Time flies faster than an arrow when you really enjoy it. It feels like it was just a few minutes ago Valeria asked me to sleep with her, but it's already morning now.
Aside from sleeping together in our underwear, we did nothing worthy of note. We had a good sleep too, so we feel very refreshed.
"So, that thing can stand on its own too, huh?"
"It's a biological reaction."
As you can see, though it is our first time sleeping together, we don't feel awkward. I mean, we have already seen each other naked many times before, so it would be weird if we felt awkward.
"Yet, I have only seen it twice. Does your biological function only works in the morning?"
"I just have a very good self-control."
Getting out of the bed, I wear my pants to conceal the morning wood. I have said that I don't feel awkward being like this in front of Valeria, but her intense gaze on my schlong somehow makes me uncomfortable.
She immediately stops looking at it when I ask her to take a bath together. She immediately nods her head, gets out of the bed, and dresses herself simply.
She doesn't look like she she needs a bath to make herself look more presentable—neither do I—but we still decided to go to the river in the Lost Cause Forest. We want to spend a little bit more time together before getting busy with our own activities.
"I heard you were going to train together with the other Warriors today." On the way, Valeria talks about the deal I made with Kruff. "I am glad to hear that. I was afraid you couldn't bond well with the others."
"If Kruff isn't a loudmouth, I am pretty impressed you know about it," I remark casually.
"Walls have ears—haven't you heard of that phrase before?"
"Do you mean it literally?" I quirk my eyebrow. "If you do, I want to see the astonishing but horrid scene now."
"Both literally and figuratively."
'As expected of a Magic World,' I thought. "Anyway, I am only going to train with Kruff today. I haven't bonded with the others that much."
Now that I think about it, the Training Field, specifically, the Arena, must be filled with Warriors. Unless the others are willing to forfeit their right to use the Arena for some time, Kruff and I won't be able to train there.
That is, if the training requires us to make use of the Arena to begin with. I am not too sure about how Kruff will teach me how to hone my instinct, so there might be a possibility that he just wants me to explain [Senbonzakura] in front of everyone.
Of course, I won't do that. I have the right to choose the people whom I want to share my knowledge with, so if that happens to be the case, I won't say a single thing.
"Ah, I see, so he didn't tell you about the others joining."
"Well, the more the merrier—I don't mind." I shrug. "What kind of training we will have, though, I don't know. I hope it will be an organized one since many will join us."
Saying that, I am well aware that it will end up as nothing but a wishful thinking. Considering how unruly anyone under Velucan is, I won't even be surprised if it is going to be a battle royale.
"They do look unreliable; but trust me, they know the best way to make you stronger," Valeria assures me. "Though, their method is a little bit unconventional."
Ignoring the last part she muttered, I ask, "What about the other Warriors? The Training Field seems to always be filled with those commanded by Velucan."
"The Arena is," Valeria corrects me. "Having spent quite a lot of time with them, you must have already figured out their apparent characteristic: battle maniac. That's the only reason why they always occupy it."
"Ah, I forgot there was a vast field for us to train our individual prowess there." I knock my palm in realization. "I have only used the Arena so far, so I missed it."
Just as the conversation ends, Valeria and I arrived at our destination.
Millonia is already floating in the river while gazing at the sky gloomily. She seems pretty depressed about her last night's defeat.
Uncaring to that, both Valeria and I undress ourselves, then immerse ourselves in the river.
...
We spent roughly twenty minutes in the river to clean our body. Millonia joined us the moment she regained her spirit, which was when we were about to wash our hair with shampoo.
We washed each other's hair and back, which now makes me think if Millonia and Valeria have already considered me a woman for how they treat me.
I am glad I am being considered part of them, but I never want to be considered a girl ever again. I have already graduated from those depressing days!
"Kuhum! Let me ask you two something," I intone seriously. "What do you see me as?"
The two abruptly stop in their tracks after hearing the question. They turn to me slowly, then look at me as if I have just eaten their cats.
"Is it a proposal?"
"Is it a test of faith?"
"No, Valeria, it is not a proposal. Also, what are you talking about, Millonia?" None of the two seem to get the issue here, so I sigh, and explain myself. "I just want to know if you think of me as a man."
"Of course, we do," the two of them answer in unison.
"Then, why do I feel like I am being treated like a girl?"
"This idiot... After taking a bath with us so many times, you only talk about it now?" Millonia is in disbelief. "We can ask the same thing, dork. Why have you never seen us as a woman?"
"I have always seen you two as women. I just don't treat you like objects to satisfy my urge," I retort.
"Well, there is your answer." Millonia shrugs. "We, too, see you as a man, but since you don't show much sexual interest in us, we don't feel the need to put up our guard against you."
A light of realization enters my eyes as I knock my palm. Like Millonia said, since I have never treated them as if they are different from me, they also do the same to me, so there is no awkwardness between us.
Now that I think about it, it was weird for me to ask that. These two, after all, have always tried their best to seduce me whenever we take a bath together— of course, they think of me as a man.
None of them have succeeded though.
"We treat you just like how you treat us—an equal," Valeria chimes in. "Until the day when you are ready to tip the balance comes, we will always treat you this way."
"Is that suggestion for a proposal?" I ask jokingly.
"Yes," Valeria answers seriously.
"..."
Ignoring Millonia's suppressed chortle at my bafflement, I clear my throat, and bid them farewell. They have heard of what I am going to do today, so none of them ask me why I am in a hurry.
Not a minute a passed, as I rush to the Training Field, I encounter Kruff on the way. He seems to have expected me, so the smile that greets me must be his way to flex his ultra instinct.
"Good morning, Layland! I can't praise how you look since you are also wearing your mask today." Kruff laughs lightheartedly.
"Why don't you use your instinct to figure how I look today?"
"Hahaha. I will pass on that. I don't want to make myself feel insecure about my looks."
"That's flattering," I smirk, though he can't see it.
We walk together to the Training Field. Kruff explains to me on the way that we will have a couple of duels, which means we will occupy the Arena until I get the essence of his teaching.
He doesn't specify about the "special training," but I don't ask any further since he doesn't even ask me anything about [Senbonzakura] yet.
"Instinct. When you hear this word, what do you think?"
"The moment when your brain calculates something so quick, you can't even keep up with it, which results in your body moving on its own."
"... Do you, Demons really like to flex your intelligence on us, Monsters?" I shrug at Kruff's question, prompting him to sigh lightly. "Instinct, you know, comes from here."
Bam!
He hits his chest, in my opinion, too hard to feel comfortable.
"Instinct is not a product of thinking. It exists because your heart is in tune with Nature. When you listen to your heart, you also listen to Nature. Nature never lies, and that is why it will do you no harm."
Kruff flexes his flawless skin that has never been scarred before. He grins at me, then stops in his tracks as soon as we arrived at the Arena.
Although the audience seat is occupied and the Training Field is field with Warriors, no one is in the Arena. It is empty, which makes me wonder if Velucan's Warriors have stopped being battle maniacs.
"What does your heart tell you now, Layland?"
"It smells fishy."
"Aha, you are a quick learner indeed, Layland." Kruff smiles as he puts his hands behind his back. "Now, listen to your heart, and do your best to survive."
"Huh?"
Boom!
I am not given much time to ask what Kruff means by his words. The Arena that I thought was empty is actually filled with tens of Warriors that have been hiding before.
They are pretty eager to gang up on me, and it makes me doubt if it really is part of the training.
These guys are strong. If I do something stupid, I will die, and expose my identity as a Demon King Candidate when I am revived by the Demon King's Mark.
"Remember, Layland, he who survives will thrive!"
It seems like I have another person to add to my punchable face list.
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m