Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Festival Games and Tea Time
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“Try some blueberry pie before you go! It’s my own creation!”
A student at a stall with a sign reading Dessert Research Club held out a slice of pie.
The stall was packed with all sorts of pies, cakes, and tarts.
They were especially pushing the blueberry pie, probably because it was truly their pride and joy.
The slice of blueberry pie thrust in front of me certainly looked appetizing.
The plump blueberry filling glistened with sweetness against the thin crust.
“Thank you.”
I gratefully accepted the blueberry pie.
Choco, perched on my shoulder, was sparkling with excitement, so I tore off the end piece and gave it to him.
I savored the blueberry pie while looking around.
As May drew to a close, the sky soared higher, filled with all sorts of decorations floating about.
The shimmering fragments of light and pollen drifting in the sky were all magical constructs.
The flags and balloons fluttering in the breeze were the only real ones.
Lowering my gaze revealed the bustling academy grounds teeming with people.
The crowd was so vast it was impossible to take it all in at once.
I’d gotten a general sense of the layout while wandering around yesterday.
The area in front of Minenvar Library had stalls selling food.
The path from the main gate to the central building was dedicated to club booths, and kayaks floated on the lake beside it.
The student cafeteria had been turned into a haunted house concept restaurant.
The auditorium was occupied by the swordsmanship club and other sports clubs.
The dorms had been converted entirely into exhibition spaces.
“It’s basically just like a university festival.”
That’s what Esterro Academy festivals were always like.
Probably an attempt to reflect realism.
It wore the guise of a typical medieval fantasy, but Broken World always had some screw loose somewhere….
What exactly was wrong with it?
Even chalking it up to game conveniences, the biggest issue was their failed attempt to weave user-friendly features and conveniences into the in-game lore.
No point complaining about it now.
I licked the blueberry filling off my fingers.
The pie was delicious, at any rate.
The filling was sweet with just the right tartness, cooled enough not to drip messily, and the crust was crisp and not soggy at all.
Choco seemed satisfied too, licking his mouth.
I stepped back from the crowd for a moment to savor the rest of the pie.
“Man, look at all these people.”
During the festival, Esterro Academy allowed outsiders in.
Nobles and commoners from the capital alike came to enjoy it.
That was the official line, but in reality, many nobles saw mingling with commoners as beneath them, so commoners overwhelmingly outnumbered them.
A classic symptom of the class system.
The class system still felt alien to me.
Even after being awake in this world for a good while, I just couldn’t get used to it.
No helping it.
In modern society, class systems were relics of a dead past.
Sure, people seriously talked about gold spoons and dirt spoons divided by income, but legally defined classes only existed in history books.
And suddenly being told I was a count’s son….
If anything, until just the other day, I’d lived no differently from a commoner, so it didn’t feel real.
The aversion to the system itself made adaptation impossible.
“Anyway….”
Most of the visitors were commoners.
Even commoners had to prove their identity to enter.
In the main story, Federation spies had slipped in easily with fake IDs.
But that was all in the past.
I’d dealt with the contact and assigned them a fake mission, so by now, the Federation spies were probably busily attacking the Precursors’ hideouts.
Sweeter than the blueberry pie I’d just eaten.
I nodded to myself, picturing the scene in my head.
Dong… dong… dong….
The clock tower chimed.
Still morning.
I was meeting Ethan in the afternoon, so I’d enjoy the festival until then.
I’d save food for later.
Same reason for skipping the concept restaurant.
Exhibits could wait, I had no interest in sports clubs, and paddling a kayak alone felt too pathetic.
That naturally led me toward the club booths.
As I browsed the various stalls, my eyes were drawn to a crowd letting out cheers.
People were gathered around a single table, rejoicing or lamenting.
On the table sat one cup and two dice. That was it.
“Been a while. Dice mini-game, huh.”
It looked like gambling, but it wasn’t.
No way a school festival could have actual gambling.
The entry fee was 10,000 gil, but prizes were food vouchers usable in the commercial district, not cash.
The rules were dead simple.
Put the dice in the cup, shake, and lift—if they matched, you win.
Odd match got 2 vouchers, even got 3, and double sixes got 4.
Just then, a challenger flipped the cup.
He lifted it with bated breath, revealing a 1 and a 3 underneath.
Ah~.
The crowd sighed in shared disappointment.
Everyone seemed more into the fun than actually winning vouchers.
“Too bad! Here’s hoping luck smiles on you next time! Next participant!”
The student acting as dealer handled the crowd smoothly.
No one seemed eager to jump in.
I raised my hand right away.
“Ah! A new challenger steps up!”
Same difference.
Basking in the crowd’s anticipation, I sat down at the table.
“Do you know the rules?”
“I do. Let’s get to it.”
“Great! Put the dice in the cup and shake!”
I followed the dealer’s instructions.
Two dice in the cup, shake vigorously.
Pure luck—no skill involved.
I decided to empty my mind and just enjoy it.
Shook it moderately.
Then, at some point, I got a hunch.
Now.
I flipped the cup on instinct.
Slowly lifted it, revealing the dice: 2 and 4.
Ah~.
The crowd sighed again as it passed.
That’s gambling for you—pure luck.
Disappointing, but I hadn’t expected much anyway.
Even in the game, I’d rarely succeeded.
No reason possession would change that on the first try….
I chuckled lightly and stood.
“Such a shame! Wishing you better luck next time—who’s our next participant!”
At the dealer’s call, Choco shot his paw up high.
A raccoon trying to play? Wouldn’t look out of place on TV, but the dealer just smirked without surprise.
“Well, well, we’ve got a cute customer today!”
The onlookers burst out laughing.
Since no one batted an eye, it must’ve been more common than I thought.
Raccoons playing dice games was a regular thing…?
“Well… if you want to, go ahead.”
Of course, Choco had no money, so I covered the fee.
Choco stood on his hind legs, puffed out his chest, scooped up the dice, and dropped them in the cup.
Grabbing the cup with both paws, he shook it using his whole body.
Was he shaking the cup, or swinging himself around it?
After a frenzied dance-like shake, Choco slammed the cup down on the table hard.
Ttararan, ttararan ttaran ttan, kung jjakk jjakk, kung jjakk jjakk, ttari ra….
That tune everyone in the country would know played naturally in my head.
Choco lifted the cup.
“Six and six! Jackpot!”
Bang, bang bang!
Little fireworks popped.
Choco took the four vouchers with a smug grin, like it was no big deal.
What the hell was this?
I tried to process it for a second, then just accepted it.
“Good job, Choco. I’ll buy you whatever you want next time we’re out.”
I petted his head.
Choco hopped back onto my shoulder, pleased.
“Wanna grab some chicken skewers?”
Nod nod.
Looks like Choco’s a fan of chicken.
In high spirits from the unexpected win, I left the game stall when someone yanked my uniform collar from behind.
“Hey, Theo. Enjoying the festival?”
“Yep. What’s up, Senior Kane?”
I turned casually, responding without resistance.
Kane was smiling, but something about it felt ominous.
“What’s this about…?”
“You’ve had your fun. Time to work.”
“Huh?”
“Tea club booth—shift change. Let’s go!”
Wait, first I’m hearing of this?
Kane started dragging me off like a sack of luggage.
Service work here too…!
I’d rather die…!!
4
There are things in this world I’d rather die than do, but that didn’t mean I’d actually die.
“Then we’ll leave it to you.”
“We’re off to enjoy ourselves too!”
Merrill and Kane waved lightly and left the tea club booth behind.
Left alone at the stall, I stared blankly up at the sky.
Kemomail tea leaves didn’t even cover booth duty…!
Damn, I need better stuff next time.
“Why didn’t they have other members anyway….”
The tea club was just me, Merrill, and Kane.
If I didn’t man the booth, those two couldn’t enjoy the festival at all.
So I’d reluctantly agreed, but still hated it.
Memories flooded back of doing day-labor gigs as event staff or helpers during vacation festivals back home, getting paid daily….
Not even odd jobs—this was serving tea to visitors and explaining stuff.
I knew zilch about tea. What was I supposed to explain?
“Can I sample some tea?”
“Yes, of course. Any particular tea you’d like?”
My mouth moved on autopilot.
I even flashed a reflexive service smile.
Can’t hide the seasoned vibe.
Fully in customer service mode, I faced Ethan and Leon.
My expression dropped instantly.
“Whoa, that was super pro just now!”
“Definitely doesn’t look like your first rodeo.”
As if.
With all my part-time experience?
My body still reacted naturally.
Habits are scary—true story.
“Figured it was you guys. What brings you here?”
“Tea club. Here for tea.”
“I saw you weren’t at the clock tower even though it’s afternoon, so I checked.”
“Oh.”
I poked my head out of the booth.
The clock tower hands had already passed noon.
“Sorry. Didn’t get a chance to message.”
I’d played the dice game with Choco, got dragged by Kane, handed off from Merrill—time flew without me noticing.
I bowed apologetically, but Ethan waved it off.
“Nah, not like it was on purpose. We’re good!”
This guy—was he actually a saint?
“Have some tea since you’re here.”
“Sounds like ‘grab a drink.’”
“If you don’t want any, beat it.”
“Not that I don’t. Right, Leon?”
Leon nodded.
Ethan claimed a table, so I pulled out the portioned Kemomail tea leaves Merrill had prepped.
With simple snacks, I brewed and served them right away. Ethan let out a light exclamation.
“Whoa, pretty skilled, huh?”
“Got some special training.”
I’d memorized most of it after just one lesson.
Scary—Merrill’s Spartan instruction….
“What’d you do this morning?”
“Hit a jackpot.”
I fluttered the four vouchers at Leon’s question.
Choco shrugged smugly on my shoulder as a bonus.
“Choco won at the game.”
“Ooh, that guy’s a total lucky charm.”
“Don’t get any ideas about our Choco.”
“As if.”
Liar.
Ethan’s gaze on Choco was anything but innocent.
Leon seemed to notice too and shook his head at him.
“That was a dangerous look.”
“Too harsh!”
We laughed and chatted.
The unique Kemomail aroma wafted around.
The booth became our cozy hangout in that relaxed moment.
Kwaaaang!!
Without any warning.
A massive explosion rocked the festival grounds.