chapter_0081

Mesugaki Tank Enters the Academy –
81

Mesugaki Tank Enters the Academy –
81

The day Joy and I were to
visit Stoffe’s shop.

I emerged outside looking like
I usually do, but upon seeing Joy, I was taken aback.

Isn’t this a bit too much?

What seemed like a simple
black dress without any special decorations, upon closer inspection,
revealed an elegance that was unmistakably upscale.

High heels she rarely wore,
gloves on her hands, and even a hairpin adorned with a butterfly
ornament.

She looked like she was ready
to step into high society and receive compliments like, “Lady
Joy! You look fabulous!”

Why put so much effort just to
go to a dessert shop?!

It makes me feel awkward for
just wearing my usual uniform!

“Hello, Lady Allen.”

‘Um, Joy. Isn’t this a bit
much?’

“Airhead Lady, are you going
on a date with someone other than me? Why so fancy?”

“Well, it’s Stoffe’s shop.
We can’t just go with a casual attitude.”

Sensing a seriousness that
even a joke couldn’t break, I realised she wouldn’t be changing her
outfit.

“Honestly, I’m surprised
Lady Allen. Didn’t you like flashy things before?”

The “before” Joy is
talking about probably refers to the time before I possessed this
body.

Lucy from that time clearly
loved things that were flashy. She had turned her room into a frilly
nightmare and only wore clothes that looked like they were out of a
children’s magic girl cartoon.

But not anymore.

I definitely don’t want to
wear such clothes.

If someone were to ask me if
I’d prefer to walk around high society in fluttery robes or face a
Minotaur again, I’d choose the latter without hesitation.

Even if it meant facing the
threat of death.

‘My tastes have changed.’

“Sorry. I’m not a sloppy
person who makes a big fuss like the Airhead Lady.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Joy revealed slight irritation
at my sharp tone but didn’t express it outwardly.

Maybe she’s holding back
because I’m taking her to Stoffe today?

‘Let’s go.’

“Let’s go, Airhead Lady.”

Stoffe’s dessert shop is one
of the many stores along the street of Soul Academy.

Users of the Soul Academy
Community commonly referred to it as the Love Potion Cake shop.

This was because, from the
moment one could accompany an NPC in the game, stopping by this shop
to eat cake together during free time was the quickest way to raise
affection levels.

The meme—”What exactly
is in this cake that makes affection levels rise just by eating
it?”—led to various strange interpretations and distortions,
eventually turning Stoffe’s dessert shop into an infamous shady spot.

Well, that was just a tale out
of a suspicious document or some conspiracy, and when I last visited
for the Academy’s entrance exam, it looked like just an ordinary
dessert shop.

As we entered Stoffe’s shop, a
clerk came rushing to greet us.

One is a Duke’s Lady, and the
other is a Count’s Lady, so it’s natural for them to react with great
courtesy.

“Welcome! Lady Partan,
Lady Allen, let me guide you to your seats.”

As the polite clerk bowed and
spoke, I took out Stoffe’s Special Ticket to show. Instantly, the
atmosphere shifted.

He still wore a smile, but his
eyes were different.

Carefully examining various
parts of the ticket like a jeweller appraising a precious gem, he
eventually tucked it away cautiously and spoke.

“Let me take you
upstairs.”

Guiding us to a private room
in Stoffe’s shop, the clerk excused himself briefly, asking us to
wait.

“I can’t believe it. The
day I get to use Stoffe’s private room has come.”

‘Joy…’

“Airhead Lady, why are
you making such a fuss?”

“Of course, I am! Only
truly important guests get to use Stoffe’s private room!”

Joy’s excitement was palpable,
and for once, she had dropped her Villainous Lady facade.

Smiling broadly as she looked
around, she seemed like just a popular high school girl.

If her smile faded a bit,
she’d look like the Villainous Lady ready to nitpick at anything.

While chatting with Joy, the
door opened, and an elderly man in a pristine baking uniform
appeared.

His snow-white hair and the
wrinkles lining his face showed his age, but his robust physique
betrayed traditional old age.

Despite his years, his
well-toned body showed how meticulously he maintained himself.

“Greetings, Lady Partan,
Lady Allen. I am Stoffe, the owner and, perhaps overly flatteringly,
known as the Dessert Master. I will do my utmost to ensure you have
an unforgettable experience here.”

As he finished speaking, the
door opened again, and attendants entered, placing tableware and
dishes in front of us. To be honest, I never really liked desserts
all that much.

It’s not that I dislike them,
but the desserts I knew were always so overwhelmingly sweet that
after one or two bites, I’d had enough.

That’s why I was quite worried
when I heard about the Dessert Course.

I wondered if I would be able
to enjoy all of it.

However, that was a completely
useless worry.

If the desserts Stoffe created
were cheap imitations, how could he be called the Continent’s Best
Artisan?

First, he served an Appetiser
with a light sourness to stimulate the palate.

Then, he served something cold
to awaken the taste buds.

After that, something warm was
brought out to soothe both the palate and the body.

The meticulous Build-up
leading to the final explosion of flavour was astonishing, beyond
praiseworthy.

The desserts I had been eating
up until now were just cheap imitations pretending to be the real
thing.

No wonder I had developed a
prejudice against desserts.

If all desserts in the world
were like these, wouldn’t all my teeth have turned black by now?

Considering that I usually
thought of desserts as just so-so, how must Joy, who always loved
desserts, be feeling?

Entranced by Stoffe’s
desserts, she seemed to be in a trance.

Smiling softly, she had become
a machine moving her spoon, completely oblivious to my voice.

Seeing her so happy makes
bringing her here worth it.

Well, it must be because
they’re that good that Joy’s Affection Level has risen so much.

Speaking of which, what could
her Affection Level be now?

It definitely started below
40, that’s for sure. Considering I saved her life last time and now
this, her Affection Level should be over 60, right?

No.

When I think about calling her
“Airhead Lady” or the “Pitiful Prince” incident, it must be
lower than that.

Even so, among the people I
know, Joy is definitely the closest to reaching Affection Level 70.

Now that we’ve decided to
tackle the dungeon together, by spending more time with her under
that excuse, I should be able to reach Affection Level 70 before the
final exam.

That means I’ve secured at
least one person to help complete the Quest given by the Sloppy Lord.

As for the other, once
Alsatine brings back the necklace, I only need to deal with the
Inferior Duke. That should ensure the Quest is cleared safely.

Hahaha. See that, you sloppy
and useless Lord?!

No matter how much you try to
mess with me, I’ll still clear the Quest with ease!

If you want to torment me,
you’ll have to…

No nevermind…

It’s nothing, Armadi.

There’s no need for you to
worry.

I always remember your
kindness with gratitude.

Wait a minute.

Did that dessert have alcohol
in it? Why am I saying things that I didn’t even think about?

Anyway, now that I don’t have
to worry about the Quest given by our noble and esteemed Armadi, I
should start preparing for other things.

It’s about time for the main
storyline of Soul Academy to progress.

I wonder who will become an
Apostle of the Evil God this time.

Two days had passed since Joy
had dessert at Stoffe’s shop, yet she couldn’t forget that
moment.

Entering Stoffe’s private
room, which supposedly only royalty from other countries could visit.

And meeting Master Stoffe, who
rarely appears in public.

The numerous, fantastic
desserts that appeared as soon as he greeted us.

The happiness that filled her
mouth with every spoonful.

That day’s experience was one
of the happiest memories in Joy’s life.

But the happier that memory
was, the greater the debt Joy felt on her shoulders.

The promise to enter the
Academy Dungeon together on the day it reopens was growing heavier on
Joy with each passing day.

‘What if another accident
happens?

What if something goes wrong
during the professors’ preparations?’

Every day, Joy hoped for some
fortunate event to delay the re-opening, but unfortunately, the
professors at the Academy were very competent.

And so, today, as scheduled,
the Academy Dungeon finally reopened.

Holding the staff gifted to
her by her father when she first enrolled, Joy headed to the entrance
of the Academy Dungeon.

‘Haah. Why did I let greed
overcome me and make such a reckless promise?

Should I just tell her I can’t
do it, even now and offer help in another way?

But is it even possible for me
to give a reward that matches Stoffe’s Special Ticket?’

“Airhead Lady.”

As Joy’s mind grew more
cluttered and her walking pace slowed, she turned toward the voice
calling her.

There stood Lucy Allen.

Wearing the same iron armour
as when she had taken the Entrance Exam.

Holding the same mace and
shield.

With the same hairstyle.

And the same confident,
irritating demeanour.

‘What’s this? You look like
a raccoon. Did you stay up all night out of fear of entering the
dungeon? Scaredy-cat Lady?’

Joy nearly nodded
unconsciously but managed to pull herself together and gave an
awkward smile.

“I just had a restless
night.”

“Is that so? Well, it’s
fine. Even if you’re a bit sloppy, I’m here with you, Airhead
Lady.”

As Lucy confidently walked
ahead, Joy stared at her blankly for a moment before finally
following her.

Thus, half willingly and half
reluctantly, Joy arrived at the entrance of the Academy Dungeon.

At that moment, she
remembered.

The thousands of eyes staring
at her.

The witch’s unpleasant
laughter blocking her path.

The ominous voice that echoed
from afar. The endless abyss she saw in that moment when she faced
it.

“Airhead Lady.”

Lucy’s voice brought Joy back
to reality, and she realised she was sitting on the ground.

‘Ah.

This…

I can’t do this…’

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