Chapter 33
Chapter 33
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Flower of the North Sea (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Welcome~! This is the Pharenchia Academy Canteen Cafe!"
Adella's debut at the canteen had gone pretty successfully, all things considered.
Unlike my original plan of just having her handle cleaning if she turned out useless, she managed customer service and drink preparation quite skillfully—even with me just standing behind the counter with my arms crossed.
She did occasionally sneak bites from the bread displayed in the showcase... but I could just deduct that from her wages.
"Ahem, one raspberry tea and one peppermint, please..."
"Yes~! Just a moment!"
The first person to poke their head into the cafe wasn't a student, but a servant from some noble house.
The man, who looked like an apprentice valet, locked eyes with Adella—who had her forehead pressed against the front window glass—startled, and came inside.
Then he ordered two cups of tea that didn't suit a guy in his mid-twenties at all, cautiously sampled them, and left.
Obviously, he was testing to see if it was a decent place.
After that, a few more servants showed up. Their chin ties—the cravats—had designs unique to each house, suggesting they came from various families.
Some of them, having heard the rumors about Adella Sylvestra, even swallowed the camouflage potion they'd hidden in their sleeve linings as a precaution.
Fortunately, no accidents happened while I was watching, and a few days later, students started trickling in.
Adella seemed thrilled, constantly beaming as she brewed coffee, loaded it onto trays, and served the customers.
"Enjoy your... no, enjoy."
"?"
Even that occasional slip in her speech was gradually correcting itself. Personally, I found it endearing, but it seemed Erzebet didn't share the sentiment.
"Would you like to order?"
"Ah, well... give me a moment. Sorry about that."
"Take your time."
"Ahem... Are you a first-year, by any chance?"
"Yes. I'm Adella."
A male student stared at Adella like a deer shot with an arrow.
Was he looking at her face, or at her chest now accentuated by her slight lean forward to take the order? Tsk tsk.
Adella was a poisoned chalice that captivated the customers' gazes.
It was a shame this would only cause her trouble in life later on, but I didn't want to let her go either.
Watching their vivid agonies up close was its own entertainment.
But—
"Teacher. All cleaned up."
When that same Adella approached me, it felt less like poison dripping and more like it pouring straight down my throat.
"Teacher~?"
"...Yeah, sure. Go home."
"Had dinner?"
"Not really thinking about it."
Wait, was she always like this?
Her innocence, boldness, and lack of personal space were the same as ever, but I couldn't respond to it like before.
It was hard to meet those blue eyes gazing up at me as she wrapped her arms around mine.
Every time she lifted onto her tiptoes, unable to quite reach, her soft body pressed closer, and now it grated on my nerves.
And then there was the faint floral scent, like the fresh bloom of a girl on the cusp of society debut.
"I haven't eaten dinner either..."
Even if Erzebet hadn't warned her not to touch her hair, I doubt I'd have dared anyway.
I pulled away from her immediately. A bit too abruptly, even by my own standards.
"You ate a ton of bread earlier."
"No, I'm starving. Wanna feel?"
Feel whose what? That's not something a young lady does.
"Just go home. I'm closing up."
"Hng."
I forcibly sent Adella home and stood at the counter for a while, lost in a bit of self-loathing.
Lately, pushing her away like this had become routine, making things feel awkward instead.
"Sigh... Guess I'll get used to it."
The canteen was running smoothly. Making good money too.
Adella had solved my problem, so as Erzebet said, the least I could do was not interfere with her finding a good husband.
But unlike before, whether I just pitied the noble who'd end up mortgaging his life for her—
For some reason, that was hard to answer.
'She's doing great today too.'
Erzebet was watching Adella work through Piy's eyes.
Familiar Link was basic magic required for tamers who commanded summons.
Its applications were endless: not just sharing senses, but remote spellcasting or analyzing battlefields from multiple angles for optimal strategies.
Mages who wielded summons like limbs controlled their every action precisely.
Indeed, one of the five grand dukes—the Epicurean Duke (美??)—reportedly handled ten familiars at once, but that was still beyond Erzebet.
She was more like she was being dragged around by Piy's whims.
—Piy, move a bit to the side. Adella keeps going out of view.
"Piy—."
She earnestly conveyed her will through mental commands, but Piy ignored most of her requests.
It busied itself preening its feathers or waddling along the rosewood bar counter in front of the counter, killing time.
It even bathed in the water bowl set out for food and drink occasionally.
Erzebet was fine with that. But there was one thing she couldn't tolerate.
—Piy, please listen! Why do you always go to that guy!!
Piy kept heading straight for Louis. It would tap his nails playfully with its beak or nudge its head against him.
Louis, who had taken to sticking to the counter because Adella made him uneasy, would play along whenever Piy approached. Sometimes with a gleaming look in his eyes.
"Oh, what's this?"
"Piy—."
"Yeah? Want a pet?"
"Piy—!"
—No, don't... it's my familiar! Please...... Hyang!?
Louis seemed to like animals, roughly patting and rubbing Piy all over like he was drumming.
The problem was that the sensations transmitted directly to Erzebet.
Persistent, stimulating strokes, like scratching a cat's hide. On human skin, it would've left it flushed red, but Piy wasn't an ordinary bird—it loved it.
"You like this too?"
"Piy—!"
—Kyaa!?
Fingers that had been tickling its beak and head crown slid under its wings, ruffling the feathers inside.
As the soft sensation of probing its chest fluff hit her, Erzebet hurriedly severed the link.
"Hng, haah, haah..."
In the carriage bathed in the sunset glow. Fortunately, Aberret had sword training with Kal and was following behind today.
Erzebet writhed from the indecent sensations she'd just felt.
It was an intense pleasure (??) inexplicable from mere strokes on cheeks and behind the ears.
At worst, her back would arch and tears well up.
At first, she'd searched books wondering why it felt so lewd, but no taming magic tome mentioned it.
The answer came from a work by Robert Danilen, authority on zoology.
[Certain birds of the parrot family have their entire body, including the head, as erogenous zones. Caution is advised against casual petting.]
"No way..."
Overwhelmed by shame, she covered her face with both hands in the carriage.
Not only had she enjoyed that man's touch, but it had built up sexual arousal too.
The ultimate disgrace.
"This won't do. I need to warn Piy strictly... Haah, as if it'd listen. Better to warn that man instead."
She was already exhausted from today's tiring schedule.
Melting into the languid sensation cooling in her body, Erzebet closed her eyes and slumped against the backrest in exhaustion.
"Right, tomorrow first thing... Haah, tomorrow's the group assignment with Professor Roilen... Then day after, early morning... I'll wake up an hour earlier..."
Her sunset-flushed face cooled, her heaving breaths softened to gentle rises and falls as she drifted into sleep.
A peaceful rest, releasing the mental strain of her myriad worries.
By the time she awoke at the mansion, she looked much clearer-headed than usual.
"One Viennese coffee here."
"Yes, right away."
Lately, Adella seemed a bit down compared to before. The reason? None other than Louis.
Things had been fine up until she started working at the canteen.
It meant more chances to be close to her teacher, after all.
But once she actually started, Louis barely looked at her properly.
Right before opening or when there was a lull with no customers and they were alone, he'd slip through the inner door to the back of the canteen.
His tone had grown more distant too.
"Teacher. My apron came loose."
"Retie it."
"Can't you do it? My hands have cream on them..."
Using her loose apron as an excuse, Adella sidled up to Louis.
She loved how he'd grumble but kindly untie all the strings and give it a light tug.
Squeeze.
"What're you doing?"
"Haah... It's comfier like this."
Aware it was a bit cheeky, Adella still leaned into him.
Hooking her hips over his firm thigh and tilting her head back filled her with his scent.
Rubbing her cheek lightly against his chest—where Erzebet had so carefully styled her hair—was nice too.
She wished time would stop like this.
"There, all set."
Thud!
But Louis deftly tied the apron through the gap at her waist and pushed her away.
"Go make the coffee. Customers are waiting."
"Tch, fine."
After a brief taste of happiness, she parted reluctantly. Even as she brewed the coffee and headed to the table, her eyes never left Louis.
He was playing with that bird Erzebet had left with him again.
Does that bird get more attention than me—?
Even as she reminded herself it was ridiculous to feel jealous of a bird, someone flung the door open.
"Princess?"
"Haah... You're doing well, Adella. Just stopped by on some business."
Unlike usual, Erzebet's breaths were a bit quickened as she went straight to the counter and placed Piy—whom Louis had been petting—on her shoulder.
—Come here for a sec.
—What's up?
—Doesn't matter. Somewhere alone. I need to talk.
—...Second floor then. Follow me.
One phrase grated in Adella's ears amid their exchange.
Second floor.
Adella remembered. The day she'd seen Liv Lavre de Greenwood following Louis up to the second floor from across the way.
That day, she'd been dragged off by Ansen and beaten.
She wasn't trying to force a causal link.
Just... this time too, she'd be left alone, watching Louis vanish with another woman.
Teacher said he likes smart women—
Why won't he even look at me, no matter how hard I try?
"Excuse me? Can I order here?"
What if he just hates me? What if he's kept his distance all this time thinking I'm nothing but trouble?
Her chest ached sharply. She'd hidden feelings she shouldn't have for so long, and now time might be running out.
The thought of losing the object of her precious affection was the world's greatest sorrow to Adella.
"Yes, one moment. Just... please wait."
She forced a smile—the first fake one she'd ever made in her life—then collapsed behind the counter.