Chapter 2: A Pleasant Lunchtime (1)
Staring at the steak wouldn’t change anything, but when did humans ever act solely on reason? Even knowing it was pointless, I kept glaring at the food on my plate.
It wasn’t because it tasted bad. True to the reputation of a noble academy, the dishes were sophisticated, bringing out the natural flavors of the ingredients exquisitely.
Compared to the food I ate back at home, it wasn’t inferior in quality. It lacked the warmth of a mother’s love, sure, but you could still sense the effort put into the cooking. So, what was the problem? My appetite.
My palate, already accustomed to strong spices, couldn’t fully enjoy the food here. It tasted good, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that the flavors were too mild.
Compared to the fiery heat of chili oil or the rich, unique taste of exotic spices, the food here felt lacking. And most importantly, there was no rice.
For a Korean who thrives on rice, this was unacceptable. I didn’t have the courage to complain, but I couldn’t help feeling betrayed.
How could the world’s most prestigious educational institution not serve a simple bowl of steamed rice?
The thought crossed my mind: “You only get betrayed if you have expectations in the first place.” But avoiding expectations entirely? That’s difficult, isn’t it? After all, this was the main stage of the novel, even if it was now my reality. How could I not have any expectations?
This was the place where the protagonist and his heroines laughed and enjoyed their time together. If the food wasn’t good, could they really laugh like that? Personally, I doubted it.
…Maybe my premise was wrong. Maybe I was the only one who found the food lacking.
From the perspective of this continent, it might even be considered gourmet cuisine.
My taste buds, spoiled by dishes overflowing with spices and oils, might have been ruined.
It wasn’t like this was the first time. Whenever I tried trending foods—tapioca snacks, bizarre fusion tteokbokki—with my few friends, I was always the one who found them unpalatable.
Come to think of it, their reactions had been rather hesitant back then too. Maybe it was because we ate something bad?
…A horrifying thought struck me. What if everything had tasted awful, but I was the only one too oblivious to fake enjoyment, blurting out that it was bad and ruining the mood? I shook my head quickly, pushing the thought away. No, their expressions were grim because the food really was bad.
That had to be it.
-Tsk.
Since becoming this person, it has become harder to hide my emotions. In the past, even if I didn’t like something, I managed to go along with it.
But now, my displeasure immediately showed through my actions: my tail swished, my ears twitched, or I unconsciously clicked my tongue.
Though I tried to be mindful of others’ reactions, it hadn’t caused any major problems so far.
At least, not with my parents. Back home, I had been the Crown Princess, so there was no one to reprimand me—aside from my tutor.
But here, it was different. At Amaurus Academy, everyone was treated equally, whether they were commoners or nobles.
This academy wasn’t devoid of princes or princesses, or even imperial bloodlines. Yet all of them were treated as mere students.
It would be no different for me. On top of that, I was a complete outsider, even a different species, so I had to tread carefully.
I wasn’t exactly sure how my father had managed to get me enrolled here, but it couldn’t have been a peaceful process.
In the 19 years I had spent on the Eastern Continent, there hadn’t been a single year without war.
The more I thought about it, the less likely it seemed that it was done legitimately. Could someone like me, who entered under such circumstances, really complain about the academy food?
I glared at the steak in front of me. Cutting off a piece and chewing on it, I found it… tolerable.
By now, the steak, which had once been warm, was awkwardly lukewarm. It reminded me of my high school days, eating alone.
Back then, I’d try to savor my food slowly, only for it to grow cold and unappetizing, ending up in the trash.
…How depressing. When I ate with my family, even eating slower than this, the food always tasted so much better.
It must have been because it suited my taste. That had to be it.
I hadn’t served myself much to begin with, so it didn’t take long to finish. When I stood up, I could feel eyes following me, but I ignored them and placed my dishes in the return slot before heading to the academy store. What’s an academy story without a school store, right?
The thought lightened my mood a little. Snacks. Heroine events. Dates!
Not that I’d experience them, of course. But surely they happened. In over 320 chapters, there had to be at least one scene where the protagonist and a shy, loner-type heroine bonded at the store.
The thought made me angry. The protagonist just drifts through life, and girls flock to him.
Meanwhile, I’m ostracized the moment I arrive. And he’s not even that handsome. Okay, fine, he’s good-looking, but still only average by this world’s standards.
…The more I dwelled on it, the more pathetic I felt. For now, I decided to focus solely on eating some carbs.
After becoming a girl, I didn’t need to eat as much as before. One bowl of rice was enough to fill me, and honestly, I already felt full. But could a Korean call it a proper meal without eating carbs?
So, I resolved to at least grab some bread. Cream bread, no matter the world, was always delicious.
I ignored the girl who had hurriedly looked away and fled after our eyes accidentally met.
As much as I wanted to go home, that wasn’t an option. If only to satisfy my curiosity about how the novel ended—or to enact some petty revenge on the author—I was staying in this academy.
Though I wasn’t sure what kind of revenge I could even take on the author.
At one point, I’d considered burning this entire world to the ground, but that would’ve been overkill. No, the author wasn’t detestable enough for me to ruin the world I had to live in.
While pondering these thoughts, I headed toward the store. Then, suddenly, a girl stopped me.
Wondering if I knew her, I quickly scanned her face, but she didn’t match anyone in my memory or knowledge.
Who was she? Was she about to start pressuring me for real now?
Finally, the insidious darkness of noble society was closing in on me. Though I lamented the situation, I refused to let myself be taken advantage of without resistance. Mustering a bit of emotion, I asked the girl in front of me a direct question.
“Who are you?”
Iris couldn’t understand why Stefania had refused to ask Baek Hoyeon her question directly and instead pushed the task onto her.
She couldn’t accept it, neither in her head nor her heart. After all, she had worked hard to build a cordial relationship with Baek Hoyeon, which had resulted in her family’s regional specialties being supplied to Baek Hoyeon’s merchant guild. She hadn’t done anything to earn Baek Hoyeon’s ire. So why had she been burdened with this role?
To inquire about the current political situation?
Worse still, a member of her family had recently been embroiled in an unsavory incident involving the Baek Empire.
How on earth was she supposed to broach such a topic? Should she start with spices? Or maybe textiles?
However, all thoughts vanished the moment she stood before Baek Hoyeon.
If someone were to ask her what it felt like to stick one’s head into the jaws of a beast, she now felt confident she could answer immediately.
An overwhelming presence that left her unable to breathe. Golden eyes that seemed to pierce the depths of her soul. A thick aura of hostility that allowed for no movement, no defiance.
For a fleeting moment, the thought crossed her mind: she might actually die here. Was her heartbeat always this loud? She asked herself this unanswered question, her intended inquiry fading from her mind. It was only when Baek Hoyeon spoke again that Iris managed to pull herself together.
“If you have no business with me, I’ll be going.”
“I-I’m Iris Stargazer!” she stammered, managing at least to introduce herself.
She could only manage this much because of Stefania. Stefania detested breaking promises, and Iris had promised to gather information about the current political climate.
Desperation drove her. Though she had managed to blurt out her name, she had no idea how to continue the conversation.
What could she say to avoid offending Baek Hoyeon and to keep her attention? In that split second, Iris could think of only one option.
“Regarding… the recent incident in the Empire involving my foolish uncle, I wanted to offer my apologies…”
Even to Iris, the words sounded clumsy. But it was the best she could come up with on the spot.
“Stargazer… Star… Ah. You must mean that fiery missionary. If it’s about him, don’t worry. A family shouldn’t have to take responsibility for an individual’s mistakes.”
For a moment, relief washed over Iris. The oppressive pressure hadn’t entirely dissipated, but at least Baek Hoyeon showed some willingness to engage in conversation. That was a good sign.
“If you came to apologize, I’ll accept it. Now, I’m busy, so I’ll take my leave.”
With that curt statement, Baek Hoyeon turned to go, leaving Iris standing there, her face drained of color.
She needed to uncover the political situation, no matter what, and this turn of events left her frantic.
Just as she was about to open her mouth to say something—anything—she saw and felt it.
Those eyes. Eyes that glared at her, wordlessly demanding she stop speaking.
The crushing fear that she had barely managed to suppress with her sense of duty came roaring back. The last of her courage failed her, and she collapsed to her knees.
Baek Hoyeon paid no attention to the pathetic sight she left behind. Without even a glance back, she briskly continued on her way.