Author: Eltria	Original Source: Syosetu
Translator: Mui	English Source: Re:Library
Editor(s): Robinxen

Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

The dining hall had a long counter near the entrance, where freshly prepared dishes were lined up, steaming invitingly. It seemed to be a buffet-style arrangement, where students could choose their main dish and then select sides to suit their taste.

Given my current physical state, I couldn’t eat much, but the array of dishes was impressive—classic Empire cuisine adapted for students. The mains ranged from simple grilled sausages and ham, to pasta filled with minced meat, onions, and seasonal vegetables simmered in a soup. There was also a hearty stew with large chunks of beef and vegetables cooked in a richly spiced tomato broth, and the day’s special, a dish called ‘milk chicken.’

“They all look delicious, don’t they, Hom?”
“Yes, Master.”

The side dishes were largely potato-based, showcasing a variety of preparations. There were vegetable-rich potato salads, spice-coated fried potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes made with milk and butter, and baked potatoes topped with cheese and grilled to perfection. Visually, it was a feast as much as it was for the stomach.

As tempting as it was to try everything, indulging like that on the first day seemed a bit improper. Perhaps I could share a few selections with Hom to sample a bit of everything.

Just as I was contemplating this, I spotted Alfe and Farah across the dining hall.

“Leafa! Hom, over here!”
“Hey, over here!”

The two of them stood up, waving us over energetically. At their table, there were already four trays laid out, ready for us.

“Sorry we’re late. We didn’t mean to trouble you, Lady Alfe—” Hom began, apologetic as ever.
“No need to apologize. If anything, I’m the one who took the liberty,” Alfe said cheerfully, handing us the trays. “Farah recommended this dish, so I went ahead and saved it for you.”

On the tray were large plates with servings of the milk chicken I had seen earlier, along with small portions of various sides neatly arranged for us.

“Thank you. I was having trouble deciding what to get since everything looks so good. You really helped me out, Alfe.”
“The sides all looked amazing too, so I picked out a little bit of everything, thinking you might want to try them, Leafa.”
“Yeah, the kitchen ladies’ motto here is ‘Eat as much as you like and grow big!’ As long as you finish what’s on your plate, they won’t give you any grief,” Farah chimed in.

It seemed I wasn’t the only one worried about overindulging but Alfe too, but from what Farah, who’d already settled into dorm life, said, it wasn’t something to be concerned about. Her advice was reassuring.

I glanced down at the milk chicken. This was the same dish the bunny student had mentioned earlier. Despite its name, it didn’t come with a cream sauce as I had imagined. The chicken breast, perfectly roasted with a crispy skin, was served with a mustard sauce on the side.

“Is something wrong?” Alfe asked, noticing how I was standing there, quietly analyzing the dish.
“No, it’s just my first time seeing this kind of dish, so I got curious,” I replied with a small laugh, motioning for Hom to sit down with me.

If someone like Farah, who came from a region known for its culinary sophistication, recommended it, it had to be delicious.

“It’s amazing how you can tell so much just from looking at it! Looks like you’ll be adding a new recipe to your repertoire soon, Leafa.”
“Let’s dig in before it gets cold.”

Alfe brought her hands together in a brief prayer before eating, while Farah, clearly hungry, wasted no time starting her meal. I followed suit, picking up my knife and fork. The first thing to try had to be this milk chicken while it was still warm. As I sliced into the crispy, golden skin, the knife cut through with a satisfying crunch.

“……”

As I moved the knife, the skin of the chicken crackled pleasantly. The meat, however, was so tender that it fell apart with barely any effort. I cut off a small piece and placed it in my mouth. The crispy texture of the skin contrasted beautifully with the tender, juicy meat. It wasn’t dry at all, and the mustard sauce, mellowed by honey, paired perfectly with the seasoned salt and pepper on the chicken.

“… Mmm!”

I couldn’t help but let out a sound of satisfaction from how delicious it was.

“Hehe, it’s good, right?” Alfe said, smiling brightly as she bit into her own piece of milk chicken.
“See? I told you my taste buds don’t lie!” Farah added, a proud look on her face.
“I can’t believe how tender this chicken breast is… And even though the skin is crispy, the meat isn’t dry at all. It’s almost like magic. I don’t taste much milk, so maybe they marinate it in milk, wipe it off, and then roast it?”

I was genuinely surprised by the dish, and in my excitement, I ended up rambling to Farah.

“Nyahaha…”

Farah, who was just finishing her last bite of milk chicken, let out a small laugh, eyeing me with curiosity.

“Even though it’s called ‘milk chicken,’ they actually use the leftover liquid from making butter. But girl, you’ve got a sharp tongue for food to analyze all that with a bite! Are you a good cook or something?”
“Leafa’s really good at cooking! I just love her original dishes!” Alfe answered on my behalf, noticing that I was busy with my second piece of milk chicken. I appreciated her help, finishing my bite before replying.

“Well, it’s a lot like alchemy—there’s a lot of room for creativity and experimentation.”
“I see…” Farah blinked, seemingly impressed by my explanation.
“Ahh, watching you eat makes me want more! I wonder if we can get seconds today.”
“Is that allowed?” Hom, who had quietly finished her meal, chimed in.

I hadn’t realized it, but she had also polished off her milk chicken and the sides. After a long journey and carrying heavy luggage, she must have been quite hungry.

“You’ve seen how we choose food, so it’s first come first served,” Farah explained, pointing towards the counter just as a loud voice echoed across the dining hall.

Just then…
] “Whaaat!? Sold out!?”

The shout came from none other than the rabbit-eared student.

“Nyaha, it’s Vannabelle again,” Farah giggled, her shoulders shaking with laughter.

I glanced over to the counter and, sure enough, the bunny and limax student duo were standing there together.

“They said they saved four portions, but honestly, she’s such a glutton. Then again, her friend Numelin can pack it away too.”

So, the slime-haired girl was called Numelin. That would make the bunny student, who had been called “Belle” earlier, Vannabelle.

“…Are they your friends?” I asked cautiously. While I could see Farah getting along with them easily enough, I’d prefer to keep some distance from Vannabelle. It was important to establish relationships early on.

“Nah, we just know each other from being some of the first to move into the dorms,” Farah said, brushing off my concern with a cheerful laugh. “She’s just noisy whenever seconds run out, making a big fuss like that. But yeah, she’s lively.”

Apparently, this scene was quite common. Upon closer inspection, even the kitchen staff seemed to be smiling gently as they listened to Vannabelle’s complaints.

“If you’re serving such delicious food, make more of it! We’re still growing, and I promise we’ll eat it all.”
“Belle, stuff like that has a budget, you know~,” Numelin, in her usual laid-back tone, tugged on Vannabelle’s sleeve while calmly trying to explain.
“Then get your family to donate, Nume!”

Vannabelle, realizing it wouldn’t help to plead with the kitchen staff, turned to Numelin and clasped her hands in an earnest request.

“Since it’s you asking, sure~,” Numelin replied with a soft smile in the same slow tone as when I first saw her. The students gathered in the cafeteria watched the scene with curiosity, and for some reason, a round of applause broke out when Numelin readily agreed.

Since I overheard the part about asking her family for donations, it seemed that Numelin, while not necessarily from nobility, came from a wealthy family.

Now that I’ve calmed down from the meal and could look around, I realized that the general dorm had quite a few demi-humans.

Because the dorm was divided by walls and hallways running east and west, I hadn’t noticed before, but most of the male students also appeared to be demi-humans.

“… There are a lot of demi-humans, right?” Noticing where I was looking, Farah quietly remarked. “That’s because most humans end up in the noble dorm.”
“Oh right, the dorms are split into two.”

Alfe clasped her hands together and nodded as she glanced over at the noble dorm on the other side of the courtyard.

“Exactly. Tomorrow, when the entrance ceremony happens, you’ll see that demi-humans are in the minority.”
“Have you heard anything about the entrance ceremony?”

Farah was quite knowledgeable about the school, given that she had moved into the dorms early on. Alfe asked what I wanted to, so I showed my interest too.

“Ah… according to Aunt Ur, the freshman representative is someone named Rizel, a noble.”
“They must be really outstanding then,” Alfe remarked.
“Outstanding? Well, I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Farah responded, folding her arms and raising an eyebrow.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“This place doesn’t just value academic performance. Things like family lineage and social class are also pretty important.”

That made sense. The division of the dorms into a noble dorm and a general dorm, as well as the clear difference in the buildings’ appearances, seemed to reflect this emphasis.

“I see…”
“Is this your first time encountering something like this?”
“Ah, yes. Back at our school—St. Salaius, we didn’t have anything like that. The only noble family we really interacted with was the Gutenburg family…”

St. Salaius had always maintained an education policy that didn’t prioritize social class. In fact, Torch Town as a whole had very little discrimination based on class. Opportunities for education were granted based solely on merit, so we had been able to enjoy scholarships without ever worrying about family background or tuition fees.

“Huh… well, we’re treated like air by them here.”

From her tone, it became clear that, regardless of the quality of education, expecting the kind of equality we were used to at St. Salaius would be unrealistic. I might need to reconsider how I handle myself starting tomorrow.