Chapter 21 – vs Maid (1)

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It had already been over a month since I possessed this Millennium mob character.

For some, that might seem like a long time.

It may be a long time for some, but it felt unbearably short for me.

From possessing this body, to hero work, to countless interactions and battles—every moment had been so densely packed that I wondered if I’d ever lived a month this intense before.

That’s why I sometimes wondered:

‘If I dropped into a different academy instead of Millennium, would everything have unfolded completely differently?’

If I’d landed in lawless Gehenna, or Trinity with its complex social dynamics, or even a smaller academy—or worst of all, debt-ridden Abydos?

Of course, given my personality, I probably would’ve found a way to connect with Millennium anyway to get equipment made. But the circumstances would’ve been entirely different.

Not that it mattered now. This was just pointless speculation. Yet, every time I experienced Millennium’s cutting-edge technology firsthand, I couldn’t help but hold the academy in even higher regard.

And naturally, that made me more aware of how things worked in other schools.

Sure, the coursework was hard, the entire academy was obsessed with meritocracy, and it was home to an embezzler like Rio—

But Millennium was still the best academy for me.

‘It’s the most comfortable place for me to adapt while also being the ideal environment to grow my abilities.’

That much was undeniable.

Take training facilities, for example. Other academies probably had standard (by Kivotos standards) exercise equipment and setups.

But Millennium?

Everything was pushed to the limits of mechanical engineering.

Even basic combat training was conducted against AMAS, Millennium’s automated combat robots, where the robots are used as both an opponent and target practice,

…Of course, the maintenance costs were brutal, and if I ever broke one of those robots, my life would be over too.

Still, there was no better place to train senses I hadn’t fully mastered yet. Not to mention, it was perfect for pushing past the physical limits I’d hit during my fight with Wakamo.

That’s why, after the clubroom, the training facility was the place I frequented most.

‘Which brings me to today…’

According to my schedule, today was sensory training day. Focusing my mind, I headed to the training grounds—

Only to feel my spine go cold the moment I arrived and subconsciously read the room’s presence with my enhanced senses.

‘…The hell? What is this?’

There was an unexpected guest in the training room.

***

I let out a dry laugh.

‘Even fighting Wakamo didn’t set off my senses this much.’

The resonance of my heightened perception pulsed through my skull, screaming one thing:

Whoever was behind that door was dangerously strong—and they were aware of me.

What did that mean?

They were powerful. And they were on guard.

Against who? 

Me, standing right outside the door.

‘I don’t wanna go in. That’s obviously a trap.’

I could sense the presence beyond the door—a small figure moving exercise equipment as if training. Their gaze wasn’t directed at the entrance, but we both knew.

We’d detected each other.

Yet, she was pretending otherwise. Playing calm, hesitating to approach me directly.

“…Tch.”

Has she figured out my identity?

…No, probably not. This was just instinct.

The girl behind that door—Mikamo Neru—likely had a much simpler reason for seeking me out.

‘No idea what it is. But I’ve got no reason to run either.’

Turning back now would only make me more suspicious. So the only move left was—

‘If she’s acting, then I’ll act too.’

Full send.

I resumed walking, grabbed the door handle, and stepped inside—immediately hit by the illusion that the room’s atmosphere had shifted entirely.

Ignoring it, I scanned the interior.

A few students were still working out, but their attention was clearly on one person.

A small frame. Orange hair. Sharp eyes.

A gaudy sukajan is worn even while exercising.

A childlike body effortlessly handling heavy equipment.

Mikamo Neru was here.

“Huh?”

A brief observation, then—acting.

The moment I spotted her, I gasped in ‘surprise’.

I let my jaw drop slightly at the sight of Neru working out, widened my eyes, and even covered my mouth with my hand—just enough to hide my expression without overdoing it.

Then—

“N-Neru-senpai…?”

“…Hah? You knew about me?”

“O-Of course! You’re Neru-senpai, Millennium’s strongest! How could I not know?!”

I gushed like it was obvious, playing up my admiration. Neru’s eyes seemed to take on a different look. As if to say ‘Can you believe this person’. Ignoring her look, I pressed on.

“Are you here to train too, Senpai?”

“Somethin’ like that.”

“Wow, I come here almost every day, but this is my first time seeing you! I’m so shocked—you’re really famous!”

“Dunno ’bout that. Seems like you’re the famous one here.”

“…Me?”

“Yeah. You, Nanashi.”

But Neru’s next words nearly broke my act. 

‘What the hell are you talking about, Neru?’

“Heard you’re bein’ called ‘Millennium’s next strongest’ lately.”

“Huh?”

“So I came to see what the fuss was about.”

“……”

“You look pretty normal—wait, no. Not normal. Got mean eyes but nice personality, huh? Heh. We’re kinda alike.”

“??”

I tried to hide my feelings and probe her, but I guess it didn’t work. 

I was inwardly impressed, ‘Yeah, that’s Neru alright’, until she dropped a bombshell I never saw coming.

‘Wait, what?’

I’m being called Millennium’s what now?

“What… are you talking about…?”

“Hah! You didn’t even know? Whatever. Hey, Nanashi. Enough acting—let’s get started already. Hyah!”

“What are you going to sta—”

“Still playin’ dumb? You noticed it, didn’t you?”

‘No. Nope. Not doing this.’

My enhanced senses screamed in my skull, making me dizzy. I wanted to bolt, but Neru’s predatory glare said she wasn’t letting me go.

“…I don’t want to.”

“Haaah??? Why not?! Let’s go already!”

“Ah—”

My weak resistance was futile. She grabbed me and dragged me straight to the sparring area.

‘What the hell? Why is Neru after me?’

As I was hauled off, I pieced it together.

Neru sought me out because of rumors circulating in Millennium’s fitness centers lately—that I was being called “Millennium’s next strongest”.

But why would that rumor even start? Why was it big enough to draw Neru’s attention?

The realization hit like lightning. I couldn’t help but groan and clutched my head.

‘Fuck. I was just training hard!’

The reason?

What else could it be? It’s because I worked too diligently in school.

With my monstrous stamina, physical abilities, and honed senses, I’d adopted an insane training regimen that drew attention. On top of that, I made sure to help people whenever possible to maintain my hero’s demeanor.

The result?

No one disliked me. In fact, I’d gained so much goodwill that people often greeted me when I walked around campus. Some even came just to watch me train in the mornings.

At first, I thought they were just curious—but the crowd kept growing. Some even asked for training tips.

‘And that’s how this rumor started?’

Now that I understood, regret flooded in.

‘So it wasn’t about Silk at all?’

Neru was just curious and came to check me out. But my reaction seemed off for a first-year, so now she was dragging me off to test my skills.

In other words, I screwed myself.

If I’d just acted normal, things might’ve been different. But no, I had to go and show off my acting, psychological warfare, and sharp senses in front of Neru.

Now I was being hauled away like a pig to slaughter.

‘Fuck.’

This was unfair.

If she’d suspected me of being Silk, I could’ve at least admitted it!

Instead, I’m just a noob who got caught by a veteran!

***

“Nanashi, you don’t even carry a personal firearm?”

Neru stared at me in disbelief.

I nodded calmly.

“…Too much trouble.”

“Hah? What kinda psycho—? Where’d your common sense go?! Ugh, now we can’t even spar properly!”

“……”

In Kivotos, guns were as essential as underwear for students.

Not carrying one? That made me a lunatic strutting around commando. No—worse than that.

In an instant, I’d become the school’s resident exhibitionist nutjob.

‘Damn it. Can’t even say it’s because of hero work.’

“Ugh, guess we’ll have to reschedule—”

“…Let’s just do it, Senpai.”

“Huh?”

I scratched my head irritably and gave Neru a flat look.

“I’m bad at shooting anyway. Let’s just fight another way. Besides, you don’t wanna come back here again, right?”

“…You’re seriously gonna fight me unarmed?”

“Yeah.”

“Hah! You’re a riot. Gotta admit, I like your guts.”

Neru chuckled and nodded.

“Fine. I am too lazy to come back. But! If you impress me, I’ll visit as much as you want. Deal?”

“That’s really not necessary—”

“Haaah? No backtalk! Just say ‘yes’!”

“……”

‘Why are you like this?’

I screamed internally, but Neru just grinned, taking my silence as boldness.

“Whatever. What gear you usin’?”

“This.”

I grabbed a military shield and a mass-produced pistol from the equipment storage. Neru’s eyes gleamed at my choices.

“…Weird combo.”

“I’ve been practicing a new style.”

“Hah! A ‘style’, huh? Tryin’ to demo on me? How dare you?”

“Something like that.”

She wasn’t entirely wrong.

I did need to test how effective my ‘Captain America’ combat style was.

And since I’d run into Millennium’s strongest, why not give it a shot?

‘The gear I’m having made is different, but—’

Didn’t matter.

Fighting Neru would be a valuable experience regardless.

This was a chance to see how far my abilities could go against the academy’s best.

So—

“Let’s begin.”

“Hahaha! That’s what I like to hear!”

With Neru’s manic grin as the starting signal, we shot toward each other like bullets.