Chapter 27: Physical Fitness Test (2)
After changing my clothes, I left the locker room. At the same time, Illin and Jenny emerged from the women's locker room.
For a moment, Illin and I made eye contact. She briefly looked me over, then her earlobes turned red as she whipped her head in the opposite direction.
Then she ran away from me like a malfunctioning robot. Jenny followed after her.
What's with them running away like that?
Not understanding, I made my way toward the field.
***
Meanwhile, at that moment.
Illin was walking toward the field, taking a roundabout route. Jenny, following behind her, spoke in a somewhat surprised tone.
"Illin. Did you see Cain's body just now?"
"...Yes."
Illin nodded at Jenny's question. Jenny spoke with a genuinely admiring expression.
"What kind of training did he do during the break to get a body like that? I could tell even when he was wearing his uniform. But with the summer uniform, you can totally see his collarbones and muscles!"
"...Yes."
Jenny narrowed her eyes at Illin's lackluster response. She turned her head toward her. Illin was walking fine, but her face looked stunned. Seeing that expression, Jenny smiled mischievously.
"Hmm... Illin, honestly, are you regretting breaking your engagement with Cain?"
"Yes... Huh?! No!! I'm not!!"
At Jenny's question, Illin's face turned bright red as she waved her arms excessively.
Strong denial is usually strong affirmation.
Jenny thought this as she smiled with amusement.
"For someone who's not regretting it, your face is extremely red."
"Th-that's because you're teasing me!!"
Illin was clearly embarrassed as she fanned her flushed face with fluttering hands.
Jenny found her reaction entertaining and smiled broadly.
"Ah~ Illin's reactions are always so fun~."
"Haah..."
She thought she'd gotten used to Jenny's teasing, but apparently not.
"Anyway, why are we having a fitness test on the first day?"
"Well, I don't mind. How great is it that we can have both lectures and training?"
Jenny shook her head repeatedly with an exasperated expression at Illin's training addiction.
Not just once, but multiple times.
"I think you might be the only one who feels that way."
Hearing Jenny's words, Illin pressed her lips tightly together, unable to respond.
***
On the field, cone markers were already set up in two rows 20 meters apart, apparently in preparation for the fitness test. Jenny tilted her head in confusion at the sight.
"How are they going to test our fitness with those?"
"Hmm... it looks like we'll be running back and forth."
Testing knight candidates, who aren't ordinary people, with just that?
Knight candidates are people who have trained since childhood. They won't get tired from just going back and forth like that.
Of course, that's assuming they maintain a certain speed.
While the two were pondering this, Butler, who had somehow appeared behind them, answered while repeatedly picking up and putting down his sword.
"Well, you'll see. For now, line up and wait."
The two nodded and joined the other students. About a minute after lining up, everyone had gathered on the field.
Butler looked them all over and smiled faintly.
"Hmm... alright. Today's fitness test will be the shuttle run. Well, rather than explaining, let me demonstrate."
As he spoke, Butler stopped his strength training and took out a round crystal orb from his subspace ring. He pressed a button on the crystal orb, and a woman's voice came out.
-I will explain how to perform the shuttle run.
Following the instructions from the crystal orb, Butler casually walked to the opposite cone marker. He arrived before the sound came.
-Beep!
When the sound came, he returned to his original position. As he did so, he explained.
"See. You need to reach the opposite side before the sound. Of course, those who don't make it in time are eliminated. How does that sound? Simple, right?"
"Yes!"
Seeing the students nodding with confident expressions, Butler raised one corner of his mouth and said.
"Then, everyone, take your positions at the left cone markers."
***
Standing at the middle cone marker, I turned my head to the side.
"..."
"I-I didn't come here because I wanted to be next to you. Jenny said we should do it here, that's all!"
Even though I was just looking quietly, she quickly recited what sounded like an excuse, as if something was bothering her.
[The Goddess Who Sees Fate says that woman is suspicious. She keeps following you around!]
"I didn't ask though?"
"Ugh!"
[The Goddess Who Sees Fate says she feels like you're talking to her too.]
At my "I didn't ask though" comment, Illin's face turned bright red and her body trembled.
The Constellation... though invisible, was clearly having a similar reaction to Illin.
As we were feeling awkward, Butler shouted loudly.
"Now, let's begin the shuttle run!!"
When Butler finished speaking, most of the students stopped talking and put on serious expressions.
A woman's voice came from the crystal orb. When the voice ended, music started playing.
"â©âªâ¬~."
...Wait. Why is this music playing here?
The music playing now is none other than game background music.
It's a song that, despite being just game BGM, has achieved over 50 million views on YouTube.
It feels strange to hear that BGM in this game world after having listened to it outside the screen.
Feeling this peculiar sensation, I looked around. All the students easily reached the opposite side before the "beep" sound.
"Hey, isn't this super easy?"
"Right? I bet we can last until the end of the PE class and still have energy left."
"PE class is gonna be a breeze!"
Most were showing off. And some were running fast, probably due to their competitive spirit.
Yeah, enjoy it while you can.
This is like the physical education performance evaluation that everyone does at least once during their school days on Earth.
At first, you think it's ridiculously easy, but later on, nothing is as hellish as this.
So all the students went to the opposite cone markers, laughing and chatting leisurely.
***
Twenty minutes passed.
"Huff! Huff!"
"Haah! I should've just shut up and run from the start. Damn it."
Unlike before, most students were now sweating profusely like waterfalls.
That's what happens when you don't pace yourself.
Of course, I was quite tired too. But thanks to managing my stamina from the beginning and keeping my mouth shut while running, I was still more relaxed than most students.
[The Goddess Who Sees Fate says your training has paid off.]
The Constellation is right.
If this had been my body when I first transmigrated, I would have been eliminated long ago, even with proper stamina management.
But as expected of knight candidates, they're all holding up well.
If these were people from Earth, they would have all given up by now.
I wonder how Illin is doing.
When I turned my head to the side, she was running diligently, not even minding her bouncing chest.
At that level, she seems similar to Rishe... No, I should stop looking.
[The Goddess Who Sees Fate says she now knows your preferences for sure.]
No, regardless of preferences, wouldn't anyone's eyes naturally be drawn to that?
***
Another ten minutes passed.
-Beep!
"Uwehwek!!"
"Save... me..."
The two who were showing off earlier were now running like they were on the verge of death, drool dripping from their mouths.
But.
-Beep!
They didn't reach the opposite cone marker before the next sound. Butler, watching them, spoke.
"Numbers 21 and 22, you're out. Walk one lap around the field and then sit down to rest."
"Y-yes..."
The two who had been showing off dragged their limp legs as they walked one lap around the field.
Damn, I envy them. I want to just give up too!!
The students who had given up on the shuttle run were now sitting comfortably, drinking water.
Give me water too!! Damn!!
[The Goddess Who Sees Fate says the fruit juice is sweet. Ah~ delicious!]
This damn Constellation.
As if waiting for this moment, she starts teasing me annoyingly.
Choke on your drink!!
As I cursed the Constellation inwardly, the sound rang out as if on cue.
-Beep!
Damn. I don't want to run anymore. I'd like to go drink water right now.
In reality, with my original personality, I would have given up on this long ago, but because of the damn quest, it's awkward to do so.
[Quest Generated - Endure the Shuttle Run!]
[Description: Survive until the end of the first PE class shuttle run. (There's no penalty for failure.)]
[Reward: 400 Quest Points.]
Looking at the quest content, there's nothing to lose if I give up, but the reward is too substantial.
A whopping 400 Quest Points!! If I get those points, my total will be 1,000 points!
I can't buy points directly. So I need to clear quests to earn them.
Phew... this is tough. I wonder how much longer.
Curious about how much time was left, I looked around and saw that everyone except the knight candidates had dropped out.
Just ten more minutes. Then it's over.
With that thought, I gritted my teeth and started running again to the rhythm of the beeps.
***
Five more minutes passed.
-Beep!
The speed of the beeps from the crystal orb had become dimensionally different from the beginning. Proportionally, my breathing had become increasingly rough.
"Huff! Huff!"
I'd like to look around to see how many people are left, but I don't even have the strength for that anymore.
"Huff! Huff!"
When will this end? It feels like five minutes have already passed.
-Beep!
As if denying my inner thoughts, the crystal orb mercilessly sounded.
It should be ending soon, right?
-Beep!
Damn. Why is it responding to my inner thoughts? What the hell.
With impeccable timing, when I inwardly begged for it to end, the crystal orb seemed to answer, "No, I don't want to."
Am I going to die like this?
This is no joke. My vision is becoming increasingly dizzy, like I've been stabbed to death.
Not only that, but my legs are trembling as if saying, "Stop running, you madman!!" and my heart is beating faster than at any other time in my life.
It would be pretty ridiculous if I died like this.
Of course, no one would know that I died from running too long.
But the thought of how pathetic I am would give me serious regrets.
Maybe I should just give up?
Yeah. It's not that I want to give up. It's unavoidable.
-Beep!
Haah... I taste blood in my mouth? What's happening? Am I really going to die like this?
[The Goddess Who Sees Fate says hang in there!]
The one who was just mocking me is now cursing me to death.
This bastard. Telling me to die in such a roundabout way.
-Beep!
I ran with all my might, thinking this would be my last effort.
This probably feels like the fastest I've ever run in my life.
Soon, the crystal orb will sound again.
Honestly, giving up now or giving up at the next beep is the same.
But I want to end with one last success.
I've made it almost halfway to the cone marker. Less than a second remains until the crystal orb sounds.
"Hup!"
I inhaled. Ran even faster.
One last step.
If I can just cross this, I'll be done.
Just cross this!
As I took that step, the crystal orb sounded.
-Beep!