Rare Solitude and Hellish Motivation
Hmm, how long had it been since I'd had some time all to myself?
I brought the old-fashioned coffee(?) to my lips amid the old-fashioned atmosphere(?).
Slurp.
Hmm, way too bitter. Wait, salty? Did they put salt in it instead of sugar? Tastes like shit.
But it really had been ages since I'd had time alone.
Without those three culprits who made every morning a noisy chaos.
'When will I get to feel this vibe again?'
For some reason, it felt like today was the only day I'd get something like this.
My room had long since become a base for my friends.
This kind of quiet time was probably only possible right now...
"......"
Fuck this! You're ruining it!
I hurled my coffee cup at Eodukshini and jumped up from my seat.
"Tch. Why'd you have to ruin the mood?"
Eodukshini lay sprawled on the floor, trembling as it scrawled my name with the spilled coffee.
"Clean that up yourself."
Sigh, when's this slime gonna grow up?
I clicked my tongue and started getting ready to head out.
Threw on some casual clothes inside, then draped my priest robes over them from the hook on the wall.
Normally I'd just head out like this, but for some reason, it felt off, so I inspected the robes closely.
'...Nothing weird, right?'
That woman from yesterday could've planted a hidden camera or some spell on them, and it wouldn't surprise me at all.
Might be a bit paranoid, but...
That parting line before she vanished, those sticky eyes, that pervert face... I just couldn't shake it.
"Clean up first, punk."
Just so you don't misunderstand—I do pay Eodukshini fairly for its services.
I just buy it whatever it wants, that's all.
I could use my money if it was urgent anyway. Feed it, house it, play with it(?), smack it occasionally—but that's just how I show affection.
'Not much to spend money on anyway, so it just piles up.'
Scholarship student at the academy, most meals and lodging covered for free here, so no real expenses. Makes spoiling Eodukshini with pricey desserts a breeze.
Still, better to earn more. Having money beats not having it.
"Gotta check if the club kids trained properly."
I had my doubts at Eodukshini's question too.
Would those thug punks really have trained properly?
Nah, not whether they did—the question is how much stronger they got.
"Don't worry."
I crumpled up the clothes hanger Adria had accidentally snapped last time and continued.
Crunch!
"If they didn't, they'll end up like this hanger."
"Bingo."
Correct, sir.
I strolled to the club room with my hands behind my back.
Early hour meant hardly anyone around.
Hmm, cross-dressing really ain't worth it. So damn comfy like this.
As I neared the door, heavy breathing leaked out.
'Heh, the kids are working hard.'
I grinned contentedly and opened the door.
A wave of stale sweat hit me the second it swung open.
This smell never gets easier, no matter how much I sniff it.
I sweat buckets training with Ashy too, but with a group, it multiplies.
"You're here!"
"You're here!!"
The ones sweating it out inside spotted me and froze, bowing deeply.
Training hard since morning, eh?
I nodded sternly.
"Good."
Not exactly pretty, but solid underlings.
Strong backing, sturdy bodies. Started frail, but Mosik's hell training toughened 'em up.
Perfect meat shields.
"But why're you bowing?"
"Ahem."
Mosik, who was bowing awkwardly with the thugs, scratched his head sheepishly.
"Felt like the vibe called for it..."
"You idiot?"
"No words."
"Don't take it seriously. Just messing."
Eh, vibe's a thing.
I nodded benevolently.
"Alright. So everyone's been training hard?"
"Yes!!"
"How hard?"
"I got carted off last night!"
"My shoulder blade got crushed—got healed yesterday!"
Injuries reported left and right.
I nodded pleased.
"Good, good. Real effort."
Hurt? Whatever. They'll heal.
Pain's pain, right?
Not my problem. I dragged these bottom-feeders into humanity—they can handle it.
I unclenched my hands from behind my back.
"That much? Y'all must be pretty strong now."
"Yes!!"
"Then let's test it."
The air chilled instantly.
What? Someone crank the AC?
I tilted my head puzzled.
"Huh? What's with the mood?"
"......"
"What? Scared? Nah, no way?"
I grinned and stepped forward.
They all stepped back in sync.
Come on, kids. We magnets or what? Why back off? Come here.
"Not coming?"
"......"
For real?
Better come now...
True to spineless form, no one charged.
Fine, tch!
"Alright. Guess no choice."
I yanked a curtain rod off the wall and gripped it.
Hmm, sturdy.
Multiple layers anyway, we'll rehang later—one's fine.
Thwack! Thwack!
I slammed the rod on the floor and grinned.
"From now on, late attackers get extra whacks after."
"......"
They eyed each other, then charged as one.
Whoosh!
I beamed at the mob rushing me.
"Yes, yes! That's it. Mosik, you're exempt special."
"......Thanks?"
"You bet."
Alright. Time to loosen up today?
"Guard your pots tight."
"Fire away!!"
Whoa, even magic?
Makes sense—plenty of mages here.
Though they all walked the hell path with Mosik nicely.
"Subpar ones? Five hours flat on your faces after."
"Take him down quick!!"
Their sobbing yells kept making me smile.
Yes. Desperate.
That's how I get my rewards!
The slime peeking from my pocket muttered.
Why call a priest a demon?
I squished it with one hand.
"Hurts? Pain's youth."
"Oh, right. Good you're not dumb."
"......"
I casually chatted with Eodukshini while swinging the rod. Crack! Crack! Crack! Three hits, students' heads smacked.
"Guh!"
"Urk!"
"Kek!"
"Kids, kids."
I tsked as I shattered the desperate students' guards.
"How do you!"
Whack!
"win with!"
Whack!
"this?!"
Smaaaack!
"championship?!"
I gave an extra to the one bandaged like a mummy.
Aah, refreshing.
Last night's stuffy chest cleared right up. Soda pop, baby.
But separately, their performance was frustrating.
"Kids. Didn't you say you trained hard?"
"We did... so hard..."
A wriggling larva—no, student—on the floor said.
Hmm, what's this one's name?
Dunno. Don't care. But that line? Unacceptable! Hard? This is it?
"Bullshit!"
Fwoosh!
I ignited my eyes. Eodukshini flinched from the heat.
"Harder! Harder! Way harder! Bones breaking hard!"
"Already... broken..."
"Then pulverize 'em harder!"
Like this punk!
A hiding student snuck a weapon. I kicked without looking.
Thud!
"Kek!"
"Huh? Win a championship at this level?!"
As I nearly breathed fire, they backed off more.
Students glanced at someone.
Mosik Karma. He sighed under the stares.
"......One more round, someone's breaking somewhere."
"Fine, fine. Human will conquers all."
Usually heed Mosik, but not today.
Mosik's human victory incarnate, right?
"Dogs learn push-ups from beatings! Nothing impossible!"
"......Physically impossible? And unrelated to will..."
"No! Enduring beatings is true will! You can! You must! Dogs do it!"
"Shut it. Don't know homage?"
Gonna nitpick?
"All up. Final training round."
"Bones... bones..."
"Heal."
No more pain, right?
Despair etched the healed student's face.
Be grateful for the heal, not despair.
Your workload's doubled.
"Mosik."
"......Got it. But condition management..."
"We in the World Cup? Club tourney—no babying. Know my job?"
"......I'll grind 'em hard."
Forget sometimes, but I'm a priest. Blessings handle these wounds and stamina for a day.
"Up! Training!"
"Ughhh..."
"Good. But all grind no fun sucks, right?"
I grinned at the zombies.
"Biggest contributor gets one free hit on me."
"!"
"!"
Dying eyes snapped alive.
All-in life-or-death vibe!
'Perfect.'
"E-Eugene?"
"You sure?"
"Of course."
Rewards given.
But hey.
Didn't say the top 'one' excludes me.
"What're you doing?"
Ashy barely joined club stuff. Lunch was 'essential rest' (aka naps). Or hanging with me.
So she picked some random club: 'Fandom vs Reality' or whatever—fits her no-activity style.
Thus, mostly burned time in my dorm. Today, fiddling with her not-long-not-short hair.
"Thinking of a style change."
"Style?"
"Yeah. Adria did it last time—says buns on my head would be cute?"
"Buns...?"
Buns? The round poofy ones? Shitbun?
'Hmm.'
I mentally superimposed buns on her.
Hmm. Kinda cute.
But image clash?
"Not for me."
"Really? Then nah."
What?
"Club tourney prep good?"
"Obviously. Impossible? Nah."
"Right. Beat a dog enough, it'll handstand."
"Tried it?"
"I hit animals? Only if they lunge first. That tiger divine beast bared teeth first—or I'd ignore."
That so?
I scratched my cheek.
Eh, probably.
"But Eugene. Hotel that bad?"
"Yeah!"
"Why?"
"Never been?"
"Last time bikini girls?"
Me? Thought it, didn't say.
Ashy dropped her comb.
......Your eyes scary?
"Eugene. Just in case."
"?"
"Hotel, no flirting, seducing other girls, room XX, XXX, XX—or we both die that day."
"...Won't."
Like I'd?
Just a joke!
Minor(?) fantasy...