40 - Antics

For an unknown amount of time, Adam stood in place.

"Adam," someone called.

Snapping out of his daze, he turned to the person who called him. Elain was looking at him worriedly. She had seen him standing there frozen, lifeless.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes, I am okay," Adam replied.

He shook his head to clear unnecessary thoughts and calmed himself.

"Are you?" Seeing his behavior, Elain was still worried.

"Yes… Ah, do you know why that guy was coming from there?" Adam looked toward the lady's washroom.

"Who?" Elain tilted her head in confusion.

"That guy who talked to you in the training ground," Adam explained.

"You mean Zeru?" she asked.

"Yes, him," Adam said.

"He was there because he thought it was the males'," Elain explained.

"Why was he in the combat class?" he inquired.

"Ah, that," Elain's face started to blush as she thought about it.

Adam noticed the change in Elain's expression. He started to suspect that his worries were founded. He knew that guy was trouble.

"What did he do?" Adam asked, unsettled.

"N-No, he didn't do anything," Elain shook her head, but her face was turning red.

Adam's brow furrowed as he thought that Zeru did something unspeakable that they didn't want to disclose with him.

"What are you guys talking about?" someone called.

"Yes! What are you guys talking about?" another chimed.

Adam turned to the person and asked, "Emma, did that guy do anything?"

He asked Emma since she was the only person in the class who talked freely about everything, even things that others would feel embarrassed about.

And Meli was looking at them curiously.

"Who? Wait! You are talking about him, right? The one who bickered with you," Emma asked.

She then looked toward Elain, a mischievous smile forming. "He didn't do anything; we only watched him naked, and his well-built body was like candy."

"What?" Adam asked in shock.

"Yes, his big chest and those abs. Strong and hard," Meli replied as she thought about it.

Elain facepalmed at her two friends' replies. She couldn't believe it.

"What are you talking about?" Adam was confused.

"We saw him while he was drying himself after a wash," Elain tried to explain.

"Yes, he was like a sculpture made by a master craftsman," Emma explained the view, "that dark wet skin glistening in the light. It should be portrayed, but the only problem will be his face."

Emma felt disappointed at Zeru's face.

"Yes, yes!" Meli chimed in.

Adam was more confused after her reply.

"Ah, guys, stop it," Elain reprimanded the two.

""Okay,"" Both closed their mouths.

"Nothing happened, if that's what you want to know. He was in the wrong place, that's all," Elain stated.

"Okay, I understand," Adam agreed to believe.

"It's fine that you understand," Elain sighed in relief. "See you in class."

Adam stepped back and let them leave. Elain gave a nod before walking away, Meli following her. Emma stood in place with a sly smile.

"Emma, are you not coming?" Meli called.

"You go first; I have something to talk to Adam," Emma replied.

"Emma, please don't say something weird to him," Elain glared.

"Come on, Elain, I am not going to do anything to him," Emma waved her hand.

"Whatever," Elain shook her head and decided not to think about it before moving away.

Meli looked between both of them and decided to follow Elain.

Emma turned to Adam, who was looking at the departing Elain. With a sly smile on her lips, she asked,

"Don't you want to know what happened?"

Adam turned to her.

*yawn*

This class is boring. This syrup plus that syrup gives that syrup. This is boring; I can't understand anything. At least the magic circle class was a bit better as it had some fundamentals. This is hard; you have to memorize everything.

"You have to take two milliliters of silver grass extract and drop it into the beaker carefully as the reaction can be a bit spontaneous…. Blah, blah."

The trim-haired professor was explaining the method to create anesthetics used to catch magical beasts. It was used for the low-ranking ones. He was wearing goggles, gloves, a lab coat, and other protective gear.

He was using the apparatus made of glass to show the reaction in real-time as these chemicals don't decompose due to light.

Man, I want to go to the combat class. They don't need to study these in-depth like us. They have it easy.

"Hey, don't roll around," Luranta grumbled.

"Hey, can you understand this? It feels like gibberish to me," I asked.

"I can," Luranta said as she attentively took notes.

"You are rich, right? Then why are you studying how to make potions and circles? Can't you just hire someone?" I asked, curious.

"In every business, when you handle something, you need to at least have some knowledge of it, or you will never know where you end up due to a mishap," she explained without turning.

I nodded in understanding.

"How are you so—how should I say? Knowledgeable?" I asked.

"My mother taught me," she replied.

I nodded again. "My mother treats me like I am still a 10-year-old," I mumbled.

Due to the time lapse, she still treats me like a kid, forgetting that I already am grown.

"That's lucky of you," Luranta replied.

"Why?" I questioned.

"She has been teaching me to succeed in the business for years. I never got much time to enjoy my teens as I was taken for business meetings here and there," Luranta replied, her mood gloomed.

"Really?" I raised my head.

"Really," she answered.

"Don't worry, my friend, I shall take you on an adventure to show you the joy of youth," I roared as I stood up and pumped my fist into the air.

"Hey, what are you doing there?" The potions professor questioned.

"Sir, my friend here has lost the joys of youth due to her mother. So, I am going to take her on an adventure to enjoy life," I said passionately.

Luranta buried her face in the book at my antics.

"Then where are you trying to go?" the professor said sarcastically.

"I haven't decided, sir," I responded passionately.

"Then shut up and sit! You are in my class, and you are not going anywhere until you show me all the potions I have made today," the professor declared.

"Hahaha," many burst out laughing as they looked at me.

"Sir, but," I tried to escape this predicament.

"No buts, shut up and sit," the professor ordered.

I sat back in my chair dejectedly as I thought of the horror that I have to face. I lowered my head and buried myself in the book.

"Did you really have to do

 that?" Luranta questioned.

"Don't you worry, meatball, I will take you around the world to see things, and you don't have to worry about anything as long as you have me," I resolved myself to do this for my friend.

"Haa, what an idiot," Luranta sighed, but she had a small smile.

But I growled in agony as I waited for the chance to escape this horror. I can't believe that I have to do all that troublesome potion-making procedures which I clearly don't remember, and as a safeguard, I started to memorize the procedures.

But I couldn't even after the class ended, and the professor was looking at me with a kind smile, which looked like a devilish monster waiting to eat me. My classmates had abandoned me to swim in this ocean myself.

"Mr. Adventurist, please come before I drag you here myself," the professor said with a kind smile.

Ugh, I groaned internally as I reluctantly pulled myself out of the chair. My face was darkened with despair as I looked for hope; I looked at Luranta for help. She kindly waved goodbye to my impending doom.

Ahh, you traitor!

I could only scream internally as I dragged myself toward the front, taking as much time as I could.

"Haha," Luranta giggled as she looked at the dejected Zeru.

"Come faster," the professor urged.

At his urging, I moved faster. A bit.

"Faster," the professor repeated.

I moved a little bit faster.

"If you don't come here before I finish counting ten, you will do every potion available in the textbook today," the professor threatened.

Sensing the approaching terrible future, I dashed at my full speed, arriving in less than 3 seconds.

"Better," the professor commented.

"Come here and do the potions I taught today," he pointed at the apparatus.

I again reluctantly moved myself to the small laboratory set for making potions. I looked at the materials, trying to remember the things that I read.

"Excuse me, is Zeru here?" A voice entered the classroom.

I turned my head at the hope that came to rescue me from this hell.

Please take me away from here!

The professor, who was looking for Zeru, felt amazed at the change in expressions.

"Why do you need him?" He asked the student who intruded; he was wearing the second year's coat, which had two white strips across the collar and a student's council badge.

"Professor Theodore asked First-year Zeru to meet him in the teacher's office as soon as possible," he replied.

I turned to look at the professor with puppy eyes to escape from this predicament, as my hope had arrived.

The professor looked at Zeru's change and felt amazed. So, he let him go, for now.

"You can go," the professor said.

"Thank you, sir," Zeru bowed before quickly moving toward the second year.

"Make sure to revise today's lesson, and I will ask you questions tomorrow," the professor bombed Zeru's joy.

Zeru nearly tripped on nothing when he heard it.

I looked back at the professor in despair, and he kindly gestured for me to go. I really wanted to cry at this moment, but I sucked my tears back in and moved toward the second year.

"Let's go," I said.

Following the second year, I arrived at the teacher's office, and I was left in a separate section where the somewhat handsome professor who taught the theory of magic circle was sitting. I learned that he was Professor Theodore.

"It's you again," he said the minute he saw me.

"Sorry for the trouble,"

"No, it's okay. We are here to help,"

The professor sent the second year back before turning to me. His eyes scanned me from head to toe, and he gave a knowing look before he spoke,

"Yesterday you came late to class, and today, you beat someone in the cafeteria," He looked at me.

"It was him who started it, sir. He poured soup on my head and cursed at my friend. I hit him due to a momentary outburst of anger," I replied, unfazed.

He looked at a paper before continuing, "I understand, but how is it that the plate you used is sticking to his face? As I remembered checking you, you don't have mana."

"Yes, but I am a rare case as I am quite strong," I replied; this was the excuse I prepared in situations like these.

He nodded his head in understanding, "I understand that what he did was wrong, but I am not going to say what you did is correct.

Normally, we would have just given punishment and kept you under the watch of the disciplinary committee, but you had used a plate, which could be considered as a weapon, and the student has a major concussion.

He will need at least a week of rest before he can function normally again.

So, for your punishment. You have been asked to clean the training ground of the first years in the morning and clean the garden in the evening for now. Any further punishment will be decided after talking with John's parents."

***

If you are here, Thank you for reading this far. I will try to update it more frequently. It will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Saturdays.