Running through this altered room felt no different than running through a real grassy plain, and the speeds at which body activation allowed my body to move was like an adrenaline rush. Stone pillars reacted no my movements and rose from the ground to block my path. Smashing and dodging my way through the obstacles was no easy task. My control wasn't perfect, and my reaction time needed to be quick.
Occasionally I would slip up and be slammed by the rising rocks. Although it's only a simulated environment, the sensory sigils in the rooms made the impact no less painful. The impact of the blows and the feeling of having the wind knocked out of my lungs were just like the real thing. Slowly but surely, for the remainder of the lesson, I felt myself getting the hang of moving at high speeds.
"Looks like you are improving already. We should be able to start sparring soon if you keep progressing at this rate."
I looked over to see Carin beside Luna. I'm not sure how long they have been watching me, but I guess they didn't want to interrupt my training.
"Why don't we call it a day for now? The pain inflicted on you in this place may not be real, but the toll the experience takes on your mind is. It's important not to overdo it."
"Alright then. How did it go on your end, Luna?" I said, turning my attention away from Carin.
"Why do you care? It was fine, I guess."
"Are you worried about me getting hit by the rocks?"
"No, why would I care about something like that? It's not even real." She said, rubbing the spot on my chest where I was hit. Of course, I didn't point it out and let her continue her act.
We wrapped things up shortly after that, and after parting with the two, I headed to my swimming class. I met up with Rienn and Claudia in the changing rooms, and the three of us talked for a bit while getting out of our clothes, and I learned that Rienn is actually a sea serpent. She told me that the Sea Serpent race comes from Nereid, while members of Raya's race are found in Albion.
"So, how do you tell the difference between the two?"
"That would be from our skin tone and the color of our scales. Serpents typically have darker skin tones and scales with warm colors. Members of the Sea Serpent race have lighter skin tones and scales with cool colors."
"Like the Serpents, we have our own counterparts to the Noble Lamias. They're called Nagas; there aren't very many of them, though."
Makes sense. I heard Lamias are a symbol of power in Albion. They receive special status and treatment and are few in number. It's most likely the same for the Naga.
I learned a few other things as well. Rienn and Claudia are childhood friends and also potential candidates for base camp crews. Rienn is studying to be a promotional manager, while Claudia is studying to become a resource manager.
"If I remember correctly, promotional managers are responsible for growing a group's brand and finding new business opportunities, while resource managers manage a group's resources and finances. It would be nice if we all got to work together after graduation."
"Mmm"
"That would be nice. We can't make any promises, though. I wouldn't mind joining you, but Claudia is another story. She comes from a wealthy family of businessmen and is already on track to graduate. She will probably be in high demand from all the top students of both the adventurer and general courses."
That means I would have to win the school tournament. We were already planning on entering, but I'd likely have to win both the group and singles events if Claudia is that talented. I doubt anything less would be acceptable for a reputable family like hers. Working with people I'm already familiar with would be nice, so it is something to consider.
Mako didn't have many chances to feel me up during class since I can now swim properly. She got it out of her system when she had me demonstrate what I had learned yesterday. It seemed to satisfy her when I stealthily groped her back. My barriers have mostly broken down now, so I had no qualms about doing that much. I played with her body a little when no one was looking, but we couldn't mess around for long since today was supposed to be a more serious class.
After learning the exercises we would be doing daily, we were given the last half hour of class to play around a bit, and I spent the remainder hanging out with Rienn and Claudia. When we were done, Mako asked me to hang back a bit to talk, and the others went ahead before Mako dragged me to a more secluded spot.
"Did you think I would just let you play with me like that and then let you go?"
"I'm sor-" I attempted to apologize, thinking she was mad but contrary to my expectations, she cut me off by putting her finger to my lips.
"Stop. I never said I didn't like it."
She pulled me in for a kiss, and the two of us ended up fooling around for a bit. It might seem rather shameless to do something like this on a whim after fighting against my urges for so long, but Vivienne put me in these classes because she thought getting close to these teachers might benefit me somehow. Mako could end up becoming a valuable ally someday, not to mention she's very attractive as well, and her fit, toned body and well-defined abs only add to her charm. It wouldn't hurt to see where things go.
We kept things to kissing and some light groping, after which I cut the change short, using the lack of time before my next class as an excuse. She'd probably continue if I asked, but I'd rather take it slow. I don't want to get into the habit of using people for the powers they can provide me. If I go through with this, then I want to do things right. I want to get to know Mako and treat her like a proper companion. I returned to the changing room, and after that, I found Rienn and Claudia waiting for me. After getting ready, the three of us went to our next class.
Haruka looked like she wanted to approach me again but never actually did so. After some time to think, I suspect the guilt of what happened yesterday set in. A few girls took this as their chance to try and be my partner, but Luna got wind of it and quickly took the spot. She tried to be sneaky about it, but I clearly saw her glare the other girl into submission.
"It's pitiful seeing you so alone like this. I guess I can be your partner, be grateful."
Luna had a hard time being in such close proximity to me. Her breathing became heavy, and I thought she might pounce on me in the middle of class at one point during our joint stretches. She managed to contain herself, though, and the class ended without incident. Haruka was acting awkward and ended up leaving in a hurry. I made a mental note to talk to her sometime soon. If anything, what happened was my fault, so I don't want her to blame herself.
When I got home, I bonded more with the girls. We all ate dinner and then spent some time in the bath together, where they sidled up to me and clung to my body. I ended up going to sleep that night while cuddling Fleur in my embrace. She told me about her day over dinner, explaining how she went through another scary situation due to her charm. She asked to sleep with me since she was still feeling shaken up, and I readily agreed. We enjoyed each other's company and drifted off to sleep while sticking close together.