Chapter 17: An Incredible Sense of Loss

(Am I… dreaming?)

I knew that men around the same age as myself tended to eat well.

Even the knights who served at my family’s estate ate heartily.

Therefore, I knew that the two of them ate a considerable amount… Still, it was excessive to the point where their hands didn’t seem to stop.

As for Gulf, although his eating speed has slowed down, he has already consumed more than ten servings of food.

The dishes served in high-end restaurants have less quantity compared to those served in taverns and the like.

Nevertheless… even with that being said.

The amount they ate was unexpectedly high.

Ishud, in particular, showed no signs of slowing down, and he’s about to reach twenty servings.

(Is his stomach… in a different dimension?)

Understanding that such a thing is highly unlikely.

Though she understood, Christillel’s cognitive abilities had declined to the point where she found herself contemplating such matters.

By the way, there was one clear factor as to why Ishudo’s eating didn’t stop at all.

That is… because he possesses the skill of hoarding food.

The skill of hoarding food allows one to eat an amount surpassing their own limits. The effects of this excess consumption extend to the next day… or even further, allowing survival without eating for several days, depending on the amount consumed.

Due to Ishud’s natural inclination to eat, the dishes placed on the table were quickly devoured, and new ones kept coming.

“Ahahaha!!! Ate it all, ate it all!! Oh man, it was really delicious. Just being able to eat such tasty food makes entering the academy worthwhile.”

“Sigh… It’s so blissful that I feel like I’m going to die.”

“Hahaha!! I can kinda understand that feeling.”

Both of them had visibly bulging stomachs, at least for the moment.

“Um… This here is the total amount for the bill.”

“What?!?!?!”

*Pishirii!!!* The onomatopoeic sound seemed to echo as Christille’s body tensed up.

Seeing her reaction, even the employee who brought the bill wore an uneasy expression.

Each dish lived up to the reputation of a high-end restaurant both in taste and price.

The total amount was staggering, an amount that could make even a high-ranking noble’s daughter faint depending on the circumstances.

“………… I believe, I have just enough.”

“Y-yes! Um… E-exactly, right!”

However, she was the daughter of a duke.

Every month, an amount that would make commoners drool was sent from her family estate.

While Christille did use that allowance when necessary, she generally followed a lifestyle that avoided extravagance. 

As a result, she had accumulated a considerable amount of savings, but a significant portion of it was now being spent.

Given that it didn’t lead to accumulating debt, it wasn’t necessarily a bad outcome.

It wasn’t bad, but an overwhelming sense of loss struck Christille.

“Well then… yeah. Gulf, how about we casually stroll around the capital until dinner?”

“Yeah!!!”

He had just entered the academy… not even a day had passed. 

Despite that, Christille could already imagine the troublesome future that awaited her upon returning to the academy.

“Well then, Senpai. It was delicious, thanks for the meal.”

“Thanks for the meal?… Um, thank you.”

“Um, well… I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

Though a hint of loss still lingered in her expression, she adeptly maintained composure, as befitting a noble.

“Now then, Ishud-kun. You’ll probably be challenged to duels many times in the future, but please make sure to apply for the match or duel before engaging in a fight.”

“Yeah, yeah. But you know, those idiots might just attack on the spot. In those cases, it’s okay to fight back like we did today.”

“…If possible, try to keep it within the bounds of legitimate self-defense.”

“Got it. I’ll try to be careful as much as possible.”

Answering with a completely unreliable lightness, they headed towards a sightseeing tour of the capital with Gulf.

“How was it, the capital?”

“It’s hard to put into words. It’s like every place is in a different dimension, or on a different level… It was truly a series of surprises.”

“Yeah, I get that. Even though my family estate is prosperous, the capital has its own advantages. I remember being quite amazed when I first toured it.”

In the end, after having lunch with Christille, the two continued to explore the capital and had their dinner outside.

As a result, the sky had already darkened, and the sun had completely set.

“Hey!!!! How long are you going to keep me waiting like this!!!!”

“Huh?”

When the two arrived at the main gate, they found a golden-haired young lady standing there along with two other young ladies.

“…Who are you? I don’t recall you being in the same class.”

“What?!? You don’t know who I am? Are you out of your mind!?”

“Well, I’m perfectly sane. Even the student council president wasn’t known, so why would I know others? Maybe you hold more power in the academy than that senior?”

“Ugh! N-no, it’s not like that…”

While it was a somewhat understandable argument, considering the noble society they were in, such a thing would be highly unlikely.

“So, what do you want from me?”

“T-that’s right!!! Why did you speak to Christille-sama and the Duke of Albaresia in such a manner!?”

The golden-haired girl scattered an anger that seemed capable of turning her hair into a spinning drill.

“Well, you know… Isn’t this academy supposed to be based on some kind of equality?”

“There are limits to everything!!! How dare you use such words towards the Duke of Albaresia and Christille-sama?!!!”

Gulf, who had been filled with happiness from the satisfaction of lunch and dinner, as well as the genuine surprise of touring the capital, was now trembling as he recalled the situation.

(W-What should I do!!!??)

As the golden-haired girl with curls had mentioned, there were limits to everything. 

Additionally, even though the academy purported to be based on equality, considering the position of being the student council president, it was evident that she held a slightly elevated status compared to other students.

And for the golden-haired girl with curls, the fact that Christille and Gulf (technically three people) had dined out together was an additional point that she couldn’t tolerate.

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