The Academy's Unluckiest Bastard - Chapter 3: Roommates and Meals

Surprisingly he was only sharing a room with one other person judging by the fact there were only two beds, one on either side of the room neatly split down the half by where his roommate placed their decor. Unfortunately it was one of the only five people he knew outside of his own family, Selwig. 

“You’re awfully rude for a roommate, I suppose I shouldn’t expect better from an Alphonse.” Selwig muttered sitting on his bed with a book in hand. 

“Don’t even start.” Lucas grit his teeth thinking back to everytime this purple-haired brat would act all snide when they were younger. It was the only time he was allowed out the estate and the person he got stuck socializing with had a claymore rammed up his arse. Moving to his side he saw the trunk at the foot of the bed and unclasped it before unpacking his clothing and beginning to put them away. Selwig’s pretentious glare prickling his neck. “Stop staring at me.”

“I need to ensure you don’t burn the room down.” He replied curt flipping to the next page. 

Lucas turned to face him as his face went red in memory. “I was six it’s not my fault the servants left a candle lit on the table. I couldn’t even see over the table.”

“I do recall, you were a small child. I’m surprised you weren’t a dwarf of sorts.” He snorted as he set the book down.

‘Odd I swore it looked like he was only half way done.’ Lucas muttered mulling over the change of books before sorting his clothing before he heard Selwig get up behind him.

“It’s weird I didn’t think you would have long hair. Doesn’t the rest of your family keep their hair short because it’s a fight risk?” Selwig mused as he was grabbing a sword from the inside of his closet. “I suppose you were always weird. Remember your tenth birthday? Only me and Arlond showed up.” 

“Don’t need to remind me how friendless I am.” Lucas replied bitterly. His family was respected but he was not. A middle child with no apparent talents and a lack of magic made him undesireable. 

“Just thought you’d like to remember. Anyways I will be off to eat. I suppose I will see you in… No, I will definitely see you in the combat training rooms later. A family of warmongers wouldn’t study anything else.” With that closing remark he shut the door behind him and left. 

Pushing aside the curses he wanted to throw at his new roommate he sighed. At least it was not a commoner. He did not need some arbitrary accusation of using his family name against them. Looking through his outfits it consisted mostly of uniforms and training clothing. To one side was his journal; it was full of his notes from combat practice. Noting down every mistake his father pointed out and every weak point exposed. His father never allowed a mistake to be made more than twice. Shuddering as the sounds of cracks echoed in his head, when he made a mistake a third time his father was certain he would not forget it.

Setting aside everything he headed out the room, locking the door behind him he began the walk to the canteen. From what the map he saw near the stairwell it was situated on the ground floor in the east wing. Walking down the steps he kept a hand in his pocket firmly holding his watch and room key. It was unlikely that someone would try to pickpocket him but it was better to be safe than sorry. Getting to the main hall it was rows of tables and seats either side. An open kitchen at the end to collect meals from as the cost of meals was accounted for in the student fees and scholarships.

Heading into the line he could hear the murmurs around him and glances his way. Looking at how people would suddenly shy away from his appearance made him shrink into himself a little as he just focused on looking forward to drowning out how uncomfortable he was. The line had another four or five people ahead of him as he tapped his foot against the floor looking at the menu debating what he would eat. Yet when he looked at the menu he blinked a little confused.

“They serve a dessert with the meal, is that because today is the first day? Don’t you only eat cake on important celebrations?” He muttered to himself, baffled only to hear a giggle behind him. Turning around he saw a small girl with round frame glasses and dark green hair freeze up like a deer in front of a carriage. “Is something amusing?”

She turned a little pale at that and began to stammer, “it’s just what you said was funny. Isn’t it normal to get dessert after meals? Are you from a commoner family?” Her expression looked genuinely confused and it only made him more lost on the whole point of dessert.

“I’m not from a commoner family. Normally meals are just the main piece anymore. It is unnecessary bloat that impedes training.” He replied a little harshly. At Least by her assumption she must be above the commoner class but she lacked the proper decorum for a proper noble, so a wealthy merchant or baron.

“Oh, are you from a military family? I’m Lucille Calistrone, from the Calistrone merchant family.” She replied with a small smile. “I’m sorry if I offended you.”

“It’s fine. I suppose you could consider my family a military one. I’m Lucas.” He replied in kind. “I’ll accept your apology.”

With that he turned to face the front of the line, grateful in the span of the distraction there was only one other person in front of him. Looking back upto the menu he decided on the roasted chicken and vegetables. It was the closest thing to what he was served at home so he knew he would like it. Settling with a plate of vegetables he rejected the dessert it felt, undeserved. But once he found a seat where people would not lean away from him he finally began to eat only to be jostled by the sound of a tray along with its cutlery rattle in the seat in front of him. 

A familiar voice filled his ears. “Is it alright if I sit here?” Lucille smiled sheepishly. She had already taken her seat before even asking so Lucas just shrugged his shoulders.

“It doesn’t matter much to me.” As he took a bite of his food he found it rather bland. “It seems the food is rather simple. There’s no spice to this.”

Lucille looked confused as she took a bite of her own meal. The same as his own but with some cake in a dark sticky sauce on the side. “It’s well seasoned to me. There’s a little bit of a kick from the paprika if that’s what you mean?”

“Paprika? No, I mean stronger seasonings like hemlock or wolfsbane.” He looked confused as to who would use such simple seasonings in cooking. It tasted like nothing as he grumbled taking another bite only to see her choke on her food.

With a harsh cough and a gulp of water she looked horrified. “Those aren’t seasonings. Who told you they were?”

“My father, who else? When I asked him why the food I ate at the estate tasted different to what they would serve during meetings and gatherings. He told me our food is seasoned differently due to family tastes in meals. It’s just a bit different to what others eat.”

“A bit different… Lucas, you know hemlock and wolfsbane are poisons, right?” Lucille looked mortified; anyone could convince their own child poisons were seasonings.

“They’re poisons? That can’t be right.” Lucas looked down at his food in thought. “It’s probably some odd naming convention he had for seasonings. Like mistaking certain herbs and what not. I mean I love herbology and plants so I did notice that. I’m going to assume he was just meaning a stronger taste of rosemary and thyme.” Firmly convincing himself once more that his father was not poisoning him at home he began to eat in the awkward silence of neither wanting to speak. 

Lucille tapped the table causing him to look up at her. “So, what are you specialising in?” Her demeanour clearly showed she wanted to change subjects.

“Oh, I’m doing Combat Studies. Have you picked a speciality yet?” He looked back at her leaning into his chair.

“I’m studying Finance and Law it’s so I can take over my father’s merchant troupe when I’m older.” Lucille had a tone of fondness and a little bit of homesickness.

“I’m guessing it’s to be a better merchant. Knowing the trade and the laws around it would be hard to navigate. I’m sure you’ll make your father proud.” He offered her words of support, it seemed to do the trick as she smiled towards him with a nod.

“That’s right, I just need to try my best and work hard.” She said stuffing whatever her dessert was in a single bite into her mouth. Lucas was certain even he needed a few bites to get through what it was as she washed it down with water. Taking a napkin she dabbed her lips and stood up with her tray. “Since we are both finished, why don’t we put our trays away and go for a walk around the first year area? I don’t really know anyone here so it would be nice to get to know my first friend better.” 

Lucas stopped a little surprised. “You consider me a friend?” 

Lucille tilted her head to the side in a way Lucas could only find a little cute. “Why wouldn’t you be? We talked and ate together. Dad always said sharing a meal and good conversation is what you need to start a friendship.”

“Do my eyes not bother you?” He asked hesitantly. The filthy serpentine eyes of his left him a spot of ridicule by the servants at home and his father used them as a reason for whenever he stepped out of line. Looking at her she frowned as they put their trays away.

“Why would drake eyes bother me? My dad has them.” She huffed tugging his arm towards the gardens outside of the building.

It made Lucas chuckle as he let the small girl barely to his chest pull him along. “That’s really comforting to know, Lucille.”

“Please, call me Lucy.” She giggled as she dragged him to the middle of a large flower garden.