I’m Just an Ordinary Clown at the Academy chapter 68

68 – Meal

I lay on Yohanna’s knees in the carriage.

Yohanna, not getting tired of it, stroked my head again.

When I first lay on Yohanna’s knees, it was uncomfortable, but now it felt familiar and comfortable.

“What kind of restaurant are we going to later?”

Yohanna asked while stroking my head.

Just as I had gotten used to lying on Yohanna’s knees, Yohanna seemed to have gotten used to stroking me, and her touch was more natural than before.

Earlier, when I suggested having dinner to Yohanna.

Yohanna asked about the restaurant, but I didn’t reveal anything, saying it was a secret.

“Senior, you’ll definitely like it. The chef there was the former royal chef.”

Of course, I have never been there myself and have only seen it through a monitor.

But since it was described as surprising even to the royal Lucas, it must definitely be delicious.

“What’s the name of the store?”

“I don’t know either.”

Johanna lightly pinched my cheek, as if she thought I was teasing her.

But it wasn’t a joke, I really didn’t know the name of the store.

The location of the store was described in Croaca, but the name of the store had never been mentioned even once.

“Are there many people?”

“No, I think we’ll be the only ones if we go inside the store.”

Later on, it will become so famous that people will line up to eat. But right now, there won’t be a single customer.

“………Just the two of us.”

“What did you say?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

There is still plenty of time until we arrive at the academy.

During that time, Johanna and I had various conversations.

I asked Johanna about her time in first grade.

Johanna mainly asked me about what I do in the special class.

“So, are there only two girls in the special class?”

“Yes, Clara and Sophia. Just two of them.”

“……Are you friends?”

“I’m naturally close with everyone. After all, my friendliness is quite remarkable, isn’t it? I talk with those two every day.”

“………………”

Silence.

“Why so s-silent?”

For some reason, Johanna pinched my cheek a bit harder than before.

“……..Who are you closer to between the two?”

Johanna asked, not letting go of my cheek.

Unaware of Johanna’s voice turning colder, I pondered.

“I think I’m still closer to Miss Sepia.”

I had quite a few conversations with Sepia while attending special classes together.

But with Clara, there hadn’t been many opportunities for extensive talks.

“Than me?”

Johanna grabbed my cheek and lightly touched the corner of my mouth with her other hand.

As if urging me to answer well.

“Of course, I’m closer to the senior.”

“………….”

After hearing my response, Johanna finally let go of my cheek.

I rubbed my cheek with the palm of my hand and spoke.

“I haven’t met them outside the academy yet.”

“Not yet?”

Yohanna once again placed her hand on my cheek.

“Are you saying we’ll meet outside someday?”

Huh? Is that really going to happen?

Feeling the surrounding air getting colder, I quickly spoke up.

“Actually, I have a lot of questions about you, senior!”

“……..Me?”

“Yes! I’m very interested in you, senior.”

“Really?”

“Of course!”

Fortunately, I steered the conversation back to Yohanna’s past.

Yohanna gently stroked my head again.

Was it because I was getting relaxed, or because Yohanna’s touch was gentle?

‘I’m sleepy.’

There was a lot going on yesterday and today.

I killed Morudor yesterday and sparred with Asuka today.

Although I rested briefly after fainting earlier, I couldn’t rest for long.

I only managed to close my eyes for a short while.

Perhaps that’s why my eyes keep closing. My vision keeps alternating between darkness and light.

The time of darkness lengthens while the time of light shortens.

And so, I fell asleep while Yohanna caressed me on her lap.

—

“Rocky, are you awake?”

“…………….”

Johanna gazed at the sleeping Rocky and spoke.

Rocky, of course, couldn’t respond, deeply asleep with his breathing as the only indicator.

Carefully, Johanna turned Rocky’s head to face her directly, not just the side.

“……..gulp.”

The sound of Johanna swallowing saliva echoed in the quiet carriage.

In the silence of the carriage, the sound of her swallowing seemed magnified to Johanna.

Gingerly, she explored Rocky’s face to avoid waking him.

“Handsome.”

A simple expression, yet Johanna couldn’t describe Rocky’s face in any other way.

It felt as though the word was created specifically for Rocky’s sake, he was that handsome.

As a nobleman’s daughter, Johanna had attended quite a variety of social gatherings.

She had seen nobles whom other maidens praised for their looks.

However, she had never felt particularly moved by their appearances.

But when she looked at Rocky’s face, she understood why other maidens followed nobles just because they were good-looking.

Certainly, compared to Rocky, their faces were quite ordinary.

What if those maidens who followed ordinary faces saw Rocky’s?

As Johanna imagined that scenario, she clenched her fist tightly.

—

You may think it’s selfish, but Loki didn’t want to show his face to anyone else.

Especially to girls.

Fortunately, it seemed like Loki hadn’t shown his face to anyone yet, but you never know.

Especially, he had to be careful with the girls in the same class as Loki.

Even though they’re in the same class, Loki would probably have to exchange words with them ‘inevitably’, but it didn’t sit well with him.

Do we really have to have a conversation with girls?

If it’s not necessary, can’t we just not do it?

I remembered Loki having a conversation with the girl with pink hair in the morning.

Surely she approached him and he reluctantly played along, right?

“I don’t like it.”

Just because they’re in the same class, I didn’t like approaching Loki.

If I used the position of class leader, could I make Loki repeat the second year?

It’s certainly an unreasonable thought, but Johannna seriously considered it.

“That thing earlier, let’s forget about it. It’s a one-time thing.”

Johannna said in a cold voice while tightening her grip on Loki’s throat.

Loki might have thought it was natural, but Johannna knew everything about Loki turning his words around earlier.

* * *

When I opened my eyes again.

From Noble mtl dot com

The carriage was not moving and stood still.

“Are you awake?”

“…..Sunbae?”

“Yeah.”

“Um, how long did you sleep?”

I had been lying down for quite a while, and my body felt a bit stiff, but strangely, my head was clear.

“About 30 minutes since we arrived at the academy……….”

Surprised by Yo-hanna’s words, I lifted my head from her lap, but she gently pressed it back down, onto her knees.

“So, were you waiting for me to wake up all this time, Sunbae?”

It had been around 30 minutes since we arrived at the academy, and I must have fallen asleep in the middle, so Yo-hanna must have waited with me lying on her knees for quite a few hours.

“Doesn’t your knee hurt, Sunbae?”

“Not at all.”

After gently patting my head, Yo-hanna spoke.

A sense of discomfort lingered.

But before I could grasp what that discomfort was, Yo-hanna opened her mouth.

“Shall we go now?”

“Yes. I know the way to the dining hall perfectly.”

As we walked, we shared various stories.

Considering the academy was in the center of the capital, the location of the dining hall was quite secluded.

Naturally, when we exited the carriage, I put on my mask again.

“Here we are.”

At the place where I stopped, there was a house that was hard to think of as a store.

A clean and unassuming exterior that shows no signs of wear.

It wouldn’t even be called a store, as no sounds of people or smells of food permeated from within.

I discovered the reason why the game didn’t mention the store’s name.

There was nothing resembling a signboard for the store.

For a moment, I thought it might just be an ordinary home. But it looked exactly the same as the place I saw on the monitor screen.

“Shall we go in then?”

Creak…

The worn-out door opened with a sound as if it could fall off any moment.

Inside the store, there were several tables, but there was no one present.

Well, who would consider this place a restaurant when there isn’t even a signboard?

A senior citizen, with an extraordinary physique, stared at me and Yohanna as we entered the store.

“Do you run a business here?”

The old man pointed to the tables with his finger and headed into the kitchen.

“Please have a seat, senior.”

Yohanna glanced skeptically at the old man going into the kitchen, but she remained silent as I took a seat.

After some time of conversing with Yohanna at the table, the old man returned with plates filled with appetizing food.

“………………..”

Placing the food on the table, the old man didn’t say a word and went back into the kitchen.

He wouldn’t come out of the kitchen until we finished our meal.

“Senior, let’s eat.”

“Okay.”

I took off my mask before eating.

“….What?”

“Since it’s just us seniors here, it’s okay to take it off, right?”

“……..Yeah. It’s fine because it’s just me.”

I first ate the most appetizing-looking meat.

“………!”

I felt sorry for the chef of the Freya family, but the food made by the old man was more delicious than the food at the palace.

Yohanna also seemed surprised after tasting the soup, her eyes widening.

“Senpai, how is it? Is it delicious?”

I said with a smile.

“…….Ugh!”

Yohanna made a strange sound and vigorously nodded her head.

Glance, glance.

Yohanna looked at me once and then had a sip of soup. She repeated the process of looking at me and having a sip of soup.

What’s this? A new concept of back-and-forth?

Yohanna did the same thing not only with the soup but with all the food, and it bothered me, but I enjoyed the delicious food.

*Splash*

“…………..!”

Suddenly, Yohanna forcefully put the mask that was on the table onto my face.

And at the same time, someone entered the shop.

“Huh?”

The person who entered the shop let out a surprised sound upon seeing me.

Hearing their voice, I couldn’t help but be surprised too.

It was Sephia Ryvaden, a fellow special class student, who opened their mouth upon seeing me.

“You! What are you doing here?”

Was that what I was supposed to say?

“……………..”

But for some reason, Johanna’s gaze towards Sephia was chilly.