Chapter 6: The Weight of the Stars
Translated by algoo | Proofread by algoo
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As I nibbled on the snacks Catherine had provided, a sudden thought struck me. Were we going to have classes here, too?
“Catherine, will I have to come here every day for school?”
“Not necessarily… but you will likely visit this place more often than others.”
Hmm, so was this like a student council? The number of members seemed about right.
“Shorty, you joined the Stella without even knowing that?”
I was contemplating grabbing a chocolate macaron, my stomach starting to feel pleasantly full, when a sharp voice cut through the air.
Cliffhanger chest… she’d been needlessly antagonistic since this morning. Calling me stupid right from the start!
“Josephine, please watch your language. Eugene has just arrived in Paradise. It’s only natural that she wouldn’t know everything.”
“…What? You’ve been coddling the shorty ever since she got here.”
Chastened by Catherine, Josephine grumbled a few words under her breath and then fell silent. She was definitely annoying, but thinking about how my sister always ignored me, I felt a pang of sympathy. I should really try to be more tolerant.
“Eugene, we have some time before we head to the auditorium, so allow me to explain a few things.”
“Thanks, but… do you really need to hug me for the explanation?”
“Indeed.”
Catherine, despite her words, scooped me up from my seat and settled back down with me nestled firmly in her arms.
First Airi, now Catherine… why were people in this place so fond of hugging? Put yourselves in the hugged’s position! It’s awkward and uncomfortable!
“Hee…”
Airi and Josephine watched with pointed stares. Karin’s eyes glittered with amusement. Seo-a, seemingly indifferent, continued to gaze at the ceiling.
No matter how I looked at it, I didn’t belong here, surrounded by these… unique individuals. Sigh.
“The Stella is a gathering of stars that illuminate the path for lost lambs, guiding them so they don’t stray.”
Tickle, tickle.
“Each star, shining in its own unique way, uses its abilities to improve Paradise and serves as an example to guide the growth of the younger lambs.”
Poke, poke.
“Nn… uh…”
“Therefore, each star possesses at least one exceptional ability, unmatched by others.”
Wiggle, wiggle.
“St- stop it!!!”
“Eugene, my explanation isn’t finished yet. Are you alright?”
“Crazy pervert! Why are you poking and tickling my sides?!”
I’d been a fool to think she would simply hug me. She was the neck-biting pervert, after all! How could I expect her to just hold me normally?!
“E-Eugene… your expression is so… lewd…”
“So Catherine has a thing for the fresh-faced newbie type? That’s new.”
And to make matters worse, the others had seen it all. Mortification threatened to consume me.
“Well, it might not be such a bad thing. It’s good practice for Eugene, who will soon be standing in front of over three hundred people. Don’t you think?”
“Don’t give me that! Put me down!”
I struggled in Catherine’s grip, but she held me fast, seemingly unfazed by my squirming.
How could someone so slender be so strong? Did she chug protein shakes before bed?
“Since I’m already holding you, shall I carry you to the auditorium? You’re quite light, so I don’t mind.”
“No way! Airi, help!”
“Catherine! Please let her go!”
My loyal pervert Airi jumped to my rescue, but even she was no match for Catherine’s strength. Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t pry Catherine’s arms from my waist.
Was this really happening? Was I really about to be carried onto a stage in front of three hundred people? This couldn’t be real.
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“Catherine.”
Just as I was resigning myself to my fate and contemplating painless methods of self-inflicted demise, a cool voice cut through the air.
“It’s time to go.”
“…Is it? Perhaps I got a little carried away.”
To my astonishment, Catherine immediately released me upon hearing Seo-a’s words.
I’d assumed Catherine was the leader of this group, but apparently not. If I could get on Seo-a’s good side, could I use her to neutralize Catherine?!
“Now that Eugene is nice and relaxed, shall we go? Isn’t that right, Eugene?”
“…I’m definitely… relaxed.”
Was she serious? Did she really think all that groping and tickling was to help me relax? I felt her fingers brush against my belly button, for crying out loud. I wasn’t buying it.
“…Thank you, Catherine.”
Still, it was probably best to be polite, even if it was all an act. It had helped, in a bizarre, twisted way.
“You’re welcome.”
The moment of truth had finally arrived. I followed Catherine and the other three, each step feeling like a march toward my execution.
Ugh, I felt fine back in the Caelum… but now my stomach was twisting into knots.
“Eugene… are you alright?”
Airi, matching her pace to mine, noticed my distress and gently took my hand.
Her hand was much larger than mine, but its warmth was comforting, melting away the icy grip of anxiety that had clenched around my own.
“I’m… a little better now.”
“Don’t worry too much. Everyone at our school is kind and welcoming. Especially to someone as lovely as you, Eugene.”
“Hee hee, what’s that supposed to mean? It sounds like you’re saying I’m just a pretty face.”
“…”
“…Seriously?”
Why the silent treatment? It was like she’d hit a nerve! Should I have realized it sooner, when I saw how beautiful all four Stella members were? Even in a prestigious girls’ school… were they all really that superficial?
“My image of this place keeps shattering.”
“B-But everyone here is really kind and sweet!”
“Mhm. Airi’s a perfect example.”
“E-Eugene…!”
Sure, she’d tried to asphyxiate me with her chest the first time we met, but deep down, I knew Airi was a good person.
“We’ve arrived, Eugene. I’ll give you the signal, and then you can come in.”
The moment the auditorium doors came into view, my heart leaped into my throat. Catherine and Airi had tried their best, but I was still just a normal, easily flustered girl.
Standing before three hundred strangers? The mere thought made my knees weak.
“Don’t get your panties in a twist, newbie. It’s just a quick hello.”
Karin, who’d been walking ahead, turned back to give my shoulder a reassuring pat.
Maybe there was more to her than met the eye. Perhaps beneath the flirty exterior lurked a surprisingly thoughtful individual.
“Unless… you’d rather share a nice, deep kiss with me? I hear that helps calm the nerves.”
“I’m good.”
Nope. Still a pervert.
“Catherine, I’ll head in.”
Choi Seo-a, who had been leading the group, exchanged a look with Catherine before disappearing through the auditorium doors.
Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!
The sound of hundreds of girls screaming hit me like a physical force.
“Guess I’ll go in, too.”
“…See you inside, Unni.”
The deafening chorus intensified with each successive entrance – Karin, then Josephine. They were popular, that much was clear. And completely unfazed by the attention.
“See you later, Eugene.”
With Airi gone, only Catherine and I remained in the relative quiet of the back hallway.
“Eugene.”
“Yes…”
“It’s alright.”
Once more, Catherine embraced me. This hug, however, was different from the earlier… incident. It was gentle, warm, and reassuring.
“You will be the brightest star of them all, Eugene. I have no doubt.”
“…Me?”
“Indeed.”
With a final, gentle stroke of my hair, Catherine turned and walked through the auditorium doors. As she did, the shrieks of the assembled students reached a fever pitch, a sound so intense it felt like my eardrums might burst.
“Greetings, lambs of Paradise.”
Catherine’s voice, amplified by the microphone, filled the auditorium. It was calm and steady, instantly silencing the chaotic din.
“We are gathered here today with an important announcement.”
Quiet, yet commanding.
“The final, vacant position in the Stella has been filled.”
A ripple of excited whispers ran through the crowd before being quickly quelled.
“She is still young and untested, a fifth magnitude star, fragile and uncertain… but I have no doubt that she will one day outshine all others.”
My throat constricted, making it hard to swallow. My heart hammered against my ribs, my face burning, yet beneath the physical discomfort, a strange calm settled over me.
“I present to you, the newest member of the Stella… Shin Eugene.”
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As my name echoed through the auditorium, my feet moved instinctively. I walked from the shadows of the back hallway toward the brightly lit stage, my eyes fixed on Catherine’s back.
Emerging into the light, I was met with a sea of faces, hundreds of girls staring up at me.
Thump-thump.
Glancing sideways, I saw Karin, Josephine, Airi, and Seo-a standing tall and composed. Catherine stood beside the microphone.
Catching my eye, she smiled faintly and stepped aside, taking my hand and leading me to the microphone.
As I stood center stage, beneath the weight of hundreds of gazes, a strange calm descended. I was still nervous, heart pounding like a drum, but the fear had lessened.
“Uh… hello, everyone.”
My mind was surprisingly clear despite my racing pulse. I couldn’t let Catherine and Airi down. That thought, more than anything, helped me maintain my composure.
“For reasons I don’t quite understand, I’ve become a member of the Stella. My name is Shin Eugene.”
Gulp.
The silence in the auditorium was so complete that I could hear someone swallow. The sound of my own voice, echoing strangely through the vast space, was a surreal experience.
“I’m still not entirely sure why I’m standing here, but since I am, I’ll do my best to serve as a good example for all of you.”
Sorry, Catherine. This really was the best I could do.
“I look forward to working with you all.”
I bowed my head, unable to meet their eyes in the long silence that followed. I should have said more. I’d completely blanked. I wanted the earth to swallow me whole.
Clap, clap, clap.
Someone began to applaud.
Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.
The applause spread, rippling outward until it filled the auditorium, a wave of sound washing over me.
“So cute!”
“She’s precious!”
“I was a Karin fan, but…”
I must have misheard that last part.
“Well done, Eugene. I’ll take it from here. You’ve earned some rest.”
And with that, my first address to the entire student body came to a rather abrupt end.
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