Chapter 146: No matter I look at it, you’ve all gotten so muscular!
“…say, haven’t all of you gotten so, I don’t know, muscular lately?”
When I went to one of the village’s public bathhouses, I noticed everyone’s improved physique.
I had a bath at home, of course, but I come here from time to time to interact with the villagers.
“Haahaa, I don’t think so, chief.”
“We’re what we’ve always been.”
“Yup, yup.”
“Nope, no matter I look at it, you’ve all gotten so muscular! I mean, your arms are as thick as thighs now!”
I had no idea why the villagers were denying it, but it was as clear as day that they have bulked up.
Their chest looked like they were about to burst; their backs were like a mountain range; and their thighs almost seemed armored.
Moreover, it wasn’t just a few people, it was all of them that became hardcore macho men. It was like I got lost and ended up in a bodybuilders’ convention or something.
“It makes sense if you were in the hunting group or if you were an adventurer, but why would your regular jobs make you look like that…? I mean, look at Belrith-san, there’s no way his body looked like that before, right?”
Unlike his younger brother, Balrath-san, who had the [Sword Techniques] Gift and trained regularly, Belrith-san’s regural job didn’t require much muscle.
“Well…ahm, well, truth be told, I have been doing a little bit of training…”
“I don’t think ‘a little bit’ of training will get that level of result though.”
Wondering how that happened, I pressed my serious face close to Belrith-san.
And then, it looked like he just had an idea.
“Ahh, I think we have the facility you made to thank.”
“Huh? The facility I made?”
“Yes. I think the reason why ordinary villagers like me have become so muscular is that we’ve been doing exercises in the training grounds.”
“The training grounds?”
<>
“I myself thought it was only for the hunters, the guards, and the adventurers, but a person one day decided to sneak in and train there. After a short while, his physique became impressive……other men then became aware of it and began training in their spare time. Before we knew it, we all became muscular. Some of us even began learning how to use the sword and the spear, with some being able to stand their ground against adventurers who have just arrived in the village.”
Undoubtably, this phenomenon was because of the training ground’s [Increases one’s improvement rate] effect.
“Oh, that’s it, yes!”
I unintentionally shouted so when an idea came to me.
I seemed to be destined to be eternally childlike and unable to grow taller.
Those around me often say ‘so cute’, but I would rather they say to me ‘so cool’.
“I want to be macho just like you all, so I’m going to exercise in the training ground too! Alright, there’s no time to waste! I’m going th–––”
*Grab*
“–––huh?”
Belrith-san, why did you grab my arm?
“…Ahm, can you let go? I’m getting out.”
“Chief, deepest apologies but I can’t let you go.”
“Because…being all macho doesn’t suit you, chief!”
Huhhhhhhhhhh!?
“I agree! It’s best you stay the way you are right now, chief!”
“Yup, absolutely never train!”
“The thought of the chief becoming all muscular, it’s unbearable! Please! Please leave all the muscles to us!”
It wasn’t just Belrith-san who asked me to stay; the other macho men quickly followed suit.
“It’s not a matter of whether it suits me or not, ok!? I’ve decided to do this, so please, let me go!”
I tried to free myself from Belrith-san’s hold, but he was too strong for me.
Furthermore, the other macho men stood in a line in front of me, forming a wall of muscles.
It was impossible for the muscle-less me to escape.
“Grr…f-fine, if you’re asking for it that much, I’ll stop…”
Thus, I abandoned my plans of becoming a macho man myself.
……or so I wanted them to believe. There was no way I was going to give up that easily.
“Okay, before anyone finds out, I’ll go sneak into the training ground.”
I thought so, but…
“Is something the matter, village chief?”
“Village chief, you can’t possibly have any business here, right?”
“Good morning, chief!”
Every time I went to the training ground, a macho man would always be there and stop me!
“I’d like to get in…”
“Hahaha! What nice weather we’re having!”
“I see, talking’s no use…”
In the end, no matter the time of day, I was not able to get in.
◇ ◇ ◇
“Got that, everyone!? Under no circumstance should we let Luke-sama enter the training ground! Let us all work together and preserve Luke-sama’s young boy figure!”
“““Yeeeeeeesssss!”””
The believers of the Luke Faith—led by Millia—were thwarting all of Luke’s efforts to become muscular.