Chapter 37 ~ Cafeteria.


    The academy''s school day ends precisely at noon, giving students the rest of the day to spend as they please. Lunchtime marks the beginning of this free period, with students gathering in the vast dining hall, bathed in the soft golden glow of lanterns. These were no ordinary lanterns—inside them, tiny Menma cells shimmered like scattered shards of light, pulsating faintly with a quiet, otherworldly beauty.


    The Menma cells, a natural energy source in this world untouched by electricity, pulsed gently, their glow subdued in daylight but promising a much stronger radiance come nightfall. The effect was mesmerizing—like embers caught in an eternal suspension, floating within the glass casings of the lanterns, casting delicate flickers of light across the wooden walls and long dining tables. The atmosphere inside the dining hall was warm, inviting, and infused with the subtle scent of freshly baked bread and simmering broths.


    The cafeteria was expansive, designed to accommodate students from all three years, though never all at once. With the academy housing far too many students for a single dining hall to hold, the solution was simple—students themselves adjusted their schedules. Those who disliked the midday rush would come at different times, and since the cafeteria remained open from morning until night, this system worked effortlessly.


    One might assume that dinner would be the most crowded time, but in reality, over 65% of the academy''s students skipped dinner altogether, preferring a nutritious breakfast instead to maintain peak physical condition. The academy had once implemented a strict dietary plan for students, as Fayrouz had mentioned to Lazaria before, but the new headmaster had changed this, making it an optional system rather than a mandatory one. Now, students were free to eat however and whenever they wanted, as long as they followed the academy''s core rules—among them, no leaving the academy grounds and no unauthorized entry into gender-restricted dormitories.


    At present, the cafeteria was brimming with first-year students, along with a fair number of second- and third-years.


    Fulan, his jet-black hair slightly tousled, stood in line for seven minutes before finally receiving his meal. Holding his tray, he scanned the room for an open table—an impossible task during peak lunch hours. He would have to join a group.


    His sharp black eyes moved from side to side as he walked, assessing his options. Suddenly, he spotted a familiar face—Mundo, the bald, athletic man with deep brown skin, was waving at him with a friendly grin. This time, he wasn''t shirtless; instead, he wore the white-and-green uniform of the Adventurers'' Division, one of the three official academy uniforms.


    The academy''s formal attire was divided into three categories based on specialization:


    Knights Division: White and black.


    Adventurers Division: White and green.


    Exploration Corps: White and silver.


    Fulan, belonging to the Knights Division, wore the white-and-black variant.


    He hadn''t expected to run into Mundo again so soon, but given the current circumstances, sharing a meal with him was better than eating alone.


    Approaching the table, Fulan took a seat across from Mundo. Four others were already sitting at the rectangular table, which was built to accommodate six people at once.


    Mundo, his mouth full of pasta, was the first to speak. "I don''t know why, but it feels like it''s been forever, even though the exam was just yesterday."


    Fulan, placing a slice of meat inside his bread, responded casually, "You''re right. Time moves slowly here." He then glanced at Mundo''s meal before adding, "By the way—pasta? Shouldn''t you be following a better diet?"


    Mundo, twirling his fork, gestured toward the bread in Fulan''s hands with an amused smirk. "And what about you? Eating meat with bread? You''re stuffing your stomach in a ridiculous way. If you had just asked, they would have given you more meat—like they did for me."


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    Fulan took a bite of his simple sandwich, chewing thoughtfully before responding after a few seconds.


    "I grew up in a poor family, so bread was always present at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Even when there were no other ingredients, you could always eat bread with tea as a meal. Simply put, bread is the food of the poor. And I take pride in that past, so I don''t want to change this habit. But enough about me—what about you? How was your first day?"


    At that question, Mundo completely forgot about the food discussion. A faint, disappointed smile crossed his face as he sighed and spoke in a quieter tone.


    "Fulan… I think I was too full of myself, man. The path of an adventurer isn''t as easy as I thought. Honestly, I feel ashamed. Right now, I''m the weakest in the class… I''m literally at the bottom."


    Fulan found Mundo''s words strange. He wasn''t weak—not by any means. In fact, he had taken down Akira, the Lightning Boy, with a single blow, launching him out of the arena. Even though it hadn''t been a traditional fight, Mundo had clearly demonstrated overwhelming strength.


    If someone like him is admitting to being weak… then what kind of monsters are in the Adventurers'' class?


    As they continued their meal, their conversation shifted to simpler topics about their first day at the academy, sharing small details and experiences between bites. The dining hall remained lively, filled with the murmurs of students, the occasional bursts of laughter, and the clatter of utensils against plates. The scent of freshly cooked meals lingered in the air, blending with the faint aroma of burning Menma cells from the lanterns above.


    After a few minutes, Fulan finished his meal and left the cafeteria, heading toward his room in the male dormitory wing. Mundo''s words lingered in his mind, filling him with curiosity and a slight unease.


    The dormitory corridors were long and made of polished dark wood, their surface worn smooth from the footsteps of countless students over the years. The glow of Menma lanterns lined the hallway, their light soft and golden, casting elongated shadows that flickered gently with the flow of energy inside them. The corridor smelled faintly of aged wood and the crisp, clean scent of the outdoors that filtered in through the open windows.


    As Fulan walked, lost in thought, his gaze flickered forward.


    Just ten meters ahead, a slender young woman leaned casually against the wooden wall, her arms crossed, eyes closed as though she were deep in thought—or perhaps waiting for something. Her long, flowing purple hair cascaded past her shoulders, contrasting with her pale complexion. The academy uniform she wore was black and white—the unmistakable colors of the Knights Division.


    Yet, Fulan had never seen her before. He had already memorized the faces of his classmates, and she wasn''t among them.


    Who is she?


    Still, it was none of his concern. Without hesitation, he decided to walk past her, treating her presence as nothing more than part of the scenery.


    But just as he took two steps beyond her, a calm voice broke the silence.


    "It seems we''ve finally met."


    Something about her tone made him pause. He wasn''t sure if those words were directed at him or not, but after a moment of hesitation, he turned his head and looked at her. She still hadn''t opened her eyes.


    After a brief silence, he asked, "Do I know you?"


    At last, she slowly lifted her eyelids, revealing a pair of stunning, amethyst-colored eyes that shimmered like refined gemstones. Her expression remained calm and unreadable as she replied,


    "Know you? Of course not. It would be impossible for a noble like myself to have any prior connection to a commoner like you."


    In that instant, Fulan understood exactly who he was dealing with. This girl came from one of the rarest bloodlines in the Kingdom of Saita—one of the so-called nobles.


    He said nothing, merely observing her.


    Noticing his silence, the girl continued, her tone remaining neutral, "Don''t misunderstand me. I don''t dislike commoners in general." She then narrowed her eyes slightly, her voice sharpening ever so subtly. "I just dislike you in particular."


    Fulan''s expression remained composed, his voice steady as he asked, "And what exactly did I do to earn this special kind of attention from you?"


    For the first time, the noble girl''s expression shifted slightly. Her dark purple eyebrows furrowed just a little, a sign of growing seriousness. Then, almost instantly, her violet eyes began to glow.


    "You already know the answer to that," she said, her voice carrying a sharp edge. "It is impossible for a mere commoner like you to defeat Akira in a fair fight. That boy is reckless, but he is not weak. I can guarantee that."


    Everything suddenly became clearer to Fulan.


    She has a connection to Akira.


    Yet, there was no resemblance in their hair color or eye color, meaning they weren''t siblings.


    Then who is she? And what does she really want from me?


    .


    .


    [A/N]


    In the Talent Sports Festival arc, I started trying to keep chapters between 2,500 and 3,000 words, so it was becoming difficult to prepare that many words per day. I''ll have to reduce the number of chapters to five per week. If I limit the word count to 4,000 words, I''ll likely have to reduce the number of days I post to four per week (one day I post, one day I don''t).


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