As Loter did the last push-up, his arms shook like a quivering boat, and his core was literally twitching. The continuous "uh" grunt grew louder.

"Arms straight. Back straight. You're almost there. Just straighten your arms a bit more. You can do it." Dowii crouched beside. He yapped and yapped louder to drown out Loter's utterance.

To push back Dowii's half-ass cheering, Loter further increased his grunting. Dowii did the same in response.

"Ahhhh!"

Almost shouting, Loter gathered the last wisp of strength and pushed himself not a centimeter higher, straightening his elbows.

"Nice work!" Dowii heavily patted Loter's back, knocking him to the ground, intentionally or not.

"I can't do it anymore. I can't do it anymore," Loter whined and grumbled. His right cheek lay against the floor. His legs aimlessly bent up and fell back down.

"You know, I didn't really expect you to hold up so long. An entire hour without any break in between. I'd say it's pretty impressive for a beginner."

"Does this mean the class is over?" Loter asked unenthusiastically. He was aware that Dowii would probably not let him go.

After a short silence, Dowii answered, "Sure. Normally, the training ends at 3, but since it's your first time, I can take it easy on you."

"Really?" Loter instantly pushed his upper torso up and turned toward Dowii. His eyes were filled with vigor.

He dropped back to the ground with no energy left in him after Dowii confirmed the decision. Dowii went toward the shoe case as he said, "Come on, Loter."

"I'm just going to lie here a bit longer." A smile of satisfaction appeared on Loter's face. He was aware of the science behind the "exercises make people happy" thing. He just never liked to move, and it felt extra awesome when he did.

"No, you're not. You'll put your socks and shoes back on and go sleep back in your dorm."

Making some random noise, Loter wriggled to his socks, put them on, and continued to his sneakers.

"Are you really 17?" Dowii asked, pulling Loter back on his feet.

Loter rubbed his eyes, yawned, and nodded simultaneously. The light turned off automatically. Then Dowii closed the door. As they went down the stairs, Loter wobbled from side to side, whereas Dowii just casually watched and followed him from behind.

"Mr. Dowii, has the cross-training ended yet?"

"No, I think they need at least another thirty minutes."

"Okay."

Loter did not really want to sleep right now. He was certainly tired, yet he was not willing to sleep. He wanted to play video games, but the dorm was just slightly too far for his exhausted feet. Thus, he went to the garden. The idea of playing with flowers just randomly popped up in his head.

From afar, Loter saw a figure under the white pavilion.

Isn't the cross-training still happening? Why is that person in the garden?

Loter continued approaching with his slow shuffling. His shoes stepped on the short grass, making little to no noise. Only when Loter was around the pavilion's stoop did the person notice him.

The person was a light-skinned girl who seemed younger than Loter. She had long, black hair going down her shoulders. Her white sundress fitted the white pavilion perfectly like she was a part of the structure.

"Hi," the girl greeted Loter the moment she saw him. She was not startled, scared, or even surprised by the boy's sudden presence.

Loter stood before the stoop, propping his hand on the handrail. "Hello."

"Nice to meet you."

"Okay." Loter just looked at the girl blankly, no emotion except tiredness expressed.

She giggled at Loter's response. "My name is Lyra Vesp. How about you?"

"I'm Loter Spawman. Why are you here? Shouldn't you be in the cross-training?"

"Oh." She was clearly surprised by the question. "I have normal classes in the afternoon."

He yawned and said, "Then, shouldn't you be using the computer?"

"No, my classes aren't online. I just told the teacher I need to go to the health center."

"Are you actually sick?"

Lyra laughed again. "No, of course not. I'm just tired of math class. I'm not becoming a mathematician in the future, anyway." She stood up from her seat and strolled to the pavilion's stoop.

"Then, what do you want to be?"

"Superhero."

"Me too."

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

Lyra's grin widened, "I think it's the case for most of us here."

"Yeah."

HueCam Academy is a superhero school, and the mountain campus is for those really strong and prominent ones. It makes sense that almost everyone here will be superheroes in the future…

Seeing Loter maintaining his position without moving or saying anything, Lyra hesitated and continued the conversation, "So… What brings you here? Did you also ditch a class?... Hello? Loter?"

"Uh? Yeah, uh, uh, what did you say?"

Damn, I forgot I was talking to people again.

"Nothing. Just asking why you're here."

"Uh, I want to play flowers."

"..."

"..."

"Hm?" Lyra widened her eyes a little.

"What?"

"You want to play flowers?"

"Yeah."

"Do you mean watch?"

"I mean play."

"How do you do that exactly?" Lyra asked genuinely and walked down the small stairs, ready to join Loter. Her grin was brightened by the absurdity of Loter's response.

"Oh, I will lie among them. They will be touching my arms, legs, body, and head."

"And you will swing your limbs?"

"Yeah."

"Like snow angel?"

"Flower angel," Loter replied without much thinking. His response, again, triggered Lyra's giggling.

"Can I join?"

"Sure." Loter got up from the handrail and resumed walking deeper into the garden. It was in the center, where there was a field of flowers of varied colors. Most were yellow, white, or faint pinkish-red. Some were blue, purple, or violet.

Loter smoothly got on all fours before entering the flower field and rolled inside. Behind him, Lyra kept giggling. She followed unhurriedly as Loter traveled further in. Lyra had her hands on her lower legs to neaten her dress when she knelt among the flowers. Loter lay before her, performing "flower angel" with his eyelids ajar.

The girl held her hands beside her thighs, gently palming the flowers. Her skin and the colorful petals barely touched, like they were caressing each other.

Meanwhile, Loter's movement contained much less care and grace. His swinging was quick and heavy. Thin, green stems were pressed to the ground whenever Loter's limbs pushed by. It became hard to keep his eyelids open.

"Are you tired?" Lyra asked softly. Loter responded with a weak guttural noise. Faintly, Loter saw the girl standing up. Then, he felt he was carried into the air. On his left was a solid, rock-hard chest with fabric on it.

Two firm arms lifted Loter. One was beneath his knees. The other went from his left shoulder to his right waist, heaving Loter's entire back and letting him lie against the non-flesh chest.

Loter had already closed his eyes, so he did not bother discovering who was carrying him. He just grabbed onto the soft fabric like an infant. Lyra's voice came softly beside his right ear, "What's your room number? I can take you there."

"302…"

----------------------------------------

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----------------------------------------

"Loter, Loter. Why is the door opened, and why are you sleeping on the couch?"

The boy woke up and saw Hiroku Kayama standing before him. His blanket slid off him as he sat up and yawned. "I just met a girl," he said while rubbing his eyes with the bottom of his palms, "I think she—" Loter paused, thinking he was carried back by Lyra or some guy Lyra called.

Lyra did tell me she was going to carry me, but I think another man carried me. Maybe she took over halfway?

"Go on," Hiroku demanded without any facial expression or change of tone. However, Loter could tell he was, at least somewhat, interested.

"She got me back to the dorm, and I fell asleep."

"You were caught sleeping in the garden?"

"Not exactly, but the garden is correct. How do you know?"

Hiroku pointed at Loter's soiled white hoodie, which still had some plant parts remaining on it.

"Ohhhh," Loter made an extended noise of acknowledgment and began negligently wiping his hoodie.

"Did the girl tell you her name?"

"Yeah."

What is her name? What is it?

"Hm?"

"Uh, I was drowsy at the time, so I don't… Oh, yeah! I remember."

"Uh-hum."

"Lyra Vesp. Her name is Lyra Vesp."

"Do you know who she is?"

"Lyra Vesp."

Hiroku rolled his eyes and turned around. "Whatever," he grumbled in impatience.

"Wait, what are you trying to say." Loter pounced forward into the air and pressed Hiroku by his shoulders while landing. Loter learned this move from Key.

"Get off me," Hiroku commended listlessly and continued as Loter drew his hands back, "Lyra Vesp is not a girl. She is the reincarnation of a hero who died a dozen or so years ago."

After a quick murmuring of calculation, Hiroku went on, "14 years ago. She's just here to wait for her body to grow—"

"That's cool."

"—so she does not attend any class and roams around the school. It's quite odd you didn't see her earlier."

"Wait, what? She tells me she sneaks out of her math class by claiming she wants to see the doctor lady."

"Then, she lied."

In response, Loter made a disappointed grunt, which Hiroku completely ignored. He just kept on explaining, "She had the power to summon a giant-like creature, so she probably carried you here with that."

"Oh yeah! That's why I feel like I was not carried by her directly! So, what can the creature do?"

"Vesp's power is 'DEGRADING.' It is the ability to summon a creature that can degrade things by attacking them."

"Oh, it's an ordering power, just like me!"

"Hm?"

"Oh, I think I didn't mention, but my power is an ordering power. I just don't know the name yet."

"Whatever."