Chapter 45.1: A Meal for Three

“(Though it’s only been since yesterday, I wonder if he’s here, Shion‑kun…)”

Alphonse Freed, who had arranged to have lunch with Shion Kurosaki, visited the school cafeteria during lunch break the very next day.

The students in the cafeteria, upon noticing Alphonse, were abuzz with excitement at the appearance of the hero who had saved the academy from the dragon.

“(…I still haven’t gotten used to this…)”

Alphonse forced a wry smile at the awkward thought that “I wasn’t the one who truly saved the academy,” but then he perked up, thinking, “(…Well, time will settle things, so there’s no use worrying about it.)”

Since Shion had mentioned, “I’m usually on the second floor,” Alphonse picked up his lunch on the first floor and, tray in hand, headed up to the second floor.

Even there, he caught the attention of many students, yet he focused on finding Shion.

“!”

Alphonse had planned to secure a seat in case Shion wasn’t there—but just then, he spotted him.

“Hey, Alphonse. Over here.”

At a four-person table, Shion—waiting with his tray piled high—beckoned.

When Alphonse moved toward the seat as signaled by Shion, he noticed that another student was already seated to Shion’s right.

“…Eh!?” 

“!”

When he recognized who that student was, Alphonse’s eyes widened in astonishment.

“Y–Yufia‑san…!?”

A soft voice replied, “I’m surprised… The person Shion mentioned turned out to be Alphonse‑kun.”

The student seated next to Shion was none other than Yufia Queensroad—the top-ranked second-year student at Crawford Magic Academy, a classmate of Alphonse and an S‑rank student. Though her expression revealed nothing, she too seemed taken aback.

“The person Shion‑kun said he’d dine with was Yufia‑san…!?” 

“Ah, yeah, sure.”

Alphonse, utterly dumbfounded by the unexpected pairing of C‑class Shion with Yufia Queensroad—the academy’s strongest female student—could hardly process the connection. In truth, it was hard to believe that Yufia, who rarely spoke with anyone in class, would have a friend to share a meal with. And that friend turned out to be Shion.

As if reading his thoughts, Shion said in a breezy tone, “What are you doing, Alphonse? Hurry up and sit down—let’s eat.” 

“Ah, ah… Yeah, sure…”

In the midst of this clearly awkward situation, Shion’s completely natural attitude only deepened Alphonse’s confusion. Still perplexed, Alphonse set his tray on the table and sat directly opposite Shion.

◇

On an ordinary day that might have passed without incident, Shion maintained a calm demeanor as if casually meeting up with a friend. However, beneath that composure, he was secretly overjoyed. The reason was simple: Alphonse was reacting exactly as Shion had envisioned.

Yesterday, aside from having pinned all the credit onto Alphonse, Shion had told him nothing but the “truth.” Yet, by deliberately adopting a suggestively ambiguous attitude, Alphonse now saw him as “the man who directly repelled Schwaldius, the Black Dragon of Demise” and as “a mysterious, not-at-all ordinary, larger-than-life individual.”

Now, this very man had introduced as a friend someone described as “the strongest female student in the academy—someone you’d never imagine being connected to him.” That only deepened Alphonse’s perception of Shion as extraordinary, leaving him to wonder, “Who on earth is he, anyway?”

And that bewilderment was precisely what Shion had desired.

With a breezy tone that belied his inner glee, Shion said, “It’s nothing special,” though inside he sported an immensely smug air—as if to say, “The strongest in the academy? Well, I’m his friend, after all!” Ever since he’d kept secret that the person joining Alphonse for lunch was Yufia, Shion’s “someone extraordinary” act had been in full swing, and everything was unfolding just as he had planned.

Suppressing the urge to grin mischievously (nimanima) and maintaining a deadpan expression, Shion was suddenly confronted by an unforeseen chorus from the gathering crowd:

“H-Hey, look at that—sitting with Alphonse Freed is S‑rank Yufia Queensroad…!” 

“They’re the top two in our academy, aren’t they!?” 

“To see Yufia‑san, the strongest in the academy, and Alphonse‑kun, the hero, side by side…!” 

“When the two are together, they exude an unbelievable aura… It’s hard to imagine they’re mere students.” 

“And besides, while you might be captivated by those with stunning silver and blonde hair, that black‑haired person also sports a remarkably handsome face…” 

“Could it be, that C‑class, gray‑area student…” 

“Isn’t he… not just ordinary…!?”

In that moment, an indescribable thrill struck Shion like a bolt from the blue. Seated alongside the two strongest students in the academy and receiving looks from onlookers that proclaimed him “no ordinary guy,” he felt as though his daily fantasies had come true. The surge of thrill within him grew beyond measure—an ecstasy that no ordinary person could withstand. Surely his eyes would droop, the muscles around his mouth would twitch uncontrollably, drool would pour forth, and he’d break into a wild, ecstatic dance complete with roars.

Yet, thanks to his unyielding mental strength and genius-level control over his facial muscles, Shion maintained his calm facade. He, too, felt the irresistible urge to strike a guts pose, cry out in joy, and dance wildly—but he held back, as only Shion Kurosaki could. After all, he was the man who even repelled the world’s strongest dragon.

Seated to his right, Yufia whispered softly into his ear, “…Hey, Shion. You’re drawing a lot of attention—are you sure that’s alright? You usually try to keep a low profile.”

Usually, when Shion and Yufia dined together in the cafeteria, they would choose a counter-style table by the window, complete with partitions so that no one could tell who was sitting with whom. Even when they practiced magic together, they deliberately used a rarely frequented training area to keep their togetherness unnoticed. Although Yufia was fond of that “just the two of us” atmosphere, it was all Shion’s idea—to keep it secret that S‑rank Yufia and a C‑class guy like him were together, and to avoid standing out.

Perhaps sensing the unusual attention, Yufia asked, “Are you sure we don’t have to hide?” In a low voice, Shion replied, “Yeah, it’s fine. In fact, this is even better.”
Indeed, being the center of attention was exactly what he desired. His secretive relationship with Yufia not only let him relish the superiority of being a mere C‑class guy with connections to the academy’s mightiest, but also set the stage for moments like this. His usual act of feigning concealment of his true abilities was merely a prelude designed to leave everyone wondering, “Who exactly is he!?”

“Yeah… If it’s what you want, then it’s fine, but it’s a bit embarrassing, isn’t it…” 

“You two tend to stand out. Well, don’t worry too much—you’ll get used to it soon enough.” 

“Yeah, understood.”

◇

After taking his seat, Alphonse’s attention shifted from the surrounding commotion to the pair before him. Yufia Queensroad—who usually maintained a stoic, reticent expression that epitomized solitude—was now close to a male student, their shoulders brushing as they exchanged whispered words. It was a sight utterly beyond the usual image of Yufia.

“(Shion‑kun and Yufia‑san, they’ve really been friends forever…)” 

“(Whoa)”

Still reeling from the shock, Yufia asked, “…By the way, Shion, how did you end up getting close with Alphonse‑kun?” 

“Ah, well, that is—” 

“Alphonse.”

Before Alphonse could answer, Shion cut him off, scraping his chair as he stood up. He walked over to Alphonse’s seat, draped an arm around him, and leaned in close to whisper:

“Huh? What is it, Shion‑kun? What’s happening!?”

Covering his mouth with his hand, Shion began in a hushed tone.

“Actually… Yufia doesn’t know that I faced the dragon that day.” 

“Eh, r‑really?” 

“Yeah. I told her, ‘I wasn’t in the cafeteria on the day the dragon came.’ If it turns out to be a lie… it’ll be a huge problem.” 

“A huge problem…!?” 

“Exactly. It would be an absolute disaster. So, please, keep it a secret that I was in the cafeteria that day.” 

“If you’re saying that, it must be really serious… Fine, I’ll keep it secret, but then what will you tell Yufia‑san about her question?” 

“I’m going to cook up a good story right now, so Alphonse, just go along with it.” 

“O‑okay, got it. I’ll do my best.” 

“Sorry… I’m counting on you.”