Chapter 100: The Start of Something? or the End of it?

- 2 Days Later, Dwarven Settlement, Calidus, Sens Estate - Rose's POV -

[Rose, straighten up your strike! Heine, use more muscles in your legs when you punch! Keep it up everyone, we're going to do another 100 sets before switching to the next exercise!] - Lolianne Sensei

[Damn slave driver...] - Unknown Harpy Girl

[I heard that Robin! Another 10 sets for that comment of yours!] - Lolianne Sensei

[Tch!] - Robin, Previously Unknown Harpy Girl

It had been 2 days since the "incident", as it was being called, and in that time we'd finally begun our training in earnest. Our teacher, apparently getting a message from the Academy about the inclusion of a new teacher going forward, one that wouldn't be present during this ordeal but would be taking over for one of the teachers on our return. I hadn't heard who it was necessarily but the excitement and newfound zeal she put into our training after she heard gave me a few ideas and if it WAS who I was thinking then I'd have to reserve a boot to shove it so far up his...

- Same Time, Academy City, Abelis, Gilgamesh's New Apartment - Gil's POV -

[Is everything okay? Has this one left the Honorable Master's room too chilly?] - Kurata

I suddenly shivered, a chill passing through my body despite the relatively warm room we were currently in. We'd been physically working for the last hour; moving furniture into a new house SHOULD have warmed his body quite sufficiently. Despite that I still had felt a touch chilly for a few seconds there... wonder why?

[No it's fine, it seems to have passed... More importantly, push your side more! We'll never get this table through this damn opening at this rate!] - Gilgamesh

[Yes Honorable Master!] - Kurata

- Same Time, Dwarven Settlement, Calidus, Sens Estate - Rose's POV -

A-Anyways it seems that our little exposure during the last part of the "incident" had been fairly easy to sweep under the rug thanks to the relative innocence of the large-breasted Kappa girl, Urz. In fact it had been so simple to trick her that I actually felt a bit guilty that we'd done so, to be honest. The look of confusion on her face stabbed through my conscience. Regardless it was important that we didn't gather any suspicion from our classmates... Any MORE suspicion actually. Now that I thought about it they probably all thought of me as someone on the same level as the Summoned Hero at this point. After I'd accidentally revealed my ability to cast magic without a chant they probably always kept an eye on me. It was honestly a miracle that I was not MORE well known at this point. It was likely that my classmates were keeping silent out of some kind of camaraderie on top of the threat of violence from Legal Loli Sensei. Otherwise, I'd be fighting off far more attempts from various noble families to either bring me under their umbrella or neutralise me as a threat. It seems that being considered abnormal in strength or circumstances brought out a strange sense of belonging within our little group; even if some of them went a bit... overboard with their stupid pranks. Speaking of...

[I can't take this anymore! First the waterfall and now we have to punch this damn training dummy ANOTHER 100 sets?! I demand fair compensation! I deman- a-ah!] - Heine

[Y-Yeah! This is bullshi- ah!] - Rance

[You demand what?] - Lolianne Sensei

[I-I ahh.... n-nevermind...] - Heine

[M-Me too...] - Rance

[That's what I thought. 10 more sets for that outburst and the rest of you still have another 69 to go! And straighten out that damn arm Rose!] - Lolianne Sensei

[YES SENSEI!] - Rose

Finally finished pressuring our class's resident peeping tom and his group that was about to back him up our teacher pulled her attention back to the rest of us, immediately noticing my lax posture as I attempted to pay attention to the group instead of focusing on the drills we were doing. Damn this was boring...

- A Few Hours Later, Dwarven Settlement, Calidus, Sens Estate Hot Springs Bath - Rose's POV -

[Haaaaaa.... I'm hurting in muscles I didn't even know I had until today, and not even in the fun way...] - Veronica

[I know what you mean, that Loli teacher of ours went over the top today... Also ew.] - Malaise

[Heh, I'm actually feeling quite good myself! It's been a while since I've really been able to enjoy a dojo session!] - Karen

[Ugh... Damn you and your lack of muscles! Even if it's hot!] - Veronica

And so we found ourselves in the household's hot spring once more, a larger group this time as each of the girls’ groups went as one to make it easier to defend in case of a repeat of the events  two days prior. Our own group, the largest by 1 number, was the closest to the waterfall feeding the spring and the heat from the fresh water was doing wonders for our sore muscles.

At least that was the idea. Even with the warming effect of the water relaxing the tension away we still felt twinges of pain throughout our bodies as we attempted to deal with the newfound pain. Although my own experience with crazy work schedules had given me some resistance to the increase in our workload. Even so, my own body still felt the rigors of the new training schedule regardless. In fact, the only one completely fine after such a hard day was also the only person here that "had" no muscles.

Karen, made of slime as she was, had kept up with the most athletic of us throughout the day. Our training, difficult for even the most battle-hardened of us, was a piece of cake for those of us that didn't have to worry about running out of energy. Apparently she DID eventually get tired but she said the feeling was more a lack of energy and a general sluggishness rather than muscle pain and incoordination. I guess since her body was basically a giant bacterial colony it just shared energy with each cell as a whole? Maybe?

Regardless, I needed to break up their dumb fight before they scared off a certain shy Kappa.

[Haaaaaa.... Just relax you guys, you're scaring Urz and... Argent?] - Rose

[H-Huh?!? Hmm, did you call me?] - Argent

[What's going on girl, you were spacing out a bit there. Thinking of Ogi?] - Veronica

[O-Ogi?! W-Why would I be thinking of that brute?!? I-I mean n-no...] - Argent

[Oho? So you were thinking of Mr.Large and in Charge.] - Veronica

[N-No I...] - Argent

[So fess up, when'd you fall for the big guy? Is it because of his big dic- Ah!] - Veronica

[Stop that you pervert! Although to be honest I'm quite interested myself, only if you're comfortable with telling us of course.] - Malaise

Stopping the idiots before they scared off our newest member brought my attention to the other newbie to our group. Argent, currently staring into space as she soaked in the warm water, was periodically glancing down at her bust and sighing loudly. The furtive glances she gave the rest of us called her to our attention, as one person in particular decided to use her flustered response to her advantage.

And as always, she went a bit too far, although her interest had infected the rest of us, and we all leaned in to listen. I could've sworn the other groups of girls also became quieter at the same time as if listening in on us despite the significant distance between the groups. And Argent, clearly flustered by all the attention she was getting, wasn't even able to put on the arrogant noble front as she shyly looked at us with the upturned eyes of a maiden in love; her story starting after she pulled herself together a bit more.

- Dwarven Settlement, Calidus, Sens Estate Hot Springs Bath - Rose's POV -

[It all started when...] - Argent

And so we listened for nearly thirty minutes as she spoke of her entrance into this school and how alone she felt because of her status as the daughter of a famous and powerful noble family. The people that attempted to use her to gain her father's favor, the people that faked friendships to wedge themselves into her sphere of influence, and how tired of it she was.

And so she told us about her enrolment in S-Class, amongst those that she initially saw as beneath her, especially the non-human and even a few monster races. The number one of those she felt to be inferior was Ogi, the lone Ogre classmate that was obsessed with combat and proving himself in physical bouts. He was also the first to actually interact with her— of course, it was to ask for a fight.

She then spoke of how she refused his request, intending to distance herself from these lower-class individuals for the duration of the school year and request a change later on, and how that attitude went on for a few weeks after that, her classmates generally accepting her attempts to remain alone, as they gradually pulled away from her in turn.

She told us how she'd always thought that the one thing she wanted was for the false friends and political maneuvering of those surrounding her to stop, she'd always wanted to just be left alone. But what she'd realized when she'd finally been ignored was how lonely that was, how it wasn't what she'd wanted all along. And so the school year continued onwards with the only interaction between her and her classmates being the frequent requests for combat from the only person that was either brave enough or foolish enough to ignore her obvious refusal to interact with others- Ogi.

She told us how she'd spent weeks ignoring him as he continued to pester her for a bout until finally one day she decided to find out why he was so interested.

Following him secretly after school was over she'd shadowed him as he walked through the city, most of the pedestrians avoiding the massive Ogre as he nonchalantly moved towards the poorer section. Her own luck in that regards however had not been as keen as she found herself surrounded by a group of ne’er-do-wells almost immediately upon entering the poor district, fear paralysing her to the extent she couldn’t even cast the magic that would save herself .

She told us how she'd closed her eyes while waiting for the men to be done with her only for their pain-filled grunts to fill the darkness and how, when she'd opened her eyes again, she'd seen the large frame of Ogi, holding one of the bandits by the leg as he pummelled the rest.

[So that's when you fell for him?!?] - Veronica

[Of course not! I'm a noble lady, not some trollop that swoons for any man that protects her virtue! A-Anyway can I continue?] - Argent

[We're all ears.] - Veronica

[Hmph!] - Argent

With the interruption taken care of, she went on to say how Ogi had driven off her attackers shortly after that and how he hadn't even questioned why she was following him, only checking on her wellbeing before attempting to continue on to his destination. She told us how she'd questioned why he hadn't demanded a fight as a reward at the time, his goal seemingly within his grasp and how she'd debated continuing to follow now that he was obviously aware of her presence but how she'd finally decided to take the plunge and continue to shadow him. His form slowing as she fell into step behind him until they were side-by-side as they approached his destination.

And his goal? A rundown orphanage in the slums, the cracked walls and holes in the ceiling showing just how little money the establishment had to deal with their charges. Argent, still questioning the goals of the creature she'd initially labelled as sub-human, followed. And what awaited her was shocking, to say the least.

Over 3 dozen children, of various races, haggard and wearing what amounted to rags who, instead of looking like they were starving like she expected them to were actually in high spirits as they climbed all over the visiting giant, their tiny bodies being gently handled by massive hands as he softy as he directed Argent to introduce herself.

She then recounted how she'd found herself flabbergasted as the Orphanage head had greeted her with a wide smile that she had felt held no underhanded motives, a smile that she'd mirrored with her own. Her first true smile in her life.

And so she finished her story, leaving us at the best part, although we could guess what happened after that as this should have taken place only about a month before I entered school.

[And that's why you love the big lug? ‘Cause he's a sweety at heart? At least tell me what he's packing down the- Ah!] - Veronica

[Shut it Ver! That story was the sweetest I've ever heard!] - Malaise

[I agree, Ah! I'm sorry for eavesdropping but I couldn't help but overhear such a sweet story... U-Umm I'm Robin, I think we've seen each other before?] - Robin, The Romantic Harpy?

[O-Oh right... well we have yes.] - Rose

[...] - Argent

[Hey Argent are you okay?] - Karen

[...they heard me. My classmates heard me...] - Argent

[U-Umm is everything going okay? That story was really sweet by the way.] - Robin, The Romantic Harpy

Silence filled the baths as we attempted to process the information dropped on us. Ogi went to an Orphanage, one to which he most likely sends money, considering the state of the children, and Argent fell for him because of the difference between her image of him and reality. Is this what's called Gap Moe?

The silence only lasted a few seconds however ,as our own resident pervert immediately ruined the mood with her crass humor before a book knocked her off the stage for at least a few more minutes. It was then that we all noticed the crowd of girls surrounding us, their shining faces illustrating that they'd heard most, if not all, of Argent's confession. And the one most moved by it was the previously sour-faced Harpy from a few days ago.

[AHHHH! I'M BETTER OFF DEAD! NOW THAT MY SECRET IS OUT I'LL KILL OGI THEN MYSELF! AHHHHH!] - Argent