After entering the villa with Himeko, she first pointed to the first-floor hall.
"This is the first floor of the villa, where we eat and relax. The second floor is where you students live, while Principal Theresa and I live on the third floor."
"Huh! Teachers and students live together?" Xina looked rather surprised.
"Yes. Kiana and the others live here too. But ever since she met you, Theresa has talked about other people less often. Now she talks to me about you every day. She seems to have high hopes for you!"
She has expectations for me? That really is unexpected... Xina curled her lips awkwardly, inexplicably thinking of four words: entrusting the wrong person.
"Technically, you have classes this afternoon, but I remember you just came over from the other side of the ocean. You probably haven't adjusted to the time difference yet. Get some proper rest today, and start classes tomorrow!"
With that, Himeko turned and climbed the stairs. "Come on, I'll show you your room."
"Okay. Thank you, Teacher. Sorry for troubling you."
Xina nodded and followed Himeko to a room on the second floor.
"Theresa and I live on the third floor. Fu Hua lives over there. If you need help with anything, you can come find us."
"I still have work to take care of, so I won't disturb your rest."
"Okay, goodbye, Teacher."
Xina watched Himeko descend the stairs. Only after her figure vanished beyond the front door did she withdraw her gaze and curiously inspect the room.
Pushing open the half-closed door, Xina stepped inside. She felt around in the darkness for the light switch, then shut the door behind her as she turned on the lights.
Under the soft lighting, Xina looked around the room before strolling to the window and drawing back the curtains, letting the brilliant sunlight outside flood in.
Only after opening the curtains did Xina notice that it was a huge floor-to-ceiling glass window. Outside was a fairly spacious balcony.
Several chairs, a tea table, and some exercise equipment were arranged neatly on the balcony. It seemed... like Fu Hua's handiwork.
There was not much furniture in the room, but it was fully furnished, and the decor happened to be Xina's favorite minimalist style.
A neatly folded gray quilt lay on the bed, along with a set of... pink pajamas that looked rather out of place in this overall setting.
Judging by their style, the pajamas had most likely been prepared by her dear colleague, the Third Herrscher.
In Xina's eyes, only that Herrscher colleague, who habitually slacked off at work, would be gentle enough to prepare pajamas for someone else.
By the window, a small bookshelf sat atop the desk against the wall, filled with several strangely styled comics.
Xina casually pulled one from the shelf. Six bold characters were written on its cover: "Houmu King's Adventures."
"Houmu King's Adventure?" Xina flipped open the title page and could not help complaining, "Who would even like this kind of obviously childish comic?"
Three minutes later, after turning over a dozen pages, Xina pulled out a chair beside her and sat down, flipping through the comic in her hands without looking away. "Hehe, you know what? This comic is actually kind of interesting!"
Thirty minutes later, Xina slammed the comic shut and angrily pounded her fist on the desk. "Damn it! How could it end here? What happened next?! Why won't it update until the month after next?!"
"No, I have to find out where this author lives! I'm taking my forty-meter ice blade to make them update!"
As if she had made up her mind, Xina abruptly sprang from her chair and thumped down the stairs, radiating chilling killing intent as she went to physically demand an update from the comic's author!
"Xina."
Just as she placed her hand on the doorknob, a gentle voice sounded behind her. Xina turned toward it and found that it was her dear colleague, the Third Herrscher, Mei.
Mei wore an apron and held a spatula and frying pan, seemingly frying something.
"Huh, why are you the only one here? Haven't Kiana and the others returned?" Xina looked suspiciously toward the kitchen. Sure enough, the huge kitchen contained only Mei, a lone Herrscher battling the cookware.
"Teacher Himeko called Kiana and Bronya over to help. Judging by the time, they should be back soon. I'll make a couple more dishes."
As she spoke, Mei turned and walked into the kitchen.
"Gasp..."
Watching Mei become the master of the kitchen, Xina could not help drawing in a sharp breath. She actually put down the comic in her hands and cautiously entered the kitchen.
Seeing Mei effortlessly handle everything in the kitchen and command every cooking utensil, Xina was inwardly shocked. She murmured, Could this... be the Third Herrscher's true strength? She's far too powerful!
Although Fu Hua had mentioned while introducing the academy that Mei was very good at cooking and possessed superb culinary skills, Xina had never expected Mei's cooking to be this impressive.
As she watched Mei produce exquisite dishes one after another, a strange competitive urge was stirred within Xina. It had been a while since she had entered a kitchen, and now her hands itched to have a contest with Mei.
Considering that they were both Herrschers and saw each other at work every day, it would be rather impolite to start fighting outright. So they could compete in the kitchen instead!
Having made up her mind, Xina quietly moved closer, took up a position at the stove, and helped Mei keep an eye on a dish she could not quite manage alone.
"Huh!" Mei had initially been worried that Xina's thin arms and legs might get her hurt, but after seeing Xina expertly toss the wok, the concern in her heart finally eased.
As the saying went, amateurs watched the spectacle, while experts watched the technique.
With just one glance, Mei knew that Xina was definitely not the type to cause trouble in a kitchen.
Thinking of the people in the villa who woke up every day crying for food, Mei was suddenly filled with the feeling that she had met Xina far too late.
Wonderful! There was another person who could cook!
Before the blazing stove, the two Herrschers deepened their friendship through a rather bizarre style of conversation.
"Xina, pass me the seasonings over there... I really didn't expect you to be so good at cooking too!"
"Here. Help me turn down the heat over there... Well, it couldn't be helped. If I didn't know how to cook, I wouldn't have lived this long."
"Mei, we're back!"
The villa door swung open, and an energetic, ringing girl's voice sounded from outside.
Kiana and the others had returned. Behind Kiana were Bronya, Himeko, and Fu Hua, dressed in athletic wear.
"Huh, Auntie, why are you crouching by the kitchen door?" After changing her shoes, Kiana happened to see Theresa gripping the kitchen doorway with both hands.
"Shh." Theresa pressed one finger against Kiana's lips and murmured, "I'm watching a culinary performance."
"Huh?!" Kiana followed Theresa's line of sight and saw a scene she would never forget for the rest of her life—every piece of tableware in the kitchen capable of holding anything had been filled with an array of dishes, yet the two master chefs were still showing off their skills.
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