"Oh, right I almost forgot." Erika said, "We should go and check the cafeteria as well while we're at it."
"Yeah, that'd be great idea." Maruschka leapt up with joy.
They were in their room at that time and it was still a little before noon.
"You ladies go on. I will arrange the room and put your belongings at your respective cupboards." Bauer said.
"Thank you Miss Bauer." Maruschka said bowing a little.
With this the two girls left their room and went outside. They looked for the cafeteria of their building.
Every student residential building had a cafeteria of its own which served the students of that building with breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
The food served in the cafeteria was also according to the tastes of the noble students living there.
Various rich and delicious foods were kept on shelves for students to choose and eat whatever they liked.
Desks and benches were arranged in two columns on the sides of the entrance gate. The students could take their foods and seat there to eat.
Everything was clean and neatly arranged. There cleaners who'd clean the desks and benches and broom the floors including washers who washed the dishes.
The kitchen was behind a curtain, separated from the area where the students would eat. Here top class chefs cooked the tasty dishes one could see in front of them.
Maruschka was eager to taste the foods she saw. Their rich fragrance made her mouth water.
Erika could see her eyes wide open and sparking while mouth drooled.
"Fufu, please don't act like that or you will be confronted for being mannerless." Erika said as she smiled.
"Lady Erika let's try some of the foods here." Maruschka requested with her hands folded in front of her.
To Erika she looked like a cute little puppy wiggling its tail. There was no way she could reject after that.
"Fine, it would be waste not to have at least a little taste of the fine food." Erika gave her approval.
Maruschka rushed to one of the shelves took a plate and put the foods she thought would taste the best after some searching.
Erika followed suit albeit she was not as excited as Maruschka, but still she too wanted to taste some of it.
"Hey Maruschka, don't pick up too much. Remember it's not lunch time yet."
"Umm... is this also a noble rule?"
"Yes, it is. Remember in this academy, you'll have to strictly follow the aristocratic rules or else you will be in trouble."
"But I want to taste all of this food." Maruschka pouted.
"How could she be this cute? Even in the game she didn't seem this cute." Erika thought.
She smiled while holding her plate which was half empty.
"Let's sit somewhere." She said.
They went to a desk that was empty and sat in front of each other at both sides of the desk.
Since class time was not yet over, the cafeteria was not that crowded. Most of the new students were busy roaming around or looking for their rooms. Only a few were in there.
During their snack Maruschka had troubles with using fork and spoon. Even Erika herself was not that well versed in using it.
Both of their not so well mannered eating attracted some laughs and frowns from their fellow students sitting in other tables.
Maruschka's a little more than Erika's.
"Sorry Maruschka, I can't help you in this matter." Erika thought.
Her head was down and she tried to focus more on the food than her surrounding.
After eating their snacks they returned the dishes to the workers present to have them washed and reused.
They left the cafeteria and went on to roam around the campus.
Erika took Maruschka's hand and walked around the campus with her.
She saw the various places where many 'events' would take place to further the romance between Maruschka and the capture targets.
Both of them were smiling and having a great time looking around the ground.
Finally they sat at a fountain in a garden that was a little further inside the campus.
Erika could vividly remember both of these spots having important events with whoever the heroine chose to date.
However, she didn't dwell on it. To her the game world was already long gone.
She could see that all the characters from the game are different from the original and acting almost outside the game script.
Maruschka looked a little shy. Her cheeks were turning pink and she looked flustered.
"Um.... lady Erika, c-can you please let go of my h-hand. It's sweaty."
Maruschka said totally embarrassed.
"Oh, sorry."
Erika let go of her hand.
"Thank you for everything today, lady Erika."
"Huh! Why? it's nothing to thank me for. We are friends aren't we?"
"Actually, I was really scared coming to an academy for the nobles. I didn't know what to do and figured that I will be severely bullied or left alone because the nobles despise the commoners."
"Ah, no I....uh," Erika didn't know how to comfort her.
"Being a shut in myself, I really am insensitive to people's feelings." She thought flustered and embarrassed.
"You know I was also afraid of being left out by everyone. Actually I have been a bit anti-social since the beginning. So I didn't know anyone here. Actually having you as a friend is a bit helpful to me as well."
"So, let's be good friends from now on."
"Sure lady Erika, let's be together, always." Marushka said. She had a shy smile on her face.
"Oh, if it isn't the young lady from the Raubenbraum household. Greetings lady Erika."
A male voice interrupted their talking.
Erika was all too familiar with this voice.
Taking the first glance she knew it was the son of the knight commander Sir Weilding Otto Ludwig. He was almost as tall and handsome as the prince.
Most importantly, he was a knight with many achievements under his belt and would become the captain of the Royal Knitage and the army after his father. He was also a capture target.
Coming from a military family, Weilding's family also had vast influence especially in the army. In noble rank they were also dukes.
"Good day, Sir Ludwig. I didn't notice you are here as well." Erika greeted him.
Maruschka looking at Erika tried to imitate her.
"I completely forgot that this guy likes to come to the garden as well. This was supposed to be one of the flags for him." Erika thought.
"I see you are with the commoner student." He said looking at Maruschka.
Maruschka was flustered and tried to hide behind Erika.
She knew that not all nobles so accepting towards the commoners like Erika.
"You've heard what the prince said. You cannot treat the commoner as your servant."
"Perhaps Sir Ludwig is mistaken. We are friends not master and servant." Erika replied a little firmly while laughing.
Ignoring Erika's words Weilding looked at Maruschka.
"You know I am in the same grade as you lady Maruschka. So if she ever misbehaves with you please remember to tell me."
"I'll be taking my leave for now."
Without giving them a chance to reply, he left.
Maruschka and Erika were both shocked at this development.
Looking Maruschka all flustered and worried, Erika pulled her hand.
"Let's explore more of the academy."
Erika took Maruschka and walked around more.
"I don't understand. Why did that guy acted so rudely to lady Erika?" Maruschka couldn't understand Weildings behaviour.
Erika also had her fair share of bad feelings.
She felt like as if they were all conspiring against her.
She tried to brush it off as a mere coincidence but couldn't.