Without a Doubt, Work Never Ceases. (22.3)

…

On paper, or just aloud, the plan of "starving the whole army" seemed pretty great. Adventurers ate a stupendous amount of food. Not enough to justify the insane powers they had, but still a stupid amount for regular people. One serving of food for an Adventurer was enough for three normal people. Naturally, that meant an army of Adventurers would eat as much as three armies. By all means, most countries couldn't afford to sustain one, let alone three, armies. Of course, that meant that Rakia was a bigger threat than it appeared, because there had to be more than a few countries backing it.

Actual history surrounding Rakia is limited. They fight wars against nations using Adventurers. The average soldier was a Level 2 with the Officers being Level 3. Generals were Level 4. The "High Commander" was Level 5. Ergo, the Loki Familia could kick all their asses across the border and back in a single afternoon. So could the Ganesha and Freya Familias. Given that the latter two were barely involved in the plot, I had a feeling that those two were the ones who would end up dealing with the issue, but I wasn't the kind of person to leave things to chance (anymore).

If you want something done right, you do it yourself. If you're too lazy to do it, and it's really just a pain to do, delegate it to someone who you think is decent and it might pan out. Given that I had three individuals who I thought were decent at approaching problems, I supposed that there was an alright that I wouldn't have to start casting lightning in the general direction of a whole army. Like, maybe, there was a ten percent chance I wouldn't have to do anything. Those odds may seem low, but a ten percent chance of doing nothing is better than a 100% chance of having to do something!

Anyway, I was actually hoping all three groups would work together. While Cranel was obviously going to investigate and wait for Wallenstein, he could get started if he decided to actually think and speak with Belka or Arde. Sure there was a snowball's chance in hell that Arde would accept Cranel as a leader, but it could happen. Since I didn't plan on doing anything to the Rakia army until a week before the gods returned, Cranel had a decent chance of recruiting Wallenstein and winning within that time period. By all means, my albino student was in the clear to win; there was no way he'd lose, even with two other competitors fighting for the same prize.

Naturally, that was unfair, so I evened the odds a bit.

…

Cranel was the last to enter the Hestia Familia's new home. My albino student took one step through the threshold before collapsing onto the rug. Oi, brat, that's expensive and hard to get ash out of! Get off it before I have to spend an hour cleaning it! Out of the rug, you dirty miscreant! Get out! Here, enjoy the cool tiled floor instead!

"Sensei…" Cranel groaned into tiled floor while Belka and Arde continued their glaring at me. Well, the Amazon glared at me. Arde was pretty much just staring around me and doing her best to remember my teaching styles. Yes, my Pallum student, your hell has returned. You are back to being my student. Prepare yourself for the worst you can think of, because that'll be the mere starting point of your training. "Did… did you happen to inform the whole of Rakia about our plans?"

"The first rule of being a leader is knowing who to trust, brat." I brushed the soot and grime off the rug. Who puts rugs this expensive in front of the door, anyway?! This shit should be tying a room together! It's not something you're supposed to have as a doormat! Damn gods! Rugs in this day and age can take years to make! Show people some respect! Wait, I was doing something important, right? "You all told me your plans after I told you I'd deal with the whole army myself. Doesn't that outright say that I'm also out to win this competition?" Also, I got reward money for telling Rakia all about your plans. I'm making money off this either way! Thanks for that! "Obviously, you shouldn't tell your competition your plans, y'know?"

Cranel groaned some more into the tiles. Belka kept glaring. Arde was experiencing flashbacks of the first lessons we had together. Everything was going nicely as expected.

"So, what are you all going to do now?" I inquired after brushing off the last of the soot from the rug. Yeah, I was definitely going to move that into the living room. Better to sweep mud off tiles than off rugs. Wait, could I make a platform for shoes here? Make these western castles somewhat sane to live in? Maybe a coat rack? Yeah, that could work. Yes. I got it. For the next two weeks I'll be remodeling this castle! A vacation from fighting! Just laying around being worthless while cooking and redecorating took up my mind! It was the perfect plan? "Hmmm? Nothing? Wow. The three of you can learn. How surprising."

"I planned to be the victor in this competition for money alone, Hikigaya. However, now I'll win simply to wipe that smirk off your face." Smirk? What smirk? Me? Smirking? My lips crooking upward? That never happens. You may need to get your eyes checked, Belka. Or your head. You might be becoming delusional. Belka rose from her chair, gave a "hmph" and made her way towards the dorms where the rest of the Barbelas were. What exactly are you going to do? Seduce them to death? I'll have you know this world is Pg-13, lady! "Amazons have toppled whole armies before. It's practically cultural tradition at this point to take down men who think far too highly of themselves.

Just men? That sure is sexist lady. I, for one, believe that anyone or anything that thinks too highly of themselves should be taken down. #Equality. #HikigayaforPrimeMininster.

"I…I must speak with Nelly and Erisuis." Arde took her leave with all the grace of a prisoner told they're going off to a mining camp. Unlike Belka and Cranel, who should really know better, my Pallum student knew what was coming. Though she didn't know what exactly was going to occur, she had enough experience to know it wouldn't be pleasant. Ganbatte, Arde. At the very least, the three of you aren't my prime focus. Making her way to the door, she raised her dead gaze towards my face. "…Are you going to be spying on us, Sensei?"

I said nothing.

And, by doing that, I told her everything.

Arde walked through the threshold of the castle downcast. Neh, Arde. It isn't raining. Why do you look so glum? You know I'm just doing this for your own sake, right? You can't go through life in Orario without knowing how to lead! Look at this soot-covered, smoking young man laying against the tiles quietly weeping. Do you want to be like him? Well, even if you do, I don't want you to waste your life being like him. I'm harsh to you only because I need to be! Also, because it's funny, but that's beside the point. One day, you'll get to do this to someone else! Take heart in the fact that you can one day use this knowledge to crush hopes and dreams like I do for the sake of making yourself happy. Wait. That sounded way too sad!

Speaking of sad things, I turned toward Cranel.

He was still lying on the floor covered in soot and smoking.

"So, what did we learn today, brat?" I took a seat in one of the armchairs of the living room. Though the sofas looked comfy, I was unsure if they were thoroughly cleaned. While it was likely some manner of deviance and fetishism occurred upon the armchair, the sofa was guaranteed to have had some unspeakable acts done upon it. In short, I deduced that, while there was a fifty-fifty chance some manner of debauchery occurred on the armchair, the sofa had definitely been a den of sin and sodomy. Possibly literally given the amount of pretty boys in the Apollo Familia. "How did your first day "starving a whole army" go?"

"…" Cranel glared at me after removing his face from the tile. Ah, my pure heart has been shattered. How could you render such a cruelty upon me, Cranel? I've been nothing but kind and considerate towards you! Do you remember that time I stopped you from doing something you'd regret? I just pulled you off your Familia's expensive rug before you ruined it, y'know!? We've been through so much together! How can you treat me like this (lol)? "You're a terrible person, Sensei."

"What exactly does that make you if you keep falling for it, brat? You've got to think things through and learn so you can get better." I pointed out the obvious facts. Once again, allow me to reiterate, life is unfair and a challenge. However, that is all it is. Going through life is as much of a skill as reading or writing. You can be competent at it and be barely happy, or you can train and actually enjoy it. Look at me, I'm enjoying life right now! "If you can't manage to outsmart me, you're in for a really tough time, y'know? I'm not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, y'know? You've got to up your game unless you want to be taken advantage of, y'knnnoooowwww?"

"Are you making fun of me or trying to help!?"

"Why not both?"

"So you are making fun of me!?"

"Obviously."

I shook my head and laughed. There were a lot of thoughts running through my mind. They were building up. My worries and concerns were slowly becoming monumental and harder to carry. All I could do was distance myself from them until I put on the amulet and cleared my mind of any thoughts before I awoke. I couldn't imagine how I'd functioned without the amulet. It was daunting to just watch my worries grow over the course of several hours. I'd harbored most of my problems for more than two years, waking up and carrying them every day, until I wised up and actually did something about it. Now, it was actually possible for me to just take two or three weeks just… resting.

And that was all thanks to Cranel and everyone else.

"Hey, Cranel."

"…Hai, Hikigaya-sensei?"

I wasn't very good at the whole talking business. I wasn't good at communicating in general. Between sullen silence and passive aggressive comments, I wasn't at all someone anyone would want to talk to. Being the "good" person, the one who was always cheerful and kind, just wasn't me. That wasn't the person who I was. I could try to be that person, but that would be the same as hiding away who I was. I chose to act as I did so others wouldn't try to get to know me, be disappointed by the truth, and leave. It was better for people to just know the truth and leave at the start, instead of finding out later and leaving after I knew them.

That's why I treated Cranel and everyone else like I did, yet in the end they still saved me.

"Thanks for saving me."

Even though I wouldn't have saved a person like me, they did.

"…You'd have done the same for me, Sensei."

Without a doubt, that was the case.

....