THE TRIBULATIONS OF TSUKIYAMA SHUU

CHAPTER SEVEN: GHOUL ATTACK

"If I see any sign of aggression toward your schoolmates, staff, or anyone, with the help of the others, I'll knock some sense and food back into you. Don't stay too long without eating, and no hunting by yourself until you have eaten, okay?" Matsumae said as she gently removed her hand from his embrace.

Shuu simply smiled and nodded. Matsumae sighed deeply and bowed slightly as she left the room. Shuu headed to the fridge in his room, stocked with top-notch wine, scotch, whiskey, bourbon, and bottles of water. Taking five bottles of water, he downed them. After some time, he attempted his usual 1000 push-ups but managed only 400. As for sit-ups, he could only do 200, and finally, a five-minute plank hold.

'Ha, it feels like I am human again,' Shuu said as he passed out on the floor without the energy to even shower afterward.

His alarm woke him up the next morning.

'Ugh. Do I really have to go to school today?' Shuu groggily said as he struggled to get up. Deciding on only 100 reps for each exercise, he regrettably acknowledged that, though he could regenerate, the lingering soreness would remain if he did his usual routine before school. He walked like a robot to the bathroom, freshened up, and wore his school uniform.

Mairo was surprised to see his young master thirty minutes earlier than usual, but what surprised him more was the sight of two black bracelets on each of Shuu's arms. He praised his master's progress in his mind but wondered if it was okay to wear them to school. Mairo had his bracelets on since the young master had ordered everyone to wear theirs at all times. Upon closer inspection, one would notice real gold inscriptions of roses on them. All the bracelets had the same design after all, made of black gold with inscribed roses made of real gold.

"Good morning, young master. Are you ready to go to school?" Mairo asked as he opened the car door.

"Yes, Mairo, let's leave now," Shuu said as he entered the car.

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"Shuu-kun, you look tired. Are you okay?" A female student with long hair and a bob that reached her eyebrows asked Shuu. They went outside to buy some materials for their class at the request of the teacher and were coming back.

"This is nothing that should warrant your concern, Miss Ikaru. Hopefully, you don't pry into something that kills you," Shuu said lazily while carrying a small box containing the bought items.

"You saying that would only make me more diligent in my prying. Anyway, you look like you are having trouble carrying that, you look like a damsel in distress right now, especially with your bracelet you have going there," Ikaru said as she looked intensely at Shuu. Ikaru is the president of an occult club that researches ghouls—and she is a ghoul!

Shuu simply ignored her but wished he could drop what he was lifting and give her a good knock. The duo passed a narrow empty street on their way back home. Shuu sensed a ghoul nearby. This would be normal, of course, as ghouls live among humans and try to blend in. But this ghoul, in particular, exuded an aura of hunger and cannibalism. The ghoul tried to hide it, but Shuu could sense it as clearly as he could distinguish colors. He thought Ikaru picked up on this but continued walking with him with a bored expression.