Chapter:31 Delinquent

The boy before Renko was suddenly hit by a wave of unease. Her tired eyes bore into him with a newfound intensity, and an invisible pressure seemed to emanate from her. The surrounding students, previously busy in their own chatter of blaming Hori, shifted nervously in their places.

The redheaded boy took a hesitant step back, his bravado waning in the face of Renko's silent intimidation. His voice, once loud and assertive, now wavered as he struggled to maintain composure.

"I-I just... wanted to know about the budget notebook situation. If you guys are responsible—"

Renko cut him off with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"Figure it out. I've got better things to do than deal with whatever mess you're in."

She turned away, attempting to continue her journey through the crowded corridor. However, before she managed to make her way past the redhead, Miyamura suddenly barged towards him.

"Who are you...?"

The redhead seemed still shaken from Renko's intimidation, suddenly gained his voice as he questioned Miyamura who seemed to be missing his bag and glasses,

"Kaichou"

With a shout, Miyamura headbutted the redheaded boy hard.

"Ehhhhh..."

"What the hell are you doing!?"

"Nice one!"

The last one was from Renko herself who momentarily broke out from her zombie state before returning to her drowsy form.

Afterward, there were some arguments regarding who was to be blamed for some mistakes in a couple of the council's important files. But Renko was too tired to hear any of that crap and continued to her classroom.

[08:30 AM]

Despite the chaotic start, Renko managed to reach her classroom just in time for the morning bell. 

As the day progressed, Renko half-heartedly listened to the lecture, her mind occasionally drifting away. The lack of proper sleep and the bizarre events of the morning had left her mentally drained. Her eyes struggled to stay open as she mechanically took notes, the pen moving across the paper almost of its own accord.

Her new skill, 'Intimidation,' seemed to have a somewhat lingering effect on those around her. The classmates seated nearby glanced at her warily, and a hushed silence followed her whenever she tried to do or say something. 

And it also seems like her unconventional behavior had earned her a rather rude reputation, the result of which was this,

[Congratulations! New title Acquired]

[Title: Delinquent

Description: 'Wha'tchya lookin' at? Huh? You pickin' a fight, punk?'

You now harbor a reputation of being a high-school troublemaker. Some students fear you, and some teachers avoid you. Therefore, you need to get your act together before you are expelled.

- Decreased Likelihood of Being Confronted: +15%

- Increased Reputation: +10% (Negative)]

Renko was too exhausted to care much about the new title. She heaved a long sigh and added it to the growing list of messed up stuff about her new life. As the day went on, she found herself attracting curious glances from her classmates, especially those who had witnessed the morning confrontation.

During the lunch break, Renko decided to visit the school's infirmary. She needed a quiet place to gather her thoughts and, if possible, take a short nap. The infirmary of this school was rarely visited and it had the perfect environment for a short me-time.

As she entered the nurse, the surprisingly buxom nurse greeted her with a stern look. Renko gave a lazy wave, which only seemed to deepen the nurse's disapproval. Unfazed, Renko made her way to the secluded bed at the very end of the infirmary, away from the prying eyes of students walking by.

She settled into a comfortable bed, collapsing on its soft mattress, without a care in the world. She didn't even take off her shoes!

The low hum of the fan and the occasional noise of leaves rustling outside the window flowed into her thoughts, as did the annoying chatter of other students. Renko closed her eyes, intending to nap for a little while, but her thoughts soon drifted to the events of the morning.

Truth be told, she had always wanted a life like the one she had a week before. Life of an ordinary high-school student, then a university student, then a teacher, and then a corpse rotting in a wooden coffin. 

But there was always something that held her back, or rather some old habits that prevented her from doing anything she always dreamt of doing. 

One of the very first things she searched for after she got the hang of this world's primitive internet capability was the international peace treaties. Looks like all of them were in place, good... nope, it was bad. All these details made her feel guilty or rather unworthy of a second chance.

She had been a soldier in an era where human lives were valued less than a piece of bread. After all, there was a solar system full of human beings, while the number of plantations could be counted on two hands. 

As a guerrilla, her job was to strike fast and strike deep. She had killed child soldiers, beheaded prisoners to deter the enemy, sniped fellow soldiers who were turned into prisoners of war so as not to leak intel, and the list goes on forever. In her long life that lasted half a century, she had painted her hands red and the noose on her collar had tightened to such a degree that she even died before her time.

She chuckled,

Ironic!

But this world was nice. The food was good, the people were friendly, the girls were cute, the studies were easy, and it all felt so... foreign. 

The system was a welcoming addition, and so were the cursed spirits. She could ignore how fucked up her life was and focus on killing things, getting stronger, and making money off of it. Albeit at a very slow pace.

But the dragon this morning changed everything, it had been quite a surprise to know that there were creatures of such caliber in this world. Such power that she could have died on the mere whims of that green freak she saw that morning.

*Her fist clenched tightly, so much so that her knuckles went chalk white in mere moments.*

Such a powerful being walks around as if it has not a care in the world! 

It made her...

It made her so...

*She bit down hard on her lower lip, trying to keep her voice from leaking.*

It made her so damned aroused!

Her eyes, unlike their usual tiredness or indifference, had a twisted gleam in them. 

Renko's eyes blinked rapidly as she realized the direction her thoughts had taken. A mix of confusion and embarrassment washed over her, and she sat up abruptly, glancing around to make sure no one had witnessed her brief moment of vulnerability.

"What the hell, Renko?"

she muttered to herself.

The infirmary remained empty, the nurse presumably attending to other matters. Renko took a deep breath, trying to keep her true self wrapped under a curtain of indifference. However, her attempt was interrupted by a gentle tap on her shoulder. Renko turned around to find Hori seated on a stool next to hers.

"That time of the month?"

She asked with an understanding look in her eyes,

"Here."

Renko looked down to see that Hori had handed her a packet of... pads.

"Hori... I am not on my period."

Hori blinked in confusion before realizing her mistake.

"Oh, sorry. I just thought, with the way your eyes are puffed up and all... Never mind then."

Renko sighed, feeling a mix of irritation and amusement. She accepted the packet from Hori with a half-smile.

"Thanks, I guess. But seriously, I don't need these right now. I was just lost in thought."

Hori leaned back, giving Renko a curious look.

"Lost in thought? You looked pretty intense for just 'lost in thought.'"

Renko shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to delve into the strange thoughts that had crossed her mind just moments ago.

"Yeah, well, let's just say today has been a weird day, and leave it at that."

Hori shrugged, deciding not to press further.

"Fair enough. Anyway, if you need anything or just want to talk about it, I'm here. I mean, you don't usually look this... disturbed."

Renko appreciated Hori's concern, even if she wasn't entirely ready to open up about the strange mix of emotions she'd experienced.

"Thanks, Hori. I'll keep that in mind."

With that, Hori excused herself and left the infirmary, leaving Renko alone with her thoughts once again. She leaned back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, contemplating the bizarre turn her day had taken.

As the school day continued, Renko found herself getting more and more restless. The shitty morning, coupled with her lack of sleep, had left her in a somewhat agitated state, The lectures seemed to drone on, her classmates' chatter was getting more annoying by the minute, and her desire to just walk out was getting stronger. But she held on, just because she didn't want her reputation to go down the drain any more than it already was.