A few minutes later, after Rook spoke for a few more minutes about those who violated rules and got credits deducted, especially Tryo and Lucas, as well as about studying issues, he allowed us to leave early.
"FINALLY!!" Lucas shouted after class ended.
Looking at his face you could already tell how much he had been looking forward to it.
So this afternoon, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow we are free and can play around, but for the seniors from grades 10 and above of them, they only get Sunday off, the rest of the time they study until they're exhausted.
But it's fine, that's a problem for 4 years later, for now just enjoy a little bit.
"Alright everyone, I will definitely enjoy the next 2 days off in the most efficient way possible! Hooray! Yippe! Yatta- UHAH!"
Lucas got kicked aside by Kaiser.
"You're in the way."
"You bastard! If you're so tough then come back and fight like a real man- UHAH!"
Lucas got stepped over by the group of girls, including Alice.
"Oh? I think I accidentally stepped on poop?" Lilianna, Alice's friend, lifted her foot and looked worriedly.
"You're exaggerating it too much, Lucas isn't poop?" Alice could only sigh and follow.
"Ugh... Damn it, you guys are lucky you're girls! I will never hit a girl- UHAH!"
This time it was Tryo. Tryo stood right on top of Lucas's head.
"Too slow, Nappa."
"WHO THE HELL IS NAPPA?! AND GET OFF MY HEAD!!"
"Sorry, seeing you getting tortured like that, I felt quite guilty if I didn't join in the torturing too."
"I hate you- UHAHHHH!!"
It was me. I accidentally moved my foot and bumped into his head.
"Oh sorry, I didn't notice."
"..."
"He's unconscious," Tryo and I looked at each other, then looked at Alvin who was looking at us.
Alvin stood there with a face beyond words, only able to cover his face.
"If you guys want to put more pressure on the job I just got assigned then just say it..."
"It was Tryo."
"Hey!! Clearly you finished him off?!"
"That was just an accident. Who deliberately steps on someone else's head like Goku humiliating Nappa the way you did?"
"Truly beyond words," Alvin sighed.
Vux looked at what just happened and could only grimace.
Outsiders looking in would think we were at a circus.
Tryo and I then dragged Alvin along. Alvin thought about something and looked at me.
"Igor, do you have a lot of free time?"
"Hmm? What's up?"
"Teacher Rook said I can choose someone I trust to assign some task. I plan to ask you to go with me to buy some tools for the class."
"You could just ask me normally for that. Why does it have to be assigned as a rigid task?" I smiled and patted Alvin's shoulder.
"Is that so... Then wait for me to put away a few papers and we'll go together," Alvin gave a light smile then left, leaving Tryo, me and the unconscious Lucas there.
"Igor? I see that among everyone, he's closest to you. How did you do that?" Tryo turned and said to me.
"Is it hard to get along with him?" I scratched my head.
"Not hard, just... how should I say it? I feel like he's a bit... fake? Like he doesn't show many emotions. I've performed in circuses before so I'm quite familiar with that expression," Tryo scratched his head.
"...you worked at a circus?"
"Yeah."
"...must have been a lot of pressure right?"
"...you know? You're the first person to ask me that. I can understand why Alvin seems to open up like that."
I only communicated normally though?
Besides when talking with Alvin I don't think too deeply about anything, except for a few pieces of knowledge that shouldn't be said. I'm quite honest, so that relationship feels quite natural.
After a while, Alvin came back and led Lucas to the nurse's office first.
Opening the door, in front of me was a dark-skinned man dressed as a female nurse covering the mouth of a panicked student, about to inject something into him.
"Hmm?" The nurse turned around. I immediately closed the door right away.
"Oi oi oi, is this really the nurse's office? Looking in I thought we walked into the wrong BDSM room reserved for students who like extreme thrills," I looked at Alvin and Tryo and asked seriously.
"No mistake. That is truly the nurse's office."
Then it's scary as hell. I swear I will never get anything that makes me come here.
"Tryo, you drag Lucas in first."
"Again, why me?"
"Uhh idk? You look like a gag comic relief character? You should be fine."
"Just because I'm a comic relief character doesn't mean I like BDSM. No one likes pain."
Bang!
All three of us had extremely bad and pale faces, slowly turning our heads back like robots with a malfunction.
"Oh my~ what are you cute little students doing here? Want big sis to cure your illnesses?"
"...umm, a friend got injured?" I carried Lucas up like a princess, then dropped him the way Kazuya drops Heihachi in Tekken.
"Dear god! Who did this to this child??" The nurse panicked, grabbed Lucas and hugged him in all sorts of ways.
"It was Tryo," I pointed at Tryo, making him jump.
"HEY HEY!! I TOLD YOU-"
Before he could finish, a muscular hand already grabbed Tryo.
"You're having mental problems! Only that can explain why you attacked your classmate like that! Come in here so I can treat you right away!"
"WAIT WAIT WAIT!! NO NO NO NO!!!"
Both Tryo and Lucas got dragged into the room. I wiped my tears for Tryo's precious sacrifice.
"You're the one who sold out your friends? What are you crying for," Alvin beside me raised an eyebrow looking at me wiping crocodile tears.
So both of us went out the school gate and to Ceasar Street.
Unlike every day, Ceasar Street was clearly much livelier. Probably because the grade 6 and grade 7 students also had no afternoon classes so they had time to play.
Except for the grades 10 and above. They only get Sunday off. I have to repeat it so everyone knows their suffering.
"So what do you plan to buy?" I asked while looking at the credits I currently have.
"Broom, dustpan, a box of chalk, board eraser, a notebook and a few more things."
"Why do we need a broom? Don't we have magic?"
"I already asked the teacher about that. The reason is because among us students there are sometimes idiots like Lucas who might cause trouble and get disciplined. The best way to punish them is to make them sweep the classroom or assign them to sweep the schoolyard."
"Huh? Then what if nothing happens?"
"That's Alice's job already. I'm the class monitor, not the Hygiene Deputy Class Monitor."
"Why is that term unnecessarily long like that?"
Wuu!!
Felia came out from my clothes, then floated to my hand.
"What is it?" I asked, while Felia made no sound and just rubbed against me.
Alvin looked at my monster and still wasn't done being impressed.
After all it's truly rare to see a monster with intelligence like this.
"Aren't you worried that your monster might betray you or something?"
"I've never seen any that actively betray unless their master is the one with problems first," I said gently, petting Felia.
Alvin thought again and felt it was right. Almost all the news reports about monsters turning on their masters had one common point: their masters were not good to them.
"Alright, is this the shop?"
Alvin and I looked up at the shop sign, a wooden board about to fall off with quite messy writing.
"...are you sure we're at the right place?" I turned to ask Alvin, who was clearly also confused.
"I... not sure anymore? The teacher clearly wrote the location as this place."
"Or we can buy somewhere else."
"That's fine too."
So both of us planned to leave, when suddenly two hands touched our shoulders.
"?" Both of us turned around and looked at the person who touched our shoulders.
An old man with a friendly face, friendly beyond necessity.
"You two are at the right place."
"...umm, who are you?"
"Haha, I'm the academy's gatekeeper. I've worked here for a very long time, so I know many things, kids," the friendly old man hunched over and waved as if calling us to come over.
"...does our academy have a gatekeeper?" Alvin leaned close to my ear and asked.
"I thought you knew."
"I'm not Mr. Knowledge."
"So are we going?" I turned and asked.
"...well, anything goes? I guess?"
So Alvin and I entered the shop.
"OI~ IT'S TWO CUTE KIDS!" A muscular dark-skinned man stood there looking.
Alright, I regret it already. We have to leave.
"Wait wait wait wait!" That man immediately rushed over and grabbed both our legs, looking like he was begging.
Why do I feel like these huge muscular people appear so much? This is the second time already. I wonder if we'll meet a third one later? (Kitty: Hi)
"You guys came here to buy tools right? Then please don't leave!"
"...okay? Where did the gatekeeper go?"
"Huh? Mr. Nicolas? He's over there," he pointed at an old man sitting at a table and drinking tea comfortably.
"Is he a regular customer?"
"Yeah, he's a customer of the entire Ceasar Street."
Damn? That means he has the widest connections in this place.
"Alright, can you let go of my leg? I promise I won't leave anymore, I swear with Felia as witness," I said while trying to shake the leg being hugged tightly like a life buoy in the middle of the sea (Felia: Woo?)
"Really?" The muscular man looked up.
"Really, really, I swear."
So finally he let go, stood up, brushed off his pants then patted his shiny chest proudly as if he had just completed a major mission.
"Welcome to Big Boss' Everything Shop! This place has everything academy students need, from study tools to... umm, other things!"
"...I thought this place sold second-hand goods?" Alvin asked, voice full of caution.
"Nani?! This isn't second-hand, these are previously owned items!" He grinned widely, his shiny white teeth reflecting the light.
Alvin and I looked at each other. Both of us had the same thought: A bit like a scammer.
The inside of the shop was exactly as its name, chaotic in the literal sense. Shelves were piled full of everything from books, brushes, to glass jars containing purple glowing liquid that I swear should not exist in a shop selling goods for elementary academy students.
"Where are the brooms and dustpans?" Alvin asked, holding up the note paper Teacher Rook gave him.
"Ah, those are this way!" The shop owner led the way, his bulging muscles shaking with each step, making a few glass jars on the shelves shake worryingly.
We walked past a corner with a sign "MAGE TOOLS - NOT FOR SALE TO CHILDREN UNDER 15". I glanced inside and saw a few strangely glowing staffs.
"Here! Let me open it first," he went to a door labeled warehouse.
As soon as the door opened a bit, I saw... a whole pile of photos of the shop owner wearing a spiked BDSM outfit hugging another muscular man... and a whole pile of tools too...
"..." I gaped, stunned, looking at things that shouldn't be seen.
"OH CRAP WRONG ONE! WRONG PLACE!" He immediately closed the door, sweating a bit while smiling at us.
"What's inside?" Alvin asked with a very innocent face.
...best not to say anything to Alvin.
We then arrived at the cleaning tools area. Alvin started taking each item according to the list, carefully to a surprising degree. Checking each broom to see if the bristles were broken, testing the dustpan to see if it fit the hand.
"You're acting like you're choosing weapons," I laughed.
"This IS a weapon. For some mischievous people like Lucas, a good broom is as important as a good sword," Alvin replied with a surprisingly serious face.
"...are you planning to use the broom to hit Lucas?"
"No! I mean to sweep efficiently!" Alvin's face reddened a bit as he hurriedly explained.
'so you really plan to use it against him?' I thought but didn't say.
Felia, who was still floating next to my shoulder, suddenly flew straight to a shelf and rubbed her head against a small bottle.
"Hmm? You like that?" I picked up that bottle and looked, then got startled.
This bottle is a bottle containing Pityful Roses bacteria!
As expected of Felia, you are my lucky charm!
Wuuu!!
Felia cried excitedly when I hugged her.
After gathering enough from the list, we went to the counter. The muscular shop owner stood there, suddenly pulled out an ancient wooden abacus and clicked it at a dizzying speed.
"Alright, the total is..." he glanced at Alvin's note paper, then glanced at me, a gleam flashing in his eyes "...free!"
"Huh?" Both Alvin and I said in unison.
"These are specifically for all students! So they're not for sale," he smiled brightly, his shiny white teeth sparkling.
"Then thank you," Alvin showed moderate politeness.
"Ah but that bacteria bottle costs 100 credits."
"Tch," I clicked my tongue. Almost scammed him.
"Oi oi, what are you clicking your tongue for??"
But whatever, these things are free anyway. Not spending any credits is already good.
"Oh? You kids finished buying already?" Mr. Nicolas came over, again with that incomprehensibly kind face.
I always feel like anyone with this kind of face is the final boss or something. Probably just my imagination.
"Well then I'll be going. Thanks for the delicious cup of tea, shop owner," he waved goodbye to him.
"It's nothing!" He smiled then turned to me. I then also paid the 100 credits.
Well, temporarily postpone the plan to fix Ghost Girl. Focus on other cards for now.
Leaving the shop, the atmosphere of Ceasar Street was still lively like earlier. A few class 6 kids were running and screaming near an ice cream cart. The smell of food from the roadside shops drifted lightly in the afternoon wind.
"Hey Igor," Alvin spoke up when we had walked a bit.
"Hmm?"
"Do you feel... that old man Nicolas earlier was a bit strange? Like he kinda mystery."
I paused a bit. Unexpectedly Alvin also had a feeling similar to mine.
"Yeah... a bit," I scratched my head. "The shop owner is probably just someone with a unique personality, but that old man... I'm not sure either."
"Could be," Alvin smiled lightly, but his eyes still had a hint of contemplation.
We walked past a Swiss roll cake shop. Alvin stopped and looked over, making the shop owner immediately seize the opportunity.
"You two want to eat Swiss rolls?! Delicious, nutritious, cheap! Only 10 credits each!"
That cheap?! Is this a scam?!
"I'll buy 2 cakes!" Alvin said, drool flowing down.
"You like that cake?" I asked.
"Yeah, when I was little I often got... ah no, nothing," Alvin suddenly stopped, as if he had almost said something he shouldn't.
"...why did you suddenly say a bit then stop? Is there something in the past you don't want to tell?" I asked curiously.
"...yeah, just old stuff," Alvin shook his head.
Then he handed me the bag of cakes.
"Try it. Extremely delicious!"
"Yeah, really delicious."
"You haven't even eaten yet."
"I don't want to get my hands dirty yet."
We walked and talked when Alvin suddenly remembered Tryo and Lucas.
"Do you think those two are okay?" Alvin asked, voice a bit worried.
"Probably fine. At most they just got a few injections," I shrugged.
"You say it so lightly," Alvin remembered the nurse who looked even more muscular than a gorilla.
"Then what's there to worry about? After all we're saving people."
"No one saves people by selling out their friends like you."
The sun started tilting west, dyeing the entire Ceasar Street in warm orange light. The shadows of the buildings stretched long on the stone-paved road. The laughter of other people echoed everywhere.
"Hey Igor," Alvin spoke up, voice much gentler.
"Hmm?"
"Well... how should I say it? Thanks for going with me."
"No need to thank me. I'm just doing the duty you assigned," I smiled, petting Felia who was dozing on my shoulder.
"No, I mean..." Alvin stopped walking, looking at me with a rare serious gaze. "It's only been 5 days but I already feel more comfortable with you than with some people I've known for a long time. Like... everything doesn't need to be too tense."
I was a bit surprised by that sudden sincerity.
"What is this? Are you under family pressure or something?"
"Can you read minds?"
"Damn, even random guessing is correct."
"...uhh," Alvin covered his face, seeming to regret exposing everything so easily.
"You're overthinking it. I just treat you like a normal friend. When you want to talk about the past then talk. I don't mind."
"...normal huh," Alvin muttered, then smiled, a smile completely different from the polite smile usually seen on his face in class, gentler, more real. "Yeah, maybe that's exactly the reason."
We continued walking in comfortable silence, no need to say anything more. In the distance, the gate of Bacillus Academy had appeared. The lights from the towers started being lit as dusk fell.
Suddenly, a familiar scream rang out from the direction of the gate.
"IGOR!! ALVIN!! DID YOU GUYS REALLY ABANDON ME?!"
Uh oh, just hearing it I know who's speaking.
"Oh, you two are out already? That fast?" I asked in surprise.
"WHAT FAST?! WE WERE LOCKED IN THERE FOR A WHOLE HOUR!" Lucas shouted, his face still not recovered from the shock, on his forehead a huge bandage.
"Don't mention it anymore..." Tryo shook his head, his eyes somewhat distant as if he had just gone through a life-and-death battle. "I thought I had seen enough crazy things when working at the circus, turns out I was still missing some."
"What did that nurse do to you guys?" Alvin asked, trying not to laugh.
"DON'T WANT TO REMEMBER!" both shouted in unison, making a few passersby turn to look.
I burst out laughing, unable to hold it in anymore. Felia on my shoulder also seemed infected, making cheerful chirping sounds.