Chapter 1709: Conflict
Though Endorsi was pulled from the ground without much difficulty, there was still a perfect mold of everything below her waist left in the commissary's ground. This included a flawless impression of her butt and another, more intimate, region, so, shortly after being liberated, Endorsi ended up destroying a large section of the floor before anyone else could see it.
Despite having forcibly calmed herself moments prior, Endorsi immediately glared at the person responsible, her face redder than an apple as she exclaimed, "I swear! I'll make you pay for this you cheeky little furball...!"
Realizing he had probably overstepped his bounds, failing to account for the fact that Endorsi was wearing form-fitting tights and thin silk bottoms, Gandr didn't hesitate to lower his head, his voice sincere as he stated, "Sorry. I shouldn't have resorted to such an extreme method. I'll make sure the Admins know this event is entirely my fault."
Not expecting the usually boisterous brat to suddenly apologize in such a solemn manner, Endorsi felt as if all the wind had been taken out of her sails. She even began to feel a little guilty due to the fact his ears were drooping slightly...
Holding her head, Endorsi released an exasperated sigh, all the anger draining from her body as she said, "Yeah, yeah, apology accepted. I know I'm also at fault so we'll split the bill, okay? I don't want people to start accusing me of bullying mischievous brats."
With that said, Endorsi began making her way over to the section of the cafeteria where you could order a variety of hand-made foods and fresh produce. After five steps, however, she turned her head back and added, "Save me a seat. I refuse to sit at the end of the table like yesterday..."
Though he was tempted to leave the second-furthest seat open for her, Gandr knew Endorsi would pout if he didn't empty one of the spaces next to him. One of these positions was reserved for a certain green-skinned Princess, so, after offering a wry smile and seeing Endorsi on her way, Gandr turned his attention to Shibisu.
Without requiring an explanation, Shibisu just grinned back at Gandr before making enough space for Endorsi to sit down. At the same time, however, he went out of his way to teasingly remark, "It seems like we have a real Casanova in our midst. Anak is going to be jealous when she sees-"
Interrupting Shibisu's comment, Anak, seemingly appearing out of thin air from the perspective of many, asking, "When she sees what?"
Feeling like the Grim Reaper had just appeared behind him, sweat began to pour down Shibisu's face as he turned his head in a robotic fashion. There, nearly matching his gaze perfectly despite the fact he was sitting down, Anak could be seen glowering at him with an unamused expression on her face.
Deciding to place Shibisu in his debt by throwing the man a bone, Gandr offered a disarming smile as he asserted, "Phae baked a mountain of cookies and told me to share them with my friends. They have to sign this paper first. Here, I saved the first spot for you."
Though it wasn't immediate, Anak eventually stopped glaring daggers at Shibisu before shifting her attention to the piece of paper with a doubtful look on her face, asking, "What is this?"
Reacting with a wide smile, Gandr happily explained, "This is a special assignment that was given to all the Scout candidates. We were told to make ten friends by the end of the week. Though it might be a little bold of me, I'd like to think we're already friends. It would make me happy if you were the first person to sign my sheet."
Hearing Gandr's explanation, Anak couldn't help but furrow her brows. Her mind compelled her to refute his claim but the words wouldn't leave her mouth. Gandr and Phae had both treated her very well, and, though she still felt like they were hiding something, they also helped smooth things out between her and the other Regulars.
Similar to when she was glaring at Shibisu, Anak hesitated for a few seconds before accepting the piece of paper and plainly remarking, "I don't have a pen..."
Without missing a beat, Gandr produced a rather fancy-looking pen out of thin air, presenting it to the conflicted-looking Princess with a toothy grin.
Eager to be over and done with the awkwardness of this situation, Anak quickly signed her name in bold letters at the top of Gandr's friend list. Her letters even bled over into some of the other boxes a little, loudly asserting itself on the page.
Though he was tempted to tease her a bit, Gandr could tell Anak was swiftly reaching her tolerance threshold. She likely had a bad day during Fisherman training, so, after finishing her meal, she was bound to return to her room in order to decompress.
Realizing that Endorsi's presence was bound to exacerbate Anak's condition, Gandr accepted the piece of paper from her hands before adopting a genial smile and suggesting, "You should head back to your room if you're feeling tired. I'll either convince Phae to bring you some food or I can bring it myself after I grab the cookies from my room. We still have twenty-nine days of classes so don't overexert yourself..."
Furrowing her brows at Gandr's suggestion, Anak shifted her attention to the cooking station where Endorsi was waiting to receive her food. She might not be the smartest person in the room, but she wasn't an idiot. The crater on the ground wasn't exactly discreet so it wasn't difficult to understand what was going on after accounting for Shibisu's words and actions.
With her hands forming into tiny fists, a rather dangerous aura began to emanate from Anak's body as she shakily asked, "Are you trying to get rid of me...?"
Hearing Anak's words, it was Gandr's turn to frown, his tone becoming firm as he said, "Never think that, not even for a moment. I know you have a difficult time trusting me, but you should have also realized that my concerns are genuine. Come, even if you want to beat me up later, I think it is best that you get some rest. I'll take you to my room to pick up the cookies and then escort you back to your room. Shibisu can explain the situation to Phae when she arrives."
Though her anger began to gradually fade, Anak didn't stop glaring at Gandr, or, more specifically, his outstretched hand. She got the impression he was treating her like a child, but, just as he had previously stated, she could also tell he was actually concerned about her. This caused her a great deal of confusion, her expression gradually morphing into one of conflict until Gandr directly took her by the hand and pulled her away...
---
Well aware of the incidents occurring within the commissary, Phae altered her course to intercept Gandr and Anak. The rooms were pretty spaced out from each other but they were still in the same long corridor, so, by pretending to return to her room, it was a simple matter to cross paths with the duo.
As if he was surprised by her presence, Gandr's ears perked up when he 'noticed' Phae at the far end of the long hallway. Then, while pulling along the surprisingly obedient Anak, he waved his hand, calling out, "Heeeeeey! Phae, over here! I need to talk with you!"
With her palm just about to open the biometric lock on her door, Phae showed her own version of surprise as she shifted her attention to the duo, smiling as she said, "My, this is a pleasant surprise. Did the two of you have fun during your first day of class~?"
Having reached Phae's side in a relatively short period of time, a massive grin spread across Gandr's face as he answered, "I had a blast! I played tag against the instructor and was almost able to catch him a few times!"
Chuckling in response to Gandr's words, Phae reached out her hand to gently caress his head as she mused, "It sounds like you will do just fine..." before shifting her attention to Anak, her voice suddenly sounding worried as she tentatively inquired, "Anak? Are you feeling unwell...?"
Raising her head, Anak stared directly at Phae, her expression turning serious as she said, "Tell me the truth. Why are the two of you so nice to me? It doesn't make any sense...!"
Following her sudden outburst, Anak pulled her hand free from Gandr, adding, "And I told you not to touch me! If I was a normal girl, you would have yanked my arm out of its socket! Show some restraint you stupid jerk!"
Feeling awkward to have the same words he said to Endorsi thrown back at him, Gandr was unable to prevent his ears from flattening as he averted his eyes. At the same time, Phae shook her head in exasperation, a sigh escaping her lips as she said, "You're letting your anger cloud your judgment, Anak. Hurtful things said in the heat of the moment hurt even more so when the passions have died down. Come, I'll answer all the questions you have. Gandr, I want you to go to your room and think about what you've done. I'll let you know when you can come out."
Since he really did want to reflect on his actions, Gandr nodded his head in understanding before dragging his feet to the opposite end of the hall. Men and women had separate residences due to the Tower incorporating a communal bathing system. Though there were private baths, it required you to pay points to gain access to them. The only exception to this rule was if you were one of the many races who required a special grooming station. Then, so long as you formalized a request to the Test Administrators, they would allow you access to the special baths tailored for your specific needs...
After watching Gandr walk away with a sullen expression on his face, Anak's own began to show visible conflict. Then, after turning back to face Phae, a sour feeling spread through her nose as she saw the worry and concern hidden visible within the woman's gentle blue eyes.
Seeing Anak's face scrunch up, Phae offered the kindest smile she could manage before extending her hand to the girl and softly stating, "Let's go...even if you don't want to talk, I will stay with you until you calm down. Tomorrow, I'll help you apologize to Gandr. Don't worry, he isn't the type to lay blame on others. He might be a little mischievous at times, but he is a caring boy..."
Though she didn't like being pat or pulled around by someone like Gandr, Anak had developed a weakness against the woman standing before her. Phae had always treated her kindly, and, when everyone else was blaming her for the failure of the Crown Game, she was the person to treat her wounds, carry her body, and fix her clothes. She also helped style her hair, and, though she always defaulted back to her pixie-bob cut, Anak enjoyed the feeling of being doted upon...
Forcing back the urge to sniffle, Anak ultimately reached out, grasping Phae's hand with her own and allowing the woman to gently guide her the remaining distance to her room. It might be a little silly, as her room was only a few meters away, but Anak always felt a little better whenever she was around Phae. If not for the strange feeling she got whenever she was around the kindly duo, Anak felt like she might have even been able to open up to her. There were a lot of things she wanted to talk about, but, after experiencing the loss of her mother, Anak had always felt like the world was a cold and dark place...a place filled with countless people who would not hesitate to kill her just for being born...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'That's quite the impression~','Gandr seems to be following in his Master's footsteps...','*Sad Cucumber Noises*')
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