Lunch, Half a Year Later / An Old Friend

Upon hearing Gwen did not show any disappointment, and instead smiled and said...

"It's not a big deal, it's just eating standing up. As long as there's food, that's fine."

"Yuzuru, you've even had the experience of eating while standing up?"

Upon hearing this, Raiden Mei couldn't help but ask in surprise.

"Well, in a wilderness survival training camp, this is just a trivial matter."

In reality, Gwen was just casually reciting his planned explanation, having grown accustomed to a life without even a desk in his previous high school days, and waved his hand.

"That's really impressive..."

A hint of surprise appeared on her pretty face. Raiden Mei sighed, stood up, and slung her backpack over her shoulder.

"Come on, I'll take you to the school cafeteria—"

If you plan to eat in the cafeteria in the future, you can check out their reservation service, but I've heard the selection isn't very extensive, so I generally recommend bringing your own lunchbox..."

Although her expression was indifferent and calm, Raiden Mei still dutifully offered Gwen advice.

Both of them were experienced and quickly arrived at the cafeteria.

The cafeteria was bustling with activity, all the limited seats were occupied, and there was a short queue in front of the window, indicating that not many people were ordering food there.

However, with the arrival of Gwen and Raiden Mei, the noise in the cafeteria quickly subsided, and all eyes turned to the two of them, mostly with curiosity about Gwen.

Gwen, the transfer student who took the initiative to contact Raiden Mei, has become a celebrity on the school forum in less than half a day.

However, Gwen and Raiden Mei, who had anticipated this, ignored the stares coming from all directions and went about their own business.

However, the food available in the canteen was very limited for the two who arrived late, and Gwen ultimately chose to give up.

"So what are you planning to eat for lunch?"

The convenience stores near the school are probably all sold out of bento boxes by now...

Looking at this new classmate who seemed out of place with everyone else, Raiden Mei couldn't help but Gwen planned to spend his lunch break.

As for sharing her lunchbox with Gwen, Raiden Mei has absolutely no idea about it right now.

"I still have a few compressed biscuits in my bag, which should be enough to get through today... It's a habit I developed at the training camp to always keep some food on hand in case of emergency."

As for bento boxes, I'll find out after school if they're sold on my way to school.

Shrugging indifferently, Gwen glanced at the students who kept glancing their way.

"Instead of that, where are you planning to have lunch, Raiden?"

"For me, any place to sit is fine..."

Seeing Gwen's nonchalant attitude, Raiden Mei's spirits soared. She didn't mention that because she was ostracized by the whole school, she had to find secluded places to eat lunch every day.

"Want to come together?"

Gwen raised an eyebrow and made the suggestion.

Although Raiden Mei was at a low point in her life after her father went to prison, she was jokingly referred to as being in the best possible state to conquer.

However, even now, Raiden Mei is not so easy to approach. She is like a hedgehog with its quills sticking out, wary of anyone who tries to get close.

It's unclear whether Kiana will receive a special affinity bonus from Conquest Gem, but it's certain that Gwen, whom I don't have, can only try to win her over gradually.

"Okay, let's go together."

Raiden Mei nodded, turned around and walked away into the distance, her expression indifferent, as if she didn't care about the malicious gazes.

However, in Gwen's eyes, that figure appeared exceptionally lonely...

Chapter 136 Lunch After Half a Year

"Um...

The environment is quite nice?

On a path in the school garden, Gwen glanced at the fairly clean benches along the way and casually praised them.

"Well, it's fine this season. If we wait until summer, there will be more mosquitoes here, and it won't be very suitable."

Raiden Mei took out her distinctive purple lunchbox from her backpack and Gwen, recalling the news she had seen in the school community.

"Indeed, that's one of the downsides of parks..."

Gwen nodded in agreement, casually sat down on one side of the bench, took out his lunch rations—a large bag of compressed biscuits—and slowly began to eat.

"..."

Raiden Mei glanced at Gwen's pocket with surprise, wondering where he had gotten the compressed biscuits, but didn't ask any further questions. She simply opened her lunchbox and prepared to eat.

"Want one?"

Gwen, noticing Raiden Mei's actions, took out another compressed biscuit and handed it to her on the other side of the bench.

"This is something I brought from Europe; it tastes very good."

"..."

Raiden Mei was about to instinctively refuse, but seeing Gwen's cheerful smile, she hesitated for a moment, then her cold, pretty face quickly thawed, and she smiled, mimicking her father's expression from her Remembrance.

"Thanks."

As she spoke, Raiden Mei reached out and took the individually wrapped compressed biscuits from Gwen's hand.

Then, Raiden Mei flipped the lid of her lunchbox over, placed a rice ball on top, took out spare utensils from her bag, and handed them to Gwen:

"I made this at home. It may not taste as good as a professional chef's, but it should be palatable. If you don't mind, Yuan, you can try it."

"...Thanks."

Seeing the somewhat unnatural smile on Raiden Mei's face, Gwen watched for a moment before reaching out to accept Raiden Mei return gift. However, his reply made Raiden Mei's heart skip a beat—

"However, Raiden, it's best not to force yourself to do some things—"

Personally, I prefer genuine interactions to superficial formalities.

"..."

Raiden Mei tried to imitate her father's way of winning people over, but was immediately exposed and embarrassed. The smile on her pretty face froze, and she didn't know how to respond.

"I can tell you're not quite used to this kind of thing either, just like me. It's best not to get yourself involved..."

Perhaps learning these things is necessary in society, but at least for me, sincerity is more useful than those things.

After saying that, Gwen took a bite of the rice ball that Raiden Mei had given him. It wasn't exactly mouthwatering, but it was still closer to cooked food than compressed biscuits.

"... Thank you, Yuan."

Hearing Gwen's words and watching him casually savor his rice ball, Raiden Mei pursed her lips, the forced smile on her face vanished, and she reverted to her usual indifference, abandoning the idea of imitating some of her father's practices.

However, although her expression returned to its usual indifference, Raiden Mei's mood couldn't help but brighten up a bit.

"..."

Gwyn glanced at Raiden Mei out of the corner of his eye, making sure that his words hadn't offended this cook who hadn't yet been too deeply poisoned by traditional Japanese culture. Only then did Gwen relax and happily eat his not-so-delicious lunch.

Besides Raiden Mei, Gwen also didn't forget Seele on the other side—

"It was a bit of a miscalculation. The school cafeterias here in Japan aren't very good. At noon, we can only eat some compressed biscuits. Fortunately, someone brought us a rice ball, so we can still taste some rice."

Speaking of which, Seele, what did you eat in the Sea of Quantum?

Is there any food left in the house you found?

"If it's still there, can we still eat it?"

Having already learned Seele's name through their conversation over the course of half a day Gwen asked casually.

"..."

Seeing the conversation suddenly shift from curiosity about the Sea of Quantum to lunch, Seele, who had regained control of her body, paused at the tip of her pen.

At that moment, her stomach, which had been empty but which she hadn't really felt due to habit, suddenly felt hungry, causing the girl, who had just been racking her brains for an answer to Gwen's question, to have tears well up in her eyes.

If Gwen is indeed from the same world as her, then she hasn't eaten for six months!

Despite being used to it, the body's instinctive craving for food still caused Seele's originally good mood to plummet instantly.

Seele and the Stigmata Consciousness had just looked at the items listed in the notebook, but because they had no points, they weren't particularly moved.

Now, being asked by someone who was eating, Seele suddenly felt an indescribable sense of grievance.

"?"

Seeing that Seele hadn't responded for a long time, Gwen raised an eyebrow. He already had the answer in his mind. He placed a bag of compressed biscuits out of Raiden Mei's sight, and with a thought, spent one point to send half of them to Seele.

Instantly, a line of printed text appeared on Seele's notebook, distinct from Gwen's reply—

"Would you like to accept the red envelope [compressed biscuits] from your friend 'Sun Spear'?"

"..."

As Seele was tightly pursing her lips, she saw this line of text, and the surging emotions in her heart could no longer be controlled. The moisture in her eyes turned into tears and slowly rolled down her smooth, pretty face. However, an indescribable joy appeared on her face. She gently touched the box after the question with the tip of her pen and slowly slid a checkmark.

The next moment, several beautifully packaged and neatly stacked compressed biscuits appeared next to the laptop.

With fresh tear stains still on her face, Seele, beaming with a big smile, deftly picked up a compressed biscuit, tore open the packaging, and slowly put it into her mouth. Savoring the perfectly balanced aroma of sugar and oil on her tongue, Seele felt an indescribable surge of happiness, and for a moment she even forgot to say thank you.

Inside her body, the Stigmata Consciousness wanted to warn Seele that the food might be contaminated, but sensing the turbulent emotions churning within Seele, it abandoned the idea and simply watched Seele's actions silently, sharing in Seele indescribable happiness.

Seeing that Seele didn't reply, Gwen, who had some guesses about Seele's current situation, didn't press her for details. Instead, he leisurely ate his lunch, trying to relax his constantly working brain.

However, before Gwen and Raiden Mei, who were silently eating their lunch on the bench, could finish their food, several figures appeared at the end of the path amidst a commotion...

Chapter 137 Former Friends

"Minister, after we've checked here a few times, the number of couples meeting secretly here at lunchtime has decreased significantly..."

The blue-haired youth with glasses, wearing a disciplinary committee armband, cautiously reminded the pink-haired girl who was walking ahead.

As the most "notorious" department under the Student Council, the disciplinary committee members have always been the most hated by many students.

Places like groves in parks are key targets for the disciplinary committee members' patrols.

"Hayama, don't forget that we haven't patrolled here for a week."

The pink-haired Student Council discipline head Kawaguchi Shoko, seemed unconcerned about the opinion offered by her favored subordinate, speaking calmly as if everything was under her control.

"If nothing unexpected happens, there will definitely be some impatient guys coming here..."

As they spoke, the group rounded a bend and spotted Raiden Mei and Gwen eating on a bench.

Upon seeing that familiar long purple hair, Kawaguchi Shoko's eyes lit up, and a slight smile appeared on her lips:

"See, we've already made a harvest!"

As a former good friend, and the head of discipline who "misjudged" Raiden Mei's conduct two months ago, leading to rumors that "Raiden Mei was engaging in prostitution off-campus," Kawaguchi Shoko is naturally very familiar with Raiden Mei.

"...

?

!

Following their minister's gaze, Hayama and the others saw the men and women eating on the bench.

Although the two seemed to be completely unsuitable targets for the disciplinary committee, the disciplinary committee members, who were well aware that their manager didn't quite like the young lady from the Raiden Family, didn't raise any objections. They simply followed their manager's footsteps toward the two on the bench.

"?"

Gwen, who was eating the last piece of compressed biscuit on the bench, suddenly sensed something and saw a group of menacing people approaching from the end of the path.

"They've come with ill intentions..."

Gwyn casually reminded Gwen Raiden Mei, then popped the last half of the compressed biscuit into his mouth, folded the package neatly in his hand, and put it into his pants pocket.

Reminded by Gwen, Raiden Mei also looked up and met Kawaguchi Shoko's excited gaze, causing her heart to sink—

As one of Raiden Mei's former best friends, this disciplinary committee member was also one of the people who made her see certain realities clearly.