Chapter 114: Trouble Is Back
The opening ceremony turned out to be shorter than I expected.
Principal Grandma’s powerful speech worked wonders—everyone was pumped up afterward, practically glowing with enthusiasm. Especially Sarah, who looked like she was about to burst into tears from excitement.
But I couldn’t help but wonder how long this fiery spirit would last.
Next, we went through the school rules and course arrangements… Finally, as the bell tower went “ding—ding—,” we all joined Sister Teresa to pray to a deity. I’m not sure what that was supposed to change; putting my hopes in some deity who probably didn’t even know where we were felt less reliable than believing in myself.
Of course, I couldn’t voice such thoughts, but I really didn’t get what we were supposed to pray for. In the end, I settled for a silent wish: I hoped the school cafeteria would treat me well.
As for those running laps… Most weren’t even halfway done when the ceremony finished. I saw some girls collapse midway and were helped into a little building at the edge of the training grounds, probably a medical room or something. They came out pretty quick, only to continue running until they’d completed twenty laps.
Afterward, I watched that Fire Boy puke… What a mess! I could just tell those two were gonna hold a grudge against me for this. So I’d better figure out some ways to keep them busy later.
Finally, lunchtime arrived, and everyone was buzzing with excitement!
I urged Sarah and the others along as we practically sprinted to the cafeteria, where, surprise surprise, it seemed like praying to the deity had paid off.
The building was quaint and simple in design, and even from ten meters away, you could smell the delicious food wafting through the air. Inside was larger than I ever imagined, with rows of stalls lining the walls, offering an array of mouthwatering dishes like a mini food street.
The best part? All of it was free for students—sure, we paid a hefty fee every year, but those coins were paid by Angel, so no worries on my end.
I dashed over to one of Sarah’s stalls, eager to pick an appetizer first.
“Hey there, pretty miss, you’re here early! What can I get for you?” The chubby aunt mixing salad dressing greeted me with a warm smile.
“Umm… borage and sage…” I tapped my chin, considering, “Don’t want those two, I’ll take everything else.”
The auntie’s smile froze on her face.
“…Um, miss, the school rule is that you can only choose five kinds of fruits and vegetables at a time. You can come back for more after you finish! No wasting allowed.”
I frowned.
But I wanted that one today… If I could only pick five, it would feel too small, and I’d have to make multiple trips—what a hassle.
They made the rules to avoid waste, of course; still, rules are rigid while people are not.
So I shot her a serious look. “I can finish it all.”
“Miss, you’re joking…”
“I can finish it all.”
I blinked innocently.
“…Alright then.” Maybe it was my strong confidence shining through that convinced her. The aunt chuckled and shook her head, “What a charming girl! You’re going to melt my heart… but I don’t have plates that big! Just take a little of each, okay?”
“Sure.” After a moment’s thought, I added, “Put extra sauce on it.”
“That’s fine! But no wasting allowed, the farmers work really hard.”
“Won’t waste it!”
In the end, the aunt piled two huge plates of salad for me, and I carried them back to the table Sophia had picked, then darted over to the barbecue uncle to deceive him into thinking we had a large group, grabbing an entire roasted leg of lamb.
After tilting my head in thought, I ran back for some pastries and pies, and by the time I made my third trip to the table, the girls were already seated with their plates of food.
They looked a bit stunned.
“Peilo, are you planning to hoard food for three days?” Sophia stared at me, her eyes wide with disbelief.
“It’ll spoil, right? Even if it’s free… that’s just too much waste! Who can finish all that?” Sarah frowned, and even Daisy gave me a puzzled look.
I sat down and smiled at them.
“I can…”
Wait a second.
Suddenly, I realized a serious problem.
Before this, I mostly ate with familiar faces, like Carlos or everyone from Shanter Castle. I’d sometimes hide away to eat alone, so I didn’t think of this… I was in the school cafeteria now, a public place!
I glanced around to see more and more students entering; many were sneakily glancing my way. If I just sat there and gobbled up all this food in front of so many people…
No way! I couldn’t let that happen. I, Sylvigar, couldn’t afford to lose face like this.
With a quick thought, I said, “Hey, little pup. Found it behind the tower yesterday.”
Clearly, that lame excuse didn’t convince the girls.
But I didn’t need them to believe me; since we’d be seeing each other every day, it would come out soon enough. Better to be honest now, and who knows, they might even help me dodge some trouble later.
It just made lunch a bit painful. Delicious food was right in front of me, but I couldn’t indulge fully… Ah well, face first.
Later, I got some butcher paper and wrapped up the untouched leg of lamb and pies, preparing to take them back to the dorm for a leisurely feast. Little did I know, on my way back, I’d bump into some irritating knuckleheads.
“Hey, hey, where are you off to?” Red-haired Alex and his buddies, whether by chance or by design, had gathered at the tower’s path, surrounding me. “What’s the good stuff you’re holding? Can we take a look, Miss Peilo?”
…Guess they already knew who I was.
These guys didn’t seem up to any good, and Sarah stepped in front of me, her expression full of caution. “What do you want?”
“Nothing bad! We’re friends with Miss Peilo.”
Alex seemed oblivious to the warning signals coming from Sarah, casually saying, and then flashed a grin at me, “Right, Miss Peilo?”
Sarah opened her mouth, ready to say something more, but I gently tugged on her sleeve.
“Let’s go. Don’t mind them.”
I moved on, with the intent of smashing their noses if they dared to stop me, but surprisingly, Alex didn’t take any action. He just smiled as we walked past.
Then, without saying a word, his whole group began to follow us at a distance.
…This was annoying too.
“Stop following me!”
“Who’s following you? We just happen to be walking this way, okay?”
“Hahahaha!”
Laughter erupted behind me, and I frowned, tempted to throw punches.
Suddenly, I felt someone grip my arm tightly, and turning to see Daisy’s worried little face.
“Who are they… They seem scary…”
“Peilo, do you know them?” Sophia leaned in, her face serious.
I smiled and shook my head. “No idea.”
Sophia’s expression darkened further.
“This could be a problem… That redhead, I know him. His name’s Alex, a notorious troublemaker from Royal City. He’s got his sights set on you.”
