Student Dormitory
It’s been half a month since I met Rosso, since Treant evolved into a Giga Treant, and since I messed up with the Bekko Candy Joan SP. And finally, tomorrow is the entrance ceremony for the Royal Academy.
Today, in the afternoon, there’s the entrance ceremony for the student dormitory, so we came to the royal capital early in the morning.
“So? What are you doing, Missy?”
Wham! “Eh? I’m making bread, is there a problem?”
“No, I get that. I mean, why are you cooking here when you’ve got the dormitory entrance ceremony this afternoon?”
Wham! Wham! “Eh? Because I want to?”
“No, I meaaaan… ugh, never mind.”
While Mr. Abe and I exchanged a conversation that kind of connected and kind of didn’t in the Lampail residence kitchen, the other cooks were holding back their laughter.
“It’s just that… Wham!… somehow… Wham!… I feel restless… Wham!”
“Missy, can you either have a conversation or make bread? Pick one.”
“Are you maybe trying to distract yourself from being nervous with bread-making?” said Delco, the older twin cook. I nodded, and Mr. Abe looked surprised.
“You actually get nervous?”
“Of course I do. Look, I’m shy with strangers, aren’t I?”
“““Liar!!”””
Everyone’s sharp retort made me chuckle.
Even here at the royal capital’s residence kitchen, where I sometimes cook, everyone treats me like a normal girl, not a noble lady, which makes me happy.
Back in my previous life, I was an ordinary person, so I hated being spoken to in formal language and having distance put between us. Being able to talk normally and live happily like this is thanks to the Lampail household staff.
And, of course, thanks to Father and everyone else who trusts me.
As we all made bread and sipped tea while waiting for it to bake…
Thud thud thud… Clatter!
“Ahhh, Young lady Joan!! Why are you all covered in flour?!”
Sarah, who came looking for me, was shocked.
“Ah… sorry.”
“Come on, hurry and change.”
“Ahhh…”
Sarah grabbed me by the arm and dragged me out of the kitchen while Mr. Abe and the others saw us off with wry smiles.
＊＊＊＊＊
The dormitory, located next to the Royal Academy, was a 20-minute carriage ride from the royal capital’s residence.
There were separate dormitories for boys and girls. Between them stood a two-story building with a shared dining hall on the first floor and a noble-only café on the second floor.
The dorm rooms were different depending on status—commoners had two- or four-person rooms with no bath, toilet, or kitchen, like a simple one-room apartment from my previous life. Nobles had private two-room suites with showers. The reason for the extra room was to accommodate a maid to serve the noble young lady.
Half of the second floor and the first floor were for commoners, while the remaining half of the second floor and the third floor were for nobles. Moreover, the nobles were arranged by rank—the second floor for viscounts and barons, the third floor for dukes, marquises, frontier counts, and counts.
Students lived here for six years until their debut at sixteen. After that, depending on their major, they moved elsewhere, except for those in the civil service course, who remained here until graduation.
Upon arriving at the dormitory, Sarah, Anny, Rosso, and puppy-sized Pearl accompanied me to my assigned room.
My third-floor room had white wallpaper, short-haired gray carpet, off-white curtains, and dark brown furniture that I designed and asked Daniel from the woodworking workshop to make. The cushions and such were made by Mito and the maids who were good at sewing. The overall image was like a luxury hotel.
And unlike the commoners' rooms, the nobles' rooms had completely different layouts.
Since I was already attending with Sarah and Anny, we arranged to share a room. Mother suggested it, and I eagerly agreed. Anny initially declined, saying she was a cook, but when I asked Ken, he convinced her that living in the dormitory would also be good experience for her cooking, and so she joined us.
“Young lady, this evening there will be the dormitory entrance ceremony, followed by a dinner party.”
“……”
“Is something wrong?”
“Sarah, you’re using formal language.”
“We have permission to speak casually at the residence, but at the Academy, that won’t do.”
“Ehh… then at least call me by name in the room! And let’s talk normally here!”
“Haah… If I don’t stay proper, people will talk badly about you, Young lady Joan.”
When Sarah returned to her usual tone—
“Haha, it’ll be fine, it’ll be fine.”
“Just give up, Sarah It’s Joan after all.”
“Geez, Anny, you spoil Young lady Joan.”
“Oh, speaking of sweet… here. I made some caramelized nuts this morning with the bread. Want some?”
I pulled out the snack I’d made this morning.
““We want some!!””
As the three of us had tea and snacks, there was a knock at the door. Sarah went to answer, and Anny quickly cleared the table. Apparently, during the past month, she had trained under Nancy to learn the basics of being a maid. Why? Because normally, only maids were allowed to share a room with noble ladies. But I wanted to room with Anny too, so Nancy taught her the basics.
“Young lady Joan, Miss Bell Barst is here to greet you. How shall we proceed?”
“Eh? Bell? Of course, let her in!”
“Very well. Her maid is with her, so please act like a proper young lady.”
“… I’ll try.”
Sarah guided Bell and her maid inside.
“G-go… good day… Y-Young L-Lady… Joan…”
“G-g-good day… Y-Young L-Lady Bell… It’s… been… a while… ah.”
Even though we exchanged letters often, we hadn’t spoken in person, so we were both clearly nervous. As for me, I even stuttered… what a failure.
““““……””””
The maids accompanying us both averted their eyes and shook their heads.
“Young lady Joan, shall I use the soundproofing magic tool?”
“… Please do.”
“Young lady Bell, we will be using a soundproofing tool. Is that acceptable?”
“Yes.”
With Bell’s permission, Sarah immediately activated the magic tool.
What do you think about this chapter?
