Etiquette (4): Manners Brutally Crammed In by Lord
I got my etiquette utterly crammed into me by Lord Sherman. Though I'd half-expected this result, I couldn't even land a proper hit. And Lord still wasn't fully recovered. He was gradually shaking off the poisoning, but his body had to be stiff as a board. Yet even in his normal state—without going berserk—the fight never got off the ground. It was a total one-sided beatdown. Even someone wielding violet magic felt worlds away; purple had to be on another level entirely. It hit me anew just how vast the heavens were.
How can I narrow that gap, even a little?
Let me say this upfront: I don't need to grasp the principles of heaven or anything like that. Only a tiny fraction of people ever do. Take Hector and Lord going at it full throttle, for example. Lord would win about 80% of the time. But flip that around, and Hector has a 20% shot. Hector's no slouch himself, tempered by experience uniting the tribes. For a plain old nobody like me to comprehend heavenly principles? Practically impossible. So I just need to build raw strength.
"Just so we're clear, Sivar isn't weak at all. I went all out myself, dead serious."
"You mean that instant step where he closed the gap in one stride, and bouncing back the lightning?"
"Exactly. If I'd been half-assing it, I'd have just dodged."
Lord defended me—the guy who'd beaten me like a dog on the hottest day of summer. There was a subtle note of pride in his voice, since he'd managed to instill some manners. I almost protested that he'd gone too hard on me, but held back. After all, it earned me some comfort.
"Anyway, how hard did you beat Sivar for him to come back looking so down? He barely changes expression no matter what."
Ellie stroked my head while protesting to Lord. When I silently spread my arms, she hugged me without a word. After that, things unfolded as expected: some rest for body and soul. With my face buried in Ellie's vast, welcoming heart. She accepted my clinginess without a hint of complaint. I swear, Ellie was the incarnation of an angel.
"I told him never to use that technique, but he pulled it on me anyway. Even trusting my skills, it was way too dangerous. In terms of sheer power, it could hurt the user too. So I gave him a little squeeze as a warning."
"That 'squeeze' felt pretty intense, though?"
"It was the rod of love. Plus, I snuck in some etiquette training."
"No wonder... Don't do it again. Sivar, you listen to the president too, okay?"
I nodded vigorously at Ellie's plea. I hadn't meant to defy Lord for real; I just wanted to test it. Would my lightning work on someone as strong as him? Turns out it did—I felt the power firsthand when he countered.
Right on cue, Ellie ran her fingers through my hair.
"Why's your hair all singed like this? We'll need to take care of it later."
"Take care? You're gonna cut his hair too?"
Kara's question pierced my ears, laced with a hint of displeasure. Face buried in Ellie's chest, I couldn't see her expression, but I could guess it was uncomfortable.
"Normally, he'd go to a barber. But this much, I can handle. Just the bangs and ends got burned, right?"
Whoosh—Ellie said it while gently lifting my face from her chest. I blinked up at her, meeting her gaze head-on. A soft smile and those brilliantly shining golden eyes. Just looking made me want to fall in.
"Weirdly, no beard growth. Back then, your hair was super long, and you were a total furball."
"Sivar had a long beard?"
"Yeah. When we first met in the Chaos Forest, he wasn't wild—he was prehistoric. Beard down to his chest."
"Hard to picture. That smooth face with a beard?"
Kara eyed my face with wonder. I was a bit puzzled too. No idea how long I'd been in the Chaos Forest, but given beard growth rates, it had to be ages. Or else, only one explanation. The forest's weird magic flow must've affected it. All sorts of predators gathered there, drawn to that mana—even Porori became a spirit beast. Plenty credible.
Squeeze!
"Anyway, no more beatings from now on. Etiquette can be taught normally. And Sivar isn't totally lacking manners, right?"
"He has some. Just a bit short on social graces."
Facts. I had no comeback. Technically, it wasn't zero social sense—it just looked that way. With demons eyeing the academy, playing oblivious was the best defense. It worked because my image was so deeply ingrained. Problem was, it was too deep to fix now. But for me? Perfect.
Means I don't have to watch my step.
I could act freely without a care. Huge perk. Sure, it'd give everyone around me headaches. But I wasn't completely clueless—I'd respect boundaries.
"Anyway, with etiquette drilled in, he won't be rude to adults for a while. Any recent issues like that?"
"No, none. He listens obediently to professors too."
"Good to hear. So why doesn't he listen to me?"
Lord tried to brush it off but paused, genuinely puzzled. I gave no answer to his question. Right now, soaking up Ellie's comfort came first.
"Uh... maybe because you won't give him candy?"
"...Strange, but it tracks."
Luckily, Luna's credible claim swayed him. Of course, I'd have done the duel even with candy.
"Still, no candy. Someone might think it's drugs."
"Can't you loosen up now? It's not just candy—we've got plenty of other stuff."
"Candy fits in your pocket. Bad habits now mean trouble later."
What a boomer grandpa. I grumbled inwardly. Good thing Kara snuck me some, or I'd be in withdrawal already. Only reason he refused? I caused so much chaos, I was his example.
"Plus, adaptation period results are coming. Time to behave."
"Adaptation period? Already?"
Ellie sounded mildly surprised. The adaptation period lasted about a month. Felt like no time passed, but there it was. She had reason to be shocked.
Daily routines make time fly.
I'd lost track after adapting in the forest. Marked about three years, but past 1,000 days? Stopped bothering.
"Yes. Most are okay with admitting Sivar. A few professors object, but it's manageable."
"What excuses for rejecting him? I can guess."
"Surprisingly, same as Kara's. Sivar's case was harsher—they said you were at least better."
"Unbelievable. Nothing's changed."
Kara snorted in disbelief. Having been through it, she knew the drill.
"So, positive overall?"
"Yes. Sivar's caused incidents, but mostly property damage."
Lord shot me a piercing glare as he said it. I dove back into Ellie's chest at that look. I'd only peeked up to gauge the mood—too much.
I hadn't caused trouble on purpose.
"Crucially, no real harm to people. Duels and survival training? They let it slide. Some called it violence due to power gap, but overlooked."
As I melted under Ellie's pets, venting my injustice, Lord continued. He was fishing for dirt. But I'd never used violence on anyone without cause. Strictly, I had—but always situationally, never randomly.
Wait, one guy.
Delphoi, who groped Luna, didn't count. He deserved it; I stopped him myself. If it was him nitpicking, it made sense. No way he'd drag it out over that one thing.
"Pass the adaptation, and things'll get busy. Uniform fitting, more freedom—y'know."
"More freedom means..."
"No more guardian. Personal dorm assignment, especially."
Personal dorm. After sharing a roof with Lord, it felt alien. No constant companions either. A true start as a civilized man.
"Doesn't Sivar still need protection? Leaving him alone unchecked—who knows what'll happen..."
Ellie hugged my head tight, voicing real worry. Valid point—sudden changes could spark anything. Fine by me with more alone time, but others would fret. Who knew where I'd wander and what chaos I'd cause? Hence the constant guardians.
"Other professors worry too. But they insist on no exceptions—personal dorm or it's favoritism."
"Favoritism my ass. They're just waiting for him to screw up."
Kara voiced the cynicism. Fair take. Truckloads saw even her negatively. Me? Worse. I was a ticking bomb. When it blew, they'd pounce.
"So, here's my idea. Sivar."
"?"
I looked up at Lord's call, face questioning.
"How about bunking with Lize for a bit?"
"...?"
Did he lose his marbles?