031 – Is Spring Coming? Spring #1

TL/ED: Lolz

I knew why Melvin and Dearmid followed me.

Why would people come to the cooking club, which was almost non-existent?

It was clear that they wanted to eat something.

We were teenagers in the prime of our growth.

No matter how much we ate, our stomachs would quickly growl again after some time.

Especially after exerting ourselves in the dungeon, our hunger became even stronger.

However, it felt a bit too much to eat another full meal, so having a neat snack sounded like a good idea.

That's why I took the 「Snow Lily」 I had just obtained from the dungeon, put it in a mortar I had received from the student council a while ago, and started pounding away.

The lilies shattered like snow, a simple task that required its own rhythm.

If you didn't control the precise rhythm and intensity, they might shatter or even melt at the wrong moment.

Pound, pound, pound...

After a while of pounding, I moved the lilies to a plate at the exact timing.

Ping.

Small stars burst inside the plate.

These small stars were the crafting effect of a Tier 2 item.

「Snow Bingsu: Shaved ice that melts like snow. Tasty. However, it feels like something is missing. Perhaps there's a way to make it even more delicious...?」

The Snow Bingsu was completed just as I had envisioned.

Even though it was a dessert that belonged to the lower tier of Tier 2, it was sufficient for now given the scarcity of ingredients.

"It's a trial product, so I won't charge you. Eat it and give me an objective evaluation."

"This..."

Melvin said, staring at the plate in front of him, his mouth agape.

Was it his first time seeing shaved ice?

"Placing the snow on the plate like this reminds me of my hometown. We used to eat it this way when it snowed in Draheim."

Eating snow?

What kind of hometown food was that?

Without giving me a chance to ask, Melvin lifted a spoon and took a big bite of the Snow Bingsu. His initially rugged expression became even more rugged.

"Oh, the taste is completely different from the snow in my hometown. This one is sweeter. Like, like... What is it? Well, with my vocabulary, I can't describe this taste. Dearmid, you should try it too!"

While saying that, Melvin didn't stop using his chopsticks to devour the Snow Bingsu.

Watching this, Dearmid, with a slightly guarded expression, seemed to be cautious after he had just returned from a cold place. Eventually, he picked up the chopsticks with a careful touch and took a bite.

His body shivered slightly.

"This... I didn't expect this taste. It has a taste of milk. I thought it would be a plain snow taste, but it's different. And it's slightly sweet. Quite nice."

Their evaluations were positive, but I suddenly became curious.

Why did they all know the taste of snow?

I Feeling that it might be better not to delve too deep into it, I didn't ask.

Now, what remained was Megaira, right?

She had been strangely quiet since getting her hands on the 「Snow Lily」. Being quiet when she usually never stopped talking made me feel uncomfortable.

Pushing the plate towards her even more, I spoke.

"Eat this and then go back to Enio. You three are like shadows of Enio. Have you ever seen a shadow leaving its owner?"

It meant that they should stick to Enio and handle some tasks.

If they didn't do their jobs properly, Enio would keep bothering me unnecessarily.

Whether she understood or not, Megaira looked at me for a moment, then picked up her chopsticks. She put something resembling a white snowflake in her mouth.

"Ugh!?"

Megaira's body trembled all of a sudden.

Her red hair fluttered like a cat's.

"If you swallow something cold in one go, your head is bound to hurt."

"I know that too. I do. But it's... different from what I expected… Yeah."

"What do you mean?"

"...Well, it's delicious. Victor, I didn't expect you to do something like this…"

"What's the meaning of that?"

Megaira finished eating all her shaved ice.

If just plain shaved ice was at this level, making a higher-tier 「Snow Bingsu」 with toppings like chocolate, strawberry, or the top-tier 「Snowflake Bingsu」 might be a good way to earn money in the summer.

It was still a bit early to talk about it since spring hadn't even properly arrived yet.

* * *

"If there's work next time, call us again! Vieg-... Victor… and if you develop new dishes, make sure to call us!"

"Got it."

Dearmid and Melvin returned to their dormitory around eight o'clock.

Eating even the jerky I had saved for myself and leaving me a bit financially tight was an added bonus. Melvin was worth it.

But gaining their favor with that was not a loss.

I could assign them tasks like hunting or dungeon strategies that I found bothersome.

So, in the long run, would it be beneficial to also upgrade their specs?

As they became stronger, their range of activities and the scope of material collection would likely expand.

"So, aren't you going?"

“…”

Megaira, like a cat left for a moment by a friend, quietly stayed in the cooking club until it was eight. I thought she would leave together with Melvin and Dearmid, but she seemed to be settled in, staying seated.

"By the way, I'll tell you. Coed meals in the club room are prohibited. You have to leave this room before 10."

"Ugh..."

“Megaira, you were next door to Enio. Are you afraid that you might run into Enio?”

Megaira hesitated at my question.

“How do you know that I am in the room next to Enio?”

"Well..."

Well, it was because I had rummaged through drawers and closets while playing as Luke.

Of course, if I said that, I would be treated as crazy, so I lied.

"As much as you know about me, I also know about you. I was from the Arkwright family, so it's basic knowledge to know about the lackeys of the hostile Blackstar."

Ugh.

My stomach hurts.

Have I reached the daily limit of three lies already?

Victor didn't like lying at first, but the more he lied, the duller his conscience became.

Initially, even one lie made his stomach ache, but these days, up to three lies a day were bearable.

Going beyond that would result in fainting.

Please understand.

Megaira seemed to accept my story with a somewhat convincing reason.

"Well, I know. I also know a bit about you, Victor. For instance, that you were an abandoned orphan picked up by the Arkwright family."

"I know."

"But you abandoned your master. I never thought you would do such a thing. Since then, it feels like you've been deviating from a predetermined path."

"It's just a feeling."

"Why did you abandon your master?"

"I told you before that I had another woman."

"That's a lie, because I can tell by your demeanor that it's not like that between you and Mokemoke."

Indeed, as a subordinate of Enio, she had a good sense.

It was tough to lie now.

I've almost used up the daily limit of three lies.

Megaira asks.

“I don’t know why. If I had the same reason as you, would I abandon Enio?”

No.

Megaira wouldn't do that.

The relationship between her and Enio is a bit different from the relationship between Victor and Victoria.

If the latter was a contractual obligation, the former is a real friendship.

Enough to take an arrow for each other.

She won't leave Enio no matter what reason arises.

If I had such a friend, my life as a debtor might have been worth living. Such a friend couldn't be bought with money.

Knowing this well, I could easily answer.

"Megaira, you're different from me. So, when you have the chance, do well. Don't suffer in this miserable place like me. I'm telling you not to be abandoned by Enio."

To that, Megaira flared up.

"Lady Enio won't abandon me, okay?

"I know. Now go back quickly. Don't sit here moping alone."

"..."

Megaira stood up without a word.

She frowned, "I wanted to get out of this dreary place!" and moved toward the door.

Then, before leaving the room, she asked me:

"Hey, wouldn't you come to the Blackstar family? I'll talk to Enio about it."

"We've talked about that before, right? No, I won't."

"Fine then. Even when given a chance, you struggle so much. Fool…!"

With that, Megaira left in a huff.

"Not a fool but an idiot."

Calling someone an idiot was a line that Megaira's favorability could go up to plus. Was there something in the conversation just now that would raise her favorability?

No, there wasn't.

Megaira's favorability won't increase unless she receives the 'November Ho' magazine, which Enio doesn't give her. So, regardless of any choices or gifts, her favorability won't go up.

* * *

"In that sense, starting tomorrow, we'll be entering the new semester in earnest. Now that all of you are in the second year, be prepared for more practical and hands-on lessons."

The first day of classes after the ‘Forsaken’ incident had come to an end.

The lectures were nothing special.

Just explanations about monsters and fields near Ludens.

For someone like me, who already had all the information in my head, it was honestly unnecessary.

"Wow, Melvin. Is that Ice Fang skin covering your knees? I heard during the lecture that you can only find those in the frigid northern regions. Have you already been there?"

"Huh? Well, this is..."

Swoosh.

As I turned my head, Melvin, who met my eyes, nodded slightly, as if to say, "Don't worry; I'll keep the secret."

Then, Enio, who was sitting next to me, asked.

"Victor, what did you do with Megaira yesterday?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, she seemed a bit gloomy lately. But yesterday, she came to my room and gave me a flower made of ice? And she talked a lot about you."

“I guess it wasn’t a good story at least. She must have been gossiping about me a lot. She doesn't like me."

"Is that so? Come to think of it, it didn't seem exactly like that. Anyway, she said you made a snow shaved ice? I want to try it too. Do you have time after school today?"

"I do. Anyway, you recommended me to the Delegate Arnoy, so I have to make shaved ice for her."

"Arnoy? The Eighth-Grader Arnoy?"

"Yeah. The one you recommended me to."

"That's strange. I recommended someone else to you. I recommended three people: Morian, Eris, and Senior Ashtar."

"..."

Then what was that Eighth-Grader Arnoy?

Didn't she say something about being recommended by Enio?

"Maybe it was a lie."

She is really weird.

To think she could fool me, who's stuck in D&A.

It's not an ordinary feat.

Anyway, if it wasn't Enio's recommendation, I wouldn't have to make dessert, right?

It's good to save on ingredients and time.

Thanks to that, the afternoon passed unexpectedly smoothly.

During that time, I pondered on what would be the most efficient way to earn Rene.

Someone slowly approached me.

"Enio, I have something to discuss with Victor. Could you step aside for a moment?"

"Sure. My business here is done."

Enio waved her hand and said, “See you later, Victor.” and disappeared out of the classroom.

"I wonder what Miss Victoria and Victor are talking about."

"What could it be?"

"I want to hear it."

Students around us started to take interest in us. Perhaps because it was Victorica who could not have known that, she exhaled lightly and spoke.

"It's an important matter. A conversation that needs to be between the two of us. You and me."

"If that's the case, let's do it in the club room. It's quiet there."

With that feeling, Victoria and I moved to another location.

Perhaps the lectures hadn't ended for Nike yet, as the club room was quite empty.

In that quiet place, Victoria spoke.

"Victor, my sister who was heading to the mainland will be back in Ludens soon. Probably tomorrow's ferry."

"Already time for that?"

Originally, Victoria's sister appeared only after spring had fully bloomed.

Her appearance marked the official start of the new school semester in spring.

But Victoria's expression was quite serious.

"If, by any chance, the story reaches my sister's ears that you and I have broken our engagement...."

"It'll be complicated in many ways."

However, I did not ask for a break-up of the engagement without a plan.

I, Ha Seung-ri, also knew Victoria's older sister, Flora Arkwright.

However, it might be a little complicated.

While contemplating a solution, Victoria said,

"So, what I mean is, can't we pretend like we didn’t break off the engagement?"

"Pretend? What do you mean?"

"At least in front of my sister, let's act like you and I are still engaged."

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