Isabel Can't Lie
One silver... I'd been thinking about it for a while now. Shouldn't they at least make the student cafeteria free?
My hand shook as I set the single silver coin down. Beside me, Isabel watched with a look of pity.
"...I'll buy it for you."
"No need."
These days I wasn't earning anything. If anything, I'd been stuck in bed racking up expenses. At this rate I'd be living off bean sprouts.
I loaded my plate with noodles that looked like spaghetti, sauce, and a chicken salad. The food was strangely modern. It was a relief that I didn't feel any sense of alienation while eating, but still...
"You don't eat much, huh?" Isabel, sitting next to me, glanced at my plate.
Her own plate was piled high with beef steak, Caesar salad, pasta, and potatoes. Kiene had taken five steaks by herself, while Liana filled her plate mostly with vegetables. Each of them eating exactly as you'd expect from their personalities...
"I'm not a big eater."
The original me could put away enough food to earn the nickname Ham Choi, but ever since I'd possessed this body, nothing seemed to go down properly. It was a blessing for my food budget. Otherwise things would have been even harder.
"Um... Logue..." Liana paused mid-bite and spoke to me.
"What is it?"
"My grades improved a lot this time... so the academy started giving me a dignity maintenance allowance...?"
The academy provided a kind of scholarship called dignity maintenance funds to students with outstanding grades. Come to think of it, Liana's stats had risen quite a bit lately. She'd always had the talent for it. Her improved stats must have naturally boosted her performance.
"Congratulations."
I offered a short word of praise and was about to return to my food when—
"Listen until the end...! Anyway. Because of that, I'm also receiving a lot more research support funds now... so you don't have to sponsor me anymore..."
Sponsor...? Ah.
Now that she mentioned it, I'd first brought up the idea of sponsorship to build a connection with Liana. ...Though honestly, aside from the initial ten gold, I hadn't given her anything else, so the word felt a bit hollow.
The others eating at the table seemed to react to the word "sponsorship," their eyes flicking toward us.
"S-sponsorship?" Isabel in particular spilled her drink as she asked.
...And why was her face turning red again?
"I agreed to provide funds in exchange for Liana supplying me with experimental materials and equipment costs.... What exactly were you imagining?"
"N-no... it's nothing..."
Isabel took a huge bite of steak.
"That's good to hear. I'd like you to keep making potions for me, though."
"...If you just ask, I'll make the potions..."
"Then I'd appreciate it. It would be troublesome without you."
If I entrusted the manufacturing of the Transcendence Potion to other alchemists and the recipe leaked, it would cause problems. The potion had far too much potential for abuse.
"I-I'm the only one who won't cause trouble..."
Liana seemed to be muttering something, but the noisy cafeteria made it impossible to hear clearly. Just as I was about to ask what she'd said, Isabel spoke up as if she had something to tell me.
"...That's right. I almost forgot. Logue."
"What is it?"
"My parents want to invite you over as thanks. Would you be interested?"
Thanks... she must mean for saving her. The major incidents for the first-years were mostly wrapped up now, so a change of pace might not be a bad idea...?
...The Arcadia family was quite powerful. They'd probably treat me well. As long as it wasn't something like I'll make you pay for stabbing my daughter's heart...
Surely not, right?
No matter how much they cherished their daughter... they'd even thanked me properly.
"Hmm... if it's an invitation, I won't refuse."
"Then how about next weekend?"
I didn't have any major plans next weekend. Not that I had many plans to begin with.
...I had about as few friends as Liana did.
"That time should be fine."
"...Logue. Come to our house too." Kiene poked me with the knife she'd been using to cut her steak.
Don't do that. It's scary...
"Logue!"
After finishing our meal and leaving the cafeteria, we were heading to the cafe Isabel had recommended for drinks when someone called my name. The voice was familiar.
"...Sane? What are you doing here?"
She'd said she quit the Demon Countermeasures Division. Had she come here out of boredom?
"Hehe... I work here now."
Sane dropped something completely unexpected.
...She works here?
"...What do you mean by that?"
"Well, there was that big incident recently, right? While I was talking with the academy afterward... the conversation somehow drifted to security. Turns out they were short on guards, so I jumped at the chance and applied."
Looking closely, an academy security badge hung at Sane's waist.
"Sane unnie!"
"...It's Liana! Nice to see you!"
Liana greeted Sane warmly. When had they gotten so close?
"Ahem. Anyway, that's how I ended up working here... but there are a lot of you. All familiar faces, too."
Aside from Liana, everyone here had crossed paths with Sane at least once.
"And even the eldest daughter of the Arcadia family. Are you fully recovered?"
"...Thanks to you."
Isabel looked off into the distance, clearly uncomfortable with Sane. Given their first meeting, it was only natural.
"Even Miss Kiene... nice to meet you."
"...Nice to meet you too..."
An awkward silence settled over us. Surprisingly, Isabel was the one who broke it.
"...Since we've run into each other, it must be fate. Your name was Sane, right...? We were heading to a cafe. Would you like to join us?"
"Uh... uhh... sure."
...And just like that, Sane ended up tagging along with us.
"Logue... are you sure it's okay for me to join like this?"
"...Kiene doesn't seem to mind, so it should be fine. We're all attending the same academy now."
"Even if I'm just security..."
Kiene, her stomach full, looked sleepy and was leaning against me as we walked. Liana stuck close to Sane. Isabel stroked the area over her heart, her face slightly pale.
...Was she thinking about that moment?
"Hey, look over there..."
"Wow... how many girls is that...? Lucky bastard..."
"I'm so jealous..."
I could hear people around us whispering. I couldn't make out every word, but they seemed to be talking about how envious they were.
It was understandable. Every one of them was beautiful enough to make people turn their heads on the street.
Possession might not be so bad after all...
With that silly thought, I followed Isabel's lead.
"Ooh... so this is the famous academy cafe?"
"Is it famous?"
"Of course. I heard it's run by a master artisan who's well-known even in the Imperial Capital."
It seemed more well-regarded than I'd expected. Isabel had offered to take us to a place she knew...
The moment we opened the door, a crystal chandelier and arched ceiling spread out before us. The ceiling featured intricate plasterwork and vibrant paintings that created an air of nobility. The walls displayed various framed pictures and artworks of differing sizes, giving the distinct impression of a high-class establishment.
"This place looks expensive...? Logue, do you have enough money?"
Liana worrying about my financial situation. Her kindness almost hurt.
I really need to secure some funds soon...
"There are five of us... let's sit over there."
Isabel spoke naturally to a staff member and guided us to our table.
Once seated, I looked over the menu. The names felt strangely familiar.
Espresso... cappuccino?
Considering the story's setting was roughly seventeenth-century European, these items didn't fit at all. The student cafeteria menu had been the same. These details were far too convenient.
...Though I certainly didn't mind.
The drink prices weren't as high as I'd feared. They were comfortably within my current budget.
""...""
An uncomfortable silence settled over the table again.
"Zzz..."
Kiene had apparently decided to fully commit to sleep, resting her head on my shoulder.
...Then why did you even come?
Liana was the one who broke the silence.
"...I've been curious for a while. How did you and Sane unnie meet, Logue?"
Me and Sane? Sane glanced at me. Given our first meeting, telling the truth seemed difficult.
"Uh? Well... how we met was..."
"...We happened to team up in a dungeon, and it's continued until now."
"That's right! That wolf thing was supposed to be worth money, so I went to hunt it! But they said I couldn't enter alone. While I was stuck, Logue showed up. Mhm."
As expected, Sane had a real talent for lying. She'd fleshed out the story in seconds, making it sound completely believable.
"...I see..."
"Now that I think about it, when Logue came to our mansion, wasn't Sane... with him?"
"Just call me Sane unnie."
"...Right. I think Sane unnie was there... You stabbed my heart... mmp!"
No...!
I quickly covered Isabel's mouth with my hand. She looked startled.
"Don't mention that. It'll only cause trouble."
If they started asking how I knew that method or where I'd learned it... the hassle would be inevitable.
"Mmph! I understand...!"
"...?"
My shrug must have woken Kiene... only for her to fall asleep again.
You should really stop sleeping so much.
"...What are you two doing...?"
Liana stared at us with suspicious eyes.
"Then, Logue, you went to Isabel's mansion as well?"
"...You can call me Isabel. Speak comfortably. We're classmates, aren't we?"
"Got it..."
How was I supposed to explain this...? Actually, did I even need to explain?
"We're in the same class, and our families are close, so we've known each other for a while."
In truth it was our first meeting that day, but Liana, who belonged to the alchemy department in a separate building, had no way of knowing that. ...Besides, from a commoner's perspective like Liana's, claiming the families were close would be a believable enough excuse.
"...R-right! I've been close with Logue for ages! We're practically balls buddies!"
"B-balls..."
...It seemed Isabel really couldn't lie.