Volume 3 Chapter 29 Sandra's Embarrassment
One afternoon, after finalizing an agreement with the city lord, Toxy was hanging laundry while humming a tune when she caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye.
"Hmm...?"
With a puzzled expression, she looked over and saw a figure clinging tightly to a tree.
"Hmmm...?"
As Toxy squinted in further confusion, she caught a glimpse of golden hair swaying.
It was Sandra. Intuitively, Toxy returned the piece of laundry she was holding to the basket and approached Sandra.
"What are you doing, Sandra?"
"...It's so embarrassing."
Pressing her face against the tree, Sandra seemed to be embarrassed about something. While Toxy found this sight embarrassing, Sandra seemed to be embarrassed about something else.
"What's making you embarrassed?"
"It's too embarrassing to say..."
"How unusual, Sandra. To feel so embarrassed like this."
After taking a bath, Sandra, who surprised the guys by walking around the living room n*ked, didn't seem like the Sandra they knew. Of course, at that moment, Toxy knocked Sandra out cold.
Sandra said,
"Even though everyone was fighting hard against Windy, I feel embarrassed that I was the only one who got knocked out quickly and ended up with minor injuries. Wait, I can't say it out loud!"
"You accidentally said it yourself."
"I slipped up."
Sandra moved her face away from the tree. There was a mark on her forehead from pressing it against the tree.
"Because I accidentally slipped up, so I have to cover your mouth, Toxy. Let's settle this with a fight."
"I won't do it. By the way, Sandra, if you're free, why don't you help me with hanging the laundry?"
"I, who can't show my strength, am just like a housekeeper... I'll help."
She seemed willing to help sincerely. It's fundamentally strange, but Toxy couldn't bring herself to dislike Sandra because of her sincerity.
And so, Sandra and Toxy started hanging the laundry together. While hanging the clothes, they continued their previous conversation.
"So, you know? You got taken down by Windy right away, right? Well, it's so embarrassing."
"Eek! Toxy's being naughty!"
"Let's talk, okay?"
"No, I want a dance of apologies like this."
"I don't want to dance."
Toxy tripped Sandra, who was spinning on one foot. Sandra fell down.
"I guess I'm more suited to the earth... the mother nature..."
"Whether your actions are positive or negative aside, if you're embarrassed about being taken down, just get stronger, right?"
Confused by what was being said, Toxy placed a hand on her hip and said, "If that's the case," while lying on the ground, Sandra sharply pointed her finger. Don't point at people with your finger.
Sandra got up and showed off a somersault, striking a pose as she spoke.
"I want to become stronger. I thought I was strong enough. But I wasn't. I knew I was lacking, but I really wasn't enough."
"...That's the same for me. I kind of realized that there are times when I can't win even by using my secret weapon."
Toxy chuckled. Even though it was something not to laugh about, Toxy couldn't help but laugh.
Sandra didn't forgive that.
"Toxy, it's wrong to laugh when you're frustrated. When you're frustrated, you should feel frustrated."
"Yeah, you're right. It's frustrating. Losing to someone other than Wade like that is just too frustrating."
Toxy unintentionally clenched the laundry she was holding tightly. Frustrated, she bit her lower lip.
"I want to become stronger. I don't want to feel this frustrated anymore. I've always thought that if Wade comes, I won't have to feel this way anymore. ...But, that's not it, right? The most important thing is for me to become stronger and defeat Windy."
"Then, Toxy, as a celebration for you speaking your true feelings, I'll give you this."
"What's this?"
"Bee larvae. It's delicious."
"Eek!"
In the palm of her hand, Toxy threw away the wriggling larva to Toxy. Then, Sandra disappeared with "Thunder Speed!" in a flash and then reappeared.
"Seriously, Toxy, turning valuable food into this. I won't give this to you anymore. I'll eat it all myself."
"...Sure, go ahead."
"Nom nom. Yummy."
Toxy felt a bit hesitant as she watched Sandra munching away. But upon further thought, she realized it was just Sandra being herself. It might be normal after all.
Sandra spoke up.
"Anyway, I invite Toxy to Sandra-chan's special training course. Here's the invitation."
"Hey, you went through the trouble to make this...?"
Toxy looked at the paper handed to her, which read 'Sandra's Secret.'
"...?"
Turning the paper over, it said 'Actually, very sensible.'
"Don't write lies."
Toxy tossed the invitation away.
"Sadness... Sadnessaurus."
Sandra exclaimed.
"By the way, Sandra."
"What is it?"
"The laundry."
"Okay."
As Sandra started her theater performance halfway through, the two of them began hanging out the laundry again.
"So, you want to train specifically for this?"
"That's right. Through training, we will attain strength that even gods would admire," Sandra nodded as she spread out the laundry.
"Well, that's all fine and dandy. But what exactly do you have in mind? I mean, I already do regular training on a daily basis."
"Practical training."
"Practical? Oh, you mean you want me to accompany you on those quests you occasionally goes on alone, Sandra?"
"That's part of it. But that's okay."
Sandra replied with a meaningful look.
"To become strong, you need an environment that forces you to become strong. Humans change based on their environment. So, you need the right ingredients in your environment to become strong."
"The ingredients to become strong...?"
"And, what you need to become strong is madness."
Sandra declared.
"The most intense place I know. It's the dungeon. The malicious dungeon either makes us stronger or kills us."
"...Wait, wait. You're not saying we should go there together, right?"
"Toxy."
Sandra, with a blank expression but sparkling eyes, continued.
"Just the two of us, let's get the gold torch adventurer's badge."
Toxy took a step back. Sandra stopped her, wrapping Toxy's hand holding the laundry in both of hers.
There was no escape. Faced with that intuition, Toxy said,
"A-At least, let's start with copper, please..."
Apart from her copper bow badge, Toxy only had an iron adventurer's badge.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)