A Core Ship From The Start
Chapter 1480 - 1000 Too Weak!_2

Chapter 1480: Chapter 1000 Too Weak!_2

"Whew........"

Once Duanmu Huai and Tasuku had left the classroom, everyone finally let out a long sigh of relief, practically collapsing into their chairs.

"I’ve never experienced such a performance before......"

"Me neither. I feel like I’m drenched from head to toe......"

"This was even more nerve-wracking than competing back then......"

The members of the Wind Band Club were all talking at once. They were all students of Ryuo Academy, and most of them had taken gym classes with Duanmu Huai. However, since gym classes usually happened on the field or in a large gymnasium, the sense of intimidation wasn’t this intense.

But being confined with him in this small music classroom gave everyone the illusion of sitting next to a lion or tiger—and an unchained, uncaged one at that. As a result, everyone was playing their instruments with trembling hands, as if one wrong note would cause him to leap at them and tear into their necks.

But wait......

"Teacher Long said we need to keep practicing until we can play smoothly? Is that even possible?"

"Ugh...... I don’t know either......"

"But isn’t Teacher Long so impressive? Despite how scared we all were, he wasn’t fazed at all!"

"Not at all! Didn’t you notice? Teacher Long messed up conducting several times! Teacher Duanmu is just too terrifying!"

"Huh? Really?"

The chatter of the band club members naturally didn’t affect Duanmu Huai. Rubbing his ears, he returned to the office, where he found Banriya waiting with a grin. The two of them then began patrolling the school grounds. After chasing off a few more pairs of lovebirds, it was finally time for the day to end. Leaving the school, Duanmu Huai and Banriya met up with Naruse Mio, who was already waiting at the gate, and the three headed home together.

Of course, on the way, Duanmu Huai couldn’t resist a bit of complaining.

"It was pure torture. They practice over and over, and I have to listen to it over and over—all out of tune. Now, my brain’s stuck on that off-key melody. I bet even if you play the original version for me, I wouldn’t recognize it!"

"I actually feel bad for the band members......"

Naruse Mio muttered sarcastically. Having spent so much time with Duanmu Huai, she had gotten somewhat used to him, but she also knew how her classmates viewed him: like an untouchable. In fact, Naruse Mio had heard quite a few wild rumors about him in class.

Some said Duanmu Huai was actually a Yakuza boss. Others claimed he was an ex-Mafia hitman from abroad, hiding in Japan for safety...... In short, the rumors were endless, with all kinds of speculations floating around. However, if Naruse Mio had to give an opinion, she’d say her classmates leaned more towards fearing him. Even though Duanmu Huai didn’t punish or harass students, his natural aura of intimidation felt insurmountable to the average person.

To say nothing of the fact that nearly three-quarters of the Wind Band Club members were girls...... Just imagining it, Naruse Mio couldn’t help but pity them.

Being silently stared at by Duanmu Huai for hours wasn’t something most people could endure.

But Naruse Mio didn’t have time to feel sorry for the band members for long.

Because once they got home, she would have to wear that maid outfit. Again!

"Whew........"

After a satisfying meal at home, Duanmu Huai stretched out in the bathtub, using the hot water to ease his ears that had been tormented by the Wind Band Club. Of course, a standard bathtub wouldn’t suit Duanmu Huai’s size, so he had splurged on a major renovation of the Western-style house, converting one room into a large bathroom—a proper bathhouse, really. Technically, it could accommodate more than a dozen people at once. But when Duanmu Huai got in, the water level instantly dropped by half......

"Ugh, what a waste today. If I’d known it’d be like this, I wouldn’t have agreed. I was only thinking the band had lots of pretty girls, a treat for the eyes. Instead, no eye candy, and my ears got tortured instead."

Duanmu Huai grumbled while rubbing his ears.

"Splash."

While Duanmu Huai soaked in the steaming water, thoroughly enjoying himself, the bathroom door suddenly opened, and in walked Naruse Mio, wrapped only in a towel, her face red with embarrassment.

"Huh? You planning to bathe with me? Is this part of your maid duties too?"

Seeing Naruse Mio’s flushed face, Duanmu Huai couldn’t help but tease her with a grin. Hearing his words, Naruse Mio dipped her head even lower, her cheeks a deeper red.

"I, I... Uncle, I came to scrub your back......"

"Scrub my back? Well, I guess that’s part of maid duties."

Duanmu Huai didn’t think much of it. To be honest, he had never tried this form of maid service before. Audrey was a young lady and certainly didn’t help with bath-time chores. As for the puppet maids...... did they even have a back-scrubbing feature?

At that thought, Duanmu Huai sat upright, turning his back to Naruse Mio. Seeing the broad, muscular, wall-like expanse of his back, Naruse Mio swallowed nervously.

"A-Alright. Here I go?"

"Mm. Put in some effort."

Duanmu Huai stretched his back and nodded. Naruse Mio picked up a sponge and began scrubbing his back.

But......

Well, as expected of a young girl, her strength was limited.

Feeling the light touches on his back, Duanmu Huai smirked. When he went to public bathhouses, it typically took two or three professional bath attendants to handle him. Naruse Mio wasn’t a professional and could only press the sponge against his back with all her might—it felt less like scrubbing a back and more like cleaning a glass window......

"How is it, Uncle? Does this...... feel alright?"

"Not bad. You could go harder."

"Okay, got it."

Hearing Duanmu Huai’s response, Naruse Mio tried her best to apply more pressure. But after a while, her movements stopped—had she run out of energy?

Just as Duanmu Huai was about to get up, he suddenly felt something soft, warm, and springy press against his back!

At the same moment, Naruse Mio’s shy voice echoed by his ear.

"U-Uncle...... is this how you like it when I scrub your back?"

As she spoke, Duanmu Huai could feel the warm, soft sensation shifting gently across his skin through the soapy lather, with a faint firmness embedded within......

Well, well?

In that instant, Duanmu Huai’s eyes lit up brilliantly.

Oh, you’re going there? Well, now I’m wide awake!