The Hierarchy of the Trainer and the Slave (1)
The Hierarchy of the Trainer and the Slave (1)
"Fuuuck."
I spat out a low curse, carelessly dropped the dumbbell onto the floor, and slumped down right where I was. My body was trembling uncontrollably. That's how much I'd squeezed my muscles. I couldn't even hear the people around me saying things like how sexy I looked while cursing. It was because I was genuinely exhausted to the point of death.
Wearing the [Mask of Rest], I sat on the floor, blankly catching my breath for about five minutes, and finally felt like I was coming back to life.
'Ah, should I just quit everything?'
An absurd thought crossed my mind. It was nothing else but the fact that my routine lately had been absolutely murderous.
I wake up early in the morning and start working out. After finishing my workout, I go to school, pretend to study by taking meaningless notes, and take a nap during every spare moment in break time. For lunch, I just grab something like a chocolate bar and either sleep or practice mana.
Once school ends, I start physical training. Depending on the time, I train for about 4 hours, then crawl back into the dormitory and practice mana until 2 or 3 in the morning.
"......."
I wonder if living like this is the right way... but I don't have any choice. It's a matter of whether I live dissolutely for 10 years and die along with the rest of the world's population, or train this hard and live comfortably after 10 years.
I sighed inwardly. I forced my body up. Thanks to the effect of the [Mask of Rest], I had enough stamina to work out again.
Instead of working out, I started stretching. Since Lee Ji-ah invited me to her club room earlier, if I pushed myself too hard here, it might interfere with my acting.
As I was stretching and loosening up my body, I saw Lee Ji-ah in the distance, wearing a black cardigan over her blouse and tie. Unlike before, she had her hair tied in twin tails, waving at me with a bright smile. It was the first time I'd seen her with twin tails, so she looked a bit different from the usual Lee Ji-ah.
It felt fresh. Seeing her, I was reminded of when I first saw her at the Academy. A girl with jet-black hair sticking out in every direction, a bare face, and those huge, cartoonish glasses that made me wonder where on earth she even got them. She'd changed a lot now, having received intensive care from Im Na-yeon and putting in effort to groom herself, but...
"You're working really hard. Were you training in the meantime?"
"Yeah, well. Nothing else to do."
Lee Ji-ah looked at me as if she were proud. At the same time, her eyes kept glancing at my wet t-shirt.
My proud six-pack was visible through the t-shirt. I usually wear black clothes so it doesn't show, but because I forgot to do the laundry, I ended up wearing the only white shirt I had left.
Gulp.
Lee Ji-ah swallowed hard, staring intently at my six-pack. Feeling unnecessarily embarrassed by her gaze, I turned my head and said,
"Don't come too close, I smell."
"S-sweat smell? Oh, no, it's fine. It smells good. I actually like it."
Lee Ji-ah said, sniffing the air.
Did she have a smell fetish too...?
As I was thinking that, I felt the surrounding gazes becoming prickly.
"Whoa, were Lee Si-woo and Lee Ji-ah dating?"
"Isn't Lee Si-woo dating Im Na-yeon?"
"I thought Lee Si-woo was dating Kim Harin."
Voices of confusion could be heard from all over. I was too lazy to respond to each one, so I dragged Lee Ji-ah out of the training ground. ...Actually, those words stung a bit. Now that the relationship chart had been confirmed, if that was a means to get stronger, I would definitely have to form relationships with various women.
By the time we stepped out the door, in that short span of time, the rumor had spread and spread, ballooning into an absurd rumor that I was already dating over ten women. Just as I was seriously contemplating whether I should correct the rumors, Lee Ji-ah led me outside by the hand.
"K-kids are too much. It's not like Siwoo is dating ten people at once."
"Well, they're students. It's natural for them to be enthusiastic about those kinds of stories."
Lee Ji-ah said, glancing at me. I answered appropriately, and we set off.
"Uhm... do you really have someone you're dating?"
"No, no. I'm busy enough with training right now, what woman?"
I waved my hand and said with a bitter smile, and only then did Lee Ji-ah smile as if relieved.
"O-oh, really? Siwoo is incredibly handsome and kind, so I thought you might have a girlfriend... You have a lot of close female friends, too. Like Na-yeon, or Harin."
"Na-yeon is pretty, though."
When I praised Im Na-yeon, Ji-ah made a pouty face, then cleared her throat.
"Ahem. Anyway, you don't have a girlfriend right now? What about a girl you like...?"
"A girl I like, huh."
I briefly thought about the mask. I had pretended to be hypnotized by Lee Ji-ah and created a mask to match, but because the mask had spoken on its own, I was currently set up to be secretly crushing on Lee Ji-ah. I glanced at Lee Ji-ah, and she was looking at me with eyes mixed with expectation.
"Come to think of it, how did you block Na-yeon's weapon?"
It was a blatant evasion. However, at my answer, Lee Ji-ah looked at me as if I were cute and said with a smirk.
"I'll teach you in a bit. In the club room. When it's just the two of us."
Lee Ji-ah said with a smile in her eyes.
We arrived at the school quickly. Since it was the building right next door, it was only natural.
"So back then, Na-yeon..."
"Siwoo! Ji-ah!"
While Lee Ji-ah was talking about Na-yeon as if she were having fun, a voice calling us was heard. I looked back and saw Im Na-yeon, with her long hair tied back, waving and coming toward us as if glad to see us. Beside her, Choi Yu-na was standing straight like a secretary.
"What, Ji-ah, you changed your hairstyle already. The twin tails are super cute too! You're totally gorgeous! It suits you so well!"
Im Na-yeon said, giving Lee Ji-ah a thumbs up.
"Thanks. The ponytail suits you really well too, Na-yeon!"
"Right, right! Teacher Choi did this for me. But where are you two going?"
Im Na-yeon asked brightly. It was different from the expression she had earlier when she was depressed after losing to Lee Ji-ah.
"We were going to Ji-ah's club room."
"Ji-ah's club room? Why?"
"Because Ji-ah said she had something to tell me."
"Huh? What is it? Not Siwoo, but Ji-ah?"
"That is......."
While Ji-ah was looking troubled, I saw students swarming in from afar. Why hide it? It was Han Jong-woo and his gang. He approached Im Na-yeon with his usual greasy expression.
"Na-yeon, what are you doing here?"
"Oh, I was talking with Ji-ah and Siwoo."
Im Na-yeon said with a smile, but it was obvious she was annoyed.
It was an atmosphere that implied, 'So, could you just get lost somewhere else?' But Han Jong-woo didn't care about that. If he were the type of guy to give up at this level, he would have given up on her ages ago. Han Jong-woo asked persistently.
"Shall we go to a cafe and talk? Oh, come to think of it, Na-yeon, a new ice cream that you might like just came out, so how about an ice cream shop?"
"Gasp, it's already out? Siwoo, Ji-ah. Do you guys want to go eat Mint Chocolate Bonbon with mint chocolate chips on top together?"
I was shocked by Im Na-yeon's words.
Because that was the ice cream I'd heard news about before I possessed this body, but I was so busy with work that I'd promised myself I'd try it on the weekend.
It was when I was in the middle of a project, so I came home at 10 PM, a time when I couldn't order delivery. You might think I could just ask my younger sibling, but it was 100% certain that it would end up in my sibling's stomach before I even got to eat it, so I couldn't even order it in advance.
"Mint Chocolate Bonbon with mint chocolate chips on top is out....?"
This wasn't the time for this. I had to go to the ice cream shop right now.
"We have to go! We absolutely have to go!"
Beside me, Lee Ji-ah sent me a look of disbelief. Then she muttered as if she didn't understand.
"What on earth do people taste in mint chocolate..."
Lee Ji-ah criticized mint chocolate. I didn't react to her amateurish comment about hating mint chocolate. Well, mint chocolate is only for people who like it, after all.
However, Lee Ji-ah's words started to bring me to my senses. Actually, thinking about it calmly, wouldn't it be fine to just order delivery? If I don't order delivery, Han Jong-woo's gang will follow us to the end.
I sent eye contact to Im Na-yeon with that intention. Im Na-yeon blushed at my gaze and fidgeted with her fingers.
"You bastard..."
"C-calm down, Jong-woo."
At that reaction, Han Jong-woo glared at me as if he wanted to eat me alive. Someone next to him started to restrain Han Jong-woo. It seems I got too excited, which isn't like me.
Things like this should be ordered right away when you think of them. It was also the perfect snack time, 2 hours before dinner. I turned on the delivery app. Bera Skins. The name was a bit funny. It was a brand name that seemed to have been given a weird name just to avoid the trademark.
I ordered two servings of Mint Chocolate Bonbon with mint chocolate chips on top for Im Na-yeon and me to eat.
"What will you and the senior have, Ji-ah?"
"Hmm.... Then I'll choose 'Mom is an Alien'."
For a moment, I flinched, thinking it was a "your mom" joke. I added the ice cream called 'Mom is an Alien' and looked at Senior Choi Yu-na.
"I'll have whatever."
"......."
"Whatever" is the hardest order. I closed my eyes and pressed randomly. Cherry Jubilee was selected. I pressed order and requested 4 spoons. I gave the location of my club room as the delivery address. I couldn't go into Lee Ji-ah's club room with this group and go, "Waaah, I'm baby Siwoo."
'.......'
The mere imagination was terrible. I must never do that.
"Then shall we go into my club room and eat?"
"Let's do that, let's do that."
"Come to think of it, this is my first time in Siwoo's club room."
"That's right. I've never been there either."
Come to think of it, I really haven't invited anyone to my club room before.
"Tsk."
Han Jong-woo clicked his tongue low. He's a responsible guy, so he wouldn't think of abandoning the gang that follows him to chase after me. He's actually a decent guy if it's not related to Im Na-yeon.
Leaving Han Jong-woo's group behind, our group headed to my club room.
"I need to use the restroom for a second."
On the way up, I remembered I had urgent business, so I told the group that and headed to the restroom. It was a bit far from the restroom, so I had to walk quite a bit to get there.
While I was washing my hands after finishing my business, I heard the sound of someone coming. Who is it? I turned my head and there stood Im Na-yeon.
'This is the men's restroom...!'
I was flustered, but I was able to react. I quickly equipped the [Instructor's Mask] from the [Mask of a Thousand Faces] trait. At the same time, I scanned the surroundings using mana. There was no presence felt nearby.
"You're quite something for a slave. To faint on your own without your master telling you to..."
The mask opened its mouth, wearing a despicable smile that didn't suit me.
"I-I'm sorry."
Im Na-yeon said, kneeling down. There was no need to kneel.
Im Na-yeon, who had knelt, crawled toward me on her knees and said,
"A-as an apology, I will kiss the master's feet."
I was genuinely horrified. We're in a restroom, and she wants to kiss my feet? Besides, I just finished using the restroom! Perhaps thinking the same thing as me this time, the me wearing the mask moved.
"Hmph, I don't need that kind of apology."
Saying that, I pulled Im Na-yeon up. Then I went inside the restroom. I opened the door with force and dragged Im Na-yeon in. Then I tore off a bunch of toilet paper and delicately wiped Im Na-yeon's knees.
"M-master...?"
Im Na-yeon said in a flustered voice.
Whether Im Na-yeon was flustered or not, my mask yelled at Im Na-yeon and said,
"I'll give you one more order. As a slave, don't do things you aren't told to do. You are my slave. If you show yourself dirtying your body in a place like this, your video, Im Na-yeon, will be spread across the whole world."
'Sweet Siwoo.... You bastard...!'
From my perspective, it looked like the Instructor was doing a good job for the first time. I quickly checked Im Na-yeon's face.
Im Na-yeon had a moved expression. And a little bit of regret.... Regret...?
I felt an absurd feeling. She wants to play in a dirty place like a restroom....... Lee Ji-ah, who has a smell fetish and wants to be called 'Mama', suddenly started to look normal.