The sun was scorching hot above the camp. Everyone stayed in their tents to enjoy the small shade they provided. A bit of a bummer, as it was also mealtime. It was more pleasurable to eat outside the tent, but not under such heat.
Of course, not everyone had the same way of dealing with the heat problem. The vice-captain, Decus, was taking shade under the wing of a griffin, while his captain, Crystal, didn't seem bothered by the problem everyone else was sharing. She was just nonchalantly sitting outside her tent, slowly eating her stew from a small bowl.
As for Spes and Decus, they were lucky enough to find the single tree close enough to the camp to sit under. Spes was awkwardly looking at the giant bowl of stew in front of him.
Unlike him, Vota didn't bother staring at his bowl, instead crazily gulping down the meal as if it were his first.
"Eat. It gives strength. You'll need it," Vota commented, seeing that Spes hadn't started eating yet.
"Strength?" Spes thought as he looked at the thick slabs of fat shaking violently as Vota ate.
As if noticing the stare, a slight grin appeared on Vota's face. He gulped down the final spoonfuls of stew before turning his attention toward Spes.
"I may look slightly fat, but I'm full of strength, kid."
"I-I'm sorry!" Spes quickly slapped his face as he turned toward his giant bowl.
He was caught by surprise at Vota's words. It made him wonder whether his face was that easy to read or if Vota could read minds.
"I might be just slightly fat, but I'm brimming with strength, kiddo."
Vota stood up and stretched his big body in delight.
"W-What is strength to you?" Spes spoke while still facing his bowl of stew. He was still slightly embarrassed by what had just happened.
"It's victory. Even if you're weak, as long as you win, that's real strength," Vota said confidently as he took out a flask of wine and instantly gulped it down.
"Then I am still very weak…" Spes whispered, recalling all the defeats he had faced so far.
"You want me to teach you?" Vota grinned while looking at Spes as if he were a toy.
Despite the weird look Vota was giving him, Spes really wanted to accept his proposition. With Vota as another teacher, he could improve twice as fast. Alas, for ethical reasons, having two teachers was quite unusual. So Spes could only reluctantly reply, "Crystal is already teaching me…"
"To hell with her! She's teaching you how to survive, not how to be strong!"
Hearing Vota's shouts, Spes realized that everything he had learned from Crystal was how to dodge, how to take hits, and how to protect his vitals.
"Cockroach training is what you're having with her. So you wanna be a cockroach or a winning cockroach?"
Vota's last comment was the final straw that convinced Spes. He looked up and spoke words he never thought he would utter in his entire life: "Winning cockroach…"
"Hahahaha! Finish your meal then! First lesson from me: You are what you eat!"
Motivated by his first lesson, Spes quickly devoured his entire bowl and stood up, ready for his new training.
"Some hidden talent you got there. You've got the appetite of a primordial beast!" Vota nodded approvingly, seeing the big empty bowl on the side.
"That's a good sign. Now listen well. Everything Crystal taught you—might as well forget it. With my training, even with the worst odds, victory is achievable."
With how Vota was posed, chest puffed and his head held high, Spes wondered whether this friend of his was truly serious or just messing with him.
"So you're telling me even I can beat Crystal after our training?" Spes asked, unconvinced.
"It aaall depends on you, aaall on you," Vota said, still enthusiastic despite Spes's very apparent suspicious face.
"So, you ready?" Vota asked, grinning widely.
"Ready."
Having had his confirmation, Vota's face turned serious as he finally started their training.
"Let's start with the basics. Imagine you're fighting against Crystal again. Tell me what you think you could do to win."
"Um… Nothing?" Spes answered, not expecting the question. It was obvious that no matter what he did, he would always lose.
"Hahahahaha! You really do need my training, kiddo. You're pathetic."
"I know what you're thinking: how could you ever win against her? Well, you'll never know unless you consider the possibility."
"Engrave my words hard in your mind then." Vota got closer to Spes and lightly tapped his forehead.
"If you wanna win, you need a plan for everything. First, you gotta know yourself. How can you play cards if you don't even know the cards you have in hand?"
Spes nodded his head. Vota was right. During his fight, he only focused on doing what Crystal told him and never considered what he could do.
"Tell me, other than your fists and legs, what are your other weapons?"
"Um…" Spes frowned as he pondered the matter, his conviction nowhere to be seen this time. Vota might not be the boaster Spes thought he was.
"Right, I still have my rings!" Spes answered as he showed Vota the two spatial rings on his fingers.
"Now we're talking! Once you know what you can do, you gotta know who you're fighting against."
"Crystal? I know nothing about her…"
"Well, if you wanna be stronger, you have to. That'll be your homework, as our session is officially over. It's my nap time."
Vota immediately rested his back on the tree and closed his eyes, taking a cool nap under the shade.
"Oh, small hint: focus your research on her weaknesses." He lazily opened one eye, giving one last piece of advice before closing them for good.
Spes had an awkward smile on his face as he stood motionlessly next to the tree. Out of nowhere, he got a quest to spy on a girl's weaknesses.
"What are you still standing there for? Go!"