I heave a sigh of relief after Valeria disappeared into thin air, then get into the hut. I don't know why I am relieved of that fact, but today's happenings have made me realize how mad I am at everyone I have met in this world.
They seem to be pushing my buttons for some kind of reason, and getting me angry seems to be their life's objective.
Now that I think about it, Valeria is the one who has brought those infuriating tragedies to me. Maybe, this is why I am relieved the moment she left me.
Recalling what happened in the stable—the way she pressured me instead of giving me an explanation—I can't say I don't hate her for that. Of course, hate is a rather strong word to describe how I feel about it; I am just mad of her treatment over me.
"Demon King's Candidate? Pfft! What a joke!" Time seems to move faster whenever you are preoccupied, by the time I realized it, I am already outside with my bathing utensils in my hand. "I wouldn't be surprised if I ended up as a sacrifice in the future."
As I grumpily walk to the river I will bathe myself in, I pour everything inside my heart out passionately—complaining. Again, time passes so fast, by the time I realized it, I have arrived at the river.
Putting my bathing utensils on the stone that is close to my soon to be bathing spot, I undress myself and put the clothes away from the water. After wearing my birth suit (naked), I check the temperature of the water with my foot before entering the river.
I wet my entire existence, before grabbing the bathing utensils I have put on the stone near me. I take the sponge first, so I can scrub any grimes, which surprisingly is not much, off my body, before pouring the shampoo on my hair.
Brush. Brush.
"I don't know what this shampoo like liquid is made off, but it gives my hair a good treatment. My hair looks more shiny, and softer than usual because of it."
I don't really take pride in my effeminate look, but I like my shoulder length hair. My mother and I have the same hair color, so whenever I look at the mirror, coupled with my look, it is as if I am looking at the younger self of my mother.
"Wow... That thought should belong to a daughter, not a son." I sigh as I massage my scalp. "Well, at least, aside from some pain and an existential crisis, I got to also learn that accepting oneself is important today."
My mind instantly thinks about the manic grin that didn't suit on Millonia's beautiful face she showed me in the Training Field.
On Earth, even in many fictional stories, beauties of her caliber try their best to hide their true self. That lunatic however, embrace herself the way she is, and, from what I can see, take pride in herself, no matter how flawed she is.
I have always been in a constant denial with myself, and seeing her bravely accepting herself made me realize it is not the way the people see me that is wrong, but the way I see and value myself.
"Hah! I have accepted myself long ago, but I am not satisfied with the way I am." That being said though, I still want to look like a proper man. "I have determined myself to change, and I will make it dramatic."
I stop massaging my scalp, dip my hair in the water, and wash it until all of the foam falls off my hair. I am doing it carefully, so none of the foam enters my eyes, and sting them like a whimsical bee.
When my hair is cleaned off any foam, I raise my head, comb my hair to the back with my fingers, and meet someone's intense gaze. I am not even surprised there is someone standing just 4 feet in front of me, but I am surprised I am not even surprised.
It seems confusing, but simply speaking, I am just surprised at the fact that I could detect her presence a few moments prior. I believe she was already there the moment I arrived at the river, but she has only showed herself now just to mess with me.
Yes, I am talking about Valeria.
"You have a firm determination, it seems."
"Thanks for stating the obvious, so can you give me my share of privacy now?"
Valeria quirks her eyebrow and shrugs. "You are talking as if being naked needs a privacy."
"Doesn't it?"
"Technically, every Magic Practitioner in this world can see what is behind your clothes. Do you think someone of my caliber can't do the same?" I keep my silence at Valeria's disdainful question. "Why do you think Millonia was giggling the entire time?"
I click my tongue bitterly, before shaking my head helplessly. As I expected, everyone really likes to push my buttons; Valeria has the choice to not tell me that infuriating tidbit of information, but she still told me.
"Well, I guess you need to teach me how to do the same AND protect my body from perverts' eyes when I learn how to use Magic."
"You take it better than I thought—I am proud of you." Valeria nods her head in appreciation. "We will start learning Magic the moment your Mana Reservoir is full. Before that, you shall focus on your physical training."
I nod my head silently, and leave Valeria to her own devices. I then remember about something, and immediately look up at Valeria to ask about it, but immediately find she is undressing herself instead.
"What are you doing?"
"We once ever summoned a female human from your world to be a Demon King. She said that she came from a country named Japan, and she told me that in her country, being naked with someone is one of the best ways to strengthen the bond."
"Okay...?" I look at Valeria in slight surprise and bewilderment as she nonchalantly shows her birth suit to me. "So, where is this Japanese lady now?"
Splash!
Valeria sits herself right beside me before answering. "She failed as a Demon King Candidate, and she can never be a Demon King."
"Oh, I see..." Hearing about that makes me immediately think about my fate. 'Failing, huh? I might face the same fate someday.' I am about to be preoccupied by that thought, when I realized about something. "You have been doing this for a long time?"
Valeria simply nods her head as if it is not something amazing. 'That bastard Ilschevar ... Just how eager is he in retiring?!' Of course, I immediately clean my head off any thought, the moment Valeria looks sharply at me.
"Kuhum! Anyway, what is Mana Reservoir?" I ask as I apply the liquid soap to my body. "I know it has something to do with something to store Mana, but I want to properly know about it."
"Great question." Valeria nods her. "Mana Reservoir is, to simply say, a spiritual vessel that is located somewhere inside your body. It has no definite form, and everyone has a different way in interpreting how it looks."
"Wait, what do you mean with 'somewhere inside my body' and 'it has no definite form'?"
"Before that, why don't you let me wash your back? You are irking me with the way you scrub your skin. I wonder whether you can really clean your body that way."
'Yes, I can clean my body this way—it's what I have been doing for 17 years,' is what I want to say to Valeria, but I decided to be smart and give her my sponge. She takes it in her hand, turns my body around, and starts scrubbing my back ... Roughly.
"Ma'am, there are many ways to peel someone's skin off, and this is what you use? Ouch! Be gentle, please. It's my first time of having someone wash my back!"
"The existence of Mana Reservoir is unclear, because it needs to be realized first. You have to access your Mindscape to make your Mana Reservoir real. That is the reason why it has no definite form."
"Hoh?" I quirk my eyebrow in interest, disregarding the fact that Valeria has just disregarded my pain. "From the way you say it, may I conclude that Mana Reservoir can not be found even if we dissect someone's body?"
"Yes."
I hum to myself, and think about something. "Say, can you provide me the way to access my Mindscape?"
"Do you want to realize your Mana Reservoir?"
I nod my head and open my mouth, but Valeria speaks again before I manage to utter a single thing.
"I know exactly what you are thinking, but your Mana Reservoir's size is relevant to your level of Magic Mastery, not your way of interpreting it."
"Well, that's unfortunate." I sigh in disappointment, and immediately widen my eyes the moment Valeria turns my body around. "Holy shit! Don't show me your mounds easily, Miss. Valeria! I might not be able to—actually, I can. I am not that lustful of a person."
It is faint, but I can hear Valeria clicks her tongue the moment I shrug nonchalantly after looking at her heavenly mounds. I don't know what that means, and she quickly turns her body around after she gave me the sponge.
"Be a good mentee, and wash your mentor's back."
"Okay."
I shrug simply, and wash her back until she deems it is enough. We get out of the river a few minutes after, and only after we dressed ourselves did I realize how absurd our relationship has become.