episode_0015

The Academy’s garden is reminiscent of a large arboretum, decorated with a variety of plants and flowers.

A soft melody flows out of the crystal balls hanging all over the ceiling, which are shaped like a birdcage, with magical powers.

The air was filled with the fresh scent of lush greenery, and among the towering trees flitted tiny birds, created by students majoring in ministry.

Dozens of iron tables were placed here and there among the trees and bushes, making it the perfect place for students to have tea parties or meals.

In the middle of the huge space built with a two-story structure, there was an artificial waterfall hill, and there was an unspoken rule that only high-ranking nobles could sit at several tables installed on top of the hill.

Perhaps it was just because the scenery was good that the strong people took over first, and it became a custom.

Anyway, the important point was this.

The garden was a place open to all students equally, regardless of whether they were commoners or nobles, but there was nothing to stop students from competing for better seats.

Since Tirissia and I usually sat at any table that was left open, we weren’t really aware of the hierarchy, but when we came back to the garden today, we could feel the atmosphere anew.

Seldianne took me to a table at the highest point of the waterfall hill, right in front of the falling water.

“Oh-hohohoho! Let the lowly commoners be grateful that they can sit at this table!”

She sat down with her subordinates, smiled proudly, supporting her chin with a black fur fan.

I sat quietly in the chair opposite them on one side of the table and looked around.

“Hey… So this is the view here. Nice, huh?”

“I can’t express enough admiration! Commoner!”

“That’s why you’re a commoner without any sense!”

“… ”

This isn’t even on top of a real waterfall, it’s just on top of a small artificial pond inside a two-story indoor building, so it’s asking for a lot.

Perhaps they meant it not to tell me to admire the actual scenery, but to loudly praise Celdianne’s generosity in bringing me here.

Now, I needed to look good to those picky girls in order to complete my plan, so I did whatever they wanted.

“Thanks to Seldianne, I got to eat at a place like this, and I feel like I made the right decision to be born.”

“Oh-hohohoho! What a brave thing to say!”

“I’ve never been to a place like this when I was with Tirisia… It’s different, but it’s different.”

At those words, her crimson eyes opened wide for a moment, then quickly returned to a leisurely smile.

“Of course! Did you know that your ladyship is bigger than Miss Broward?”

“Oh! I just realized it! Thank you! Seldianne!”

“Oh-hohohoho! You’re flattering me!”

As Seldianne laughed out loud, her subordinates also added a word each with relaxed faces.

“Huh, you finally get the point, Seomin.”

“You must have changed your mind after experiencing Elconja’s authority firsthand.”

Yeah, yeah, go ahead and say whatever you want.

I opened the zipper of my thermal bag with a smiling face.

“But ladies, did you all bring food?”

“Of course! Employees are prohibited from entering the academy! It is also the attitude of a nobleman who values discipline to pack his own lunch!”

As she said this, Seldianne placed a small container wrapped in a cloth on the table.

The other two also proudly set up the meals they had each prepared.

“Today, I prepared a wild vegetable salad.”

“I brought beans and fruit.”

“Hey.”

As expected.

Unlike the lower-class nobles who indulged in superficial luxury and pleasure, the young ladies of the truly noble families, who were strict about maintaining dignity, seemed to thoroughly manage their diets at home.

There are two ways to be highly regarded as an Academy student: academics and practical skills.

Among them, magic and swordsmanship, which are practical skills, require physical ability, so it was natural for a magician to pay attention to what he eats in order to maintain optimal growth and condition.

That’s why I usually make Tirisia’s lunchbox with a focus on healthy and nutritious food… but now, things are a little different.

“Oh, but I accidentally cooked too much food today.”

I put on a playful performance and took the large three-tiered lunch box out of the thermal bag and placed it on the table.

“What, why is that lunch box so big?”

Celdianne’s eyes widened as she looked at the gigantic figure.

“I was wondering how I was going to eat all this, so this is great.”

“What can I do to make the amount control so bad?”

“The level of work that ordinary people do is all like that.”

After looking back at Miyu and Juri, who were consistently laughing, I asked the three of them with a kind expression.

“If it’s okay, can we eat this together?”

“What did you say…?”

“ in?”

“ha?”

A variety of emotions flashed through the girls’ eyes at the same time.

Embarrassment, confusion, shame and disgust were the main feelings of rejection.

“Seo, why are we eating the common people’s food…!”

“Please don’t be rude just because we’re sitting at the same table.”

Since I didn’t expect to be accepted right away, I decided to push through with this meal, even if it meant being a little stubborn.

“It’s a shame to waste the food I worked so hard to make. I’m sure it’ll be delicious, so I’ll ask you a favor. Okay? Miyu, Juri, Seldianne.”

“Heeheet…! My name was called! You’re a fool!”

“Hey, how presumptuous! Where did you get the courage!”

“… … ”

I looked at Seldianne, who was the only one staring at her lunch box with her mouth covered by a fan.

What are you thinking?

As I expected, she should have shown the most violent rejection.

“Huh.”

After finishing her thoughts, Celdianne snorted as she folded up her fan.

“You guys, calm down.”

“, Elconza. You better refuse… ”

“How could you put such low-quality food in such a noble mouth!”

Seldianne ignored the fidgeting girls on either side of her and looked straight at me with her crimson eyes.

“I have one question for you, commoner.”

“What is it?”

“Is this lunch box… the same as the one usually offered to the children of the Brewers?”

“Yeah.”

In fact, it was a completely different content, but I couldn’t say that I made it specifically to give you guys a taste, so I agreed without hesitation.

“Hoohoo,”

The corners of Seldianne’s mouth twitched at my immediate answer.

Soon she let out a high-pitched laugh that echoed loudly throughout the garden.

“Oh-hohohoho!”

“Elconja?”

“Why are you like that?”

Seldianne, who was laughing with her chin raised high,

“Like!”

He nodded, grabbing the fan that had been slammed down in his hand.

“Then I wonder! What kind of tribute did you offer to gain the favor of Breward? I will judge for you whether it is truly worthy!”

“Oh, that’s what I was hoping for.”

“Now, open that lid! Miyu, Juri, you guys, come together and evaluate this commoner’s food!”

“Ah, I see! Elconza!”

“If there’s anything Elconza needs, I’ll be happy to do it!”

“Okay, eat a lot.”

I opened the lunch box lid, the corners of my lips tearing.

“This, this is…?”

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

The eyes of all three people widened at the same time.

*

Ten minutes later,

“Wet—wet—wet—”

“Hehe, hehe,”

“Later… Whoa… ”

The table above the waterfall was filled with the sound of three girls’ heavy breathing.

“Ha, just one more bite… !”

Seldianne picked up the food on her fork and brought it into her mouth.

At first, she was eating with old-fashioned gestures, but now she was sweating profusely, her fists resting on the table and her expression showing that she was enduring torture.

Gulp, gulp.

Seldianne swallowed another mouthful and closed her eyes tightly.

“Ssup―! It’s spicy!”

He shouted at the birds on the garden ceiling.

“Haha, I’m glad you like it.”

As I nodded with a satisfied smile, Seldianne looked at the contents of the lunchbox with a look of incomprehension on her face.

“It’s too spicy, too salty, too sweet! Ha, do common people really live off of food like this?!”

“Well, it’s not a stock, but do you eat it often?”

“Something strange… This food, this is definitely a mess…! Ha, this is low-quality food that just stimulates the tongue like a mess…! Ssup, why can’t I stop my hands?!”

“Oh my, Elconja! It’s painful, but I keep eating it!”

“Oh my, this is shocking…! That sinister commoner must have poisoned the food!”

Miyu and Juri are crying on either side of Celdianne.

The two of them, too, had lost all of their grace from before, and were unable to stop eating their forks, wiping away the sweat pouring down their faces, tears streaming down their faces, and their snot with their handkerchiefs.

The scene unfolding here was so out of place that it drew the attention of the students sitting at the surrounding tables, who were chattering away.

It’s a shame, if I had sat down on the lower seat, I would have been more visible to the other students.

The sight of noble ladies groaning in pain and spewing bodily fluids is a rare and precious spectacle.

“Miyu, Juri! Are you guys okay?”

Celdianne looked at the two of them with eyes that consoled an exhausted soldier.

“Haak… Haak… Lord Elconza! You can’t fall yet!”

“Whew…Whew…Somehow I feel like I’m losing if I leave this food behind!”

“Okay, this Elconza is still strong! Soup, how dare you test the lady’s patience, I will show you an example!”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“By the way, this unfamiliar food… What was its name? My mind is all jumbled up, so I forgot… !”

She asked, picking up a piece of food with her fork.

A food made by marinating soft, long chunks of meat that are bite-sized and thickly coated in red sauce.

I once again impressed upon the nobles the name of that food which was so common among the common people.

“This? Tteokbokki.”

To be exact, it is a spicy soup tteokbokki of karma.

And the side dishes are various fried foods and sundae bought separately at the store. If we call the three together, it is tteok-twi-sun.

“Tteokbokki…! It’s not an easy task…!”

Although she looked down at him with a disgusted expression, it was obvious that she had already fallen for the stimulating addiction of the common people’s taste.

For them, who usually only ate bland, unhealthy food, this must have been a huge gustatory shock.

It’s truly a new civilization.

When I revealed this plan to Lucica, who was familiar with tteokbokki, she showed some concern.

Unlike you, do you think cheap food would suit the tastes of those snobbish friends?

But I had absolute confidence.

Noble or not, as long as they are of an age where they are pursuing their youth at the Academy, they cannot go against the laws of the universe.

There isn’t a single female student who doesn’t like tteokbokki.

The girls, having caught their breath, continued their fight against the Red Devil.

“Here comes the rush! Tteokbokki!”

“I’ll follow you! Elconza!”

“I will give my life to join you!”

*

After a long fight like that,

“Whoa—sup—haa—”

“Hehe, hehe,”

“Haaak… Haaak… ”

Spicy broth tteokbokki from Karma, complete.

“, you did it… It’s your victory… ”

Seldianne, who was leaning back in her chair, lifted the fan with difficulty.

“It was an honor to fight alongside you, Elconza… ”

“My mouth is still cold… ”

“Hey, I don’t know what to do with myself because you made such delicious food for me. Thank you guys!”

“Hoo… Hoo… If I get caught by this Elconja, this much pain will be worth it… ”

“Oh, but there’s still dessert left.”

“Dessert… what?”

I revealed the name of the dessert with a bright smile on my face, taking out the magic hot plate, rice, and seaweed powder from the thermal bag.

“Tteokbokki seasoned fried rice.”

“ to… ”

The faces of the three noble ladies turned bright red and pallor was added to them.