All-You-Can-Eat Sweets
That Senior Kazul chose me just because I looked down in embarrassment…
“Maybe that’s why? Well, Vince did tell me not to pick you. Right after the graduation ceremony, actually.”
“What!? Vee did?”
“Vince’s feelings toward you are kind of famous, you know. Our classmates were all laughing, saying it was his usual overprotectiveness. But… maybe I was just interested?”
“Eh? In—in me?”
“Yeah. You were the first girl I ever saw who wanted to join a monster subjugation corps. I was wondering—why would a margrave’s daughter choose something so dangerous? If I remember right, your grandmother is Lady Lindsay, isn’t she? Wouldn’t you rather become part of the Royal Guard like her?”
It was true that I’d admired the Royal Guard once. Even when Cathy became engaged to the First Prince…
But I wanted to join the subjugation corps. A place where rank and attributes didn’t matter—only strength.
“Well, I did admire the Royal Guard at one point. But… didn’t Vee tell you? That I’m a Null?”
“—!! I’m sorry, I didn’t know…”
“I’ve heard the Royal Guard only accepts noble sons and daughters who graduate from the Knight Course, but they also need the strength to protect royalty or foreign dignitaries, right? And that’s not something you can do with swordsmanship or martial arts alone. That’s why I think it would be difficult for someone like me who has no attribute. There might be situations where a sword just isn’t enough.”
“So that’s why you chose the subjugation corps?”
“The corps doesn’t care about attributes, rank, or gender—it’s all about ability. I even talked to female members who used to belong there. So… maybe that’s why?”
“Well, I might be out of line saying this, but… as a noble lady, you could always just marry, right?”
“I mean, that’s true. But come on—I’m a Null attribute noble. No one’s going to take me.”
“Then… you don’t have a fiancé because…”
“Oh, it’s not like I got rejected or anything! My family just doesn’t do political marriages. Not my grandparents, not my parents. We get to choose our own partners, so I’m grateful for that.”
“Huh. Lampail really is an unusual noble family.”
“Maybe so. But I’m thankful for them.”
I smiled to show that I had no regrets.
“Hmmm. I guess Vince being overprotective isn’t just because of your Null attribute…”
“Eh? What do you mean?”
“Nah, nothing. Oh, the song’s ending.”
“Yes… Thank you very much.”
As my dance with Senior Kazul ended, Vee and Belle—who had apparently been dancing too—walked up.
“Kazul, my friend, we need to have a talk.”
“Yeah yeah, I’m coming. See you later, Joan.”
Senior Kazul waved at me as Vee dragged him away.
He said, “See you later.” … I really have to make it into the subjugation corps now.
“... oan? Joan? Come back to earth.”
“Hm? Oh, Belle, sorry—what is it?”
“Geez. Want to grab a drink or something?”
“Oh, yeah! I’m parched from dancing and nerves.”
“Hehe, but hey, you did great.”
“Mm-hm. I didn’t step on anyone’s toes this time.”
“Whoa, that’s progress! You used to stomp on everyone’s feet.”
After that, I danced with Vee, Senior Noah, and some of the others. By the end of the party, my calves were burning—but seeing how happy everyone looked made it worth it.
Afterward, the four of us returned to Lampail Manor, got leg massages from the team maids, and had a sleepover. Tomorrow, around afternoon tea time, we’d meet Teacher Brian and Teacher Hector at the floating café—for an all-you-can-eat sweets buffet.
＊＊＊＊＊
““““Delicious!!””””
“Ohhh, this is amazing.”
““……””
Teacher Brian and Teacher Hector’s silence could only mean one thing…
—Nine hours earlier—
“Hey, Kelly? Any recommendations for the floating café’s sweets right now?”
Kelly, who handled desserts at the Lampail townhouse in the capital, spent every day off touring the city’s sweet shops—sometimes with Anny.
“Let’s see… lately, the strawberry-berry sweets are popular. Are you going with everyone?”
“Yeah. The teachers promised to treat us if we went to the dance party yesterday.”
We’d talked beforehand about why we were attending even though we weren’t graduates—but not about the fact we’d be getting treated.
“Ahh, so that’s why you went.”
“Hehe.”
“The ‘teachers’ you mean are… Brian and Hector, right?”
“Yup, that’s them.”
“… Maybe I should come along too?”
““Huh!?””
Kelly and I couldn’t believe what Mr. Abe said.
“Hey, I’m just saying—as your bodyguard. You’re going with three noble ladies, after all.”
“But Head Chef, you don’t need to guard them. If anything, Young Lady Joan and the others would win.”
“Mr. Abe, you just want to eat, don’t you?”
“Huh? Well… that’s a bonus. I just thought it’d be good to catch up with some old subordinates.”
“You totally just want to eat.”
“Yup, that’s what I think too.”
“... Fine, yeah, I wanna eat, okay!? Haven’t been there in a while!”
““Ahahaha!””
And that’s how we got here.
“… Captain Abe, why are you even here?”
“Huh? Like I said—bodyguard.”
“You’re the Head Chef though, right?”
“Head Chef and bodyguard.”
““……””
“No, seriously, these four don’t need a bodyguard!”
“Yeah, if anything, someone’s gotta stop them before they go too far…”
“Exactly. I’m the guard and the stopper… Ah, let’s get another one of these.”
“Right away, sir!”
Mr. Abe chatted casually with Teacher Brian and Teacher Hector while ordering more sweets.
““““Thank you for the meal!!””””
“That was delicious. Let’s do this again.”
““……””
In the end, Abe and we four girls stuffed ourselves silly with sweets, while the teachers’ faces went pale at the size of the bill.
Feeling guilty, Kelly and I decided to send Teacher Brian and Teacher Hector some prepped ingredients for ten days’ worth of simple meals—complete with instructions—along with the cheesecakes we’d made together. We packed everything in a time-stopped Magic Bag and delivered them to their homes: Teacher Brian’s, and the rented house where Teacher Hector lived with his girlfriend.
What do you think about this chapter?
