Chapter 45.2: A Meal for Three

Shion moved away from Alphonse and returned to his seat.

What Shion referred to as “something outrageous” was, specifically, “Yufia worrying about him recklessly standing in front of a vicious dragon, being deeply shocked that he hid it from her, becoming utterly dejected and crying her eyes out.” However, Alphonse, overthinking the situation, tensed up as if the world were ending and gulped audibly.

“What’s wrong, Shion?”

Yufia, curious about the hushed exchange between Alphonse and Shion, asked Shion directly.

“I noticed Alphonse’s pants zipper was open, so I quietly told him about it.”

“!?”

“O-oh, right. My apologies, Alphonse-kun. That was insensitive of me to ask.”

“!? …N-no, it’s fine! No one else saw it, so…! Thanks, you saved me there, Shion-kun.”

Alphonse promptly played along with Shion’s lie.

“Anyway, you wanted to know how Alphonse and I met, right?”

“Yes, please.”

“We actually met… yesterday.”

“Yesterday?”

(Oh right, the first time we truly met was during the Black Annihilation Dragon incident. Since I hadn’t been at the academy until yesterday, he’s saying we met yesterday to hide that story.)

“Yeah. Yesterday, I was eating lunch as usual in the second-floor cafeteria when the room suddenly got noisy.”

(Is he talking about when I arrived here yesterday? I’ll listen carefully and make sure our stories align.)

“I followed the crowd’s stares and saw a student causing a scene near the self-service refill table.”

(…Huh? Was there someone like that? Oh, right. He’s using that student as a pretext for how we met.)

Alphonse mentally prepared to align his story with Shion’s.

—But the tale veered in a direction Alphonse never anticipated.

“Turns out, the guy was crying and screaming, ‘There’s no bread! My bread is gone!’ in front of an empty bread basket.”

“Th-that’s… quite a person…”

“Yeah. Everyone was completely taken aback.”

“What did you do?”

“Well, that wailing student… was A-L-P-H-O-N-S-E.”

(………………Wha—!?)

The absurdity of the lie nearly made Alphonse choke on his food.

“He looked so pitiful, I gave him the bread I hadn’t touched yet. He cried tears of joy, and we became friends.”

(Wait, Shion-kun!? Will she believe this!? If the lie falls apart, we’re in trouble! Wasn’t there a better story!?)

“S-so that’s what happened…”

(Yufia-san!?)

Contrary to Alphonse’s fears, Yufia accepted the story without suspicion—though she clearly found it off-putting.

“Alphonse-kun… you really like bread, don’t you…”

A 17-year-old boy throwing a tantrum over bread, then crying happily when given some… Yufia’s kindness in responding with understanding rather than scorn was admirable. But that very kindness twisted the knife in Alphonse’s heart.

(But… I have to go along with Shion-kun’s story…! I owe him my life. This is nothing compared to that…!!)

Alphonse steeled himself to commit to the lie.

“I… I really do love bread… If I can’t eat it, I throw tantrums and get really upset… Haha…”

He forced a smile, laughing dryly.

“I… see…”

Yufia’s expressionless face radiated discomfort.

(Endure it… endure, Alphonse… This is for your lifesaver’s sake…!)

Alphonse’s soul took damage.

(Sorry, Alphonse.)

Shion’s glance seemed to say.

(It’s fine… For you, anything…)

Alphonse’s eyes replied.

“A-anyway, that’s how Shion-kun and I met!”

Alphonse desperately changed the subject.

“More importantly, I’m curious about your relationship with Yufia-san!”

“Ours?”

“Yes. Shion-kun mentioned you’re childhood friends, but what exactly is your history?”

“Yufia and I are from the same town in the northern kingdom. We became close in elementary class at our local magic school.”

“Yes. Those were nostalgic days.”

Yufia’s monotone voice carried a hint of warmth, which Alphonse noticed. They must have wonderful memories together, he thought fondly.

“I see. I couldn’t picture you two having a connection, but this explains it.”

“Guess it’s unexpected to outsiders.”

“Very. Even now, I’m surprised. Did you hang out on weekends too?”

“Yeah. We’d sneak out dogs from people’s yards to play.”

“Y-you little troublemakers…”

“Oh, and we’d dine-and-dash sometimes.”

“That’s just crime…”

“Lies. All lies.”

Yufia flatly denied Shion’s straight-faced claims.

“On weekends… I was always forced to practice magic at home…”

(I actually wanted to spend time with Shion…)

“I see… Sorry for prying. I get it—I was in a similar situation.”

“Noble families are rough, huh?”

The boy who’d endured the harshest training of the three brushed off the topic, lightening the mood.

“Well… Ah, speaking of which, since you’re from the same school, you knew Yufia-san before she enrolled here, right? Was she always amazing at magic?”

“Not really.”

Yufia modestly shrugged, but Alphonse glanced at Shion for confirmation.

“Really?”

“Nah, she was insane.”

“Figures.”

Alphonse nodded sagely.

“She once burned 80% of our hometown to ashes.”

“Wha—”

“Didn’t happen.”

“Flattened a nearby mountain.”

“Huh!?”

“Joking.”

“Swung a sobbing, half-naked middle-aged man around by his underwear—”

“Pfft—! Ahahaha! Even I know that’s a joke!”

Alphonse burst out laughing at the absurd image.

But Yufia silently stared at her lap.

“………”

“Wait… is that… true?”

After the conversation about Shion and Yufia’s past settled, Alphonse steered the discussion elsewhere.

“Yufia-san, no offense, but I’m surprised you’re talking this much. I never imagined you could.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. I’ve never seen you talk to anyone in class like this.”

“…Maybe not.”

“What, Yufia? You don’t have anyone to talk to in class either? Same here.”

“Wha—!? Shion-kun, you don’t have friends in class!? Why!?”

Alphonse sounded shocked, adding, “But you’re so kind, easy to talk to, and fun!”

To this, Shion replied deadpan:

“I don’t bother with shallow bonds. I am the embodiment of solitude—a lone wolf.”

“But… you’re super chummy right now… Also, lone wolves are, by definition, already solitary…”

“Anyway, Yufia, you really have no one to talk to in class? No one?”

(Changing the subject again…)

“Mm… I can talk now because Shion’s here, but… I’m not good at starting conversations.”

“Oh, but you’ve been talking to Eliza-san lately, right?”

“Eliza? Eliza Lored?”

“Yeah, the third-ranked in our year.”

“That’s… less ‘talking’ and more her saying, ‘Rematch me!’ or ‘I’ll beat you next time!’… I just reply…”

“Oh… My bad, I misunderstood. I thought you two were kinda close.”

“Honestly, you’re better off avoiding that lunatic.”

Surprisingly, it was Shion who said this.

“Huh? Shion-kun, you know Eliza-san?”

“Know her? Last time, she nearly killed m—”

“WHO’RE YOU CALLING A LUNATIC!? I DON’T WANT TO HEAR THAT FROM YOU!!!”

A fiery-haired girl—Eliza Lored herself, the third-ranked student in their year—cut him off with a shout.

“E-Eliza-san!?”

Alphonse froze at her sudden appearance.

“‘Sup.”

“‘Sup’ MY ASS! Don’t act familiar!!”

Eliza spat pure hostility at Shion’s casual wave, while Alphonse stammered:

“Wait, Shion-kun, you know Eliza-san?”

“Yeah, sorta.”

“I want to know what’s going on here! How do you know these two!?”

“Old friend and yesterday’s friend.”

“You looking for a fight!?”

“C-calm down, Eliza-san…”

As Alphonse tried to pacify the seething Eliza, Yufia asked Shion:

“Shion… I didn’t know you knew Eliza-san. What’s your relationship?”

Yufia’s tone was flat, but a faint hint of loneliness tinged her words.

“Him and me? Hmm…”

Eliza hesitated, hand on her chin, but Shion answered breezily:

“To put it simply… ‘we’ve seen each other’s underwear.’”

““!?””

“WHAT!? THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING!?”

Everyone except Shion gasped.

“Eliza-san… you saw Shion’s… underwear?”

“N-no! Well, yes, but HE showed his first!!”

“Shion-kun!?”

“I walked into a storage room while she was changing. Accidentally saw hers, so I apologized. But she yelled, ‘Show me yours too!’ so I had to oblige.”

Shion crossed his arms smugly. “What a hassle.”

“Eliza-san, demanding that from a guy… that’s…”

“…Pervert.”

““(Well, I get wanting to see…)””

“STOOOOOP!!”

Eliza screamed, drowning out Alphonse and Yufia’s muttered agreement.

“I’ll murder you if you don’t shut up!!”

“C-calm down! Everyone’s staring…!”

Eliza glanced around, realizing the cafeteria’s eyes were on her.

(Get a grip, Eliza Lored. A Lored heir losing it over this idiot is beyond pathetic…)

“You’re dead later.”

She glared at Shion, then turned to Yufia.

“Whatever. I came to talk to you, Yufia-san.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

As Eliza stood holding her tray, Shion interjected:

“Why not sit? Spot’s open.”

“N-no! I mean… fine.”

Reluctantly, Eliza sat opposite Yufia.

“So, what did you want?”

Eliza leaned in.

“You turned down the selection for the Knight Academy exhibition match, right?”

The match—a 5v5实战 between the magic and knight academies—was three weeks away. Faculty-nominated representatives participated, but Yufia had reportedly refused.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Yufia hesitated, glancing at Shion.

“…”

“?”

Shion tilted his head.

“…I don’t like fighting as a spectacle for crowds.”

Eliza blinked.

“That’s it? No other reason?”

“…Yes.”

“Then just join! If you don’t, I’ll look like a charity case—a clown they let in because you refused!”

“Why would you care?” Alphonse asked.

“I’m already chosen! If the top-ranked skips and I’m picked instead, it’s humiliating! Like I’m a pity invite!”

Shion suddenly deepened his voice, mimicking a sage:

“Fohohoho! If thou fearest mockery, child, grow stronger! Silence thy critics with might!”

He dangled Yufia’s silver hair over his lips like a beard.

“STOP THAT!! And quit using Yufia-san’s hair as a prop!”

Yufia, however, deadpanned:

“I don’t mind if Shion does it.”

“Yufia-san… since when were you like this!? This is humiliating!”

“If it helps Shion, I’m glad I was born with silver hair.”

“…Our year’s top student is insane.”

Eliza gave up, while Shion continued:

“Fohohoho!”

“Stop ‘fohohoho’-ing! You’re the craziest here!”

Later, despite emotional damage and Eliza’s rage, the four apparently enjoyed their meal.

And among them was a certain boy, overhearing whispers:

“Look! Even Eliza Lored, third-ranked, is with them!”

“The Loreds!?”

“The top two are monsters! I heard even fourth-years can’t match them!”

“This year’s second-years are insane!”

“That C-ranked guy’s with Loreds too… Who is he?”

…A boy who, while feigning calm, was thriving internally.