I was flying.
Not metaphorically—literally soaring through the cosmos, planets whizzing past like colorful marbles, stars blinking at me as I flipped midair with the grace of a space-faring acrobat.
I had freedom. I could do anything I wanted - swim in the cosmic ocean, sleep while hugging clouds and much more.
Then—
THWACK!
A cartoonish green star with a bo staff smacked me upside the head. "Stop dreaming, idiot! Wake up!"
WHAP!
Another star, twirling nunchaku, struck my ribs. "Why are you so afraid? Don't be wishy-washy!"
I turned—only to lock eyes with a katana-wielding star, its glare sharp enough to split atoms. Beside it, a sai-wielding star cackled, rubbing its knuckles ominously.
"Kuku~ Kuku~"
The bo staff reared back—
SMACK!
"WAKE UP!"
My vision exploded into white.
"WAH!"
I bolted upright, sheets tangling around my legs, forehead slick with sweat. My heart hammered like a drumline gone rogue.
Huff… huff…
Just a... another nightmare…
Yeah, this was the second time tonight.
I rubbed my temples, the dull throb of exhaustion pressing against my skull.
The memories of yesterday came flooding back—Virion's "training," the turtle brothers beating me into the ground, and that awful "recovery soup" that tasted like punishment incarnate.
After passing out, I'd woken up in my own room, sore but somehow intact.
I'd spent the rest of the evening studying, forcing my exhausted brain to focus on anything other than the phantom pain in my ribs. Small breaks, more studying, then collapsing into bed—only to jerk awake two hours later from the first nightmare, featuring a katana-wielding comet chasing me through a black hole.
Ugh.
I'd given up on sleep after that, burying myself in books until my eyes burned. Around 3 AM, I must've dozed off at my desk because—
Oh.
I wasn't in bed. I was slumped over my study table, cheek pressed against an open textbook, drool pooling near a map of the town.
Damn, I need a life.
Standing up, I stretched my arms with a groan, muscles protesting like an angry mob. My temples pulsed in time with my heartbeat, so I massaged them, willing the headache to fade.
I need a bath. Now.
Grabbing a towel and fresh clothes, I trudged into the bathroom. The hot water helped, washing away the sweat and lingering exhaustion. By the time I stepped out, towel draped over my shoulders, hair still damp, I almost felt human again.
Almost.
Then—
Knock. Knock. Knock.
I froze.
Who the hell is knocking at this hour? I glanced at the clock my lips twitching.
7:45 AM.
...Oh. It's not that early.
Still, who'd visit me at this time—
Knock. Knock.
I sighed, adjusting the towel around my neck, and yanked the door open.
"Who is—?"
My voice died.
Standing in the hallway were three very familiar figures.
Princess Sara.
Cassandra.
And Lannete, the ever-stoic knight.
All three stared at me. I stared back.
Silence.
Then—
"...Good morning, Boss... Boss..? and... Boss's bodyguard?"
The words tumbled out before I could stop them.
Princess Sara blinked. Cassandra's lips twitched. Lannete's expression didn't change, but I swore her eye twitched.
...Well. This is awkward.
"..."
Hmm?
I blinked. Something was... off.
A faint blush had crept onto Princess Sara's cheeks, her ears turning pink. Cassandra's gaze had dipped slightly lower than my face before snapping back up, her own ears reddening. Even Lannete—stoic, unshakable Lannete—had the barest hint of color dusting her nose.
A question mark practically materialized above my head.
...Is there something with me?
Before I could check, Lannete moved like lightning—one hand covering the princess's eyes while the other pointed accusingly at me.
"Pervert," she hissed.
Another question mark joined the first.
What did I do?!
But the next second, a dangerous suspicion began swirling in my mind.
Gulp... I hope I'm wrong...
Cassandra cleared her throat delicately. "Umm... we must have come at the wrong time, sorry, Manager. But... can you..." She gestured vaguely at me.
Finally, I looked down at myself.
Pants—thank goodness—were present and accounted for.
But my torso was completely bare, water droplets trailing down my skin, sliding over the newly defined muscles that Virion's brutal training had carved into me. My abs, previously nonexistent, now had the audacity to look almost impressive.
...I forgot to wear a shirt.
A beat of silence.
Then—
Click.
I quietly closed the door.
_____
[Time Skip: After the Incident Best Forgotten]
The four of us sat around my modest dining table, the lingering awkwardness from earlier slowly dissipating with each sip of tea.
Princess Sara still seemed slightly dazed, her fingers tracing the rim of her cup absentmindedly, while Lannete maintained her usual stoic composure. Cassandra, ever the professional, had already shaken off any embarrassment and now sat with perfect posture, her business face firmly in place.
I handed a fresh cup to Lannete, who accepted it with a quiet nod of thanks. Pouring myself another serving, I took a slow breath before addressing the elephant in the room.
"So," I began, setting my cup down carefully. "Not that I'm not pleased to have such... distinguished guests, but what brings you here so early?"
Cassandra's lips curved into that particular smile she wore when about to rope someone into one of her schemes. She folded her hands neatly on the table.
"As you know," she started, her voice smooth and measured, "our shop's grand opening was originally scheduled for this weekend. However, after some discussion—" here she glanced meaningfully at Princess Sara, "—we decided to push it to today - to late afternoon instead."
I nodded slowly.
That made sense.
But I get the feeling it might be related to princess's problem.
"But this presents us with an opportunity," Cassandra continued, her eyes glinting with that sharp, calculating look I'd come to associate with her best (and dangerous) ideas. "We haven't done any proper advertising in the town yet, and then an idea struck me - why not advertise in the academy? Because with no classes at the academy today..."
Ah. I could see where this was going.
"The entire student body is essentially free with nothing to do," I finished for her, already feeling the trap closing around me.
"Exactly." Cassandra's smile widened. "And where better to find our first wave of customers than among hundreds of bored, wealthy students looking for somewhere to spend their allowances?"
She launched into her plan with the precision of a general outlining a campaign. Discounts for group orders. Free study space with purchase. Limited-time offers to create urgency. Each tactic was carefully designed to exploit every psychological weakness in the average student's wallet.
I found myself nodding along despite myself. Say what you will about Cassandra, but the woman knew her marketing. She's going to become the Business Queen after all.
"And this is where you come in," she said, turning that dangerous smile fully on me.
I stiffened. Here it was.
"As both a student at the academy and the shop's manager," she continued smoothly, "you're uniquely positioned to spread the word. Who better to vouch for our establishment than someone they already know and trust?"
I opened my mouth to protest, but Cassandra pressed on.
"Think about it. A few well-placed comments in the right ears. Maybe a demonstration of our products. Nothing too strenuous, of course." Her tone suggested that 'nothing too strenuous' would likely involve me single-handedly converting the entire student body into loyal customers.
Across the table, Princess Sara finally seemed to snap out of her daze. "It... it really would help," she added softly, her cheeks still faintly pink. "If you're willing, that is."
I looked between the three of them—Cassandra with her shark-like grin, the princess with her tsundere plea, and Lannete who simply raised an eyebrow as if to say 'you brought this on yourself.'
Founder Boss. Sponsor Boss. And Boss's Bodyguard indeed.
With a sigh that came from the depths of my soul, I reached for the teapot.
"I suppose I don't have much choice, do I?"
Cassandra's triumphant smile told me all I needed to know.