While walking towards school, I encountered Reya along the way.
She noticed the bandages covering my wrist and looked at me with a questioning gaze.
"What happened to you? If you don't give me a good reason, don't even think about leaving…"
It was as I imagined...
Although we had only known each other for a day, she was still kind. Maybe because of her personality.
"It's nothing. Just some injuries."
"Just some injuries?"
Reya didn't care how I felt and pulled up the sleeve of my shirt, noticing that the bandages extended to my shoulder.
"Hey! Wait…"
Before I could react, I noticed my shirt being lifted.
"Even your stomach… tell me what happened? Are you being bullied? Was it the members of the fight club? I knew it! I'm going to talk to the president. This can't go on."
I didn't know how to react. This soft-spoken girl… shouldn't I be the one complaining? Why is she taking all my pain? This is…
I noticed her taking the cell phone from her bag.
"Ah! Hello, President, I-"
My eyes widened when I realized who she had called.
Before she could continue saying anything, I put my hand over her mouth, and with the other hand, I turned off the cell phone.
"You, you!"
She looked at me with a blush, never imagining that I would touch her in such a… brazen manner.
"Don't blame me! You were about to make a complaint!"
"Besides, you touched my entire body, and I couldn't do anything."
Reya blushed even more when she realized her mistake.
When she saw the injuries on my body, she lost a bit of her senses.
Although she was a devil, she was kind and couldn't stand to see someone hurt. Especially someone she found pleasant to be around.
"My injuries aren't serious, and they'll heal soon."
"This only happened because I pushed myself too hard, okay? You don't need to worry or report it to the student council president. It was my own choice to be this way."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I am."
After confirming several more times that I was fine, Reya sighed and gave up on trying to report the fight club.
"But seriously, how did you end up in such a state? I've never seen anyone train to that extent…"
Thinking about it, she realized that even the nobility devils of Sona didn't train to this extent.
Hearing the question, I looked at Reya and said, "I got carried away and ended up like this."
I couldn't tell her that I went through an initiation ritual where I had to fight a martial arts expert with all my strength. I was sure that the moment I said that, she would report the club.
"That's a brutal club… you know, if you want I can talk to the girls from the kendo club, I don't think they would refuse someone like you…"
Reya looked at my face for a few seconds before averting her gaze.
"Someone like me?"
I pointed at myself and looked at Reya doubtfully.
"Yes…"
"I appreciate it, but I'm happy in the fight club."
"But you've only joined a day ago, how can you be happy?"
She's right. But I really didn't want to leave the fight club.
This club was tailor-made for me.
There was a room with the best weight training equipment and a teacher who seemed better than a bodybuilder. Moreover, there were students who were martial arts experts who could teach me to fight. Why would I leave such a club?
Unless it was to join the nobility of some devil, I definitely wouldn't leave the fight club. No! I doubt that the devils of this school have better training methods than the fight club.
Reya seemed a bit disappointed with my refusal. But she quickly recovered and looked at me with a smile.
"Alright. I won't try to persuade you. But that reminds me that someone seemed to have promised to buy me lunch."
"Ah! That…"
"Aren't you going to keep your promise?"
Reya had a murderous look as she spoke.
I broke out in a cold sweat realizing her gaze on me.
"No, no, no! How could I not keep my word? Lunch? Let's have lunch after school! But you'll need to tell me the restaurant, since I'm not very familiar with Kuoh City."
"That's fine by me, I'll wait for you after school."
We arrived at the school, and after saying this, Reya said goodbye and went to the student council.
Looking at the girl walking away, I sighed.
Wait...
Classes end in the afternoon, and because of the clubs, we'll only meet at night...
Why does it feel like we're going on a romantic date?
I don't know if she did it on purpose or not, but I understood one thing.
Women are frightening.
...
During classes, I practiced the breathing technique.
It was good that this technique didn't attract attention. To others, it just looked like I was peacefully sleeping. Even the devils didn't notice anything wrong with me. Besides the injuries on my body, which they didn't care about at all.
Sona was the only one who frowned.
She didn't care about the injuries I had. But she found it unacceptable for a student to sleep during class.
I didn't notice her displeased look at me. So, I continued to practice.
The hours passed, and the bell signaling the end of class rang.
Without wasting time, I packed my things to go to the fight club.
But as I was about to leave, a female hand touched my shoulder.
"Come with me to the student council."
A displeased female voice sounded in my ears.
"Yes."
I didn't question why Sona had stopped me. I just followed her. She looked displeased, so saying anything would be imprudent.
The girls in the class looked at me with pity, except for Rias who had a triumphant look on her face.
"Ara, ara! You seem happy that the transfer student is going to be punished."
"Hmph! He stole my protagonist's chair."
The boys in the class also had excited looks on their faces.
"That bastard is going to be punished for sleeping in class!"
"If he were from another class, then nothing would happen. But he dared to sleep right in class 2-b?"
Even though I was out of the classroom, I heard the voices of the students who seemed to make sure I heard them.
"I don't need to say what you did wrong, do I?"
Sona in front of me, spoke.
"Yes. The male students in the class made sure to use their voices so I would know…"
I said, looking down.
Damn it! I just wanted to go to the fight club for a weight training session and then practice some martial arts. But now? I have to listen to some scolding from a girl with a queen complex.
Okay, I admit it, I'm angry.
Sona seemed to notice my displeased look but didn't say anything and just took me to the student council room.
And two hours later, I left the student council room with a grim expression.
Two hours...
I spent two hours listening to lectures, and I had to commit to cleaning the classroom alone for the next week.
This...
Initially, Sona just gave me a few lectures and told me to clean the classroom for two days. But as I didn't want to accept the punishment, I challenged her to a game of chess.
Maybe because of my anger, I forgot that this short-haired girl had never lost a chess game. I also forgot that I wasn't good at chess.
What followed was my defeat in just a few moves.
Sona, who had a serious face, smiled slightly seeing my defeated expression.
After that, I had to listen to a few more lectures before being released.
Sona Sitri, right? Alright...
Once I have enough strength, I'll come back for revenge. At that moment, I want to see the face you show me.
With these thoughts, I entered the fight club and realized that many had already gone home. Only Machio seemed to be doing some barbell squats that made my eyes widen in astonishment.
The barbell was completely bent due to the amount of weight.
I counted the plates on the bar and realized that Machio was squatting four hundred kilos. And he didn't even seem to be sweating. It was as if he was just warming up.
Machio, sensing someone approaching, finished his squats and turned to see who it was. And upon realizing it was me, he smiled and came over to greet me.
"Oh! Hey, Yan Qing! I told you to rest this week. Why are you here?"
"This… Machio, I know what you said, but I really want to train."
"Really? Well… your enthusiasm is infectious, but the other members have already gone home, so you won't be able to learn martial arts today. If you want, we can train."
Damn Sona! Because of her lecture, I couldn't learn martial arts today and could only train with Machio.
"That's fine with me, but let's keep it light today since I'm still recovering."
"Don't worry! I'll take good care of you."
Training today was the worst decision I could have made.
"Come on Yan Qing, you can do it! Just one more repetition!"
"AAaaaaaahhh! My leg is going to snap!"
"Keep going!"
"AAAAAAH!"
I felt all the strength drain from my body as I looked at the Leg Press with a blank expression.
Machio beside me had a smile on his face.
"Wow. You are very strong, Yan Qing!"
I wanted to say something, but I didn't even have the strength to speak.