[Vol. 5] Chapter 174: Hunger
“Ho, huh…”
Miss White Fox nodded ambiguously, not continuing the conversation further. Instead, she gently patted the little girl’s head beside her and asked with a smile.
“And you, Eudora? What do you think of this place?”
Although Edwina, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow slightly as if she had noticed sothing, the young and naive little girl naturally didn’t catch the undertone of the adults’ conversation. She simply thought for a mont before nodding earnestly.
“It’s amazing! The ground is so clean, and the air slls like fresh grass and flowers. It always reminds of how I felt when I was with Sister Theresa. There are many little birds in the trees… The people here must all be very kind, right?”
The little girl took a few steps to the side, pointing to the small pond surrounded by white stone railings, and then turned back with a bright smile, revealing her pearly white teeth, the pure smile of a child.
“Look, even the fish in the water aren’t afraid of .”
“Fish…?”
Seemingly surprised by this, Miss White Fox and Edwina exchanged glances before shifting their gaze toward the water where Eudora was pointing. Sure enough, at the edge of the pond near the shore, at least a dozen ornantal fish with glittering golden scales had gathered, their eyes wide as they blew bubbles toward the three of them.
But soon, Violet figured out the reason behind it.
It’s probably because the students of the Holy Academy, when they have nothing better to do, often co here to feed the fish, as well as the birds and the small animals living in the ecological zone. That’s why these creatures are so friendly, rushing to gather whenever they see soone approach, expecting an easy al.
Although Eudora’s words were a bit naïve and simplistic, in a way, she wasn’t entirely wrong.
The human environnt of a campus and the atmosphere it exudes from every plant and tree can indeed reflect sothing about the place.
Before Violet could respond, the Holy Knight guiding them, seemingly coming to a realization, shook her head with a helpless smile.
“It’s true… Back in the day, you could often see students gathering in small groups, either feeding and grooming stray cats or practicing musical instrunts by the pond while casually tossing out so food.”
“I even heard that there used to be clubs like the ‘Fluffy Enthusiasts’ or the ‘Ornantal Fish Research Club,’ and quite a few students joined. I wonder if those clubs are still around now.”
“You students at the Holy Academy sure know how to enjoy your leisure ti…”
But, well, that’s not a bad thing either.
As they continued their casual conversation, without wasting any ti, they tossed so crumbs to the eagerly waiting big-headed fish and then moved on, following the network of paths that crisscrossed the campus.
Until…
*Gururu~*
A faint but hard-to-ignore sound ca from sowhere nearby.
Miss White Fox turned her head and saw the pink-haired little girl holding her stomach, looking a bit embarrassed and avoiding eye contact, unable to et her gaze.
“Hungry?”
After hesitating for a while, Eudora finally nodded slightly, admitting in a barely audible voice.
“A little… just a little…”
Understanding the reason behind her reaction, Violet didn’t mind and simply turned her gaze toward the blonde girl, who was also looking curiously. They exchanged a glance, and Violet asked.
“Since this is an academy, there should be a cafeteria, right? Can outsiders like us dine there?”
“Huh? Uh, well, under normal circumstances, it’s not allowed, since the academy has to ensure the safety of the students’ food. But Miss Dawn… I an, just for a al, it’s totally fine!”
Miss Edwina, who had been observing Eudora with a thoughtful frown, suddenly realized she had almost made a slip of the tongue. She quickly cleared her throat a few tis and pointed in the direction of a path within the campus.
“Please follow . There are several public cafeterias in the academy, and it just so happens that we’re close to one of them. By the way, it’s my favorite one!”
Under the familiar guidance of the Holy Knight, the three won quickly left the quiet forest path and turned onto the academy’s main road, heading toward the cafeteria Edwina had ntioned.
Perhaps because of the ti, as students had just finished their classes, the main road beca noticeably busier, with many people passing by.
Most of them were young students dressed in uniforms similar to the Holy Knight’s, clearly attending the Holy Academy.
As Edwina had ntioned, humans made up less than half of the academy’s population. The rest, as Violet observed, were about half mixed-blood individuals with various unusual traits, with no obvious pattern. The remaining half consisted of the major races from different regions of the continent.
There were Beastn, Snowfolk, Winged people, Tree Spirit Tribe, and many other strange and diverse beings. Violet couldn’t recognize them all, but she assud they were from small, remote races. She even spotted a mber of the Lightborn tribe, just like Amy, the captain of the Spirit Veil rchant Guild’s guard.
It was hard not to notice them. Their unique aura was far too distinctive.
However, the Lightborn tribe girl who passed by seed different from the usual students in her attire, more like a researcher from within the academy. With large dark circles under her eyes, it was clear she was soone who stayed up all night working intensely, like a dedicated scholar.
Unfortunately, she didn’t seem interested in Violet and her group. She carried a sealed bag, likely filled with docunts, and hurriedly disappeared around the corner.
The other students, however, were not as indifferent. With the renowned Miss Edwina among them, and Violet dressed in a luxurious red-and-white shrine maiden outfit, holding the hand of a little girl, the trio quickly beca the center of attention for the students enjoying their free ti.
Thankfully, most of the students here were quite well-mannered. Though they couldn’t help but cast curious and surprised glances, when they saw Miss Edwina in her academy uniform with the six-winged holy insignia hanging from her chest standing beside them, no one approached to chat or ask questions.
Smoothly, the three won arrived near the cafeteria Edwina had ntioned.
Although it was called a cafeteria, it was nothing like the large hall Violet had initially imagined, where people would line up to get their als. The environnt here, even from the outside, exuded a refined and elegant taste.
It was a “bamboo house” built deep in a bamboo forest.
Thick, green bamboo ford the walls, roof, and even the pillars. The entire structure was only one story high, with an area spanning several hundred square ters. Rather than a cafeteria, it resembled a uniquely designed private restaurant.
In fact, ever since Edwina had led them into the bamboo forest, the number of people around had visibly decreased. Even the sunlight filtering through the bamboo leaves had beco soft and diffused, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere.
As they approached the main entrance of the bamboo house, Violet looked up at the sign written in the common script of the Holy Empire.
It read, ?Bamboo Lodge?.
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