64 – Evening in Opal Black
Tuesday evening.
Marian carried her weary body to the cafeteria of her dormitory.
Her body was desperately in need of something to eat, probably because she had just received combat practice lessons from Instructor Ion.
‘I’m going to die at this rate… Are you sure….’
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, physical training classes are held. Combat practice class on fellowship.
Since this is the situation every week, there is not a day that passes without Instructor Ion’s lessons.
I don’t know if Gwynne, Batar, and Elisabeth will be fine because they have good stamina, but Marian’s body was too weak to withstand this crazy schedule.
‘I’m crazy! I’ll let you take a combat practice and look back….’
Now I know it’s a crazy plan. It was truly regrettable that the class could not be canceled even now, but people cannot undo their past choices.
When I entered a restaurant these days to grab a meal that made me feel like I was eating for survival rather than enjoying the taste of food, I saw a rare face sitting in my seat.
‘Instructor Ion?’
Marian was stunned at the sight of Ion without even realizing it.
It was partly because he had suffered so much from combat training just a while ago, but Ion hadn’t shown up for a meal with the students since the semester started.
I thought I had mistaken the place for a moment because that person was sitting in the cafeteria so casually, but no matter how much I looked around, this was a familiar dormitory cafeteria.
Marian suddenly wondered what kind of change of heart the instructor, who was blunt and difficult to understand, had undergone. Unfortunately, Marianne was quick-witted and not a mind reader.
In the cafeteria, other students except Marian were already seated and waiting for dinner. She is the latest
Marian cleared her throat briefly in embarrassment as she sat down.
“Sorry, am I too late?”
“No! Did you come just in time?”
Titania replied with a kind smile.
After all the students were seated, the dormitory workers brought food to the table one by one.
Of course, servants are not real people. All of them are beings called ‘Shabti’, automata, and were magically created golems to faithfully carry out only previously entered commands without any intention of autonomy.
This large and spacious dormitory is all managed by magic golems, so there are really only eight people in the Opal Black dormitory. Including the instructor, there are only nine of them.
Seeing only nine people eating at a table large enough to accommodate dozens of people seemed like a waste of space to Marianne, who was born as a noble lady and was accustomed to luxury.
Marian was accustomed to slicing and eating meat with a knife. The meals prepared by her golem were not as good as those prepared by the family’s first-rate chef, but they were still quite edible.
At that time, Saladin, who was eating quietly, spoke to Schurz.
“Is that delicious?”
“… Uh, what?”
I didn’t ask back because Schurz couldn’t hear it. He was surprised because he did not expect that Saladin would suddenly speak to him.
It was the same with Marian. She said that Saladin, who always ate and quietly disappeared at the dinner table, talked to her first? And that to Schurz, who was always bickering?
“Hmm….”
For Marianne, who is good at reading people’s minds, going back and forth in the social world like a pandemonium of countless nobles, she recognized that it was a sign of Saladin’s clumsy and humble apology.
As evidence of that, Saladin looked like he was talking nonchalantly on the outside, but in reality, his eyes were looking down and he was sweeping the back of his neck for no reason.
As if Schurz had noticed that too, he hesitated for a while before asking carefully.
“Um… do you want to eat It tastes pretty good.”
“Ha? Why should I eat what you ate?”
Saladin refused right away with a crumpled expression. Then, with a knife, he took a bite of the fish dish that Schurz was eating, which was also served on his plate.
As Marian knew, Al-Kamil was a desert area, so people weren’t used to eating fish. That’s why Saladin hadn’t even touched fish until now, but today, for some reason, he tried fish for the first time.
“Oh, the imperials cook like this?”
“Why? I’m just delicious.”
“The scent is too weak. It’s just salt and pepper. Hmm, I think adding coriander will make it better….”
Even though he said that, Saladin did not leave or throw away food like he used to. He just grimaced from time to time as he ate food that was unfamiliar to him.
Is it just Marian’s idea that it feels like Saladin’s first attempt to somehow adapt to the Empire?
Marian felt that Saladin’s voice was still crackling, but somehow not as sharp as before.
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As if they knew something about Saladin’s sudden change, Gwynn and Schurz’s eyes moved toward Instructor Ion. Marian also followed their gaze and looked at Ion with puzzled eyes.
Eon continued to eat in silence with an indifferent expression despite the eyes of the students.
‘… What? What did you do?’
What effect did Instructor Ion have on Saladin? But as the student council president of the Opal Black class, whatever it was, it definitely had a positive impact on the class. There’s nothing wrong with getting along better with the students.
Marian glanced at Ion and thought.
Does she have the ability not only as a soldier but also as an instructor?
While the meal continued in such a softer-than-usual atmosphere, Titania smiled brightly at the seat next to Ion and opened her mouth.
“This is my first time eating with Instructor Ion. Are you coming often?”
“If nothing else happens, I will.”
“Wow, really? Then, now all the opal black classes are gathered! Mealtime will be more fun and lively!”
“… Is it.”
Elisabeth, who used the fork and knife gracefully and perfectly showed imperial manners, continued in her soft voice.
“That’s what I’m looking forward to. Come to think of it, Instructor, do you have a favorite food?”
“Why are you asking such a thing all of a sudden?”
Elizabeth gave a meaningful smile.
“I was just curious.”
“… There is nothing to cover Because it’s a caution not to leave food behind.”
“Oh, then, would you like to reduce my share? It feels a little too much to me.”
“Are you planning to leave?”
“If I ate alone, that would be it.”
Ion pondered for a moment, then she nodded her head with a somewhat shaken expression.
“Then I can’t help it.”
“Whoops, thank you.”
Elisabeth put about half of her food on Ion’s plate with a soft smile.
Then, Oznia, who had been silently eating her meals the whole time, glanced at Ion and moved her own food to Ion’s plate.
“… ….”
“… Eat a lot.”
Ion and Oznia’s eyes met for a moment, but Ion only let out a short sigh, and in the end she said nothing.
Knowing that both Elisabeth and Oznia tend to leave food all the time, Marian hadn’t thought about that until now.
In the midst of this, Gwynn, who had been eating without paying attention to etiquette or rules, perhaps because he had lived in the mountains, suddenly spoke to Ion hesitantly. He looked very cautious.
“Instructor! After eating today, that….”
“Yes. Wait at the gymnasium.”
“Thank you! Thank you for your support today!”
Gwynn was usually lively and full of energy in her voice, but even Marian hadn’t seen her look so happy.
Is there a separate appointment after the meal?
Is the gymnasium meant to train alone?
At that point, even Marian noticed.
Gwin, Osnia, Titania, even Elizabeth.
The way I look at Instructor Ion is very different from the first one.
I don’t know the details, but somehow I feel much more favorable feelings than before.
“… ….”
Marian thought.
What? Why?
Since when did this happen?
When did everyone get so close to Instructor Ion?
What happened while I was locked in my room all weekend because of the establishment of the student council?
But first of all, you’re the student council president, so you don’t have to know what’s going on in class?
Marian suddenly felt left out.
She must have been the one who knew the most about Instructor Ion. I thought that I, who knew the identity of an unknown instructor, would be relatively close to the instructor.
Have you gotten along this far in just a week?
In the dormitory cafeteria, an unprecedented friendly atmosphere continues.
Marian stabbed her meat deeply with her fork, feeling nervous that she alone could not understand.
***
After my consultation with Saladin, I went on smoothly without incident.
The extraordinary events that have occurred over the past week have been peaceful days like lies.
The week went by so quickly,
I headed to the underworld to check the results of the request she requested for Sylvia.
Obviously, I only intended to lightly check the information on Ella’s whereabouts.
“Okay now— I introduce you! An undefeated hero! An indomitable warrior! A player who will become the new god of the underground arena!”
“… Under.”
For some reason, I became a player in the underground arena.
🤣