EP.60
In the student cafeteria of Nineveh.
Here, any student enrolled in Nineveh can enjoy high-quality meals at prices that are almost free. This place is frequented not only by commoner students, who often find themselves short on funds but also by noble students.
At the beginning of the semester, noble students valued their ‘dignity’ considerably more and preferred to eat outside rather than sitting together in a bustling cafeteria. However, as time passed, they came to realize a simple truth.
It was much easier and more convenient to quickly fill their stomachs at a nearby cafeteria than to go through the hassle of eating in an extravagant manner outside.
Thus, in a corner of the student cafeteria, where noble and commoner students mixed together for meals, there sat an unusual pair of a man and woman, seemingly mismatched, dining opposite each other.
Their combination was so unexpected that both students who were seeing them together for the first time and those who were accustomed to their shared meals were stealing glances, unable to contain their curiosity.
Firstly, regarding the man, he was someone most students dining there knew very well. In fact, one might say it would be impossible not to know him.
On the surface, he seemed to possess an utterly ordinary face, lacking both wealth and a significant background.
Thus, until about two months ago, all students in Nineveh thought of him as that luckless guy who had inadvertently awakened a latent ability and managed to enroll in Nineveh, ultimately nothing more than a worthless individual with no qualifications to speak of.
However, fast forward to now, and all students in Nineveh had no choice but to acknowledge one undeniable fact.
Despite his ordinary appearance, humble origins, and lack of assets, this man possessed an overwhelmingly exceptional ability.
His martial skills, honed through diligent training, were so remarkable that he could decisively defeat Hugo Bright, a prominent student, with a considerable margin in terms of skill.
Though the specifics of his latent ability had not yet been publicly disclosed, he was highly regarded for having defeated Hugo, not relying on his latent ability but instead through his own hard-earned martial prowess.
But that wasn’t all. In the recent midterm exams, he had achieved the remarkable feat of surpassing Erekaya in the rankings, securing the number one position in his year.
Who is Erekaya del Pendragon? A prodigy who has consistently held the top rank since entering Nineveh, never once slipping from the first position throughout his childhood.
Many students had attempted to threaten Erekaya’s historical dominance, but all their efforts had ultimately come to naught.
Yet, a shocking incident occurred during the recent midterms when Erekaya was deprived of her top rank.
And the one who claimed that first place from Erekaya was none other than Jin, whom noble students had ridiculed as a lowly commoner who knew nothing of etiquette or common sense.
Indeed, it was an utterly astonishing turn of events, yet this man had proven to be exceptional not just in martial skills but also in academics!
Consequently, Jin’s popularity among Nineveh’s students had soared significantly.
First of all, his talents were outstanding. His martial might was impressive. Moreover, he possessed a sharp intellect that allowed him to achieve first place in the midterms.
As for his social status? That was of no significance whatsoever. Even a commoner who graduates from Nineveh would receive treatment akin to that of a minor noble.
Merely graduating from Nineveh would afford one such recognition, and given that Jin currently stood at the pinnacle among Nineveh students, no one could predict how he would be treated by the Empire in the future.
As such, it wouldn’t be a bad choice to cultivate a friendship with him in advance, and for female students, considering him as a potential son-in-law wouldn’t be seen as a poor decision either.
Yes, I understand. Within these two months, this fundamentally unremarkable commoner has transformed into a figure so significant that he cannot be casually meddled with by mere offspring of noble families.
Thus, it was hardly surprising that Jin was becoming friends with others or getting along well with anyone.
However… Isn’t this a bit too much? No matter how you look at it, this crosses a line, doesn’t it?
Of all people, the girl sitting at the table, casually chatting and sharing a meal with that commoner, is none other than Claire Delphin Mascarena?
“Ugh… Claire…”
“Of all people, how could that girl be with someone like him…?”
Among the students attending Nineveh, the ratio of handsome men and beautiful women is exceptionally high. While training in martial arts or honing their magical abilities, their posture is corrected, their bodies balanced, and it is only natural that their faces become more attractive.
However, among these many handsome youths and lovely maidens, there inevitably exists someone endowed with outstanding beauty who becomes the topic of conversation amongst other male students, and one such individual is Claire.
With her serene yet graceful beautiful face and a demeanor that exudes delicate femininity, her ocean-blue hair perfectly complements her ethereal charm and aloofness.
If a nonsensical survey were conducted asking who the most beautiful female student at Nineveh is, Claire would easily rank among the top three.
And yet, why on earth is she casually associating with that Jin character, let alone choosing to have meals together every single day?
Could it be that Claire has some kind of leverage over Jin? Or perhaps he has been secretly coercing her?
But regrettably, just listening to their conversation for a mere thirty seconds would make it abundantly clear that this was not the case.
“…Ah, today’s side dish is fish.”
“Yeah, I went to the market yesterday, and the fish looked really fresh, so I bought a few. How is it? Does it suit your taste?”
“Honestly, I’m not a big fan of fish. I’d rather have meat.”
Watching Jin express such indifference to Claire, despite her having put effort into making his bento, the surrounding male students could only seethe inwardly.
That damn bastard! We’d love to eat Claire’s bento, but this jerk is just making silly complaints!
“I know, I know. You’re picky. So, I got fish that is tailored to your taste.”
Even after Claire explicitly stated that, Jin reluctantly took a piece and put it in his mouth, making a face as if doing her a favor—
“…Oh? This is delicious? It tastes more like meat than fish?”
“See? I told you I got fish that suits your taste.”
“What kind of fish is this? It’s interesting.”
“Merro. It’s a fish, but it has a lot of fat, so you can cook it like a steak. How is it? Not bad, right?”
“If I had known about such a fish, you should have made my bento with it ages ago. The previous ones weren’t to my liking at all.”
“Hehe, I’m sorry. But we’re still in our growth phase, and it’s important to have a balanced diet for our health. Instead, I’ll bring fried chicken tomorrow. How about that? Okay?”
…I just can’t understand it. If it were due to some sort of leverage, everything would make sense, but their relationship only appears as though Claire is clinging to Jin.
Yet, everyone knew that Claire wasn’t doing this out of any calculated motive.
From the beginning of the semester, when all Nineveh students regarded Jin with disdain, it was Claire who approached him, disregarding the gazes around them to spend time together.
Why? What does she gain from this?
Even though the Mascarena family’s power has diminished at the moment, Claire is still regarded as a girl born with the greatest magical talent in all of Nineveh.
If she were to graduate, it would be akin to resurrecting the Mascarena family—a feat easily within her grasp.
Logically speaking, there was no reason for Claire to act this way towards Jin.
Of course, Claire herself paid no mind to those sidelong glances, simply gazing at Jin as he ate the bento she made.
“Hum…”
Why is she so concerned about Jin? Why is she so intent on making bento for him, sharing meals daily, and spending time with him?
The truth is, Claire had no reasons at all.
If she had to provide a reason, it would simply be because she wanted to.
Do we really need a reason for everything? If I simply want to do something, why should I feel compelled to explain it with some justification or reasoning?
Of course, there was a root cause that initially drew my attention to him.
This is a secret in the public eye, and she feigns ignorance about it, but—
On the day of the monster practice, when the other students were swept up in her magic and struggling to maintain their own bodies, there was that one moment when her friend, Altina, was left defenseless in front of an ogre, her life in danger.
Without a moment’s hesitation, there was a boy who threw himself forward to save Altina—his image left a deep impression on me.
Naturally, I didn’t fall in love or have some cliché experience of instantly being captivated by him upon seeing that act.
I simply wanted to know.
In such a dire moment, what could have compelled him to throw himself into danger for a complete stranger?
Why would he disregard his own life and rush to save someone else so readily, without a twinge of hesitation?
With that in mind, Claire set out to atone for her own wrongs and to learn more about this man, seeking the hospital room where he lay.
They spoke at length—there were times when Claire shared her stories, and moments when he spoke as well.
Looking back now, those exchanges were truly nothing remarkable.
There were tales about her home, how she has a few adorable younger siblings, her parents still in love with each other, and how they might have another sibling soon—mundane and commonplace stories.
In that short or long span of time, depending on how one sees it, Jin and Claire shared many conversations.
…It was enjoyable. She felt a thrill in her heart, as if she had returned to her childhood, chatting with him after what felt like an eternity.
Conversing with him was fun. Her heart danced. Being with him felt delightful.
…Everything about it just felt good.
As time went on, those moments together began to accumulate, and memories gradually multiplied.
And for that reason, there was no reason needed. There was no dramatic moment or fateful connection.
Even if it seemed common, insignificant, and frivolous—
Claire Delphin Mascarena felt that such ‘ordinariness’ was incredibly pleasing.
“By the way, how’s the Student Council situation going? I heard you took on the role of secretary?”
“Huh? Yeah. Formally speaking, that’s the case.”
“…Formally?”
“Well, even though I’m called a secretary, there’s hardly anything to record. I think I’ll just end up doing errands and odd jobs.”
As Jin spoke this without much thought, Claire looked at him with a somewhat dazed expression.
“Ear? Odd jobs?”
“Well, to be honest, I don’t have any complaints. Taking on any grand projects would just create unnecessary pressure. So, from my perspective, this seems like the perfect job—”
“…I don’t like it.”
“Huh?”
Claire’s voice, usually soft and gentle, cut through with unexpected clarity, causing Jin to tilt his head in confusion.
“I don’t like it. I really don’t like the idea of you running errands for others and taking care of their work.”
“So if they ever try to assign you anything aside from your role as a secretary, just let me know. I’ll find a way to handle it, even if it means going directly to the Student Council.”
“…Could you just hold off on that? You’re not my mother.”
She’s great and all, but sometimes it feels like she thinks of me as her younger brother or even a son, which is a problem.
With Claire pouting in front of him, Jin idly picked at his leftover bento, a sudden question crossed his mind.
But how does she know that I took on the role of secretary in the Student Council?
I don’t think I’ve mentioned it to anyone since returning from the Student Council meeting?
