Sneaking Out for Street Food Bliss
“Eek…!”
Aria made a tearful face but couldn’t resist my strength as I dragged her along.
We slipped out of the dorms and headed for the student cafeteria.
It was a bit past lunchtime, so the entrance was quieter than expected.
“Good, not too crowded.”
Compared to yesterday morning, it was downright pleasant.
I let out a sigh of relief and pushed open the cafeteria door.
But the moment I stepped inside, my hopes shattered.
A big sign reading “Today’s Menu: Sold Out” stood alone in front of the serving counter.
“Huh?”
As I stood there dumbfounded, a passing cook clicked her tongue.
“Aigoo, students. You’re too late. Today’s special sold out faster than usual. What a shame.”
“Ah…”
I was utterly deflated, my mouth hanging open.
Starving to death, and no food?
Meanwhile, Aria, who’d been hiding behind me, brightened up in an instant.
She didn’t even try to hide her glee as she tugged lightly at my sleeve.
“Lady Elise, it’s all sold out.”
“Yeah.”
“Nothing we can do about it… no food, so shall we head back to the dorm?”
Aria’s voice was practically bubbling with excitement.
From her perspective, burdened by all the stares, this was a godsend.
“I’ve got some snacks I saved for myself. We could share those…”
She turned to bolt, eager to escape the situation.
But.
“Who said anything about going back?”
I grabbed her by the shoulders.
“Huh?”
“No food here? We’ll eat somewhere else. Why give up so soon?”
“S-somewhere else? But the student cafeteria’s the only one… and the vending area’s probably out of bread by now…”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ve got this.”
“Huh?”
“No food? Buy some. Let’s go.”
I jerked my chin toward the exit.
“G-go where?”
“Where else? The shopping district.”
Aria’s eyes went wide at my words.
“The shopping district?! You mean outside the academy?!”
“What, can’t we?”
“Of course not! Leaving during lunch without a permit… and you’re under disciplinary action right now!”
Aria paled and waved her hands frantically.
For a model student like her, sneaking out at lunch was unthinkable rebellion.
Whatever.
“That’s exactly why it doesn’t matter.”
I shot back shamelessly.
“Can’t attend classes anyway—what’s the difference between inside or outside?”
“W-what are you saying?! If we get caught, demerits… and my scholarship could be revoked!”
Aria sniffled, clutching my arm.
“Aria.”
I shook off her grip and took her hand instead, squeezing tight.
“Do you trust me?”
“Huh? Uh, not really right now…”
“Just follow me. I won’t let us get caught.”
“D-don’t lie! The guards at the main gate…”
“Who said we’re going through the main gate?”
I grinned.
“We’re taking the secret passage.”
“S-secret passage?!"
Last time I escaped the underground prison and snuck back into the academy, I’d eyed a few alternate routes on the map I looted from that corpse.
Figured they might come in handy someday.
Didn’t think it’d be for this.
Aria gaped in shock at my answer.
I tugged her hand and pulled her along.
“Come on. I’ll buy you something delicious.”
“N-no! I don’t wanna! Waaah!”
Aria resisted, but she couldn’t match my strength.
I dragged her out the cafeteria’s back door.
///
On the academy outskirts, behind an old dilapidated building.
A forested path overgrown with weeds, untouched by human feet.
“I-is there really a path here…?”
Aria asked suspiciously, pushing through the bushes.
“There is. …If my memory’s right.”
“W-what was that you just added?”
“You heard wrong. Here it is.”
Luckily, I found the spot on the first try. I stopped in front of an old wall covered in vines.
So cleverly hidden, you’d miss it unless you looked closely.
I brushed aside the vines, revealing a narrow gap just wide enough for one person.
A crack where the bricks had crumbled.
“Crawl through here, and you’re right in the shopping district’s back alley.”
“Th-there’s actually a hole.”
Aria hadn’t believed me at all, but now she stared at me with bunny eyes.
“You first. I’ll watch your back.”
“Huh? M-me first?”
“Hurry. Before someone comes.”
I shoved her back, and she reluctantly got on her hands and knees, crawling through.
Her butt sticking out as she wriggled along was pretty cute.
“Ugh… getting all dirty…”
I heard her grumble, but she made it through safely.
“I’m out!”
“Good. My turn.”
I crawled through too.
Thankfully, no snags on my chest this time.
It was a bit wider than the dog door back at the ducal estate.
Beyond the wall was a narrow alley.
As soon as we emerged, the bustle of noise hit us, along with the tantalizing aroma of food.
The shopping district in front of the academy.
“Wow…”
Aria let out a gasp.
Lunchtime had the streets buzzing with energy.
Street vendors hawking food, merchants calling out, people in casual clothes milling about.
A world away from the academy’s stuffy vibe—pure freedom.
“See? Isn’t it great out here?”
Aria’s eyes sparkled as she nodded vigorously.
“Yeah… I’ve never been out like this before.”
“Never? Not once since enrolling?”
“Nope. Too busy studying… and it’s kinda scary alone.”
Aria looked around in wonder.
She was like a puppy on its first walk—had to stifle a laugh.
No friends, huh?
The rude thought crossed my mind, but I wasn’t that tactless, especially not in this vibe.
“Alright, what should we eat first?”
I took her hand and plunged into the crowd.
“L-Lady Elise, why hold hands…?”
“Too many people. You’ll get lost if I let go.”
“I’m not a kid…”
Aria grumbled but didn’t pull away.
We wandered the streets, checking out stalls.
“That looks good.”
I pointed to a skewer vendor.
The sizzling meat smell was torture on my empty stomach.
“Mister, two please.”
“Coming up! Two skewers!”
I took the fresh-off-the-grill skewers and handed one to Aria.
“Here, eat.”
“Th-thank you…”
Aria took a cautious bite.
“Mmm! So good!”
Her eyes went wide.
“Right? Meat’s the best.”
I chomped into mine.
We strolled munching our skewers.
Aria started out self-conscious of the stares but relaxed after the food hit, her face lighting up more and more.
“Lady Elise, let’s check that out! So many pretty things!”
She tugged me first into an accessory shop.
Shelves sparkled with jewels and trinkets.
“Ooh… so pretty…”
Aria pressed her nose to the display case.
Her gaze lingered on a blue-gemmed hairpin.
“Like it?”
“Yeah… the color’s gorgeous…”
She fiddled with it, then spotted the price and dropped it like a hot potato.
“Exp-expensive. Let’s go, Lady Elise.”
We ended up in a cozy little eatery deeper in the alley.
Great atmosphere, killer food.
“Haa… that hit the spot.”
Aria dabbed her mouth with a napkin, beaming.
“So delicious. Never been to a place like this.”
“Told you. Beats the academy cafeteria hands down.”
That’s when I spotted a group in familiar uniforms passing the window.
The insignia on their shoulders.
Academy guidance committee.
“Gasp.”
Aria saw them too and went white as a sheet.
“G-guidance committee! They’re on patrol!”
“Shh. Quiet.”
I pressed a finger to my lips.
Luckily, tucked in the corner booth, we weren’t visible from outside.
But one committee member peered toward the shop.
“They’re coming this way…?”
Aria whimpered, grabbing my arm.
“What do we do? We’re done for if they catch us…”
“Calm down. Back door.”
I slapped cash and the bill on the table, grabbed Aria’s hand, and stood.
We dashed through the kitchen to the rear exit.
“H-hey, students! That’s staff only!”
“Sorry! Just passing through!”
Ignoring the staff shouts and Aria’s apologies, we burst into the alley.
Bad luck—the opposite end echoed with guidance committee voices.
“Check this alley too!”
“Yes, sir!”
Trapped front and back.
“Eek…! We’re surrounded!”
Aria stomped in panic.
“Ruined… my scholarship… my scholarship…”
She was on the verge of tears.
I scanned around quick.
No good hiding spots.
Then I spotted a crate by the building.
Dim space, just big enough for one.
“In here.”
I shoved Aria into the gap.
“Mmph?!”
As she tried to scream, I clamped a hand over her mouth.
Then crammed myself into the cramped box after her.