The Second Prince's Seclusion (5)
“Unfair... I can't be the only one dying... Unfair...”
In the dead of night, a sinister murmur leaked from Hilais Bakery, as if something were whispering to itself.
James bolted awake.
What the hell is that noise...?
Was it a thief in the shop? Or those bastards from before?
James considered waking the family but held back.
If I cause a fuss and they notice, the family could be in danger.
He crept silently out of the bedroom to check things out.
“Yeah... then, right here... add this...?”
As soon as he opened the door, a black silhouette appeared in the dark kitchen.
James was too shocked to even scream.
Hiiik!!! Wha... wait, that voice... S-Soy sis?
James rushed back to the bedroom and shook his eldest sister awake.
“Sis!! Silia sis, wake up! Hurry! Soy sis is acting weird!”
“Ugh, what is it? This early in the morning...”
Silia rubbed her eyes and yawned hugely.
At her youngest brother's frantic urging, she was pushed out into the hall—and froze at the sight.
“R-Right. Stay calm, Silia. James'll handle it somehow.”
James shot his big sister an incredulous look, but Silia shoved him forward with her foot.
“...I can't be the only one dying. No one... Yeah. We all die together...”
The sight of his little sister giggling creepily while fiddling with something was too terrifying to approach.
James glanced back at his big sister with pleading eyes, begging for rescue.
But Silia shook her head firmly.
Damn it.
With no choice, James approached Soy as cautiously as one might a wild beast.
“U-Um... Elise sis?”
He'd normally call her Soy sis, but James was quick on the uptake.
“Hm? What's up, James?”
Soy turned to him with a perfectly casual voice.
Her eyes gleamed with the mad clarity of a lunatic.
Gasp!
She'd been groaning and off ever since coming back from the academy yesterday.
But this was way too much, wasn't it?
James swallowed hard.
Then, forcing a cheerful tone, he asked,
“E-Elise sis! Whatcha doing right now?”
“What else? I'm making bread, duh.”
“Th-That's bread?”
The black lump kneading in Soy's hands even shimmered faintly in the moonlight.
She scooped up a handful of black powder and sprinkled it on.
“Wh-What's that you're putting in the bread? Oh~ Chocolate chips, right?”
“Yup! I got some from the blacksmith uncle next door.”
“The blacksmith uncle... gave you chocolate chips?”
Soy Spoon didn't answer, just smiled faintly.
“Th-Then! That white sticky stuff next to it—condensed milk! Condensed milk, yeah!”
“Yup! They say this stuff can even glue metal together solid!”
“...Condensed milk does that...!?”
This wouldn't do.
After flapping his mouth a few times, James hardened his expression.
He marched into the kitchen and grabbed the broom nearby.
“Yup! Keep at it! I'll do some cleaning! You look busy, so I won't bother you!”
“James!”
Silia barked from behind.
“What!”
“I'll grab the dustpan!”
Silia had given up too.
And so the two siblings fell silent, pretending Soy Spoon didn't exist as they prepped the shop for opening.
Their mother finally rose from bed and stepped out.
“Everyone's so diligent today~ Hm? Soy?”
“Mom.”
“What's that?”
“Bread.”
“?”
Mom quickly scanned the scene, drawing on her years of wisdom.
Then she nodded.
“Silia, James! Where'd we put the rags?”
Hm. Yeah, best to ignore it. Adults knew better than to get close to danger.
“Mom, let's not sell baguettes today.”
“My boy's so smart sometimes~”
And so, a harmonious morning dawned at Hilais Bakery.
***
“Instructor, here's today's bread.”
“Thanks.”
Zeke instinctively reached out—then recoiled in horror.
“!”
He yanked his hand back and kicked it away instead.
BAM!!!!
Whoosh!
The glossy black bread sliced through the sky, sparkling in the morning sun before vanishing.
Zeke wiped his brow, realizing he'd just dodged a massive crisis.
Had he taken it without noticing, a bloodbath might've swept the academy.
It was softer than a real sword, sure—but hardness wasn't the issue.
Soy Spoon!!! What the hell did you make!!! Assassination attempts like this are seriously problematic!!!
Even without Judgment Eye, the thick resentment had roiled unmistakably.
“...Huh? My bread... it's gone? Where'd it go?”
Soy Spoon stared at her empty hands, her face blank as the bread vanished in an instant.
“I worked so hard on it... stayed up all night... Ahaha... Was it all a dream? Was yesterday a dream too?”
She even started giggling, denying reality.
It was probably from the intense training the day before.
Infusing emotions into bread...! Crazy, does this girl have Berserker talent?
Imbuing objects with emotions like rage or resentment was instinctual, beyond reason.
A congenital skill even orc lords in the dark fantasy world barely wielded.
Maybe that's why her bread had always tasted so good—her emotions baked in.
If so, as she trained and grew stronger, the bread's flavor would swing wildly.
...As long as it's just the taste that swings. It'll carry emotional influence too... Isn't that basically drugs?
Bread from a future drug lord.
Hilais Bakery's future looked bleak.
Is this romance fantasy really okay...?
A drug-lord orc-lord heroine.
Zeke suddenly worried the story might veer into total trash territory, but it was too late for regrets.
He called Soy in a serious tone.
“Soy Spoon.”
“...My bread...”
“Elise.”
“...My b—, Yes!?”
“Don't ever make that again. That's a dangerous talent.”
Soy blinked in confusion.
“At least when you're baking, try to think happy thoughts.”
“What does that...”
“Answer first.”
“Y-Yes...”
She seemed utterly clueless about what she'd even made.
Scary. Protagonist buff. Once it awakens, it's unstoppable. Gotta teach her mana control fast. Right after demo class, install the filter first.
And so, Soy Spoon's painstakingly prepared “black bread”—crafted through the night with high hopes—went to waste.
Though the little loaf Zeke launched would unwittingly trigger a butterfly effect, saving a nation...
For now, no one knew.
Lots of kids'll show up today too...
With the morning's trivial yet heavy mishap past, thoughts turned to class.
“Elise, can you run and grab a new bread real quick? Something normal.”
“...No baguettes today.”
“...I see. Guess we'll go without bread then.”
It was the perfect chance to torment the students sans bread.
But like a lie, not a single soul showed for Zeke's demo class.
Huh?
Zeke peeked outside the training grounds, scanning for students.
A group passed by, chattering.
“Hey, don't you have swordsmanship elective today? Said you were going.”
“Uh... Nah, skipping...”
“Why?”
“Guy who went yesterday grabbed my pant leg begging me not to. Said he met his dead grandpa.”
He'd brutalized 200 elective students—not majors—so bad rumors spreading was no surprise.
Hmph, I don't need weaklings anyway. I rejected them first. At least one or two who wanna get strong'll show.
Zeke started training solo.
Four days passed, reaching the demo class finale.
No one came at all!
***
The evening of the final demo class day.
Students gathered to sign up for Zeke's class.
Major: Duke's daughter Serena Yohayden.
Major: Second Prince Rosnante Leonine.
Elective: Commoner girl from Hilais Bakery, Soy Spoon.
Elective: Black-haired, black-eyed girl?
He knew the first three, but not the last.
She seemed oddly presence-less, expressionless.
Zeke eyed her.
“Who're you?”
“Yuri Gilbert.”
“Did you attend my class?”
“...I survived the first elective demo.”
She shuddered, recalling the pits of hell.
But Zeke had no memory of her.
Hmm, if she had any skill, I'd remember. Black hair, black eyes—northern like the others?
“Why'd you sign up?”
“...First Prince sent me.”
Ah.
Zeke got it.
But I asked for a few, and it's just one?
“You alone?”
“Others came too, but they all betrayed us after demo.”
Her flat tone carried a hint of grievance.
“Huh? Instructor, doesn't that make only four of us?”
Serena cut in.
“Don't worry.”
Zeke replied with a confident face.
Uh, what now!?
Truth was, no real plan.
This could cancel the class outright, forcing Zeke out of the academy.
I went easy, damn it. If they can't handle this, how the hell do they fight monsters?
From Zeke's view, it was damn unfair.
Sure, he could drag in non-electives, bribe them to sign up nominally.
But then they'd be on the roster without training—giving the First Prince or principal ammo.
Dios? That laughing hyena could get beaten anytime.
Sigh, no other way? Principal seems iffy on me too.
Zeke had figured other male leads besides the Second Prince would test him by joining.
Like Rosnante.
He'd searched eagerly, but no standout talents.
At least the First Prince...?
As he racked his brain, a light-footed woman entered the training grounds from afar.
Serena spotted her first, eyes widening.
“Huh!? That's... why's she coming out there?”
Others looked too.
“Th-The redhead's Iriel Yustia...”
The Second Prince nodded, murmuring the same.
“...”
Zeke turned, meeting Iriel's blank gaze.
She stared piercingly, approaching.
“Zeke.”
“...”
“You're one short, right?”
“...”
“Put my name down. My elective's open.”
Zeke's brow twitched.
What the hell's this woman thinking?
A woman tied to this body's past.
Maybe a backer.
He'd planned to investigate slowly post-demo, but here she was.
Grudge? Revenge?
Not back then, but maybe she'd nurtured it since.
No, that doesn't fit.
If so, she'd have gotten him expelled first, not joined.
“Hey. Who invited you here?”
Serena glared threateningly at Iriel.
Iriel wiped her moist gaze from Zeke in an instant, turning venomous on Serena.
“Hah. Did I crash some party I can't?”
“You're auditing knight faculty?”
“Without me, this class folds. Got another way?”
“Instructor said he does.”
Serena glanced at Zeke, face screaming right...?
Zeke nodded.
“Yeah. You're in.”
Serena went blank, betrayed.
Iriel's lips twitched.
Better to keep her close and figure her out.
Class full.
“Five students for swordsmanship. Approved.”
Zeke declared.
The Second Prince, who'd kept his head down avoiding Zeke's eyes, looked up.
“Then let's grab dinner. We're together at least four years.”
Zeke nodded at Rosnante's suggestion.
“Good idea. Evening meal together.”
“Uh... Um. You too?”
Zeke frowned subtly at Rosnante.
“...?”
Zeke nodded.
“Yeah. Class talk. I'll join.”
“Yeeeah... Sure...”
“Great.”
“““...”””
Serena's voice was dead at Iriel joining.
Iriel's was flat.
The rest shut up.
Soy's pupils shook.
Pr-Prince, two ladies... countess house... Eek. Just me... a commoner!?
If another commoner were there, it wouldn't feel so crushing.
Soy had no clue what to do.