Chapter 9
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 9
Dining Mate (2)
"Was the rumor true?"
"I heard it but couldn't believe it at all."
"To think that Grand Duchess would use the dormitory cafeteria."
Suddenly, the Grand Duchess appeared in the dormitory cafeteria, which was used only by poor commoners with no money or servants.
At first, people didn't believe it even after hearing the news.
The person in question is that Aniel.
Successor of the Windelof Grand Duchy, the highest after the Imperial Family.
The clothes she wears, the weapons she uses, the carriage she rides, and even what she eats; there was nothing that wasn't top-tier.
But not only is that Aniel using the dormitory cafeteria, but the person eating with her is said to be Allen Wiesent.
Other students who came out to check the rumor directly were simply flustered.
"That incredibly arrogant Allen Wiesent?"
Allen was famous for acting stuck-up trusting only his family even before entering the Academy.
That Allen who committed all sorts of luxuries and scoundrel acts trusting his family in his childhood.
Not only entering on family connections, but his actions during those days also played a part in forming an unfavorable impression of Allen.
But now, that Allen was sitting and eating together with Aniel, not anyone else.
"Isn't he being threatened?"
"Who?"
"By the Grand Duchess."
"Say something that makes sense. Does the Grand Duchess look like someone who would be threatened by anyone?"
"Certainly, that is true."
They suspected whether Aniel was reluctantly hanging out with Allen because she was threatened.
But the opponent is Aniel, famous for not bowing down well even to royalty.
In the first place, if it's Aniel, she would be the one threatening, not the type to be threatened.
"And look at that expression. That doesn't look like a person being threatened."
Although Aniel doesn't show expressions on her face well, she is someone who frowns often if the situation is unpleasant.
Right now, Aniel had neither unpleasantness nor anything. It was just her usual bored yet expressionless face.
"Then what on earth is it."
"Ah, come to think of it, the Grand Duchess is the representative of this batch."
It was a conjecture. That since she is the batch representative, she might be taking care of him herself so that no one is left out.
"Does the Grand Duchess seem like someone who would care about such things?"
"Other than that, nothing particular comes to mind."
"Maybe the professors asked her."
Aniel was indifferent to others to a terrible degree.
They had never seen a case where she spoke first.
She seemed comfortable being alone. Perhaps that's why they couldn't understand at all.
Why she continues to eat together with a scoundrel.
"Uh, that person over there is...."
"Are my eyes not fully open yet?"
While staring blankly at the two people, people were busy chattering noisily at a figure that appeared at the entrance.
"I really wish this was a dream."
The first thing I do when training ends is eat.
Because there is nothing as delicious as eating when I am most hungry.
However, recently a small change appeared in this daily routine.
"Does it suit your taste?"
"Mm, it's delicious."
"It is a relief that you say so."
That is precisely the point that a person to eat with appeared.
For the past few days, after training ended, Aniel guided me to the dormitory cafeteria saying she would buy first.
For me, I was very grateful for the point that I could save on food expenses and choose what I wanted to eat without hesitation at the same time, but I was puzzled.
"But are you okay?"
"With what."
"With other people seeing you being with me."
At my words, Aniel looked around. Everyone was staring this way.
Conscious of those gazes, I felt like I wouldn't know if I was eating food with my mouth or my nose.
Should I stop by the infirmary and get digestive medicine in advance before I get indigestion? While thinking such thoughts, Aniel speaks.
"To me, everyone is a talking potato."
Talking potato. It might be words that others would feel sad to hear, but limited to Aniel, maybe it's correct words.
She is someone who possesses practically everything: honor, power, wealth.
Probably wherever she goes, she would receive gazes like this.
"And whoever I am with, it's my mind."
"Still, the Grand Duchess's reputation..."
"If they are people who would chatter just because I am with you, it's better not to associate with them."
Aniel says while frowning.
Feeling that an uncomfortable situation would arise if I asked further here, I moved my gaze back to the food.
Return, wash cleanly first, and prepare for the classes I will attend today.
Around the time I was thinking such things, a dark shadow suddenly appeared in front of me.
What is it? With a mind wanting to know, I raised my head and there was a person.
"You were eating here."
".... Princess Your Highness?"
The Empire's Princess visited in person. Here at the dormitory cafeteria.
"Just in time, I am also before a meal, so may I join you? Allen Wiesent."
Although the question was asked to me, Lucia's gaze was actually directed at Aniel.
Wearing her characteristic cynical smile.
Aniel was staring at such Lucia with a murderous gaze.
She had noticed long ago that the surroundings were sending gazes.
But she didn't have any particular thoughts.
As someone who had been followed by countless gazes since the Grand Duchy, she was already adapted to things like this.
Just as others say, Aniel was terribly uninterested in others.
Is there a need to take interest?
Even if she stays still, they approach her on their own.
Even among them, the majority are those who want something from her.
So to her, they were like stones on the roadside.
Of course, there might be people who take interest in stones, but Aniel wasn't one.
If they had something called favorability, it would be 0 or less than 0.
Is that why. To Aniel, the man in front of her eyes looked different.
She doesn't know why his face, voice, and name all remain in her memory.
Having a proper conversation with him was also all only after coming to the Academy.
Unlike the 0 mentioned before, this person felt a little special.
She had no time to explain what that specialness was. Since this thought was a first.
"You were eating here."
".... Princess Your Highness?"
In the midst of being immersed in thoughts, a voice was suddenly heard from the side.
Turning her head at the familiar voice, Lucia was located there.
It was the first meeting since taking Allen out before.
"Just in time, I am also before a meal, so may I join you? Allen Wiesent."
It looks like she is asking Allen, but in reality, she was asking herself.
Since her gaze was looking at herself right now, not Allen.
Aniel opened her mouth with her expression hardened coldly.
"There are many seats."
"Oh my, I am asking this person."
"I think I also have a right to speak."
Clearly, Aniel knew. That Lucia was strangely obsessed with Allen.
Since they encountered each other at the Academy, she thought someday she might go find Allen herself.
However, the fact that she held onto Allen all day just the two of them bothered her continuously for some reason.
"I have no intention of eating affectionately with you, so go somewhere else."
"It is the same for me as well. Then it would be fine if I take him."
"Princess Your Highness?"
Although Aniel tried to block her from approaching by clearly refusing, Lucia smiled mischievously and pulled Allen.
"I will treat. So how about going to another place."
Allen was flustered. After escaping from that place by Aniel that day, he hadn't encountered Lucia.
Partly because he avoided her, but also because Lucia didn't come looking for him, perhaps her interest cooled.
But now, not only appearing suddenly like this but also proposing to eat together with him, Allen was just dumbfounded.
Above all, what bothered him most was Aniel in front of his eyes.
Her expression was not good, as if she was very angry.
Allen swallowed his saliva. That if he moves his seat following Lucia's will here, for some reason, a big trouble would likely occur.
"I apologize. Princess Your Highness."
Allen said while pushing away Lucia's hand.
"It is a very honorable thing that the Princess Your Highness proposed to me, but I am already in the middle of a meal with a companion."
No matter if he opened his eyes in another world, there is business ethics.
Especially, he didn't want to do an action like abandoning Aniel who provided such a plentiful meal and suddenly going to another person.
The opponent was the Empire's Princess, a proposal from a person called the next Emperor.
Anyone else would feel honored and want to eat a meal together somehow, but Allen shook his head without lingering attachment.
Is there any chance for him to become close with her anyway. He just knows how to play chess a little; surely the connection will be cut once she knows he is useless.
"If an opportunity reaches next time, how about dining together then."
He doesn't know if there will be a next time, but Allen brought up words of refusal as is.
He thought Lucia, whose pride would be hurt by this, would also withdraw.
"Good. Then when is okay next time?"
".... Yes?"
To think she would ask right there immediately.