The dining area was created in order to cater to more than three hundred cadets at the same time. In order to prepare the cadets for the war and any unforeseen circumstances, the Academy would inculcate within them the necessary life skills, and cooking was among them.
Cadets from the Academy were divided into groups and were delegated tasks accordingly. The freshers were usually exempt from this until their first term, which lasted for around half an year. Aria and Dron's batch had just begun their term.
As soon as the duo reached the dining area, they noticed a huge crowd had gathered at the serving area with people screaming and shouting. Some of them were even hurling curses at the people on the other side of the serving area.
"Hmm, what's the matter?" Dron mumbled in confusion. He wanted to ask one of the people but their faces depicted rage and anger, which made him keep away.
"There seems to be some accident, I suppose?" Aria commented from the side.
"How did you know?" Dron asked, puzzled.
"It's easy to guess, just look at their expressions. Anyways, let's grab something to eat outside. I messaged my senior to join us for lunch." Aria said as he fiddled with the tactical watch as if he had been operating it for a long time.
With the help of Athenaeum he had become a professional at handling the tactical watch along with its functions. Not only that, the vast trove of knowledge about its working along with various other fundamental concepts about science roamed in his mind.
If he was placed on the current era of the planet, he could very well compare with the brilliant scientist of this era.
As they headed towards the gate, they did not notice that someone from behind the crowd was keeping a watch secretly on them. It was only because there was no hostility in his eyes that Aria's instincts and the Athenaeum's detection system did not notice. Watching the duo leave, he activated his tactical watch and relayed a message to someone.
At the school gate, Aria and Dron were waiting for Jasmine to arrive.
"Hey man, look at the woman! Isn't she beautiful? If only I knew her!" Dron conveyed his thoughts and Aria turned around to have a look at the woman in question.
Seeing that it was Jasmine, he waved his hands indicating his location to her. Jasmine noticed Aria and hurriedly joined the duo. Dron alternated his gaze from Aria to Jasmine and then again from Jasmine to Aria.
"Bro, don't tell me? She's your girlfriend? But you said your friend was a senior! Doesn't matter since she is your girlfriend, she is my sister-in-law." Dron blurted out weird and abnormal concepts which caused Jasmine's face to turn red.
Aria too had a troubled look on his face.
'This idiot!'
He mentally facepalmed himself and hurriedly cleared the doubt.
"Sister-in-law my foot! She is my senior, Jasmine. Jasmine, this is Dron, my roommate." Aria introduced them to each other.
Listening to this, Jasmine's eyes flashed briefly but it went unnoticed. Dron too, apologized for his statement and the trio headed outside the gate to have their lunch. Their destination was 'Central City', as Aria and Jasmine wanted to buy something for their rooms.
The trio headed towards the shopping district of the city and a great sight greeted them. Unlike the Academy and the area surrounding it, the Central city was the most prosperous area and one could observe all kinds of shops.
-Grrr-
A loud rumble disturbed Aria and Jasmine who were lost in their own thoughts. Turning their gaze towards Dron they noticed an embarrassed expression on his face.
"Sorry, I am a bit hungry. I didn't even have breakfast today so that I could enjoy the fried chicken at Lunch, but alas!" A dejected and sad Dron spoke to which Jasmine looked at him in a puzzled manner.
"Nothing much, let's see if we have any restaurant that sells fried chicken here." Aria said as he used the map from his tactical watch to find the restaurant.
Soon they stood in front of a grand five storey building within the area. The building had no name but one could observe the grandiosity of the structure from the two finely carved pillars located at the entrance. Depicting various descriptions of different flora, the pillars emanated an ancient feel.
Even Aria was amazed at the life-like aura being emitting from the pillars and his eyes shone in anticipation.
"Let's eat here!" He said as he looked at Jasmine, who nodded in approval.
"Wait, wait! What do you mean, eat here? Do you know how much the food at this place costs? It's crazy!" Dron chimed in as he protested, but Jasmine and Aria looked at each other with a troubled expression.
"Hey guys! Look at those bumpkins! Trying to get something that they cannot!" Just then a sharp voice cut the trio's discussion which was soon followed by sonorous laughter.
Aria's gaze immediately locked on the source of the voice as he noticed four cadets wearing the Academy uniform moving towards them. Judging from their yellow wristbands they all seemed to be freshers too.
"What did you say?" Jasmine immediately flared up.
"What! Did you not hear it the first time, bumpkins?" The man in the middle mocked and the rest of the group laughed.
Just as Jasmine was about to shout, a hand landed on her shoulder, it was Aria. He shrugged his head, indicating to let go.
"Yeah, listen to the momma's boy over there and shut yourself up!" Another one from the group commented.
To Aria, who had never had any parents, the concept of 'mother' was a bit vague. So he did not understand the implication behind the person's mockery.
'Let's try that girl's method!'
A certain fiery girl's method flashed in his mind and he immediately opened his mouth.
"Is this the manner to speak with your senior? Do you want to be punished so badly?" Aria said in an imposing manner as he crossed his arms, flashing the red wristband on his right arm.
-Fuuuu-
A gust of wind blew by and silence descended at the entrance of the building. The group paused for a moment and their gaze landed on Aria's wristband.