I won’t say that those girls were acting rather crazy at the end but… They were acting pretty crazy at the end.
I mean, I get it… The [Screen] boon also told me that in order to improve my Iatromancy proficiency, I need to keep using it to heal someone.
But I was most certainly not prepared to know that a number of Iatromancers resort to using their own body to train themselves… Definitely efficient but still, what the fuck.
No, teacher Anna did not suggest we do it to ourselves which was why she only hurt herself and not us, but I figured out that this was how she improved herself judging by how she was handling her… Ummm… Classes.
Granted, this would also help us get used to the sight of blood and stuff so I can’t deny the effectiveness of her lessons. But, I’m going to avoid self mutilation completely, I’m definitely not into that.
Speaking of which… It’s lunchtime now.
I walked out of my class wondering how I was going to find Odeta since I didn’t know what her classes were and neither was I familiar enough with the school to make a guess either.
That was when I heard a sound akin to a large animal stomping its way towards my location.
Turning towards the source of the noise, I found a very excited Odeta running towards me like a speeding train.
“Sister Asteeeerrr!”
I braced myself but she managed to stop herself just short of hitting me surprisingly.
“It’s lunchtime, Aster! Should we go together to eat? I can’t wait to eat together with you!”
I giggled at her enthusiasm, “Ufufu~ Let’s go then, I know the perfect spot for us.”
And by that, I mean the rooftop of course, where else could we eat in a school setting?
The only problem was… Where are the stairs that would lead to the roof?
I tried to ask one of the male seniors who just so happened to be around for directions to it.
“Hello~ My apologies for interrupting your day but could I know where I need to go to head to the roof of the school?”
He looked at me with a raised eyebrow, “There… Isn’t one…”
My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined.
Odeta turned to the me who was crouching dejectedly while drawing circles on the ground, “Oh! If sister Aster is looking for a place for us to eat, we can go to the gardens at the back! There are tables and benches around for us to use!”
Oh, I suppose that’s another standard lunch spot for schools so I can work with that!
Odeta took me by the hand and led me to the back of the school where the garden was.
It was a small walled off section beside the school field where it seemed to be quite popular with the students as a hangout spot in between classes.
“My classroom’s just beside this place so I thought sister Aster might like it here! You like flowers right?”
“Well… I would say I don’t mind them? I guess I appreciate them. Why?”
She shuffled her feet, “Ahahaha~ That’s because… Ehehe~ I got this for you!”
The taller girl reached into her school blazer and pulled out a beautiful red rose before handing it to me with a hint of blush on her chocolate skin.
I gasped at the gesture, “Oh my, Odeta! You shouldn’t have! Thank you!”
I can’t help but be excited since it’s actually the first time I’m receiving flowers of the romantic sort from someone else.
“Ahaha! Seeing you so happy makes it all worth it! Now over here! There’s a bench under the tree where we can have lunch!”
I let myself be guided to the spot while storing the flower in my Pack of Folding, I’ll probably put it in a vase inside my room when I get home today.
True enough, a short distance away from the main path was a rather secluded corner where a bench was placed under the shade of a large tree. A perfect spot for us to enjoy each other’s company while we eat.
Odeta sat down on the bench and tapped the place next to her to get me to join her.
I sat down beside her and she immediately shifted herself to close the distance between us, “So what did sister Aster bring?”
I cleared my throat, “Umm… Before that, Odeta… I think there’s something you should know.”
She tilted her head, “Eh? What is it? If sister Aster forgot to bring your food, I can run to the cafeteria right now and get us something~”
Wow… She’s willing to do that for me? Oops, shouldn’t be distracted now.
“Ah, no, that’s not it. I… I guess there’s no easy way to say this but… I’m a child of a noble family.”
She blinked a few times at me, “Ok? And?”
“Eh? Are you not surprised?”
“Huh? I suppose it is a little surprising to know that but it’s not really a big deal, is it? Does that mean I can’t be with sister Aster anymore?”
“Not really?”
“Ahaha~ Then it’s no big deal right? Sister Aster is still sister Aster!”
I’m not sure if that was part of Amrap culture where they don’t care about nobility since they don’t exactly live in Mahun cities or it’s just because Odeta was still too young to understand its significance?
Well, guess I was worried about nothing. In that case…
“Katsuki?” I called out.
A second later, there was a soft rustle and my Inugami maid stepped out from behind some bushes.
Odeta immediately leapt to her feet and let out a growl of warning, like a predator warning someone else to back off from its territory.
I rested my hand on her arm, “It’s alright, Odeta. That’s Katsuki, my personal maid. She’s here to deliver lunch to us.”
Katsuki paid no attention to Odeta and bowed to me, “Mistress, should I prepare a table for you?”
Eh? A table? I specifically requested to have something like a boxed lunch since I expected lunchtime to be taken in a place like this though?
“Umm… That wouldn’t be necessary, we can just eat like this.”
“Understood.”
She then went back into the bushes and returned with two boxes wrapped up in cloth and handed one to me.
My Inugami maid waited patiently with a sincere smile on her face for me to receive it before she brought out another box and turned towards ODeta, the smile on her face disappearing and her tail ceasing to wag.
The two girls stared at each other for a while, as though sizing each other up.
The fact that Odeta was bigger in size and height did not faze Katsuki in the slightest, my maid continuing to stare at the Amrap with half lidded eyes while holding the box in her hands.
I guess this was also a good time to introduce the two of them to each other.
Standing up, I gestured to each of them in turn, “Odeta, this is Katsuki, she’s my personal maid who had pledged to serve me after I rescued her from some goblins. Katsuki, this is Odeta, I met her back when I rescued her and her sister from a wyvern hunting them.”
Katsuki’s eyes narrowed, “Mistress is under my care. If you harm her in any way, I will hunt you down and make you pay.”
Odeta crossed her arms, “Hmph! That should be my line! Sister Aster should be protected by someone strong, can you even protect her?”
Katsuki’s hands blurred and I noticed her skirt flutter before a knife appeared in her hands to point at Odeta’s throat.
“I assure you, I am qualified enough to ensure my Mistress’s safety.”
Odeta sneered, “This small weapon can’t even hurt me! Are you sure you’re really good enough?”
I quickly went in between them, “Ok! This isn’t a contest! I want both of you to get along because you’re both important to me!”
The two of them looked at me before looking at each other again.
Katsuki sighed and lowered her knife, “I obey Mistress’s command.”
No… That’s not really a command… It’s more of my hope than anything else.
Odeta also nodded, “I will listen to sister Aster too!”
Why are you both making it sound like I’m forcing you to get along…
Katsuki then handed the box to Odeta, “Mistress had also requested lunch to be made for you yesterday. Be grateful for that.”
She looked at the box with a frown, “This isn’t sister Aster’s cooking?”
“I would be a poor excuse of a maid if my Mistress had to cook her own meals when she’s already occupied with studying in school.”
Odeta turned her head away from my maid, “Then I don’t want it! I’ll only eat sister Aster’s cooking!”
Katsuki obviously wasn’t happy to get snubbed like that so I came in to help her.
“Umm… Odeta? I asked that to be made for you so… I hope you can take it? I’ll make something for you next time?”
The Amrap turned back to Katsuki, “Hmph! I’m taking this only because sister Aster asked this to be made for me!”
What are you? Twelve? Oh wait, you are… Nevermind then.
Katsuki handed the boxed lunch over and bowed to me, already losing interest in the Amrap girl.
“I will return to collect the boxes once you are done, Mistress. Please excuse me.”
She then retreated back into the bushes and disappeared from our view.
As though she had forgotten about the earlier exchange, Odeta pulled my arm to sit back down on the bench, “Let’s eat, sister Aster!”
Well… At least that’s one problem dealt with… Though I’m not sure why Katsuki and Odeta seem so hostile with each other…