8 Working Hard In My Own Way

After waking up the next day...

I washed my face, ate breakfast, brushed my teeth, and took a bath.

I did the same routine I do every morning, the only difference is, Yuki is now accompanying me...

At about [6:30 A.M.], I finished preparing for the day. I always take my time taking baths so I can make sure that I'm clean.

Anyway...

'I still have more than 4 hours of free time.'

So I decided to train on the training grounds...

I put my training suit on.

But as I was about to go out of my dorm...

I looked at Yuki who was still sitting on my right shoulder.

'Is it okay to bring her out?'

I asked myself internally.

Then after contemplating for a while...

"Nah, other students might steal you because you're too cute."

I decided to leave Yuki in the dorm.

-Kyu! Kyu!

Maybe she knew that she was about to be left behind, Yuki started tweeting loudly as if to protest against the idea.

I also don't want to leave her alone...

"But I can't hide you while I'm training."

After hearing my words, Yuki stopped tweeting and slouched.

She was thinking...

I looked at her for a while as she was cute. But I don't want to waste time.

I was about to place Yuki down...

But before I was able to completely place her down. She looked at me with twinkling eyes.

-Kyu!

She then tweeted...

Swoosh-

And got absorbed by the [Ring of Gluttony]!

She entered the spatial storage!

"She can do that?"

From my knowledge, living beings can't enter spatial storage, their life force needs to be cut first!

'But I guess Yuki can do that as she's originally from the ring to begin with.'

"Well, whatever."

I didn't think about it too much as I find it bothersome.

"Well, this works... Let's go."

With this weird skill of hers, I can bring Yuki with me anywhere.

So with that, I made my way to the training grounds...

***

Arriving at the training grounds...

A few people entered my sight.

The main characters are there along with some professors.

I don't have any business with them...

So I ignored them all and went to the weightlifting area.

Currently, my physical strength sucks, so I need to do something about that...

'Hey system, what weight should I start with?'

I asked the system as it would be embarrassing to lift something my body can't handle and fail in front of the others.

[Start with 15 kilograms and lift it 10 times. If you think you can still carry—]

"Wait."

I then suddenly stopped the system's explanation halfway as I just thought of something amazing.

[What?]

"I just thought of a better way."

Not waiting for the system's reply. I ran back to my dorm.

Some people in the training grounds looked at me weirdly, but I didn't give a shit...

...

After getting back, I opened my V.D. and went to the online shop site...

Then, I ordered 4 [Training Bracelets]!

They're man-made bracelet artifacts that will change their weights based on how much mana you pour into them.

I'm not really sure if there's something like this at first, but this world has very advanced technologies, so I figured something like this would definitely exist.

And I was right!

...

Anyway...

After 10 minutes of waiting and playing with Yuki.

I heard a knock on my door...

I opened it, and one of the academy's staff with a package in his arms greeted me.

"A delivery for you."

He said.

"Thank you."

I smiled and took the package from him, then I signed something he handed me, it's proof that I received the item...

Then as the staff was about to leave... I handed him a thousand Zeals.

The staff looked at my hand in confusion, then he looked at me with a questioning gaze.

I smiled at him, with my best effort...

"It's a sign of thanks for bringing the package to me safely, it may not be much, but please accept it..."

Then I said that.

Normal academy staff earns 5000-10,000 Zeals every day, so it really doesn't amount much for them, but everyone likes free things.

Also...

'It's the thought that counts is what they say.'

1000 Zeals is a small price to pay for a good relationship with an academy staff.

Anyway...

After hearing my words, the staff smiled and took the Zeals in my hand.

"Thanks, have a good day."

He said and left with a smile on his face.

Meanwhile, I went back inside the dorm and opened the package.

Upon opening it, I saw 4 black bracelets inside...

'Each bracelet cost 10,000 Zeals. I have roughly 90,000 Zeals left in my account... I'm gonna meet with Tyrone 6 days from now, so I need to prepare.'

'I need more money...'

After thinking for a bit about the near future...

I wore a bracelet on my both wrists and ankles.

Then I started imbuing mana in them...

I adjusted all of their weights to 20 kilograms.

And...

"It worked!"

I excitedly exclaimed when I felt my whole body getting heavier. Especially on my arms and legs.

[Is this your idea?]

The system then asked me.

Casually looking at the transparent window in the air that I assumed only I could see, I shrugged my shoulders and opened my mouth...

"You can read my thoughts, right?... Staying in one place and lifting weights is boring, so I thought of other ways to do it."

I proudly said.

[The bracelets need a continuous supply of mana to maintain their weights, what if you ran out of mana in the middle of class and passed out?]

Then the system responded.

I thought for a second before calling Yuki, who was playing all by herself...

Then she flew towards me and landed on my palm. She's really cute.

Shaking my unnecessary thoughts first, I asked Yuki.

"Can you use separately?"

Yuki then just tilted her small fluffy head in reply, she didn't understand my question...

And it took me about 3 minutes to explain things to her.

I used the skill in front of her asking if she could do it too, and after understanding my question...

Yuki proudly nodded her head! Cute.

"Great, try using it."

-Kyu!

After that...

Yuki opened her beak, then a white vortex-like smoke came out of her opened beak!

'It's really the skill!'

I exclaimed inwardly, I didn't really expect Yuki to do it the first time.

The vortex then absorbed all the surrounding mana, except mine.

Then after a while... Yuki closed her beak.

She was done.

Yuki looked at me with lively eyes, and I happily patted her head.

"Good girl! Now, can you pass the mana to me?"

I asked her.

And Yuki nodded in reply.

'She's getting smarter.'

I felt proud.

Then after that, I felt my mana getting replenished...

-Kyu!

Yuki tweeted while puffing her chest out as if boasting.

I patted her head again...

"Good job."

Then praised her.

-Kyu!

'Now, I'll bring Yuki to the classroom and have her absorb mana for me from time to time to avoid mana exhaustion.'

I thought as I smiled internally.

[You need to work hard.]

The system said.

"I'm working hard on my own way. You can't just tire yourself out randomly."

I shrugged.

"Now if I run with these bracelets on, I can train my strength, agility, and stamina at the same time. And with the continuous usage of mana, my capacity might increase, the same with my mana control."

'And lastly, I wouldn't need to train at the training grounds that are packed with people...'

Just thinking about it sounds tiring.

Anyway, I headed outside the dorm, and Yuki got into the spatial storage.

This time, I'm not heading to the training grounds.

I'm planning to run all around the academy.

"Working hard is good, but you need to use your brain too. If you can do something while sitting and produce the same result as doing it while standing, then there's no need for you to stand, right?"

I said to the system.

I didn't wait for its reply as I started running around the academy instead.

...

***

...

"Haaa... Haaa..."

Rough breathing came out of my mouth...

'The academy is as large as a small city!'

I complained in my head.

I stopped running when it was [9:20 A.M.].

I ran for about an hour and a half. I didn't even know how many meters I ran...

[You ran 15005 meters.]

Well, looks like the system counted.

'I think the academy is about 15,000 meters x 15,000 meters big.'

Anyway, you might think that I ran a lot.

But this is just average for ability users like me.

But in my case, I'm wearing weights, so I think I did pretty well...

So while grumbling because of the fatigue that I'm feeling, I went to the training grounds.

I still have an hour and a half before class starts. I don't have anything else to do anyway.

'So might as well...'

***

As soon as I entered the training grounds I went to the shooting range...

There are few people as I assumed most students and professors are getting ready for their classes.

Well, I don't really care...

I ignored everything unnecessary for me and started my own training.

I got pretty used to the speed of difficulty 7, so I started with difficulty 8 today.

I also added some targets, now, there are 15 moving targets...

So with that, I trained my shooting skills for an hour...

...

After an hour of training...

I was covered in sweat.

""

So I cast a support magic that I learned before coming to the academy.

It's a spell that removes the sweat and specks of dirt on the target...

After that, I returned to my dorm.

I took a bath for about 20 minutes, then put my academy uniform on.

...

***

I arrived in the classroom 5 minutes before the class started...

Almost all of my classmates are there already.

Anyway, I headed to the mid-row again, but now in the left-side corner...

On the right side of the classroom was the building's hallway, so I couldn't make Yuki absorb mana there.

While here on the left side, there's a window that is connected to the outside...

Since It's still the second day, changing seats is common. The owner of the seat you want to change with just needs to agree with you...

"Hey, let's change seats."

I said, looking at the one sitting beside the window.

The seat owner turned his head to me and was about to yell, but they stopped...

Luckily, the seat owner was one of the bullies yesterday, so everything went pretty smoothly...

"..."

""

I cast magic on the seat before sitting on it...

Anyway, the only disadvantage of sitting in this spot is that I'm near the main characters.

'But well, why would they care about me?'

Right?

"Now, let's just wait for the professor."

I weakly mumbled as I thought of how boring the classes yesterday were...

***

{Alec's POV}

While waiting for Professor Kendy...

I noticed Raven enter the room.

Because of what happened yesterday, I got curious about him and looked up at his name.

Not just me, but everyone from the group yesterday did as well.

'Well... I don't know about Eve.'

Anyway, I saw Raven earlier this morning entering the training grounds, but only after a few seconds, he ran out without even touching anything...

I did think that it was weird, but I continued my own training that time without minding it too much.

But after about 2 hours... Raven came back with some weird mana-imbued bracelet on each of his wrists and ankles!

I was still training at that time, but I can't help but notice him...

Raven was drenched in sweats and he was breathing heavily.

But as if he doesn't care about anyone or anything...

He just went inside of one of the training rooms in the shooting range...

And he didn't come out for an hour!

...

And now in the present, Raven entered the classroom...

He's clean and organized like he just really woke up from a good night's sleep.

And I noticed...

"He's still wearing the bracelets."

I saw his wrists still had the bracelets on.

I can't see his ankles because the academy uniform uses pants, but it's most likely he still has them on.

'I wonder what are those for.'

I thought.

Then Raven walked into a seat in the mid-row, left corner near us. He picked a seat beside the window and made the owner of that seat switch seats with him, peacefully(?).

But before sitting, Raven cast a magic on the seat...

"Is he a germaphobe?"

Aoi asked with a frown. Looks like I wasn't the only one watching Raven.

"Well, it's more impressive that he cast that magic smoothly."

Adelle then followed.

And I nodded in agreement to her words.

But then, a complicated expression appeared on my face as I looked at Aoi and Adelle, sitting beside me...

"Wait, why are you guys here?"

I asked.

They were near my seat before, but not beside mine.

"Well... Me, Aoi, and Eve know each other even before entering Lunar. We're just following Eve because she doesn't want to change seats with others."

Adelle explained. Eve's seat is just behind ours. And just in front of Raven's new seat.

'As I remember, Eve's, Aoi's, and Adelle's parents are all important people.'

Guess they're close to each other because of that.

Anyway...

After a while, a professor came in and started a lecture...

***

{Eve's Pov}

It's been a while now since the class started, but I can't focus on the lecture...

-Kyu...

Slowly looking behind me, making sure I'm being subtle. I saw a white cotton-like thing.

'There is it again...'

From time to time, this man behind my seat brings out a cotton-like bird and makes it fly out the window...

It looks like the bird is using a stealth skill as not everyone notices it, just a few students including me.

I might also not notice it, if not for the tweeting sounds that I heard every time it came out of the window.

I can't focus on the lecture because of the tweeting sound...

And the man behind me doesn't look like he's listening to the lecture...

Damn, he's not even looking at the front of the classroom!

He can't even see me looking in his direction!

'What was his name again?'

I don't know. He's familiar, but I don't know anything about him because of my lack of care...

Then as I was trying to remember who the man behind me was...

"I knew it! It's a Shima Enaga!"

Aoi suddenly exclaimed in a whispering voice.

Aoi, Adelle, and Alec also heard the tweeting sounds so they noticed the cotton's existence as well...

Curtis is in the back row of the classroom, so it's most likely he doesn't know, and I don't really care.

"What's a Shima Enaga?"

Adelle asked Aoi. Alec seemed to be curious too and waited for Aoi to answer.

We didn't wait for long, as Aoi started explaining immediately.

"It's a bird from Japan. It's well known for its cotton-like appearance."

And after a brief pause...

"But it doesn't look like a normal bird as it can use a skill."

Aoi added.

We all looked at the guy playing with the cotton bird.

"Does he like cute things? That's weird."

Alec mumbled. Seems like Aoi thought so too.

Well, all I can see is a guy who looks really bored at the moment.

"But that side of him is cute..."

Adelle suddenly said.

We ignored her, however, we had a frown on our faces because of her statement just now.

It was then...

The cotton-like bird looked in our direction and pointed at us using its wing.

We got startled.

The guy then looked at us, and he frowned.

He opened his mouth, and mouthed:

'You guys should focus on the lecture.'

Then he turned his attention back to the bird...

My face twitched, his words annoyed me.

He was the reason I couldn't focus on the lecture at all. In a bad way.

"I want to strangle him."

I muttered. It's not just me, but Alec and Aoi are frowning too.

Adelle didn't mind it as she just watched the cotton bird play happily.

"It's cute though."

She said. Well, I can't argue with that.

"Raven Obadiah."

Then, the professor suddenly called someone's name.

And the guy we were observing stood up.

'So that's his name.'

I thought as I told myself to remember it...

"Can you please explain our lecture?"

The professor said. Looks like he noticed that Raven is not paying attention to his class.

He's also asking Raven with a rather sly smile on his face.

Looks like he plans to embarrass him in front of the class as a form of punishment.

I smiled at the thought of Raven not being able to answer and being embarrassed in the end for not listening.

It seems like all who had been disturbed by him, or his cotton bird, to be exact, also thought the same as me.

But contrary to our predictions...

Raven explained the lecture in a clear and confident voice.

He also shortened and made the explanation more understandable than the professor's...

And after doing that, he just sat back and crossed his legs, then he looked outside of the window with a face saying he didn't do much and he was bored...

Outside the window, he's gazing at his cotton bird flying in circles...

All who thought that Raven was gonna fail, have their mouths hung open.

Then those who had trouble understanding the professor's lecture looked at Raven with grateful eyes.

"...That's... A very good explanation."

Said the professor who went silent for a second.

"The way he carries himself confidently is so attractive."

Adelle said with a smile. Aoi was about to rebut, but didn't as Raven does really looks cool after that...

Alec has a complicated expression on his face.

And I'm just purely annoyed at the guy behind me.