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CHAPTER 53 - Second Special Test. Part 3.
(POV- Kaeyko)
Wow, I got assigned to the same cabin as Saik. If the rumors are true, it means Saik managed to expel another student just by listening to a recording. If the student council president said it, then it must be true.
I knew that guy was dangerous, but he's more dangerous than I imagined. I shouldn't make an enemy of him, but I also can't get close to him and befriend him.
Tanya has forbidden us from making him angry, but she's also forbidden us from being his friend. I'd rather avoid problems with that girl, so I'll follow her orders.
For someone without friends like me, following that rule is easy.
I hate obeying her, but I don't want to be expelled. I don't want to be considered a danger to the class. Tanya has been a reliable leader; she even got us to Class A. If I want to graduate in Class A, I must obey and not complain. I need the scholarship money; I don't want to depend on my parents any longer. If I get that scholarship, I can study medicine and specialize in plastic and reconstructive surgery. My father is one of the best plastic surgeons in the country; if I study that, I'll have a guaranteed job, and he could teach me in my free time.
Now that I think more about my future, will I get a wife? I don't trust women, so I don't know if I can... Well, there's no need to think about that now; I'm still young. I'll enjoy my life while I can.
"Woof!"
What's up, Kaey? Excited about the trip? Don't get too excited; it's just one day, and then we'll have to work to get our food.
Yesterday I forgot to do the test to confirm I'm not crazy, but I'll do it today. No one can see Kaey, which is both good and bad. Good because it means they won't fear me for having a tiny dog that looks like a demon, but bad because if the test fails, it means I've gone crazy, and Kaey is just a creature created by my mind.
"We need to talk, Kaeyko."
Huh? This is crap. All that effort to avoid Tanya's attention was in vain. Being Saik's cabin mate got me noticed by Tanya. I really avoided getting involved with her... Damn it.
Well, Kaeyko, just go along with it and follow orders to avoid unnecessary trouble.
"What's up, Tanya?"
Calling her by her name feels weird.
"Don't talk to Saik if he doesn't talk to you, understood? And don't make him angry either."
"Yeah, I know. Anything else?"
"Yes. Take off that mask; don't be ridiculous. Are you an Otaku?"
Anime, manga, and video games are my only means of entertainment. I have no friends and only use social media to read news and unpublished manga. My life circumstances made me enjoy these things, but I'm not an Otaku; it's just a hobby, that's all.
"I can't, sorry, my allergies came back."
"I see... Well, don't forget what I said."
She's gone... Well, I'm safe.
I can't take off the mask; Kaey marked me as his property or something like that. A small pentagram appeared on my tongue, on one of my teeth, and on my chin. I took a picture, but it's not visible. Only I can see it, but I'd rather avoid someone else seeing it. A pentagram is strongly related to religions. Kaey looks like a demon, but now I suspect he is a real demon. I would go to a church for help, but I won't.
I wear a mask because there's a chance someone else might see the pentagrams and kill me. Maybe these marks only appear on the new body of a demon or something like that. Is Kaey trying to steal my body? If so, I'll accept it. I'm very scared, I want to stay alive, but if I go to a church, Kaey might kill me. Either way, whether I ask for help or not, I'll end up dead. I'd rather continue with my life until Kaey decides to take my body.
There's also a chance these marks appeared because I'm Kaey's new owner and they're harmless. Thinking about that possibility makes me feel calmer. Kaey treats me well and is playful with me, so I think he's harmless. We'll see what happens in the future.
I thought about getting more tattoos to cover it up, but I regretted that idea. The school allows freedom of body expression. We can have any hairstyle we want, piercings, and even tattoos, so I had no trouble getting in. The tattoo on my back was a rebellious act in middle school to show I was tough and make people fear me, just like the piercings in my right ear, which serve the same purpose as the tattoo.
Even though the school allows that freedom, getting more tattoos doesn't seem like a good idea, mainly because they would look bad on my chin. I prefer to keep wearing a mask to avoid girls looking at me.
"Woof, woof!"
Kaey floats in front of me and rubs his belly. Yeah, I know, you're hungry. Let's see what we can get.
I'll continue with my normal life as much as I can. I'm very scared, I don't want to die, but there's nothing I can do, just trust.
"The government has confirmed that no meteorite is approaching Earth, that we'll be safe and all that. But, oh man, the destruction of Solerk92 city really makes me shiver. How is it possible for two meteorites to fall in the same place?"
"It must be cursed. I'll never travel north."
I'm tired of hearing about that topic, I don't want more fears invading me, I have enough with Kaey.
In my family, we survived four world wars and two global pandemics. Survival is in my blood... Although, during the world wars, my family helped the wounded and stayed away from the battlefield... And during the pandemics, we survived because we stayed home... The older generations of my family weren't much of survivors, considering they had it easier than others due to our economic position.
Well, I'll pretend I don't know that. I belong to a family of survivors; I can handle a demon in the form of a dog and a possible end of the world.
"Woof!"
Yeah, yeah, I know, the food. Let's go. Sorry, I was distracted by my thoughts.
•
•
Ah... Huh? 10 positive points for a sandwich? 30 for a piece of meat? A dish with rice and meat for 50 points?
The prices vary depending on the number of ingredients and how delicious it is. A simple sandwich for 10 points and a dessert with ice cream for 25 points.
Will they sell us the food? Well, I have 1,269 positive points, and I'm smart enough to get an 85 average on exams. I don't need the positive points now that there are class points, so the positive points will serve more as money to get certain luxuries, huh?
I see some buying without complaining, but some are complaining about the prices. After all, an answer costs 100 positive points; they must be saving up to buy answers.
"Kaeyko, could you lend me 10 points for a sandwich? Please."
Do you think I'm a charity? Get out of my sight... Ah... Wait, Kaeyko... Yeah, that's right...
"Yes, but just this once."
A classmate had bad luck on the exam and got a 58 average. Tanya forced him to spend all his points on answers, which raised his average and saved him from expulsion, but he sacrificed all his positive points.
The same happened to most, they used their points to raise their averages, which allowed us to surpass Class B and move up to Class A.
I didn't have to spend my points, my average was good enough, no need. It's Tanya's way of congratulating those who scored above 85.
I bought four sandwiches and a dessert. I have 1,204 positive points left.
I gave him two sandwiches.
"Here, but you owe me a favor."
"Thank you so much!"
He took them, thanked me, and left. Yes, very kind of me, right? Or so those who saw me would think. The truth is, I did it simply to confirm my sanity.
"Kaey, come with me."
I took out my phone and sent her a message. Now, let's follow him.
I followed him from a distance. Where will he eat his sandwiches?
Watching the sea, huh? He sat on a bench. He opened one of the sandwiches and started eating. He left the other one beside him.
Hey, don't hate me, you asked for one sandwich, not two. Consider that sandwich as payment for being my guinea pig.
"Kaey, go steal his sandwich and bring it to me. Do it when I say "Kaey"."
Kaey nodded. The good thing about Kaey is that he never disobeys my orders, supporting the theory that the marks mean I'm his master.
Okay, she should arrive... Now.
"Hi, Kaeyko. Why did you call me?"
Dulce arrived on time. That kindness will be rewarded, don't worry.
"Can you see Gael? One of our classmates. He's on the bench, eating, that guy a few meters away."
"Yeah, I see him. Why?"
"Can you see the sandwich he has on the bench?"
"Yes. What about that sandwich?"
"He has two sandwiches. He asked me to lend him 20 points to buy them. The class situation improved but also worsened, as Tanya left most of the students in our class without points. Kaey."
Kaey left.
"You still have your points, which will draw the attention of our classmates, and they'll ask you to lend them points."
I kept talking, so it didn't seem strange that I said Kaey.
"What I'm trying to say is, let me know if anyone tries to threaten you for points. Okay?"
"Huh?! Yeah, sure! Thank you so much, Kaeyko!"
Women are so easy to deceive. Abusing my popularity may be considered a repulsive and evil action, but I'll do whatever it takes to get what I want.
"Don't worry."
Kaey took the sandwich and quickly ran... Well, flew towards me, since he's a spirit. How do they manage to float? Is there some scientific explanation? Could it be magic, or do they float because they're beings from another dimension different from ours? I might never know the answers to my questions, so it's better not to think too much about it and just go with the flow.
He handed me the sandwich behind my back. Well done.
"Huh? Where is it?"
I hear him complaining, as we're a few meters away from him. Okay, time to confirm my theory.
"By the way, here. I bought three, but I think I'll be full with two."
I showed her the sandwiches I had. This will confirm if I'm crazy or not.
"There are three, right? Sorry, but I think my vision is a bit blurry. I'm a little sleepy."
"Yes, there are three. Thank you."
She took one.
"Well, see you later."
"G-goodbye."
I walked away. Wow, it worked.
Kaey really took the sandwich and gave it to me while I was talking to Dulce.
I'm not crazy, Kaey is real... He exists... Damn, I'm scared of him again.
Why was I chosen as his master? Was it random? Whatever it is, it doesn't matter. I've confirmed I'm not crazy, I can continue my life as usual. And now that I've confirmed Kaey's existence, I can use him to my advantage.
I need to ensure my survival in the school, so I'll do whatever it takes not to be expelled.
"Fufu. You like chubby girls, huh? No wonder you rejected me."
"... And you are?"
"Yeah, sure. Pretend you don't know me, Kaey."
My name is Kaeyko. Kaey is my little spirit buddy. Please don't confuse him. Besides, I'm not pretending. Who are you?
"Do you really prefer her over me?"
"To me, all women are the same, and that includes you and Dulce. They are deceitful, untrustworthy, and abuse people's trust. Goodbye."
"Still with your traumas? I'm interested in knowing more about that. Maybe I could help you overcome it."
She caressed my cheek... Seriously, why is she acting so close? Who is she?
"I don't have time for this."
I removed her hand from my face and walked away from her.
"I like difficult challenges, Kaey."
"Thanks for the unnecessary information that I'll probably erase from my brain with video games. Goodbye."
Women are so weird. Why do they keep approaching me when I've already rejected them? They're unbearable.
At least my neighbor isn't a stalker, but she's much scarier than a real stalker.
•
•
(POV- Saik.)
The ship is an elegant place, huh? The dining room is really huge. I was going to eat until I burst, but the food isn't free. I find it unfair to be disappointed this way. School, you're supposed to be an elite school, in other words, you have money to spare, even to wipe the teachers' butts with bills. Why not give the food to your humble...? Ah... That's right, 99% of the students aren't humble, as they belong to wealthy families. I think only Sylphie and I are the only poor ones in the school.
But still, why not give away food? Maybe they just want students to use their positive points, thus avoiding the massive purchase of answers.
Ah, I'll have to settle for little food.
"Saik, that over there too! I've always wanted to try caviar!"
Spending 200 points on caviar doesn't seem like a good idea, but giving Yuki a little treat doesn't sound so bad.
I ended up buying caviar, fish, steaks, ice cream desserts, and chocolate and lemon drinks.
In total, it was 1,800 positive points. I have 25,359 left.
"Need any help?"
"Yes, with the drinks. I'll go to my cabin. Thank you."
I carried all the food on two trays, and a worker helped me with the drinks.
I can feel envious gazes on me. Yes, envy me, I'll eat all of this by myself.
Joking aside, I really feel harassed at this moment. Most students can't afford to buy as much as I can.
I hope no one is in the cabin, as I want to eat peacefully with Yuki.
"Yuck, the caviar tastes horrible! I don't want it anymore!"
... I'll make you eat it, Yuki. I didn't spend so much for you not to eat it... Ah, I feel like a mother, huh? Is this how my father felt when I didn't want to eat my desserts? I understand your pain, father.
We're almost there, sir, just a little more.
"I tried to kiss him in front of his parents, but he avoided it. It was very rude of him."
"Maybe he was just embarrassed. You know how Mark is."
"What a coward."
Oh, Naima's voice. She's with her friends, huh? Calling her friend's boyfriend a coward, I liked that. And they're laughing at him. Women are very evil. Well, although no woman is as evil to me after meeting Sister Daisy. I met her when she was a kind human and not a monster, but her past self scared and disgusted me so much that I never saw her as a kind woman again.
I still wonder, are there people who are truly addicted to human suffering? Or are there just people who are so used to causing harm that not doing it feels weird?
From my experience, I think there are crazy people who enjoy causing pain. I've caused a lot of pain to thousands of people, but now that I'm a normal human, I don't feel different, I don't feel the need to kill again.
Naima is getting closer. Come on, Saik, you can invite her to eat, I'm sure she'll accept... Well, she'll probably look at me with disgust and reject my invitation, but at least she'll see me.
"Hey, Naima, want some caviar? I didn't like it."
"Yuck. No, thanks."
That look of disgust is adorable. So cute.
"Yeah, it's disgusting. I wasted 200 positive points on it."
They walked ahead. Goodbye, Naima.
Well, I'll eat slowly, enjoying the food, and then eat the caviar with disgust. Food shouldn't be wasted... Huh?
"My leg!"
"Huh?"
What's wrong with her? Why did she do that?
"You broke my leg, you damn brute!"
Ah, she really hurt herself. Why did Reiko stick her foot out? What was she trying to do?
"Ahhhhhhhh! I told you, Saik, they're trying to humiliate you! Look, everyone is watching you! And they're whispering!"
While Reiko cried in pain, the students around me looked at me furiously. Wait, do they think I hurt her? She stuck her foot out, but since I kept walking normally, I ended up kicking her by accident. When she fell to the ground, she hurt her knee and face. It wasn't my fault; she tried to knock over my food.
... Wait... Did Naima yawn? And she doesn't look worried... She knew this was going to happen... I see. Yuki, you're right, they're trying to humiliate me. I thought they wouldn't because... I mean... This is ridiculous. Why do something so stupid when...? Ah... This makes no sense.
Did she really do it in this place? I underestimated her.
I yawned.
"You're dumber than I thought, huh?"
"Shut up, idiot!"
"We'll tell the teacher!"- Yesei said.
She tried to trip me, but she didn't know how resilient I am; it's impossible to make me stumble with a simple foot. She's an unlucky idiot.
"I see... Naima, will you accuse me too?"
"No, thanks, I'd rather not waste my time."
She turned and left without her friends. Ah, that cold side of hers is delightful. I like Naima more and more. She's so different from other girls. A selfish girl who only thinks about herself, doesn't let others bother or insult her, defends herself when necessary, and doesn't hide from problems... She's perfect.
"Well, go ahead and accuse me. I'll be in my cabin, eating."
I continued on my way. I'm not obligated to stay. I'll go to the teacher when I'm called. I'm not worried about the situation; I have the advantage. Even bribing the witnesses won't help her win.
It was my victory from the moment she decided to trip me in this place.
•
•
I arrived at my cabin, thanked the employee, and locked myself in to eat. I'm alone, after all, the others probably don't want to waste time in a cabin when they can swim or play video games in the ship's entertainment room.
I placed the food on one of the beds. Alright, time to eat.
"Time to eat!"
Yuki tried to grab one of the steaks, but I didn't let her. Her hand passed through the steak.
"Huh?"
"You're going to eat the caviar."
"Noooo! It tastes horrible! I don't want it, I don't want it!"
"I see..."
I took a bite of the steak.
"Delicious. It's a shame you can't enjoy it, Yuki."
"Evil! You can't do this to me! Please, don't make me eat it!"
...Is she looking me straight in the eyes, her eyes getting teary, and pouting? That's cheating, Yuki, but I'm not that easy to convince.
"You'll have to be cuter, considering I spent 200 points on that caviar."
"N-no, I don't want to eat it, nya! I-I want meat or fish, nya!"
...She put her hands on her head, pretending they were cat ears... Ah... I admit that was pretty cute, and she's turning red from embarrassment, making her look even cuter.
"Sacrificing your dignity for food, huh?"
"You left me no choice, nya!"
"Alright, alright, you can eat, that last nya was the final blow."
"Yay! Pity worked!"
She started eating, and I started eating the caviar. My parents forbade wasting food; I must eat it even if I don't like the taste.
"They're calling you, Saik," Yuki said, with food in her mouth.
I'll scold her later.
I took out my phone and answered the call.
"Hello, Cristal, what's up?"
It's the first time she's calling me. Is something wrong?
"Saik, Saik, there's an EvoluRado 23 console! It's the newest virtual reality console! Come play with me!"
"I'll be there in about 30 minutes, I'm eating. Play for now and then show me how to play."
"I will! Don't be late!"
She sounds pretty excited. Well, even I'm a little excited about it. It's the first time I'll play with that console.
I hung up... EvoluRado 23... Virtual reality... The L. García Technology company has really advanced a lot in recent years.
I haven't seen Lalo García in two years. I wonder if he'll give me one of his consoles if I send him a message.
Well, I'll deal with that later; I just realized someone is opening the door.
Yuki hid under the bed and took three steaks with her.
She took mine, the one I took a bite from. Thief. I'll eat her dessert as punishment.
The door opened. Ah, it's Kaeyko. At least it's someone I know... Well, not really, considering he ignored my presence and lay down on his bed... He put on headphones and ignored me. Well, I'm used to it, but it's rude not to say hello or good morning. My mother would be very angry with you.
I continued eating quietly, or so I planned, since I got an email requesting my presence in cabin number 1, possibly the teachers' cabin, or our teacher's.
"Hey, Kaeyko... Hey..."
I approached him and nudged him a bit. He was falling asleep. I don't blame you; I'm also sleepy.
"What is it?"
"Watch my food, please. I'll be back in about 10 minutes. You can eat something as thanks."
"Yeah, sure."
I left the cabin. Ah, I hope this doesn't take long, but considering the evidence, it won't take much time.
"Fufu. You don't seem worried, Saik. Knowing you, you surely have something planned. Are we going to expel them?!"
"That would be counterproductive, considering she's my classmate, it would only harm our class."
Besides, she's Naima's friend; I don't want her to hate me.
•
•
(Pov- Kaeyko.)
"Woof, woof, woof, woof!"
"Kaey, Saik is harmless, so stop barking at him."
Kaey nodded and whimpered like any other dog. Sorry for scolding you, but judging people by their appearance is wrong. You should never judge someone without knowing them.
"Alright, I'm in a dilemma."
Saik's food looks delicious, especially that fried fish with lemon. He gave me some of his food as thanks, but should I accept it?
Huh? I guess I have to accept it now, as Kaey is already eating the fish.
"Aren't you full from the sandwich?"
"Woof!"
I'm surprised he can eat so much with such a small body.
"Well, just a piece, I don't want to seem like a glutton."
...Does it smell like meat? How strange... The smell... The smell is coming from under the bed. Is it my imagination?
I crouched down just to check... Wow, yes, there are three plates, two of them with steak remains, and one with a full steak with a single bite... Wow, it's a small bite. Saik likes to enjoy his food little by little.
Why does he have the plates here...? I think he got bored of the taste and planned to throw it away, so he left it under his bed. Leaving dirty plates under the bed so you won't be judged for eating too much. Wow, wow. On the contrary, they won't consider you a glutton, Saik, they'll just envy you because you can afford to spend so many positive points on simple food. Even I envy you.
By my calculations, considering the food he has, including caviar, he spent more than 1,500 positive points. More than I have at my disposal... He's really on another level.
I took the plate with the steak.
"Eat this, Kaey, leave that fish."
After all, Saik planned to throw it away. One man's trash is another man's treasure, huh?
Kaey started eating, and I took a piece.
Expelling someone allowed him to afford these luxuries... He expelled three students... Maybe... No, it's not worth drawing attention. If I draw attention by expelling another student, Tanya might try to use me and force me to do things I don't want. If Tanya tries to make me do something I don't want, she'll turn the others against me. I don't have what it takes to be a leader, nor am I sociable, so having her as an enemy is not an option. I don't want to obey her, so I won't draw attention by expelling someone. I'm ranked 6th out of 20 students in our class, above average but below Tanya and four others. Besides, my antisocial side makes me less useful to Tanya.
I don't want to waste time helping Tanya; socializing is not something I enjoy doing, and now that I have a demon dog, I need to research more about it, I can't use my time to help the class. I want to stay in class A, I'll help to avoid our class dropping, but if we're in a safe position, I won't help at all. I'd rather avoid that discomfort.
•
•
(Pov- Saik.)
"And that's why I demand he be punished!"
"Yes, it's the least he deserves for being a bully!"
I'm enjoying a popsicle the teacher gave me while listening to Reiko and Yesei's complaints. It's not as delicious as the ones I usually eat, but it's still good.
I expected to see Naima, but she's not here, so my mood isn't the best right now. I wanted to show off my skills and prove to Naima that I'm a perfect candidate to be her boyfriend, but she's not here. Ah, I really have bad luck.
"Can I hear your side of the story, Saik?"
"Idiot number 1 stuck out her foot to make me fall and waste my delicious food, something that didn't happen because I walk perfectly and my balance is perfect. She didn't expect I wouldn't trip and kept walking, causing her to fall and get those injuries because she's an idiot. And idiot number 2 is exaggerating the situation because she's her accomplice. I'd call them a trio of idiots, but Naima is smart."
And beautiful, of course. Well, not that much, she's just above average, but she's very beautiful to me.
"Do you have any evidence?"
"We have witnesses who can confirm our story!"
"And you, Saik?"
"Teacher, I suspect these two girls have a mental delay. Did they really pass their exams?"
"Teacher, we won't tolerate more insults from this idiot!"
"My evidence is the recordings from the ship's security cameras."
"Huh?"
I took out my phone and looked for the recordings I requested before coming. Fortunately, since it was a matter related to the school, they gave them to me easily.
The resolution is perfect, as expected from a security camera on a ship for the rich.
"We're on a very exclusive and elegant cruise. Didn't it ever cross your minds that there would be security cameras, idiots? Do you think a ship that guarantees the safety of its passengers wouldn't have security cameras? That's why I'm very sure you have a mental delay."
I showed the recording to the teacher.
"As you can see, Reiko stuck out her foot, you can clearly see when she does it, but since I kept walking, she tripped and fell. I had my tray with food blocking my view, so I couldn't see what was happening below me, so I didn't know she stuck out her foot. She clearly tried to play the victim, and for a few seconds, we can see Yesei laughing when Reiko tried to trip me. She knew she was going to do that, they had it planned."
"The evidence verifies Saik's version. Do you have anything to say?"
They stayed silent, as they can't say anything to deny it. In the recording, you can clearly see Reiko sticking out her foot and Yesei laughing. They can't say anything to deny it.
"I thought so. Saik, do you want to complain? They're in the same class, so that could be detrimental to class B."
"It's true, we're in the same class!"
"You can't accuse us!"
"Yes, please, I would like to complain about attempted bullying, defamation, and lying to a teacher. If you could take away most of their positive points, I'd be very satisfied."
"W-what?!"
They were surprised because they probably thought I wouldn't accuse them. I don't care enough about the class to not seek revenge.
My mother was a saint, but she taught me never to leave a crime unpunished. If injustice goes unpunished, good will never prevail. To be honest, I do it more for satisfaction and revenge.
The teacher sighed and started typing on her phone.
"Class B lost 10 class points due to the inappropriate behavior of students Reiko and Yesei. Class B now has 266 class points."
Wow. That many...? I think she gave me an idea to use with the president. Thanks, teacher.
Ah, I got a message... She sent what she said as a voice message to our group chat. I can already feel Ram's fury awakening.
Class B scored 276 class points in the last exams, last week. Thanks to that, we were still class B. Class C currently has 268 class points, that is, 2 more than ours. In other words, if we fail this special test, we'll say goodbye to class B and drop to class C or D.
I would feel bad, but I don't care. By accusing them, I'll get a lot of hate, but they will too, for being the idiots who made me angry.
"Can I leave?"
"Yes, you can. Reiko, Yesei, you will clean the floor for three hours as punishment."
"That's not fair!"
I left before hearing more complaints. Their voices are so annoying, they don't compare to Yuki's angelic voice, even if she's laughing like a maniac.
"Hahahahaha! In your faces, idiots! Saik, Saik, that was so heartless and insensitive of you! I loved it!"
"They made me angry."
To be honest, I'm only angry because I had planned a performance to make me look cool, but Naima didn't show up. I feel disappointed... Ah, is that Naima? She's looking at the sea... Alone...
I think I've seen that kind of scene in some romance novels... It would be too weird to approach too closely; I'll get closer little by little so as not to scare her.
"You already knew, didn't you?"
"Tsk. What do you want, weirdo?"
I stood next to her. Her hair smells nice, but I might end up with a broken face if I mention it. Naima is the only girl I'd let hit me, as I wouldn't dare to hit her.
"You already knew, didn't you?"
"If you mean the security cameras, yes, I knew, but it's so obvious I didn't think they really didn't realize."
"No, you knew, and you knew they didn't notice. You knew, but you didn't tell them anything. Now, the big question: why didn't you tell them about the security cameras?"
"And why would I? They got themselves into trouble; it wasn't my problem. They brought it on themselves. They'll never learn if they keep depending on me."
"Wow. Pretty cruel of you, don't you think?"
"You have no right to call me cruel, weirdo."
She walked away from me, and I watched the sea.
I highly doubt she did it just to teach them a lesson. She did it to protect herself, sacrificing her own friends. She did it to avoid getting into trouble herself.
Naima, I think I understand why I'm falling for you. You're a selfish, cruel, and violent girl.
Naima, you're like me, and that's why I feel so attracted to you.
The only difference is that you're a sociable girl, someone who knows she can't survive without the help of others. I'm a loner because I know I can survive without needing people in my life.
You accept your weaknesses and look for ways to eliminate them; you don't stay with your weaknesses... I really like you.
What if I confess my feelings to her right now...? No, that would be too gross of me, considering we barely know each other and aren't even friends. If by February 14th next year we're friends, I'll tell her how I feel about her.
"Saik, are you okay? What happened with Reiko and Yesei?"
"Ah, hello, Sylphie, I thought you were with Ram. I hope I don't run into her; she's surely mad at me."
"Well... Yeah, she's looking for you, along with Saoto, to get you to withdraw your complaints."
"I don't plan on doing that. This way they'll realize I'm not planning to tolerate mistreatment from my classmates; I'll treat them the same way I treat everyone else... Ah, by the way, black painted nails look really good on you."
She painted her nails black and her earrings are black hearts. I like her new style.
"T-thanks. I'm trying to change my look."
"Nice change, though your previous look was also cute."
It made her look like a pure and beautiful girl; now she looks a bit rebellious and beautiful.
"Do you want to play video games?"
"Yes, of course! Let's go."
"Saik!"
Ah, it's Saoto and Ram.
Saoto seems angry.
"Good morning. What's up? You look angry. Why don't we calm down and go play video games...? Ah..."
Saoto grabbed me by the collar of my uniform. Hey, do you know how much I hate ironing it? You're wrinkling it.
"Withdraw your complaints!"
"Saoto, let go of Saik!"
"Stay out of this, Sylphie!"
Thanks for worrying about me, Sylphie; you're even trying to remove Saoto's hands with your little strength. Your loyalty will be rewarded. I'll buy you whatever you want later.
"Violence is not good, Saoto, especially considering I'm much stronger than you."
I began to squeeze his arms.
"Now, please, leave me alone. And never raise your voice at Sylphie again. Understood?"
"Fufu. Look at Sylphie's face; she's blushing because you defended her," Yuki said.
Ah... I think I said something foolish. Sylphie helped me, so I defended her honor... I guess it didn't turn out as well as I imagined.
Saoto couldn't take the pain anymore and let go of me. I released him, leaving two red marks on his arms.
"Saik, you went too far. If you knew they were going to deduct class points, why did you complain?" Ram said, while Saoto rubbed his arms.
"I thought they would deduct positive points, I didn't imagine they'd deduct class points. That was my mistake, I'm sorry. Unfortunately, I'm the type of person who hates it when wrongdoers go unpunished. I hit the girls who bullied Sylphie, I accused the student from class A of being a psychopath, and I expelled an idiot who dared to take a photo of Sylphie's rear."
"Fufu. She's even redder now, Saik. You're definitely her hero now," Yuki said.
Damn, I need to start thinking more about what I say.
"If the teacher punished them by deducting class points, there's nothing I can do. If that's the punishment she gave, that's the punishment they'll receive."
"But you're hurting all of us, you idiot!"
Wow, Saoto is getting aggressive.
"So what? I promised Sylphie that we would move up to class A, and I'll keep my promise. Don't be impatient; we still have more years; the classes are just starting."
"You promised Sylphie?" Ram asked.
"Yes, and I'll keep my promise. So, if you want to move up to class A, don't mess with me or Sylphie. Understand? Don't try to expel her, because if you do, class B will sink down to class E."
"Hahahahahaha! Sylphie won't stop trembling!" Yuki said.
I think I need to stop mentioning her.
"And how sure are you that class B will move up to class A?"
"Ninety percent sure. That'll go up to one hundred percent when I get to know Tanya better."
"I see... I'll trust your word."
She turned around and walked away.
"Are you really going to believe him that easily?! Hey, wait!"
Saoto left to catch up with her.
"Saoto behaved differently than usual, huh? I guess the news really affected him... Huh? Sylphie, are you okay?"
I put my hand on her forehead. Does she have a fever?
"Your head is hot; I think you have a fever."
"Fufu. It got hot for another reason," Yuki said.
Huh? I don't understand. Do women get fevers for other reasons? I really don't know much about them.
"I think you need to rest."
I picked her up in my arms.
"E-eh?!"
"You shouldn't move much; you need to rest. I'll take you to the infirmary to get checked."
"D-don't worry, I'm fine!"
"But your head is hot; you have a fever."
"I-I'm fine, I promise."
"Ah... I see... Are you sure?"
"Y-yes."
"Then I believe you."
I put her down.
"I-I think I need some food. I-I'll see you in the entertainment room."
"Yes, of course. Don't overdo it."
"Y-yes, thanks for worrying about me, Saik."
I walked away... Ah, I really don't understand women.
"Such a gentleman, huh? I even got jealous seeing how you defended her from Ram and Saoto. Changing the subject, we're far from land! When will the ghost ships appear?! I want to invade one and fight them!"
"Aren't you scared?"
"Fufu. Who do you think you're talking to? The great and beautiful Yuki isn't afraid of anything! Yuki isn't afraid of simple ghost pirates! I'll defeat them with my cute fists!"
"Are you talking about the same Yuki who got scared seeing a grotesque ghost? Twice. Although I think it was three times."
"That was because it took me by surprise; today I'm ready for any...!"
"Hi!"
"Kya!!"
Yuki hid behind my back, scared, when she saw number 50, the legendary ghost of navigation. A very famous pirate woman who died hundreds of years ago. She traveled the world, robbing ships and selling slaves. A woman who was power-hungry and whose cruelty had no limits, until she met me, I broke her face and taught her that I was in charge, not her. I had to defeat her over a thousand times before she gave up and stopped bothering me.
She's one of the few legendary ghosts who remember their lives when they were alive. She was killed by the famous Kraken, a legendary monster who turned out to be the legendary ghost number 96, the ghost of sea monsters.
"Hi, little one, I heard you want to have a pirate adventure! Come with me, and I'll show you how to be a real pirate!"
"If you teach her to kill, I'll destroy you."
"Do you think I'd be capable of teaching something so cruel to a cute girl, Saik?"
"Yes."
"Oh, you broke my heart!"
I started watching the sea, to avoid drawing attention from others.
"S-Saik, do you know her?" Yuki said.
"Yes, she's a ghost who lives in the sea. I told her you wanted to meet ghost pirates and she agreed to show you her pirate ship."
"When did you tell her?!"
"When you went to explore the ship."
"Hi, little one, my name is Ariel!"
"Liar. Her name is Rock, 'the dirty red'."
"Hey, you said not to teach her anything cruel!"
"Huh? What's cruel about her real name?" Yuki said.
"They gave her the nickname 'the dirty red' because her clothes were always stained with the blood of her victims. Some history would do Yuki good."
"Ah... B-better change the subject! Where's your ghost ship?!"
"Fufu. Look."
She whistled a pirate melody, or so she calls it. It's a song she used to sing while killing her enemies. A disgusting background, considering her song is quite cheerful.
"🎶 Both on land and at sea, happiness can always be found! The adventure to find it will bring us friends, and thus happiness will soon come! One, two, and three, count to smile again! One, two, and three, come on, smile too!🎶"
A ship with a green aura began to emerge from the sea. Its pirate flag is a skull with a pink hat.
The ghost pirates are singing and dancing as the ship completely rises from the sea.
"A-a-a-awesome! Are those ghost pirates singing?!"
I made them sing to make it seem more childish and less terrifying than it is.
"Muahahaha! Come on, little one, an adventure awaits us!"
"Just show her the ship and tell her the story of the Kraken."
"T-the Kraken? Does the Kraken exist?!"
"Fufu. I fought him three times! But he ended up killing me in our third battle."
"She's telling the truth, Yuki, so pay close attention to what she says."
"Yes, of course! Let's go, let's go!"
"Come back for lunch."
"Yes, thank you!"
Yuki and Rock flew off towards the ship... Well, Yuki, I hope what happens next doesn't scare you too much. You're going to witness a real pirate fight.