The hallways were flooded with students heading to the cafeteria. In a school where students were allocated with currency every month, most students surely preferred buying food rather than waking very early just to cook.

Also, it wasn’t like a normal high school where the cafeteria meals were always monotone and bland.

Here, the cafeteria had a large variety of meals, even going as far as to prepare Awakened Beast meat and hide for the students.

If you were wealthy enough, you could even buy the roasted or fried meat of an Evolved creature to eat.

Kaiser stepped into the cafeteria, hit by the familiar aroma of several delicacies wafting in the air.

Unconsciously, his nose twitched. Even though he cooked for himself most of the time, eating from the cafeteria always felt different.

After queuing for a while, he made his own order for a simple plate of rice with jerky from an Awakened Fiend.

Although he didn’t know what creature the meat originated from, he was sure that the academy had tested if it was edible. And if it wasn’t...

’It’s not like I’ll die from it.’

Picking a table at a secluded corner, he began to eat while ignoring his surroundings. Just as he expected, the taste of the food was almost perfect. Just not spicy enough—for him.

"Aha! I’ve finally found you, darling."

Hearing that cute, sly voice, Kaiser’s forehead creased as he looked up.

Leaning forward with a cute smile, Adela stared at him with starry eyes filled with carefully crafted admiration.

Of course Kaiser saw through the facade. He didn’t say a word, merely looking at her.

Giggling, the girl took the seat directly opposite him, then glanced at his food.

"Oh? You’re quite modest today. Nothing expensive except the meat."

Kaiser looked down at his own food, then took a bite.

"You were watching me?"

Adela leaned back, covering her lips with her fan. "Oh, please. Don’t pretend you didn’t know."

He shrugged and resumed eating with an unhurried pace. He didn’t bother replying her, as there was no use for words.

Even if he said he didn’t know who sent those spying on him, she already knew that he would have made an accurate guess.

Turning to the side, he saw Tamara approach them, carrying two plates of food.

’She wants to eat at this table?’

He merely glanced at the black-haired girl and then returned his attention to his meal.

He didn’t care if they ate with him. As long as their presence didn’t disturb him, then it was fine.

Adela read his expression and smiled. She turned to Tamara, collecting her own plate of food from her.

"Thank you, Tammy."

It was exactly the same thing Kaiser had ordered, earning her a suspicious glance from him.

She merely giggled, then gestured for Tamara to sit beside her. Only the girl’s food was completely different. She had ordered pasta for herself.

After five minutes of eating in silence, Adela finally spoke.

"Kaiser, what do you think about transferring to my class?"

Clang!

Tamara dropped her fork in shock, shooting Adela with a look of surprise.

The lilac-haired girl didn’t flinch. She simply smiled wider, staring at Kaiser as she observed his reaction.

Despite hearing her proposal, Kaiser didn’t pause or even shift. It was as if he hadn’t heard her at all.

After almost a minute, he took some water, then looked at the girl.

"Your class? Why should I?"

Adela continued to smile.

"Why shouldn’t you? You’re really the most interesting person in this academy. Every single one of the others are completely boring."

She pouted, exuding a cute charm as she complained.

"Although they’re boring, I believe I can still play with some of them. It’d be quite entertaining, at least."

Kaiser tilted his head, his expression unreadable.

"That still doesn’t explain it to me. Why should I transfer to your class?"

Adela copied him, taking a bite of her food before answering.

"Because I want to play." She pouted, placing her palms on her cheeks cutely. "You don’t want to play with me, so I have to play with others. But then, I’d need someone to keep the Class’s position while I play. And the only person I believe can do that is you."

Kaiser nodded slowly, understanding her intentions. Since her class had finally become Class-A again, she didn’t want other classes to even have a chance of reclaiming that position.

"So you want me to guard your house while you play?"

Kaiser chuckled—a sound neither of the two girls had ever heard. It was surprisingly melodious.

Adela blinked in surprise while Tamara stared at him blankly, her lips slightly parted.

Kaiser stared at Adela, his gaze calm without any ripples.

"That is quite bold of you, I must say."

Perhaps he had made himself seem approachable lately?

There was Kiera who asked him to be her livestock from which she drank blood. Then Hazel who said she wanted him to evaluate her.

And now, Adela was asking him to transfer classes and be the one holding the fort?

He sighed. "Honestly, I would have considered it, but it would be too troublesome. Being in your class and guarding it would mean that I have to participate in all of your childish special evaluations. Nahh, it’s not my thing."

Shaking his head, he resumed eating.

Adela sighed in disappointment, her purple eyes glinting darkly.

"What a pity. Although I expected this rejection, it actually hurts more than I thought."

Her voice sounded really pitiful, like a maiden who got heartbroken by a scumbag.

Kaiser wasn’t concerned, and simply continued eating. Meanwhile, Tamara looked at Adela in confusion.

’If you already knew he was going to reject the proposal, why bother at all?’

It felt stupid and pointless. However, knowing how Adela operated, there was no way she would be doing something without a goal.

The lilac-haired girl didn’t say anything and continued eating.

Just as Kaiser finished eating and dropped his spoon, she spoke without raising her head.

"Hey, darling. You know you’ll be forced to play with me if you don’t come to my class, right?"

Kaiser looked at her, his gaze steady.

"Do you truly think you can make me play with you?"

Adela shook her head. "Of course not. But I’m sure you’ll have no choice but to play when I begin toying with the anomalies in your class."

Again, Kaiser chuckled. He drank all the water in the bottle, then stood to his feet.

Without looking at the girl, he said to her. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"You have a devious mind. However, you haven’t experienced what makes you feel caution or fear. This is why you’re so bold."

Smiling faintly, he walked away after saying a single sentence.

"I admire your innocence."