Lunchtime(2)

Lua Academy’s lunchtime starts at 12 o’clock and ends at 2 o’clock.

And the busiest time for students is between 12:30 and 1 o’clock. After that, as more time passes, it becomes a quiet time as most students have already eaten and returned.

This time was a rest period for the cooks in the cafeteria after all work was done, and I too only sat down heavily in the chair inside my booth after scanning the completely empty cafeteria without a single student.

“Phew, that was tough.”

Although I wasn’t physically tired at all, I was mentally exhausted.

Unlike the morning preparations at the temple that could be done leisurely, cooking in the academy cafeteria was like a time attack, so cooking perfect dishes while timing myself consumed a considerable amount of mental energy.

Fortunately, with Mu here, I only worked half as much as usual, but still, being tired is being tired.

Clatter── Clatter──

And as I sat down to take a rest, I tilted my head at the sound of utensils and turned my head in that direction.

“Mmm, it’s delicious as expected.”

“Mmmm… truly a heavenly taste.”

When I turned my head, I saw Morgan and Isolde savoring and eating the food from half-empty plates.

I hadn’t noticed earlier because I was focused on cooking, just making food and not paying attention, but it seemed they were still continuing their meal.

And next to them, Mu, who was also in Lotus form like me, was still cooking with the remaining ingredients while taking orders from the two, so it was truly a scene where the maker and the eaters coexisted in one place.

I blankly stared at that scene for a moment, then suddenly clicked my tongue at the number of plates piled up next to Morgan and Isolde respectively.

“You’re not full after eating that much?”

Roughly counting, there were 40 plates piled up on the side. Including the ones stacked below, it seemed to easily exceed 50 plates.

Even though the food I make doesn’t make you gain weight, you still feel fullness, but to be able to eat that much.

As I let out an exclamation as if disgusted, Morgan, who was eating, waved the knife she was holding elegantly and said:

“Sorry, but we’re full too, we’re just continuing to eat because we can’t help it. So don’t you think it’s not our fault, but rather those hands that can make such delicious food that are at fault?”

“That’s right. If it were just ordinarily delicious, we wouldn’t have eaten this much.”

“Isn’t that right?! As expected, Lotus Mother’s cooking is amazing!”

Morgan laid out praise bordering on fawning, Isolde agreed dryly, and Mu exclaimed with her nose in the air at their words.

As it looked just like seeing a trio of fools, I let out a deep sigh and said to Mu, who was turning the wok:

“Mu, just finish that dish and then stop. If you do any more, you’ll use up all the leftover ingredients.”

“Yes, Mother!”

“Ah…”

“That’s too much.”

Mu nodded with a bright smile at my words.

However, unlike Mu, Morgan and Isolde showed expressions saying it was too much at my words, and I frowned and said:

“Stop eating, you pigs. If you’re full, you should know when to stop properly. Are you even demons?”

Unlike other avatars who usually filtered their words somewhat, now in Lotus’s body, sharp words mixed with criticism stabbed at Morgan and Isolde freely.

Stung by my sharp words, Morgan and Isolde’s faces changed to shocked expressions, as if they hadn’t expected to be called pigs. However, as if they still couldn’t give up on the remaining food, they started moving their forks and knives again after stopping briefly.

No, is it that hard to give up? I didn’t think they would continue eating even after being called pigs.

I narrowed my eyes at their appetite for a moment, then closed my mouth and rested my chin on my hand.

After all, there was no reason to stop them if they were eating because my food was delicious. Rather, it was something to be thankful for, not something to forcibly stop.

Therefore, instead of stopping them, I closed my eyes while resting my chin on my hand, thinking I might consider preparations for the next class while resting during the remaining lunchtime, but I had to open my eyes again at the question that came next.

“Come to think of it, how do you plan to handle the matter with the king?”

“Huh?”

“You’re scheduled to be summoned by the king tomorrow, right? Then surely those human bastards at the top will come rushing in with state affairs, won’t that be troublesome?”

Morgan asked me while piercing the steak she was cutting with her fork.

I let out a small sigh at that question and leaned my head against the wall behind the chair.

“Hmm… the nobles…”

Certainly, it was as Morgan said. If I’m summoned by the king tomorrow, probably nobles like the one who came this morning will cling to me, proposing that I side with them.

It was clear that they would cling to me while presenting even better conditions than that fallen noble from this morning.

“That’s right. It will be troublesome since high-ranking nobles will cling to me tremendously.”

Moreover, it was a problem because I couldn’t properly fend off nobles who were deeply connected to the king’s side, that is, powerful nobles.

I may have lightly brushed off the Count Heilak or whatever from this morning because he was a fallen noble, but nobles I can’t brush off will surely cling more persistently even if I refuse.

Then the troublesome future cannot be avoided. And at these words of mine, Morgan smiled slyly and slightly showed her sword.

“I’m here as a slave now, so if there are any humans bothering you, just tell me. I can kill them without leaving a trace.”

“You’ll kill them?”

“Of course. If you just give the order.”

Morgan said this and then drew her thumb across her throat. It was a submissive attitude that looked suspicious no matter how you looked at it.

Since coming under me, Morgan had never shown such a proactive attitude asking for orders first. But if it’s an order related to murder like this, there’s probably only one reason.

And as if she had the same thought as my prediction, Isolde, who was quietly cutting and eating chicken next to Morgan, frowned and said:

“Murderer.”

Morgan smiled even more deeply at Isolde’s words that uttered just one word. Seeing this, I straightened my head that had been leaning against the wall and opened my mouth following Isolde.

“It seems that even though I fixed the demon genes, the desire to kill living things remains the same.”

“Oh my, have I been found out already?”

“Of course. But well, I understand. After all, you haven’t tasted blood for 5 days, so it can’t be helped.”

“Fufu, that’s correct. I haven’t killed anyone recently. So my body is itching.”

According to her character setting, Morgan was a battle maniac before being a demon, so she spent almost every day fighting.

But since coming under me, she hadn’t been able to kill at all, so of course her body would feel restless.

To give an example, it was no different from a smoker not being able to touch cigarettes at all for 5 days.

And since what I wanted to use was Morgan in her original form, I answered her as she put steak in her mouth.

“Soon… within about 3 days, there will be someone to kill, so wait.”

“That sounds quite exciting.”

Morgan expressed joy with a faint blush on her cheeks at my words.

Yes, probably within 3 days, there will be at least about ten living people to kill.

By then, there should be one or two nobles who will cross the line and approach.

…Probably?

---

There are a total of five families that can be called the pillars of the Kingdom of Puhara.

In order, the Petra Ducal family, the Hilstin Ducal family, the Imptia Ducal family, the Fairina Marquis family, and the Kilma Marquis family.

Each could be said to be a pillar of the Kingdom of Puhara and the families with the greatest power, and the eyes of each family existed everywhere to the extent that every corner of the Kingdom of Puhara could be said to be in their mouths.

And in a huge mansion near the royal palace of Puhara.

Duke Petra, who was flipping through documents in the study there, suddenly raised his head at the words his informant was just saying.

“What did you just say?”

“Huh? Ah, currently, the Imptia Ducal family is showing movements to approach Aria and Meiyel, who destroyed the Sky Island five days ago. So we judge that it would be good for us to move while being cautious as well.”

“I see… So the Imptia Duke’s side has moved…”

Duke Petra stroked his chin and fell into contemplation at the informant’s words.

Seeing this, the informant carefully moved the teacup from the table near the fireplace to his desk and whispered to him in a small voice.

“If the Imptia Duke’s side makes the first move, it will be difficult for our side to intervene. So shouldn’t we approach them as soon as possible?”

Aria and Meiyel, the professors of the academy. It was clear what would happen when they meet the king tomorrow with the solid backing of the Pope of the temple.

At the very least, for the merit of saving the kingdom from destruction, the king will adjust most conveniences to the two and give rewards befitting their merit. They could probably even obtain a title up to baron if they wanted.

Moreover, since they have achieved such a feat, their fame will soar to the skies and spread on the streets, so if the Petra Ducal family brings them to their side, they could stand far ahead of the other five pillar families.

For this reason, the informant told him the results of discussions with the main people of the ducal family, but Duke Petra laughed lightly and answered.

“My good man. Do you know what story I heard from my daughter the other day?”

“Your daughter… Do you mean Lady Shati, your third daughter?”

“Yes, Shati. That child who is the only successor of our family.”

The informant opened his eyes wide at Duke Petra’s words about Shati.

Shati, who was she?

She was a talented girl who carried all sorts of modifiers behind her, such as a once-in-a-century genius, one who will become the pinnacle of magicians, and so on.

There was no way he couldn’t remember her, as Shati was the one who surpassed Duke Petra, who had received the title of Archmage, at the mere age of 10, coming closer to the position of successor than Sharon, the first daughter who was originally the successor candidate.

Therefore, when the informant nodded, Duke Petra slowly put down the documents he was holding on the desk.

“That child told me at the dinner table the other day. That it would be better not to touch Aria and Meiyel.”

“What? What does that mean…”

“And do you know what she said? She said she wants to inherit a family that’s still intact, not one that’s been ruined by those two. Hahaha!”

Duke Petra burst into laughter and recalled the story he had heard from Shati that day.

Unlike her usual carefree face, Shati sat at the dining table with a serious expression.

At that atmosphere so different from usual, Duke Petra unconsciously asked her if something was wrong, and the answer that came back was quite unexpected.

‘Father. In a few days, the king will summon Professor Aria and Professor Meiyel, right? Just in case, I’ll tell you, but it’s better not to think about touching the two of them.’

‘Hm? What do you mean, Shati?’

‘The moment you touch them, our family will disappear from the five great families. Especially, don’t touch Professor Meiyel. If possible, I’d like to inherit the intact Petra family, not a family ruined because of those two.’

Duke Petra couldn’t even laugh at Shati’s words, which were spoken seriously without a hint of joke.

Fortunately, he was able to come to his senses shortly after thanks to Sharon, who shouted asking what kind of habit of speaking that was and stood up, but Shati’s words, which were close to a warning, still vividly remained in Duke Petra’s mind.

And because Duke Petra knew that Shati’s words were absolutely not groundless, he smiled bitterly and said to the informant.

“We will not lay a hand on the two. I too would like to give Shati an intact family if possible.”

“What?! But Your Grace! If the Imptia family completely extends their hand, we will absolutely…!”

The informant shouted as if having a fit at Duke Petra’s words. Because if they missed this opportunity, there would be no more chances, the informant urgently cried out, but Duke Petra firmly cut off his words.

“Let the Duke of Imptia eat. And we will watch.”

If they get food poisoning and die, it will prove that Shati’s words were right.