Welcome Banquet
――Knight Dormitory Cafeteria.
“To the new students—cheers!”
“““““““““Cheers!”””””””””
The welcome banquet included the new students, each year’s homeroom and assistant teachers, and the top twenty students from every year. Senior students Elena and Chloe were both within the top twenty, so they were here too.
It was a buffet-style party—everyone grabbed what they wanted and sat at any open table. Naturally, since there were far more upperclassmen, the first-years instinctively stuck together.
“So good!”
“Souya, aren’t you piling on too much?”
“Nah, I was watching the seniors’ plates—they took even more than this.”
“Yeah, yeah, someone told me if you don’t grab food early, you’ll miss out.”
“For real? Then I’d better eat fast.”
“Joan… you don’t have to compete with them.”
“Munch munch… but if it’s gone… munch munch… I’ll be sad.”
“Hey… Joan, you are technically a noble lady, right?”
“… Hey, Ricky, that ‘technically’ was rude, wasn’t it?”
“Well, I mean—”
“““““““Because it’s Joan?”””””””
“Hey!”
“““““““Ahahaha.”””””””
The group sitting nearby were people I already knew from combat classes back in the general program. We got along pretty well.
“Everyone eating alright?”
““““““““Yes!”””””””””
The one calling out was Vee.
“Hey, Vee, could you not rest your elbow on someone’s head?”
“Ahaha, it’s just the perfect height. Oh—just a bit longer, and they’ll bring out the dorm’s famous steak.”
“““““““Whooo! Meat!!”””””””
“After that, there’ll be dessert.”
“Ooh, what kind of dessert?”
“Ah, probably fruit compote or something like that.”
“Oh, compote—that’s that stuff Joan served with pancakes, right?”
“Ah, that one.”
““““It was amazing~””””
“What!? … And why exactly have you eaten Joan’s sweets, hmm? Care to explain that to me properly?”
““““!!””””
Souya, Ricky, Dagger, and Brad froze like frogs before a snake. The others quietly stood up and slipped away toward the food tables—clearly thinking best not to get involved with this one.
“Vince, no intimidation in the cafeteria, please.”
“Ah, Prince Fred! My apologies. I got carried away…”
“Joan, enjoying yourself?”
“Yeah, well, sort of?”
“You haven’t changed at all.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“That wasn’t a compliment. Anyway, what’s this about? I assume this whole scene is somehow connected to you?”
“Excuse me! Don’t blame everything on me! Souya and the others were just talking about eating my pancakes with compote, and Vee decided to get all intimidating on his own!”
“What!? Even I haven’t had Joan’s cooking recently!”
“Wait, that’s your issue?”
“Vince, perhaps we should join forces here.”
“As you command!”
“Don’t you dare! Souya and the others only ate that because we took an orphanage request together and cooked with the kids! If you harm them any further, I have my own countermeasures ready.”
“Oh? And what might those be?”
“First, I’ll report both of you to your mothers.”
“And? Even if you do, our mothers will just laugh it off.”
“Then I’ll stop providing any of my cooking to your families—forever. Recipes included. Oh, and no more dried fruits either.”
““What!?””
Reporting to their mothers might earn a laugh and nothing more, but if because of their own actions their families could no longer enjoy Joan’s cooking—especially the dried fruits that erased fatigue—it was a serious matter.
““We’re sorry.””
“““““……”””””
Belle and the others blinked in surprise. Those two—one the Second Prince, the other the Knight Department’s top student—had actually apologized. And the one who had made them yield was none other than their friend, Joan.
“I’m glad you understand.”
Prince Fred left, requesting hamburgers next time. Vee looked like he was about to go too—but then he paused and turned back.
“By the way… any boyfriends among you here with Joan?”
“““““Huh?”””””
“Vee, what are you even talking about?”
“Well, if there is one, we’ll have to test him. Thought I’d let you know.”
“Who’s ‘we’ supposed to be?”
“My brother and Brother Noel. Oh—and Brother Gene and I will be part of the test too. Later.”
Leaving those words behind, he strolled off toward his classmates.
“Haah… sorry, everyone.”
I finally returned to the table and apologized to my classmates and to Souya’s group.
“Well, it’s not really something you need to apologize for, but… who exactly is that Vince guy?”
“Oh, right. Souya and Ricky already know, but the rest don’t. Umm, Vince Longest. He’s my cousin—Father’s sister is his mother.”
“… And that ‘test’ he mentioned earlier?”
“Ah, that. Vee’s brother is Arandolph Longest—he’s in the Royal Guard. Then there’s Brother Noel, my eldest brother, in the Mage Corps. And Brother Gene, my younger brother, in the Monster Subjugation Corps… Oh! Belle, they just brought more meat out—let’s go!”
As Joan and Belle dashed off toward the buffet line, someone at the table murmured:
“She’s bright, can cook…”
“She’s kind to everyone and strong too…”
“Her smile’s adorable, and she even looks cute when she naps…”
“She eats well, laughs easily…”
“Lately, she smells really nice too…”
“Yeah… and kind of sexy, lately…”
“But with the Royal Guard, Mage Corps, Monster Subjugation Corps, and the top student Vince all lined up…”
“““““““We don’t stand a chance…”””””””
Unaware that several budding crushes had just been snuffed out, Joan cheerfully served food with a smile.
However—this was the Knight Dormitory. Many students here possessed the Body Enhancement skill, meaning Souya and the others’ conversation carried far and wide. Naturally, both Vince and Prince Fred heard every word. Souya’s group had no idea that soft chuckles were echoing all around the room.
What do you think about this chapter?
