Chapter: 518
All the efforts I’ve put in until today—the battle preparations against that God of Void, and the studying I did in between—are just flying out the window! I even put more effort into this than I did during high school, and now it’s all gone!
As I slumped my shoulders, overwhelmed by my gloomy mood, I settled into a corner of the academy cafeteria when one of the staff hurried toward me.
“Shall I prepare the usual for you?”
Since talking felt like too much of a chore, I just nodded, and the staff politely nodded back before quickly scurrying off.
“What are you doing?”
Right on cue, Arthur appeared.
I glanced at his fresh-faced expression—no sign of fatigue from last night’s endeavors, which only made me more frustrated. I managed to bite back the urge to let my lips sputter out complaints.
Come on, Arthur! You have keen observation skills—surely you’ll notice the change in me!
With bloodlines like yours, you should definitely catch on, right? And then be completely stunned to boost my mood! So hurry!
“Is there something wrong with your body? If that’s the case, I can call my saintess for you.”
…You don’t know?
Really? You have no clue?
Why?
I’ve grown a whole 1.5 centimeters! How could you possibly miss that?!
Did I develop some weird eye issue while fighting that God of Evil yesterday?
When I seriously wondered about that, I tried using Holy Magic on Arthur’s eyes, only to see him squint in confusion.
“Just say it. Why isn’t this guy, who would normally have already crushed my dignity, saying anything?”
“If you want to be scolded by a cute girl like me, shouldn’t you kneel and show some respect first?♡ It’s quite a privilege for you, incompetent prince!♡ Now, hurry up and beg me to stomp on your head while kissing my feet!♡ The Masochistic Prince!♡”
Arthur chuckled at my irritation as I wiggled my toes in annoyance. What’s wrong with this dense guy? Why’s he laughing while getting embarrassed? Did he catch the clumsy fox’s virus or something?
Imagining Arthur begging while panting sent shivers down my spine, so I hugged myself.
“…Hmm? Why are you looking at me like I’m Rina? What did I do?”
“Don’t talk to me, you perverted prince♡ I don’t want to exchange words with trash like you♡”
“Can’t I even ask after your wellbeing!?”
Arthur huffed, indignant. Just then, Frey appeared behind him.
She looked like she had been exercising, her outfit slightly disheveled. Without hesitation, she sat beside me, tilting her head in curiosity.
“Lucy, you’ve gotten taller?”
Woooow! Frey actually caught on! I didn’t expect that at all!
Overjoyed, I pulled her cheeks, lifting my shoulder in delight.
“Stupid knight! Can you see something’s different?”
“Yeah. The height of your gaze has changed.”
“Ehehehe. Really? It’s true then, right?”
While I was poking Frey’s face like clay, I turned back to Arthur.
Hey there, utterly oblivious dude. Got no words now, huh?
“…You’ve grown taller?”
Wow. Are you really that clueless? Is it that you’re pretending not to know just to annoy me?
Ah, you don’t even need to answer. Regardless of what you say, it’s all just the same process.
“What’s the problem?♡ Am I not allowed to be taller?♡ Do I have to live my entire life as a child to fit your pedo prince preferences?♡”
“No, that’s not…”
“What do you mean if it’s not that?♡ Is it silly to be excited about being just a little taller?♡ What, the thought of a shortie getting a tiny bit bigger makes you laugh?♡ You high-minded, worthless prince!♡”
“Okay! I was wrong! So please, stop! If this goes sideways, I feel like Benedict will kill me!”
Arthur banged his head on the table, glancing around nervously, but my narrowed eyes didn’t return to normal.
I couldn’t care less about your fate with Benedict.
In fact, if you got caught, that’d probably be better for me.
Benedict wouldn’t harm my friend’s daughter, after all.
He might pressure you until you beg him to kill you, though.
And then you’d become stronger and a more useful character! So why should I stop?
Actually, it’d be to my advantage if things escalated!
“I’ll provide a summary and interpretations of all subjects for the second-term exams!”
“Hmm. Well, since the incompetent prince is showing such good intentions, I can’t just pass up on it, can I?”
It was tempting and, since breakfast was on the table too, I nodded, making Arthur breathe a sigh of relief.
“Let’s skip over the rumors about the incompetent prince being merely eye candy. Now that you’re here, you should explain what perverted deeds you did after I fell asleep last night.”
“I did nothing! What could I do when your little brat over there is treating me like a criminal!”
“Oh dear. You’re implying that something would’ve happened if Stupid Knight hadn’t been there?”
“Please. Just stop.”
Feeling my mood lighten from teasing Arthur, I shrugged, laughing slightly.
A nearby servant, having waited for our conversation to wind down, approached quietly to set food in front of me.
Fried bacon, crispy golden bread soaked in bacon grease, and perfectly poached eggs. All topped off with homemade sausage from the academy cafeteria!
As I pierced a piece of bacon with my fork and tossed it into my mouth, the explosion of fatty, savory, and umami flavors filled my mouth.
Yes! This is why I come to the cafeteria in the morning!
I can’t even fathom why this addictive taste never grows old!
“Hey! I want the same thing.”
“Me too. Bring one for me as well.”
As Arthur and Frey placed their orders, the servant scuttled off, and Arthur turned his head while propping his chin up.
“Not much happened after you fell asleep yesterday. By then, everything had already settled down. As for what went on, it was just professors and responsible parties in a frenzy.”
It’s true that no sacrifices happened during the incident yesterday, but the situation hasn’t been forgotten.
The followers of the God of Void clearly aimed to seize the academy’s gaps and nearly created a lot of casualties.
So, we need someone to take responsibility for this mess.
“Most of the newly appointed professors will probably get fired. It seems the First Queen intends to personally meet with those who submitted their resignations, so they will revert to the previous academy. However, it’s gonna take time to restore the former order, so they’ve decided to close the academy altogether for maintenance.”
That was the reason I just saw about the academy’s leave of absence notice.
“Thanks to that, we’ll have to endure four exams in the second term.”
As Arthur chuckled lightly, claiming that the third-year students were screaming, the servant returned and set a meal in front of him.
“Looks delicious.”
“Yeah, it does.”
Just as Arthur and Frey drooled over the spread, another servant who needed to leave approached me stealthily.
A peasant who wouldn’t usually approach someone as high-status as me wouldn’t dare even think of doing something like this.
“Employer.”
Having sensed him, I wasn’t surprised when Karia’s voice whispered in my ear.
“There are a few people wanting to see you. Can you come my way after you finish eating?”
“What kind of foolishness is this? Shouldn’t you at least tell me who wants to see me?”
“I don’t have time. Ah, dammit. Fine, but shut up. It’s the tailor who made your clothes and blacksmith Inuki.”
The tailor, huh? Is that the grandma who hemmed my clothes? Perfect! I was planning to visit her anyway!
I’ve grown a whopping 1.5 centimeters! I definitely need to get new clothes fitted!
Hehe. I’ll be sure to ask for a fitting. And—
Wait.
Inuki?
The blacksmith Inuki?
You mean THAT Inuki?!
The hidden NPC with insane blacksmithing skills!?
As I showed surprise at the name, Karia nodded.
“Yeah, it’s probably the Inuki you’re thinking about. There’s only one skilled blacksmith named Inuki.”
“Why does that washed-up, useless grandpa want to see me?”
“He said he wants to make something for you.”
What?! He wants to make something for me?!
The very grandpa who threw a tantrum for every little thing in the game, and who wouldn’t stop complaining even after completing related quests, is now voluntarily coming to do some work for me!?
“His skill level is enough that you could just ask him for anything.”
I already know how skilled that old man is without you saying it, Karia!
He wouldn’t be designated as a hidden NPC otherwise!
Oh wow! What should I ask him to make? Armor? It’s definitely armor, right?
As I pondered whether to present him with some good metal to craft armor, Karia slyly continued.
“And also, the First Queen wants to see you.”
“What?”
“She sent a messenger to the Alrn family as soon as we got back yesterday.”
The fork slipped from my hand, clattering noisily onto the plate.
…Did I just get targeted by that medieval Trump girl?
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