After reminding us for about the hundredth time that we were all in the same promotion and should cooperate, Mona kept talking for another hour, layering on rules, structures, and warnings before finally dismissing us.
Lunchtime at last.
"Edward, I will never forgive you!"
"Are you a kid?" I asked, standing up and stretching my back.
"A kid? The whole class is making fun of me!"
"Not Milleia though."
"Eh?"
Milleia blinked, caught off guard as I dragged her into it. I just wanted to redirect Jayden's anger. Sorry, Milleia.
"Milleia laughed too!" Jayden accused.
"S-Sorry! I couldn't help it!" Milleia brought her hands together in a small bow of apology.
"Everyone thinks I'm going to disguise myself as a girl now…" Jayden muttered with a hollow little laugh.
"J-Jayden, I know you won't do it. Don't worry," Milleia said, patting his back with a bright smile.
"Milleia…"
And there he went. Frozen again.
This guy… did he already fall for her?
[
I wasn't doing it for him.
It was revenge. Pure, clean revenge.
She made it sound like I was running a full-time wingman service.
"Oh? Isn't that Edward?"
"Hm?"
We turned to see the curly blond-haired beauty herself: Lyra Kertalir, one of the heroines of Princess And Dragon.
"Edward, you know her?" Milleia asked.
"Yeah. Go ahead, I'll join you at the cafeteria."
"Okay…"
Jayden and Milleia nodded and left.
Normally they would have eagerly introduced themselves, but Lyra screamed 'noble lady' from ten meters away. After what happened with Ronald, they were more guarded around nobles, me being the weird exception.
"Lyra…"
Lyra Kertalir.
I'd spoken to her a few times over the years at banquets, making small talk. She was the type who looked for something interesting to break the boredom of noble life. To me, as someone who'd known her since childhood, she was just… normal. Social, a little restless, with that 'cool' facade she liked to put on.
"Wow, you really changed, Edward," she said, stepping closer and scanning me from head to toe.
"Did you slim down to impress Aurora? Too late, you know. She broke off the engagement."
She shrugged as if genuinely disappointed on my behalf.
"I didn't do it for her," I snorted, turning toward the door.
Lyra fell into step beside me.
"Then who for?" She asked.
"For my own well-being."
"No way…"
"Shut up."
She giggled at my reaction.
"The real reason, then?" She pressed, for an answer.
I stopped, turned around, and stepped toward her.
"...!"
Lyra's hand came up, ready to smack my face away, she clearly thought I was going to try something, like I used to.
I angled my head away from her palm, caught her wrist gently, and leaned in.
"I just want to beat the shit out of Alfred, Loid, Thomas, David, and Ronald," I whispered.
"Eh?"
She stared at me, dumbfounded.
I stepped back and grinned.
"That's all."
It wasn't a lie.
Those five idiots had made my life hell at every banquet. Not Edward's memories,,Nyrel's grudge that stung.
"Pffft!"
Lyra burst out laughing.
"I can't believe I'd hear that from you, Edward!"
She wiped at the corner of her eye.
I shrugged and walked out of the classroom.
"Hey! Wait for me!"
"No."
"Do you even know where the cafeteria is?"
"Yeah."
"Then let me walk with you."
"Is that how a noble talks? You are a Marquis's daughter, right?"
Lyra smiled.
"At least let me act normal when nobody important is around, Edward," she sighed. "Look at this."
She pinched her pinafore skirt.
"I wanted the blazer uniform, but Father refused."
"Why? It suits you," I said.
"Of course it does! But I like the one your friend wore more."
"Milleia?"
"Yeah… speaking of her," Lyra glanced sideways at me. "I never thought you'd befriend commoners."
She narrowed her eyes.
Don't tell me she was thinking I was after Milleia's body.
[
Didn't need the confirmation, useless Goddess!
"Listen, Lyra," I said. "I might have been like that before, but that's in the past. I'm not doing that anymore. Milleia and Jayden are just people I met and got along with."
"…"
She stared at me, trying to detect any lie.
"Okay, I believe you," she finally said.
"I don't care whether you do or not."
"Harsh."
I ignored her, shoving my hands into my pockets.
She kept walking next to me.
What does she want?
"Why are you still following me?" I asked.
"Hm? You're the only person I know in our class, and I'm going to the cafeteria too."
"Don't play dumb. I know you."
"Oh? Is that a confession?" She teased.
"You're a pain in the ass."
"Wasn't it you who complained about how I speak? Look at yourself," she shot back. "No blazer, no tie, shirt untucked, strolling around like some delinquent. If your sister saw you—"
"I don't care," I cut in. "You know I left the house, right?"
"Yes. I heard Duke Falkrona drove you out and chose Simon as the new heir."
My teeth clenched.
I was the one who left on my own, dammit.
Lyra tilted her head.
"Aren't you angry to lose your status as heir?"
"What? I don't care about that," I growled. "Managing the territory is a pain. That jerk Simon can have it."
"…"
…
…
The cafeteria was housed in a large, oval building between the fourth (north) building and the first-year building to the west.
It wasn't hard to find; students were pouring in from all directions. First years, second years, third years, all packed together.
Thankfully, nobody had to starve. Over two hundred elite chefs worked here, turning out balanced meals like a military operation.
Five floors.
On each floor, one side was all kitchens, the rest a massive dining area packed with tables, already set with cutlery and condiments.
How the hell was I supposed to find them?
I scanned the first floor.
-Clink!
The sharp sound of cutlery and a plate smashing against the ground echoed through the space.
There it is.
The little cafeteria incident.
I didn't know which floor it'd be on in this world, but fortunately it was here, on the first. At least I didn't need to check upstairs.
The higher the floor, the more 'prestigious' the crowd tended to be, not an official rule, but the fifth floor had a garden, which nobles loved.
And the people I was thinking about… were, obviously, the [Main Characters]. The attention seekers, eating as high as possible.
[
[Yes.]
'It's not the game now!'
That useless Goddess only ever spoke up to argue.
"Won't you help them, Edward?" Lyra asked, tapping my shoulder.
"What?"
"I mean them." She pointed.
Milleia and Jayden were staring at the ground. Their trays had been knocked over on purpose by three smirking typical young masters. From the dark green emblem on their sleeves, I recognized them as Basilisk students, my class.
Just like in the game.
Except… they seemed more aggressive?
Why?
"Edward?"
"Leave them," I said quietly. "I'm not their babysitter. They need to learn how to deal with this. It'll happen again."
There was still noble bullying, even with the Student Council and Executive Board supposedly keeping order.
"W-Why…?" Milleia's voice trembled.
She stared at the mess on the floor, completely thrown.
Guilt pricked at me.
[
No way in hell.
It was just… Milleia's character.
Maybe because I'd played the game, I felt like I knew her already.
"You! You did it on purpose!" Jayden snapped, finally losing his temper and grabbing the ringleader's shirt.
"Hey. Do you know who you're touching?" One of the cronies snapped.
"He's Teen Masta, son of Viscount Masta. You'll get kicked out of the academy and your pretty girlfriend too."
"Nah, we're generous," the other one snickered. "We'll keep the girl. She'll be honored to entertain us."
He let his gaze crawl over Milleia in a way that made my hands itch.
"You…!" Jayden's arm crackled with blue sparks.
"No, Jayden!" Milleia grabbed his arm desperately.
"But, Milleia...!"
"Please, let's just leave," she pleaded. "We can find another table…"
"Milleia…"
Jayden bit his lip and let go of the guy's shirt.
Milleia forced herself to smile at him, but it was clearly hurting her.
Lyra looked disgusted, shooting occasional glares my way.
I ignored them.
Milleia bent down, picked up a broom from a nearby corner, and started sweeping the spilled food. She didn't have to; staff were hired for that. But she still did it.
"Hmph. Do you think, just because that good-for-nothing Edward is your owner, you can do whatever you want?"
…Never mind.
The instant that third-rate bastard dragged my name into it, every bit of carefully constructed reasoning evaporated.
I stepped forward.