89. DANGEROUS P.E. CLASS

Physical Education class.

Today is the most awaited ‘one-a-week’ special day where everyone would get out of the classroom and do jumping jacks and push-ups until everyone falls dead on the floor– just kidding.

It’s PE. Who doesn’t like PE?

We didn’t get PE class last week since school started on a Tuesday.

The teacher in charge of us was Teacher Maverick. A nice looking guy with actual muscles– the lean kind, his figure was not bulky. There isn’t any sort of creepy fan-girl fawn over teacher uproar– your typical student reaction towards a teacher.

“Alright, class, we’ll head down to the field, go change your clothes. Two representatives to help carry the sports equipment. The rest of you will gather, and please behave yourselves.”

“What’s going to happen here? Why is it necessary to change our clothes?”

“Well.. our current uniform isn’t suited for sports, that’s why.”

“Why sports?” 

Liliath couldn’t seem to understand the significance of this prime time.. too bad.. how should I explain this? Like magic practical sessions but moving your body? Knighst training without the swords?

Either way, I had Prune help me with Liliath’s change of clothes– nobody knew what could have happened if Liliath was left alone in the girl’s changing room. There might be female carnivores there just like Nine– just saying.

Nothing big really happened in the males changing room. Rather, it was depressing to see how frail I look compared to everyone else. Even Voux had a better body than me.. ahahaha.. I need to exercise.

No wait.. I was wrong, there were boys pushing their ears on the wall that separated the two changing rooms. Ignoring that, KaI and I head out to grab the sports supplies.

“You know anything about why Liliath is so hostile towards me?” 

That was the question KaI asked as he spun the keys the teacher gave him. We continued down the stairs, the store room is behind a small door underneath the stairs.

“No idea.”
In fact.. I do. But it’s just a random hunch that I got. Maybe Liliath is wary of Kai’s TALENT. He might be able to see more than just one’s mental aptitude. Perhaps Liliath isn’t keen on him learning about her past. Maybe.

“Rather.. maybe it’s your TALENT? She probably has stuff she wants to hide.. you said it’s only possible for you to gauge one’s mental aptitude right?”

“Half-correct.”

KaI unlocked the door with a click, pushing it open, a stale musty scent filled my nose.

“Hm? So what is the other half? Ah, by the way, I haven't explained my TALENT to you properly yet.”

“I’ll go first.. er.. the teacher told us to grab the bag of supplies there right? And 2 soft balls and a basketball... “

I brought the three balls into my arms.

“My TALENT allows me to alter one’s perception around me. One of them.. that’s what makes it dangerous,” KaI said as if it wasn’t a big deal. 

Hm.. alter one’s perception.. then..

“You’re.. you’re not doing what I think you’re doing right?”

This feels wrong. If he could alter one’s perception of him.. he could very well mend the relationship between him and Liliath. What about me?

“Yup,” KaI picked up the bag of sports supplies and smiled at me. “How do you feel about me now?”

What in the world? That's scary.. why? Why is he even telling me this? It’s only getting more and more confusing? Is he plotting something? No.. wait, he could be causing me to suspect his actions right this very moment.. what’s up with the paradox?!

He was putting up an act?

Why?

Was it even an act?

“If so.. the kind of person the real you is..?”

“No comment,” KaI walked past me and headed for the exit. “There is no true me to begin with, I find that no matter how one acts, anyone could perceive it differently. Doing good is a bad thing to some people while doing bad is good– conversely.”

“Y-yeah..”

I shuddered.

“Come on.. you want me to lock you inside or what?”

“Sorry..”

“So, your turn.”

“Hey, Kai. Why are you raising my vigilance?”

It doesn’t make sense, if KaI wanted me to reveal my TALENT to him he should make me trust him, not suspect him.

“Not on purpose, you wanted to know about my TALENT right?”

“True..”

It doesn’t make sense.. so is this suspicion coming from facts of his TALENT? Or both? Could Liliath be under the same effect? What the hell.. I think I finally understand Liliath’s sentiment..

If I were in his shoes, I know that mentioning the effect of this kind of TALENT would only deter someone away. It’s like he’s already fine with me walking away..

“So?”

“It’s a TALENT that brings things that don’t exist to real life. Something like that.. I guess?”

“Really? So that’s how you summoned Liliath?”

“I think so?”

Yeah. My TALENT is so broad, being vague doesn’t even make what I said a lie. I don't understand my talent.

“What a roundabout way to summon someone.”

He didn’t dig any deeper, I didn't follow up either. Just what the heck is going on?

===

“One, two, one, two.”

The entire class was doing awkward warm ups. Awkward as in, wiggling one’s hips, and stretching out the legs. Fortunately the PE clothes for the female students aren’t the short pants kind. It at least reaches the knee, so no chances of ‘accidentally’ sneaking glances.

“Now make a lap around the field!”

And the entire class ran. 

Liliath.. there isn’t a need to mention this but she’s undoubtedly holding back, didn’t break a sweat at all. She could very well finish 20 laps in the time it takes the rest of us 1.

“Alright, go have fun,” Teacher Maverick then tossed in the towel and went to have a basketball bout with any student interested in joining the game. To be honest, he was pretty good. Dashing around on the field with his hair literally swaying, sweat coming off of him like glitter in the morning sun– you know, the kind in commercials? Yeah.

While I'm here skipping ropes.

What KaI said really bothered me.. he could alter one’s perception of him.. what exactly is he planning? Is he planning anything?

In the distance, I could see Liliath being dragged around by the other female students. It’s more ‘loitering’. Walking around the school field idle.

There were students running around the field, some playing dodgeball, others playing tag.

What if it’s not just the perception of him? What if he could alter other people’s perception of other people? Was the ability of his TALENT really as he said it was? This is confusing.. 

What now? Rather.. there isn’t a what now is there? I don't even know if it’s a provocation, plot, scheme or just plain fooling around.

“Noel?”

To her voice I got caught up in the rope and nearly fell.

“You scared me.”

“Is there anything troubling you?”

Liliath tilted her head. I don't know how she got here, was it teleportation or did she just walk over– I can't tell. The other female students she was with didn’t really seem to notice.

“Yeah.. about Kai. I just learnt of his TALENT and.. somehow it feels wrong..”

“Is that so? I’ve actually confronted him about the matter. Correct me if I'm wrong but from what he told me, it was an ability to alter the favorability of someone towards himself.”

The way Liliath put it.. That only made it worse.. Alter favorability? Then could KaI be holding the both of us in his palms?
“What do you think, Liliath? About his TALENT and all..”

“I wouldn’t say we should mark him as an enemy, though, caution is advised when around him.”

I turned to the field where KaI was messing around with the other students, playing tag.

“You know, I can't tell if he had used his TALENT on me but.. I'm now consciously wary of him. How about you? Did you feel anything different?”

Liliath pondered, then opened her eyes wide as if she realized something.

“It does feel awfully different does it– our roles have reversed, somewhat.”

“Is he plotting something or just messing with us or.. it’s just us,” I heaved a sigh, and noticed how Liliath was staring at the rope in my hand.

“I hope it’s nothing too severe..”

“You want to try playing with this?”

“And this device is supposed to rotate around one’s body?”

“Something like that. Watch.”

I demonstrated how skipping ropes worked. I can't believe I'm actually explaining how a skipping rope works… it’s like the most common of things.. gosh. I wonder what else I need to teach Liliath? I have a feeling that something important yet basic might come back to bite me. Like bringing a dozen different sauces to school or how you can mix chocolate syrup into water to make a chocolate shake.

“Come to find.. It seems there are a lot of unnecessary yet novel things in your world. No war, no internal conflicts, no succession wars, no political strifes, no slavery, no extreme prejudices–  really is peaceful.“ Liliath said in a somnolent tone.

“Well.. I wouldn't say the bad things don’t exist. It just isn’t part of our life.”

Liliath nodded, and I passed her the skipping rope.

“I wonder what your world is like.. as you said. There’s a lot of pointlessness in our world. Rather, isn’t everything pointless to begin with? It depends on the individual to judge what’s worth it and what’s not.”

“A war of bloodshed and conflict would be a blunt way to put it. I’d rather not elaborate too much, it isn’t the kind of thing I should talk about.”

“I just want to get to know you a little better but if you say so then I won't push for it.”

I'm just plain curious. What kind of isekaI world did Liliath come from anyways? Succession wars? That genre totally exists, I’ve read a few but.. it's a pretty rare find considering the vast number of stories. Unless it’s your typical otome game, but I doubt Liliath came from a world revolving around that genre.

Hm.. I'm actually assuming Liliath came from a fictional world huh? It’s probably the bloody serious kind.

90.

“How exactly do you use this?” Liliath tried spinning the rope but.. it only tangled around her knee, else, hit her back before she could jump.

“Start from the back. Hold both ends, string at the back, bring it to the front and jump,” I took another skipping rope and demonstrated it again, this time, slowly.

Liliath did manage to pick up the gist of it but.. the whole point of skipping the rope was destroyed the moment Liliath levitated off the round, her in the centre with the rope orbited around her..

Uh.. Liliath, that’s not the correct way to skip the rope.. you’re going to get someone killed if you keep increasing the RPM like that.. uh..

“Does ‘sports’ not take into account swordsmanship or archery?”

“It does but.. I suppose not here. There are clubs for swordsmanship and archery though. Not swordsmanship, it’s fencing.”

“Clubs, I should perhaps try my hands on archery, would you allow that?” Liliath tilted her head.

“I'm the one who decides that?”

To my question, Liliath nodded.

Ughh.. really now? Well.. I told her that becoming a student council member and joining clubs is plain troublesome.

“I suppose it’s fine.. archery huh.. maybe I should try my hands on that too.”

“Then it’s a done deal? We’ve decided to join a club, is that right?”

“Yeah. Uh.. can you stop the skipping rope.. it’s kinda scary..”
Not ‘kinda’ scary, it’s really scary. Liliath was floating in the air with dangerous whipping sounds, the rope became invisible to the naked eye due to how fast it was spinning. In fact, I’m most surprised that skipping rope is still intact.

Liliath nodded after looking around and smiling at the peculiar car. The rotation stopped and she landed back on the ground.

Hm? I traced her gaze but saw nothing suspicious– it was just a random teacher’s red car.

“How should we spend the rest of this time, I wonder,” Liliath turned back to me.

“Aren’t you with the other female students just now?”

“I prefer to spend time around you, to be honest. The lack of the system quest has.. brought us slightly apart.” Liliath said in a soft bashful tone.

Slightly apart huh? That is true.. now that I think about it, the quest board was the only reason why Liliath and I flirted with each other in the first place... 

Does she miss those experiences? HUH??!!

“Really now? That’s blunt.. how about basketball..”

“I don't see anything resembling a basket? Is that the one?” Liliath pointed at the group playing dodgeball.

Hold up? Liliath could literally destroy the field– rather, she could kill someone if she wanted with that..nay. Heck, you know what? She could kill anyone here at a moment’s notice if she felt like it, I'm sure it’ll be fine if she toned down her strength.

“Basketball is that, the one you're looking at is dodgeball,” pointing in different directions, I explained.

“I find that more interesting. It doesn’t look like there are many rules to it. Just dodge, was it?”

“Something like that. An exception is that if you manage to catch the ball in your hands, it doesn’t count you out of the field.”

“I think I have the gist of it now, how about we partake?” Liliath beckoned.

“Yeah, sure.”

Not that I could refuse her invitation right?

“Control your strength alright?”

“Of course.”

The dodgeball match was divided into two teams, males and females. In short, I pray I don’t die.

“Ah, so this is where you are.”

Turning around, I met Kai.

“You’re joining this round’s match right? I’m joining too.”

“Yeah, let’s hope no one dies..”

“Dies?” KaI looked at me dubiously.

“Oh, Kai, Noel you two are going to join too? Hahaha, this match was our win too. At the moment the score is 5 to 3, with us boys in the lead,” Voux, who was sweating all over, called out to us.

The next round came, actually, it seemed the males outnumbered the females so they had to set a limit. It wouldn’t be fair if the number of male and females differ right?

A 10V10 match. Liliath surrounded by the girls, excited by her participation.

And.. the ones in my team turned to me with questioning eyes for some reason.

WHAT? 

I guess this is what happens when Liliath removes the presence concealment barrier.

Ignoring the stares, the match started with two girls from the female camp tossing the ball at us. No one got hit in the first exchange.

Next turn– a female student with glasses hit at the leg, while the other ball was successfully intercepted.

A few exchanges took place, all of us screaming and running around like monkeys. It was a blast. I wonder if Liliath is having any fun? She’s just standing there without moving.

A number of guys tried to hit her but she either took a step to the side or tilted her head. Dodging with minimal movements… like, what the heck? Is she a cheat or what? Everytime she sidesteps a whooshing ball, everyone would raise a roar.

KaI was hit in the face by a lollI on the other team– my condolences. 

The match continued onwards until I got my hands on one of em balls– not a lewd reference by the way. The match was now 4V3. And it was obvious who my target would be.

Voux, who held the other ball, exchanged glances with me.

And hurled it at the same time, same target.

But Liliath intercepted both of them.

“””EEEHHH??!!’””

The crowd raised a rowdy stupor.

Liliath raised a sadistic smile, and I felt a chill down my spine.

She didn’t toss the ball, rather, it was like an air cannon– jet propulsion magic. The ball was shot out from her hand like a cannonball. One shot forward and hit Voux, the other had it’s trajectory locked onto me, but it stopped short on the ground in front of me.

BOOOM!

It would’ve been harmless if you ruled out the massive dust cloud and explosive impact it generated. 

I fell on my butt, the dust subsided and I saw a hole drilled into the ground. I fell to the side and ‘passed out’ from shock.

Not that I really did pass out but.. just gimme a lil’ bit of time kay’? My heart cant handle what in the heck just happened. I COULD'VE DIED!???!??

Oh shit.. how’s Voux?

Still ‘passed out’ I took a quick peek at Voux while shivering. He looked alright, he was staring at the impact site.

Ah.. just let go and drift into dreamland..

===

“Noel, Liliath, to the counseling office.” The PA system sounded during mathematics class. The entire class had their eyes focused on us. We could only hang our heads in dejection.

Voux came out alright, Liliath properly restrained herself when it came to Vous– but not me. Liliath was a little too ecstatic when she got the chance to finally call the shots and.. and lead to what our class would forever know as, ‘a happy accident between em’ couple’.

FUCK.

I almost peed myself back there..

It’s just scary to think about it.. I learnt from Liliath, vehemently apologizing that she ‘only’ wanted to mess with me.

Yeah.. so much for her sadistic tendency. I couldn’t help but shudder.

Oh, and if you’re wondering what happened to the dodgeball? It was still good as new, not a scratch anywhere oh boy. Liliath told me she reinforced it with magic so there wouldn’t be any property damage. Even the repair of the impact site– which became a punishment– had been easily fixed with Liliath’s earth magic.

Easy peasy.

Though.. I knew this wouldn’t be the end of it all..

Changing back our normal uniforms after using the school shower, Liliath and I got permission from Mr. Mark, our mathematics teacher, made our way to the counseling office.

“Take a seat,”  Teacher Glib, who looked all imposing with her square glasses, was seated on the posh sofa.

Liliath and I sat on the one opposite.

“I’m sorry.”

“I apologize for taking it too far.”

I did a casual apology while Liliath went all the way and bowed, her head stuck to the table.

Teacher Glib, who looked like she had strings cut from her, leaned back on the sofa dejected.

“Everything is alright with your body right? Noel?”

“I’m good. Yup.”

“Can I hear an explanation?”

“Y-yes!”

Liliath explained the whole sequence of events, summing it up with ‘I only wanted to mess with Noel’ as the reason.

Nothing too extreme there…

...

Glib massaged her head with her knuckles before turning to look at us.

“And for a second there, I thought someone could’ve died..”

“I never intended to hurt Noel… I just..” Liliath couldn’t find an excuse. Ahahaha, how cute. Usually she’d be all political and diplomatic and shit. I suppose she’s learning the ropes of common sense.

“Putting that aside, since you didn’t have any intention of harming Noel, your strength is questionable. Your abilities haven’t been tested, correct?”

Liliath nodded.

“Could you give a brief explanation of the TALENT you possess?”

“Instead of TALENT, I believe magic should be a more appropriate answer.”

And finally, Liliath exposes her ‘magical’ abilities. Able to use all elemental magic, compound magic, forbidden magic, has immense strength and can use mana to enchant objects. She left out rune magic, oh well. It’s a fail safe I suppose?

teacher Glib listened to it with a troubled look on her face. She probably didn’t expect Liliath to be so capable huh? Translated to this world’s terms, Liliath would be in possession of one of the most powerful military-grade TALENTS in the world.

“T-this.. How come Keaton didn’t test this..”

“Who knows? Oh, did you punch him?”

“Any updates on your TALENT Noel?”

“My magic will remain a guarded information, can I at least have your vow, teacher Glib?”

Teacher Glib totally ignored my question while Liliath added another.

“My TALENT– status window opens. Tomorrow..”

“I see.. I'll ask about it tomorrow then. So try to summarise it, if it’s a complicated TALENT. And you have my guarantees Liliath,” she said in a half-dead tone. Huh, my TALENT caused her a headache huh?

Liliath nodded in satisfaction.

“Teacher Glib, can I ask about something?”

“Hm?”

“Should we be skeptical about Kai?”

“Hahh..” she sighed once again.. what’s wrong? We hit a bullseye or something? “Yes, I’ll look into it, thank you for the input.”

“Could I ask how we should go about the problem, if any, regarding Kai?”

“He’s just messing around, just don’t take his words too seriously.”

“Sorry, just want to ask but it’s alright to ignore this but, is his TALENT something to do with altering our perception?”

Teacher Glib shook her head. 

Huh, so KaI lied.

“That’s exactly why his TALENT is dangerous to begin with. It’s impolite to tell you the details however, what I can say is, be mindful of yourself and the way you think about him. That’s all.”

“Alright, thank you.”

“You two can leave, Liliath, make sure you control your behaviour.”

“I understand. Though, I have one more thing I would like to request of teacher Glib.” Liliath got up from the chair and walked over to her. Teacher Glib flinched.

Liliath lowering herself to whisper in her ear.

Teacher Glib paled, and nodded frantically.

“Now that settles,” Liliath flashed a wonderful smile– quite suggestive, I wonder if it’s something to do with sadism, i’m sure it has to be..

Liliath and I left the counseling room and headed back to class.

“So, what did you tell her?”

“It’s a secret.”

“Again with this huh..”

The many mysteries surrounding Liliath. Never fails to amaze me.