Chapter 21: Chapter 21. Preparing for the Rookie Tournament (1)

There were several student cafeterias on campus.

All were run directly by the academy, offering meals at lower prices than restaurants outside.

But being run by the academy didn’t mean they were all the same.

Each had a different menu, and the quality of the cooking varied enormously.

So students chose their regular haunts according to their tastes.

“After putting together everything I’ve heard, I’d say this is the best cafeteria.”

The place Kane confidently led us to was about twenty minutes from the First Student Building, where our top class was based.

“Still, isn’t a twenty-minute walk a bit much just for cafeteria food? We should’ve gone somewhere closer.”

“Milia, think of it as exercise.”

Karis chided his grumbling younger sister.

“I’ve heard good things about this cafeteria too. We might as well take the opportunity to try it.”

“Exactly. Let’s give it a go!”

Kane went inside first, with Senia, Karis, Milia, and me following.

“It’s pretty crowded.”

“Proof of its good reputation.”

People were already lining up, so we joined the queue.

“What should we get here?”

“Today’s menu is over there. They have food models too, so just pick whatever looks good.”

Where Kane pointed, food models sat beneath signs reading “Today’s Set A: Hamburger Steak” and “Today’s Set B: Fried White Fish.”

The models were incredibly… realistic.

“How did they make those? They’re amazing.”

“Apparently, the Fabrication Department made them.”

Was there anything the Fabrication Department couldn’t make?

“I’ll have Set A.”

“I’ll have Set A too, then.”

“Hmm. I think I’ll have Set B.”

“Same as my brother. Set B.”

“I’ll have… Set A.”

We bought meal tickets at the window, then handed them over at the serving counter to collect our food.

A space for five had just opened up, so we were able to sit down right away.

“Looks delicious. Let’s eat.”

“It does look appetizing.”

Set A, which Kane, Senia, and I had chosen, came with hamburger steak as the main dish.

The brown sauce poured over it gave off an aroma that whetted my appetite.

“This is pretty good.”

The meat didn’t seem to be anything particularly fancy, but it was juicy, with a pleasant texture.

I’d have been happy paying twice as much for this outside the academy.

The potato salad and pickled vegetables on the side were good too.

“The fried fish is delicious as well.”

“It really is. I wonder if they caught it nearby.”

Karis and Milia’s Set B looked good too.

Its main dish was deep-fried white fish, and just hearing the crunch of the coating was enough to tell me it would taste good.

“With food this good, I don’t see why we’d need to eat at restaurants outside.”

“I hear they don’t open for dinner.”

“Really?”

Kane’s answer left me a little disappointed.

“So we can only come for lunch? Walking twenty minutes every time is a bit much.”

“Yeah. We won’t be able to come that often.”

“Oh, later on…”

Senia smiled as she spoke.

“Once we can use magic to get around quickly, couldn’t we come more often?”

“Oh, good idea, Senia.”

Kane grinned in agreement.

But just then, a cold voice came from nearby.

“You go to all the trouble of learning magic, only to use it to get to the student cafeteria and back? The top class is surprisingly common.”

We turned toward the voice.

There… sat a girl with long blond hair, her arms folded.

Her hairstyle and build were almost the same as Senia’s, and she had a similarly refined air about her.

Unlike Senia, though, she looked fiercely proud. Above all, there was contempt in her eyes.

“Why are you all staring?”

She seemed entirely unbothered by the five of us looking at her.

“Did I say something wrong?”

“No, nothing particularly wrong.”

Kane shrugged.

“It’s just funny to hear someone sitting in a student cafeteria eating Set A look down on us for being common. It would’ve suited you better if you’d said it while looking down from a restaurant high above us.”

“…!”

The blond girl’s pale face flushed scarlet.

“Normally, I’m not the sort of person who would eat in a place like—!”

“Charlotte.”

The boy sitting beside her cut her off.

“Don’t raise your voice in the cafeteria.”

“But, Helios…!”

“Don’t make me say it twice.”

“…!”

The girl called Charlotte had started to rise, but finally settled back into her seat.

“Sorry for interrupting your meal, top class.”

He was a neat-looking boy with short black hair.

He was as tall as Karis, but had a slender build.

“Allow me to apologize on behalf of the advanced class. I’m sorry.”

“Hmm. I think I know who you are.”

Karis, who had been watching quietly, spoke up.

“Helios Chanetis, the best student in the advanced class?”

“So you know my name. I’m honored.”

Apparently, they were both in the advanced class.

Their class used a different building from ours, so we rarely crossed paths.

“If I might offer an excuse… Charlotte has a complex about not scoring high enough on the entrance exam to make the top class. That’s why she picked a fight when she saw you here.”

“Helios! What are you saying?!”

“As you can see, she’s very proud. It’s left her something of an outsider even in our class, so I hope you’ll be understanding.”

“Urgh…!”

Despite hearing all this said right to her face, Charlotte merely flushed and fumed.

She seemed to have quite a temper. Why was she letting Helios get away with it? Did he have something on her?

“We don’t particularly mind, Helios.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

Helios smiled at Karis’s reply.

“But I’d like you to understand that it isn’t just Charlotte.”

“What?”

“Charlotte isn’t the only one who feels hostile toward your class.”

Karis gave a start and looked around.

At some point… the hundred or so students in the cafeteria had all begun glaring at us.

“This cafeteria is close to the Second Student Building, where our advanced class is based. You could say it’s our front yard.”

“Even if your whole class is here, there seem to be a few too many people glaring at us.”

“They’re probably from the upper-intermediate and lower-intermediate classes. They use the Second Student Building too, and they’re cooperative with our class.”

Just how had he made them so “cooperative”?

“Well, this is an interesting approach, Mr. Helios.”

Kane, who had been quietly watching, let out a small laugh.

“So what now? Are you going to beat us up and throw us out for daring to enter a cafeteria used by the mighty advanced class?”

“Why would we do that? I merely wanted to offer some advice.”

“What advice?”

“That students from the top class might find it a little uncomfortable to eat here regularly.”

“Does that come into effect today? I’m pretty sure people from our class were eating here just yesterday.”

“We’ve only just settled on our policy. We decided how to deal with your class a little while ago.”

Helios spoke in an easy tone.

“The top class and the advanced class will be clashing quite often from now on. Our first competition will be the Rookie Tournament.”

“And?”

“The academy always grades practical assessments on a curve, doesn’t it? If everyone in our advanced class is to move up a year with excellent grades, your class will be in the way.”

He shrugged.

“So let’s keep our distance as much as possible. We’ll be enemies from now on, after all.”

“I’d never particularly thought we needed to be your enemies.”

“That’s far too complacent, Kane Trigger.”

“How do you know my name?”

“I know all the promising students in the top class. Senia Artian, Karis Morpheus, Milia Morpheus…”

Helios’s gaze turned to me.

“And Eriol Valencia.”

“…”

“Our supervising professor just stopped by and told us to watch out for you in particular.”

The advanced class’s supervising professor was Inies of the Elemental Department.

Had she taken an interest in me after seeing me throw a sphere of flame during practice?

“Actually, I’ve had my eye on you for some time myself.”

“Why?”

“You’re the student who came first in the entrance exam and took the new students’ oath at the entrance ceremony. Of course I’d pay attention.”

“…”

“And… you’re Professor Kaisel’s nephew.”

At the mention of Kaisel’s name, Helios’s gaze grew a little more intense.

“If I beat you, Professor Kaisel will take notice of me too. Don’t you think?”

“You must admire my uncle Kaisel a great deal.”

“How could I not? He became one of the continent’s Ten Great Mages at such a young age.”

“…”

“To be honest, I came to the academy because I wanted to study under him. I’m aiming for the Principles Department.”

I recalled what I’d heard on the day of the entrance exam.

Kaisel had made it clear that only students he liked could enter the Principles Department.

“My uncle won’t take you as a pupil if he doesn’t like you, even if you rank first in the whole school.”

“I’ve heard that too. But if I beat Eriol Valencia and take first place, he’ll notice me. Won’t he?”

“…”

I still hadn’t entirely figured out my uncle’s personality.

But if I lost to Helios… he would lose some interest in me.

There was every chance he might take an interest in Helios instead.

“Helios.”

“What is it?”

“Sorry, but that isn’t going to happen.”

I popped the remaining piece of hamburger steak on my tray into my mouth, then stood.

“Over the next year… you won’t beat me to first place. Not even once.”

“…!”

As I stood, the others got to their feet as well.

Despite the threatening stares all around us, no one looked intimidated.

We were heading toward the tray return when several large boys blocked our path.

“Hey, you!”

“You think you can show Helios that kind of disrespect and get away with it?”

They looked ready to throw a punch at any moment.

Kane and Karis frowned and started forward, but I raised a hand to stop them.

“Just ignore them.”

“What?”

“You bastard…!”

One boy reached out to grab my shoulder.

But at that very moment—

“Gah?!”

Crash!

His feet slipped on the floor.

Losing his balance, he collided with the other boys, and they all went down together.

“Let’s return our trays and leave.”

“You little…”

Kane looked at me and grinned.

He must have noticed that I’d gathered “water elements” to make the floor slippery.

“Eriol Valencia.”

As we finished returning our trays and were about to leave, Helios’s voice came from behind us.

“We’ll soon find out… whether what you said to me was an empty boast.”

I didn’t turn, but I could feel his eyes boring into the back of my head.

“See you at the Rookie Tournament.”

His voice was full of hostility.

---

“Well, sorry about that. I only wanted to show you the place because I’d heard the food was good.”

On the way back to the First Student Building, Kane scratched his head and apologized.

“Only one thing for it. Hot dogs on me, by way of apology!”

“No, I’m fine.”

“A hot dog right after hamburger steak is a bit much for me too…”

“Hmm. I’ll have to decline.”

“Honestly, I’m sick of them.”

“You’re all so mean!”

Rejected by all four of us, Kane’s shoulders slumped.

But he soon raised his head and spoke to me.

“Still, Eriol. Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

“With what?”

“That bold claim you made to Helios back there.”

His voice was serious.

“I heard something the other day. Apparently, Helios is incredibly talented, and Professor Inies has been giving him special training.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“Shouldn’t you ask Professor Kaisel for special training too? Or Professor Klein?”

“I don’t know about Professor Klein, but my uncle isn’t the sort to do that for me.”

“Then…”

“Don’t worry.”

I shrugged.

“I have absolutely no intention of losing to them.”