A Man and a Woman Alone in the Kitchen at 1 A.M.
A Man and a Woman Alone in the Kitchen at 1 A.M.
11 PM.
Dorm Parent's room.
I locked the curfew and came back.
End of today's duties.
Turned on the game console.
Ttak.
[Weekly Ranking]
5 ranks left.
There were still 5 ranks to go.
[JustParking] — 5 ranks above me.
This bastard was still sitting on the top.
Even his name was a provocation.
'JustParking'.
'Alright.'
'I'll finish it tonight.'
I grabbed the controller.
Ttak-ttak-ttak—
[STAGE 54 BOSS — HP: 67%]
The progress I'd chipped away yesterday.
Ttak-ttak-ttak—
[48%]
'Slow.'
Osoi.
[31%]
[22%]
My fingers went crazy.
5,000 hours of muscle memory kicked in.
[14%]
[8%]
The boss switched to its Phase 3 pattern.
A pattern that didn't exist until yesterday.
A spinning AoE attack with its left foot as the axis.
'This bastard. He's trickier than I thought.'
I dodged.
Barely.
[5%]
[3%]
[2%]
[1%]
Ttak—!
[STAGE 54 CLEAR]
I caught it.
[Weekly Ranking Updated]
I climbed 3 ranks.
Just 2 ranks left to [JustParking].
'2 ranks.'
'You just wait.'
'I'll kill you soon.'
I checked the clock.
1 A.M.
I was about to put the controller down for a moment.
Growl.
'.............'
I was hungry.
I'd eaten dinner hastily because I was focused.
'Fuck.'
A cup ramyeon came to mind.
The kitchen on the 1st floor of the dormitory.
Where the hot water was.
'Eat quickly, come back, and do one more round.'
'If I'm going to kill "JustParking", carbs are a must.'
I dragged my slippers and left the Dorm Parent's room.
Creeeak—
The hallway.
1 A.M.
It was quiet.
There was no sound from the 2nd floor.
None from the 3rd floor either.
'Good.'
'There's probably no one around.'
The kitchen was at the end of the 1st floor.
If you walked straight down the hallway from the Dorm Parent's room, you'd reach it.
Thud-thud.
I arrived at the kitchen door.
The light was on.
'.............'
'At this hour?'
The door was half open.
I looked inside through the gap.
There was someone.
Silver hair.
Loosely tied.
Wearing a swordsmanship department coat.
The sweat on her forehead hadn't dried.
Rena von Eisenhardt.
The one-word "Yeah." during roll call.
Three swords during the facility inspection.
That woman was standing in the kitchen.
'.............'
'Why is she here.'
'At this hour.'
Rena went over to the serving station.
She opened a container.
Peered inside.
It was empty.
She closed the lid.
Opened the container next to it.
Peered inside.
It was also empty.
'Obviously. How could there be leftovers at 1 a.m.?'
Rena turned from the serving station.
She looked towards the refrigerator.
'.............'
It seemed like she might turn this way.
'Fuck.'
I pulled my body back.
Stepped away from the door gap.
Pressed my back against the wall.
My heart was pounding.
'Did she notice?'
'She didn't notice, right?'
Three seconds.
I heard footsteps from inside.
Footsteps heading towards the refrigerator.
'She didn't notice.'
I looked through the door gap again.
Rena opened the refrigerator.
Looked inside.
Looked for a long time.
She took something out.
Vegetables.
Eggs.
Something like a sauce.
She closed the refrigerator.
Stood in front of a cutting board.
Grabbed a knife.
'.............'
The top student of the swordsmanship department grabbed a knife.
But it wasn't a sword; it was a kitchen knife.
She placed the vegetables down.
Seuk.
Seuk.
Seuk.
She cut them.
Quickly.
Uniformly.
'Her knife work is fucking fast.'
'Are swordsmanship cuts and cooking cuts the same thing?'
Seuk-seuk-seuk.
The vegetables were cut in neat lines.
The thickness was uniform.
As expected of the swordsmanship department's top student's knife skills.
Rena took out something else.
A bottle.
She poured out the sauce.
Put it in a pot.
Turned on the heat.
'What is she making.'
She mixed the seasoning.
Tasted it.
Added something else.
Tasted it again.
She was serious.
She was making the seasoning with the same concentration she had during sword training.
'.............'
Steam rose from the pot.
The smell leaked through the door gap.
A delicious smell.
Growl.
'Fuck.'
My stomach made a sound.
The kitchen was so quiet it almost resonated.
I covered my mouth.
Or should I cover my stomach?
I thought Rena might turn around.
She didn't turn around.
She was focused on the pot.
'Haah.'
I looked again.
Rena cracked an egg.
With one hand.
Cleanly.
Put it on a frying pan.
Jigeul-jigeul (sizzle).
'Fuck. That looks delicious.'
The smell grew stronger.
The smell of cooking egg.
The smell of seasoning.
The smell of stir-fried vegetables.
Growl.
'Be quiet.'
'Please.'
Rena took out a plate.
Scooped rice into it.
Topped it with the stir-fried vegetables.
Placed the fried egg on top.
Sprinkled sauce over it.
Complete.
'.............'
'She made and is eating that at 1 a.m.?'
Rena sat down at the table.
Picked up a spoon.
Scooped a big spoonful of rice.
Put it in her mouth.
Chewed.
Swallowed.
Her expression was blank.
But her spoon speed increased.
It was delicious.
'.............'
'Looks delicious.'
'Looks fucking delicious.'
Growl.
The third one.
'Fuck.'
I was standing with my back against the wall.
Watching Rena eat through the door gap.
At 1 a.m.
In slippers.
Clutching my stomach.
Rena drank the soup.
Huruuk.
Tilting the bowl.
'.............'
'It's not like I can't just go in and make a cup ramyeon.'
'I could just sit at the far end of the table.'
'.............'
'But if I go in there, it's just the two of us.'
'At 1 a.m., just a man and woman alone in the kitchen.'
'.............'
'Forget it.'
'Just go back.'
I lifted my back off the wall.
Turned around and walked.
'I'll eat the cup ramyeon next time.'
I entered the Dorm Parent's room.
Closed the door.
Thump.
'I'm hungry.'
'I'm so fucking hungry.'
I looked at the game console.
'.............'
"JustParking".
When I'm hungry, I forget it with games.
That's all I need.
I grabbed the controller.
Ttak-ttak-ttak—
'I'll kill that Parking bastard.'
Ttak-ttak-ttak—
'But.'
'Maybe because I'm hungry, I can't focus well.'
At the same time.
2nd floor.
Room 205.
Camilla was sitting at her desk.
Three sheets of parchment were spread out.
The first one.
[Aurelia Application — Draft]
Common interview questions and answers were densely written.
A list of general education books.
Self-introduction.
Motivation for applying.
'Should I put "Belcruz Family" first or later in my self-introduction?'
If she put it first, it would feel like she was riding on the family name.
If later, it would feel like she was showing her skills first.
'Later.'
She corrected it.
The second one.
[Cherry Blossom Festival Booth Plan]
Ingredient costs. Packaging costs. Expected selling price. Profit margin.
Flower drink — 3 silver coins. Cost 1.2 silver coins. Margin 60%.
If packaging was upgraded to premium — 4 silver coins. Cost 1.5 silver coins. Margin 62%.
'If packaging is changed, the margin increases by 2%, but the average transaction value increases by 1 silver coin.'
'During cherry blossom season, the atmosphere alone makes it sell.'
'4 silver coins.'
She wrote it down.
The third one.
[Group Practical Report]
Summary of today's subjugation results.
The pen moved.
[Vanguard: Derek von Grausen — Main force for goblin handling. As expected of top 8% swordsmanship, early pulling was stable. Suppressed 2 wolf-type magical beasts alone.]
[Mid-range: Marion von Herpelt — Handled the right-side goblin colony with wide-area fire magic. Needs mana consumption management. Area-of-effect range narrowed in the latter half.]
[Support: Camilla von Edelweiss — Left-side containment and formation maintenance with wind-type.]
Up to this point was within expected calculation.
Derek pulled in front.
Marion whittled them down.
I supported.
As predicted.
The pen stopped.
[Rear: Ian Valentine — ]
'.............'
'What should I write.'
[Responsible for rear terrain assessment and perimeter alert. Detected 1 concealed goblin on the right.]
Up to here was writable.
'But.'
10 hobgoblins.
Three of them.
The three that came from behind.
'.............'
Ian fell.
His hand touched the ground.
Grass grew.
Spores burst.
Three hobgoblins collapsed.
'His mana is only 63.'
'He's someone who takes 20 minutes just to sprout a single bud.'
The spores precisely flew toward the goblins.
There was no wind.
There was directionality.
'It can't be explained by coincidence.'
She picked up the pen.
Started writing at the bottom of the report.
[Notes: During hobgoblin engagement, rear support Ian Valentine confirmed manifestation of poisonous spore plants. Rapid growth followed by spore release. Target-designated poisoning effect. Condition — ]
She stopped.
'.............'
[Condition — Falling. State of weakened strength. State where hand touched the soil.]
After writing, she looked.
'.............'
Not certain.
If something uncertain is put in a report, it only brings losses.
If groundless speculation is included, the credibility of the entire report drops.
If the professor asks additional questions, I can't answer.
If I can't answer, my impression is degraded.
She erased it.
Neatly.
[Notes: None]
She put down the pen.
Report finalized.
She looked at the clock.
1 a.m.
'I have to sleep.'
She got up from the chair.
Washed her face.
Brushed her teeth.
Lay down on the bed.
'Sleep.'
'I'm tired.'
Closed her eyes.
1 minute.
'.............'
5 minutes.
'.............'
Tossed and turned.
10 minutes.
Kicked off the blanket.
Covered herself again.
'Ah... I'm ruined.'
It wouldn't shut off in her head.
The scene of Ian falling.
The scene of his hand touching the ground.
The scene of the grass sprouting.
The scene of the spores bursting.
Rewind.
Replay.
Rewind.
Replay.
'I want to turn it off, but it won't turn off.'
20 minutes.
She opened her eyes.
'.............'
'There are times like this.'
'When something is turning in my head and I can't sleep.'
'Until I solve it, it won't turn off.'
The gears of thought turned.
[A. Somehow endure → 4 hours of sleep → Condition drop tomorrow → High probability of ruining the whole day tomorrow]
[B. Ask directly → From Ian → What about reputation? → No hindrance whatsoever]
'.............'
[B.]
She threw off the blanket.
Got up.
Put on a cardigan.
Her hair was messy.
She roughly tied it into one.
'Go quickly, ask, and sleep.'
She dragged her slippers and left the room.
The hallway.
Quiet.
1:30 a.m.
Went down the stairs.
1st floor.
Walked towards the Dorm Parent's room.
"How did you do it in the forest today?"
'Done.'
'Just hear the answer, go to my room, and sleep.'
She saw the Dorm Parent's room.
The door was closed.
Light was leaking from inside.
A bluish light.
The light of a game console.
'He's not asleep yet.'
She raised her hand to knock.
She opened the door.
'.............'
It was empty.
The game console screen was on.
A boss was roaming on the screen.
But Ian wasn't there.
'............?'
'Where did he go.'
She left the Dorm Parent's room.
Looked down the hallway.
Not there.
Looked towards the entrance.
The main entrance of the dormitory.
Through the glass door, she saw the streetlamp.
She saw a person walking.
Slippers.
Wearing just a jacket.
Ian.
Heading towards the convenience store.
'.............'
'Convenience store at this hour?'
'Go quickly, ask, and come back.'
She went out the entrance.
The night air was cold.
'It's cold.'
She walked.
She spotted the convenience store.
The mana lighting was bright.
She saw Ian go inside.
'Caught him.'
She approached.
In front of the convenience store door.
She reached out to open the door.
But through the glass door, she saw the inside.
The counter.
Someone was standing there.
Black hair.
A sword over the school uniform.
'.............'
Her hand stopped.
Gripping the door handle.
Siegfried.
He was putting cans of beer on the counter.
Two cans.
The clerk checked them out.
Siegfried paid.
Ian was looking at something in the snack aisle.
Siegfried walked towards Ian.
Shaking the beer cans.
He seemed to say something.
She couldn't hear because it was through the glass door.
But she could see him smile.
Ian said something too.
Awkwardly.
'.............'
It looked like Siegfried might turn this way.
Towards the exit.
'.............'
Her body moved first.
She hid behind a tree next to the convenience store.
Her heart pounded behind the tree.
'...............'
'Why did I hide.'
'Why.'
She gripped the tree bark, putting strength into her hand.
'My hair is roughly tied.'
'I'm in slippers and a cardigan.'
'Stand in front of Siegfried looking like this?'
'Absolutely not.'
She heard the sound of the convenience store door opening.
Footsteps came out.
Sounds of heading towards a bench.
Tsssiiik.
The sound of a can opening.
'He went out.'
'They must have sat on the bench.'
She took a quick look from behind the tree.
Siegfried and Ian were sitting side by side on a bench.
Drinking canned beer.
'.............'
'Let's go back.'
'Right now.'
She turned.
Walked.
Quickly.
Dormitory.
Entrance.
Stairs.
2nd floor.
Room 205.
Closed the door.
Thump.
Stood leaning her back against the door.
Her heart was still pounding.
Her cheeks were hot.
She pressed them with her hand.
Sat on the bed.
Pulled up the blanket.
'Sleep.'
'Really sleep.'
'The Aurelia interview is in 2 weeks.'
Closed her eyes.
Three seconds.
Opened her eyes.
'.............'
'Come to think of it.'
'Siegfried's birthday is soon, isn't it.'
Inside the blanket, she took out a mana orb.
A bluish light filled the inside of the blanket.
She searched.
[Siegfried von Waldstein — Birthday]
[April 3]
'Two weeks away, huh.'
[Gift recommendation search]
[Good gifts for a swordsman]
[High-grade sword maintenance oil]
[Leather sheath cover]
[Muscle relaxation ointment]
'Muscle relaxation ointment?'
'That's a bit.'
[Swordsmanship-related books]
[Masterpiece Sword Encyclopedia]
'Books would be safe.'
She scrolled down.
Scrolling, she stopped.
[Popular search: Cherry blossom season limited gifts]
'.............'
'Cherry blossoms and Siegfried don't really match.'
'.............'
'But.'
'If I give it during cherry blossom season.'
'There'll be the atmosphere.'
The corners of her mouth went up.
Slightly.
Since she was inside the blanket, no one saw.
'If I hand it to him under a cherry blossom tree.'
'He'll be surprised.'
"What's this?"
"It's a birthday present."
"............Thank you."
'And then Siegfried will.'
"............Camilla."
'He'll call my name.'
"I didn't know you were thinking about me this much."
'............'
"Honestly. There's something I wanted to say to you too."
'.............'
"Camilla. Actually, I've thought about it too."
'.............'
"Actually, I also to you—"
She pulled the blanket up over her head.
She stamped her feet excitedly.
Buried her face in the pillow.
Kya—