In the dining room

ー

Today’s fight went on for a surprising long time, and the day ended with me having only one fight. Alma-chan had a one-shot KO with a strong slash to the back of the boy who was rude to me yesterday. But, aren’t their movements just too straightforward? I hope they will change in the four years they go at this school because it’s just too cringry to look at them.

Nick is as strong as ever. He evaded his opponent’s attacks for three minutes until the latter became dog-tired, hitting his chin with a straight right and ending the match.

“Honestly, wasn’t it too boring?”

“Honestly, I wanted to show you what I could do!”

They both said to me. For the time being, me, Alma-chan, and Nick, are pretty much the toppers in the hand-to-hand combat rankings. The area around us has become dead quiet…

Well obviously!

ー

-zawawa-!

(TN: murmurs)

At dinner, Alma-chan and I entered the dormitory dining hall, and the place was bustling. Lu is eating cake in my room.

“Huh…”

“What is it, Alma-chan?”

“It’s nothing. Serafi. Today is grilled fish or grilled meat. Which one do you want?”

“Uwa―. Both sounds delicious. Can we not have them both? What― should― we― do―?”

“Fufu, why don’t we share half each?”

“Uwa―! Alma-chan! Nice! Half-half! It’s my first time! Thank you very much!”

The first “sharing halves with friends”! I will not forget this day!

-zawazawazawa-!

“Se-Serafi! Your voice! It’s too loud!”

“S-sorry.”

I’m sorry for disturbing you during your meal. I apologize for the fuss I made over here.

We received a tray with food from the aunt in the cafeteria, found Nick by the window, and sat beside him without any questions.

“Nick―! Isn’t this great―? Alma-chan and I shared half-half―! We can eat both―! Hooray―!”

Ah, I want to have this half-half in a photo if possible!

“I’m also eating both of them.”

Looking at him, he is having meat and fish in one tray each. That’s two servings.

“Kuh! There was also that trick…”

“Oh, now you’re only half happy… you’re unexpectedly struggling with a lot of things.”

Nick pats my head with a -yoshi- -yoshi-.

-zawawawawawa-!

“Tch! What is it? Huh? Serafi here can’t eat in peace. Go over there! Shoo!―”

I’m shocked!

“What, why? Did I do something?”

“Alma, please tell her something. This girl is completely oblivious!”

“……Huh, Serafi is, uh, in short, Serafi stands out.”

“Because I’m strong?”

It’s not like I can do anything about that even if I do become aware of it.

“Well, yes, but I mean, be more like a girl.”

“What do you mean? I really am a girl!”

“It’s different, it’s different. I mean like… your manners and such.”

“Huh? Well, I told Alma-chan yesterday to be in a housedress in my room instead of a uniform. It gets a bit chilly when we take off our stuffed outwear, so we just put on a cardigan instead! This cardigan isn’t too bad, right? After Older Brother manually removed the poison of hundreds of red scorpions one by one, I used the remaining shells to dye a cardigan white to make effective use of them. But in the end, it’s a gentle pink I ended up with…”

“Da―――! That’s enough! Don’t talk anymore! Eat in silence!”

“Nick, aren’t you way louder when you’re behaving like that? What!? Losing appetite?”

“…………”

“…Never mind, Nick.”

“…Thank you, Alma.”

Oh, aren’t they getting along quite well? How great. How great.

When I was eating the tasty tasty meat with the popular Nick, abruptly, a huge shadow fell on the table.

In an instant… I got goosebumps. I felt my chest getting crushed every time he stood before me. My mood drops rapidly.

“You need something? Cecil?”

Alma-chan greeted him with a voice without any bit of warmth in it.

Cecil, who stood beside me, had seen a good healing magician and I can no longer see any damage on his face.

“I’m not here for you… I am here for Granzeus”

-guh-! Mentioning the family name? Nobody does that at school. Are you that self-aware of your house? As I lifted my brows, I saw Alma-chan with her shoulders trembling, looking away. She’s angry? No. Then why is she laughing in this situation?

“I’m still eating, as you can see. Are you in a hurry?”

I will of course not stop eating.

“I, Cecil McGregor, am disappointed by today’s match and demanded a rematch!”

-mogu- -mogu- -mogu- -mogu-

I am not in a hurry at all. Nick meets my eyes. He looks incredibly indifferent. Alma-chan’s whole body finally began to shake. Isn’t she unexpectedly laughing a whole lot?

-mogu- -mogu-

“Hey!”

“………-puha-! That was a delicious meal.”

“Are you listening?”

“Yes yes. I’m listening. So, you are dissatisfied with the match and asked for a rematch?”

“That’s it”

“Don’t be unreasonable. Can’t do that.”

“What――――?!”

Cecil hits the desk with a -ban- making Nick’s plate shake. Nick then glares at him. Cecil gets timid at his unusual mood. No wonder. Nobles don’t know of the common people’s obsession with food.

“Serafi, I’m sorry but this guy is really annoying. Please explain it properly and make him go somewhere.”

“Oh, Sorry, Nick. Cecil McGregor, you seem to be dissatisfied with the match, but there was nothing wrong with it. Even the teachers who were the referee and assistant referee said nothing about it. You’re not going to denounce the teachers of this Knights School who were acting as the referee, right?”

“I-I don’t mean that, I’m just asking for a rematch. I was… surprise-attacked.”

“Well, you won’t be able to complain about surprise attacks in a real battle. Are you going to ask for a rematch nonetheless?”

“That’s right! For a completely fair fight!”

“That’s impossible.”

“…Are you, looking down on me?”

“No, it’s just a rule. Please take a look at this.”

From my chest… I took out the next most important thing for my life as an adventurer. My plate.

“No way…”

Nick mutters.

“Oh… It’s the real thing… So pretty…”

Alma sighs.

“I’m a silver ranker in Trundle guild. With the exception of school classes, if you’re asking for a match to a bronze or higher ranker, you must be at least one rank lower… In other words, to apply for a match against me, you have to be bronze rank or higher. And prepare for a formal neutral guild witness, and you have to prepare money as well… One million gold for me. That’s the rule. it’s a serious match where one of us can end up dead after all. Well, Cecil McGregor would have to be the one paying.”

I was thirsty after saying that at a stretch. So I take a cup of tea and have a sip. Oh delicious.

“Please call me if you can meet these conditions.”

“…………”

From now on, I should pay more attention to my clothes in preparation? No one should find faults with me. But why do I get more and more nervous? I sometimes have breakfast in my housedress… then, I should at least be with Eris and Sasara from now on.

ー

Then,

“C-can I eat next to you? Serafiona… san, Alma.”

“Ce-Cecil?”

Me, Alma-chan, and Lu on my shoulder, our eyes opened wide. I drop my spoon.

…………Why am I eating breakfast sandwiched between two green-heads?

“Today’s weather… is also good.”

“…………”

He should have been completely driven away! I’ve beaten him to a pulp, right? Both body and mind!

“So wonderful… Let’s eat a lot…”

“…………”

Why does he seem attached to me instead!?

“Next time… during practice… will you have a go with me? This time, tightly press my head against the ground with your little feet… oh, Alma can be together…”

Is he an M???

ー

TN: Hooray!! a new patron 『Sophia Faalogo』 Thank you very much.(｡>﹏<｡)

Please support me on https://www.patreon.com/TlukLoh or https://paypal.me/tlukloh.

Thank you very much to my patrons 『Lan Hoang』 and 『Isabell Zultner』

(*>_<*)ﾉ