Chapter 17: Daily Routine
Early in the morning, Mishima Shiko woke up to find herself lying on the couch at Minamoto Sōjun's house.
Once again, she'd drunk herself into oblivion the night before.
Clutching her head to ease the throbbing pain of a hangover, she struggled to recall the events of the previous night, but her memory was a complete blur.
Sitting on the couch, her mind remained foggy, her vacant eyes staring forward in a daze.
Sōjun walked over, leaned in, and waved a hand in front of her face.
Their eyes met.
"1, 2, 3, 4, 5... huh? Why does he have five pupils?"
"You're awake?"
His deep voice startled her, finally snapping her out of it.
The voice came again, "Don't tell me you've forgotten what happened last night?"
She froze, stammering nervously, "I-I didn't cause you any trouble, did I?"
"Not at all."
Seeing her fully awake now, Sōjun placed the remaining breakfast dishes on the coffee table.
"But you were saying all sorts of things: 'Nobody understands me,' 'All geniuses should just drop dead,' and 'Mom, I miss you.' Then you cried, laughed, stood on a chair, and started singing. Everyone was clapping for you."
Fragmented memories flashed through her mind, and her pupils widened in shock. Covering her face with both hands, she whimpered in despair, refusing to accept the truth.
Is this my turn to dig a hole and crawl in?
Sōjun, watching her reaction, found it quite amusing. He nodded in satisfaction.
"Go freshen up and have some breakfast. I need to head out for a bit. Make yourself at home."
With that, Sōjun left.
As he shut the door, Shiko could faintly hear him chuckling.
"Kukuku~"
Her embarrassment only deepened.
---
Sōjun headed to Field No. 5 to train, study martial arts, and develop his cursed techniques—pursuing his growth without a hint of laziness.
Currently, he was in a period of rapid progress and couldn't bear to waste a single moment.
His daily schedule had recently been adjusted:
- 4:00 AM: Wake up and refine cursed energy for two hours.
- 6:00–10:00 AM: Train his body, practice martial arts, and study theory.
- 10:00 AM–12:00 PM: Work on challenging tasks, such as cursed technique development, during peak mental clarity.
- Midway, take a half-hour break to avoid prolonged sitting and eye strain. Snack on fruit for vitamins, minimizing lunch portions to promote small, frequent meals.
- 12:00–1:00 PM: Lunchtime—balanced nutrition, eating until 70% full to maintain optimal physical performance.
- 1:00–1:30 PM: Rest and digest, taking a short nap for cardiovascular health and afternoon energy.
- 2:00–4:00 PM: Conduct creative work, such as experimental research or optimizing techniques, during peak mental creativity.
- 4:30–6:00 PM: Perform repetitive mechanical tasks like adjusting his compound vision or calibrating precision techniques.
- 6:00–7:00 PM: Dinner—light and easy to digest, focusing on protein and vegetables.
- 7:00–9:00 PM: Another round of cursed energy refinement.
- 9:00–10:30 PM: Reflect on the day, summarize key takeaways, and document progress.
- 11:00 PM: Sleep, maximizing the restorative period from 11 PM to 1 AM.
- Four hours for physical recovery, followed by an hour of mental relaxation, lying in bed, doing nothing, and waiting for the first light of dawn.
His routine was methodical and disciplined, ensuring constant growth.
---
In the evening, after dining out, Sōjun returned to find that Shiko hadn't left yet. She was practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard.
Her movements were powerful and bold, her technique much improved since their life-or-death duel.
Watching her swing, Sōjun winced internally.
My poor plants!
One of the main reasons he used Field No. 5 was to avoid destroying his surroundings while training.
Thankfully, the big tree in the courtyard remained unharmed.
Shiko seemed to have fully recovered, showing no signs of the frustration, resentment, or despair from the previous night.
Her energetic and determined training surprised Sōjun, who had planned to comfort her but found it unnecessary—she was stronger than he'd anticipated.
When she noticed his return, she greeted him casually and left without lingering.
Sōjun didn't pay it much mind.
---
After a few days of rest, Sōjun decided to take on a Level 1 Cursed Spirit extermination mission. The intensity would increase again.
He logged onto the Sorcerer Forum, opened the mission board, and selected a suitable task, sharing the details with Shiko.
Her quick response came: "Sounds good."
Sōjun accepted the mission and shared the assembly time and location.
Her reply was just as prompt: "Got it!"
From 2:00 to 6:00 PM, this mission fit perfectly into Sōjun's schedule.
Experiments weren't a daily activity—he needed real-world practice to validate his progress. And what better way than fighting cursed spirits?
Plus, the bounty helped pay for his meals.
After refining his cursed energy and summarizing the day's events, it was already 11:00 PM. His tightly packed schedule was complete.
Not rushed, not idle.
Sōjun lay down and closed his eyes to sleep. Within five minutes, he'd usually be deep asleep.
But three minutes later, his phone buzzed.
Picking it up, he saw a message from Shiko:
"Thanks for yesterday and today."
Thanks? Shouldn't that be an apology instead?
...
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