38 Punishmen (1/2)
Entering the food hall, I saw Dong chatting with Davide. I picked up my food and headed over, and Dong and Davide called out to me when they noticed.
”Big bro!”
”Ah! Oscar! Where were you last night?”
I placed my tray next to Davide's and sat down.
”I'm sorry Dong, I was cultivating with master.”
”In the vault?”
I nodded and got stuck into the food.
”Well that's some good news. But there's something else we need to talk about Oscar.”
”Mhm?”
”What happened to your desk? When Davide came in, he found it ripped out of the wall and burnt to ashes.”
”Oh,” I put down my chopsticks, ”Dong, I'm really sorry about that. My cultivation technique is weird, and I didn't know that would happen.”
Dong sighed and looked at me with a stern expression.
”Oscar, those desks are old, and they're worth quite a sum. Just like these tables.” he tapped the warped wooden table.
”I appreciate that you're in an odd situation, but you can't go destroying your room! I'm signing you up to evening volunteer work next week.”
”What? Dong, I promise it won't happen again…”
”I know that it won't. But I have to punish you for what happened.”
”Oh…” It wasn't worth arguing about this. I didn't want to anger Dong. ”What is evening volunteer work?”
”You'll have to help around the school in your evenings. Since you're young, working in the kitchen is probably best.”
It would be difficult to cultivate doing kitchen work, and I didn't want to waste that time.
”Dong, are there any other jobs? Something like manual labour?”
”Let me think. There's a pretty tough job scrubbing the training halls, are you sure you want to do that?”
”Yes, please.” I could at least work on my stamina scrubbing floors.
”I'll put you down for that then. Just don't hate me later. Starting next week, the cleaner in charge will take you after training, so don't run off at the end of the day.”
”Okay, thank you Dong.”
Next week… that only gave me three more evenings to cultivate.
”Dong, my cultivation technique is pretty dangerous. I'm worried that if I stay in my room, I'll break more things…”
”I see. That is a problem. And you can't cultivate in the vault?”
The image of master coughing up blood flashed into my head.
”I don't think that's a good idea.”
”Hm. I don't know if you can use the training halls, but there are seclusion chambers underneath college.”
”Those would be perfect!”
”They would be but…” Dong glanced at Davide, ”they're also used by other scholars.”
Looking to my side, Davide appeared sheepish. He sat hunched over, staring at his hands. Had he told Dong about what happened in the scholars meeting?
”That's fine. I'm sure they'll let me use one.”
”If you say so. I'll ask Tai to take care of you.”
”No!” Dong startled at my exclamation, ”That's fine Dong. I'll sort it out myself.”
”Okay…”
Breakfast continued with a tense air. Davide was remarkably silent, and I excused myself as soon as I finished. Davide followed quickly and ran to catch up to me.
”Big bro! Wait up!”
”Davide, did you tell Dong what happened in the meeting.”
He stayed silent for a second, then perked up with a meek voice.
”Yeah… he wanted to know how you were doing, and Tai was being mean to you!”
”Look, Davide, there's no point in talking about it. We're on the same side. They don't want scholars to lose! There's not gonna be any problems.”
”Okay big bro.”
”Forget all that, how's your training been going?”
”I'm so tired!” he cried, showing an uncommon hint of anger, ”Miss Freja made me swing a hammer all day! I wasn't even hitting anything!”
”That sounds tough. Are you going back there now?”
”Yeah, but I don't know how I'm gonna do that again,” he turned his palms for me to see, ”look!”
Angry red welts had formed along and below his fingers, lining his palms as well. They reminded me of my time rowing in my past life, and almost made me smile.
”Haha, she's really working you hard. Those blisters you've got mean you're becoming a man!”