(EP-201.2) Flower Aira #2
201 – Classroom Flower Aira #2
The reaction wasn't very positive…
"Aira-nim, there isn't a separate menu. You can pick if there's anything that catches your interest among the items written up there."
Aira opened her slender eyes in response to my words and looked at the menu board on the wall.
Seeing her gaze upon the 3,000-coin bean sprout soup or the 5,000-coin tonkatsu made me slightly tense.
If it was Aira, it wouldn't be strange if she was like, 'Theo, the menu is wrong. A 3,000-coin soup? Isn't that just fodder for animals?'
「You have calmly judged the situation!
You have gained experience points through the talent 《Calm Thinking》.
All job experience +5」
… Wait, seriously? Saying that would just be counterproductive to our purpose for coming here!
"Theo, the menu is-."
Just as Aira was about to say something, I hurriedly interrupted her. Though, it was evidently impolite, with Aira furrowing her brow slightly in response.
"It's not like you to cut me off, Theo…"
"Aira-nim, may I suggest a menu?"
"No, I've already decided."
"I want the red food that the person is eating over there."
"You mean the tteokbokki?"
Aira's order was quickly prepared. The person who seemed to be the cook of the student cafeteria looked at us with a rather serious expression.
Everyone was probably looking this way.
Aira's gaze was fixed on the dish in front of her.
"A food made from rice, flour and chili powder. How unique."
"… Well, uhm, not really."
Regardless of my response, Aira gracefully sliced and ate the tteokbokki.
To be honest, I wondered who would eat tteokbokki with a knife like it was steak.
━… Was that supposed to be a fancy dish?
━I don't know, but it looks impressive!
The reactions weren't too bad. It was probably thanks to Aira's rare job, 《Flower》. Whatever she did, she'd be seen in a positive light.
"It tastes even better when you dip it in tteokbokki sauce."
"There was such a method?"
Finally, Aira dipped it into the red sauce.
"It's like a completely different dish. It's more edible than I thought. No wonder people flock here to get this."
━I guess everyone's taste buds are the same.
━Hmph, she's just trying to show off!
━Are you a Serazade supporter?
There were a few grumblers, but most faces seemed to say, 'Good enough.' It was at least a passing grade.
Was Aira's visit to the student cafeteria so sensational?
Or was it because the journalist I hired in advance, Nymph Hoenoi, who worked diligently to write the article that got published in the newspaper even before noon? 𝘙𝙖ɴȯ𐌱Еʂ
"Look. The seat where Aira-nim sat will be designated as a special seat, and the dishes you ate will be combined into a Queen's Set."
I unfolded the newspaper to show, but Aira didn't seem particularly interested in what was written.
In this languid teatime lecture, the only thing that seemed to catch Aira's attention was the stray cat that Elga found and was playing with.
As Aira reached her hand out, the cat playing with Elga climbed onto Aira's lap and curled up, closing its eyes. Swish-. Aira stroked the black cat's head with her hand.
The cat happily purred, but the large lioness on the side, Elga, growled angrily.
"Hey, are you taking away my cat!?"
Elga protested that the cat she had found was taken away. However, Aira simply replied, "I didn't take it away, it came to me~."
"Really, it's just a cat, stop fussing over it."
Mirna just watched the scene, lightly sipping her tea without much interest.
Friday's leisurely tea time lecture. As this week, which had been busy in many ways, was slowly coming to an end—
Soon, a large group of people appeared next to the table shaded by a parasol.
Most of them had tanned skin, and at their center stood a petite woman draped in a long black dress.
"I didn't expect you'd be enjoying leisure in a place . Aren't you being a bit too proud after getting a slight step above against this Highness?"
The cat that had been sitting on Aira's lap suddenly bristled its fur and darted away.
Everyone tensed up and looked warily at the unexpected encounter, including Elga and Mirna, who stared at the foreign Empress.
But Serazade said as if nothing was wrong.
"Quite impressive for a blind chick. But Tarantera, this Highness knows that you're not bright enough to pull off such tricks. That's right, half-fairy. It's all your doing, correct?"
Serazade's slender finger rested on my cheek.
"It's a shame. A talented individual like you is unable to shine under a dull queen. How about it? Wanna come under this Highness' wing—"
Before Serazade could finish, someone slammed their hand onto the table. It was Aira, of course.
"Serazade, are you planning to snatch Theo away from me? If so, you'd best be prepared."
"Snatch? I don't know about you, but this Highness doesn't have such a nasty hobby. However, if the half-fairy chooses to come to me, I will not stop him."
Serazade's finger, which was on my cheek, withdrew.
"Then, Sir Theo. Please think carefully. Who will you stand under? If it's this Highness, I can elevate you higher. Under my wing, you'll soar~."