I’m Just an Ordinary Academy Student

33 – Not Guns and Knives, but This.

In a surprising turn of events, Karl became the head of the cooking booth, but regardless, he was passionate.

After swiftly corralling the four of them, he decided on the menu and even made plans for the future.

Was it a skill honed through military life or something he naturally possessed? Anyway, with his organizational skills, the cooking booth was perfectly prepared, at least up to that point.

Yeah, up to the preparation.

“Something urgent came up, so I need a favor.”

It’s almost opening time, and we’re really on the verge of selling, aren’t we?

Kal suddenly entrusted Selena with a significant mission and disappeared into the crowd.

“….”

He had reluctantly handed it over when she promised to listen to his request later.

Whether Selena could really do it as Kal thought, as he wanted, she wasn’t sure.

With such thoughts, Selena returned to the cooking booth.

Honestly, it felt burdensome and uncomfortable. Kal had asked her to do it, and they had come to help, that much was true.

However, it had to be the four of them. All of them were the ones who had rejected his confession.

It was less awkward when Kal was around. Because he was there.

But now that Kal had disappeared, leaving her alone, it became uncomfortably awkward.

In just a few days, she even recalled their forgotten confessions.

“What should I do? It feels awkward for me to approach them first at this point.”

She wanted to say something, but she worried about making them uncomfortable.

Right now, they were over there, chatting amongst themselves with Selena left on her own.

Certainly, the four male students must be feeling uncomfortable about the situation.

“No, stop it. Stick to the measurements, you fool.”

“The measurements are correct. Wilhelm! Look! See, it’s right!”

“Stop it already. Kal said it’s okay to give more.”

“That’s right, Alexander. The issue is giving less. Look, Wilhelm!”

Hmm. It seemed fine for them to chat among themselves.

She didn’t really want to get involved in such matters.

“It’s time. Joachim! Go out and start slowly!”

“Ah… do I really have to?”

“If not, you don’t want to defy Kal, do you?”

“Ugh! Fine, fine! I’ll do it!”

Joachim grumbled while preparing something behind, suddenly behaving like that. Why was he acting like that? Why did Joachim dislike it so much?

Watching quietly from behind, Selena couldn’t hold back her laughter for long.

“…Pfft!”

She had to cover her mouth to suppress the laughter that burst out.

“Wow, don’t laugh! Selena!”

“Oh, it suits you well. Joachim.”

“Yeah, you could wear that and go to a dance party.”

“You naughty kids! Are you really my friends?”

Joachim burst into anger, but no one is intimidated.

It’s only natural. How can you be scary in a puffy fish-shaped bread outfit?

“I’m counting on you, Joachim! Show some carnival performance!”

“You guys act like it’s not your business at all. Huh?!”

“Oh, if you’re upset, why don’t you cook something good?”

As Wilhelm said, Joachim was the worst cook, excluding even knives.

The menu at the cooking booth consists of fish-shaped bread and hotteok. Both dishes need to be cooked.

How can they entrust the cooking to Joachim, who shows an especially weak side in cooking?

Immediately, there were cries from the knives, “Your cooking is so undercooked that it might come back to life?!”

So Joachim, in the end, became a wind puppet and whimpered outside.

Some who were curious about the absurd scene, and others who smelled a peculiar scent and saw an unusual appearance, approached the booth with curiosity.

“Oh, seniors?”

“Hello. What will it be? We have two menus!”

“Um… what’s delicious?”

“Both! It’s a menu developed by an Imperial Order Medal recipient!?”

“…?”

Wow, they’re selling knives here. Is this also part of the plan?

Selena searched the pamphlet claiming the knife had made it, but there was no such information.

It seems like they decided on their own. Is this okay?

Meanwhile, the first customer took a few fish-shaped breads, put them in their mouth, and went, “Mmm.”

Let’s see. If the reaction is not good… um. Here. It’s written on this page.

If the customers’ expressions become strange, immediately press the heads of the four and order Dokgeja.

‘… What’s Dokgeja?’

Looking down a bit more, it was detailed what Dokgeja is.

‘Ah, so it means kneel and apologize.’

More precisely, various options are now added, but the knives excluded them.

Anyway, Selena observed the guests, thinking that her approach seemed just right.

Expression. The expression… huh. It seems okay? They even ask for two more.

“Oh. What’s this? The reaction is better than I thought?”

“Hahaha! Indeed, this body is undoubtedly a cooking genius!”

“Shuripen, if you have a conscience, shut up.”

“Yes.”

It seems that the reaction is better than expected.

“Selena, can you add more ingredients? My gloved hands are getting dirty.”

“Oh, okay! Where should I put them?”

“Here. No, not here, but there.”

More and more people are coming. As a result, the work has become a bit busier.

They call the knives enemies, but in reality, these four were originally very popular male students.

And now, even Selena, who is slightly faded but still the eternal first love of all male students.

That alone was enough to make them a combination that automatically scores high in popularity.

Therefore, it’s natural for their workload to gradually increase.

“Heh. Hah. I can’t do this anymore. How long do I have to stay outside like this?”

“Ugh, Joahim, you weakling. Move aside! I’ll do it instead! Selena, please take care of this!”

“Huh? This is my first time doing this! What do I do!”

“You can do it. If it’s for Karl!”

When the topic of Karl comes up, Selena presses the hotteok with a sound of ‘Hooeek!’ while looking at the four.

Watching her, the four smile and suddenly shout in unison.

“Selena, cheer up.”

“Don’t tease me! It’s already tough enough as it is!”

No, that’s not it. It’s not about cheering up in that sense.

He wondered why there isn’t a possessive man position in romance novels with a sword as the main focus.

The answer to that question is, in romance novels, there is also a position that wholeheartedly accepts victory or defeat and cheers on.

And coincidentally, these four were all in charge of that position.

On the other hand, Karl, heading towards a sparsely populated area while swallowing a warm fish-shaped bun.

“Did you find it?”

I met with the special forces agent who had come with Eloise earlier.

The agent who greeted Karl immediately briefed him on the current situation.

“Yes. There have been a few individuals we’ve been monitoring for a while now, and they’ve entered the academy under the pretext of transporting materials for the Academy Autumn Festival.”

“And?”

“The recipients of these materials are the booths operated by foreign students.”

“Foreign students?”

There were foreign students at the academy?

“Yes. Karl probably knows, but at the moment, not only students from the Empire but also students from the Kingdom, elves, and even students from Higens are staying together.”

“…I see.”

Sorry. I didn’t know. It’s my first time hearing about this.

“Suspect individuals have been lingering around foreign students from other countries. Considering they are targeting students from the Kingdom and Higens, not just Empire students, it’s safe to assume their goal is to create tension between the Empire and other nations.”

“We are also considering that possibility.”

But why foreign students, for heaven’s sake? Why?

“Their goal is probably to cool down the relationship between the Empire and other countries.”

“…Haven’t they considered the possibility that it might backfire on them?”

“In any case, it wouldn’t be good for pro-Empire factions within to have such an opportunity.”

That makes sense. Even if it’s unclear about Higens, the relationship between the two kingdoms and the Empire is ambiguous.

In the process, if an unfortunate incident happens to local foreign students, it could be diplomatically advantageous.

If they’re lucky, another war might break out, and in the meantime, Luzence could recover.

“Wait a minute. If that’s the case, why not apprehend them now instead of just waiting?”

“We’ve been observing them because they haven’t taken any action yet. If we catch them too early, we might miss other individuals who are hiding…”

I clicked my tongue at the agent’s response. These people don’t seem to know much about the khanfs.

“Leave this matter to me.”

“Karl, student?”

“I mean the khanfs. If something happens to their comrades, especially if it’s at the hands of the ‘Empire,’ they rush in immediately. Instead of just watching, you should deal with them as soon as you spot them. They’ll come on their own then.”

I waved off even the suggestion of further consideration.

Oh, just trust me on this. I’m a decorated knight, after all. An expert on khanfs!

“Just trust me and wait. Now, have some of this.”

“…What is this?”

“It’s called fish-shaped bread and hotteok. Very tasty snacks.”

“Hey. Try this, try this. Do you know bungeoppang? Do you know hotteok?”

“Mmm… Oh. It’s really nice, sweet and warm.”

“I’m glad it suits your taste.”

“Did Karl make this?”

“I just helped a bit, the rest was made by other guys.”

“When you say ‘other guys’?”

“Shurifenn and Wilhelm. Alexander and Joah.”

At that moment, the agent repeats the names of the four with a very bewildered expression.

Seems a bit surprised that the sub-author and the guys from the imperial Bai family are doing this.

“Oh, Karl student. This.”

The agent extends something forward. It turns out to be a pistol and a greatsword.

“Just in case, you know, arming yourself.”

“It’s an academy. Shooting a gun would be a big problem.”

Even if it’s a festival, using guns is crossing the line. I don’t want to turn this into a funeral.

“…Then how about a greatsword?”

“That’s fine too. It wouldn’t look good if blood splattered everywhere on this lively festival day.”

“If you reject this too, how are you planning to arm yourself…”

“I have this. This.”

I confidently offer the remaining bungeoppang and hotteok.

“…Surely you’re not trying to persuade me with food, right?”

“Of course not. I’m not that crazy.”

Why? Is it because you think I won’t be able to kill a vampire with this?

I think I can do it.