At the crack of dawn, Mark awakened to the obnoxious vibrations of his all-purpose school-issued watch.
He got up with ease, quickly brushing his teeth, cleaning himself up in the mirror, and putting on his Academy uniform.
Mark was extremely hungry; he had not consumed anything since his transmigration. It was time to see what the best Academy in all the realms could offer.
He had a lot of time to kill before class started, but his hunger demanded that he up the pace.
On the Southern end of Kolzig-Bondra—around a five-minute walk from the Middle Boy's Dormitory—stood the Dining Hall.
Inside was a warm atmosphere that put the groggy and anxious students at ease.
Even better was the aroma, which Mark could swear smelled like an IHOP.
It wasn't until he went through the short line, picked out his food of choice, and sat down at a comfortable booth that the realization set in.
'This is actually just IHOP. I can't believe it. Thank you so much, fantasy gods…'
A much improved IHOP—with higher quality ingredients and different cooking methods—but the base flavor and presentation was still the same.
From the stack of pancakes laden with butter and syrup to the French toast with the perfect amount of powdered sugar, it was exquisite.
The scrambled eggs and ham were cooked to perfection, along with a tall glass of orange juice—not that he especially enjoyed orange juice, just that it added so much to the experience.
The only complaint he had was that the straw he was given was made out of paper.
'I suppose plastic would be world-changing, but this is still a really bad look…'
Paper straws had no place in his perfect and convenient fantasy world.
While Mark took enough portions for two, the nostalgic and delectable meal was no match for his massive appetite.
He was on the last few bites of his pancakes when a figure moved through his periphery. That itself wasn't very important; there were plenty of people moving throughout the massive dining hall.
No. What was interesting about the figure was when the figure no longer became a figure, but a woman.
Though he was engrossed in the act of making love to his pancakes, Mark could clearly see the woman at the top of his vision.
She slid into his booth, putting both of her arms on the table and entering a slight forward lean.
Her posture was high with long wavy platinum hair, emerald eyes, and a smoldering gaze that perfectly suited her striking beauty.
Mark was just about to finish his last bite of syrupy—and slightly cold—pancakes when he slowly set the fork down and met the woman's attentive eyes.
"Can I help you?" Mark asked, making his confusion apparent.
"Why did you run out of the main building yesterday?"
"…Who's asking?"
"Ranni Ema Luikots, Heir of the Luikots Duchy, the second largest—"
"Why are you asking?" Mark interrupted.
Ranni's eye twitched, though she wasn't unnerved so easily
"Because your actions may or may not have implicated me in something, and I intend to clear my name."
Mark began to connect the dots in his mind. He had been mentally preparing for this since the emergency quest.
'The school must have realized something was stolen from the Alchemy Lab, and I can only guess she saw me leave. Is she a fed?'
"Why did you run out of the main building?" Ranni repeated.
"Would you believe me if I told you?" Mark asked before taking a sip of his orange juice—the soggy paper straw ruining any joy he got out of it.
"Should I have a reason not to believe you? The Mother preaches acceptance. I assure you, I will listen."
'I guess the truth couldn't hurt. At least, a misleading version of that truth…'
"Well, I was on my way to the Laboratory—"
"Why were you going to the Laboratory?" Ranni interrupted, leaning in closer.
…
"…Are you mic'd up right now?"
"Uh… no," Ranni's stoic yet intrigued face faltered for a moment. "And don't answer my question with a question."
"I just wanted to check out the Laboratory. I'm not really into Alchemy, but it wouldn't hurt to check out all the facilities."
"Plausible," Rainni conceded. "Continue."
"As I was saying," Mark continued. "When I finally reached the door to the lab, I was greeted by the sight of a young man. Said young man had stepped out of a blue portal, got on top of a counter, grabbed a jar, then stepped back into said blue teleportation portal."
Ranni stood still, tingeing with dumbfoundedness.
"You know how ridiculous that sounds?" Ranni questioned. "No one can teleport into the Academy. The only entrance is the Kriophorus, they have precautions to ensure that."
"Told you. It's unbelievable, but it did happen," Mark confidently stood by his case, taking the final bite of his cold and soggy pancakes.
"That still doesn't answer why you ran. If the Academy was breached as you say, you'd be obligated to report it," Ranni poked and prodded.
"Ah, see, that's where our philosophies differ…"
"It's not a matter of philosophy," Ranni rebutted. "Should you witness an illegal action in Kolzig-Bondra, you are legally obligated to tell the administration."
Mark compressed his lips and he shook his head in disapproval.
"Considering the boy looked like a student, along with the fact that Kolzig-Bondra's anti-teleportation field only stops people from teleporting from the outside, I just assumed he was a student Traveler Warlock pulling off a grand heist," Mark masterfully bullshitted. "And the societal pressure not to snitch was just too much for me. I would like to apologize from the deepest—"
"And how would you know that?" Ranni interjected.
"Know what?"
"About the anti-teleportation field."
"Studying."
From the look on her face, she obviously didn't buy it.
"Still doesn't answer why you left. And I saw your face. You looked like you were gonna shit yourself. Just admit you did it and get it over with," Ranni accused.
"…I was gonna shit myself. That's why I ran back to my dorm immediately."
…
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Charisma Check Successful!
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'HA. No way…'
Mark squeezed his lips, barely suppressing a smile.
"Uhuh. Look, if you aren't confessing to it, then we're done here," Ranni stood up, slowly scooching out of the tight booth.
"Wait, hold on," Mark preemptively called out. "Could you sit back down?"
"Why? Going to confess?"
"No, I just need you to sit in the booth for a second. A favor, if I may. Please?"
Ranni paused with a raised eyebrow, obviously skeptical. In the end, something about the mystery compelled her to sit back down.
"There's this game I used to play with my father, Gods rest his soul," Mark said, picking up the straw's paper wrapping. "Basically you take the straw wrapping, roll it up into a ball, dip it in a liquid, preferably water but all I have is orange juice, and as long as you have another person, then you're ready to begin."
"Begin what?"
"Outstretch just your thumb and index fingers. Both hands. Touch your thumbs together, then point your indexes down against the table," Mark demonstrated as Ranni complied.
"And then?" she asked, holding her fingers in the shape of a goal.
"Then this…"
Mark placed the paper ball on the table, creating the 'okay' sign as he readied his index finger…
flick.
The ball shot across the table, clearly entering through the goalposts and bouncing off Ranni's chest.
"Bang," Mark pumped his fist. "Still got it…"
Ranni placed the makeshift ball back onto the table. "That's it?"
"I mean, yeah. It's a… it's a game, you know? Here, you could try it too if you want."
Mark held his goalposts at the ready.
…
flick.
The ball passed through his goal straight down the middle, bouncing off his chest before falling into his lap.
While Mark had extended his goalposts to be wider and more lenient for the beginner player, it hadn't been warranted.
"Nice shot."
…
With the favor out of the way, Ranni stood up and exited the booth.
But as she was walking away, she turned back to face Mark.
Ranni looked down at her watch, then tapped it as if she was pausing something.
"Just some advice, one student to another," Ranni remarked. "I would get a really good lawyer. Kolzig-Bondra is going to charge you with either theft or failure to report. Personally, I'm undecided."
"No problem, and thanks," Mark replied. "I'll see you in class, then."
"See you."
And with that, the platinum-haired girl took her leave. It wasn't until then that Mark got a good look at Ranni Luikots.
She was unfathomably attractive. His heart beat a little faster at the distant sight of her.
'Seems like the NPC extras agree as well. But are they all programmed to gawk at her constantly? Not even a glance, it's full-on staring.'
As Ranni began to fade into the distance, the gawks that once followed her slowly diverted toward Mark in the form of peeved glares.
Mark snapped his head forward. A dozen students had set their crosshairs on him.
'The fuck I do…?'
He began to awkwardly sip the remains of his orange juice.