episode_0030

1.

“Hey hey. It’s Srenya over there.”

“Huh? Where… uh…”

As I was heading to the main gate of the academy for my lunch appointment.

I notice two male students looking at me with blank expressions.

But the reaction of these students was only the beginning, as each student passed me by,

So, all the time I spent going from the dormitory, through the garden, through the training grounds, and to the main gate of the academy.

“Wow. Wow, it’s really pretty.”

“Private clothes are crazy…….”

“Should I ask where he bought his clothes?”

This kind of longing and jealousy never ceased.

Even though it’s the outfit I’m wearing today, it’s a dress with a square neckline for comfortable activities.

Compared to other kids, my makeup is a bit lighter, and I just did it out of courtesy.

‘This kind of reaction might be a little burdensome…’

Anyway, as I steadily moved out of the academy, I was able to escape from it.

It may be more worthwhile to devote yourself to studying and improve your grades on weekends like this.

Because I am not just a female student attending this academy, I represent a kingdom.

But I feel like I’m just living my life the way they want me to, so I’m not really concentrating on my studies.

This kind of outing could be called my timid resistance.

And I liked life at the academy more than I expected.

I have relationships with people that I’m embarrassed to confidently call friends, but there are people I can have small talk with.

Even though studying is mostly useless, teacher Casselina’s class is really fun.

And rather than the Kingdom of Isiah, where the status of a princess was highlighted, the Academy, where the surname Ifkea could be removed, felt more free.

I thought that on the day of the entrance ceremony, my identity would inevitably be revealed.

Because of that, some kind of discrimination occurred, and the kids around me only looked at my status and past status.

But the way they treat their peers without hesitation makes them forget about the differences in status.

‘And I think walking helps relieve stress more than I thought.’

Also, nature is always by my side.

And… there are people around me who understand me.

…

“Hey, Srenya! Over here!”

As I was walking down the street, lost in thought, Ignis shouted at me from the fountain in the central square of Academy Street.

Standing around were red-haired Tyna and Yuni with hazy eyes like violets.

Everyone is excited to come to the academy and go out for the first time.

“Are you here, Srenya? We haven’t been here long, but Uni is already here first.”

As she greets Taina, she swings her neatly trimmed, voluminous tail from side to side just once.

-Slowly

On a bright day like today, the orange hue is fading a bit, so that turquoise dress suits me even more.

“Oh, hello oh…”

Yuni greets everyone wearing a navy dress that shows off her modest charm while also being unable to hide her slightly cowering expression.

“Free food! I’m hungry!

Igneff, who was wearing a billowy white dress and was obsessed with eating free food.

…everyone gathered dressed up nicely.

“Srenya. Have you thought about what you want for lunch?”

In an attempt to bring some sense of unity to this ragtag gathering (though Ignis is largely responsible for the feeling), Taina asked a question.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any plans because I didn’t have a proper conversation in the dorm yesterday.

I just made a time and lunch appointment, and I may not be able to take your tastes into consideration when making reservations or preparations on my own.

That’s why after we gathered, we had to talk to each other about what to eat.

“Is the pasta okay, guys? It looks like it would be okay to eat.”

“Joe, I think it’s good.”

Pasta, a food that is always a good choice.

There are many variations to suit many tastes and it makes for a perfect lunchtime treat.

But immediately a counterargument arose.

“Ok. Not that one – Hmm! ”

“Yeah, pasta sounds good. There’s a place called Le Fleur Pasta right near this square that’s said to be very good at pasta. How about eating there?”

When Ignis tried to voice his disagreement, Taina covered his mouth and quickly chose a restaurant.

Although it felt a bit awkward, Uni and I both nodded to each other, probably thinking that it wasn’t a bad idea.

…

Academy Street.

This refers to a lively area with developed commercial districts in front of the academy.

The most colorful and vibrant of these is the central square, also known as the Warrior’s Square.

The first warrior decided to establish this academy and brought vitality to the desolate place.

As the academy for growing students took root here, many commercial districts naturally began to appear.

Then, in an instant, a city boasting a history of 1,000 years and one of the best in the empire was born.

To commemorate that achievement, there is a fountain with a statue of a proud warrior in the central square of Academy Street.

The statue of a warrior wearing an old-fashioned academy uniform, slightly different from ours, may be a sign of spirit.

Some say it refers to students who will inherit the legacy of the warriors and become warriors of the new era.

The many restaurants and cafes surrounding the fountain have their doors open and have an open structure.

In such places, people are enjoying the cool breeze outdoors and taking their time on the weekend.

It is a scenery that suits sunny weather, with only one or two clouds floating in the sky.

“That’s a place called Le Fleur Pasta, kids. It’s a little bit away from the central square, so the atmosphere is good and the pasta is especially delicious.”

“Really? When did you find that out?”

“Because it’s famous. I just know it.”

Taina entered the Le Fleur pasta.

I was supposed to treat you to a meal, but it seems like Thai Na is the one who made the lunch appointment.

“Hinghinghing…”

Ignis continues to cry.

I was starting to feel a little anxious, wondering if she really hated pasta that much.

…

The reason was easier to find out than I thought.

-Tsuru ruru… Tsuru ruru…

You can tell by the way Ness is chewing on his pasta while grumbling.

No, I guess you could say it sucks.

A slightly stiff atmosphere, as if observing formalities.

The amount of pasta may feel small.

I guess that’s why he hates pasta, because those elements don’t fit with Ignis’s mood.

“… Is it delicious? Huh?”

…

If it tastes good, I guess I like it.

He quickly changed his attitude and began to suck up the noodles greedily with a bright smile.

Yuni and Ignis ordered the rich rose spaghetti and I ordered the oriental salad farfalle pasta.

Short pasta shaped like a butterfly ribbon, perfect for poking with a fork.

Enjoy the chewy texture of cold Parbelle pasta with a salad that combines a sweet and sour dressing.

Fold the salad over with a fork, then stick the fork into the chewy pasta and take a bite.

“Mmm, delicious…”

I found myself muttering to myself without realizing it.

When I was embarrassed because I unconsciously recited the expression of taste and it seemed inappropriate for a meal,

“Really? It suits your taste… I made the right decision to come here.”

Taina looked at me, smiled faintly, and replied appropriately.

-Yum.

And then he put his pasta in his mouth and muttered to himself along with me.

Taina took another sip and hummed as she enjoyed her food.

“Hmm~ Delicious.”

The pasta that Taina ordered was Le Fleur’s signature trout pasta.

Conchiglie is a pasta made with short, hollow pasta like a conch and trout, which has firm flesh but is low in fat and has a mild flavor.

The sauce is so exciting and the conchiglie pasta with that sauce goes well with the trout meat, which can be considered bland.

As I looked at Taina’s trout pasta with interested eyes, Taina noticed my gaze and asked with a sly look.

“Want a bite?”

“Huh? Oh, no, I just thought it looked a little strange. I didn’t mean to burden you, I just looked at you. ”

It would be a lie to say that I don’t want it.

The salad pasta I’m eating is great, but… it’s only natural that I’m curious to see Taina’s unique yet satisfying expression.

“Don’t do that, ah~”

I guess he sensed my hesitation like a ghost.

I carefully dipped my fork into bite-sized pieces of trout, dipped in sauce, and placed the conchiglie pasta into my mouth.

Carefully supporting the fork with one hand.

“Why, do you have to do it like this…?”

I was taken aback because I didn’t know he would be this proactive.

Moreover, my aristocratic instinct was screaming at me to be formal, so I felt a sense of rejection.

Opening your mouth and eating food that someone else feeds you… doesn’t that seem far from classy?

“So what if I have friends? Ah~”

Noticing the cause of the aversion, he pushed the fork in even further as if it were no problem to put it in his mouth.

“Tub.”

I couldn’t help but put the pasta in my mouth.

‘Mmm. It’s delicious.’

The simple taste of the mackerel and the soft, mysterious flavor of the sauce combine to create the perfect harmony in the conchilite pasta.

As the trout meat breaks down in your mouth, the sauce fills it up and the conchilite wraps the two together to create the perfect bite.

The food was delicious, but…

The fact that I was having a meal with a friend without any formality made me enjoy it more.

Taina was happily munching on another bite of pasta.

I even have a sad and funny thought, wondering if I too am making that kind of foolish laugh.

“Hmm~ I like mullet, you know. Do you… like it too…?”

And then, watching her lick the sauce off the fork with the tip of her tongue in a seductive manner… I realized that Taina was truly a heavenly vixen.

It’s also like he’s sneaking glances at me to see my reaction.

Seeing us like that, Ignis didn’t think much of it and just saw that we were sharing food.

“Oh, what’s wrong, Taina! I need a bite too. Why are you only giving me Srenia!”

I saw you barging in without notice and begging for just one bite.

But even to Ignes, who was like that, he handed me a fork with which to dip his pasta without any discrimination.

There was something that Taina didn’t expect,

“You too~”

“Hap! Churrrp!”

As soon as I put the pasta, including the fork, in my mouth, Ignis sucked the fork in as if he was going to suck it up.

Rather than saying that there is some intention behind it, what is surprising is the greed to properly feel every drop of the sauce.

“What, what are you doing! You don’t have to lick it like that!”

Rather, Taina, who had been very relaxed, seemed flustered and roughly pulled out the fork.

Even though she was as cunning as a fox, Ignes, who was innocent and had the intelligence to not understand sarcasm, seemed to be Taina’s natural enemy.

“Hey… Are you mad, Taina? Come on! I’ll give you a bite too! Next time, don’t be so picky and say you regret having just one bite, okay? ”

“That’s not what I’m saying, wait a minute!”

Ignis had already eaten most of the spaghetti, so he twisted a single strand of it onto his fork.

And then he thrust the fork into Taina’s mouth without hesitation.

He went one step further and this time he acted like he was really feeding his lover.

“I’ll feed you myself, Taina. Aang~~~~~”

“Ah, ahh! I spilled it, you punk, s…! Phew, give me some tissues!”

But the sauce, intended to hide the small amount of spaghetti, was too much, and due to a misdirection, the red sauce ended up on Taina’s mouth.

Luckily, none of the spaghetti noodles fell and ruined that pretty dress.

The sauce just leaves a line at the corner of the mouth.

“…………….Huh?”

Unconsciously, I lifted the fork in my hand horizontally.

Use perspective to make the fork obscure the upper part of Taina’s face.

Covering those pointy ears, eyes, nose, mouth… and the dripping red rose sauce, that’s all you can see.

Then, a familiar figure in my memory began to overlap with the lower body of a person.

Not the eyes that were not visible on the protruding tree branches, but the

Blood was seeping out of the corner of his mouth, forming a chilling stream of blood.

So similar to that strange appearance,

Taina’s lower body.

“………Taina.”

I spoke in a cold voice without realizing it.

“Huh?”

“…….Have you ever been to the Rukia River?”