After summoning Pier from the Subspace bracelet, Simon opened his own. "Alright, now’s our chance. Get into my Subspace before anyone sees you, Pier."
Pier clicked his tongue in annoyance. [How frustrating! Do I have to go back in as soon as I get out?]
"It can’t be helped. Quickly, before we’re spotted."
There was a reason for this cumberso transfer. Before the teleportation, Kizen had announced a mandatory Subspace inspection for all first-years. But Simon needed Pier to persuade the new captain, Vickrum, so he had devised a little trick.
"Commaaaandeeer..."
Startled by the sudden, deep voice, Simon spun around. Assistant Brad was running toward him. The sight of the hulking, bald man running so daintily, his arms swinging at his sides, created a suffocating sense of dissonance.
"I missed yooou!" Brad whined, clinging to Simon’s arm.
Feeling his sanity fraying, Simon scowled. "Why are you here, Erzebet? The other assistant was with you."
"I just told that woman I was taking care of so business," she replied in Brad’s gruff voice.
"Ugh... Go back quickly before you’re discovered."
It had all started last weekend. Simon had won the duel Brad had proposed, earning the right to command him. He had then visited Brad’s dormitory, where he found the assistant packing his things like a man who had given up on life.
’Why are you being so pathetic? I have no intention of demanding your retirent, Brad.’
Brad had looked up, his eyes dull.
’Instead, from now on, you will be my chess piece.’
Simon had a firm grip on Brad’s weakness. The assistant had imdiately protested.
’How dare a re freshman think of using like a servant!’
’If you refuse, then I have no choice. I’ll go to Professor Hongfeng and tell her everything.’
At that, Brad’s face had gone rigid.
’As an educator, you assaulted a Kizen student under the pretext of a duel. And the most ridiculous part was your condition if you had won..." Simon’s lips had curled into a smirk. "It was for to beco Professor Hongfeng’s direct disciple, wasn’t it? Let be clear. That wasn’t for the professor’s sake; it was an insult to her decision.’
Hongfeng had already accepted Simon’s refusal. For Brad to intervene and beat him into submission was a direct defiance of her wishes.
’The professor thinks what happened between us was a simple squabble. But if she knew the truth, imagine how disappointed she would be in you... I trust you understand.’
’Aghh...!’
By forcing such a bet, Brad had trapped himself. And so, Simon had acquired an excellent chess piece. As it happened, Brad had been selected as one of the assistants for the island survival. Simon had borrowed his Subspace and ordered him to go into hiding for the duration of the event.
’You plan to impersonate .’
’How did you know?’
’The sches of Kizen students are beyond imagination. In this brutal world, having a double is a common occurrence," Brad had grumbled, scratching his head. "Do as you please. But if you get caught, it’s not my fault.’
’Of course.’
Thus, Brad had vanished, and Erzebet, transford into his likeness, had co to the island in his place. Pier, hidden in Brad’s Subspace bracelet, had made it through the inspection undetected.
"Everyone was completely fooled by my acting!" Erzebet declared in Brad’s booming voice.
"It’s starting to disgust , so please stop," Simon deadpanned.
"Anyway! We’re going to et Vickrum now, right? I want to co too!"
"Absolutely not," Simon refused flatly. "If Brad suddenly disappears from his post, the school will get suspicious. Pier and I are enough for this."
[Hehehe! The boy is right! Scram!] Pier added.
"Even Pier! You’re all so an." Erzebet’s shoulders slumped, and she hung her head. "...I’ll go back."
Seeing her dejected, Simon felt a pang of guilt. From recruiting Brad to the impersonation, Erzebet had done practically everything. He felt he might have been a bit too cold.
[What are you doing, boy,] Pier’s voice echoed in his mind. [If you feel so bad, then bestow a reward. Praising a subordinate’s achievents is also the role of a Legion Commander!]
’What? W-what kind of reward?’
[You should know what she likes without having to say it.]
Of course, he knew. Simon sighed and looked up at the hulking figure of Brad, who now wore the most crestfallen expression imaginable.
"Erzebet. Can you turn back to your original form for a mont?"
"Huh?" she asked, puzzled, but complied.
Simon approached her with stiff, awkward steps.
[Commander?]
He hesitantly extended his arms and pulled her into a firm hug.
Erzebet froze, so shocked she looked as if ti had stopped. Simon whispered, his voice so low only she could hear, "G-good work, Erzebet."
Her pupils dilated. Her heart lted like ice cream.
"Ahem." Simon, his face beet red, hastily stepped back. "Now, change back into Brad and return to your post. We can’t afford to arouse suspicion." He then turned and fled, sweating profusely.
Pier’s clone cackled, finding the entire scene hilarious.
Erzebet stared blankly at Simon’s retreating back, then slowly caressed the shoulder he had held. She covered her blushing cheeks with her hands.
[Such a lovely person.]
It seed that pledging her loyalty a hundred, a thousand tis would not be enough.
---
Night was approaching. The Kizen students, having gradually adapted to the unfamiliar environnt, were now pushing toward the center. But as darkness fell, they faced a new crisis. The temperature on Kera Island plumted at night. The sweltering heat gave way to a biting chill. Worse, it was common knowledge that monsters beca more active after dark.
"We’ll have to build a shelter to get through the night."
"Let’s start a fire first!"
They needed shelter and warmth, but they struggled to even find a suitable site. The middle of the jungle was too exposed to monsters, while open plains or riverbanks were vulnerable to attacks from other students. So tried to build shelters in trees, but they lacked the skill.
"My back is killing ."
"We’re only here for one night. Wouldn’t it be better to save our energy instead of doing all this?"
So gave up, declaring they would just sleep in the open. But as the night deepened and the temperature dropped, it beca clear that even a simple windbreak was a wise precaution.
While the other students fumbled through trial and error, Simon’s shelter was being constructed at a relentless pace. Uniformly sized logs were laid down and bound tightly with sturdy vines. Pillars were raised, and a roof fra was set into pre-dug grooves. Finally, large leaves from his Subspace were layered over the top.
"You, tie the fence. Put the wood you brought on the right," Simon directed his undead workers.
’Clack. Clack.’
With one human and four undead, a small house was completed in no ti. It was just big enough for Simon, but for a one-night shelter, the quality was more than satisfactory. He had built it near the beach, far from the main path of the other students and slightly outside the hunting grounds of most carnivorous monsters. It was perfect.
"It’s nice not having to worry about anyone else," he mused. He built a campfire without a care, crushed so insect-repelling herbs, mixed them with water, and spread the paste around his shelter.
When the work was done, he slipped inside. It was incredibly cozy.
"Alright, now then." Simon lay down and pulled a large leaf over himself like a blanket. "Ti to sleep."
[What? You’re sleeping already?] Pier exclaid in surprise. [It’s not even that late!]
"I’m going to sleep early and start moving at dawn. Oh, right!" Simon got up, detached Pier’s clone from his uniform, and hung it outside the shelter like a decoration.
[What is this! What is the aning of this, boy!]
"Please stand guard, Pier. Undead don’t need sleep, right?"
[Huh! Unacceptable! I am the Administrator of the Legion! How dare you use in this way!]
"Please... And I’ll leave this here, so wake up at 4 AM." Simon placed his wristwatch where the clone could see it and ducked back inside.
[To use as an alarm!!]
Simon cut off the undead’s telepathic link, pulled the leaf-blanket up, and closed his eyes. After tossing and turning for only a mont, he fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.
---
[Wake up, boy! It’s the ti you ntioned!]
At the shout from Pier’s clone, Simon shot upright. He rubbed his shoulders against the morning chill and sniffled. "Oof. The nights really are cold. Thanks, Pier."
[I will rember this humiliation!]
"As soon as I get the money, I’ll reinforce the Legion with new troops," Simon promised.
[Now you know how to bestow a proper reward.]
Simon yawned as he stepped outside. The dawn sky was a beautiful turquoise. From the faintly visible sea, he could hear the refreshing sound of waves. It was a picturesque scene.
"Shall we get going then?" He opened his Subspace and summoned four skeletons. "Alright, lift on three. One, two, three!"
He had the skeletons lift the entire house. Since it was designed to be light and for one person, they managed it without difficulty.
[What’s the plan now?] Pier asked.
"I told you, didn’t I?" Simon grinned. "We’re heading straight to the center."
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