During lunchtime, the Gehenna student cafeteria was nothing like the quiet place I remembered, it was bursting with noise and activity, every seat taken.
Everywhere I looked, the tables were filled with students—each with her own unique flair, but all of them beautiful in their own way. The space, which had seemed spacious on my last visit, now felt almost cramped.
And so, I immediately began to consider retreating.
I hadn't expected the cafeteria to be this crowded.
There were simply too many students and this was Gehenna, after all. Even knowing that the Prefect Team would respond instantly if anything happened, I couldn't help but feel uneasy.
If only there were someone I knew, someone reliable, preferably with some combat ability.
I scanned the cafeteria, searching the sea of heads for a familiar face who fit the bill, but unsurprisingly, came up empty.
After all, the number of Gehenna students I could claim to know personally barely reached double digits. Of those, the four girls from Problem Solver 68 were usually off-campus, and as for the rest, I'd only met Fuuka and Jurie from the School Lunch Club once, plus the Prefect Team President and her three officers.
Reluctantly, I accepted the reality and decided to grab something prepackaged from the convenience store instead.
But just as I turned to leave the cafeteria, luck turned in my favor.
Walking straight toward me was a girl with a sniper rifle slung over her shoulder, a "Prefect" armband on her arm, her silver twin-tails glinting under the lights against her tan skin.
My eyes lit up instantly, and a bright, genuine smile spread across my face.
But just as I spotted Iori, she spotted me.
She visibly shuddered, crossed her arms, and gave me a look of utter distaste, then without hesitation, turned on her heel and started to walk away.
"Hey! Iori! Wait up!"
To my mild surprise, she actually stopped. Turning back, she glared at me as I caught up, then huffed sharply through her nose, her tone dripping with irritation.
"You pervert. What do you want with me now? Don't tell me you've sunk so low that you'd try something indecent here, in front of everyone?"
As she said that, Iori took a half step back, her narrowed eyes glinting with suspicion.
…Her imagination really was impressive.
I let out a wry laugh and shook my head. "You're misunderstanding. You're here to eat, right?"
"Obviously. What else would I be doing in the cafeteria at this hour? There hasn't been any disturbance."
"Then great, let's eat together."
My sincere invitation was met with deep skepticism.
"…Huh?" Iori raised an eyebrow. "Hold on. Why would I eat with you? And didn't you just come out of the cafeteria?"
I scratched my cheek awkwardly. "Well… you know, this is Gehenna we're talking about. You get what I mean, right?"
"Explain yourself properly."
I sighed. "I mean, there are a lot of… problem children here. And with so many people inside, I was worried I might get caught up in something."
"Then just eat somewhere else."
She wasn't wrong. But first, I'd been craving Fuuka's cooking, and second, I was too hungry to go looking for another place.
Before I could come up with another excuse, Iori clicked her tongue, then took a few brisk steps to stand beside me.
"Fine. Can't be helped. It's technically part of my duty as a member of the Prefect Team anyway. I'll help you out... just a little. Come on, let's see if there are any open seats nearby."
With that, she strode toward the cafeteria doors, and I quickly followed.
My eyes involuntarily followed the arrow-shaped tip of her twin-tail ribbons as they swayed side to side. I couldn't help but think, what a good-hearted girl she was, beneath that prickly exterior.
Really, anyone who voluntarily joined the Prefect Team in a place as chaotic as Gehenna, working tirelessly every day to preserve what little order remained had to have a passionate heart.
…Maybe even Ako, if I were being generous.
Though, to be honest, based on the impression Ako had given me so far, it was still hard to say I respected her.
Iori and I collected our meal tickets from the self-service machine and joined the line at the serving counter.
The student handling the food there was someone I actually recognized—Ushimaki Juri , whom I'd met during my last visit.
Juri stood out among her peers, tall and well-built, her features soft and kind, her smile always bright.
A pair of sturdy bull-like horns jutted from her peach-colored hair, and her eyes were a gentle sea-green. Just below her left eye sat a beauty mark that lent her face a hint of allure.
She clearly remembered me as well. Her eyes lit up as she greeted me cheerfully.
"Oh, Sensei! Good afternoon! Welcome back to our cafeteria! Are you here on business again today?"
"Something like that," I replied smoothly. "I came to meet a very important student."
I deliberately omitted the "-s" from "students," which earned a small, ambiguous hmphfrom behind me—recognizably Iori's voice, though not quite as icy as before.
"I see~! Well, here you go, Sensei—enjoy your meal!"
Juri took my ticket, handed me a tray with my chosen set meal, and smiled warmly.
After waiting for Iori to get hers as well, we found two empty seats tucked in a corner and sat down.
"Itadakimasu."
Hands pressed together, we both spoke the familiar pre-meal phrase said to have originated from Hyakkiyako (Kivotos Japan Town), but now common throughout Kivotos and began to eat.
But as soon as I took my first bite, my brows furrowed.
It wasn't that it tasted bad (it was edible, certainly), but it was leagues below what I'd eaten last time.
"What's wrong? Don't like it?" Iori noticed my reaction. "The food here's always been like this. I thought you knew that already. It's a student cafeteria, the best thing about it is the price."
Her words made me pause and then it clicked.
Last time, I'd visited between mealtimes and ended up eating something Fuuka, the head of the School Lunch Club, had personally cooked—a special meal, not the mass-produced version.
Naturally, when you're cooking in bulk, efficiency takes priority over quality.
Realizing that, I adjusted my expectations, took another bite, and found it… not so bad, in its own way.
Maybe it was Iori's presence, but I ended up enjoying the meal peacefully enough. When we finished, I thanked her sincerely for keeping me company.
She, of course, replied in her usual tsundere tone that it was "no big deal" and "not worth mentioning," before striding off with her head held high and steps light.
And, as a bonus, I'd managed to get her contact info along the way.
Once the cafeteria had mostly emptied out, I made my way around the back, into the kitchen area.
There, slumped over a counter in exhaustion, was none other than Fuuka.
"Yo, Fuuka," I greeted smoothly. "I came all the way just to see you."