Chapter 142
Chapter 142
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Lavish Dormitory Restaurant
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"Isn't the restaurant inside the dormitory way too big? At this size, they could just operate it independently."
"Yeah...! It's big enough to seat every student at the Academy...!"
We were sitting down, but we couldn't help looking around.
The dormitory itself had such a luxurious interior style, but this restaurant we had just entered was even more so.
Was it because it received direct support from the Imperial Palace?
I had quite a bit of money myself, but it was clear that operating a dormitory and restaurant on this scale would cost a fortune.
Not just operating it—buying the building and maintaining it would require an enormous sum.
"Hey, more food coming from behind."
"Ah."
While we were looking around, dishes kept arriving at our table.
Not just our table—dishes were being served one by one to the other students' tables as well.
There were so many students seated, and even though we were sitting in groups, it still seemed crowded... but maybe because there were so many hall staff.
The food came out faster than expected.
"It really does feel like the capital is the capital. Even with imperial support, operating a dormitory and restaurant this massive at the same time is impressive."
I muttered to myself as I looked at the interior and the staff working there.
There really was a clear difference between the southern cities and the capital.
Of course, not every place here was on this scale, but on average, they were still bigger than those in the south.
And before coming here for dinner, that fact had been even more palpable.
"Ivana."
"Yes, Camellia. What is it?"
"That thing you mentioned before. How about trying something like this?"
I brought it up, recalling what Ivana had told me a while back.
I didn't quite understand the idea of proving one's qualifications as future family head by making money through business.
But they must have their own reasons for it.
"From what I know, the Northern Region doesn't have any real tourism or related services yet."
Even when I was really young, I had thought about starting a tourism business related to the Northern Region.
"True..."
"Most people who travel to the North are wealthy nobles, right? It might be good to create ways to make it more accessible."
"Isn't it accessible enough?"
"No? Not much is known about the North, and the roads there are pretty rough."
That was the objective truth.
The Northern Region was definitely less known compared to other areas.
There was information available through the Information Guild... but aside from that, there really wasn't much public knowledge.
"Doesn't that sound good? It'd be better received in the North than doing it somewhere else."
Ultimately, it was for becoming the head of the Nordal Family in the North.
So, naturally, increasing recognition and influence in the North was key.
"I have no idea what you're suddenly talking about. The teacher up there looks like she's about to speak, so how about we quiet down?"
"Ah."
Ella cut into our conversation with those words... and she was right.
One of the teachers had stepped onto the stage at the back of the hall.
"Shall we talk about this... back in the room later?"
"Sure. Yeah, we should listen quietly now."
Both Ivana and I agreed.
We could discuss business later at our leisure.
It wasn't like we had to do something right away anyway.
Anyway, we all turned toward the stage and fell silent.
The Academy teacher on stage just... gave a perfectly ordinary speech in a perfectly ordinary way.
The exact same kind of thing teachers say on school trips.
Something about praising us for doing well on the midterm exams, enjoy this trip, then go back and study hard again.
"Hmm..."
Boring.
Anyway, after that speech ended, everyone started on the real first meal of the trip.
Some students had actually tuned out midway and started eating already.
*
"Huu... That was delicious..."
"You really packed it away. I could tell it was the first time seeing Ella eat this well."
"When you can eat food this good for free, how could you hold back!"
"True that."
It really was delicious.
The food quality was excellent enough for even Ella to admit it.
Honestly, I ate quite a lot myself this time.
Normally, I didn't eat until I was stuffed... to the point of being completely full.
But this time, I ate so much that even now, back in the room, my stomach felt uncomfortable.
"Young Lady, it might be good to have some water."
"Thanks, Lize."
"Ladies, if you need anything to drink, just let us know."
"Ella, do we have juice?"
"Of course. Orange, apple... we've got a variety prepared."
Back in the room, we were relaxing in the living room and chatting like that.
We still needed to change into pajamas and prepare for an early wake-up tomorrow... but we'd eaten too much.
"Huu..."
We couldn't do anything but lounge comfortably in the living room.
It wasn't just me—most of us were sprawled out relaxing.
Aside from Lize and Ivana, everyone was just casually sitting around.
"Sis, what are you gonna wear to bed later?"
"Just pajamas, I guess...? Why?"
"Because I packed your stuff and mine in the same bag. I was gonna pull them out together later?"
"Oh... in that case, just grab whatever...!"
"Hehe... Okay."
The Rosaki sisters, sitting together in the living room, were having that conversation, while Ivana quietly gazed at the view outside.
It was a bit awkward sharing one room with everyone like this, but it wasn't as bad as expected.
"How should we divide the bedrooms? There are two rooms... and each has a bed..."
"But the number of beds doesn't match the number of people."
"Yeah."
As Ivana said, the beds didn't match up regardless of the rooms.
Each of the two rooms had just one bed.
One bed per room, but six people total.
The bedrooms were so spacious that sleeping on the floor with blankets or pillows wouldn't be an issue... but we still needed to split the rooms.
Honestly, the rooms were big enough that all six of us could sleep on the floor comfortably?
"I'll sleep with Sis."
"Young Lady, I... can sleep separately in the living room."
The first opinions came from the two I expected.
Grace, who wanted to room with Karen, and Lize, who said she'd be fine alone in the living room.
I'd anticipated that from the moment I asked.
"Hmm... What do the rest of you think? Karen sis, is it okay to share a room with Grace?"
"It's... fine for me. Even if it wasn't Grace, sharing with Camellia would be no problem at all...!"
"That's what she says. Anyone else have... other ideas?"
I looked around after saying that, and the result was...
*
"It turned out about how I expected."
"Did it?"
"Yeah, pretty much from the moment you brought it up."
Ella looked at me, speaking like some prophet. What had she predicted so accurately?
"I figured the Rosaki sisters would want to room together, obviously. We're all nobles here. And Lize would definitely say she'd go off alone."
"Ah, yeah."
That made sense.
Now in the bedroom were me, Ella, and Lize.
The reason this room ended up like this was exactly as Ella said.
Ivana's preference didn't play a big role, but she said she didn't mind anyway.
"Young Lady, I've finished all the preparations."
"Thanks, Lize."
Anyway, we had all changed out of our day clothes into pajamas and were getting ready to sleep.
Lize, who had been in her maid uniform since leaving the dormitory this morning and riding in the carriage, now looked cute in her pajamas.
"Hmm... you."
"Yes, Ella. What now?"
"Isn't the bed bigger than you thought?"
"Yeah, it is."
Ella said that to me while looking at the bed.
Why was she commenting on the bed size?
It was definitely big—probably enough for four or five people to lie down comfortably.
"If I lie here like this... the bed is still super spacious..."
Ella lay down on the bed alone and said that.
I had no idea what she was getting at, but seeing her in cute pajamas lying on the bed alone...
She just looked adorable.
"Ella, what's the point?"
"How about letting Lize share the bed too? Honestly, even all three of us could fit without issue."
"Lady Ella...?"
"Honestly, I wouldn't mind Lize joining, and neither would Camellia, right?"
Ella suggested having Lize share the bed with us.
It was a decent idea, and way better than making Lize sleep on the floor for no reason.
But the problem was...
"Lize was going to share the bed anyway."
"Huh?"
"Well... I've shared a bed with Lize plenty of times, obviously?"
"Oh... that's what you meant...?"
"Yeah."
I just said it plainly.
I mean, I really did share a bed with Lize a lot normally.
It had been that way for a long time, and since starting at the dormitory... there probably hadn't been a single night we didn't.
"...Young Lady."
"Why, don't you like it?"
"It's not... that, but... still..."
"It's fine, it's fine. Ella already said it's okay, right? Or I can sleep right in the middle between you two. Okay?"
Lize was still showing a bit of reluctance.
Sharing a bed with just me was different from also sharing with Ella.
"Ella doesn't mind either, right? Even if I squeeze in the middle."
"It might actually be more uncomfortable with someone in the middle. I don't mind anyway."
"She says it's fine?"
"...Understood."
From the moment the three of us entered the room, this had been the plan.
Sleeping sandwiched between two girls... might be a little awkward, but it was just Ella added to my usual nights with Lize?