Chapter 147
Chapter 147
Jetetci suddenly asked me a question out of nowhere.
“…….”
However, since I had to conceal my identity, I unfortunately couldn’t speak.
I pointed at the signboard. Jetetci turned his eyes toward it.
「If you order food we made, we’ll give you one animal friend created through a magical device. Please visit <Little Friends Café> near Havertz Park.」
“Hmmm……”
Jetetci carefully read the sign I was holding. Then he shifted his gaze back to Ramji.
“This adorable thing. Isn’t it as round and lovable as Angelina’s original cookies, Mister Bonbonchet?”
“Yes, your evaluation is accurate, Master. I’ve lived in the mountains before and have seen many animals, but I’ve never seen one this cute.”
Even the elderly gentleman who had bowed his head with his eyes closed was sneaking glances at Ramji.
“But Havertz Park? Hmm, doesn’t that sound familiar to you, Mister Bonbonchet?”
“Yes, it was the location of the booth of Lady V, whom Master ardently adores, during last summer’s festival.”
“……Ha! What an outrageous twist of fate! You built a booth where V once stood…! Don’t tell me you chased V away!”
“Master, what power would these students possibly have? V must have been absent due to personal circumstances.”
“Hm……”
Jetetci stared intently at Ramji, then abruptly turned his head.
“Mister Bonbonchet, add that booth to today’s gourmet course. I don’t expect much from the food, but I must go fetch that adorable fellow.”
“Yes, Master. I shall reorganize the course based on this fantastical schedule.”
“Well then, let’s begin with the first restaurant, Mister Bonbonchet.”
“Master, not that way—this way.”
“Mm!”
Jetetci began walking after the elderly gentleman.
……Anyway. After that—
Even outsiders not wearing school uniforms reacted explosively to “Ramji.”
“Havertz Park? Looking at the map, that’s pretty far… We’ll need to walk for an hour.”
“How about going as a stroll? It’s a park path, so it should be nice.”
“Let’s submit the forms first and then head straight there!”
“Yeah, it’s super cute. I want to pet it too!”
Despite being far from the Main Building, thanks to Ramji, it seemed we’d get a good number of customers.
As expected, “cuteness” was a powerful weapon.
Right, even if I were a customer, I’d want to stop by at least once.
While I showed Ramji to the people gathered around, I overheard a conversation nearby.
“There’s still plenty of time before McGrim’s concert. Let’s stop by.”
McGrim.
She was the biggest star of this year’s festival.
There were even posters of “McGrim” attached to the surrounding walls. Pink and blue hair mixed together, and a bold pose holding a pink guitar.
On the pickguard of the guitar in the poster, a white jewel was embedded.
‘Hey, that’s the one I gave her inside the barrier, isn’t it?’
The Banshee Core.
She still hadn’t thrown it away.
‘Well, it only looks like a jewel, and it isn’t harmful to humans.’
It seemed she kept it as a memento.
McGrim’s performance wasn’t on the Havertz Park stage, but at the Main Building stage.
Thanks to that, <Delizioso>, our strong competitor stationed near the Main Building, would gain a considerable advantage—but it didn’t matter.
Because I believed in myself.
In the person I chose and the little one I created.
I extended a finger to Ramji. Ramji leaned his head and arms against it, closing his eyes.
Warmth and softness filled my hand at the same time.
……After some time—
Pop!
Ramji suddenly vanished from my palm. This should be enough.
“Aw, show it a little longer!”
The spectators smacked their lips in regret.
For them, I quickly made temporary Ramjis again.
They would only last five minutes, just for the experience.
I put the signboard down and hurried back toward <Little Friends Café>.
When I arrived at the booth, Rupina jumped to her feet as if she had been waiting.
“Young Master, perfect timing. We have our first customer.”
“……Already?”
I turned my gaze toward the table after hearing that.
For a moment, I doubted my eyes.
Someone familiar—someone I hadn’t seen in quite a while—was sitting there.
“Hm-hmm, hmm. Hmm.”
A black-haired girl humming happily.
Different from other students, she was wearing a white beret.
Right, a white beret.
‘……McGrim?’
Also known as McGrim, one of the world’s most popular singers. Although she was hiding her original pink hair.
“Hm-hmm, hmm…… Huh?”
McGrim’s eyes met mine.
……We didn’t look away. We stared at each other for a while.
‘I’m wearing a horse mask. She shouldn’t be able to recognize me.’
But for some reason, McGrim’s gaze stayed fixed on me. Even her humming stopped, and her eyes trembled slightly.
McGrim put down her spoon and quickly walked up to me.
“Um, excuse me. This might sound strange, but…”
McGrim stepped very close and examined me from head to toe, then spoke with certainty.
“Forgive me but… are you the Black Knight?”
“…….”
I couldn’t bring myself to answer.
“……Right? You’re the Black Knight. You are.”
She asked again.
Then, in a whisper only I could hear, she continued.
“I know. You can’t have your identity exposed here, right? It’s fine with me. So please… answer me.”
“…….”
I glanced around. Only Lapin, Karin, and Rupina were here. And there were no other customers anyway.
So, just this once, I removed the horse-head mask.
“I don’t know why you got that idea, but sorry—you’ve got the wrong guy.”
“……Ah.”
McGrim stared at my uncovered face, looking mildly surprised.
“You were the Noble Heir from back then. Have you been well?”
“Nothing much happened. Looks like you’ve been doing well too. But what brings you here? This place is pretty far from the Main Building, so I didn’t think customers would show up this early.”
“…….”
McGrim nodded as if lost in thought for a brief moment, then answered.
“During the last Victory Festival, when I was having a hard time, someone around here gave me a cake and a smoothie. I still haven’t forgotten the taste…… So I came as soon as the festival opened. But the shop name changed, and the menu changed, so feeling a bit regretful, I ordered this omurice at least.”
“I see. How is it?”
“It’s delicious. Amazingly.”
Her answer came almost instantly. As expected, she had even been humming while eating.
“Is it because all three of the staff members were people I met at the previous booth?”
I raised an eyebrow at what McGrim said.
“That’s pretty surprising. You even remembered the faces of the staff?”
“I remember people well. Not just the face. Their height, voice, way of walking, everything.”
We were already close, but McGrim moved even closer to me.
“Actually, I saw the Black Knight with my own eyes. And very close, too. So I remember that person vividly.”
She had been examining my shoulders and arms, thoroughly observing me.
“It might sound strange, but the Black Knight I saw back then and the Noble Heir…… feel completely the same.”
After observing me from foot to shoulder, McGrim suddenly lifted her gaze to my face.
A very earnest look in her eyes.
“There’s no way the Noble Heir is the Black Knight…… right?”
“…….”
When I silently stared back, McGrim’s face instantly turned red.
“Ah, what kind of stupid thing am I even saying.”
Hearing her mutter that to herself made me chuckle.
“No matter how much you flatter me, I’m not giving you extras.”
“No, no, that’s a misunderstanding. I wasn’t saying that to get freebies……!”
McGrim stomped her feet as if wronged.
Then, as if remembering something, she blinked.
“Ah, I never told you my name, did I?”
It was true.
The only ones who knew her identity should’ve been Ren who had stepped outside the barrier during the incident, the Princess, and Senior Queens.
“McGrim. I’m McGrim.”
“Right.”
“……Your reaction is a little lukewarm. Haven’t you heard my name before?”
“Well. Like you said, I feel like I heard it somewhere. Not sure.”
“Hmph, really? You must’ve heard it at least once though? I’m actually pretty famous.”
McGrim looked as if she could barely contain a smile. She seemed to enjoy the fact that I wasn’t recognizing her.
“You should tell me your name too.”
“Mine?”
“Yes. I told you mine, so you should tell me yours, Noble Heir. All I heard was the surname Dedenkman.”
“Riz Villed Dedenkman Ludwig. They usually call me Villed.”
“Hmm, Villed. Villed-nim…… I’ll remember it. Then starting now, can I call you by your name instead of Noble Heir?”
“I don’t mind, but it’s been more than half a year since we last met, right? When will we even see each other again?”
“True. I’m wearing a school uniform right now, but I’m actually not a student of this academy.”
After saying that, McGrim gave a meaningful smile.
“Still, maybe we’ll see each other often starting next year?”
“…….”
Since I knew the episodes of the next semester, I understood the meaning instantly.
But I was a bit surprised that she told me first.
‘Originally, she should’ve declared it impulsively on stage at her concert.’
I had heard it earlier—much earlier. And from no one else but her.
“Well then, I’ll get going. Villed-nim. I hope business goes well.”
McGrim stepped out of the booth.
I stopped her.
“Wait a second.”
“Yes?”
“You don’t seem to know, but we give out gifts to customers who order food from our booth.”
I pointed at the signboard placed in the corner. McGrim tilted her head slightly after reading it.
“Gifts?”
As expected, she had no idea.
“Hold on.”
I took out a bubble wand from my pocket and blew air into it.
The soap bubble soon turned into Ramji.
“Hold out your hands.”
“Ah, yes.”
When McGrim cupped her hands together, I placed Ramji on them.
She looked down at the Ramji resting in her palms.
“Wow…….”
Her eyes sparkled. A quiet sense of awe flowed from her gaze, as if she was genuinely moved.
“Thank you. I’ll really take good care of this little one.”
“It’ll be hard to raise.”
Hearing my answer, McGrim tilted her head.
“These little ones were created with mana. After about five hours, they return to nature.”
“Five hours……”
McGrim murmured to herself, then looked at Ramji.
“Then, until then, will you be my friend?”
She spoke to the Ramji copy…….
Kyuu-!
Ramji let out an affirmative cry, as if delighted.
“Well then, goodbye.”
With Ramji in both hands, McGrim left the booth.
After she left, Karin approached me.
“Villed, do you know her?”
“Yeah. She’s someone who was trapped inside the barrier with me during the Victory Festival incident.”
“Ahh……”
Karin nodded and didn’t ask more about McGrim.
“Anyway, looks like the prep is done.”
“Ah, yeah. This?”
Hearing my words, Karin looked over her outfit again.
She had changed into a maid uniform with a long skirt.
The white apron had neatly folded frills, and the black ribbon was tied neatly at the back of her waist.
Karin’s blue hair was pulled back into a half-up style, giving her a tidy look.
“Looks good on you.”
“……R-really?”
Hearing my answer, Karin blushed and smiled shyly.
……But only for a moment.
A voice was heard from outside the booth.
“Is this the place? The place that gives out little friends!”
“Ah, welcome! Please have a seat!”
Seeing customers, Karin hurriedly ran out.
Since she had experience serving during the previous festival, she guided them skillfully.
“Rupina, unni! We got an order!”
Karin tore off the order sheet and handed it to Rupina. After reading it, Rupina nodded.
“Alright. Cream pasta and strawberry cake……”
Rupina placed a box on the kitchen table and opened it.
But then——
“Uh?”
Rupina looked inside the box and froze.
“Um, Young Master……?”
She spoke again, sounding flustered.
“There’s sand inside the box.”