Dongggg Dongggg Dongggg

A heavy ringing sound resounded throughout the academy as the sky started to change shades. The bluish color of the sky had slowly started to turn into amber, signaling the approaching sunset.

It has been a few days since Yuna and Grey started becoming instructors at the Royal Academy, and today, it is finally the end of the school week. It was Veneris, or in Earth's English language, Friday.

"Alright. That will be all for today. If you don't have any questions, then you are all free to go." ［Grey］

"Yay! It's finally the weekend!"

"I could finally rest!"

"Bye, Instructor～!"

Like all high school students would be, Grey's students were elated the moment he dismissed them. It was finally the weekends, meaning they could heal up all the fatigue they acquired from the demonic instructor's spartan training regime.

Grey didn't mean to eavesdrop, but as the students cheered happily, he could clearly pick up conversations about heading to the carnival to reward themselves for being able to survive such a harsh school week.

While Grey was happy that his students were being cheerful, he couldn't help but feel conflicted when the reason for their happiness was that they would be able to take a break from his teachings. He now knew how teachers felt back when he was in his high school and college days.

"Grey, are you also going to the carnival with Yuna?" ［Julius］

"We already went there last Solis (Sunday), so probably not." ［Grey］

"Must be nice, huh? Going on to dates during Solis." ［Julius］

"Speak for yourself, haven't you and Amelia been going to the carnival since the start of the week?" ［Grey］

Julius tried to think up of something to retort against what Grey said, but he wasn't able to as all of the latter's words were true. Amelia, on the other hand, was extremely embarrassed after hearing my words.

"Tsk! You win this time." ［Julius］

Julius clicked his tongue as he admitted defeat to Grey. While he liked annoying Grey to get back at him for all his harsh teachings, he always failed to do so and received a bitter end. Truly a pitiful prince.

Over the course of the weekdays, Julius and Amelia have gotten more comfortable with Grey that they could already be called good friends. And as good friends, teasing each and annoying each other has become a normal thing for them.

"Alright, we'll be going now. Have a fun weekend." ［Julius］

"See you next week, Grey." ［Amelia］

"Yeah, sure." ［Grey］

With the two of them restraining themselves from holding each other's hands, Amelia and Julius exited the room and when they were outside the Royal Academy's campus, they then headed straight to the carnival.

As for Grey, he was tidying up the room and making sure it was like how it was when he came in the morning. It was only after he confirmed that everything was fixed that he turned off the lights and locked the room.

The once lively hallways were now filled with nothing but the sound of Grey's footsteps and the echoes from his humming. There were only a few students and instructors to be seen. It has become peaceful.

With the students mostly gone, Grey once again observed the Royal Academy and saw a completely different side to it. Its serenity was something almost equal to that of the forest, only that there weren't many plants and animals to be seen.

The extensive area of the Royal Academy made it so that even the noise from the city could not easily disturb the academy grounds. It was the perfect place for people who are trying to study or reflect on themselves.

But even with how serene and scenic the Royal Academy was, there was one thing which kept popping into his mind like butterflies constantly attracted to flowers. It was longing. His longing to see his beloved.

While Grey was happy experiencing new things in the academy, his time with Yuna had greatly decreased. Now that work is over for the week, he wanted to see her and get his fill of her. He wanted to spend more time with her.

"Waah～ So amazing! To think there was that kind of place in the Haltea Great Forest! I wanna see it!" ［Elise］

"A natural spring, huh... Yuna sure had experienced nice things..." ［Elaine］

"Well, I was just lucky to come across it." ［Yuna］

The peace and quiet was only broken when Grey neared Yuna's assigned class. Even when he was still in the hallway, he could already hear three familiar voices chatting happily with each other.

Inside the classroom, Yuna, Elise, and Elaine were seated on the front row as they told the others stories about their unforgettable experiences. They looked so close one wouldn't even think they were strangers just a week ago.

"Are you three ready to go home yet?" ［Grey］

Asked Grey as he approached the three ladies in a leisurely manner, successfully catching the three's attention, abruptly cutting off their friendly chatting.

Ever since Grey and Yuna started with the job at the academy, every time dismissal arrives, the four of them always go home together. It was all because their homes are in the noble's district.

It is also worth noting that every time they go home, they always catch the attention of the crowd, and every time, without fail, Grey would always be subjected to the hurtful gazes of envious men.

"Un!" ［Yuna］

"Yeah." ［Elise］

"Yes." ［Elaine］

With the ladies' agreement, the four of them once again tread the road towards the noble's district. It was only a 15-minute walk which easily felt like a couple of minutes when they talked with one another.

There was the option of taking carriages, but the four of them opted to instead walk the distance. Not only will they save money and get some exercise, they would also be able to have a longer talk.

Like usual, their way home was a merry one. They bought a few snacks along the way and engaged themselves in interesting topics. Well, it was just like the usual until they were halfway through.

"Elder Sister～!" ［Eliza］

Out of the blue, a familiar voice suddenly called out to Elise. It came from the carriage just a few meters behind the four of them, and the owner of the voice was none other than Eliza who was happily looking at the carriage window.

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"Liz!" ［Elise］

Without warning, Eliza suddenly opened the carriage's door and quickly ran towards Elise to give her a tight embrace. Her expression was that of a lonely child who had greatly missed her older sister.

"Elder Sister, I really really missed youー Ah! Elder Sister Elaine, Elder Sister Yuna, and Elder Brother Grey too! I also missed all of you! ［Eliza］

"Yeah, we missed you too." ［Grey］

"You've become taller again, Liz..." ［Elaine］

"How have you been, Liz?" ［Yuna］

One by one, Grey and company gave their greetings to Eliza in response to Eliza's words. Grey gently patted her head while Yuna and Elaine gave her a warm and tight embrace.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" ［Eliza］

As for her real older sister, Elsie, she pinched Eliza's cheeks tightly with both of her hands. It took some time before Elise let go of Eliza's cheeks, which had become red after her older sister's sudden actions.

"W... Why...?" ［Eliza］

"That's punishment for calling me flat." ［Elise］

Elise's reason was something Eliza, who was rubbing her reddened cheeks, did not understand. And of course, the one to blame for Eliza's punishment was Yuna who carelessly talked to Elise about it.

While the scene was happening, Elaine wasn't able to understand what happened so Yuna briefly explained it to her. When she was finished explaining, their eyes in sync, the two of them looked at a certain area of Elise's body.

"I think I understand where Liz is coming from..." ［Elaine］

"Un... Me too..." ［Yuna］

Yuna and Elaine mumbled in low voices, all while still staring at that certain part of Elise's body. It was a problem they couldn't relate to since the both of them were blessed to have something Elise did not possess.

"It's good to see you so energetic. So, how have you been, Elise?" ［Fritz］

"Father!" ［Elise］

Following Eliza, Fritz also came down from the carriage to greet his daughter who he hadn't seen for months, and when Elise saw him, like Eliza before, she also gave him a tight embrace.

Even when they were out in the public, there were no traces of embarrassment in the faces of the people involved. Their longing for each other was much more powerful than something as measly as embarrassment.

Elise's embrace to her father lasted for about half a minute, and when she finally let go of Fritz, she wiped off the tears that formed in the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief her father just gave her.

"Looks like my daughter and niece were in your care again. Grey, Yuna." ［Fritz］

"It was just a coincidence." ［Yuna］

"Yeah, we just happened to get a job at the academy." ［Grey］

"A job at the academy, huh... I would love to hear more about that, but first, why don't we get inside the carriage first?" ［Fritz］

Following Fritz's invitation, everyone then boarded the carriage they were riding. Inside the carriage, there was another being who had also been longing to see its masters as it wagged its tail.

"Kyaa～! So cute!" ［Elise］

"Is this your puppy, Liz?" ［Elaine］

Elise and Elaine squealed happily as they saw an adorable little puppy sitting on top of the carriage, immediately cuddling with it the moment they saw it. It was Polaris, who was currently shapeshifting as a wolf pup.

『It's good to see you again, Master, Mistress.』 ［Polaris］

『Yeah, it's been a while, Polaris.』 ［Grey］

『I'm glad you're doing well, Polaris. Sorry if the girls are bothering you.』 ［Yuna］

『Don't worry, Mistress. This much is nothing. I have been subjected to Lady Eliza's similar actions and had gotten used to it.』 ［Polaris］

Even when Polaris was being fawned over by Elise and Elaine like children to a new toy, Polaris did not complain. He was so happy seeing his masters once again that he didn't pay it no heed.

As one would expect from a noble's carriage, it was pretty spacious. Although there were six of them inside, excluding the small Polaris, they weren't cramped at all. It was still comfortable for all of them.

There, Grey and Yuna told Fritz about how they became instructors at the Royal Academy. But of course, they skipped the part where they were officially identified as S-rankers as it would only spell trouble.

While they were doing so, the cousins, Eliza, Elise, and Elaine played with Polaris, with the latter usually lying on top of Eliza's lap, his expression unchanging, still looking like an innocent and happy little puppy.

"So it was Lt. General Vanessa's scheme, huh... So Gustav's stories were true. She really is a troublemaker." ［Fritz］

Fritz commented as he stroked his chin and thought about something for a brief moment. He had previously thought Vanessa was a prim and proper lady, but after hearing many stories about her, his opinion has greatly changed.

"Well, we aren't regretting our choices. Teaching in the Royal Academy is fun in its own way." ［Grey］

"We were also able to make precious friends. It was a wonderful experience for the both of uー" ［Yuna］

"Yuna..." ［Elise］

"We love you, Yuna!" ［Elaine］

Their faces beaming with warm smiles, Elise and Elaine embraced Yuna as tight as they could, cutting Yuna off and shaking the carriage slightly from their sudden and rowdy actions.

Elise and Elaine already considered Yuna as their friend, but even when they knew that, they were still moved by Yuna's words. After all, knowing about it and hearing it directly from the person are two completely different things.

"Eh? Does that mean Elder Sister Yuna doesn't consider me a friend?" ［Eliza］

But while they were having a fun time hugging Yuna, someone was pouting over something and that someone was Eliza. She had misunderstood Yuna's words and was now sulking.

"Ah! Of course, Liz is also a precious friend, but you're more like a little sister to us. Right, Grey?" ［Yuna］

"Yeah. You're our sweet little sister." ［Grey］

Thankfully, with Yuna's tact and Grey's help, they were quickly and easily able to resolve the misunderstanding. Just hearing their words and a simple pat in the head, Eliza's mood improved greatly and a smile bloomed on her face.

"Hehe... Then that means I have three older siblings now..." ［Eliza］

"Three? Liz, how about me?!" ［Elaine］

"Ah! I mean four! I have four older siblings!" ［Eliza］

"That's alright Liz, you're not obligated to say that to comfort me. I'm always forgotten anyways..." ［Elaine］

"No, no, no! I really mean it! I also love Elder Sister Elaine!" ［Eliza］

While Elaine and Eliza's little drama continued, the carriage continued traveling towards the Landevar mansion, and after a few more minutes, they finally arrived there, just as the sun started to set.

As soon as the carriage halted in front of the mansion, like before, Eliza quickly opened the doors and dashed out towards the mansion. She was obviously excited to see her mother again.

As for Elaine who was crestfallen just a few minutes ago, she was back to herself and was chatting happily with the other girls. Meanwhile, Grey and Fritz were also having their own chat.

""Welcome back, Master.""

The moment the guards noticed Fritz, they immediately bowed their heads to greet him, obviously elated at seeing their lord once again. He was a lord loved by his subjects in and out of Moterno.

Eliza, who went ahead of the group, was nowhere to be seen as she was searching the whole mansion for her mother, carrying Polaris in her arms like a stuffed toy. As for the rest, they headed to the parlor and continued their talks there.

A few moments later, Eleanora and Eliza arrived at the parlor together and joined the group with their talk. But before anything else, Eleanora gave Fritz a hug as tight as she could. It was a loving embrace of a wife who had greatly missed her husband.

"Do you want to eat dinner first? Or perhaps do you want to rest? How about a bath? Aren't you tired from the journey?" ［Eleanora］

"Eleanora, Dear, we're fine. We'll just have those later." ［Fritz］

"Are you sure? You're not forcing yourself, are you?" ［Eleanora］

"Yeah, I'm fine. I really aー" ［Fritz］

"Ahem! Mother, Father, I just want to remind you that we still have guests over. Please save the intimate acts for later." ［Elise］

After Elise released a very straightforward statement, the married couple suddenly froze and an awkward atmosphere loomed over the room. They were reminded that they weren't alone, by their very own daughter no less.

"Ah, o-of course." ［Fritz］

The married couple quickly changed characters and acted as if the people present didn't see what happened and seated themselves with them. Completely professional with their acts.

They talked, they laughed, and they played with Polaris. Everyone wasted about half an hour like that. And when evening arrived, Eliza asked Grey and Yuna to once again cook dinner for her, like how they usually did back at Moterno.

And having tasted how the dishes Grey and Yuna cooked tasted, Elise, Elaine, and Eleanora's eyes lit up with anticipation. It was as if they looked at the young couple like they were automatic food dispensers.

Their orders were mostly the food they had eaten back on Grey and Yuna's little celebration, with all three of them emphasizing in the desserts rather than the main courses since the chefs could just make them.

Well, it wasn't only the three of them who ordered something. Eliza, following their steps, also ordered something as well. It was only one dish which she had really taken a liking to. It was pizza.

For reasons unknown to the two, when Yuna and Grey headed to the kitchen to cook, everyone also followed them, and when they asked why they were following them, the latter only said they wanted to see them cook. There was nothing they could do about it.

"Ah, everyone, what kind of meat do you want me to use?" ［Grey］

Seeing that everyone was present, Grey asked the others what kind of meat they would like to have as the main ingredient for the dishes. He wanted to give them something they will totally enjoy.

"Meat?" ［Elaine］

"Couldn't you just use what you usually use?" ［Elise］

But Grey's question only made the people present confused. After all, unlike Grey and Yuna who use a variety of ingredients from their hunts, the others were just normal people who used normal ingredients.

In consideration of everyone present, Grey opened up his "Inventory" and retrieved different kinds of meat and placed them on top of the kitchen table. All of which were high class ingredients.

"Which meat do you want me to use?" ［Grey］

His question rephrased, Grey once again asked others what kind of meat they would like to eat. Everyone then eyed the kinds of meat in front of them. They were looking at it with eyes full of curiosity.

"Um... Grey, just a question.... Is this meat perhaps bulldeer...?" ［Eleanora］

Eleanora asked whilst pointing to meat located third from the right. It was a reddish-brown meat that contained little to no fat and when cooked was very tender and juicy. A truly exquisite ingredient.

"It is. And this one is cervidian fowl, striped bison, snapping lobster, blue-feathered hawk, dire wolf, and grey-horned boar." ［Grey］

Starting from the left, Grey named all the meat on the table and since he was so focused by it, he didn't notice everyone's reactions, and just continued with naming the meats on the table.

Since they have been working at the Royal Academy and staying at the Aldridge Mansion, Grey and Yuna have not had much chance to shop for more normal meat. In other words, all meat left in Grey's "Inventory" were rare ones.

Grey also didn't think much since it was Fritz and his family. Since most of the ingredients he brought out could be acquitted in Moterno and they were nobles, he didn't think that it would surprise them, but oh, how wrong he was.

The moment Grey finished naming all the meat, it was the time where he noticed everyone's shocked faces with their mouths wide open in agape. They were all frozen in shock.

Well everyone except Yuna and Eliza. Yuna already knows what types of meat Grey had in store. As for Eliza, who still held Polaris in her arms, she has know idea which kinds of meat are rare and which aren't. She saw all meat as the same.

'Ah... I did it again...' ［Grey］

It was only then that Grey had realized how he messed up. He had totally forgotten that even nobles have a hard time getting all the ingredients he just brought out, nonchalantly as well.

"I knew it... You brought out ridiculously expensive and rare ingredients again. I should have known it from the beginning..." ［Fritz］

"Umm... Grey, don't you have more normal ingredients like, maybe beef, pork, mutton, or chicken, maybe?" ［Eleanora］

"I... don't..." ［Grey］

"We have other meat though, like adarna meat for example." ［Yuna］

When they heard Grey and Yuna's responses, everyone's heads started aching simultaneously. They just couldn't comprehend why the two have so many high-class ingredients yet no common ones.

"Ugh... I feel like my head's going to hurt more if I continue to ask further questions. Just use whatever meat you feel like using. They're all delicious anyways." ［Fritz］

"But Grey, Yuna, are you really sure you want to use these kinds of meat for our dinner? They're not something you can acquire easily," ［Eleanora］

"Don't bother asking them that, Eleanora. They'll just respond with 'It's fine, we hunted them by ourselves anyways' or something along those lines." ［Fritz］

"Oh..." ［Eleanora］

Grey was about to respond to Eleanora's question when Fritz went ahead of him and answered it himself. His answer was spot on, and on top of that, he sounded like he already gave up on the two when he said it.

Neither Grey and Yuna could argue with Fritz's answer and exhausted expression. They themselves knew that they were out of the norm. After all, no normal people hunt high-ranking beasts for the sake of acquiring cooking ingredients.

After that Fritz allowed them to use any kind of meat they wanted, Yuna and Grey then proceeded to cook dinner. Needless to say, when dinner arrived we had a hearty meal with everyone.

Everyone's expressions were so elated that it was as if the scene in the kitchen never happened to begin with. After all, no matter which world you are in, good food can always make one forget their problems.

CHAPTER 85 END