“Yuugo~. Sorry to keep you waiting~!”
“Wai, president!? It looks like they’re in the middle of something! Can we just come in like this!?”
Everyone reacted to these voices by turning to the entrance, where they saw a boy and a girl.
There was a plump girl with a distinctive warm smile… Precia Rice, and her junior Hao Chi.
Precia did not read the room, and cared little about its mood as she entered.
As she noisily set the tableware she brought, Yuugo turned to the members of the cooking club.
“Thank you. You really helped us.”
“It’s always sudden with you. Think about the people you’re asking to do things.”
“Ufufu…! Be honest Hao~! You tried so hard to prepare for Yuugo’s sake!”
“P-president!? I didn’t…! Stop grinning, Yuugo!!”
“Hahaha! Sorry sorry. But thanks. I’m glad you’re helping, Hao.”
“…There’s no reason to thank me. We’re friends, it makes sense to help each other.”
Velda and Peewee saw Precia, who in a nice way could not read the room, and the tsundere Hao speak with Yuugo, and realized that when Yuugo sent Ryuuga to call Angel, he also told him to speak with these two.
Precia served the food she brought in a deep plate, and presented it to Neries with a smile.
“Here.”
“Ah, thank you.”
She was taken aback by Precia’s smile without a hint of malice, and took the plate.
The moment she smelled the white stew with vegetables and chicken, her stomach made a cute sound.
“Ah…!”
“Ufufu…! You’re hungry, aren’t you? I have plenty more, so eat all you want.”
Precia spoke gently as Neries’ face turned red with embarrassment.
Neries nodded, and scooped up carrot with a spoon and ate it as her friends watched.
She chewed silently, and opened her mouth a little after swallowing.
“…It’s good.”
“Great~! I have bread too if you want! You’re eating too, right? Come on, don’t be shy!”
“A-ah,… Thank you.”
“Then I will…”
Precia’s smile intensified after hearing Neries, and she offered stew to Velda and Peewee as well.
Both opened their eyes widely as they also had the stew, and Yuugo spoke alone as he pulled a familiar pose.
“My grandma said sickness comes from diet. The word eat is composed of the characters for person and well… I totally copied that, but it’s definitely the truth in this world…”
“…I really don’t understand what you say. But it’s true that people who neglect their meals will become unhealthy.”
Said Hao, as Neries looked at the bread wrappers around her room.
How long had it been since she had a warm meal, she thought as Precia spoke.
“It’s nice, isn’t it? Eating with everyone… It’s a wonderful spell to amplify tastiness.”
“…!”
Neries reacted with surprise, but looked at Velda and Peewee.
Both nodded, and feeling their care for her made tears well up in her eyes, and Yuugo spoke while looking on.
“Neries. You said you were made fun of for not being able to fight on your own, but everyone’s the same… I’m not alone either. I can’t cook, fix the door, or do maintenance on my armor.”
“…”
“I get that hearing all that stuff made you frustrated, and it was tough. That’s why I think it’s natural that you want to get away from Luminous Academy. But I want to ask, what do you want to do?”
“I…”
Being unable to do anything on her own and wanting to run away from that situation was not an embarrassment. After declaring this, Yuugo asked what she truly wanted to do.
Neries calmed her irritated heart as her friends watched over her, and feeling someone face her directly made her cry as she responded.
“…It’s frustrating…! People that don’t know anything make fun of me, I can’t say anything back, I became like this… It’s all frustrating, frustrating, frustrating, frustrating…!!”
Her voice trembled as she said how she really felt through tears, talking while crying like a child.
Her nose got clogged, her face was a mess because of the tears, and she spoke her final conclusion.
“I don’t want to run away…! I want to show those people that made fun of me…!! I didn’t want it to end with frustration…!”
Neries spoke as if mustering up her voice, but with a clear tone.
Yuugo nodded, smiled, and spoke while reaching towards her.
“Even someone like me who can’t do anything can do one thing. Reach out to people ask for help. If you feel that way, I’m here for you. As a friend.”
“Thank you…!”
Neries hesitantly grabbed the hand reaching towards her.
Yuugo grabbed it tightly with a smile, and she smiled a little, feeling like she took definitive step.
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