The Crooked Path is Faster - 2
"A buff?"
She tilted her head. It was cute coming from such a pretty girl. But if she kept it up, that beautiful hair dripping with ham steak sauce might touch down.
"Watch your hair."
"Ah! Thank you! But a buff? You mean the buff I know?!"
"The one you know. The defense boost was Diamond Protection, and the physical enhancement was Blessing of the Holy Spirit."
"Diamond Protection... That one?!"
"Yeah, that one."
I recalled Elizabeth confidently handing me the box. And how the mood had soured when I opened it to reveal the prayer beads...
"Ah."
The mood soured again. Elizabeth, munching her ham steak with elegant poise despite her slight blush of embarrassment, eyed the saltwater-sugar mix I was drinking.
"Ahem. But is that really enough to live on?"
"The human body is 70% water. Meaning you can survive on water alone to some extent. Add salt and sugar for electrolytes and carbs, and it's basically a complete meal, right?"
"Eh. For real?"
Of course it was bullshit. No one survives on just salt-sugar water. I was just broke right now.
"If it's that bad, I could buy you something? Helping the poor is a noble's duty!"
"Don't get suckered by that duty..."
"Ahaha... My mother said the same."
Great mom. Proper upbringing.
"Anyway, don't hold back—chat freely. After dinner, want to train together if you're free?!"
No matter how much a buffer just buffs and calls it a day, you need baseline physical fitness for emergencies. Plus, more training builds mental strength. No reason to turn her down. Especially since training with a protagonist-tier character gave extra growth bonuses in the game...
Should be worth expecting, right?
"Sounds good."
Extra growth bonuses and boosting intimacy with Elizabeth in one go? How could I resist?
"I'll show you the Taylor family training method!"
I was satisfied with her confident shout. But thirty minutes into the training ground, anxiety set in.
"One more!"
"Urgh..."
"Excellent! Last one!!"
"Grah..."
"The very last of the last!"
A healthy body houses a healthy mind. Anyway, physical conditioning was necessary, so I didn't refuse Elizabeth's offer. She flashed confident eyes and declared she'd be my trainer!
Her sparkling gaze was a bit intimidating, but she was so sure of herself that I just said okay. Didn't expect hardcore mode on day one.
"You... why can't you... count... numbers..."
She said ten reps, but we're already at seventeen. I tried lowering the barbell, but Elizabeth just gripped it and grinned.
Strength +0.01
Mental Power +0.01
"Now! The absolute last one! For real this time! Just once more—no, really just once more!!"
"Urrrrghhh!!"
Strength +0.01
Mental Power +0.01
Finally, after bench-pressing until my arms shook uncontrollably, she let me go. Good thing there was actual stat growth—if not...
"Ohohoho! Now let's move to another station..."
"Look at them sticking together."
"That Kim Yohan guy's just latching onto Elizabeth since he's got nothing."
"Pfft. Hero my ass—pathetic."
"Beauty and the Beast? Nah, princess and the beggar?"
Elizabeth froze at the whispers. Usually high-energy and beaming, her face now stiffened. Like a golden retriever after too many yellow cards.
"Forget it."
"But!"
"They'll beg to party with us later anyway."
Nothing's more addictive than buffed DPS shredding. Once I grew and dished out proper buffs, they'd all regret it... Unintentionally turning this into a regret genre.
"Let's finish training."
"...Okay."
If the Taylor training method was "man-killing," I'd agree wholeheartedly. Like an evil mother-in-law tormenting her daughter-in-law, Elizabeth pushed me brutally. Stats rose more, but my body and mind were wrecked.
"Kill... me..."
"You didn't even finish Chapter 1 of the Taylor method?!"
The creator of this insane regimen: Oswald Taylor, Elizabeth's grandfather and family head. I pictured the burly old man from the game striking a muscle pose. Not a roider after all...
"But you actually completed all this?"
"Not hard."
"For that, your muscles are..."
She had appealing, toned muscles, but not bulky. Just healthy and attractive, considering she started young.
"Ohohohoho! Beauty and strength—that's the Taylor baseline! Beauty regimen's perfect too!"
"Y-yeah. So, we're done? Can I go??"
"Can you walk?"
Legs wobbling from all those squats, but I could manage.
"Can't you buff yourself?"
"...I did."
Without it, I couldn't even stand.
"Sheesh. Fine! After training together, I suppose a piggyback's in order!"
Elizabeth crouched in front of me.
"What are you doing?! Not a piggyback?!"
The stares stung. After all that training, now a ride back? Their eyes screamed it.
Don't look! Stop staring like that!
Mental Power +0.01
Keep staring. More. Gaining mental power just by staying composed here... Should I be happy or not?
"Hop on."
"You're surprisingly light!! Do you even eat?! What'd you have yesterday?!"
"Saltwater."
"...Besides that. Seriously."
Carrying me effortlessly, Elizabeth glanced around and casually said,
"If you're that set on it, I could take you as a Taylor vassal!! Gear provided, personal training, and post-grad housing! Great food too!"
"Nah, pass."
It was an in-game offer, popping up after bonding with her. Life would get way comfier—constant parties for easy buffing.
"But that route won't cut it."
Can't meet Azazel otherwise.
"Such a shame!"
I wasn't bummed. Chaos erupted in Hogywan Dorm when we arrived. Even I knew it looked bad. A Seonggwan Dorm freshman—no, the infamous top rookie—piggybacked in.
"Finally hunted him down?!"
Hunted what?
"Set me down now."
Healing during the ride restored some stamina. Man, my heals were useless. With this mental power, after all those buffs, and only this recovery...
"Stretch before bed!"
Seeing me stand shakily, Elizabeth hummed away. Naturally monopolizing Hogywan stares, but whatever. I don't care about that.
"...What happened? Why'd Elizabeth carry you?"
"Trained with her."
"Ah."
It was Jin Siyeon. Sipping coffee alone in a dim corner of the first floor, she approached with a sigh.
"Her training's intense, yeah."
"You've done it?"
"...Yeah."
Shared suffering! Who knew?
"Let's talk somewhere quiet."
Quiet spot? With all these eyes? She'd follow anyway.
"My room then."
Back in the room, I slumped into a chair.
"This is Hogywan, huh."
"Should offer you something... One sec."
I poured yesterday's purified water from a PET bottle into a cup, added cafeteria salt and sugar, and handed it over.
"...What's this?"
"Salt-sugar water."
"You drink this? Seriously... Sigh. Fine. Anyway—the student council intro."
"For real? But it's not easy."
"Who do you think I am? Piece of cake."
Oho, brimming with confidence.
"Tomorrow, combat and Execution Committee head out for group training. Others do solo. No crossing paths with the rest. Lucky break. So? In?"
"Obviously."
"Cool. I'm out."
"Not drinking this?"
"...Pass."
Snorting, Jin Siyeon left. I chugged the leftover salt-sugar water, watching her through the window—striding haughtily, ignoring stares, until she vanished.
"Knew it'd play out like this."
In the game, Elizabeth's high energy, cheer, and noble grace drew fans. Jin Siyeon? Haughty pride sealed her popularity. Just a light poke, and she snaps back for me—grateful.
She's a student council exec now, so training ground access isn't impossible. Other ways exist without her, like rejoining the council. But after expulsion? No way. And even if invited, nah. Crappy rewards, tons of busywork. Better circles with good pay and frequent dungeon runs. Plus, for the true ending Azazel route, student council's a no-go.
"They'll flip if they hear I'm in... Wonder how Jin Siyeon'll handle it?"
Shaking my head, I focused on skill training. Her problem.