"Do not cause anymore trouble to your martial brothers and sisters. They look up to you for guidance and advice. You should adhere to their respect by being a good role model."

So says my venerable master as he hands me back the money I spent for lunch as well as some extra to use for myself. Having heard the speech or an alternate of it before, I simply nod in response and allow him to drone on. It's best not to distract him in his lecturing less he goes into a lesson about something else altogether.

There was a reason I said it might take a while to go get Nia Ying and Lu Sui-Yan their dinner. It's because I had to go meet with master beforehand to get my pocket money back. After splurging it out at the fruit stand to buy the protagonist an unnecessary amount of fruit, the sum of money within my wallet became so pitiful, it would make even onions cry.

"...You can leave now. Rest well, we will train early tomorrow morning."

Finished with his daily lecture for me, he sends me off to go on my way. It only took a quarter of a burning candle stick today, approximately half an hour. I wonder if he is tired from meeting the new disciples. He wasn't ever good with children. He wasn't very good with me either but I was a special case.

Visiting the inner sect's dining hall after leaving master's room, I ordered a large plate of dumplings, buns, pork meat, and a canister each of fruit juice and tea; a big selection depending on what the protagonist felt like eating and drinking. As expected of the inner sect, the food was readied almost immediately after I ordered it. I paid for the meal package, a package that is heavy enough to cause me to use both my hands to carry, and got a warning from the food lady to stop having these heavy kinds of midnight snacks, or else I'll get constipation. I wave her off with a good nature laugh and told her not to worry because, for once, I won't be the only one to finish off all the food I ordered.

She skeptically wave me off while muttering something on the line of "see if I care" only, more archaic sounding. The walk back from the dining hall to the recovery wards was literally three minutes. Added to the amount of time that it took to get the food, it didn't even take five minutes. Hopefully, they'll pass off my long absence as the time it's needed to prepare a large meal rather than me taking my time.

I knock on the door to their room and enter a moment later when nobody answers me. A surprising thing considering how eager Nia Ying was to kick me out so that I could get food for the two of th- No, wait. Nia Ying is sitting alone in a room with the protagonist, a boy her age. They're close friends with each other and she's stayed with him until he woke up. Lu Sui-Yan had on a face of discomfort when I was inside the room that only had the two of them previously. Of course! I'm intruding on their private "alone time." I shouldn't have walked in at all! Quickly, I must leav-

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Clack

Dammit! Why are these doors so closable! I barely even nudged it!

"Senior Brother? Did you come back already?"

Nia Ying's voice sounds out from inside the room. She didn't see me since the room's entrance is split off by a corner. The same could be said for Lu Sui-Yan as well. Neither should know that the one who entered was me but one has conviction to her voice, showing that she knows it's me, and the other's letting loose an insane amount of spiritual pressure, showing that he's annoyed to know it's me. Noooo! I screwed myself over!

"...Yes, I'm back. Forgive me for taking so long."

I really also wanted to say something on the line of "forgive me for intruding, please spare my life" but I left it out. I walk into the room deciding that I should quickly give the food to them and then vacate the room in a fast maybe orderly manner.

"Ah, you brought a lot! Lu Sui-Yan, scoot over and make some room! Here, have a seat, Senior Brother."

As if to deny me my only chance to escape, Nia Ying takes the bag of food from my hands and hand it to Lu Sui-Yan to set up while pulling me to take the seat that was between her and Lu Sui-Yan. Once again, my life flashed before my eyes.

"...Thank you for getting the food."

Lu Sui-Yan's masculine protagonist's voice pierces through my fear-induced flashbacks. I look at him in both shock and reverence. Did he just thanked me? Could it be? Did I really earn something that's not ire from him? Mother of this body, your son has lived for another day!

"Senior Brother, please take a seat. Let's start eating, I'm getting hungry!"

Nia Ying's voice break me out of my reverie. No, I should still be cautious. Just because he thanked me once does not mean he'll have a second thought about ending me, should I earn his hatred. I must do everything possible to stay on his good side! After all, I don't want to have a death sentence on my head!