouldn’t some people *want* it to be outrageous?”

I looked up to see Lyla holding out her hand.

Before I knew it, there were stairs.

Instead of taking Lyla’s hand, I deliberately whined and started climbing the stairs.

*I’m three years old. I can climb this much myself.*

Lyla withdrew her hand without any sign of displeasure and smiled faintly.

“For example, Lord Baiyan, who might be nervous about the appearance of a genius… And Lord Sorte, too.”

Each was the son of my great-uncle and the son of my uncle.

The first grandson of Grandma’s first son. The first grandson of the second son.

I dusted off my hands and said nonchalantly.

“Why leave one out? There’s Bellus, too.”

Lyla paused for a moment.

“Why? Is he *that* much of a genius compared to me?”

Bellus. That was my first older brother’s name.

When there was no answer, I shrugged it off and climbed the stairs.

Lyla soon followed me, saying,

“Hmm, now that I see it, the Princess is not only good at languages. It seems her strength and stamina are also quite impressive…”

“You noticed that? You have a good eye.”

“How could I lead this educational institution if I couldn’t even do this much?”

*Look at her subtly changing the subject when my first older brother came up.*

I shrugged.

*Well, I guess you’re saying I’m not comparable to the greatest genius in the history of this elementary institution yet.*

Bellus.

He was the older brother who gave me the most trouble in becoming the head of the family in my previous life, too.

In the end, I fought and won, and accepted him as my subordinate.

*Hmph. What makes this life any different?*

Lyla couldn’t hide her intrigued eyes.

“Could it be that the rumor about not awakening the power of water was also false?”

“No, that’s true.”

But why? Lyla didn’t seem to believe it.

Well, I was practically rock climbing up the stairs, lifting myself with my hands, and not even breathing hard, so I guess it would look that way.

“Do I look impressive?”

“I can’t say you don’t.”

I grinned.

“Then tell Grandma exactly that.”

Tell her how smart and amazing this granddaughter is.

Then Lyla asked something more, but I didn’t say anything more.

I need to keep my mouth shut here so the misunderstanding will deepen on its own.

*Besides, what you see now is not the end.*

This is just the beginning. When I didn’t answer, Lyla cleanly gave up and climbed the stairs with me.

Soon, we entered a long hallway, and Lyla took the lead and pointed to one place.

A golden sign with a whale drawn on it swayed gently in the breeze.

“That’s the highest-level class in this institution, starting today. Alpha Class.”

* * *

Shapeshifters follow the characteristics and tendencies of their base animal.

Therefore, whale shapeshifters generally avoided fighting, loved peace, and were affectionate and friendly among themselves.

Furthermore, they tended to have a great basic tolerance for other races.

Even humpback whales, who are now almost extinct, love peace so much that they embrace even hostile land animals.

*I think that’s why they’re endangered, but anyway.*

I knew the general tendencies of whales.

“The report class is over today, so from now on, we will play a game of making sculptures with the given blocks.”

“Yes!”

However, among these whales, there was a heretic.

Needless to say.

It was the orcas, who seized the position of leader of the aquatic animals.

“Hmph. Why do we have to do such childish games?”

“That’s right, Caron, bro!”

That whales other than orcas love peace is not an important fact for orcas.

And the other whales were under this gang of thug-like orcas.

“Anyway, ordinary whale guys are no good. Look at them liking blocks like kids.”

“That’s right, Caron, bro!!”

The behavior of these guys, who pushed through with their overflowing thuggery and numbers, was no different from children.

Rather, the more instinctual the shapeshifter children, the more wild they looked.

“Hey, move.”

This whale’s top class, named ‘Alpha Class,’ was a collection of the best elite and outstanding children among each whale species, including orcas.

“It’s mine…”

“What? Want to get hit!”

“Waaaaah, Teacher…!”

Even among these, orcas were thugs, and the boss among these orcas was ‘Caron’ from the collateral line [a branch family, not the main family line].

“Um, Caron, you shouldn’t hit your white dolphin classmate.”

“When did I hit him? My hand was just there, and he bumped into it.”

“…”

“What, are you lying? Tell me.”

“Hiiiing, Teacher…!! Caron glared at me!”

Caron, who was eight years old this year, was twice as big as the other children.

“Caron, please do your activities without disturbing the class.”

“Yes, yes. I understand.”

However, a common characteristic of whale shapeshifters.

A characteristic that they can’t help but speak awkwardly even at the age of 7 or 8.

Alpha Class, which gathered only the best of the 7-8 year olds, did not escape this characteristic, and Caron was no different.

“Hmph, you’re not even as good as my fins…! I’ll show you all.”

But Caron believed that he alone was the best among these dim-witted whales.

It was Caron’s pride to have entered the best class in this educational institution, where similar ages and levels were put into one class, and it was the pride of his family to be the best here.

*Even if I’m not as much of a genius as the direct line’s [main family line] young masters. I’m good enough!*

He also had the grand ambition to awaken the power of water someday.

Besides, not only his family members but also the people around his family had high expectations.

Seeing Caron, who was bigger, stronger, and had better stamina than ordinary orca children, they had high expectations that he would awaken the power of water even among the collateral lines.

“Ugh, he’s doing that again. Again and again.”

“Again and again!”

“Hey, you dolphin twins, can’t you be quiet?”

“…Hap!”

“…Hap!”

In this class, there was no child who was superior to Caron in name and reality.

This educational institution, established by the orcas, is a place where the strong monopolize everything.

Furthermore, the purpose of the aquatic animal education institution.

Therefore, the teachers did not interfere unless it was too noticeable, so Caron’s tyranny only grew day by day.

Caron will be the leader of this class until he completes the elementary education institution.

The orca children had long been under Caron.

“Okay, today we have a new friend ‘Calypso’ who came here. Everyone, please welcome her with applause.”

This was a fact that would not change even if the teacher brought a new child and introduced her today.

But… the moment Caron saw the small child walking behind the teacher, his eyes widened.

*Direct line?*

Jet-black hair, and white spots that looked like eyes on her head.

Clearly, it was proof that she inherited the direct line of the orca family. It was a color that was not often seen.

“Shall we have you introduce yourself?”

Besides, the person who followed behind was Lyla, the owner of this institution, whom no child attending this elementary education institution could not know.

Caron, who instinctively feared only Lyla, even though he didn’t fear the teachers who hardly scolded or were indifferent, flinched.

“Certainly, our institution welcomes strong children, but Caron… it would be good to do it moderately.”

This was because he had received a warning from Lyla once for hitting the dolphin twins, and his body still remembered the power of water he had seen at that time.

Not only Caron but also the other orca collateral line children who were acting similarly to Caron’s tendencies were the same.

They looked nervous looking at Lyla.

Besides, she’s a girl… Caron soon remembered one fact.

“I heard that Lord Pierre’s daughter was born? But I heard she didn’t even awaken the power of water.”

“She’s a useless child. We support Lord Baiyan, the first son of the head of the family and his son. It’s a good thing when a useless thing is born. I heard she’s going to be sold as the Dragon’s bride, so that’s good.”

“Oh my, how could such a useless thing be born under Lord Pierre…”

“Isn’t that the mystery of genetics?”

It was the conversation between the mother and father, who were the heads of the collateral family.

In particular, Caron paid attention to the word ‘useless.’

*Could it be that the child my parents were talking about is her?*

Unfortunately, Caron’s parents belonged to a collateral line that had not heard the rumors that had spread in just one day.

“Um, Miss Calypso? An introduction…”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I was just looking around for a moment.”

Caron confidently raised his head, but then his eyes widened.

*What, what was that just now?*

Not only Caron but all the children opened their eyes wide.

Especially the dolphin children, who were full of curiosity, sparkled their eyes.