episode_0041

Chapter 41 – Wrapping Up

“Alright, let’s move on to the second game! This game is—”

The winner of charades was Class 2, represented by Ethan Gloucester, an apostle of the Dark Church.

Perhaps because he had mastered space-related magic to a high degree, he had excellent synesthesia and could quickly grasp shapes and functions from even small gestures.

Thanks to this, he answered every question perfectly.

By the way, Skadia’s team scored 0 points.

This was because the male student explaining seemed to have a unique mental world, expressing even simple problems with all sorts of incomprehensible gestures.

While we didn’t do particularly well either, compared to Class 1, we could be considered angels [a euphemism for being much better].

Various games passed in that manner, and then the final stage arrived.

Students began to find their partners and perform folk dances around the blazing campfire in the clearing.

Abel and Uni, Sara and Verdan Roosevelt. Besides them, various couples abounded.

Without hesitation, I left the area and came to the rooftop, which overlooked the clearing.

“Finally, it’s over.”

Looking back, though short, I experienced quite a few incidents during the training camp.

What would have originally been an episode to pass with a few service events became special to me. The longer I spent here, the more memories accumulated, and my desire for revenge faded.

Sigh…

It was as I let out a long sigh.

“You were here.”

Along with a presence appearing behind me, a familiar voice reached me.

I turned my head and saw the Saintess smiling sweetly.

“Saintess-nim, how did you get here…”

“Of course, I have business here! Didn’t they say a virgin ghost appeared in the mountains behind us last night? I specially came to exorcise it.”

“Why bother? You don’t need to come in person.”

It’s not even a high-ranking ghost; it’s just a virgin ghost that steals men’s life force at best, yet the Saintess herself came to exorcise it.

As I tilted my head at the disproportionate cost-effectiveness of the situation, the Saintess suddenly furrowed her brows.

“That’s right! I don’t *need* to come. But I did! More importantly, why are you on the rooftop? Do you know how hard it was to find you?”

“You looked for me? Why?”

“Naturally, for surveillance! Because I was afraid the Young Master, who loves breasts so much, might carelessly touch any woman’s chest!”

“Even if it’s me, I wouldn’t do that.”

“Anyway! I’m glad I found you. I thought you were secretly hiding somewhere, touching someone’s breasts.”

“No way.”

Fortunately, the ridiculous misunderstanding from last time seemed to have been cleared, but in its place, it seems I’ve evolved into a lunatic obsessed with breasts in the Saintess’s mind.

As I shook my head weakly in disbelief, the Saintess approached my side.

“By the way, if you want to dance, why don’t you go down? Don’t just watch from here.”

“It’s fine. I don’t particularly want to dance. And would there be any woman who wants to dance with me? It’s more comfortable just being here.”

I refuse to tarnish the memories that should remain pleasant in everyone’s minds.

Just as I was about to lean against the railing, the Saintess’s small voice tickled my ears.

“There is one here.”

“…Huh?”

I flinched and looked at her again, and a beautiful, delicate hand was extended before me.

“Will you dance with me?”

The Saintess smiled.

The moment I met that smile, my clock stopped. The surrounding noise faded, and an illusion arose that we were the only two left in the world.

Her radiant goodwill breathed life into my cold emotions.

Thump! Thump!

My heart pounded.

My body temperature rose due to the blood coursing fiercely through my entire body. My throat tightened with the surging emotions from deep within my chest.

In this unbelievable reality, a question naturally spilled from my lips.

“Why? Why do you want to dance with me?”

“Do I need a reason? There’s a lonely person in front of me, and I can soothe that loneliness. So I’ll gladly do you a favor. That’s all there is to it.”

“Ah…”

I see.

To the Saintess, to Iris, only being able to save suffering people matters.

There’s no room for any other reason to intervene.

I took the Saintess’s hand.

“Then, may I ask for this favor?”

“Of course! Leave it to me!”

With an innocent smile, the Saintess led me to the center. This was our stage. With only moonlight and a little music, we could dance as much as we wanted.

I met the Saintess’s gaze, shared breaths, and swept across the stage.

“Saintess-nim. You dance well too.”

“Hmph! This much is nothing. The general framework is similar to footwork.”

“So it’s ‘all rivers eventually flow into the sea’ [a saying meaning all paths lead to the same destination].”

“‘All rivers eventually flow into the sea’? That’s right. That phrase is good. I’ll have to use it next time!”

Her grinning face was cute.

Enough to make me want to just kiss her.

The Saintess spun smoothly with my lead and spoke as if surprised.

“By the way, Young Master, you dance better than I expected. When I only heard the rumors, I thought my feet would be completely worn out today.”

“Is that a rumor from Royal Palace?”

“Yes. They said the Young Master shattered Lady Remian’s feet, didn’t they? Has your dancing improved a lot since then?”

Realizing it anew, the Saintess glanced at my feet as if worried. I looked down at her neatly arranged pink crown of hair and shook my head.

“No. I haven’t really practiced dancing. It must be that Saintess-nim’s dancing skills are superior to Lady Remian’s.”

“Hehe, is that so? Then, between me and Lady Isis, who dances better?”

“Huh?”

“Tell me quickly. Who dances better?”

The Saintess urged me on, smiling playfully as if she had found a corner to tease me.

After serious consideration, I gave my answer.

“It’s Saintess-nim.”

“A lie.”

And the Saintess denied it faster than light.

From her perspective, it seemed she thought I was lying to flatter her.

But I was sincere.

“I really mean it.”

“Why?”

“My sister and I last danced almost 10 years ago. It’s natural that Saintess-nim’s dancing is superior to my sister’s from her childhood. How’s that? Believable?”

“It’s frustrating, but that’s true. Tsk!”

She wanted to make me more uncomfortable, but perhaps unwilling to think her dancing skills were inferior to Isis’s from 10 years ago, the Saintess clicked her tongue and stopped arguing.

After that, silence descended for a moment.

But it wasn’t uncomfortable. I felt more peaceful than ever before.

Then, the Saintess suddenly pressed close.

Her ample chest, wrapped in her nun’s habit, gently pressed against my chest, giving a happy sensation.

“Be content with this today. Understood?”

“Content with what?”

“My chest! My chest touched yours, so be satisfied with this. You mustn’t touch other women’s chests!”

The Saintess’s face was resolute.

She was merely warning me not to commit sexual offenses, but to an outsider, it might sound like jealousy.

I couldn’t hold back my laughter and chuckled as I replied to her.

“Alright. I’ll be content with Saintess-nim’s chest today.”

“Good! It’s a promise!”

The Saintess’s fingers fidgeted, then skillfully intertwined our clasped hands, forming a loop.

Then she shook them a few times before letting go.

I felt a corner of my heart warm, yet I couldn’t suppress my playfulness.

“Saintess-nim. By the way, you know this, right?”

“Yes?”

“There are 2 hours left until midnight.”

The promise is until today.

Meaning, after 2 hours, it will be tomorrow, so I can touch other women’s chests.

In that brief moment, the Saintess’s eyes widened as she reached that conclusion.

“You swindler!”

The Saintess’s petulant complaint assailed me.

***

“Everyone worked hard. You can go now, and tomorrow is a holiday, so I’ll see you in two days.”

Finally, the training camp concluded its grand finale.

I responded to Sara’s greeting with a look and turned my back, leaving the main hall.

Just as I turned my steps towards the training room.

“Hey, friend. Where are you going!”

“Ruan! Let’s go together!”

Abel and Yas appeared and stood next to me. Yas, in particular, put his arm around my shoulder.

“What? Suddenly.”

When I glanced at him as if asking if he had some business, Yas shrugged.

“That’s a bit disappointing, isn’t it? Do we always need a reason to hang out? We’re in the same room anyway, so let’s just go together.”

“Then you shouldn’t come with me.”

“What? Why? Are you going somewhere, perhaps? Did you get a group date with some girls? Or maybe a secret lover came to visit?”

Yas craned his neck stiffly and looked around as if possessed by a meerkat. I could roughly tell what this guy usually thinks about.

“It’s not like that. Anyway, I have something to do, so you two go on ahead. I’m leaving.”

“Ah! Ru-Ruan!”

Leaving Abel’s voice behind, I entered the training room.

As expected, perhaps because it was right after returning from the training camp today, there was no one inside. I savored the comfortable atmosphere and headed for the treadmill.

It wasn’t exactly the same name, but it was a similar exercise machine, so I decided to call it that.

It was when I was in the middle of running.

“Wow! Crazy!”

“Amazing…”

The training room door opened, and an astonished Yas and Abel entered.

Both of them had slightly stunned expressions.

“What you had to do was exercise? Why are you so diligent when you’re supposed to be a ruffian? Right, Abel?”

“Huh? Me? Me? I’ve never thought Ruan was a ruffian! …Still, that’s amazing. I think I need to reflect a bit.”

After a comedic skit, the two had already approached right in front of me.

I sighed and stepped off the treadmill.

“What are you two doing? Did you follow me?”

“Well, we were curious where you were going. Honestly, we thought you were secretly going to meet a girl! Who told you to hide it so thoroughly?”

“I’m sorry, Ruan.”

Yas, blaming others like a thief turning on his victim [an idiom about turning the tables unfairly], and Abel, meekly admitting his fault.

My head started to ache.

‘Still, it’s a blessing in disguise.’

It’s fortunate that these two were the ones who found out; if others, especially a transmigrator, had seen me, I would have immediately aroused suspicion.

If it were Pernia, she would have immediately realized I was a rapist and swung her sword first.

“Alright, enough of that. It’s a secret to others that I’m training here. Understood?”

“Huh? Why? Isn’t it a good thing for you?”

“That’s right, Ruan. If people find out, your image will improve too.”

At my request, both tilted their heads, unable to understand.

He’s not some angel of charity who doesn’t want rumors to spread even after making donations, yet the ruffian Ruan Friuli wants to just throw away a chance to clean up his image!

Generally speaking, their opinions are valid, but not for me at all.

“That’s none of your business, anyway, it’s a secret. Understood?”

“Hmm… Well, if you say so, there’s nothing we can do. I’ll keep it a secret.”

“Yeah. You must have your reasons, Ruan. I’ll take this secret to my grave!”

What kind of important information is it that a ruffian is training, that he needs to take it to his grave…? I shook my head repeatedly and turned my back.

“Then I’ll keep exercising, so you two can leave.”

I have no time to waste.

Two weeks after the training camp ends is practical training.

To deal with any variables that might arise there, I need to become even stronger.

Before I could take even a few more steps.

“Hey, friend! Let’s do it together!”

“That’s right. I’ll join too! I need to train hard starting today!”

“No, there’s no need…”

“Whoa! First, Kegel exercises! For the pussy that will one day embrace my dick!”

“Hey, Yas! Watch your language! What if someone hears you!”

Bickering with each other, the two began their own workouts with the equipment scattered around.

These guys aren’t listening to a word I say.

‘I guess there’s no helping it…’

It’s not like their presence will give me a growth debuff, so I guess I’ll just leave them be.