Unlike the posh dining hall in the main building, the annex cafeteria was more humble—affordable, nutritious, and mercifully quiet most of the time.
"So this is the annex dining hall…" Juliet murmured, peering around like he'd stepped into a slum.
"Is this your first time here?"
"Y-Yeah. I usually go to the main building dining hall."
Of course he did. Juliet was the son of a top-five conglomerate, pampered with gold-plated spoons and diamond-studded bibs or whatever rich kids got these days. That overpriced luxury buffet was probably the only thing he ever knew.
"Consider this a cultural experience," I said. "There are plenty of dishes here that you won't find upstairs."
We walked up to the entrance scanner.
Beep.[Hero Cadet 'Dale Han.' Identity confirmed.]
The doors hissed open. Inside, cadets milled about, chatting over trays and shoveling food into their mouths like they'd been starved. The training grounds had been dead silent earlier, but here? A zoo.
I glanced at the wall menu. "Ooh. Spicy pork stir-fry today."
"…Spicy pork stir-fry?" Juliet tilted his head.
"What, you don't know it?"
"I've heard of it… never tried it."
"You've never had spicy pork stir-fry?" I stared at him in disbelief. "You're from the Republic and never tasted one of its soul foods?"
"My father said commoner food is unhealthy and not worth eating…"
Wow. That man needed a hobby.
"Alright, that's enough. You're trying it. Now."
He followed me as I loaded up two trays and brought them to an empty table. Juliet eyed the glistening red meat curiously, as if it were a foreign relic.
"So this is it…" He picked up a bite, placed it on some rice, and took a cautious mouthful.
His eyes widened like he'd seen the gates of heaven. Then he started stomping his feet under the table like a toddler.
"How is it?" I grinned. "Delicious, right?"
"Y-Yeah! It's amazing!" he said, mouth full, already diving in for more.
I chuckled and took my time with my own tray while he inhaled his.
After he finished, he wiped his mouth and leaned back with a blissful sigh. "Whew… that was amazing."
"You done?"
"Mhm."
"Great. Take your tray to the return station."
"Huh? Don't the staff clean it up?"
"Not in the annex, you brat." I rolled my eyes. "Welcome to the real world."
Rich kids, man.
As we got up and headed for the exit, I noticed something odd. A group of cadets had gathered by the door, murmuring.
"Huh? Why isn't the Hero Watch working?"
"Is it broken?"
Juliet and I approached as one cadet tried scanning his watch again. No reaction.
"…Is it another attack?" someone whispered. "Like during the Sealing Festival?"
The crowd tensed instantly.
"Come on, that's ridiculous."
"Yeah, but they never caught the one behind that demonic beast either…"
Fear spread fast. One malfunction and half the cadets were ready to jump out the window.
"Someone call a professor!"
The buzzing chatter rose until it was nearly a panic—then it got cut clean through by a voice that could've triggered avalanches.
"Fear not, everyone! I shall unlock the door with my 'Unlock' spell!"
All heads turned.
There he was.
A literal mountain of a cadet, broad-shouldered and bearded, with a uniform clinging to his chest like it was hanging on for dear life. Nearly two meters tall and carrying the emblem of the Magic Department on his chest like it was a joke.
"…He's from Magic?"
"Isn't that guy from the Ryu family?"
"Wait, the Berald Ryu?"
Yes. That Berald.
"Everyone, step aside!" he boomed.
And, gods help us all, they did.
Berald stomped forward like a war elephant and grabbed the door handle.
"Hrrraaaahhh!!!"
Crunch!Snap!Crack!
The steel door folded like wet cardboard. The wall cracked. Dust rained down.
"UNLOOOOOCK!!!"
With that war cry, the entire door was ripped from its hinges. He held it aloft like a trophy, beaming.
"Did everyone see that? That's the power of the Unlock spell!"
…
The room went dead quiet.
I rubbed a hand over my face and sighed.
"You're as consistent as ever… you idiot."
Only one person in this entire academy would call a shoulder-checking, steel-wrenching, walking tank magic-based.
And only one person would genuinely believe that counted as a spell.
Berald Ryu.
His eyes lit up when he saw me.
"Well, isn't this Brother Dale?!"
He barreled over like a puppy in a bear's body and clapped me on the back. My spine nearly realigned.
"Hehe. I've been hearing rumors about you everywhere lately! What happened, huh?! You went from last place to slayer of demonic beasts!"
Berald was the only one who had ties with me before I turned back time. The idiot was a wrecking ball with no sense of restraint—but he had a heart of gold. Or maybe bronze. Something dense and heavy, anyway.
He'd always been like this. Chaotic, cheerful, and completely unpredictable.
Even now, holding a crumpled steel door like it was a feather duster, Berald Ryu grinned like he'd just saved the world.
"…You could've just waited for a professor," I muttered.
"Huh? But then I wouldn't have gotten to test my spell!"
"That wasn't a spell. That was vandalism."
He just laughed.
Juliet stood frozen behind me, eyes bouncing between the mangled door and the walking siege weapon who'd just made his grand entrance.
"You… know that guy?" he whispered.
I nodded. "Unfortunately."
"Should we… run?"
He gulped.
"…No. We'll never outrun him."
Berald dropped the door with a loud clang and slung a giant arm around my shoulders.
"Come on, Brother Dale! Let's catch up. I've got so many things to tell you. Oh! Do you still like exploding talismans?"
"…Why do I get the feeling this meal just turned into a disaster?"
As Berald dragged me off toward the chaos he called "hanging out," I sighed, fidgeting my hand slightly, I looked around and then stared forward proud and ahead.
Welcome back to Reynald Hero Academy.