Making Good on the Bet

"Here."

You En found a case of water in the classroom. After briefly asking the teacher, he took out a few bottles and handed them to the girls beside him.

Ibuki crouched on the ground and took a bottle. She couldn't speak anymore. Even moving her mouth brought back that strange sensation. When she'd eaten the bugs earlier, she'd kept throwing up before finally managing to swallow them.

Ichinose's face was pale. She'd made the least fuss while eating and had managed to keep smiling as she thanked You En.

"Had enough rest?"

Teacher Ed took out a few more buckets.

Ichinose Honami's once-petite face had grown pale, and cold sweat had appeared on her forehead.

Mahiro felt awful for her, but she still had some common sense. It was best for those who'd already withdrawn not to interfere with students still taking the class.

You En moved over beside Ibuki.

"How are you doing? Can you keep going?"

Ibuki wiped her mouth. "There's nothing left to be afraid of. They're just bugs. How much worse could it get?"

To be honest, You En was having a great time. First, he figured that since they had food here, eating enough now meant he wouldn't need dinner later. Compared to the school's free food, bugs didn't taste too bad, though their appearance was hard to stomach.

Second, he got to see all kinds of expressions from the pretty girls. He had to admit, it was a pleasure in itself.

You En had an idea. "How about this, Ibuki? At this point, you've already lost our bet."

Ibuki looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"As long as you don't act like the food is disgusting from here on out—you don't have to call it delicious, just don't show any obvious disgust or revulsion—you won't have to pay up. How does that sound?"

Ibuki thought You En was surprisingly nice. After considering it, she agreed. She had nothing to lose, and might even get out of paying the bet. Either way, it was a good deal.

"Deal."

However...

Teacher Ed brought out all kinds of bugs: silkworm pupae, bee larvae, and dragonfly nymphs.

Then there was one more.

He carried out a dish of relatively familiar-looking locusts.

You En closed his eyes and started eating, silently repeating to himself that it was all protein.

Ibuki had lost again before even starting her challenge, though she didn't realize it. She was still focused on trying not to make a disgusted face.

"Seems like You En is a little mean," Ichinose whispered to him.

You En kept a straight face and denied it outright. "Not at all."

Ichinose smiled. She'd adapted quickly. By now, she could handle live bugs without so much as changing her expression, and even taste them.

No wonder she'd ranked first in the entrance exam. Her mental fortitude was top-notch too.

You En watched Teacher Ed produce bamboo worms and spiders as if by magic, and the corners of his mouth twitched.

He couldn't speak for the others, but even he found the sight of those little creatures hard to stomach.

Fortunately...

After they'd tried those, Teacher Ed didn't go behind the curtain again to fetch anything else.

He praised the three of them. "Well done. You're the best class I've taught since I started here."

It seemed like the lesson was over.

Ibuki and Ichinose both breathed a sigh of relief.

You En didn't think it was that simple. He stayed on guard. Those things might have been nothing more than appetizers.

"Overcoming your habits is an important step. When surviving in the wilderness, you have to let go of the habits you've picked up in the city. When necessary, you may even have to abandon your moral principles. For an individual, survival usually comes first."

Ed began to explain. "Over 2,000 insects have been registered as edible so far, and in the wild, there are even more you can eat.

"Of course, it's not just insects. Though they're rich in protein, insects aren't very efficient at providing calories. What we need to eat are foods rich in sugar and fat.

"I should have taught you about fruit, but I expect there are still a few things you haven't gotten over, so we'll start with some animals instead."

Teacher Ed went behind that mysterious black curtain again.

You En was looking forward to it. The bugs were small, and he'd only eaten enough to feel about thirty percent full. What else could he have to fill his stomach?

Ichinose didn't look too good. She could barely manage a smile.

Ibuki, on the other hand, was gradually perking up. They were animals, after all. What was there to be afraid of?

"Hey, looks like they've been feeding you well."

Edward came back carrying four enormous burlap sacks and set them down on the floor.

The sacks hit the ground with a dull thud. Whatever was inside seemed extremely heavy.

"Hiss..."

A sound like it came from some kind of cold-blooded animal.

Realizing what was inside the sacks, the brightness began to fade from Ichinose's eyes, and her smile gradually disappeared.

Teacher Ed opened one of the sacks. A huge python wriggled inside, then slowly slid out through the opening.

The giant snake flicked its tongue through its flattened lips. Its body was brown, and it was at least four meters long. Fully stretched out, it looked like it could be six or seven meters.

It wasn't just Ichinose and Honami...

Even You En felt a chill. If he saw a reptile like that in everyday life, he'd definitely give it a wide berth.

The python reached You En's feet, seemingly mistaking him for prey, and began winding itself around him.

The girls nearby cried out in alarm or screamed.

But You En stayed calm. Even as the python coiled around him and tightened, squeezing his chest and abdomen and restricting his breathing, he was still able to look at Teacher Ed and ask,

"Teacher, what should I do?"

Teacher Ed seemed surprised. Once the python had coiled around You En but before it tightened, he felt along the snake's body for a specific spot and thrust his hand in.

The python's body immediately went limp.

"Most pythons aren't venomous, and Burmese pythons like this one certainly aren't. Their weak spot is the cloaca. There are a lot of nerves there, so a burning sensation will make them release their prey, giving you room to escape—or an opportunity to kill them."

You En took a deep breath. The feeling of being constricted had been terrifying.

Before he could fully recover...

Teacher Ed said something horrifying.

"Now try it on each other."

Ichinose clasped her hands to her chest and forced out a smile. Apologetically, she said,

"Teacher, I'm sorry, but I can't go on."

"Mm, that's fine."

After getting the teacher's permission, Ichinose looked at Ibuki and You En. Her expression seemed to say,

"You'd better quit too. This isn't a normal class. It's for your own safety."

You En looked at Ibuki.

"What do you think?"

Ibuki exhaled and made up her mind.

"I'll let it coil around me. You try to save me."

"Okay."

The python recovered and began looking for a target again. Perhaps it had learned its lesson from You En, so it slithered toward Ibuki.

Ibuki felt a chill run through her body. Goosebumps rose on her arms. As the python slowly coiled around her and began to tighten, she finally understood what You En had felt—and why he'd made that face.

Fear seeped into her bones. She was about to be crushed; a suffocating sensation spread from her chest. This wasn't an illusion. She was about to be killed like prey.

You En touched the snake's cold, slippery body and quickly found its weak spot. He gave it a decisive "thousand-year death."

The snake's body went limp and dropped like a rope.

As if she'd narrowly escaped death, Ibuki let out a breath and went weak all over. She almost collapsed, but You En caught her by the arm.

She couldn't help complaining.

"What took you so long?"

You En didn't dare tell her that he thought he'd been pretty quick.

"My bad. Sorry."

Ibuki Mio instinctively leaned against You En as she steadied herself. The numbness from being constricted hadn't faded, but the fear in her mind was even harder to shake.

"Let me try next time. You can be the one who gets coiled up!"

You En had no objections. Ibuki trusted him so much, so he should try trusting her too.

"Once you've rested. Besides, the snake needs a break too."

You En saw Teacher Ed run a finger along the snake's body. Its movements grew less pronounced.

Could he be treating the snake?

The thought occurred to him.

The next moment, You En saw the snake start moving toward him.

It was the same old coiling routine. Well, the first time was hard, but the second time was easier. You En wasn't as scared anymore.

Ibuki felt around the snake for its weak spot. It took her about half a minute to find it—twice as long as You En had taken.

She stimulated the weak spot, only to find the snake had merely loosened its grip a little before starting to tighten again.

"?!"

She panicked a little, and the other girls began to feel uneasy too.

Already struggling to breathe, You En managed to speak in a faint voice.

"Don't panic... I trust you."

Ibuki calmed down and tried a few more times, but nothing worked.

"Maybe... it's gotten somewhat immune after being stimulated the same way too many times. Just like being coiled up by a snake, the first time is always the scariest."

You En sounded nothing like someone being crushed to death by a snake. He spoke again.

"Use a tool. Give it a stronger stimulus."

His steady voice carried an indescribable strength.

Ibuki composed herself, found the bamboo skewer they'd used to handle the bugs, aimed for the weak spot again, and thrust it in.

The snake's body went completely limp.

If the python had been conscious, it probably would have felt like it wanted to die.

Teacher Ed applauded.

"Excellent, You En. In all my years of teaching, I've never seen anyone with a better mental attitude."

Ichinose Honami clapped along with Shiranami.

"That was amazing, You En."

"Um..." Shiranami Chihiro addressed You En too. "Are you really not scared?"

"Of course I'm scared. We're all the same."

You En took deep breaths and flexed his numb arms. "I just know one thing: the more afraid you are, the more likely you are to die."

Teacher Ed said, "Very impressive. You were able to keep calm when something unexpected happened, overcome your fear, and start thinking about how to handle the situation. That alone is excellent.

"And you even thought of a way to solve the problem. I'll give you full marks for this class."

"Thanks for the praise... Wait, this class is graded?"

You En finally caught on.

Teacher Ed only smiled and didn't explain.

It was probably something he wasn't allowed to talk about.

Maybe it was some kind of hidden score?

"All right. This giant python is also a rare delicacy. Generally speaking, you can eat it as long as you remove the head."

Teacher Ed said,

"You're supposed to learn how to prepare it yourselves, but today I'll treat it as a reward and do it for you. You can learn by watching."

You En looked at Ibuki, who seemed a little down.

"Want some?"

Ibuki gritted her teeth, with a hint of resentment in her voice. "I'll eat it! It wanted to eat us, so of course we're going to eat it too."

"Snakes can carry a lot of parasites, and ordinary animals can too. When preparing meat or insects, it's best to cook them thoroughly. Some parasites can't survive in the human body, but they can still live in your stomach for a while, which is extremely unpleasant. Keep that in mind."

"So we're eating it in class."

Ibuki waited with You En for the snake meat to roast, grumbling as she did. "I'm never going to eat this stuff outside class."

"You never know."

You En smiled. This girl was setting herself up for trouble again. Would she ever learn? He gave Ibuki a teasing look.

"Want to bet?"

Ibuki fell silent. She remembered that she already owed You En ten puppy barks.

Once the meat was cooked...

You En asked the teacher, indicating the two girls sitting nearby.

"Can they try some?"

"Of course. This is your spoils. You can decide what to do with it."

You En looked at Ibuki. "What do you think, Ibuki?"

Ibuki glanced at the pink-haired girl with the large chest. She didn't think too much of it. They were in the same class, after all, and they weren't rivals anymore.

"Sure. There's so much of it, and we can't eat it all anyway."

"Thank you."

Ichinose took some of the snake meat You En handed out and gave it a try. It wasn't bad. The flavor was mild, with no fatty parts, and it was chewy. It was a little like chicken, but not quite the same.

After watching what had happened earlier, Shiranami wasn't as wary of You En anymore, but she still couldn't bring herself to eat this kind of food.

You En noticed someone was missing. "By the way, where's Kamuro?"

Shiranami replied, "I think she left when the teacher let the snake out."

"All right, there are still a few things to learn, so we'll have to pick up the pace."

After they finished eating the python, Teacher Ed continued the lesson.

You En had gotten used to it. He could learn almost anything after one demonstration. Ibuki followed along behind him, asking him to explain things a few more times, and after repeating them a few times, she could master them too.

Things like how to handle small snakes and venomous ones, as well as some strange little animals.

"That's all for today. Class dismissed."

As soon as the time was up, Teacher Ed dismissed the class. He didn't keep them even half a second late.

You En and the others said goodbye to Teacher Ed and left the classroom.

Once outside, they breathed in the fresh air, feeling as if they'd returned from another world.

Ibuki asked, "Are you coming again next time?"

She actually only wanted to ask whether You En was coming, but it felt a little strange to ask him alone, so she'd brought Ichinose and the other two along.

Ichinose shook her head. "The students in our class probably wouldn't be able to adapt to a class like this, so we won't be signing up for Wilderness Survival."

"Oh," Ibuki replied without emotion. Then her expression changed, and she looked at You En expectantly.

"What about you?"

"I signed up for everything. How could I not come?"

You En looked at the girl's youthful face and felt a slight stir in his heart. He thought it over, then said,

"It's just a shame I won't have anyone to keep me company next time."

Ibuki remembered that she'd only signed up for one class, but what was the big deal? She could just sign up for more.

"Don't worry. I'll keep you company..."

Realizing that what she'd said sounded a little strange, Ibuki repeated herself.

"I'll come to class with you, so you don't accidentally get tortured to death by that teacher all on your own."

"Great. I'll be counting on you to save me, Heroine Ibuki."

The two of them were getting along quite well. You En remembered that he had plans with Horikita that evening, so he was about to leave.

He said goodbye to Ibuki and started to go, but she caught him by the hem of his clothes.

Ibuki lowered her head and didn't say anything for a long while, as if she were gathering her courage. Then she looked up and glared fiercely at him, her face a little red.

"The bet! Don't think you can pretend it never happened. I lost, so I have to follow through!"

You En shook his head. Now that they were friends, he didn't think there was any need to take it so seriously. Although he did really want to see Ibuki like that, being friends mattered more.

He said, "You don't have to be so serious. Just take it as a joke."

Ibuki tightened her grip on You En's clothes. "Just come with me. Or do you want me to follow through on the bet in front of everyone?"

Seeing how determined Ibuki was,

You En had no choice but to go with her. He'd just have to risk life and limb to keep a friend company.

But Ibuki imitating a puppy?

He pictured the scene in his mind.

How should he put it... He was actually kind of looking forward to it.