Putting Third-Rate Villains Through the Wash
"Miss Caitlin! Hand!"
"......"
"Hand!"
"F, fuck..."
"Tsk, do you want to get expelled?"
"......"
Caitlin's face looked completely rotten.
Through her fallen hair, I could see her trembling golden eyes.
"Hand!"
"......"
"Hand!"
"Please..."
"Now then, what Pokemon in the world speaks human language?"
"What the fuck is a Pokemon, you fucking psycho bastard..."
"Expulsion?"
"......"
She clenched her teeth and resisted, then one word from me sank her.
Pikachu's rebellion did not even last three minutes.
Caitlin lowered her head.
Her lightly toned shoulders trembled.
After hesitating, she finally placed her hand on my palm.
"P, Pika..."
"Oh, good job~!"
Rub rub rub-
I patted her head until her hair became a mess.
The first step toward becoming a Pokemon Master.
Build enough bond with your partner Pokemon.
Go through basic training, and when they complete an assignment, make sure to praise them.
Caitlin seemed thrilled to be praised, judging by how hard she was clenching her trembling fists.
"Good Pikachu, good Pikachu."
"......"
Crackle, crackle-
Static kept snapping off her, so she was clearly furious.
I did not care and kept pressing down on the top of her head as it heated up in real time.
"Hotter than I thought."
With high-voltage current shooting out of her, she probably had a body type that overheated easily.
I felt like I could put a pot on her head.
"I could boil ramen on this."
A genius idea flashed through my mind, but I put it aside.
No way an item like ramen existed in this world.
Maybe I could try stew or some other variation later.
"Now then, Miss Caitlin."
I decided to think about that issue later.
Shaking off random thoughts, I kept bonding with my partner.
"This time, the other hand!"
"P, Pikachu..."
"Spin around!"
"Pika...!"
"Jump in place!"
"P, ngh..."
"Cuter! Do it properly!"
"P, pi, pika...☆ Pika, pika! Pikachu!"
Caitlin held out her hand, spun around, and jumped in place exactly as I ordered.
The one standing there was no longer the tyrant who had ruled as Class B Top Seat.
She was just a Pokemon, obediently following her trainer's commands.
"This is rewarding. I feel like some hot-blooded cop protagonist reforming third-rate delinquent extras..."
"You crazy... bastard..."
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Caitlin bit down hard on her lip, clinging to what was left of her pride.
Leaving that admirable stubbornness behind, I pointed at the target set up in the middle of the classroom.
"Go, Pikachu! One Million Volts!"
"......"
"One Million Volts!"
"......"
"Expulsion?"
"P, Pikaaa... chuuuu!"
KRA-KZZZZT-!
High-voltage current blasted out violently.
The attack turned the target on the platform into ash.
"Niiice."
Perfect teamwork.
At this rate, we would not miss the world championship either.
As praise, I lightly shook Caitlin's collar.
Clink-
"......"
As if exhausted, she sat back down.
I patted her head a few more times.
She looked so happy she might die, and I felt weirdly fulfilled.
"The world is still warm."
People helping people, and setting friends straight when they wander down the wrong path.
Not punishment for punishment's sake, but hoping villains can reform.
Punish with love, not hate.
Believe in goodness, and believe anyone can become good.
People say people never change, and I reject that first.
People can start over.
People are always changing.
Life is a winding curve that keeps bending.
So that path can twist without turning into a fall, so we can stagger without collapsing, we have to hold each other's hands.
People have to hold other people's hands.
If we do not let go, they will not fall.
If we do not let go, they will not collapse.
I believed that one day, they would learn warmth from the hand they touched.
That was what this meant, what I was doing to her, what I was doing to these kids.
What? Am I just bullying them?
Your mom.
"Hehe."
I smiled brightly.
As if it shared my joy, the corner of my mask's mouth twitched too.
Behind us, Class B students stood in neat rows.
Not all of them, only the ones who had been swaggering around and picking fights with lower-ranked classes.
"......"
The tyrant had fallen.
They stared in dismay at Caitlin, reduced to a Pokemon.
They glared in frustration, then flinched the moment I looked back at them.
"Everyone."
"......"
Maybe because I had shown them hell for the past week.
Even the kids who used to act like punks had turned into tame sheep.
"You know what to do today, right?"
"......"
"Just two hours like yesterday."
"......"
"Huh, no answer. Should we make it eight hours?"
"N, no! No, I got it! I understand!"
"Sorry! Really sorry... I got distracted for a second!"
"So please, anything but eight hours...!"
Only then did hurried answers start popping out one by one.
"Hmm."
I touched my chin like I was thinking.
The kids were dripping cold sweat.
"Your answers were slow... well, should I let it slide this once?"
"Th, thank you! Thank you for your mercy..."
"Ugh..."
The kids let out sighs of relief.
Of course, that did not mean what was coming for them had disappeared.
With a cheerful smile, I gave their backs a few light pushes.
"Shall we go?"
"......"
They trembled, but moved as I told them.
We left the B Main Building and stopped on Academy Street.
Students from other classes passed through there all the time.
Class B lined up in formation there.
"You did this once yesterday, so you've got the idea now, right?"
"......"
"Now then, big smiles! Think of it as spreading bright smiles through Grandia Academy!"
"......"
They had one mission.
A morale-boosting performance.
Entertain other students worn out by studying.
After checking the line of Class B students, I called the signal in a booming voice.
"Then, let's begin!"
Glance, glance-
Students passing nearby looked over, wondering what was going on.
Attention started gathering one by one.
In that situation, Class B started dancing.
A very cute dance, the kind you would see from a girl idol group.
"Hey now, keep your lines clean!"
No music, just over a dozen students dancing in a clump.
Every face in Class B was burning red.
I stood in front of them like a director.
Holding back the twitch in my lips, I warned them in a stern voice.
"Every time I see someone doing it wrong, that's one extra hour. Let's finish this in one go!"
At that, even the kids who had only been flailing started dancing for real.
Still, after six hours of practice together yesterday, their group choreography was finally starting to look sharp.
Maybe their goal of becoming the world's best idols was not far off.
I drew the audience's attention, then shouted to the dancers.
"Now, greet the audience!"
"......"
"Greet them!"
"......"
"Should I add five full hours right now?"
"N, no...!"
"Please, not that...!"
The kids begged while panting through the intense dance.
Seriously, this is why you should just do it when I tell you to.
I gave a sharp command.
"Last chance! Greet the audience!"
"We are the ones who deliver love and hope...!"
"Cute."
"Cute!"
"Adorable."
"Adorable!"
"Who are you?"
"Academy's Guardians! We are Class B's Idolz!!!"
Class E's Shuttles.
Class C's Point Doormatz.
And now, following them, the moment Class B's Idolz were born.
The passing students all wore deeply confused expressions.
"Ah..."
Class B, once marked as elite.
Its boss became a Pokemon, and its underlings became idols.
"Thrilling."
This was it.
This was why I came to the academy.
I laughed as I passionately conducted the Idolz.
"Who told you to bully the other kids in the first place?"
It's fine.
Most third-rate extra villains get skipped without ever being redeemed, but I will personally take responsibility and wash you clean.
"Your life's set now, you punk."
I will scrub you down until you turn into pure white tissue.
***
"Hyung-nim, you're here!"
"Ah... Hyung-nim!"
After finishing the idol routine, I returned to the Class E classroom.
The moment I stepped through the door, the Class E guys welcomed me enthusiastically.
Their smiles were especially bright.
"Good to see you, everyone."
"You're here!"
The Shuttles rushed over in a pack and greeted me with perfect right-angle bows.
Even with how overwhelming it felt, I forced a smile.
After the Ranking Match, I had practically become a hero to them.
I had overwhelming skill strong enough to beat the Class B Top Seat, and I had also properly disciplined the Class B kids who kept picking on them.
"Somehow... I farmed a little too much favor."
I scratched my head.
Whether they knew that or not, the Shuttles guided me to my seat with full devotion.
"Please sit!"
"Haha... thank you."
Eyes sparkling.
Without showing it on my face, I gathered the other students' attention.
"Um... could everyone focus for a moment?"
"......"
Unlike Class B, Class E obeyed right away.
I cleared my throat a few times and began.
A plan I had been sketching out little by little since right after enrollment.
The time had come to set it in motion.
Ding-!
[Sub Quest]
-Objective: Raise every Class E student to B-rank or above.
-Quest Deadline: Before graduation
-Failure Penalty: None
-Reward: Character-exclusive item 'Scales of the Black Arbiter (S-)'
I would build the hand I could play.
People who would prioritize my orders no matter what happened at the academy from here on.
While clearing the quest, I also planned to pick only the truly loyal ones and form an organization.
I stretched out my hand toward the students lined up neatly.
"Everyone."
First, the quest.
I had to raise the kids in front of me into fighters of B-rank or above.
"Don't you want to become stronger?"
And then.
It was time to prepare the next chapter.
Ding-!
[Main Quest]
-Title: The Water Knows the Answer!
-Objective: Secure the New Kingdom vampire 'Jersian.' Break him through various means of persuasion.
-Failure Penalty: Progression of the Fourth Calamity, 'Red Night,' accelerated.
-Success Reward: ???
[Time Limit: 134 days]
The New Kingdom.
The thugs behind Red Night, and the scum who stole Carmilla's ordinary life from her.
It was time to crush that faction.
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