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This time it’s Finia’s POV. Nicole’s turn will have to wait for a little longer.

It has been three days since Michelle and Cloud had left the city for their commission.

Nicole was out to meet them today. Den also followed her as a guard. As expected, instead of a girl walking alone, it would lead to less trouble if she was accompanied by a man, even if that man looked like a young boy. She was reluctant, but couldn’t help but recognize the truth of it.

Once Finia saw them off, she went to visit the kitchen.

“Now, what should I do for today’s dinner?”

The sun was still up, but it would be dinnertime by the time Nicole came back. She had to prepare food for that time. The head chef of this dormitory was a man she could trust, but not every kitchen staff could be trusted.

It would be a catastrophe if someone mixed something in Nicole’s food. Naturally, she also had to procure safe food for her current master, Letina.

“Finia, are you here?”
“Ah, yes.”

As she was doing that, Letina showed her face. She showed up quite frequently in the kitchen, so that was not a strange scene. Being very friendly and a big eater despite being a noble, she was quite popular in this kitchen too.

“I can’t seem to find Nicole.”
“She went to check Michelle and Cloud today.”
“Ah, indeed, they were supposed to be returning today.”
“She headed out looking quite excited. She’s been all over Michelle since childhood.”
“Well, I do understand where that adoration comes from. She is like a puppy.”
“If the Carbuncle heard that, it would get jealous.”

Nicole considered her friends and family more important than her own self. For that reason, she entrusted the Carbuncle that the God of Destruction left in her care, making it act as a guard and babysitter.

However, the fact remained that the Carbuncle was an important mascot for her too. It was important enough that if that fluffy Carbuncle and puppy-like Michelle had a face-off, she would have a hard time choosing the winner.

Then a student showed up and addressed Letina.

“Miss Letina, the alchemy department’s teacher Mayer has called for you.”
“Huh? Nothing comes to mind that would warrant that…”
“I was simply told to convey that, so I am not aware of the details either.”
“I see. Okay then, I shall make haste. Finia, take care of the rest.”
“Yes. I will finish the preparations by the time you are done talking.”
“You should come and eat at the cafeteria too sometimes!”

The head chef butted in their conversation. Ever since Nicole transferred, they started eating in their own rooms more frequently. The head chief felt sad about that, since the cafeteria was already deserted as it was.

“Alright. I will come with Nicole next time.”
“Okay, I will be waiting!”

The head chief smiled with a thumbs up. That action was so unpolished it didn’t suit the staff of an academy that nobles attended. Letina also responded with a thumbs up. Once he saw Letina off, the head chief returned to his work. Finia overlooked that amiably and also returned to her work.

She prepared the food until they were almost done, and then headed to take appetizers and such to Letina and Nicole’s rooms in advance. Since she was in charge of four people’s meals, her work amount was more than an average servant.

She put food on the wagon and went to carry it off to the third floor using the corridor outside the dormitory. It was made as a spiral hill road instead of a ladder so that you could transport wagons, so it was made for the servants.

Since she had two room’s worth of food on it, the wagon was quite heavy, so she was doing heavy labor that Nicole could not see.

When she arrived at the interval between the second and third floors, a man appeared before her eyes.

“Hey, young lady. We meet again.”
“…Lord Lamech, it has been some time.”
“It hasn’t been that long, though.”

It was Cain Methuselah Lamech. Since he stood in the center of the narrow, spiral passage, she couldn’t walk past him. That also suggested that he had no plans of letting her pass.

“My apologies, but I am carrying a meal for Lady Letina. Could you let me pass?”

He wasn’t a good person, but he was still the son of a Duke, so Finia asked politely. But Cain didn’t seem to have any intention of accepting that appeal. Far from that, some students even showed up from the second floor’s entrance.

They were all armed and gave off a dangerous aura. Seeing that, Finia also reached out for the dagger under her apron.

“I wish to ask you a few things.”
“What could it be? I would ask that you make it quick.”
“Did you do it?”
“Huh…?”

Cain was asking Finia if she was the one who took down the Fungus. But she couldn’t understand that. Of course, Nicole told her that she did it, but she wasn’t keen enough to realize what it meant with just that single sentence from Cain.

“Are you feigning ignorance? Oh well. If we restrain you, Letina should stop making needless movements.”

With that, Cain raised his hand up to his head and snapped his fingers in a haughty manner. In response, the students charged at her from behind.

Finia quickly guessed the situation and kicked the wagon down the road to keep them in check. The wagon had soup and such on it too, so they scattered over them, sealing their movements.

At the same time, Finia charged forward and closed in on Cain.