On the day I visited Juanere’s black market, it was already close to dawn by the time I returned to Lili’s room in the girls’ dormitory.

I carefully opened the door, trying not to make a sound, only to find that Lili was already awake, preparing breakfast.

“What, you’re already up?”

“I couldn’t possibly sleep while letting a ten-year-old student go out alone. From the looks of it, everything went fine, but will you tell me about it while we eat?”

“Got it.”

As Lili carried a plate of bread to the table, she returned to the small kitchen space. Unlike me, who had just returned and was still in pajamas with a nightcap, Lili had already changed into her instructor’s uniform.

Today was supposed to be a school holiday, but she must have some special work again.

Lili came back holding a small pot. Warm steam leaked through the gap in the lid.

“Did you make this yourself?”

“Yes. You once said you wanted to eat my homemade food. Since I had some time while waiting, I decided to make it for the first time in a while.”

Did I say that? I feel like I did. It reminded me of how often I ate Lili’s home cooking in my past life.

Ever since I came to the Lehan Royal Knight Academy, my breakfasts had always been cold store-bought bread and milk from the previous day.

“The kitchen here is small, and there’s only one fire crystal for the stove. Cooking in this room is pretty limited. It’s also hard to get good ingredients.”

“I see. Sorry about that.”

Lili puffed out her chest proudly and let out a satisfied hum.

“...If you say it tastes bad, I’ll be mad.”

“Better than crying, I suppose.”

“I’ll spank you. Prepare yourself.”

“Please spare me.”

Lili served the soup into a bowl.

It was cream stew. Potatoes, onions, chicken, and leafy greens floated in the rich, steaming broth. A pleasant aroma gently filled the air.

Just looking at it made me smile naturally.

“It looks delicious.”

“Eremia, you like milk, don’t you? That’s why I chose this.”

Now that she mentioned it, back when I was Blythe, I preferred fruit wine and meat, so she used to make beef stew all the time. Even in my past life, she adjusted her cooking to match my tastes. I never even noticed. She’d make a great wife, so why hasn’t anyone taken her yet?

Lili placed the pot down and took a seat across from me.

“Well then, let’s eat.”

“Yeah. Thanks for the meal.”

I scooped up a potato with a wooden spoon and took a bite.

The thick, well-simmered milk, wheat, and butter spread richly across my tongue. The potato was perfectly fluffy.

When I looked up, Lili was resting her elbows on the table, watching me intently.

“...”

“...”

It’s hard to eat like this.

I took another bite, this time of the chicken. The tender meat released its flavorful juices with every chew.

She’s watching. She’s still watching. Is she planning to keep staring at me until I say something? She isn’t even armed, yet the pressure she’s exuding is immense.

I cleared my throat.

“...It’s... really good.”

“One more word.”

“It’s amazing. I could eat this every morning.”

Lili grinned with satisfaction.

“Good.”

With that, she finally started eating herself.

“So, how did things go with Void?”

“Ah, about that—”

I told her that I was found by Void on the way, taken to Juanere’s black market, and made to choose a weapon there. Of course, I also included the fact that this was all part of Kilpus’s scheme.

By the way, I haven’t actually received the weapon yet. I merely reserved a weapon type. If only Team Three obtained theirs in advance, it might cause resentment from the other teams.

However, as a special exception, the weapons we selected have been set aside. If there are any shortages due to overlapping choices with our classmates, they will be specially ordered later.

In any case, as long as they arrive in time for the next dungeon curriculum, that’s all that matters.

“Juanere is the ‘spymaster,’ right? Does she actually exist?”

Even a spy should have been known to the ‘War Maiden’ who was active at the same time, yet she had no knowledge of her. The secrecy surrounding this is astonishing.

“It seems so. It was the first time I had heard of her too, but I believe she’s real.”

“I see. There were plenty of rumors.”

“Her real name is likely Miriola Scale. It seems she’s from the same orphanage as Void. She’s about your age or perhaps a little older.”

Juanere must have been a name used solely for her espionage duties. Unlike Blythe, Lili, or Mald, she had a role where revealing her real name was out of the question.

“So that’s why Void knew she was real and was even allowed to meet her.”

“Apparently, she was his first love.”

Lili’s eyes widened.

“Oh my. This is the first I’ve heard of Void’s romantic history.”

“Don’t tease him about it.”

“I’m not that childish.”

Lili let out a sigh.

“What’s wrong?”

“I wonder if His Majesty doesn’t trust me. It’s one thing if she started working after I became an instructor, but Juanere was active even back when I was a general. I feel like I should have at least been informed.”

She had a point.

The same thing happened with Riona. Kilpus didn’t tell Lili the truth. However, if he had, Riona might have been killed by Lili’s own hands.

“Don’t dwell on it. Kilpus—His Majesty’s mind is beyond normal comprehension. He falls into the category of eccentrics and madmen. Even Blythe, who was his friend, didn’t know everything. He was merely a pawn, unaware of what he was being used for… apparently.”

That said, not once had those mysterious orders and actions resulted in anything disastrous. The outcomes always turned out for the better.

“If even Eremia, who played the game of throwing vases with him, says so, then maybe that’s just how it is.”

As I sipped my stew, I let out a small chuckle.

“Don’t lump me in with eccentrics and madmen.”

“Fufu.”

“Hahaha. Well, you can trust His Majesty. I guarantee it.”

“And how much is a ten-year-old’s guarantee worth?”

“Ugh… It’s good. This is really good. The stew is delicious.”

Laughing, we tore off pieces of bread, dipped them in the stew, and ate.

“By the way, Lili.”

“Hm?”

“Why are you wearing your instructor’s uniform? Today’s a school holiday.”

Lili’s expression became slightly complicated, and she let out a weary sigh.

“Someone called for me. I have a meeting.”

“Since you’re in your instructor’s uniform, it must be someone from the academy?”

“Instructor Givley. Lawrence Givley.”

Ah… Who was that again…?

Hmm. I couldn’t remember, but for some reason, just hearing the name made my food taste worse.