Ch.40Chapter 40 – A Small Commotion in the Student Cafeteria

As the lecture on basic etiquette, which marked the end of this morning’s classes, concluded, the professor began gathering her materials.

“Well then, that’s all for today’s class. I hope everyone enjoys their lunch, and I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

As the professor left the classroom after finishing the lesson, students began to rise from their seats and exit as well.

Reina, who had been sitting beside me during class, also stood up, and I followed her lead.

“Where does everyone usually eat during lunch time?”

“If they’re not buying something from the campus store, most people get their meals at the student cafeteria.”

On our way to the student cafeteria, I asked Reina about something I was curious about, and she answered my question in detail.

“Do they sell food at the campus store?”

“It’s not as good as what they serve at the student cafeteria, but people tend to go there because it’s cheaper.”

I found it somewhat surprising that the campus store sold food.

The civilization level of this world fluctuates between medieval and early modern periods, so I had rarely seen pre-made food being sold except for staples like “bread” or “stew.”

“Well… they call it food, but it’s really just leftover bread from the cafeteria, dried meat, or salted meat.”

Leftover bread. Dried meat. Salted meat. All items focused on “preservation” rather than “taste.”

“Are you saying students actually buy that stuff?”

“Not every student can afford to eat at the cafeteria every day.”

I had heard that students enrolled at Glesius Academy receive a monthly stipend for maintaining their dignity, though?

“I heard that each student receives a dignity maintenance allowance. Couldn’t they use that to buy lunch?”

“The dignity maintenance allowance is exactly what it sounds like—money given to maintain your dignity as a Glesius Academy student. If you spend it all on lunch, you won’t have enough for other expenses, which would interfere with academy life.”

“Just how much is this allowance anyway?”

“About 20 silver coins per month.”

Twenty silver coins per month. That’s 2,000 copper coins. Enough money to stay at an inn that provides room and board for about 200 days.

This seemed sufficient to me, but Reina’s following explanation helped me understand why she said spending the allowance on food would leave one short on money.

“A meal at the student cafeteria costs about one silver coin. So if you buy lunch every day, your allowance would be gone in just 20 days.”

“One silver coin? Isn’t that too expensive?”

“It is expensive. But the lunch provided at the student cafeteria is worth it.”

I became intrigued when she said that a meal costing one silver coin was worth paying for.

“Are you saying it’s worth paying one silver coin for?”

“Yes. You’ll understand once you have a meal there. By the way, did you bring any money?”

“No, I didn’t bring anything specifically.”

I had deposited all my money in the Gelebrio Empire Central Bank.

So I didn’t have a single coin on me at the moment.

“That’s fine. If you’ve set up an account with the Empire Central Bank, you can make payments using your bracelet.”

It’s interesting how some aspects of this world are modernized, yet the food sold at the campus store is terrible.

If this weren’t a game world, it would be full of incomprehensible contradictions.

“Huh?”

“What’s happening?”

While chatting with Reina, we arrived at the student cafeteria, but no one was able to enter.

Wondering what was going on, I approached and saw a notice posted at the entrance.

[NOTICE]

[Due to damage to the cooking equipment in the student cafeteria kitchen and the food preservation devices in the food storage warehouse, the student cafeteria will temporarily suspend operations. We will work to normalize operations as soon as possible.]

[Glesius Academy Administration Office]

The paper stated that the student cafeteria would be temporarily closed.

Though the exact cause was unclear, it mentioned that the cooking equipment and food preservation devices in the storage warehouse had been damaged.

I assumed that both the cooking equipment and food storage facilities were essential for meal preparation, and problems with either would cause difficulties.

If the cooking equipment breaks, you can’t cook even if you have ingredients, and if there’s a problem with the food storage warehouse, the stored food would be compromised, making cooking impossible.

Therefore, even if one issue were resolved, the cafeteria would still face significant operational challenges.

“What is this supposed to mean?!”

“They should have notified us in advance if they were going to suspend operations!”

The area in front of the student cafeteria had turned chaotic with students protesting.

Reina and I had to step back after witnessing the students’ fierce protests in front of the cafeteria.

“It looks like we’ll have to eat at the campus store today.”

Reina turned away from the crowded cafeteria entrance, intending to head to the campus store.

But unlike Reina, I had no intention of going to the campus store.

‘It will take a long time for the cooking equipment and food storage warehouse to be repaired.’

I first sent a message to the headmaster, who oversees all academy affairs.

[Headmaster, I heard there’s a problem with the student cafeteria. What exactly happened?]

I sent the message to the headmaster and waited for her reply.

Shortly after sending my message, I received a response from the headmaster.

[There was an explosion in the student cafeteria kitchen for unknown reasons. All cooking equipment was damaged, and the artifact installed in the food storage warehouse malfunctioned. Fortunately, no one was injured, and we’ve sent someone to call for a magical device repair specialist, but they won’t arrive until tomorrow at the earliest. We’ve contacted all restaurants in Archenium to prepare lunch and dinner boxes. An announcement about this will be made within 30 minutes. So don’t worry. We will definitely resolve this issue and catch the culprit.]

From the headmaster’s message, it seemed the incident at the student cafeteria was suspected to be someone’s act of terrorism.

The headmaster appeared to be making efforts to resolve the problem from her position, but that alone would be insufficient.

Even if a magical device repair specialist arrives tomorrow, I wonder if they’ll be able to fix the artifact.

‘But couldn’t I just fix the cooking equipment and the artifact myself?’

This might be the simplest solution.

I could use my abilities to repair the damaged cooking equipment and restore the malfunctioning artifact to normal.

Then the academy wouldn’t have to wait for the magical device repair specialist, and students wouldn’t have to go hungry until the cafeteria was repaired.

I left a message for the headmaster and headed to the dormitory.

The reason I went to the dormitory was because I didn’t have my hammer with me.

After stopping by the dormitory to get my hammer, I carefully made my way to the back of the student cafeteria.

‘Wow, it’s a complete mess.’

The situation at the scene was even more serious than what was described in the notice.

One wall of the student cafeteria had been completely blown away as if something had exploded, and damaged cooking equipment was scattered inside.

Next to it appeared to be the food storage warehouse, where an artifact that seemed to be the food preservation device was crackling and emitting sparks.

For a moment I wondered if coming here was a mistake, but having already arrived, I realized there was no turning back.

I first approached the food storage warehouse.

One wall of the food storage warehouse had partially collapsed due to the explosion in the kitchen, and through the gaps in the wall, pipes extending from what appeared to be the food preservation device were torn, releasing cold air.

As I got closer, I felt an intense chill, so I held my breath and walked toward the food storage warehouse.

Then I raised my hammer and struck the pipe emitting cold air three times.

The pipe became enveloped in a light aura and began to return to its original state.

While I was at it, I also struck the collapsed wall three times with my hammer.

Naturally, a faint light aura seeped into the collapsed wall and bricks, and they flew through the air and began to merge together.

By the time all the light aura had disappeared, the food storage warehouse had been completely restored.

I had no intention of stopping there. When a man takes out his hammer, he ought to drive in at least one nail.

Entering the kitchen with my hammer in hand, I sat down in the chaotic kitchen and began hammering the damaged cooking equipment.

—Clang! Clang! Clang!

Listening to the beautiful harmony of the iron hammer striking the metal cooking equipment, I continued swinging the hammer without pause.

After some time had passed.

I was about to finish addressing the accident at the student cafeteria by swinging my hammer three times at the collapsed kitchen wall.

“Huff, huff. Pathos, where did you g—oh?”

At that moment, Reina appeared at the back of the student cafeteria, panting as if she had been looking for me.

“Ah.”

She caught me in the act of swinging my hammer.

—Tap, tap, tap.

The hammer swung three times toward the collapsed wall.

“Wait.”

And the fragments of the collapsed wall were enveloped in a light aura.

“What’s.”

The fragments floating in the air eventually flew toward the wall and became one.

“Happening right now?”

Reina, who had witnessed the entire scene, wore a look of astonishment.

Her eyes, fixed on me, were trembling severely, perhaps from witnessing something unbelievable.