"Time? You mean right now?"
"Yes. Let's discuss it over lunch."
At Beatrice's suggestion, I remained silent and simply glanced at Bell. She immediately began waving her hands frantically.
"Oh, no! I'm fine, really. Please, don't mind me."
Beatrice shrugged at Bell's flustered reaction.
"Did you have a prior engagement? My apologies."
"Not at all, Lady Beatrice! It's no trouble. I'm perfectly fine, so please, go ahead with your business."
Bell bowed to Beatrice as if overwhelmed by the attention, but Beatrice gestured for her to stand up straight.
"Then how about we all dine together? It will be my treat."
"Hmm."
It wasn't what I had originally intended, but the situation was actually turning out quite well.
If Bell joined us, the conversation with Beatrice would be more relaxed, and the atmosphere wouldn't feel so heavy. Besides, if Bell and I ate alone, it might spark strange rumors; with the three of us together, that wouldn't be an issue.
"Alright. Eating together sounds good. Bell, what do you think?"
"I-I would be honored, but I wouldn't want to impose…"
"Not at all. Excessive modesty can be a rudeness of its own. Then I'll consider it settled."
Beatrice took the lead, signaling for us to follow.
"I know a good restaurant. This way."
•
Eredor's student dining district.
In truth, it was less of a cafeteria and more of a high-end commercial district where various restaurants gathered—a gourmet alley, so to speak.
Eredor students were issued a set number of meal tickets each semester, which functioned like cash within the district. Of course, if they wanted better food, they could pay out of pocket. Just like us.
"Whoa…"
Bell's mouth fell open as she stared up at the pure white building before us.
Following Beatrice, we had arrived at a restaurant called [Heaven's Breath]. It was easily the most luxurious establishment in the entire district.
Classic Beatrice.
According to the game's lore, this was the most expensive and famous restaurant in Eredor. Standard meal tickets weren't accepted here, and it operated strictly on a reservation-only basis.
Of course, for Beatrice—the Student Council President of Eredor and an Imperial Princess of the Magic Empire—it was a free pass. Thanks to her, we walked right in without a hitch.
The interior was as lavish as a five-star hotel, filled with white marble and exquisite ornaments. It was the kind of place where you could practically smell the money spent on the decor.
"This way, please."
A waiter guided us to a prime table, shielded from the gazes of other patrons and offering a clear view of the scenery outside. He poured sparkling water into our glasses before taking our orders.
Beatrice ordered the cream pasta, her usual favorite. For an Imperial Princess, she had surprisingly simple tastes.
"Very good. And for you two?"
"I-I'll have what he's having."
Bell nervously passed the decision to me. I glanced over the price list, then closed the menu and handed it back to the waiter.
"The most expensive thing on the menu. Two orders."
"Yes, sir. Right away."
"Ah…"
Bell let out a faint, troubled sigh, but it was too late. Beatrice's brow furrowed slightly at my blatant extravagance.
"Will you even be able to finish it all?"
Beatrice loathed waste of any kind. It was likely a mix of her royal sense of ownership and the cold efficiency inherent to a mage.
"Don't worry. I can finish it."
I'd been eating whatever I could find for the past few days, so I was craving something decent. Plus, with all the physical training and mana breathing I'd been doing lately, my appetite was at its peak. Since I needed to save my own money, I might as well take this chance to feast on her dime.
"And you?" Beatrice asked, looking at Bell.
Fortunately, Bell was a natural-born glutton. The price was the only thing that scared her; the portion size certainly didn't.
"I can eat it all, but, um, the price…"
Bell was a scholarship student. To her, the cost of a single meal here was likely unimaginable. As she hesitated, Beatrice offered a faint, reassuring smile.
"Don't worry about the price. As long as you don't leave anything on the plate, it's fine."
"Ah, yes! Thank you!"
With the small talk out of the way, I got straight to the point.
"So, what did you want to discuss?"
First Elena, and now Beatrice was approaching me. It wasn't a bad position to be in, but I was curious about her motives.
"It's nothing too special. I just wanted to give you a copy of the minutes from our last meeting."
Beatrice pulled a white file from her bag and handed it over. I took it and tucked it into my briefcase. However, I knew this was just a pretext. The real topic was coming.
Sure enough, Beatrice's tone turned serious.
"Roen. Do you remember the incident that occurred during your inauguration ceremony?"
The incident at the inauguration? What was that?
"…I've heard bits and pieces, but my memory is a bit hazy."
I tapped my temple, pretending the trauma of the event had left my mind clouded. It was a very convenient excuse, and Beatrice didn't seem to doubt it.
"Is that so? I heard you had made a full recovery, but it seems that isn't quite the case."
After studying me for a moment, she continued.
"The high-level demons that attacked the grand auditorium that day were driven back by an unknown power. However, the aftereffects still linger."
"The aftereffects are certainly still there," I said, tapping my temple again to emphasize my 'memory loss.'
Beatrice clicked her tongue. "…Stop joking around."
"Alright."
She took a sip of her sparkling water as if her throat had gone dry, then continued.
"Demons normally emit miasma, but most of it dissipates into the air and vanishes. The miasma of a high-level demon, however, is different."
Click.
She placed a glass bottle on the table. Inside the bottle, which was sealed with a complex magic circle, sat a jet-black cube pulsing with dark smoke. It was a Dark Mana Stone, an item I'd seen countless times in game quests.
"A Dark Mana Stone."
"…You know what it is?"
"I'm an alchemist, you know."
"Now that you mention it, yes. I had forgotten."
"…"
"In any case, these are corrupted objects, tainted by the miasma of a high-level demon. They are strictly forbidden. After the incident, the Union's security forces and the academy response teams collected as many as they could from the auditorium, but we believe some are still missing."
"So you're saying they could be circulating within the academy?"
"Yes. While nothing has been reported yet, the possibility is high. If items like this are floating around, it could lead to significant casualties at any time. There's also the chance that someone with malicious intent could use them."
"I see."
"Indeed."
"So. What do you want from me?"
Beatrice, who usually considered me a thorn in her side, had no reason to share this intel unless she wanted something. At my question, she tucked the stone back into her bag.
"Well, I'm not exactly expecting you to solve it. The disciplinary committees of the four academies and the Union's hazardous materials team will handle it. I'm just telling you so you're aware. You are, nominally at least, the Student Council President."
"Right. I'll keep it in mind."
At my nonchalant response, Beatrice pressed a hand to her forehead as if a headache was brewing.
"Haa… I feel like I've wasted my time telling you this."
"Not at all. It was a great help. Really."
I wasn't lying. Thanks to the Dark Mana Stone Beatrice had shown me, the main quest from my memories had become crystal clear. Despite my sincerity, her reaction remained cold.
"That's enough. Don't talk to me anymore. Let's just eat in peace."
Bell, who had been listening in silence, finally mustered the courage to speak.
"Um… you two seem to get along better than I thought."
"Not a chance."
"Miss Bell, that is a rude thing to say. I must ask for an apology."
The responses were immediate and sharp. Bell quickly bowed her head.
"S-Sorry!"
In any case, Beatrice said they would handle the Dark Mana Stone issue, but I knew it wasn't a problem they could resolve on their own. This was the event that signaled the start of a main quest that required the player's intervention: [Traces of Obsession].
The timing and development were slightly different from what I remembered, but that was to be expected given the changes brought about by Roen's survival. The core of the quest would be the same.
Collect the Dark Mana Stones and clean up the mess left by those who used them.
Dark Mana Stones were dangerous catalysts that could trigger a human's transformation into a demon. This was also tied to the primary villains of Mirellin Saga, the 'Twelve Honored Ones.' It wasn't time for them to appear yet, but sooner or later, I would have to face them.
I was lost in my thoughts when the waiter returned, placing a dish in front of Beatrice with an elegant flourish.
"Your cream pasta with Berico bacon. And…"
Rumble, rumble.
The waiter pushed a cart over and placed a massive platter in front of me and another in front of Bell.
"The Trinity Set, featuring a selection of the world's three great delicacies."
"Looks delicious. Let's eat before it gets cold."
As I picked up my utensils, Beatrice's lips formed a slight pout.
"I'm the one paying, you know."
"I know. Bell, you should remember this too—the Imperial Princess's grace."
"Y-Yes, ma'am!"
"…"
Slurp.
I started with the mushroom soup. As expected of the most expensive item on the menu, even the appetizer was exquisite. I then moved on to the main course: a veal steak. It was cooked to perfection, infused with the rich, earthy aroma of truffle.
As we ate, Beatrice cautiously asked a personal question, referring to what had happened in class earlier.
"By the way, Roen. How did you solve that problem?"
"You couldn't solve it?"
I tilted my head as if the answer should have been obvious. Beatrice's eyes widened.
"Of course I could solve it! I was just… surprised that you did."
Fair enough. Given Roen's abysmal academic record, it was a shock. I wiped my mouth with a napkin, paused for a moment, and then offered a faint smile.
"That's a secret."
•
The meal passed quickly. Afterward, I parted ways with Bell and Beatrice. Bell promised she would treat me next time, while Beatrice vowed she would never buy me food again.
"A shame."
I suppose I'll have to be the one to pay next time—if she even agrees to see me.
After lunch, I headed to my next lecture. It was an elective: Understanding of Classical Music. The name alone was a sedative. Fortunately, the lecture hall was in Eredor, so I made it on time despite the long lunch.
I hadn't been getting enough sleep lately since I'd been waking up at dawn for training, so I used the class to catch up on some rest. Thanks to Roen's notoriety, no one dared to bother me even when I slept openly. It was quite convenient.
After my nap, I headed to the next class: [Easy-to-learn Understanding of Spiritology II].
The class was held in the Spiritology Academy's Voltimir territory, specifically in Alfheim Hall, Room 109. Given the distance, I decided to take the tram.
I boarded the mana-powered streetcar at the stop near the square. Watching the beautiful scenery of the Union pass by the window felt novel, reminiscent of old European cities. I sat down and stared blankly outside.
"What? What are you doing here?!"
A high-pitched voice rang out from the back of the tram. It seemed I had boarded the same car as someone unexpected. I really hadn't wanted to attract attention during my commute.
Sighing inwardly, I shot a cool reply back at Kiriel.
"Fancy meeting you here, pointy-ears. Looks like we're headed the same way."