“Good morning, Miss Rebekah.”
“Good morning to you too, Miss Koronero.”
Rebekah De Winter’s day started with pleasant greetings and a fresh mood.
As she drew the curtains with her roommate Koronero, the morning sunlight streamed in.
This warm lighting could only be felt in the dormitory that had “Premium” attached to its name.
The hallway was soft with elegant carpets.
Every painting hanging on the walls was an excellent piece of art.
‘This is what noble life is like.’
Of course, although Ludens did not recognize the nobility system, life was long.
After graduating from Ludens, Rebekah De Winter would live as a noble on the mainland for the rest of her life.
So she maintained a noble mindset that never lost its dignity anytime, anywhere.
“The newspaper has arrived today as well.”
With a very elegant gesture, she picked up the newspaper that had fallen in the hallway.
Starting the day leisurely reading the newspaper with luxurious tea and elegant castella was very noble and noble-friendly behavior.
Flap.
Next to Rebekah who unfolded the newspaper, the third daughter of a count family, Koronero, fluttered.
“Miss Rebekah, do you think the A-grade tenderloin steak developed by the gourmet society yesterday is featured in the column? It was really delicious.”
“That’s right.”
“Finding good restaurants and enjoying gourmet food is good, but. As you said, the ultimate goal of gourmet is to create and pursue it yourself. I think I understand that a bit now.”
‘Well, can you really understand that?’
Rebekah slightly looked down on Koronero inwardly.
Koronero couldn’t distinguish the taste between 「A-grade Marble Marble」 and 「B-grade Marble Marble」 used yesterday, which was not a noble tongue.
Even though she was a count’s third daughter, her tongue was that of a commoner.
Still, there was no need to point this out. Rebekah just smiled.
More importantly, the newspaper.
Did the advertisement for the high-end dessert ‘Evian Cake’ that 「Ludens Gourmet Society」 was to present at the club fair get published?
“Ah-! Miss Rebekah, look at this! Our gourmet society’s ‘Evian Cake’ is in the newspaper!”
‘How undignified.’
Rebekah was slightly upset that what she wanted to find herself was snatched away.
But her gaze was further drawn to another article.
“What is this…?”
「Victory’s Cook Club aims to win at the fair!」
Grit.
Her teeth ground.
A club that arrogantly made a few dishes that commoners would like.
She thought if she crushed it lightly with her finger like an ant, it would not be visible anymore.
“Miss Koronero, we need to be a bit serious for this fair.”
“Huh? Is it because of that person? Orca said he would come to this fair to see you, right? He must be coming to meet you, right?”
“Well. He could be coming to see his sibling. Of course, the main purpose would be to see me.”
“Heh, Orca is really handsome. He is so well-mannered and multi-talented. I’m so jealous that you’re engaged to someone like Orca.”
As Koronero fussed as usual, Rebekah was lost in thought for a moment.
Orca Arkwright.
A handsome man with shining platinum hair.
A man who pursued perfection to an excessive degree.
But there was no affection in his golden eyes that looked at Rebekah.
‘…Boasting about the duke’s family. But the day when the duke’s family can look down on our De Winter family won’t last long. If only I could find that thing somewhere in the Leshgad Forest….’
* * *
“The De Winter family?”
“Yes, Dearmid. You’re from the West.”
When Dearmid nodded and said, “Yes.” Melvin raised both hands and shouted.
“By the way, I, Melvin, am from the northern land of cold winter! Come visit sometime! I’ll treat you to snowballs as delicious as the shaved ice you treated me to!”
“…You look like a northerner at a glance.”
Melvin and Dearmid said they were going to the dungeon 「Snow Mountain Labyrinth」 today as well.
Their skills had gradually improved due to continuous challenges, and they were starting to fight the ‘mid-boss’ there.
Since I met those guys, I thought I might as well ask for some information.
“Anyway, Dearmid. Since you’re from the West, you probably know something about the De Winter family. Nobles must have social gatherings and such, right?”
“That’s true. But, our Dandelion family is part of the Western Banner Alliance that opposes the De Winter family. Because of that, there are many issues in my main house.”
“Are there people who dislike the De Winter family even in the west?”
“Victor, since you’re from the southern Arkwright estate, you wouldn’t know. The west is still practically at war. According to the elders, it was peaceful when the Wildrose family was in the Flower City.”
“I see.”
As I nodded appropriately, Melvin patted mine and Dearmid’s shoulders vigorously.
“When we become heroes, find the Crown, and become kings, this chaotic mainland situation will stabilize! The Crown has that kind of power! So let’s muster our strength and head to the dungeon today!”
This guy’s mindset is simple and refreshing.
I thought about giving them tips on the mid-boss of the Snow Mountain Labyrinth.
But with this duo, they would probably just keep bashing their heads against it until they figured it out themselves, so I decided against it.
Being helped by someone and riding on their coattails versus achieving something on your own.
The sense of accomplishment and joy felt from the latter is overwhelming.
As a veteran, I couldn’t rob them of that joy.
Newbies need to grow strong.
That’s what makes it fun.
Anyway, I learned new information about the De Winter family.
“Interesting.”
It felt exciting like uncovering a game’s story.
From the conversation just now, my achievement rate seemed to have increased from 87.5% to 88%.
So to summarize.
Although the De Winter family is emerging as a new powerhouse, there are still forces opposing them within the west?
That’s probably why they arranged an engagement with Orca of the Arkwright family to solidify their support base.
Hence, they are eager to make significant achievements at Ludens.
Did they target 「Victory’s Cook Club」 as a sacrifice for that?
They intended to use our rising fame to make themselves stand out even more?
“We will use that fame against them.”
I can’t stand to see the powerful oppressing innocent underdogs.
“Victor, I heard you’re going up against Rebekah? I also heard that your club booth, which was originally reserved in the central area, got pushed way out to the outskirts. Was it section M?”
On a lazy afternoon, with morning classes shortened due to the club fair, Enio came to me and said.
She was grinning as if she had heard an amusing joke.
Does she enjoy seeing our club suffer?
No, she might just enjoy seeing me suffer.
I did harshly criticize the lunchbox Enio made for me once, which made her storm out of the clubroom.
“Victor, are you going to be okay? You’ve prepared a lot of materials and have been staying up all night for over a week to prepare for the fair. If this keeps up, won’t everything go to waste?”
“It might.”
“By the way, maybe, this might be because of me. Rebekah of the De Winter family strangely dislikes me. It might be because I’m in this club?”
That’s news to me.
“In that sense, I might be able to pull some strings. For example, if a club booth in section A had ‘unavoidable circumstances’ and didn’t participate in the fair. We could take their spot.”
“That’s illegal.”
“I promise not to do anything illegal. So, what do you think?”
“I refuse. Enio, do you think I’m the type of person to buckle under such a minor ordeal? I won’t accept help from your Blackstar family.”
She’s always trying to get me into debt at every opportunity. Even with my 200 million Rene debt, it’s already tight.
Besides, if we took a spot that way, we’d have to give it up later if people talked behind our backs.
It would just add more trouble.
Perhaps feeling a bit miffed that her scheme didn’t go through, Enio muttered in a low voice.
“Everyone is eager to get my help. Victor, you’re really strange. So, you don’t need my help?”
“No, I do need your help. But only the help of Enio, the deputy head chef of the club, not Enio of the Blackstar family.”
“What does that even mean?”
I really do need help. If I’m to execute the ‘plan’ I have in mind, it’s going to be incredibly busy.
There are only two days left until the fair.
* * *
“Indeed, no matter how I think about it, this unfair and nymph-hating situation is clearly trying to keep this delegate, Arnoy the Nymph of Ditches, in check…!”
Two evenings left.
In the middle of a club meeting, Arnoy said the above.
When I asked what she meant, she explained.
“I, Arnoy, am one of the top delegates in Ludens…! And a nymph of ditches with boundless potential…! They’re definitely trying to hold me back…!”
What nonsense.
Since the term “Nymph of Ditches” had been mentioned often before and I never understood it, I decided to take this opportunity to ask.
“What is a Nymph of Ditches?”
“A nymph of ditches is… literally a nymph of a small ditch…! When a nymph ages as much as a noisy bird, they can evolve into a nymph of streams once they reach the age of a small palm tree…!”
What a peculiar way to calculate age.
I didn’t quite get it, but I understood that a nymph of ditches could evolve into a nymph of streams─barely.
Creators, is this correct?
Thinking that there are nearly a hundred of these strange creatures somewhere in Ludens makes me feel a bit dizzy.
If we gathered them all in one place….
I’d rather not imagine it.
Anyway.
Although the conversation took a strange turn because of Arnoy, this was not the time to be talking like this.
With only two days left until the club fair, every second counted.
“Then, as I mentioned, we will finalize preparations for the sales tomorrow. And the day after tomorrow, on the day before the fair, everyone should rest and preserve their energy.”
And so the days passed.
Now, it was Thursday morning, just one day before the fair.
━Kong Kong!
“You wake me up right on time as always.”
After getting up, washing, and leaving the clubroom, I could already see booths being set up all over Ludens Academy.
By tomorrow, this place will be so crowded that there won’t be any room to move.
Of course, that’s in the central area of the park.
Our “Victory’s Cook Club”, which lost its spot, was assigned to such a remote location that it could be called an alley.
It won’t be easy to attract people here.
I decided to go check out what kind of booth the “Ludens Gourmet Society” was preparing and headed to the central park.
“Raise the roof!”
“Spread the red carpet on the floor!”
Near the statues of the gods, a structure was being built.
It looked more like….
“It’s truly a high-class restaurant.”
“Oh my, thank you for the compliment.”
Turning my head to the voice, I saw a female student with curly blonde hair that reached her chest, and it left quite an impression.
With languid blue eyes and a tear mole under her left eye, she was quite a beauty.
She looked like a female character from a romance manga.
The brooch on her uniform had a B on it.
“You must be Rebekah of Class B.”
“And you’re that Victor? It’s our first time meeting like this.”
She laughed with a ho-ho-ho sound.
It reminded me of Flora’s laugh.
Is there a regulation that noble ladies must laugh this way?
“That’s a splendid building.”
I complimented sincerely.
How much Rene was she using for a club booth?
Rebekah De Winter replied.
“A high-class restaurant. That’s our theme. True gastronomy comes from good ingredients and a good atmosphere. Not just the food but also the plating and the appearance must be considered.”
“Some people think that way.”
“Commoner, it seems you don’t agree? So what’s the theme of your club, which is set up in section M?”
Come to think of it, I hadn’t mentioned our theme.
“We’re a street food stall.”
