Chapter 11 - The Physics Physical Education
"Sorry about the matter from before Lite. My brother's recklessness has been implicated you in that unpleasant event."
Anna bows her head toward the listless Lite who resting in the nurse bed.
"No, no... Don't bow your head. After all, you are the only one I could depend upon all these years. Aside from helping you with the maintenance of the Mobile Mecha. I've never done any help to you."
She looks at Alfred who sits still in the corner. A mysterious smile crept up from her lips.
"That small incident never brought any big trouble to us. See..." Lite showing her thin arm muscle.
"Pft..."
They laughs together as they agreed to forget the matter from before.
In the corner, Ren felt he was left out of the world.
"..."
He felt he should break these two girls from coming to their long girls' talk. It was already seven o'clock, time to prepare for choosing his class.
"Sis. Miss Lite... I need to choose my class, besides you guys need to arrange yours too right?"
They simultaneously look at him, there is a strange worry and pity in Lite's eyes.
"..."
What is the meaning of that pity looks of yours...
"It is my bad not mentioning this to you. It was indeed true we need to choose our class every new semester. But, it is a bit special for new students. They already had 'special menu' prepared for them."
"Then what the meaning of your pitying look? I suddenly feel insecure after hearing it."
"No, it is nothing, really nothing..." Lite answered readily without waiting for Anna to respond to him.
She also says, "Right, Anna..." while winking at Anna from the side.
"Ohh, yeah..." Anna nods without much thought.
Growl!
A sudden roar came from the stomach bag monster.
Ren touching his belly. It is not mine. Although I am a bit hungry, it is definitely not mine.
He looked at two girls before him.
"Not me, don't look at me!" Anna shook her head fiercely.
Lite simply shook her head. Then...
Groan!
Her belly seemingly betrayed her.
"No, no. It is not me. No, I mean the first wasn't me... No, no, the second is also not me..."
Lite stumbled with her explanation.
"Pft... You two. If you are hungry then just look for something to eat."
Pow!
Pow!
Two pillows smack him on the face.
Growl! Another round of rumbling sounded.
"..."
Anna lowered her head sullenly. She touches her small belly.
Indeed, she had been hungry for a while now. After all, according to her schedule, right now she should be in the canteen or still enjoying morning coffee in the cafe opposite it. If not waiting Lite for hours in the nurse bed.
Ren put aside the pillow while saying in low voice. "How about we go to a Canteen to grab a bite first?"
"Mn." They nod shyly.
...
"Well, what do you want to eat? I-Pack or Handmade one?"
"Is there any difference?"
His face showed confusion.
Another voice answered him, "I-Pack means you would get a mass-produced instant pack made from the local branch of interspace renowned GFC. It is known to be fast, fresh, and fulfilling. There are some 'high-societal' people who rather bought from them than eat from a handmade cook..."
"Huh?"
"They said, 'It is unhygienic. They touch them directly, frying with a used pan, the ingredients aren't fresh, etc.' They had much reason but to reject the handmade cook."
Are they just clean freaks? Or they themselves are freaks. Thought him.
"Let's eat handmade cook one. I am more inclined to eat manually cooked food like at home. Um, right like at home."
He emphasized 'at home' but only he know which home it is...
Then again... GFC? Is it them? That drum stick and fried potato?
They become such a hegemonic figure in the field of food and beverage even in this world.
"Ahhaha~ I know it. You guys really similar, Anna never likes I-Pack it reminds her military nutrition pack that has a rare eraser-like shape."
Lite laughs at them after being amused by their preference.
For her, so long it has enough nutrition, any kind of food would do. But, for Anna, that foodie raises a monster inside her stomach. One portion isn't enough for her, furthermore, she is a picky eater.
"Please, don't include me with Sis Anna. I don't have that kind of capacity..."
"Hoho... What are you talking about 'huh?"
"No, we talk nothing." Lite and Alfred answer her simultaneously.
The dining area inside the canteen could accommodate thousand of diners easily. It is always very clean with dozen cleaning robots operating seamlessly. The left side of the corridor is an open dining area.
They come from this corridor entrance. You could see, at the right side of the corridor entrance, there is an illusory portrait.
The portrait showed a handsome middle-aged man with blue hair and deep blue eyes. It was Nexus Institute's legendary Headmaster from a few decades ago. The Headmaster Nexus.
In the past, He once called a Grandmaster Chef to be a cook in the canteen kitchen. It was rumored he tried to cook for himself but failed so badly, then he choose to call the professional to take the job.
He even added a slogan under his portrait, "Eat natural gift, eat something you made." while posing as a chef in a fitting white uniform.
This kind of flexing and advertisement had a taste of his original world. But, how could you post yourself as a handmade food endorsement when you yourself already rumored to be failed badly when cooking.
...
Inside the main canteen, there are fifteen vending machines and five outlets for handmade cooking. The outlet had its own small ticket machine to choose the menu.
He chooses Ramen and Gyoza with Orange Juice. He nearly cries after finding these familiar menus. While Anna and Lite choose the same menu with different portions.
Anna took five portions of Nasi Goreng with Iced Tea for a starter, then she add another three portions of Fried Meat Fillet.
Looking at how relish she was when eating those piles of rice and meats. He took another menu, Kare Rice Chicken Fillet.
Lite nearly couldn't withstand the sibling's prowess when digging in those foods, early in the morning.
It is already a public entertainment show on how fast one could eat.
In less than fifteen minutes Anna finished her breakfast.
After sending Lite to her workshop. Anna directly took him to the main training hall at the side of the training space from before. She directly starts her routine to clear a few dozens of laps inside, while supervising Alfred to warm up.
The opening ceremony didn't need all students to come in the school hall like his original world. They only need to be within Institute territory with a clean uniform.
When he read the word 'clean uniform'. He mocked inwardly, "You guys already made all size uniform. Why not develop a dust-free uniform too."
When the opening ceremony started. There is a projection of a big hall before him. All the holographs turned on inside the Nexus Hall. He couldn't really count the numbers, but it should be around ten thousand people there.
His body is still within the main training hall. But his projection was transferred to Nexus Hall from Holobrain System in his bracelet. It already connected when he registered the ID.
He could see all the speeches of the Student Association Leader and Head Professor. At the end of that boring speech, the current Headmaster of Nexus, Headmaster Robbert displayed a few projects of ESP Awakening and a line of encouragement before finishing his speech.
After that, all holograph projections disappear.
Anna took her water bag and left him inside the main hall alone.
It was the first class for all new students.
They are divided into three faculty. Mechanics Faculty and Technics Faculty had around a thousand students divided into two side halls directly. Then, Specialist Faculty with around six hundred students stay in the main training hall.
This year, we have more Mechanics and Technics students than usual.
It should be the result of an earlier project of ESP Awakening.
Anna briefly said to him about it. This year, the Institute directly calls an Instructor from a retired commander of the land military.
Although the first class every year is the same for new students. This year is totally focused on Specialist students.
The first class also change in name, it was called "Physics Physical Education".
Every training would be based on precise calculations of physics and the application of a dynamic training menu. Its purpose is solely to give the students a higher chance of awakening.
After all, there was an antic slogan said by legendary Headmaster Nexus.
"MENS SANA IN CORPORE SANO"
The meaning is 'Inside the healthy body, there is a strong mind and soul.'
After he knows this slogan comes from Headmaster Nexus, he started to think something. The familiar flexing style and advertisement model, the familiar menu, and now a copy of famous slogan from his original world.
He suspects the Headmaster Nexus was his 'fellow villager'.
...