Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 8: Food that is difficult to swallow
Many students had already arrived at the dining hall, each taking a seat on the intricately carved chairs, dining with quiet elegance, keeping their conversations low, carefully maintaining the appearance of noble decorum.
The Arcane Academy’s dining hall was not free; each counter offered different kinds of food.
The hall had three floors. The first was open to all students of the Academy. The second was the high-class dining area, accessible only to those with special privileges. The third floor was reserved for faculty, though students with an invitation from a teacher could also sample the delicacies there.
Merlin walked onto the first floor, still curious about what food in this other world might taste like. After all, this world had magical beasts. Back on Blue Star, in the Western fantasy novels he had read, the meat of magical beasts was always described as exceptionally delicious.
The three of them entered the hall, and Merlin went to the food counter. Although the hall was large, there weren’t many serving windows.
Today, the first floor offered bread, stews, vegetable salads, and roasted meat as the main meals, with some fruit on the side.
Merlin frowned slightly as he looked at the chaotic serving area: dark brown bread, soup spilled everywhere, and salads strewn across the floor.
He turned his plate and looked at the elegantly dining students. It was hard to imagine that such a messy counter had anything to do with these noble students.
Was this really the food of the Arcane Academy? The blackened bread had a rough, uneven surface with fine cracks, and a pungent, primitive sourness filled the air. Merlin picked one up and placed it on his tray; its hardness could easily pass for a baguette.
As for the sticky, brown meat stew, it smelled sharply of spices. The salad had no dressing whatsoever, just dry, raw vegetables. The roasted meat, unidentifiable, was charred pitch-black and unappetizing.
“The Arcane Academy really serves this?” Merlin could hardly believe it. Would eating this not upset the stomach or scratch the throat?
“Merlin, you’re acting weird today. This is just what we usually eat. Are you thinking of going to the second floor?” Fitt casually ladled some meat stew, clearly surprised.
Kris also found Merlin unusual today. “Isn’t this just normal food?”
“Not normal? This is normal?” Merlin recalled the memories of his former self. The cooking in this world was pitifully poor: staple food was usually black bread, soft golden bread was rarely baked by chefs, and nobles mainly ate roasted meat.
The three of them picked a random empty table. Merlin bit into the hard black bread, nearly cracking a tooth—the hardness was astonishing.
Kris and Fitt were both shocked. Fitt quickly broke his piece of bread and dipped it into the meat-and-bean stew. “Merlin, you’ve got problems, eating black bread dry. You should soak it in the soup!”
Soup and stew were essential at tables on the continent of Aize, mainly to soften the black bread.
Zhao Lin looked at the bean-and-meat stew, which resembled animal excrement, then at the charred, slightly bloody meat with a faintly fishy smell, and his mouth twitched.
Hunger forced Merlin to take a tentative bite. Instantly, a sour, sharp flavor hit his brain. Another bite of the bloodied, charred meat…
Ugh—
This was completely unprocessed beef. Merlin suddenly realized that people in this world seemed to have no knowledge of castration techniques; pork, beef, and lamb were all old, tough, and pungent.
Only nobles used forks and knives; commoners ate with their hands.
Good grief! He had truly never eaten anything remotely decent.
“Today the bean-and-meat stew is surprisingly flavorful. Oh, and I brought some cheese from home—want to try?”
Cheese? That could work. Merlin was about to agree when Fitt pulled out a piece from his bag, giving off a faintly rancid smell.
“No! Forget it, forget it, you eat it!” Merlin waved him off.
“It’s really good! You won’t forget the taste, like experiencing talcum powder…”
Fitt sliced a piece and put it on Merlin’s bread. Given the huge changes at Fitt’s home recently, he clearly wanted to give his friend extra care. Merlin’s odd behavior that day had worried his close friend.
Ugh—
Outside on the dining hall lawn, Merlin clutched the wall, vomiting. Kris and Fitt looked on, puzzled.
“Is Merlin sick?” Kris patted his back gently. “Are you unwell? You even vomited. Want a healing potion?”
“No, no, just a stomach ache. I’ll be fine after some rest.” Merlin waved off the suggestion. Healing potions, a basic product of alchemy, were inexpensive and could treat minor ailments or injuries thanks to the light-element properties within.
“Ah, okay. Anyway, no classes this afternoon. Go rest properly. Hang in there, tomorrow after alchemy class we have a break.” Kris helped Merlin steady himself.
The Arcane Academy, much like universities on Blue Star, offered a high degree of freedom: five days of classes, two days off. Students could take elective courses beyond their main subjects if they could manage, though tuition still applied.
Kris, besides alchemy, had also chosen Magic Swordsmanship and War Theory. Fitt, besides alchemy, had access to royal-only courses like Royal Knowledge and Etiquette.
Merlin, however, studied only alchemy. The subject was broad; after passing the apprentice exam at the end of the first semester, he could choose a specialization, such as magical dynamics, scroll studies, potion-making, advanced perfumery, or rune studies.
Kris and Fitt saw Merlin back to his dorm and went to class. Lying on his bed, Merlin tossed and turned—not pondering his future, but irritated by hunger.
Damn, the pungent food had unsettled his stomach. As for the hard, sour black bread and the sloppy meat-and-bean stew, he’d rather go hungry!
Merlin planned to visit his parents during the upcoming break. The Leo family had gone bankrupt, and their estates sold off to pay debts.
According to the letter from his parents, they had already arrived in the Arcane City, where the Academy was located. They were staying at a tavern owned by the Leo family, hoping to earn money to repay debts.