Returning Third-Rate Villains to the Washing Machine

"Caitlin-yang! Hand!"

"······."

"Hand!"

"S-shit, foot...."

"Sigh, do you want to get expelled?"

"······."

Caitlin, her expression completely rotten.

Between the strands of hair falling down, her shimmering golden eyes were visible.

Perhaps because heat was concentrated. The cheeks of the girl, who originally had a healthy tan, seemed to have their saturation raised as a flush overlapped.

"Hand!"

"······."

"Hand!"

"Please...."

"My, my, what kind of Pokémon listens to people?"

"What the fuck is a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Pokémon, you damn, fucking, pervert bastard...."

"Expulsion?"

"······."

Clenching her teeth in defiance, she's sunk by my single word.

Pikachu's rebellion doesn't even last 3 minutes before fizzling out.

Caitlin, burying her head deeply.

Quiver quiver, her moderately muscled shoulders tremble.

The girl hesitates, but eventually places her hand on top of my palm.

"Pi, Pika..."

"Oh good girl~!"

Pat pat pat-.

I ruffle her hair until it's disheveled.

The first step towards becoming a Pokémon Master.

Building sufficient bonds with your partner Pokémon.

After basic training, always give praise when a task is completed.

Caitlin, perhaps happy to receive praise from me, was trembling as she clenched her fists.

"Good Pikachu, good Pikachu."

"······."

Fizz, fizzle-.

The static electricity kept crackling; she seemed really, really pissed off.

Be that as it may, I press down on my scalp, which is heating up in real-time.

'It's incredibly hot, more than I thought.'

It seems like a constitution that easily heats up, probably because high-voltage currents keep sparking.

I thought I could probably put a pot on it.

'I could even boil ramen with this.'

A genius idea popped into my head momentarily, but I decided to shelve it.

There's no way an item like ramen exists in this world's setting.

I should try it later with stew or some other variation, I suppose.

"Now, Caitlin-yang."

I decide to think about this issue later.

Shaking off random thoughts, I continued my interaction with my partner.

"This time, the other hand!"

"Pi, Pikachu...."

"Spin around once!"

"Pika...!"

"Jump in place!"

"Pi, kheuk...."

"More refreshingly! I said do it properly!"

"Pi, pi, pi, Pika...☆ Pika, pika! Pikachu!"

Caitlin, following my command, extends her hand, spins around, jumps in place.

What stood there was no longer the tyrant who reigned over Class B's top spot.

It was only a Pokémon, obediently following its master's words.

"This is quite rewarding. It's like becoming a passionate police protagonist who rehabilitates third-rate bully extras...."

"Crazy, bastard...."

Tears that had pooled slightly now covered the girl's retinas.

Caitlin, biting her lips tightly, enduring it—perhaps her last shred of dignity.

Setting aside that admirable tenacity, I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pointed at the target placed in the center of the classroom.

"Go, Pikachu! 1,000,000 Volts!"

"······."

"1,000,000 Volts!"

"······."

"Expulsion?"

"Pi, Pikaa... Chuuuu!"

Crackle fizzle-!

A fiercely released high-voltage current.

That attack turned the target standing on the platform into a pile of ashes.

"Zowas."

Perfect combo.

With this, we wouldn't even miss winning the world championship.

As a gesture of 'well done,' I gently shake Caitlin's collar.

Jingle jangle-.

"······."

The girl, sitting back down as if exhausted.

I pat her a few more times as a sign of praise.

She seemed like she'd die from sheer happiness, so I felt a sense of reward for no reason.

'The world is still warm, after all.'

People helping people, correcting a friend who took the wrong path.

Not punishment for punishment's sake, but hoping for the rehabilitation of a villain.

Thus, punishing with love rather than hatred.

Believing in goodness, believing anyone can become good.

The saying that people don't change, I deny that saying most of all.

People can live again.

People always change.

Because life is about treading a winding, twisting curve.

Only, so that the path, though rugged, does not lead to a fall, so that we stagger but do not collapse, we must hold each other's hands.

People must hold people's hands.

If we don't let go, we won't fall.

If we don't let go, we won't collapse.

I believe we will someday learn warmth from the hands that touch.

What I was doing to her, to these kids, held that meaning.

What? You say it's just bullying?

Your mom.

"Hoho."

I break into a wide smile.

As if knowing such joy, the corner of the mask's mouth also squirmed and trembled.

Behind us, Class B students stood aligned in rows.

Of course, not all of them, only those who had been acting arrogantly and picking fights with lower-class students.

""······.""

The fall of the tyrant.

Those who were looking at Caitlin, who had been reduced to a Pokémon, with tragic eyes.

Those guys, making resentful expressions, would jump in surprise when I turned to look back at them.

"Everyone."

""······.""

Probably because I showed them hell over the past week.

Even the kids who originally had a strong arrogant air about them had now become meek sheep.

"You know today's task, right? What you all have to do."

""······.""

"Just two hours, like yesterday, will do."

""······.""

"Huh, no answer. Shall we make it eight hours then?"

"A-a, no! No, I get it! We understand!"

"Sorry! Really sorry... I was just spaced out for a moment!"

"So, please, anything but eight hours...!"

Finally, answers started popping out one by two, hurriedly.

"Hmm."

I rest my chin as if pondering.

Kids dripping with cold sweat.

"The answer was late... but, well, shall I let it slide just once?"

"Tha, thank you! Thank you for your mercy...."

"Uuugh...."

Kids letting out sighs of relief.

Of course, that didn't mean the ordeal itself, which was about to befall them, would disappear.

With a happy smile, I patted the kids' backs.

"Shall we head out slowly?"

""······.""

The kids, trembling quiver quiver, still follow my words and move.

We exited B-building and stopped on the academy street.

A path where students from other classes frequently pass by.

Class B students were aligned there in rows.

"Since you did it once yesterday, you've roughly got the hang of it, right?"

""······.""

"Now, let's do it with bright smiles! Thinking that we're bringing bright smiles to Grandia Academy!"

""······.""

The mission given to them was only one.

A morale-boosting performance.

Putting on a show to cheer up other students exhausted from their studies.

I confirmed the lined-up Class B and shouted a signal in a booming voice.

"Then~ let's begin!"

Glancing glancing-.

Students passing by look over, wondering what's going on.

Attention starts to gather one by two.

In that situation... Class B begins to dance.

And a very refreshing, girly idol-like dance at that.

"Tsk tsk, straighten your dance lines!"

A spectacle of a dozen or so students dancing rumblingly without any song.

The faces of the Class B kids were all flushed bright red.

I stood before them as if I were their director.

Suppressing my twitching mouth corners, I warn in a solemn voice.

"Every time I see someone not dancing properly, it's a one-hour extension~ Let's finish it in one go!"

At those words, even the kids who were just flailing around jump into serious dancing.

Still, perhaps because they spent six hours matching the routine yesterday, it seemed like a formation was gradually taking shape.

It seems the goal of becoming the world's best idols isn't far off.

I gather the audience's attention and shout to those dancing.

"Now, bow towards the audience!"

""······.""

"Bow!"

""······.""

"Shall I just extend it by five hours right now?"

"A, no...!"

"Please, anything but that...."

Kids begging while panting from the intense dance.

See, wouldn't it be nice if you just did it when told?

I give a sharp-voiced signal.

"Last chance! Bow to the audience members!"

""We are the ones delivering love and hope...!""

"Adorably."

""Adorably!""

"Cute."

""Cute!""

"Who?"

""The guardians of the academy! Class B's Idolsss!!!""

Class E's Shuttles.

Class C's Point Mats.

Following them, it was the moment Class B's Idols were born.

The passing students were looking quite bewildered.

'Ah....'

Class B, classified as elites.

Their leader became a Pokémon, and their subordinates became idols.

'Thrilling.'

This is it.

This is the taste that makes me attend the academy.

I laughed while passionately directing the Idols.

'See, who told you to bully other kids?'

It's okay.

Ordinary third-rate extra villains ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠often go unwashed and move on, but I'll take responsibility and wash you clean.

'You got your life made easy, man.'

I'll scrub you until you become a brand-new white tissue.

"Hyungnim, you're here!"

"Ah... Hyungnim!"

After finishing the idol activities, I returned to the Class E classroom.

The moment I entered through the door, the Class E guys greeted me intensely.

An exceptionally bright smile catches my eye.

"Nice to see you, everyone."

""You're here!""

The Shuttles even swarmed over and greeted me with a perfect right-angle bow.

I forced a smile despite the slightly burdensome atmosphere.

After the Ranking Match, I became literally no different from a hero to them.

An overwhelming power that could defeat the Class B top student, and at the same time, properly disciplined those Class B kids who had been picking on them.

'Somehow... I ended up overdoing the favor-raising.'

I scratched my head.

Whether they knew my thoughts or not, the Shuttles were earnestly guiding me to my seat.

"Please sit!"

"Ahaha... Thank you."

Eyes sparkling brightly.

Without showing my feelings, I gathered the other students' attention.

"Um... Could everyone please pay attention?"

""······.""

Unlike Class B, the Class E kids immediately follow my words.

After a few fake coughs, I began my preamble.

A plan I had been gradually conceiving since right after enrollment.

The time to slowly set that plan in motion was approaching.

Ding-!

[Sub Quest]

I'm making my own playing cards.

People who will prioritize my commands no matter what situation arises in the academy moving forward.

While clearing the quest, I plan to kill two birds with one stone and form an organization by picking only loyal ones.

I extend my hand towards the neatly lined-up kids.

"Everyone."

First, the quest.

I had to grow the kids before me into B-grade or higher skilled individuals.

"Don't you want to become stronger?"

And.

It was about time to slowly prepare for the next chapter.

Ding-!

[Main Quest]

[Time Limit: 134 Days]

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

The New Kingdom.

The main culprits causing the Red Night, the ruffians who stole daily life from Carmilla.

Because it was time to topple that force.