Chapter 54

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Kyuurururururu.

Rurururururururu.

Kyuurururururu.

"Miss Emma, just a little more!"

Francesca encourages Emma.

After a two-hour Monster Studies class, it's now lunch break, and they are heading for the cafeteria.

Rururururukyuururururu.

Since the second half of the class, Emma's stomach has been making pitiful sounds.

The Steward brothers, Joshua, the embroidery club members, the prince, and Arthur, who are nearby, can clearly hear it.

No matter if one is a young lady or not, an empty stomach will make noise.

Kyuururururu. Rururururu. Kyuurururururu.

The bell signaling the end of class rings, and the moment the teacher leaves the classroom, Emma stands up.

"Everyone! Let's go to the cafeteria!"

Thanks to her stomach, which speaks louder than words, everyone quickly packs up their study materials and leaves the classroom.

Passing through the street lined with similar school buildings, the luxurious building at the far end is used as the cafeteria for the students.

Since there is a considerable distance from the Monster Studies classroom to the cafeteria, Emma's stomach continues to make sad, pitiful sounds with each step. When you're young, your stomach is very active.

There's no way to stop it, so she focuses on heading to the cafeteria.

Kyuururururu. Kyuururururu. Rurururu.

"My stomach... is so... hungry..."

Due to extreme hunger, her steps are unsteady.

Supported on both sides by George and William, she walks unsteadily.

"Miss, we've arrived at the cafeteria."

"Emma, you're hungry because you started a fight with Robert, didn't you?"

The school cafeteria is equipped to ensure all students can eat sufficiently and is even larger than the spacious Monster Studies classroom. The tables are far away.

"Miss Emma's stomach makes such a cute sound."

"Brother, when a lady's stomach makes a sound, you pretend not to hear it."

Marion scolds Arthur, who teases her with a mischievous smile.

"Is this the first time you've seen someone so hungry, Caitlin?"

"Is this the first time you've seen someone so hungry, Catherine?"

The twins follow along happily.

"Miss Emma, next time I'll bring some snacks."

Joshua smiles and promises.

The prince returns to the castle during lunch break to perform his duties while having a light meal, so he parted ways immediately after leaving the classroom.

His reluctant expression at the parting was memorable, but he chuckled at Emma's stomach and encouraged her to hurry to the cafeteria for lunch. ...He's so kind.

The menu served in the cafeteria changes daily, and it is operated by donations from the noble parents of the students.

While you can't choose what to eat, the nutritional balance is considered, and the taste is said to be good.

It's similar to school lunches from my previous life.

There is a generous two-hour lunch break, so some students leave the school to eat at a restaurant or return home.

Emma finally reaches an empty table and sits down with everyone.

Due to rushing here quickly, none of the other students who took the Monster Studies class are around.

She's relieved because if Robert were to pick on her now, she wouldn't have the energy to deal with him.

It seems that the cafeteria staff brings the food without being asked, as a lunch set with stew as the main dish is brought to Emma one after another.

The staff leaves after placing a basket of fluffy bread in the center.

George had been holding her back, telling her not to rush, so her stomach is making the loudest sounds. It's a chorus.

Rururururu. Kyuurururu. Rurururu.

Even if I'm told not to rush, I think the sound of my stomach is clearly reaching the staff...

"Alright, let's eat."

Finally, permission is given, and after saying a prayer, they start eating.

Taking a big bite of the stew with a large piece of meat, the meat melts softly in her mouth...

"Delicious!"

After saying this, Emma focuses on eating quietly.

I should retract my comment about it being like school lunches... the ingredients, quantity, appearance, and taste are all superior to school lunches.

"Today's cafeteria menu is more luxurious than usual, isn't it?"

Looking at the meat in the stew, Marion says happily.

"Indeed, there has been a difference in the annual donations, but this is the first time we've had such large and good-quality meat."

Francesca agrees with Marion.

Not only the stew, but the salad and side dishes are also varied, and the bread is fluffy and freshly baked, completely different from what was served last year.

The sounds of students enjoying their meals can be heard from around the cafeteria. Even noble young men and women, who are in their growth phase, enjoy meals as part of their school life.

"The ingredients are good, but the seasoning is also better than last year... a lot of expensive spices are used..."

Arthur says this while looking at Joshua, who is smiling at Emma as she eats the main dish of meat.

...According to rumors, the Rothschild family made a large donation to the school. If this donation is for Emma's meals, my schoolmate's rival might be a formidable opponent.

While Emma and the others are enjoying their long-awaited meal in the cafeteria... Robert is raging in the Monster Studies classroom.

"What? Why isn't she here? After being so disrespectful, she doesn't even apologize?"

Robert, who couldn't concentrate during class due to his irritation, waited until the teacher left and the sound of footsteps faded before heading to the back of the classroom where Emma and the others had been sitting.

However, no one was there.

"Hey! You there! Where did Emma Steward go!"

"A-After the class ended, she left the classroom immediately!"

A timid young nobleman answers Robert's question, trembling.

"Hmph, so she ran away out of fear of me, did she?"

"Perhaps... When she left the classroom, she seemed a bit unsteady... Maybe she wasn't feeling well?"

The timid young nobleman recalls and answers.

"Hmph, that's what happens when a girl takes Monster Studies. A class with a bit of blood and gore is nothing out of the ordinary."

Slimes cause significant damage every time they appear. The class covered some gruesome stories.

That's why girls should just listen quietly...

"Just because you're favored by the second prince, don't get too full of yourself. You're still weak, weak."

If she repents and bows her head, he might protect her. No, she was disrespectful to Robert Lance, so she deserves appropriate retribution.

"Excuse me, Master Robert!"

Several young noblemen stand up to defend Emma.

"Miss Emma isn't being full of herself! She is very shy, kind, and like an angel!"

"That's right! And she's not weak at all!"

"Hmph, are you idiots? She was unsteady just from taking the class, right?"

Robert turns to the timid young nobleman again.

"Yes... She was supported by her brothers... Her face looked a bit pale..."

Before leaving the classroom, Emma had almost stumbled and was supported by George and William. Her face might have been a bit pale.

Before class, William had interjected, saying her wound was hurting, but maybe it really did hurt...

The young nobleman explains quickly to Robert.

"So... that's it..."

The young noblemen who defended Emma look uncomfortable and hesitate.

"There, see? Weak, weak!"

Seeing Robert's triumphant smile, the young nobleman's mouth slips.

"Miss Emma's scar is from a slime! She was attacked by a slime a year ago and nearly died! It's understandable if she felt unwell during today's class!"

Most of the young noblemen who defended Emma are from border nobility close to the palace and know more about the situation than the nobles in the capital, who are far from monsters.

While there were rumors in the capital that she had been injured protecting the prince, many didn't know that it involved a monster.

Of course, the report on the localized hazard was submitted, but in the capital, where interest is low, few read it voluntarily.

The young noblemen who know about the scar on Emma's face don't spread the information, but in their eagerness to defend her, they slip up.

"Hmm? That ugly scar... from a slime?"

A nasty smile appears on Robert's face.

The young nobleman who slipped up covers his mouth with his hand, but it's too late. He has revealed Emma's trauma.

"Hey! Brian! Brian!"

Kicking the desks, Robert roughly wakes up a boy who had been sleeping soundly before class.

"Huh? Master Robert... Is class starting?"

With a sleepy voice, the boy called Brian shudders at the sight of Robert.

He recognizes the nasty smile from last year, the year before, and even further back.

Brian, who is Robert's childhood friend, knows what it means.

This is the face he makes when he finds a new toy.

Robert plays with the toy until it breaks.

Who is this year's toy?

Poor thing...

"Brian, let's go. I've got a good idea."