Bread Aroma Overflows the School Trip Dorm Room
The dorm room was filled with the irresistible scent of bread. The crisp crackle of crusts, the buttery aroma mingling with flour—it permeated everything. And from the source herself, Dinua's body, wafted an even sweeter bakery fragrance. The room, once heavy with a faint musty odor, now brimmed with this delightful perfume, naturally lifting the corners of my mouth. Scents have such power over our moods.
Warm sunlight streamed through the open window. Thanks to the bread I'd just devoured, a wave of post-meal drowsiness hit me. I blinked lazily for a moment, then naturally flopped onto the bed. Just five minutes... no, ten... With that thought, I closed my eyes—only for someone to poke my cheek.
Dinua senior, maybe? Had she set her book aside for something with me? But I didn't want to get up. I hated to shatter this blissful feeling, like sleeping under sunlight-blankets and cloud-mattresses.
"...Get up."
At the same time, a sharp rose perfume stabbed my nose. Amid the room's sweet bread haze, this piercing fragrance appeared out of nowhere. Frowning, I opened my eyes to see Stella, red hair tousled, grinning ear to ear.
"Awake now?"
She was smiling. But at the same time, not smiling. I learned firsthand how such a contradiction could exist. Spotting me stir, she set her basket on the table and rummaged in the kitchen for teacups—not mine, hers. If I had money for teacups, I'd have bought clothes instead.
She poured tea from her own pot into the cups, sat gracefully, and began sipping with refined poise. Slurp. After a light sip, she hummed softly, calming herself. Tea had a soothing effect on body and mind.
"So."
With her composure regained, Stella tried to assess the situation objectively. Her crimson eyes flicked between me and Dinua senior.
"You knew I was coming, but you were still fooling around with senior?"
Thud. She unpacked her homemade lunchbox onto the table. It was a mountain. Way too much for me alone. She dug in first, stabbing the food heartily with her utensils.
"She baked bread for you, so you're stuffed, right?"
"...Nah, not really."
"Then wanna eat now?"
"Not right now... I'm not that hungry."
"So you are stuffed after all?"
Rejecting her lunchbox made her tilt her head, as if to say, See? Told you. She was right, damn it. If I'd planned on a proper meal, I shouldn't have scarfed down Dinua senior's bread.
I glanced sideways at Dinua senior. She was pretending to read, head bowed deep into the book—but obviously faking it. Upside-down pages, not turned once.
To defuse the situation, I changed the subject. "Uh... how'd you get in? Door was locked."
"Oh, Ian... sorry..."
Dinua senior cautiously lifted her head at my question, gauging me and Stella.
"You were sleeping so soundly... didn't wanna wake you, so I let her in..."
"Ah."
"What, uncomfortable with me here? Should I stop coming?"
"No, it's not..."
Stella's words put me in a bind. Dinua senior had visited just once, but Stella came regularly. The difference? Dinua's was kindness; Stella's felt like duty. Reject her here, and she'd void our bet in a heartbeat. Dinua might step in out of guilt, but I couldn't force her.
"...I'll eat."
"Hmph, you better."
In the end, I clutched my slightly bloated belly and sat at the table. Too much bread. School lunch, snacks—and now another full meal. Good thing it tastes amazing. They say the best food is what you eat when stuffed; Stella's dishes were so delicious, I could force them down even now. But they were all heavy, rich stuff: grilled steak, gooey cheese, dense bread rolls.
My eyes drifted to Stella's salad.
"...Why?"
"Uh, some salad."
"You want this?"
Hmm~ She hummed thoughtfully, then portioned out her share and plated some salad for me. I reached gratefully—but she swatted my hand.
"Ahh."
"...Huh?"
"Say ahh."
Aah. She opened her own mouth too, offering the salad. Her dainty parted lips seemed almost demure. Feeding me in front of Dinua senior—bold as hell. I cautiously opened wide.
"Ahh."
Biting into it, the dressing's tang and fresh-picked veggies cut through my fullness. One salad bite, then meat and cheese; belly protesting, I eyed Stella steadily. She'd been watching intently and caught on, offering the rest like a mother bird to her chick.
It felt natural by then. Suddenly snapping out of her trance, she blurted,
"B-But anyway! What're you doing here, Dinua senior?"
"Uh, me?"
"Yeah, you."
Dinua, who'd watched enviously as I ate Stella's salad, blinked wide-eyed at being called out. She rolled her eyes, scrambling for an excuse. Just tell the truth.
"I-I just... came to hang out..."
"Liar."
"N-No, really...!"
"Coming to the boys' dorm at this hour for that?"
"...Pot, meet kettle."
"...Fair enough. People do drop by for silly reasons."
Stella turned away, conceding Dinua's sharp point—but suspicion lingered. I spoke up instead.
"She came to team up with me."
"I-Ian? Telling her that..."
"Oh, was that a secret, senior?"
"Heh, so that's it?"
Stella glared sharply at Dinua. I tilted my head, confused. Teaming up was a big deal?
"The school trip, right?"
"Yeah."
"Got it."
She didn't challenge the team-up or push Dinua out—just silently ate her salad. Dinua, flustered, probed back.
"You won't... steal Ian?"
"Steal him? Is he an object, senior?"
Dinua had feared Stella's ducal power snatching me; hearing otherwise, she sighed in relief. But Stella's eyes weren't defeated.
No way. Even a duke's daughter couldn't reshuffle teams last-minute. Nobles would have run the academy wild if so.
After finishing, Stella tidied up and stood.
"Dinua senior?"
"Y-Yeah?"
"Curfew's soon. Planning to stay forever?"
"...See ya, Ian. Catch you later~."
After she dragged Dinua out, I flopped back onto the bed. My stomach felt ready to burst. Sniff sniff. Rolling around freely, I noticed one spot on the bed wafting an unusually sweet, warm scent. Instinctively rubbing my face there, I jolted awake—Dinua's seat.
...So this is...
Realizing it revived my weary body with vigor. Glancing at my suddenly ravenous form, I slipped cautiously into the bathroom.
Moments later, my room filled once more with the scent of night-blooming flowers.
The kids were noisily excited for no good reason. Today was the school trip, after all. I couldn't recall if this event was in the game. Honestly, it wasn't a story-driven game, so I hadn't memorized the plot details.
Typical mass-produced gacha. I'd played for the illustrations. Skipped walls of text, auto-battled fights. I knew how to clear a second faster, but not to savor story for that second.
Thus, clueless about our destination, I sat in class. Soon, Oliver entered, checked attendance with a sweep of the room, then distributed envelopes.
"Today's the school trip. Anyone know what that means?"
"A journey to hone our studies."
"Right. And as you know, what we teach here is..."
Summoning magic. And strategies for handling summons.
"You'll learn from active summoners fighting on the frontlines. Do well, and you might see real combat—how true summoners survive."
He told us to check the envelopes: carriage tickets with numbers and blank paper.
Confused kids prompted his explanation. "Head to the main gate—carriages marked by number await."
Board them, head to your assigned territories. I inwardly scoffed. This setup?
What if kids ditched for elsewhere? School trip or not, this was real stakes. Scared ones might bolt...
As if reading my mind, Oliver added, "Get a stamp on that paper at each territory. It's all arranged—runners will be dealt with. You know."
The academy had thought of everything I had. He dismissed us to the carriages. I headed to the gate.
Number 13...
Boarding my assigned one, a floral fragrance bloomed inside.
"Ah, Ian."
"Late."
"I-Ian..."
Noah, Stella, and Dinua senior were already waiting. Seeing the lineup, I got why Stella had that look. She couldn't disband our team—but she could wedge in.