Since there were no classes I could attend in the morning, I casually walked around the school and headed to the student cafeteria on the first floor of the main building to fulfill my promise to have lunch together with Lily and Fiona.
Of course, the ones I promised to meet were Lily and Fiona; Simon was still holed up in the laboratory today, and I had no idea where Wil was wandering around.
I arrived at the cafeteria with a good fifteen minutes to spare before the lunch break bell rang, but it seemed the two of them had not arrived yet.
True to its title as a “palace of France,” the main building had a luxurious interior, and this student cafeteria was no exception.
The ceiling was so high it could accommodate two stories of a regular building, and hanging from it was a splendid chandelier, which made the place feel more like a hall for a noble dinner party than a cafeteria.
One wall displayed a large painting titled “The Seven Battle Goddesses,” and all I could think about was how much that single painting must cost, showing just how small-minded I truly was.
Despite the grandeur of the cafeteria, there were hardly any people around.
The only ones using the main building were the Executive Candidates and Knight Apprentices, whose schedules were packed with classes, so at this time, they were still in class.
The few that were seated and eating were probably students from the Adventurer Course like me, or students skipping class.
It seemed they had the idea to finish lunch before it got crowded during the lunch break.
As I contemplated that we might have been better off using the cafeteria earlier, the bell signaling the start of the lunch break rang.
With a rush that suggested they had made a sprint start from their classrooms, boys and girls clad in black blazers came flooding into the cafeteria.
“Wow, that’s a lot of people…”
The extensive seating in the cafeteria began to fill up steadily with the seemingly endless stream of students.
Oops, it would have been better to secure a seat first rather than wait at the entrance.
Regretting my miscalculation, I decided there was no point in changing my approach now and quietly waited for the two of them near the entrance.
In the meantime, I noticed that the cafeteria operated on a ticket system.
There were no automatic vending machines powered by electricity, and a lively attendant was engaged in cash transactions at what looked like a counter.
Seeing this chaos, it seemed wise to prepare some coins to avoid having to deal with exact change.
As I crossed my arms and contemplated how to navigate the cafeteria effectively,
“Um, are you having any trouble?”
Suddenly, a voice came from behind me.
Feeling a sense of déjà vu as if I had heard that voice and line somewhere before, I turned around.
“Ah, it’s you from that time.”
“Well, I’m glad you remember me.”
Her noble beauty, reminiscent of a princess with black hair and blue eyes, coupled with the unique sight of white wings sprouting from her back, made her a figure that was impossible to forget.
She was the adventurer who had helped me when my horse abruptly stopped back in Dakia Village.
“So you’re a student here.”
That was my thought as well.
Back then we had both been equipped for a quest, but now we wore the same school uniform of the School of the Gods.
Coincidentally, she also wore a red cloak, indicating that she was an Executive Candidate.
Furthermore, the stunning white knee socks that covered her curvy thighs drew attention, showcasing a legline that could captivate anyone, even if one had no special attachment to legs.
“I just started attending the School of the Gods today.”
“Oh, you’re a new student then.”
No wonder I hadn’t seen her before, and her cheerful smile made me feel warm and a bit charmed.
Perhaps her beauty was activating some sort of charm ability, which would be understandable.
Well, even if that were the case, I was used to Girl Lily, so I wouldn’t be easily entrapped.
“Oh right, I haven’t introduced myself yet, I apologize. My name is Nel.”
“I’m Chrono. You really helped me back then, thank you.”
“No, I’m just glad to have been of help.”
She said happily, her wings fluttering behind her as if wagging like a dog’s tail.
“Since you’re a new student, you probably don’t know how to use this cafeteria, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
The fact that she went out of her way to mention that probably meant there was some secret about it that wasn’t obvious at first glance.
If that’s the case, it’s best to learn the proper etiquette before I embarrass myself.
“I would appreciate your guidance.”
“Yes, I will take responsibility to teach you!”
Her eyes sparkled like a clear blue sky as she eagerly responded, just like when she helped me before.
“This cafeteria doesn’t allow you to order food directly; instead, you buy a ticket at that counter which lists the menu.”
With a confident expression, Nel pointed to the ticket selling area where a long queue was battling for food tickets, with students pushing against each other in a chaotic scene.
Seeing such a sight reminded me of the fierce competitions for popular snack breads during high school; hungry students seemed to behave the same way in another world too.
“And then?”
“Yes, after you purchase the ticket, you present it at the next counter, exchanging it for a number sign, and then you sit and wait for your order to be brought to you.”
“And then?”
“Huh? Well, after that, um, you say ‘itadakimasu’ and eat.”
Hmm, it seems like a standard ticket system without any special procedures needed.
I could fully understand the flow just by observing from the side, without needing detailed explanations.
However,
“How was that, did you understand?”
She looked at me with an expectant gaze, like a dog wanting praise from its owner, making it difficult for me to just say I already knew without seeming rude.
“E-eh, I see, it was my first time using a ticket system like this, thank you for the help.”
This was indeed my first time using a ticket system in this world, yes, I wasn’t lying.
“Hehehe, it’s nothing, it’s only natural that I, as a senior, help out!”
With a somewhat proud posture, Nel smiled satisfied, her chest, which was above average, swayed.
Despite the layered clothing of underwear, blouse, and outerwear, it was still very noticeable; she had a considerable mass.
“Now then, I’ll show you how to buy a ticket as a senior.”
Despite me not asking, she offered yet again and headed towards the tumultuous ticket counter.
“Ah, no, not to that extent…”
“It’s fine, Chrono! Leave it to me!”
There was no way to stop her with her determined expression and raised eyebrows.
“Okay, please do.”
“Yes!”
With an oddly cute war cry, Nel charged into the fray like a starving wolf.
“Um, um, I’d like a ticket, please!”
And within ten seconds, she was easily defeated in the fight.
She was knocked aside by a female student in a uniform who charged toward the counter with incredible force.
The exposed square butt of the female student, akin to a cardboard box, was like a battering ram.
“Kyah!”
Oh no, she was about to fall; judging the situation, I rushed forward and closed the distance in one breath, catching her collapsing body.
By sheer coincidence, we ended up in a position where we were hugging each other.
“Whoa… Chrono?”
Not sure if she had missed my approach with her eyes or hadn’t registered me from the beginning, Nel was surprised as she suddenly landed in my chest.
“Are you okay?”
“Ah, yes, thank you.”
Her warm smile at such close proximity made me a little shy; I’m a man, after all, and there’s no way I wouldn’t feel a bit flustered in the presence of such a beauty.
Although I felt it was somewhat regrettable, I thought it wouldn’t be good to remain in such close contact with a woman I had just met, so I pushed the hand on her shoulder back, trying to distance myself, when at that moment,
“Hey, you! What are you doing to Nel?!”
An ear-splitting angry voice rang out—it was threatening!
My school life was about to bear a wonderful encounter…
May 4, 2012
Notice of change in update pace. I sincerely apologize, but starting next week, I plan to reduce updates to twice a week on Mondays and Fridays.
The reason for this change is that after submitting my entry to the Dengeki Prize, I am considering submitting to other awards as well, which requires time for writing. The results for the Dengeki Prize will not be announced yet, so I have time to write submissions other than “Black Demon King.” Of course, I also feel strongly about writing those works.
However, I haven’t decided which award to enter just yet, so depending on the completion of the new work I begin, I plan to choose one that has a sufficient time margin for submission. I will inform you about the submission details in this afterword when the time comes.
Having just finished submitting to Dengeki and increasing my update pace only to drop it so soon is truly regrettable. However, there’s no way I could drop below this twice-a-week pace, given the amount I’ve written ahead, so please rest assured on that. If I become more comfortable with my backlog, or if a chapter is short and I feel it should be posted sooner, I plan to consider posting multiple updates in succession.
Thank you for your continued support of “Black Demon King.”