Tl/n: Second part of the title is all made up.
Originally it was;『ぺいっ』としました。
At first I was confused about what 『ぺいっ』supposed to mean. It looks like a sound effect but then again I got 0 clue how to translate sound effects. That word was used a few times throughout the chapter so I decided to make up some word for it as a substitute. Please bear with my poor choice of words. T.T
Waiting in line at the school cafeteria could be described as both pain and a pleasure.
There were many students loitering around the school cafeteria; some had just finished their orders, while the others were already devouring their delicious meals. The appetizing aroma of the food kept mingling with the air, spreading it all across the entire cafeteria itself. That sweet smell was excruciatingly torturous to me, a growing young man with a healthy palate.
On the other hand, it also stirs your hunger and promotes your appetite, making your regular meals seem all the more delicious. Not to mention the fact that these dishes were actually prepared by first-class chefs.
In conclusion, hunger was the ultimate spice of them all.
Exactly… This moment might feel like hell, but heaven awaits me ahead.
–And that’s why.
“Latos-sama! This place is empty–”
“–Nope. I don’t think so, you little shit.”
I casually grabbed the face of a male student who dared to cut in line right in front of my eyes and gave him a little ‘smack’ in return. Of course I made sure that he fell into an open space so as not to bother other students.
Suddenly, the dull sound of a person falling onto the floor loudly resounded amongst the usual hubbub inside the cafeteria. The students surrounding me instinctively turned at the sudden noise from behind. And as they did, they all happened to have the same startled expression upon seeing the male student writhing on the floor.
“Hey, can you get moving? The line is getting jammed in the back.”
“Eh? Ah? Oh, ohh… I got it.”
Naturally, I ignored the idiot who tried to force their way into our flawless queue while urging the student ahead of me to move on with the line. He seemed rather confused as he was looking back and forth between me and the idiot on the floor, but upon being urged he started moving ahead.
All the passers-by seemed alarmed seeing the idiot on the floor. Even so, everyone seemed to pay no heed as no one wished to get involved in this mess and simply moved on ahead.
“O-oy! We are–”
“–Whoever you are, it doesn’t matter. Get back in line.”
I grabbed the hand of the idiot who tried to forcibly take hold of my shoulder, turned him around and tucked him under my arm before using the momentum to throw him straight to the very back of the queue with another ‘smack’.
Again, I made sure to exert the perfect amount of force so that he would crash onto an empty place without bumping into anybody.
The guy behind me had his mouth wide open.
“Aight, let’s keep moving before the back line ends up getting clogged.”
“Eh? Ah? Umm yeah… I got it.”
He reacted in the same way as the guy in front of me.
I thought I heard a shriek from behind me but I ignored it again as usual and kept waiting in the line for my turn. It was taking a pretty long time today. There were a lot of strange interruptions too. While I was aware that hunger is the best spice, there was still a limit to my patience.
“Oi you! The one from before.”
Crack!
“You’re so damn noisy, you moron!”
I let out an angry roar in reply to that voice laced with irritation.
“I really don’t care who you are but I am extremely hungry and you’re getting on my nerves. I dare you to underestimate the hunger of a growing young man. Take another step and I’ll bite your head off.”
“Heeeeeee!?”
A blue haired male student fell on his butt while letting out a pathetic shrill scream. On a closer look, this guy seemed as good-looking as Alfie. But the way his face was scrunched up in fear facing my threatening attitude seemed so incredibly miserable. Well, that’s what happens when you mess with hangry people.
“Alright, let’s not get distracted and keep moving on.”
The students around me both jolted in surprise as I urged them again to move ahead. The cafeteria was crowded already, I couldn’t let the line slow down any further. I’m so very hungry.
“–as I was saying, they were causing a huge scene in the middle of the line up. So annoying honestly.”
“Well I know they are the ones at fault, but I’m kind of starting to feel sorry for them.”
“Oh yeah? And here I was being so careful not to injure them too.”
Alfie and I took turns to order our food. After Alfie had arrived with his plate, we were able to start having our lunch without another interference. Thus, we were peacefully having a conversation as we stuffed ourselves with food.
“So, do you have any idea who that guy was?”
“No clue.”
“… I mean I do understand that guy was the one in the wrong. Still, I can’t help but feel bad for him. He sounds miserable.”
“Oh man, we really hit the jackpot. The lunch today is so good. The meat gravy is a little spicy and vegetables are so crispy, everything is super delicious….. Un? What did you just say Alfie?”
“… That guy really is so miserable.”
Letting out a deep sigh, Alfie focused on his food without saying anything further. I tilted my head in confusion for a second, but decided to keep enjoying my food as well.
“So, about what you said earlier. What was that ‘big game’ you hunted to pay the school fees?”
Alfie took a small sip from the soup.
“First, it was wild bears and–”
“Puh-wha??!”
I was gesturing with fingers as I was about to mention the list of monsters that I had hunted. But as soon as I uttered one, Alfie spat out all the soup in his mouth. So, I immediately cast a defensive spell to prevent it from splashing on me instead.
“Oy Alfie, that’s disgusting.”
“Guh, ugh… Did you just say wild bear? Is that the same wild bear that I know? The extremely dangerous magical beast?”
Alfie squeezed the words out of his mouth while huffing and puffing with teary eyes.
–Bang!
Wild bears might be considered as ‘big game’ everywhere else in the world but in that place where granny Great Sage lived, –which was commonly known as the ‘Forest of Death’– those beasts were only mid tier at best. Their high physical strength and vitality that matched their gigantic figure certainly seemed quite astounding, but that forest was inhabited by far more heinous creatures than those wild bears.
“That’s not the kind of monster you should go for, ‘ for just a little bit of hunting’.”
“Then how about ‘just a little bit of more hunting than usual’ ?”
“Shut it.”
I got scolded again. But why? I don’t understand.
While on the topic of wild bears, I must mention its nutritional and herbal properties as well. The meat and the internal organs of wild bears are rich in nutrients. Bear hotpot stewed with medicinal herbs works as a potent herbal remedy against colds, it could even potentially cure colds overnight. I often hunted down wild bears when my family members were ill.
Of course, I only told my family that it was just a regular bear stew. After all, it cost a fortune to have a single wild bear bought from the Hunters Association. If my family knew we were eating such a fortune, they would all faint on the spot.
–Bang!
