<311 - The Director's Banquet>
There are things that remain unseen until pointed out.
What seemed like a fun training theme park to everyone was, in reality, nothing more than a military training facility.
The joyful hearts vanished like a lie.
There was no expectation or excitement left.
The students’ minds wandered into a world of imagination.
Children brought to an isolated island at a young age.
They are forced to survive for a fixed period in increasingly dangerous environments as time passes.
Those lacking skill and talent die.
The surviving children barely escape with their lives, but that relief is short-lived.
As their survival days increase, the time until their next round of training progressively lengthens.
Only after the number of those who survive the harsh training dwindles to a single digit does the training end, and the remaining ones are selected as foundation scholarship students or as maids and prospective butlers.
This place may very well be where such cruel events actually occur.
“Oknodie, you mentioned it’s your first time here, right?”
“Yep!”
Then it implies that there are facilities even harsher than this somewhere in the world.
Isabel’s unuttered words were something everyone could guess.
Poor thing.
“Oknodie… do you want me to turn on the mood lights?”
“Hey. Want to shoot a gun?”
“Merchants feel good when they touch their coin purses. If you want, I can lend you a bag of gold coins.”
Of course, the one receiving the mysterious kindness was blissfully unaware, accepting everything joyfully.
━━━
Director’s Mansion
20F – Special Floor: Cafeteria
━━━
Those who had only seen desolate training facilities were finally freed from the training grounds.
But the expressions on the students’ faces turned dark and serious.
It’s not about where they are.
What matters is what awaits them there.
As thoughts of the facility’s horridness flooded their minds, they inevitably arrived at the individual responsible for all this.
Oknodie’s Papa.
The Director of the Foundation.
What kind of being is he?
How dangerous is he?
Is meeting someone like him truly a wise decision?
No matter how you think about it, it felt nothing but dangerous.
“It feels like I’m heading to the execution ground.”
Zhuang complained as Son Ohchun hesitated at the cafeteria door, looking like he might choke any second.
Even the butler, who would usually chuckle at such a sight, was tense and made sure his attire was without creases and double-checked for any mistakes before knocking.
“We have brought Chief Scholarship Student Oknodie and his friends to the cafeteria.”
“Let them in.”
The voice that came back was surprisingly that of a bright and clear young man.
A long banquet table.
Dishes placed at each seat.
Jezel’s slender eyes quickly began extracting information about the director.
Though dressed in a formal suit, the layers upon layers of clothing made it difficult to detect even a hint of mana reaction, resembling an overwhelming mana-infused armor.
Such monstrous specs couldn’t possibly be off the rack unless made by a royal tailor or a blacksmith.
With his light brown hair and neatly trimmed eyebrows, it indicated the presence of a grooming assistant.
If such a feast could be procured on this remote island, there must be a dedicated chef as well.
He commanded some of the top three professions most desired by assassins: tailors, beauticians, and chefs.
The likelihood that it was indeed him and not a representative increased.
Above all, the unchanging smile on his face since his entrance confirmed his composure.
“That smile isn’t just for kindness.”
Animals smile when they see food.
That man’s smile isn’t any different from an animal’s.
He smiles not at physical food but at the anticipation of fulfilling his sadistic desires or some mental gratification.
“Nice to meet you all. My name is First Wahyhiemhai. While I may not compare to the influential families or sponsors in society, I am the small-scale founder and director of the Wahyhiemhai Foundation.”
With immense power, he presented himself humbly rather than boasting.
He’s the type of human who ensnares others rather than letting them lower their guard.
A type that handles power in an extremely sinister manner.
“I believe you have many things you want to say or inquire about, but first, you must’ve had a long journey. Let’s fill our bellies.”
The chefs brought in dishes freshly cooked, while the maids lined up to serve.
Butlers brought chilled wine in luxurious bottles, placed in ice water.
Hot dishes and cold wine.
The contrast between the director, who wore a constant smile, and the servants, who were sharply focused on every move, made for an ominous and chilling atmosphere.
Only the director and Oknodie shared genuine smiles as the banquet began.
[Guinea Pig Roast]
[Origin – Southern City State Alliance (Armory Principality)]
[Estimated Cooking Skill Over 300]
[Auxiliary Cooking Skills – Ingredient Identification, Ingredient Aging, Seasoning, Roasting]
[Special Effects – Odor Removal, Seasoning Aging, Juiciness Preservation, Charcoal Aroma, Vitality Recovery]
Even a small pig roast featured several days of aging and rare seasoning, with flavors and aromas packed to the brim, ensuring an enjoyable experience.
While the variety was ample, not a single dish felt half-heartedly made, all delighting the diners.
“Seriously, is this some last supper? It’s ridiculously delicious.”
“Idiot. Don’t say that out loud.”
“Ugh.”
At Son Ohchun’s oblivious remark, Isabel promptly stepped on his foot from beside him.
The director laughed heartily, pretending to be generously forgiving.
“Don’t worry. When I send off an execution, I prefer to serve a bitter lesson rather than a sweet dish.”
“In other words, had you intended to kill us, you’d have served us a torture course instead.”
“Hahaha.”
Even Zhuang’s sarcastic remark, which could be taken that way, earned a friendly laugh from the director.
Feeling an eerie chill from the fact that several people noted he didn’t outright correct Zhuang’s words, some quietly set their food aside.
“Is everyone lacking an appetite?”
Oknodie was not swept up in such an atmosphere.
With an ecstatic look on his face, his hands clutched his plate as if it would never fall.
He skillfully tore into the meat, leaving only bones behind, gulping down the remaining flesh in one bite.
His eating skills were beyond impressive, almost approaching the level of a gourmet!
“Indeed, the strong are distinctly different. To calmly finish a plate in this suffocating atmosphere is something else.”
Jezel, feeling a sense of competitiveness, picked up the utensils again that he had set down earlier.
The fact that Oknodie’s eating habits were to never leave any food on his plate surely influenced this decision.
Perhaps daring to resume eating was itself fortunate.
“It seems you all feel burdened by this unsolicited kindness. However, it might be against societal norms to receive a free meal just for being friends with my daughter, considering the cafeteria at the academy also takes points and the outside world takes currency. So let’s do this.”
The director pulled out a Mana Board.
“The boarding points, based on the academy’s points, hold no value to me. But they do have a clear purpose. Through my invited guests’ preferences and their methods of earning points, I gather information on each person’s survival strategies.”
Familiar faces popped up on the Mana Board.
Oknodie. Ishtar. Irene.
All of them were faces of students who had boarded the cruise ship.
“Irene’s meal cycle is twice a day. Even if the portions are small and unappetizing, the high-calorie Northlander’s unique survival meals stand out.”
“!”
“The main source of point income is hostage exchange. It seems she enjoys using military tactics, characteristic of a wartime magician. Impressively mature for her age, she possesses an admirable outlook on life.”
In the time spent on the ship, one’s life story could be read.
While an unshakeable sense of unease washed over Irene’s face, the next name was called.
“Hestia’s meal cycle is five times a day. She displayed a unique wild survival dining style, regardless of the type of food, taking every opportunity to eat in large quantities, distinctly different from the Northern Grand Duchess.”
“…”
“The main source of point income is achieving records within the training facility, and she claims victories in sparring with crew members confident in their skills. A wonderful life perspective befitting a mercenary who makes winning in competition a way of life.”
It was clear that everyone present and perhaps even those absent were being evaluated and gathered information in this manner.
The Gift Academy teachers filtered and evaluated student information to score them, determine promotions and admissions, and graduation decisions.
So, what could be the purpose of the Wahyhiemhai Foundation’s director filtering and assessing the information about his daughter’s friends?
“Like this, I have great interest in my daughter’s friendships. So, for those wishing to dine until the day you leave the mansion, feel free to share your stories. Whether trivial or extraordinary, I will return the favor with appropriate food. Of course, stories related to my child would be preferred.”
Outwardly, he appeared as a charming parent deeply interested in his child.
However, probing the true meaning behind his words sparked an eerie sensation that sent chills down one’s spine.
