The Fake Hero Goes to Academy - Chapter 5- A partner

The route to the cafeteria wasn’t difficult, since most of the students were heading there for lunch.

I was pretty hungry too, considering the last thing I ate was a handful of small worms last night, which, despite being nutritious, didn’t feel satisfying.

Normally, I survive on beast flesh and wild plants, but it wasn’t like I lacked an appetite for proper food. Thanks to the Prince, who occasionally had me assist with gatherings and meetings, I had even tasted royal foreign dishes.

As I stepped into the massive cafeteria, large enough to accommodate around a thousand people, my nose was immediately filled with a rich blend of fragrance and tempting flavors. I paused for a moment, simply savoring the scent of delicious food before letting my gaze wander.

Long tables were arranged along the walls, while at the center of the hall stood three counters where the live kitchen served meals to students. There was some assistance from magic, but the food was still prepared through manual effort, which only raised my expectations for a great meal.

I made my way toward the first kitchen and scanned the menu in one go. I didn’t bother checking the other counters since I had already found something mouthwatering.

“Mm… can you make me this?” I pointed at the deluxe noodles, loaded with meat, eggs, and vegetables. The image alone was enough to make my stomach growl.

The chef glanced at the dish, then nodded and extended his palm toward me.

I blinked in confusion before lightly slapping it with my own.

“…” For some reason, not only the chef but even the surrounding students seemed completely taken aback by my gesture.

Sensing my confusion, the chef spoke,

“I’m asking for your student ID, not a palm slap, kid.”

This time, I fell silent. I didn’t have an identity card yet, and with my stomach screaming for food, the realization hit harder than it should have.

“Sorry for the trouble,” I said politely, turning to leave, when someone suddenly grabbed my sleeve and called out to the chef,

“Please prepare whatever he just ordered. Here is my student ID.”

I blinked in surprise and turned to look at the familiar figure. It was Ellie.

“Are you sure, kid? You know you can only order up to thirty points a day, right? And this dish takes—”

“Yes, yes, I’m sure.”

I wasn’t entirely sure what the chef meant by those points, but Ellie seemed completely unconcerned, so I didn’t dwell on it.

The chef sighed and began preparing the noodles.

I stayed quiet until the food was ready. Ellie picked up the tray from the counter and placed it in my hands.

“Here you go.”

I looked at her, confused. “Why are you doing so much for me?”

Earlier, she had gone out of her way to guide me to the Headmaster’s office, and now she was using her lunch points to get me food. Were there really people this kind to strangers?

I found it hard to believe.

“It’s not like I’m letting you eat all of it. Now follow me.”

Without waiting for a response, she led me to the nearest table.

We drew several glances, probably because of Ellie, but I didn’t pay them any attention. My focus stayed fixed on the tray in my hands.

Truth be told, on a normal day, I could finish three of these without a problem. But this was my first day, and she had helped me out. I didn’t really have a choice but to share it with her.

As we sat down, she handed me the fork and gestured for me to start.

I picked up the noodles without hesitation. After dipping them into the soup twice, I finally tasted what this school had to offer.

It was delicious, just as I had expected.

Soon, Ellie began eating as well, but I noticed she was deliberately leaving the meat for me and only eating the noodles.

“You haven’t received your student ID yet?” she asked suddenly.

I simply shook my head. Since she already knew I had enrolled today, there was no need to explain further.

As I bit into a piece of meat, she continued, “Every student gets thirty points per day to buy food from the cafeteria. Different dishes cost different points, and what we’re eating right now is one of the most expensive options. So next time, be careful about what you order and always check the menu properly.”

I raised my brows at that. I never expected they would limit something as basic as appetite.

Still, since she said “in general,” there was probably a way to increase those points. Even so, I would need to keep myself in check from now on.

“This point system is designed to keep a student’s health in check. As you can see, no one here is obese or underweight. Well, those who enrolled a few months ago might look a little out of shape, but before the final term, they’ll be molded as well.”

As she said that, I took a better look around. The students really did seem healthy, which made sense for those aiming to become warriors in the future.

“Do you have anything you want to ask? I wasn’t exactly assigned to take care of you, but helping a new student doesn’t cost me anything… well, if we don’t count those thirty points.”

Her joke was answered with a quiet slurp as I finished the last of the soup without hesitation.

“At least try to be modest around a beautiful girl like me.” She handed me a tissue, which I accepted without bothering to respond.

Instead, I took the chance to ask something that had been on my mind since morning.

“Is it really necessary to pair up with someone in this academy? And what are these weekly expeditions?”

Having a partner would restrict my movements, and I would have to deliberately hold back my strength to avoid suspicion.

Her answer, however, crushed that thought entirely.

“It’s mandatory to have a partner by the end of the first year. Otherwise, next year you’ll be paired with a random student from a different section, which honestly isn’t ideal. Partnering with a stranger can be quite difficult. As for the expeditions, it’s better if you experience them yourself rather than hearing about them from me.”

The way she smiled suggested that something troublesome was waiting in three days. Still, no matter what happened, I would find a way to make it through graduation.

Probably.

…..

Back in the classroom, I noticed that everyone was either completely ignoring me or sneering at my presence.

My deskmate was no longer there. As I scanned the room, I spotted her chatting with a group of girls, a bright smile on her face.

I was about to sit down when I noticed a note resting on my seat.

‘Thank you.’

I didn’t need to wonder who it was from. I crumpled it and tossed it into the dustbin before taking my seat.

Having a whole desk to myself after that satisfying meal… I couldn’t have asked for more.

If anything, I almost felt like thanking that girl.

For the rest of the class, I was grateful that the professors didn’t single me out to answer anything. I simply passed the time staring at the blackboard.

Most of the topics made sense to me, not because I had any formal education, but because of my experiences. I had learned things that an average student would likely never encounter.

However, the natural terms and spell calculations were entirely new to me, and strangely interesting. Still, without any proper foundation, they felt more like meaningless drawings than something I could truly grasp.

Three hours passed quickly, and the same homeroom teacher entered for the final administrative period.

I didn’t know what usually happened during this time, but the professor didn’t seem interested in teaching, and the students appeared used to it. Some started working, while others casually chatted with their friends.

Suddenly, drawing everyone’s attention, a red-haired girl stood up and addressed the professor,

“Professor Melissa, I have a complaint against the new student, Pascal Eden. He has physically and verbally abused his deskmate and caused her injury. I request you to take action against him.”

Well, I had pushed her a little, but I found it hard to believe she would have been injured because of that. And judging by the way that timid girl shook her head with an anxious expression, she seemed to agree.

Regardless, under the weight of her students’ gazes, the professor had no choice but to respond.

“The Headmaster anticipated something like this. That is why he has already assigned someone as student Pascal’s partner to monitor him.”

I raised my brows. Being monitored by a classmate wasn’t exactly ideal, but I had no grounds to object. I had acted like a complete bastard earlier.

With a sigh, the professor looked toward a particular student before announcing,

“Student Bellarine, please take the seat beside student Pascal. From today onward, you will be his partner.”

…Now this was bound to be troublesome.

After all, Bellarine was partnered with none other than Prince William.

‘Haah… way to start the academy…’

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