Awakening (1)
Friday wrapped up with the demo lesson, and now the weekend had arrived.
Zeke's classes were scheduled for Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays starting next week.
That meant he had three full days of free time ahead.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
“Sir Zeke Clayman, you have a visitor.”
“Who is it?”
“A Miss Yuri Gilbert.”
“Yuri. Ah. The First Prince's spy. I'll tell Serena about it later.”
“Understood, sir.”
At the butler's words, Zeke headed to the drawing room.
Yuri bowed her head to Zeke with a weary face.
“The First Prince sent me.”
“We meet often, Yuri.”
Haa. Pfft. Yuri let out a short sigh before replying.
“Magic stones.”
“Ten of them, right?”
“Yes. Here.”
Yuri handed Zeke a small pouch.
“Exactly ten magic stones delivered.”
Why's it so light?
Zeke opened the pouch to check.
“……”
“Then I'll be going.”
Yuri bowed her head again.
But Zeke remained frozen, pouch still open, not moving a muscle.
“Hold on.”
Zeke called out to Yuri as she turned to leave.
“Yes?”
“Is this the average size of a magic stone?”
Zeke pulled one out.
It was the size of a mung bean.
“Hmm. Too big, you say? The First Prince isn't the type to quibble over that. Oh, but he did ask me to pass on that he hopes for more stories like yesterday's.”
I hate that kind of joke.
She muttered under her breath, bowed once more, and left.
Creeeak.
Thud.
This is a... magic stone? 'Too big'? What the fuck?
Magic stones. The cores of monsters.
Energy sources formed when monsters crystallized the mana accumulated in their bodies from the atmosphere.
Their strength was typically determined by the size and quality of these stones.
Back in his dark fantasy days,
Zeke had burned through mana like crazy, and whenever he ran out,
he'd kill a monster, extract a magic stone, use it up, kill another when he ran dry again, and so on—like disposable batteries used on the spot.
The stones he'd used back then were roughly ten times larger than these?
Fuck. No mana in the atmosphere means even the magic stones that come out are this pathetic.
He'd expected something decent since it was from the First Prince,
but the quality was straight out of a fantasy—fantastically garbage.
Can't make a filter with this shit. Need at least ten more this size.
If they'd been proper high-grade stones, he could've used one big one to turn a limited space into a mana overflow zone,
engrave a filter with another, and still have eight left over—a perfect happy circuit.
But these were too damn small.
Shorty prince lives up to his name—even his stones are puny.
Petite prince.
Mini prince.
Small prince.
Tiny prince.
Smaller than the Second Prince... nah, scrap that, too harsh.
Tch, that little shit. What a pain in the ass.
Zeke ran a hand through his hair.
“Guess I'll have to go myself.”
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Zeke went to Serena's room and knocked.
—Ack! Hng! Eek! Hngh!
Something crashed and clattered inside as it got hastily tidied up.
A moment later,
Serena opened the door in her pajamas, face flushed beet red.
“I-Instructor!? What brings you here?”
“Mm. Thinking of heading out for a bit.”
“Out? Then let me come with— ”
“No. Planning to be away from the mansion for about three days.”
“Overnight... three days...”
Zeke nodded.
“Yeah. Need something for the upcoming lessons.”
Serena didn't want to be left alone without Zeke.
I wish he'd give me another massage...
Racking her brain for a way, she recalled a line from the novel she'd just been reading.
Ahem. She cleared her throat.
“Ahem. Lessons? Can you buy whatever it is? H-How much would it cost?”
With that, Serena tilted her chin up slightly.
“Ten magic stones within three days. No, make it twenty.”
“……”
Her chin dropped humbly.
M-Magic stones! Those are super expensive!
She hadn't expected him to ask for something that pricey!
Twenty was impossible.
Scraping together every bit of her allowance might get her ten,
but in three days? Rushing it would skyrocket the price.
And in the novel she'd just been reading—where the black-haired protagonist was waffling between two rich girls!
Serena couldn't bring herself to say she didn't have the money.
She clenched her fist tight.
“I-I'll take out a loan if I have to!”
Oh no—her inner thoughts slipped out.
“Serena, don't do that.”
Sigh, seriously. This girl's gonna get asked to co-sign loans everywhere she goes.
“Anyway, looks like I'll have to get them myself. I'll be back in time, so no need to worry too much.”
“Ugh!”
“What?”
Serena fidgeted with her fingers and asked in a small voice.
“Y-You're not going to Iriel's, right...?”
Zeke furrowed his brow.
“Why the hell would I go there?”
*
Zeke stepped out right away and headed to Hilais Bakery for a baguette.
Today was their day off, so no mud delivery breakfast service.
“No wonder it's empty.”
The place was always packed,
but today it felt unusually quiet.
Murmured voices drifted from inside, so people were around.
“So make bread that doesn't make you gain weight.”
“Uh, that's kinda tough.”
“No. You can do it. I've never seen talent like yours before.”
Jingle—
Hm?
Closed today! ♥ - Hilais Bakery
Ignoring the signboard, Zeke opened the door and stepped in.
Brown bobbed hair and red hair sat with bread between them, enjoying tea time.
“Wha—! We're closed today...! Instructor!?”
Soy jumped up mid-sentence, eyes going wide at Zeke.
At her words, Iriel turned her head.
And shot to her feet.
“Zeke...? Why are you here...?”
“That's what I want to ask.”
Are these two close? Why? Since when?
Zeke couldn't make sense of it.
Mud-covered commoner girl and duke's lady.
The heroine-type Soy Spoon and classic villainess Iriel—
he'd figured they'd only cross paths in sword class
or while bickering over a guy.
But here they were on an academy day off, sharing bread and chatting.
Look like besties?
“You two always been this friendly?”
“We talked yesterday and found a shared interest.”
“Shared interest?”
“Yeah! Bread!”
Bread?
That reminded Zeke of Soy's talent.
Soy Spoon with the drug-like hands.
Bread that stirred emotions.
“Zeke, here for bread...?”
“Yeah.”
“You still... love... bread...”
Iriel kept trailing off strangely since last time.
Hm, so the original soul liked bread. Pointless info +1.
But Iriel looked a bit off compared to yesterday.
Her energy flickered, eyes a little glazed.
Iriel. Did this girl's bread mess with her head? Maybe even tips on seducing protagonists!
Soy Spoon, you terrifying child.
Drugs, hypnosis, brainwashing.
Her talent fit shady underground comics way better than fluffy romance fantasy.
“Whatever. Eat in moderation. Anyway, Elise.”
“Yes!”
“Need a baguette. One that stays soft inside for three days. But make the crust harder than usual.”
Soy pondered seriously.
“Three days... Hmm. Three loaves?”
“You the type who boils three ramen packs and waits nine minutes?”
“Ramen?”
“Forget it. Slipped out. Anyway, one loaf. The softness inside has to last.”
Soy glanced at the baguette in the basket.
“Starting totally soft from the get-go...”
“That's fine too, but you lacking confidence?”
Twitch.
At Zeke's prod, her brows twitched.
“Hah, Instructor. They call me the genius baker girl in this biz.”
Soon she was gnawing her nails, muttering to herself.
“So. Crust harder than usual. No, super hard? But inside soft. Block all air with a hard shell? Then it's about preservation time. Flavor? Sacrifice it? No, gotta keep both. Mess with the flour...?”
Countless recipes combined in her head.
Then, like she'd hit on something, she bolted to the counter.
Pat. Pat.
Flour on her hands, she took a deep breath.
Then mixed water, salt, and such in a wooden bowl into dough.
Soy started kneading with both hands.
Zeke sensed mana flowing from her fingertips as she worked the dough.
He watched her infuse emotions with gentle motions.
Colored mana slowly wrapped the dough, tinting it.
Even while letting it rest wrapped in cloth,
she kept a serious face, breathing mana into it.
Oh, berserker mana use. She has no clue what she's doing.
Of course, with her meager mana, no huge effects,
but witnessing this innate technique—impossible without talent—in slow motion was fascinating even for Zeke.
Hmm. To get Soy consciously controlling this in combat...
Zeke sank into deep thought watching Soy Spoon.
*
A tipsy haze.
Iriel had scarfed whiskey chocolates that morning,
leaving her buzzed.
That's why she'd come here herself.
Bread's the ultimate hangover cure.
Elise said no business today when she arrived.
Chatting, she seemed nicer than expected.
Her bratty side melted like a lamb before tasty bread.
Yeah, no bad people among bread lovers.
She popped a piece in her mouth.
Her mind wandered to yesterday.
Worried he'd refuse again, but Zeke accepted her in class.
They even had normal dinner talk.
She tried hiding her feelings,
but her gaze kept crumbling before him.
Still, hope flickered now.
She could bring him back to her side.
“Good...”
Gasp!
The unintended sound escaped; Iriel clapped hands over her mouth.
No. It's just... Zeke's mine. That's why... that's why it feels like this.
Iriel didn't see Zeke as a husband or lover.
She just couldn't stand her possession in someone else's hands.
That had to be it.
Then why did it still feel off?
Why's Zeke here? And why do they look so chummy?
Zeke watched her bake with utter seriousness.
Come to think of it, rumors said Zeke's baguette was from Hilais.
Now he seemed totally immersed, forgetting her existence.
Why won't you look at me, Zeke? Why?
Iriel pouted, glaring at Zeke. The buzz hit harder somehow.
Mad 'cause I took your money? Is that really it? Shorty! I was gonna give it back!
“Zeke...”
Zeke turned to Iriel at her call.
Gasp. He's looking—now what?
...W-What do I do? How'd I handle this before? Right, money! Start with the stolen cash! Give money first...! Money, something valuable...
“Here!”
Iriel yanked off her necklace and shoved the gem at Zeke.
“T-Take it! Hmph! G-Giving it 'cause I pity you!”
She dropped the go-stone-sized gem in his hand and bolted out.
Zeke eyed the gem in his palm.
This... a magic stone?
“Instructor! Bread's done!”