Chapter Eighty-Five: Ais: Izay, Go on a Date with Me… (First Update)
As if perfectly timed, right after Riviria had given Ais some advice, the bell resonated throughout the entire Twilight Manor.
This was the signal indicating that breakfast time was approaching.
Despite having many doubts about Riviria’s plan, at this point, Ais still picked up her wooden sword and returned to the tower with Riviria from the courtyard.
From the sound of the bell ringing until breakfast began, there was approximately a ten-minute gap.
Taking advantage of this interval, Ais went to the quarters’ bathhouse to prepare for a quick rinse.
Meanwhile, awoken by the bell, Izay got up, washed his face conscientiously, dressed properly, and strolled down the narrow corridors of the headquarters towards the large dining hall.
Inside the dining room, several members were already setting the breakfast dishes and plates on the table.
The aroma emanating from the kitchen made its way into Izay’s nostrils, involuntarily making him anticipate the meal as his stomach, which had just begun to wake up, was stimulated.
He slightly glanced toward the kitchen window and saw a few silhouettes inside directing the preparation of breakfast. Approaching closer, Izay smiled.
“Today’s breakfast is being led by you, isn’t it, Rine?”
Inside the cafeteria kitchen stood a bespectacled girl with long black hair braided into a single plait hanging behind her back, adorned with a white headband amidst her tresses.
Rine Yarushe.
She also belonged to the second echelon within the Familial Group.
Though only Level 2, she was one of the core members of the second echelon, primarily serving as both healer and supporter—a kind-hearted young girl.
Thanks initially to a temporarily deceased buddy, Izay had developed good relations with everyone in the second echelon.
Now, as his tenure in the Familial Group increased, he was gradually getting acquainted with the main members.
It should be noted that due to various reasons, Izay was now someone who could get along well with anyone.
Even a certain arrogant grandpa-type individual.
After all, when you owe someone, you feel indebted…
“Good morning, Izay. It’s my turn today.”
Through the kitchen window, Rine smiled in response.
“What’s today’s menu?”
“Today, we have a rich vegetable soup and salad, sandwiches with vegetables and salted meats, and an omelet filled with vegetables.”
“Is there milk?”
“Of course, there is.”
“That really sounds promising～”
As one of the top Familial Groups in Orario, the ingredients used within Loki Familia are certainly not ordinary ones.
All provided by the [Demeter Familia], they consist of premium vegetables and fruits.
Demeter, the goddess specializing in agriculture, leads an agricultural faction, making her Familia the largest supplier of agricultural products in Orario.
Their produce is sweet and highly nutritious.
Since Izay wasn’t entirely accustomed to the idea of others preparing breakfast for him, he joined the group arranging the tableware in the cafeteria with some thoughts in mind.
While sequentially placing various utensils on the rectangular dining table, he prepared himself a portion of breakfast and asked Rine for an extra glass of milk.
“T-Tiona-sama, we can handle breakfast…”
“The leader’s breakfast must be made by me! You don’t need to interfere, step aside!”
During this period, a certain Amazonian, harboring similar sentiments to Izay, had also nestled into the kitchen.
Pushing away the members trying to help, muttering words like “love breakfast,” she excitedly began preparations.
In no time, more and more people gathered in the large cafeteria, entering the breakfast hour.
Everyone reached out to grab steaming hot soups or tender omelets.
Only before Familial Leader Finn, placed on the upper seat, was a wild warrior dish consisting of a whole roasted giant fish.
With a fish clearly still a juvenile yet exceeding a meter in length before him, the Halfling Tribe Leader remained silent, his gaze drifting off.
Poor leader…
Izay glanced at Finn’s predicament and enjoyed breakfast with Anqi, Alisia, Cruz, and others.
Next to him, however, was an empty seat.
“Huh? Where’s Raul?”
Anqi twitched her cat ears, looking at the empty seat next to Izay, inevitably raising doubts.
“Did he oversleep?”
The older sister elf, Alisia, made a guess.
“No, there’s a deeper reason here…”
Izay shook his head: “Simply put, Raul has temporarily fallen.”
“Fallen?”
“Yeah, fallen.”
At this moment, Raul probably hadn’t recovered yet from the punishment of staying up late to rewrite a twenty-thousand-word confession.
Thinking about the elder brother’s screams deep into the night, Izay couldn’t help but laugh.
The nearby Anqi and Alisia exchanged glances upon seeing him suddenly burst into laughter, both noticing the confusion in each other’s eyes.
Just as Izay was musing over this, a streak of gold scattered from the corner of his eye, followed by a subtle fragrance.
“???”
Izay blinked blankly. Hadn’t a blonde beauty just sat next to him?
Turning his head with a look of astonishment, he met the calm golden eyes of the aloof blonde girl.
“Izay… go on a date with me.”
Seeing Izay look at her, the pink lips of the emotionless blonde girl moved, revealing her intentions without reservation.
“—!!”
“Pfft!!!!”
“A-Ais-sama???”
“How bold!”
One sentence became the fuse that ignited the explosives.
The Familial Group members, who had been secretly observing the situation due to Ais’ actions, experienced about three seconds of eerie silence after Ais finished speaking, then instantly erupted.
A certain werewolf dropped his jaw, Tiona spilled all the vegetable soup in her mouth, the mountain breeze-colored little fairy had already lost her shine, looking broken…
On the upper seat, Riviria, who had been secretly observing the situation, also slightly opened her small mouth.
Yes, she did give Ais the idea, but she didn’t expect Ais to speak so directly to Izay during breakfast, under everyone’s watchful eyes!
“Young people these days… full of energy.”
Beside them, Gress drank up a cup of wine and chuckled.
“Oh my, I didn’t expect you, Izay, to secretly win Ais’ heart. Congratulations～”
In the nearby position, Anqi was too shocked to speak, whereas the older sister elf was much more composed than her, smiling and teasing.
“Congratulations for what? Congratulations that I’ll be backstabbed by Loki tonight?”
Izay instinctively countered.
Thankfully, Loki, that drunkard, hasn’t woken up yet; otherwise, wouldn’t he be in danger?
Immediately afterward, Mr. Izay, sensing that things weren’t so simple, directed his serious gaze at Ais.
Feeling his stare, Ais tilted her adorable head cutely.
No, Izay, you can’t be enchanted!
This is one of life’s three great illusions—she likes me?!
The naturally dense Ais couldn’t possibly do something like this; she doesn’t even understand what liking someone means!
“…Ais, come with me.”
Realizing that the surrounding atmosphere wasn’t suitable for conversation, Izay quickly tidied up the breakfast he hadn’t finished eating, took his plate, and pulled Ais out of the large dining hall.
Ais didn’t resist, obediently allowing Izay to lead her away.
As they walked out, another round of commotion ensued…..
