“…So you want me to wear this bikini armor?”
The mob couldn’t hide his embarrassment.
An armor where more skin is exposed than covered.
Even the chest area has a rather provocative design.
It’s an armor that would be embarrassing even for a woman to wear.
And now they want a man to wear it?
“Yup!”
“Why should I!”
“If you wear this for 100 days, your evasion stats will shoot up. Don’t you want to get stronger?”
“Even so, this is a bit…”
“It’s fine! Normally, curse items can only be worn with a cloak, but you can stack the same curse items. No one will know the mob is wearing this!”
“…Really?”
“Yep. You’re already training in just standard armor, right? How could anyone know if you’re wearing bikini armor or nothing at all underneath?”
“What if the armor breaks?”
“If it doesn’t break, then it’s fine!”
He had a point.
“Ugh. Of all things, an increase in evasion…”
The functionality is just too impressive.
I can see why Oknodie personally recommended it.
Imagine if there’s a way to permanently increase evasion outside the academy. There would be plenty of people willing to risk the stigma of being a pervert to wear it for 100 days.
Isn’t it just a matter of hiding away at some training place and practicing alone for that time?
“Plus, just by wearing the bikini armor, there’s a boost to your evasion. It’ll help a ton with midterms! Are you really going to give up without even trying it on?”
“Hmm… midterms…”
“I bought this for 1000 points, you know.”
“It was that expensive!?”
That was the final blow.
Eventually, the mob’s resolve crumbled.
If necessary, even a 230 cm muscle-bound hunk would throw on cat ears, wear a maid outfit, and drench himself in neon paint like a primitive tribesman.
Men tend to use anything if the performance is good.
I was sure he would end up liking it.
I should definitely introduce him to more good curse items next time!
– You don’t even understand the human heart.
– The coldness of blood is no different from a serpent.
– Get lost. Don’t ever come back to the family.
After publicly denouncing a family member who broke a taboo, these were the stories I heard.
It was the reason a promising Imperial mage fled to the academy when he abandoned his post.
“I’ve always wanted to know what that serpent was all about.”
Professor Raeb discovered a lizard that was being raised for experimentation in the lab.
That was the beginning of a five-year long relationship with a pet lizard.
“Shhh.”
Staring blankly with eyes that seemed to be thinking about something, it just flicked its tongue.
Now that it has grown, it demands larger prey by shaking its front paws against the bars and banging its food bowl, making me question if there was a person inside.
Rustle.
Seeing it darting around mindlessly on my arm, I suddenly thought that, contrary to everyone’s evaluations, this lizard had quite the charm.
“I picked him up.”
Saying something nonsensical, I tossed some nice experimental lab-bred mice as food, which I figured the lizard would enjoy.
“Wow. Professor, what’s its name?”
“It looks great. Check out that shine.”
“It looks scary, but also kind of cool like the professor?”
The distance with the students shrank.
Person to person.
Human relationships became possible.
“That friend is really good at keeping pets. I didn’t feel any humanity from you before, did I?”
“Oh, even if it’s not a lizard, I have a reptile pet. If you need food, take some with you. My pet doesn’t like it, but who knows, it might suit yours!”
Finally, the exchanges that had never occurred outside formal talks with the Imperial professors began.
To him, the lizard wasn’t just an ordinary pet.
It was a friendly animal that thawed away his frozen humanity and opened a small window for him to communicate with the world.
“Good things are good, right? This student is said to be the child of an esteemed person, so Professor Raeb, please treat him well.”
“Those from the border have been focusing solely on their studies lately, leaving the noble folks a little uneasy. Could you help with these border issues?”
From that small window, requests for special treatment for a few students occasionally arose, but I thought that was just the kind of thing friendly associates could ask for.
I wouldn’t have been a man without enough loyalty to deny such small favors from professors and students who knew the greatness of reptiles.
“Poison Cure, Arc Healing!”
This was why I kept infusing mana into the lizard as it lay limp and bubble-laden in my arms.
“Rise. Please wake up.”
Mana no longer resided within the lizard’s body.
The mana exceeded the limit of what its body could contain, causing it to bounce back.
It was useless.
It was already too late.
I had to accept the fact that my pet had died.
Professor Raeb was left with no choice but to acknowledge it.
“That candy… was it intended to do this from the start?”
It was the poisonous candy that the foolish Bikini Warrior Ppyoi had given to Oknodie.
The result of what happened after I snatched it away and fed it to my pet had turned into this.
Did she give it knowingly or unknowingly?
I had thought of her as a foolish girl, but this changed my perspective.
Perhaps Oknodie had schemed from the start to betray me.
“Ppyoi, that was quite a prank. It was in poor taste.”
The indoor thermometer, which had maintained a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius for the optimal conditions for my pet lizard, now plunged down terrifyingly.
Aplenty sounds echoed as the desk and floor froze, with frost forming on the windows and the glass of the table, despite it being early summer.
“Those who are mischievous must be punished.”
Cold fury glinted in Professor Raeb’s eyes.
First, Ppyoi.
Next, Oknodie.
The professor’s anger, having lost the reason to maintain boundaries, targeted the two students.
“Here it is! What do you think? Don’t you want to wear it?”
“Um… later! I’ll wear it during summer vacation!”
“Hehe. If sales go up, that’s good for me. If there are other friends who want to wear it, be sure to let me know.”
Ppyoi brought the bikini armor specially designed for AAA cup sizes for Mob, just as promised.
Knock Knock.
The breastplate that protects the chest wouldn’t bend even when punched, so I was at ease with its durability.
“Since you brought it, could you give it directly to Mob?”
“Sure, I wouldn’t mind.”
Excitedly leading the way, Ppyoi wobbled along, her legs sticking out from beneath her cloak and her tied-up pigtails swaying energetically.
“How’s the Bikini Warrior Squad? Is it fun?”
“There are so many good people! Everyone’s cheerful.”
“With a get-up like that, they have no choice but to be cheerful!”
“Do you want to fight?”
“Hmph. Sorry.”
I tried imitating the cute expression that Titosso often made when he was upset while playing card games with Jiang, who got overwhelmed and angry.
Ppyoi lightened up quickly, just saying she’d let it go.
I think I understand why Titosso often made that face.
Next time I’ll have to try the “Oh no!” face as well!
“We’re here!”
“Wow, amazing. A girl is working out in a public gym where guys come through. She must be seriously aiming for the Knight Department?”
“Uh? I’m not a girl.”
“Uh?”
“Uh?”
“Uh? What? Why aren’t you a girl?”
Unexpectedly stuttering like a broken machine, Ppyoi shook her head vigorously to regain her focus.
“Ah~ got it!”
Once she completed debugging her logic, a glimmer returned to her eyes.
“Isn’t he a boy who looks cute like a girl? There are sometimes boys who wear bikini armor. I’ve heard that they can look so much like a girl that people get confused and let them wear it!”
“Wow, that’s a thing?”
“Yep! The seniors called it specialization? Good taste? They told me it’s still too early for girls, but they don’t let boys wear bikini armor!”
“How unfair~. It’s not like evasion of 100 is a common stat one can obtain.”
“Uh?”
“Uh?”
“Uh?”
Ppyoi once again shook her head vigorously and gathered her thoughts.
“Ugh. Talking to you makes me feel like I’m becoming an idiot. Just tell me where that Mob is. No, I’ll look for him myself.”
Hmm. Ppyoi, while pondering with her finger in her mouth, pointed at a guy doing shoulder presses.
“That’s him, right? The long-haired boy. Wow, nice taste. A blonde hottie.”
“That person isn’t Mob, he’s Duke Andersen!”
“What!? He’s a real noble? Tch. What a big deal. I was thinking of trying it on him anyway.”
Suddenly startled, Andersen, who was doing shoulder presses, seemed to detect the intent of a predator, thanks to the “Sleeping Anywhere” class he trained in.
“Then, who’s that cool but cold-faced guy over there? He has long hair and a thin frame. Even though his dangerous vibe is off-putting… hmm. On the contrary, corrupting someone like that with bikini armor would be even more thrilling!”
“That person is Sing! He’s a dangerous eastern swordsman with rough hands, and if you wrongfully recommend it, he might kill you!”
“Eh. No way, that’s too risky.”
When her name was called, Sing, while doing a one-finger push-up, shot a sharp look in this direction.
Unlike Duke Andersen, the way he read the intent directed at him felt significantly different in caliber.
“Mob is over there!”
“…That’s the Black Knight. He’s that weird guy always in that black can armor.”
“Pfft. Mob’s nickname is Black Knight?”
“Don’t you know your friend’s nickname?”
“I have so many friends I can’t remember all of them!”
“…Hmph. It’s annoying, so let’s just hand it over quickly and leave.”
“Even so, I feel a bit bad giving it here, so let’s do it in the locker room!”
I thought it was a decent consideration.
Wearing bikini armor is a given, but there’s no reason to flaunt that fact publicly in the training room, right?
“Mob! Come here for a second.”
“Uh? Why does the person next to you look like that?”
“I don’t want to hear it from you!”
“That’s what he said! So come on quickly.”
“Eek! Don’t drag me! I’ll walk there myself, I’ll walk there myself!”
Dragging out Mob, who had been adapting to the weight of the armor and bench pressing, I pulled him toward the locker room.
Chatter.
I could hear the buzz from the people behind us, but it was probably just noise from exercising, right?
Oknodie appeared.
Sing’s keen senses not only focused on her but also turned to her little sister, who was playing with her hair, making twin tails as if it were a game.
Was she brave or just not afraid of any ghosts?
Doing something so bold without realizing that being caught could lead to Exorcism was incredible.
Thankfully, the attention of everyone was drawn to the incredibly bizarre outfit of the bikini armor girl, while Sing felt her heart race.
“By the way, why are they here?”
“Came to work out?”
“Not really! They’re dragging that Black Knight along!”
The boys who were exercising followed the direction the trio headed.
[Male Locker Room]
Oknodie confidently kicked the door open.
The Black Knight Mob’s yelp echoed as he got stuck at the threshold.
Lastly, Ppyoi waved goodbye and closed the door, saying, “Annyoung~” while looking at the people.
“…What is that guy doing with two girls in the male locker room!?”
“The other’s a kid, and the one in the bikini armor is a warrior!”
“Damn it. What a lucky dude. What sort of antics could justify that mix!”
As male jealousy exploded, Sing snorted.
That little monster was doing those things in broad daylight with a guy?
Ridiculous!
Surely, she had to be up to something absurd.
Males gathered stealthily in front of the locker room door.
“That’s enough.”
“Who do you think you are to stop this… huh!”
“Ugh. Of all people, it’s Sing standing there.”
“Postpone using the locker room. Once Oknodie comes out, we’ll allow entry.”
“Who are you to deny access to a public facility!”
“Yeah, the girl’s the one who’s at fault for going into the male locker room! Whatever happens inside, it’s the girls’ fault!”
His eyes bloodshot from yelling already had vivid images fluttering around inside his head.
I dismissed the perverts’ nonsense, but I was somewhat concerned about what Oknodie really meant to me.
What exactly was it between us?
It was a complex relationship difficult to define in a word.
A bond of keeping the secret that my sister Lin is a ghost.
Someone to go help with the revenge after graduation in the East.
A partnership promised for that task.
A swordsman has the logic to sort out such complex relationships.
Sing revealed the relationship defined by his logic.
“Oknodie is… my destiny community.”
“What!?”
Before the unexpected declaration of the destiny community issue escaped Sing’s lips, the students in the physical training room thought.
Today’s workout is done.
