Chapter 26 – The Unfunny Dude
Glancing at the mountain of fruits and veggies stacked on her plate, Tillysha furrowed her brow.
This… this ain’t quite right, is it?
She was all set for some hearty cooked meat. You know, the kind that warms your insides as it goes down. But instead, all she got was raw vegetables and fruits.
And she ain’t no critter! Why on earth should she be munching on all these leaves and fruit pieces?
Sitting back down after she’d risen to get a better plate of meat, Tillysha sighed to herself. Wasting food’s a terrible habit. She’ll finish this pile of greenery first and worry about the meat later.
With elegance, Tillysha picked up her fork, deftly skewering a Victory Fruit and popping it into her slightly parted lips. She began chewing slowly but surely, savoring the juicy explosion as the fruit’s thin skin broke under her teeth.
The tastes of the fruits and vegetables were surprisingly fresh, untainted by any alchemical preservatives or insecticide concoctions.
Now, fruits in this odd world don’t come cheap. The shelf life makes them quite the investment. Luckily, this realm boasts some alchemy tricks akin to pesticides and preservatives, keeping these goodies in check.
But the properties of these concoctions are much like the chemicals back in her original world—bad for the body in varying degrees. Natural, chemical-free fruits and veggies are where it’s at.
It must be a pretty nice gig being a Divine Maiden at Coleman Academy, Tillysha concluded, able to munch on fresh, organic fruits without a care.
Are the Elven taste buds that different from humans? Tillysha used to scorn fruits and vegetables. She’d rather scarf down free dry bread with a cup of cold water than eat fresh produce. Now here she was, savoring it all with gusto.
Tillysha’s dining manner was a spectacle of grace. She might not have realized it herself, but the way she moved was both methodical and leisurely. Her cherry lips opened just a little as she fed herself piece after piece of vegetable. Then she sliced the fruits into tiny chunks, placing them neatly at the edge of her plate. Only after finishing her veggies would she turn to the fruit slices.
It wasn’t just a meal; it was like watching an artful display of refined human behavior, captivating any onlookers without them realizing it.
Unfortunately, the world doesn’t always play nice. Sometimes it gifts us with folks who are oblivious to social cues and make questionable decisions.
“Little sister, is this your first time visiting the hall of our academy? Why are you only choosing greens?”
Tillysha grimaced. She wasn’t fond of interruptions when she was in the middle of enjoying her food. And being chatted up by overly familiar strangers without a proper introduction? Not her thing at all. But being the poised individual she was, she gave a small ‘hmm’ in response, tossing the stranger a polite but distant smile. She hoped that would be enough for him to back off and let her enjoy her meal.
But no, sometimes the world gives you a fool. If the person had been reasonable and well-mannered, they wouldn’t have chosen this exact moment to bother someone, let alone failed to read the obvious signs.
Apparently undeterred, the young man shamelessly pulled out a chair and plopped himself right next to Tillysha.
Tillysha continued eating, chewing her vegetables gently. The tiny sounds she made while eating were soft, much like a little hamster nibbling on leaves in the quiet.
While Tillysha was averse to people who couldn’t read the room, she figured one random chit-chat with a stranger wouldn’t be the end of the world. That was, until she realized this guy was no ordinary stranger…
From the moment he spoke, Tillysha knew exactly who it was. An old acquaintance, one she hadn’t exactly been eager to bump into again.
Cole. He’d been one of the Knight-rank Divine Maidens in her team back when she’d first arrived. After the Estrid incident, he left her team.
To be honest, Tillysha harbored no resentment toward her former teammates who had parted ways with her.
Like a bird choosing its perch, the bond between them had never been so deep that their departure hurt her. Cole and Leni, both Divine Maidens, decided to leave her—a blind Divine Son—for a more promising team. Tillysha hadn’t blamed them.
She understood their circumstances. Their families needed recognition and stability, and coupled with the impatience of youth, it made perfect sense.
They parted on good terms, and Tillysha hadn’t tried to hold them back. Why hold anyone back from pursuing their ambitions? But what left a bitter taste in her mouth was how they left without so much as a goodbye. No explanation. Nothing. It was as if being associated with her would bring bad luck.
Were they afraid she’d stop them?
Tillysha had hoped that even after leaving, they might greet each other like friends the next time they met. But now, it seemed that was unlikely. Any future encounters in the academy would be laden with awkwardness. Pretending to be strangers might be the best course of action.
So, when Cole tried to strike up a conversation, Tillysha mostly ignored it, nodding politely and making little noises here and there.
“You, little sister, you’re not a Divine Maiden of this academy, am I correct?” Cole, undeterred by her lukewarm reception, pressed on after his barrage of formalities finally gave way to his true intent.
“Ah, well, a month ago, none of us were Divine Maidens of this academy, were we?”
“Haha, true. You’re probably still in training. Need some guidance from someone who’s been through it?” Cole’s smile oozed with an eagerness to impress.
This made Tillysha internally roll her eyes.
“Someone who’s been through it,” “guidance”? He was already acting all high-and-mighty after just a few words. Was this seriously his idea of being friendly?
Of course, he probably didn’t even see her as his equal.
“I wouldn’t want to take up your precious time, so no need.”
“Nah, nah, it’s no problem at all! Taking care of the juniors is our responsibility.” Oblivious to Tillysha’s polite but clear rejection, Cole blabbered on like he was the wisest mentor in the world.
As he engaged in this one-sided chat with Tillysha, his eyes wandered. The young woman with the scarred face wasn’t exactly a beauty contest material, but she sure had a figure that didn’t need improvements. And despite the scar slashing across her face, her skin was as clear and white as freshly fallen snow. Cole found himself swallowing hard.
Subtlety wasn’t everyone’s strong suit, it seemed. Her slight raise of an eyebrow and the light brush of her bangs from her forehead were Tillysha’s ways of sighing inwardly. Some people just don’t have the grace or the sense to heed indirect cues.
