Chapter 24: An Apprentice Appears

Translated by Shufen Unedited. Sorry!

It was a sleepless night.

That’s right… My nerves were too tight to be able to have a good night of sleep after what happened. I couldn’t fall asleep. I wonder if it’ll happen again. I wonder if I actually fell asleep and it was all a dream. I feel like that is possible. I mean, it’s not possible for Noel to appear here like that. Did it really happen or was that dream? But if it was a dream, why am I so tired?

I put my head back down onto the bed.

Whether it’s a dream or a reality, I want to meet him again in a decent place.

Speaking of myself, I wasn’t dressed in anything that has any sex appeal. Don’t even mention my sleepy eyes. I had terrible equipment on to face my unrequited love. I know this isn’t a situation to care about such things, but my maiden’s heart is crying bitter tears.

Well, I guess it’s time to push Noel to the backburner.

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It felt like my confession never happened, which was a good thing. If I go back to the time of my confession, I might have died of embarrassment. …I also feel sad about it.

It’s a nice day out. The birds are chipping in a high clear voice.

…Okay. Time to get clean up.

I will accept Noel’s advice and try not to think of any other trivial things.

The Prime Minster Hamuti seems to be trying to lure the summoner with me as bait. I have to be more careful with my personal safety. Oh…I remember I have a security buzzer in my school bag. I should try to carry that with me.

I shake my head to clear my mind due to the lack of sleep. As I wash my face, my consciousness became a little clearer.

In addition to my thoughts, I’m calm because the series of events last night was too far away from reality.

Well, it’s true that he damaged me to the point where I couldn’t get a wink of sleep. However, I couldn’t think of anything that’ll make me upset. Today, I’m going to about my day as usual.

Noel said I’ve changed. Immediately after he said those words, I thought to myself and there has been some changes. …After all, I became bolder than before.

On behalf of the diner couple working on preparing the bentos, I started to prepare breakfast.

It’s my usual daily work since the bento sales started at the royal palace. The French toast we made last time was popular so we decided to prepare that today as well. I’ve prepared it last night so I just need to bake it. Although I like to challenge a Japanese style menu, it’s too strict when there’s no soy sauce. Although I found similar seasonings, it’s still different from soy sauce.

・ ・ ・ ・

It’s the afternoon now.

There’s an unexpected visitor after the diner closed after lunch. It’s the chef Rick.

“What’s wrong Rick-san?” (Haruka)

“Hello, Haruka-san. Thank you for yesterday’s lunch.” (Rick)

He brought out the empty box from the bento I gave him yesterday. Even though there’s a return area in the royal palace, it’s still dutiful of him to do that.

“I know it’s busy, but I wonder if the diner owner is here.” (Rick(

Although I thought it was somewhat strange, I still went to the kitchen to bring out the diner owner. The diner owner was very concerned about the kitchen at the royal palace, so he flew out when I said Rick-san’s name.

Rick-san suddenly lowered his head to the diner owner. “I am Rick Gise, who is in charge of the cooking in the kitchen of the royal palace. Thank you for all the trouble yesterday. The bento I received with my colleagues was very delicious. So, I have a favor to ask. Please let me study here for a while!” (Rick)

I was surprised while the diner owner was speechlessly standing there. The diner owner’s wife and Sena can be seen looking at the situation from the back of the room.

This means he wants to be a disciple instead of a customer. I wonder if he was that impressed by the bento. The bento is certainly delicious, but it’ll be an exaggeration to say it’s such a gem.

“I’m aware of the inconvenience, but I definitely want to study cooking here by all means. Of course, I won’t be expecting a wage during this time an I think you can use me as much as you like. If every day is a nuisance, even once every few days is fine.” (Rick)

“Oh no, please lift your head back up. Please explain yourself.” (Diner Owner) The diner owner gently spoke to Rick-san with a troubled face.

Oh…following Otland-sama’s visit, the visitors you don’t know well been showing up. …I was the one who created those opportunities for those visitors. I’m sorry diner owner.

According to Rick-san’s story, all the chefs in the cafeteria seemed to like the bento yesterday. It was also the trigger to get them to care for themselves. However, Rick felt more than that. There was a taste that cannot be replicated by chefs like him. Rick-san earnestly spoke about how there’s a homemade taste like a mother’s warm cooking.

The royal palace allows a leave of absence for several months if it’s in the name of culinary training. Don’t you think this behavior is too early Rick-san? Didn’t you say you want to restructure the kitchen? …Actually, it seems to be troublesome and has a lot of conditions.

What’s going to happen now? The diner’s owner face had that written on it.

I’m not going back until you agree. That’s what’s shown on Rick-san’s face.

Sena and I stood on the side to wait for the diner’s couple response.

Personally, I don’t think there’s enough manpower. Rick-san isn’t an amateur cook. It can be said that there’s immediate support for free so if I were you, I’ll accept him.

Well, the diner owner is a good person. He won’t accept the free help. I think it’s because they cannot afford to keep a limited-time apprentice in the shop.

However, the diner owner gave in. It was settled that Rick-san will apprentice for two days each week. Rick-san is overjoyed. Thank you! Thank you! He says this while shaking my hand even though I didn’t do anything. It looks like the shop will become lively again. I cannot keep up these drastic changes.

・ ・ ・ ・

“That’s why there’s a new young chef at the diner.” (Haruka) I casually spoke about the situation to Collie-san and Luna-san at the magic institute. Today I arrive to do the bento deliveries as usual. I didn’t see Ordias-sama today. The two young magicians were playing on the board game. It became an opportunity to talk with me. When are these people going to do some work?

I was surprised the air froze in the room through my small talk. The main cause is Collie-san. As soon as I finished my story, his shoulder dropped like it was the end of the world and gave a deep sigh.

Collie-san starts to mumble in a small voice. I couldn’t catch what he’s trying to say.

“Hey, what is it?” (Haruka) “…Is that story true?” (Collie) When I move closer to hear him, he asked that question. “The young chef is a man, right?” (Collie) “Ah, yeah.” (Haruka) As he blinked his eyes, Luna-san shrugged her shoulders. “There’s nothing more meaningless and ugly as a man’s jealousy.” (Luna) Ah, I see. I understand his point now.

Collie has fallen in love with our Sena.

There’s a young man who frequently appears by Sena whenever she occasionally stops by to deliver the bentos.

No matter what the reality is, Collie-san’s story is interesting.

Even if I tell him not to worry, Rick is too thin and so far off from Sena’s preference. Collie’s current rival is a muscular man who visits the diner. I decided to keep my mouth shut because if he asks me, I would tell him to start to become a soldier instead of a magician.

“Collie-san should stop by the diner as a customer. Sena is there almost every day.” (Haruka) “If I go to your diner, I can’t help but stand out.” (Collie) “Recently the number of young soldiers has been increasing. So I think you’ll be fine.” (Haruka) “Is that true? Young soldiers…” (Collie) Oh, I got it. It seems like I’ve stepped on a land mine again.

“Oh, stop being a pathetic man! If you love her, you’ll go every day regardless of rain or shine. Instead you’re here crying like you earned the right to! Collie, you haven’t done anything yet!” (Luna)

Luna is well known for her blunt tone, but it’s unlikely for her to be interested in Collie-san’s romance situation. She continues to eat her bento while talking. Where does all the food disappear to within her tiny body?

“I don’t have the same bold spirit as Luna.” (Collie) Collie is in his timid mode. “But Haruka-san understands. The feeling of unrequited love.” (Collie) When he said that, Noel’s face suddenly appears in my mind.

Just a few days ago, his face disappeared from my mind as I put it in the far distant memory along with the rest of my past in this world.

But now it’s different.

Noel’s face in the darkness of my room during his sudden visit to my room. His face that should’ve been in the distant past was reachable again.

Gaaaahhhh! It’s embarrassing just remembering it! What’s this feeling I’m dragging around? Apparently, I’m the same kind of person as Collie-san. I have to admit it’s true. ・ ・ ・ ・

Translator’s note:

Collie isn’t ready to step up to actively go after Sena! It’s true that he’s the opposite of her type…so I could see why he wants to avoid getting his feeling rejected. I wonder how he knows about Haruka’s unrequited love?

On a personal note: I’ve trying to get over another cold. My last cold went on for about half a month because of a cough that won’t go away. A few days afterward I got better, a coworker who has been out sick came back in while she was still sick. Guess who caught it? Now I’m back on cold/flu meds until it goes away.