DanKatsu Voume 1, Bonus Story

E-Book Bonus SS: Girls-Only Get-Together Right After the Guild Was Founded

This happened on the night <Eden> was officially founded.

After the grand celebration banquet for the guild’s creation, the girls decided to gather once more in one of their rooms.

It all started with Sierra’s suggestion.

"Let’s have a little social gathering tonight."

During the banquet, while Zephyrus was passionately offering food to <Lucky Cat-sama>, talking to it, and then ending up so absorbed in prayer that he basically stopped coming back to the table, the girls had been enjoying themselves in their own way. That’s when Sierra proposed holding a get-together.

"A… social gathering?"

Hanna, who had been restocking dishes she’d prepared, repeated the word. From her perspective, the banquet was already a social gathering—so wasn’t this redundant?

But Lana, who was elegantly eating her food, and Ester, happily savoring the meat dishes, both nodded in understanding. In other words, they knew exactly what Sierra meant and were agreeing to join in.

Hanna, however, was left blinking in confusion at the way these noble ladies seemed to communicate on another level.

Noticing Hanna was lost, Sierra explained again.

"Sorry, Hanna, I left you behind in the conversation. What I mean is—after this, let’s have a girls-only gathering to get to know each other even better."

"A second party, huh. I don’t mind."

"Yes. We’re guild members now. Getting to know each other is very important."

With Sierra clarifying, Lana gave her verbal approval, and Ester stressed the value of such a gathering.

At last, Hanna’s eyes lit with understanding.

"P-please, Lady Sierra, don’t apologize! It’s my fault for not keeping up."

"No, I’m at fault too. I spoke like I usually do. But now that I’ve entered the academy, the wall between commoners and nobles is almost gone. Since the environment has changed, I need to change as well."

Hanna shook her head frantically—far too much respect to accept such words—but Sierra wasn’t swayed.

For Sierra, the academy was a place of study. Even something as simple as communication had many methods, and one had to adapt depending on the other person. Without considering the other’s perspective, even things that should go smoothly wouldn’t.

Hanna was a commoner. And so was Zephyrus, the 【Hero】.

Sierra was already beginning to internalize and learn from that.

"So then, Lady Marguerite—no, perhaps I should call you Sierra instead?"

"That would be best, Princess Lana. Please, do address me as Sierra."

"All right. Pleased to be properly acquainted, Sierra. And since we’re classmates, you don’t need to use honorifics with me either."

"Very well. Then I’ll drop them. I look forward to being friends, Lana."

With that exchange, the two closed some of the distance between them.

Though they had been introduced formally that day—and had met before—they’d barely interacted. Now, as fellow guild members, they began by breaking down the walls in their speech and names.

"Lady Ester, may I call you Ester as well?"

"Of course. Then I’ll call you Sierra."

"Understood. Pleased to work together, Ester."

"Yes, likewise."

One by one, Sierra shortened the distance with each of them. Just changing how they addressed each other made her realize how much closer they felt.

Then she turned back to the three of them.

"As you can see, we’ve all joined <Eden>, but we still have plenty of distance between us. That’s why I suggested this get-together—to deepen our bonds further."

A girls-only social gathering afterward. But Hanna suddenly felt uneasy.

"…Would it be bad if Zephyrus joined too? It feels like leaving him out makes him the odd one out, poor guy."

"Well, yes… but it can’t be helped. Hanna, do you know what kind of gathering <Eden> really is?"

"What kind of gathering…?"

Sierra’s question made Hanna think.

What was <Eden>, really?

(I think Zephyrus-kun said it once… he wanted to aim for the strongest. Originally, it was just the two of us diving into dungeons. It could’ve stayed that way forever, but he said that without more people, we wouldn’t be able to advance. That’s why he decided to gather members and make a guild.)

As she recalled that, Hanna began to grasp what Sierra was trying to say.

"Um… so you mean Zephyrus-kun is the center of the guild?"

"Hehe, that’s right. Exactly, Hanna. Just as you said, <Eden> is a guild centered around Zephyrus. To be precise, he’s the one who built it all from scratch. That’s why, aside from Zephyrus himself, most of us hardly knew each other before joining."

"So that’s why the social gatherings are needed."

Hanna nodded deeply at Sierra’s explanation. It all made sense now.

Of course—leaving Zephyrus out wasn’t strange at all. The ones who needed to deepen their bonds were the four girls here.

Just then, Zephyrus finally returned, having spent all that time fervently praying to <Lucky Cat-sama>.

And so, the discussion was put on hold. Their girls-only social gathering would be held later, after the banquet, in Sierra’s room in the nobles’ dormitory.

.

.

.

"Please, come in."

"Excuse me."

"Pardon the intrusion."

"U-um, e-excuse me…"

The celebration banquet had ended peacefully. Afterward, Zephyrus had insisted, "I’m gonna eat more with the real <Lucky Cat-sama>!", and stayed behind for reasons no one quite understood. The four girls moved over to Sierra’s room.

Her room was on the fourth floor of the nobles’ dormitory.

Sierra went in first, followed by Lana, Ester, and finally Hanna.

Hanna, however, trembled—suddenly doubting whether she really belonged in this circle.

She often visited the nobles’ dorm to see Zephyrus, but his room was always plain and simple, since he never accumulated many belongings. Compared to the others living there, his quarters were overwhelmingly modest.

But a true noble lady’s room… it was dazzling, and Hanna was completely overwhelmed. Just imagining how much that white round table cost was enough to shake her sense of peace.

"I’ll get the tea set ready. Please, have a seat."

Sierra disappeared into the kitchen. Unlike the girls’ dorm, the nobles’ dorm came with elegant personal kitchens built into each room.

"L-Lady Sierra, let me help too!"

"Oh my, thank you. In that case, could you boil some water in this pot?"

"Yes, of course!"

The thought of just sitting there and letting a princess serve her tea was too terrifying, so Hanna quickly offered to help.

Meanwhile, Lana and Ester obediently took seats around the round table.

As Hanna set the water to boil, Sierra took out tea leaves and sweets, neatly arranging them on special dishes.

"They look delicious…"

"Don’t they? I’m glad I prepared them ahead of time."

It seemed Sierra had stocked up on sweets even before the guild was founded—perhaps she had predicted this would happen.

Hanna’s eyes were glued to the confections, the kind of luxurious sweets she’d never even dreamed of tasting. Even though she had eaten plenty at the banquet earlier, she somehow still had room for more. Truly one of the seven mysteries of a girl’s body.

"Ah, the water’s boiling."

"Perfect. I’ve finished setting things up too. Could I leave the tea set and hot water to you?"

"Of course."

Carrying a plate filled with various sweets, Sierra walked back to the table, while Hanna carefully brought over the pot and cups on a tray.

Once everything was prepared, Sierra gave the word to begin.

"Well then, congratulations again on the founding of our guild. And here’s to working together from now on."

"""Cheers—looking forward to it~."""

Each girl savored her tea and sampled a sweet. No one spoke at first. The first bite was sacred—something to be enjoyed in absolute silence, a moment to soak in the joy and happiness.

"…Mm. Delicious."

"The tea is wonderful as well."

"I-I’ve never eaten sweets this good in my life!"

Lana, Ester, and Hanna each voiced their impressions.

"But Hanna, these are academy-made. I’m fairly sure the ones who baked them were students."

"Eh!? Students made these!?"

Eyes wide in disbelief, Hanna stared hard at the sweets. The thought that students alone had created such beautiful and delicious confections had never even crossed her mind.

From Hanna’s perspective, no matter how she looked at it, the sweets didn’t seem like something students could have made.

"Hanna, I'm sure you’ll be able to make things like this while you’re still at the academy. After all, today’s cooking was absolutely exquisite."

"Yes, I enjoyed it thoroughly as well."

"R-really? Th-thank you very much."

Suddenly being addressed by a princess and her knight retainer made Hanna jolt, but she somehow managed to stammer out her thanks.

Inside, though, she was honestly happy. Anyone would be glad to have their cooking praised—but hearing it from someone of noble birth, from a princess no less, made it even more special.

From there, the topic shifted toward cooking.

"Hanna, you’re really skilled in the kitchen, aren’t you?"

"Yes. I’m an only child, so my parents drilled every single recipe into me until I had them all memorized."

"Oh? Is that normal? I’ve never really heard what life in a village is like."

"Um… in our village, it was normal. If a child doesn’t inherit everything, the recipes would be lost. If I’d had siblings, we could’ve split the burden, but being an only child meant I had to inherit it all."

"That sounds tough."

To Sierra, Lana, and Ester, Hanna’s story was unexpectedly fascinating.

As Lana pointed out, details of everyday village life rarely reached the ears of noble ladies.

On top of that, Hanna’s homemade cooking had been truly delicious, which only deepened their interest in her.

And of course, cooking was something women had always been curious about, regardless of the era.

"I’ve always lived in the royal palace. Meals were always prepared by professional chefs, so I’ve never cooked for myself."

"That’s true. There were times when Lady Lana tried to sneak into the kitchen, but I made sure to stop her every single time."

For some reason, Ester added her agreement to Lana’s tale.

As Lana’s knight-in-training since childhood, Ester had spent more than half her life at Lana’s side.

Naturally, it was assumed that Ester wouldn’t be able to cook either, but…

"I often accompanied the soldiers on expeditions, so I can handle simple campfire cooking."

"…That’s surprising."

"How about you, Lady Sierra?"

"…No comment."

"This is a social gathering, my lady. Sharing would help deepen the bonds between us."

"…Ester, you’re sharper than I gave you credit for. Fine, I’ll admit it—I’ve had almost no experience cooking."

Backed into a corner under the banner of "social gathering," Sierra relented.

Her household was known as the 『Royal Shield』, a distinguished family.

From childhood, Sierra had been thoroughly trained in the way of the shield—but cooking skills were never part of her education.

As such, she was utterly incapable in the kitchen.

After some back-and-forth on cooking, Lana finally dropped the bomb she’d clearly been waiting to throw.

"Hey, Hanna… so, um… wh-what exactly is your relationship with Zephyrus?"

"…Fueh?"

A strange sound slipped out of Hanna.

The atmosphere instantly tightened.

Sierra and Ester fell silent, Hanna froze, and an oppressive quiet so sharp it hurt the ears descended on the room.

The one who finally broke it was Lana herself, who shifted her gaze uneasily as she clarified:

"I-I mean, how did you and Zephyrus meet? You two seem really close."

Hanna swallowed hard. She was pretty sure everyone heard the gulp.

And from Sierra, sitting beside her, Hanna could almost feel some kind of aura pressing against her.

Unable to resist the crushing atmosphere, she confessed everything about her connection with Zephyrus.

"Oh? So you’re childhood friends. But… for people who supposedly didn’t talk much until recently, isn’t your distance a little too close?"

"U-um, actually… the day before I left for the academy…"

Unable to withstand Lana’s gaze, Hanna recounted the story of being attacked by a slime and rescued by Zephyrus just in the nick of time.

"Wh—t-that’s straight out of a romance novel!"

"…Eh?"

"N-no, it’s nothing."

Her comment didn’t register with Hanna.

To Lana, "a brave hero rushing in at the critical moment" was something that only happened in stories. And yet, here before her sat someone who had actually lived it.

Lana felt complicated. Some might even call it "envy."

"So that’s how you two suddenly got closer."

"I-it’s not like we got that close… ehehe."

Hanna was secretly delighted to learn how close she and Zephyrus looked in other people’s eyes.

In truth, Hanna was the one who currently had the closest relationship with Zephyrus—by a landslide.

For Lana, today was only the third time she’d met him, and she hadn’t even felt like their first meeting went well.

Of course, she still had plenty of chances to grow closer from here on out, but that didn’t stop the twinge of impatience she felt.

The same went for Sierra. This was also her third time meeting Zephyrus. He had granted her the job of 【Shield Princess】, a debt of gratitude she could never fully repay, and she too, hoped to deepen her bond with him.

As Hanna continued, Lana occasionally pursed her lips while listening, and Sierra just sat there calmly, listening without much expression.

"Hanna, could you tell us a bit more about Zephyrus? He’s pretty much the only topic we all have in common."

That was what Sierra said, but it was clearly only a pretext. They could have talked about dungeons, guilds, or the academy—there were plenty of other topics. Yet somehow the conversation always circled back to Zephyrus.

"Ah, yes. Well, I don’t know him that well, but if that’s fine…"

Hanna didn’t notice the pretense at all, taking Sierra’s words at face value.

"Zephyrus-kun is really knowledgeable about dungeons. He knows so many things I don’t."

"Yes, he has such a wealth of knowledge. I wonder where he even got it all from?"

"I’m not really sure. Back in the village, we often acted separately. Maybe the village chief taught him?"

"…I see."

Sierra pressed a finger to her chin, thoughtful. She had always been curious about where Zephyrus had learned about the 【Shield Princess】.

Now, she felt like she had a lead. Maybe it was worth investigating if she ever had the time.

"Now that you mention it, it is odd. He seems to know about my 【Saint】 and even Ester’s 【Princess Knight】. Where could he have heard all that?"

"I’d like to ask as well. But if even Lady Hanna hasn’t heard anything, it may be difficult to find out."

"True enough. Well, no matter. Where he got his information is a trivial thing. What matters is what happens from here on."

While Hanna and Sierra spoke, both Lana and Ester showed signs of thinking about it too, but Lana quickly gave up.

In truth, Zephyrus’s level of knowledge was a very important matter. But at this point, no one imagined he possessed not only information about 【Shield Princess】, 【Saint】, and 【Princess Knight】, but also about countless other jobs as well, so they simply let it slide.

By the common sense of this world, knowing the conditions for job awakenings was an abnormality in itself—so perhaps it was only natural.

Incidentally, when Ester had addressed Hanna as "Lady Hanna" mid-conversation, Hanna had frozen up thinking That had to be a mishearing, right?—but nobody noticed.

Gradually, the conversation shifted toward dungeons.

So far, Hanna was the only one who had actually ventured into one.

She shared what it was like inside, her impressions, and even how Zephyrus handled solo clears—their interest in her stories never ran dry.

"When fighting monsters, it seems decisiveness is key. You have to go all in. If you hesitate, you’re the one who’ll get hit—at least, that’s what Zephyrus-kun told me."

"Hanna, you’re too bold. With that tiny body of yours being so aggressive—it feels like cheating, you know?"

"I-it’s not cheating at all! A-and I’m not tiny either!"

Hanna puffed up indignantly at Lana’s suspicious glare.

An hour into the social gathering, they already felt much closer.

The fact that they could even tease each other like this showed Hanna’s initial nervousness had long since flown away.

"Zephyrus-kun was also really detailed about dungeon layouts—what you can find where, what materials you can harvest, how to handle certain monsters. He taught me a lot."

"He’s already cleared four Beginner-level dungeons in this short time. That pace is unheard of. It’s probably the fastest since the academy was founded."

Sierra frowned as she said this, and Ester nodded in agreement.

"Yes. I investigated records: even with support such as escorts, power-leveling, or being carried, there are no examples of clearing this quickly. Especially since his level is over 20 already. As of May, no record shows anyone that high."

"I know, right? What’s even going on with him? He said he was in a rush to form a guild or something, but… normally, that’s just not possible."

Lana spoke in exasperation. No—she truly was exasperated.

That’s how outrageous Zephyrus’s actions were.

What made it worse was that he didn’t even seem to realize how outrageous they were himself.

The talk naturally shifted toward boss fights.

"Zephyrus-kun even soloed bosses. That giant bear-sized Anteater—he seemed a little unsure at first, but halfway through, he completely overwhelmed it without trouble."

"Well, Hanna, since you’re a production job, boss fights would naturally fall to Zephyrus."

"So Sir Zephyrus is strong enough to overwhelm dungeon bosses… I wonder, how did he acquire such combat strength? Did he undergo some kind of special training in the village?"

"Err…"

Sierra seemed satisfied as more of Zephyrus’s feats came to light, but Ester couldn’t help but wonder why—why he was able to fight at such a level.

Boss fights are supposed to be tough.

In fact, if you asked a hundred people what the deadliest point of a dungeon run is—even in a party—every single one of them would answer: the boss fight. That’s how difficult they are.

And that’s with a party. Imagine how much harder it would be solo.

But Hanna just kept tilting her head in confusion.

In all her memories of life in the village, she’d never once seen Zephyrus—or anyone else, for that matter—training in any sort of martial arts.

Now that she thought about it… where did Zephyrus learn how to move like that? To handle his skills so fluidly?

Another mystery, piled on top of the others.

The more she thought about Zephyrus, the more questions she had. And yet, somehow, those mysteries only made him seem more fascinating.

"Then… may I ask what kind of tactics Zephyrus used?"

"Ah, yes. Well, during the <Armor Golem> fight, for example…"

Ester was the daughter of a knight baron. Combat was in her blood, so naturally, she was the most interested in hearing how Zephyrus fought.

Doing her best to explain clearly, Hanna recounted how Zephyrus initially struggled against the <Armor Golem>—until he realized he could target its legs mid-charge to knock it down. He even improvised a move like a kendo nuki-dō slash on the spot, and from there, completely turned the fight around, overwhelming it.

By the time Hanna finished, Ester’s eyes were sparkling brighter than ever.

"It seems Sir Zephyrus possesses outstanding combat instincts."

And just like that, in Ester’s mind, Zephyrus’s "combat sense" became something extraordinary.

In reality, all that had happened was that Zephyrus had stumbled a bit, figuring out how different things felt compared to the game he remembered. But perception changes everything. From another’s perspective, it became brilliance. You could call it admiration—or blindness.

Their interest in boss battles only grew, and before long, the conversation naturally shifted to that very topic. From there, it flowed into the subject of Beginner Mid-tier dungeons.

"Come to think of it, aren’t the bosses in Beginner Mid-tier dungeons supposed to be much tougher?"

"Yes. Beginner Mid-tier bosses always appear with minions. At least five. It makes soloing them extremely difficult."

Ester, who had learned detailed information about the bosses beforehand, nodded in response to Lana's question.

Starting at the Beginner Mid-tier, dungeons were designed for parties. Just as Ester said, it was because bosses gained minions.

Take the <Wild Grassland Dungeon>, for example. Its boss was the <Knight Goblin>, accompanied by two <Common Goblin> and two <Sword Goblins>.

That’s five enemies at once. No wonder people said soloing was practically impossible.

In fact, the Beginner Mid-tier dungeons were specifically designed to be cleared by parties, which is why "clear a Beginner Mid-tier dungeon" was one of the requirements for forming a guild.

In the game, by the time the story reached that point, the protagonist’s party of five was already assembled.

"But Sir Zephyrus managed to clear it, didn’t he? Alone, no less?"

"Ah… actually, there’s a small mistake there."

"Huh? So he didn’t solo it?"

"Well… the boss Zephyrus fought wasn’t the regular one. Apparently… it was a rare boss."

"""A RARE BOSS!?"""

The three voices overlapped in unison.

They hadn’t meant to shout, but the shock was too much. Realizing it was already past 9 p.m., they hurriedly covered their mouths. Luckily, no one came banging on the walls—though in the girls’ dorm, that kind of thing wasn’t likely anyway.

Sierra leaned in, whispering nervously, 

"Wait… are you saying he actually defeated a rare boss?"

"Y-yes. That’s what Zephyrus-kun told me. And that <Lucky Cat-sama> he carries? It dropped from that fight."

The revelation left them all stunned.

A rare boss—an accident, some even called it a calamity.

They only appeared about one percent of the time, and when they did, they were almost guaranteed to wipe out the party.

After all, rare bosses were stronger than normal ones—at the Beginner Mid-tier, they were as powerful as a Beginner Upper-tier dungeon boss.

Ordinary adventurers didn’t stand a chance. And yet… Zephyrus had soloed one.

No wonder the girls had cried out without thinking.

"What ridiculous strength. Hanna, did you actually see it?"

"No, once you get past Beginner Mid-tier dungeons, you can’t see inside the boss room anymore. But as proof, the boss dropped two <Gold Chests>."

"Two <Gold Chests>… Honestly, I don’t even know what to say to that."

Sierra looked genuinely bewildered as she realized once again just how abnormal Zephyrus was.

When people run into something outrageous, they don’t know how to react. And it troubles them—a lot.

"Ahaha, I’ve already gotten used to it. I’m sure you and Lady Sierra will run into even more outrageous things… but once you get used to it, I think you’ll actually enjoy it."

"…You might be right. Did I just end up joining a completely insane guild?"

"Um, do you regret it?"

"Of course not. I owe Zephyrus a lot, and I’m grateful to him. I wouldn’t regret something like this. I’ll contribute to this guild with everything I have. Hanna, I’ll be counting on you."

"Ah! Y-Yes! Miss Sierra, I’m looking forward to working with you too!"

Sierra gave a wry smile and extended one hand forward, which Hanna grabbed with both of hers.

It was an awkward handshake, but it drew Sierra and Hanna a little closer together.

"Hey, Sierra, that’s not fair. Don’t just bond with Hanna—be friends with me too!"

"Fufu, of course. That’s what this welcome party is for, after all. Let’s all get along. Princess Lana, now that we’re guildmates, I’ll be counting on you as well."

"And I’ll be counting on you. I’m a 【Saint】—a healer. I’ll support Sierra with everything I’ve got."

"That’s reassuring to hear."

Sierra’s job was 【Shield Princess】, her role a tank. Naturally, the one she needed to be closest with was the healer.

And not just any healer—the top-tier 【Saint】 would be supporting her. Sierra no longer had anything to fear.

"If it’s alright, may I join in as well? Tomorrow, I’ll be advancing to 【Princess Knight】. My role is attacker. I’ll smash through the enemies that stand in our way. Please, allow me to fight alongside you all."

"Of course. Let’s all do our best together."

"Miss Ester, yes, let’s get along. I look forward to working with you."

"Thank you. And you as well, Lady Hanna."

"Eh, L-Lady Hanna!? Um, Ester, you don’t need to add ‘Lady’ when addressing me. If possible, I’d really prefer it if you just… called me Hanna."

And so, the welcome party continued.

Hanna still had something she wanted to bring up, something she couldn’t quite leave unsaid—but that was for another time.

The guild <Eden> had officially begun.

And from that day, their long journey together was set in motion.

BOOK☆WALKER Exclusive Bonus SS:  I’ll Be the One to Take Care of Zephyrus-kun

I’m Hanna—once just Hanna from the <Nameless Beginner’s Village>, now officially a 【Alchemist】.

"Oh~, Hanna? Morning."

The one poking his head sleepily out from his dorm room door in the noble’s residence was Zephyrus-kun, dressed in his uniform.

Even though I became an 【Alchemist】, and even though he’s gotten famous enough to live in the nobles’ dorms, he still treats me the same as always.

Honestly, I was worried. Our lives changed so drastically in less than a day after entering the academy… But seeing Zephyrus-kun act like his usual self, I feel relieved.

"Something up? It’s still pretty early."

Zephyrus-kun glanced at the clock in his room.

True, it was only 7 a.m.—a little early to be visiting someone’s room. But this time of day was the whole point.

"Yeah. I thought maybe we could have breakfast together. I made some."

I held up my <Item Bag> to show him, and the sleepiness vanished from his eyes in an instant.

"Breakfast? Wait—did you make it yourself?"

"Mm-hm. Just sandwiches, though."

His gaze was glued to the <Item Bag>.

Looks like I got his attention.

See, Zephyrus-kun may not look it, but he’s a foodie. Not in a greedy way—it’s just that he really, really loves delicious food.

Normally, students eat breakfast in the cafeteria. Since he was still in his room at this hour, he clearly hadn’t eaten yet.

So I aimed straight for his stomach.

Well—half a joke, anyway. The truth is, I’d earned the "right" to visit Zephyrus-kun’s noble dorm room anytime… but then I realized I didn’t actually have a reason to visit.

Just barging in with a "Hey, I came to hang out~" felt… awkward.

That’s when I came up with the idea of breakfast.

This way, I’d have a natural excuse. And if I did it every day, it wouldn’t even be weird. Probably.

…To be honest, my heart was pounding a little.

"Hanna—thank you so much! I’d love to! Please, come in. I don’t have much here, but make yourself at home."

I clenched my fist inside. Yes, nailed it.

"O-Okay, excuse me."

Even so, my body was stiff with nerves.

He opened the door wider and welcomed me in, and I stepped inside.

Truth is, this was the first time I’d ever been alone with a boy in his room.

A different kind of nervousness started fluttering in my chest.

But the room itself didn’t feel "lived in" at all—just a few pieces of furniture, and stacks of unopened luggage piled in the corner. The same luggage I’d helped carry yesterday with him and Professor Phyllis.

"Uh, Zephyrus-kun?"

"Ahaha, yeah… I was so busy yesterday trying to earn dungeon entry rights that I didn’t have time to unpack."

"Honestly… I’ll help you. Let’s do it today. I went to all the trouble of carrying this stuff here for you."

"Huh? But today’s our very first dungeon…"

"We’ll do it after breakfast. Don’t worry, if the two of us work together, it’ll be done in no time."

"…Okay."

He gave a sheepish nod, shoulders sagging a little.

After two weeks with him, I’d learned one thing for sure: Zephyrus-kun throws himself into enjoying things with all his heart. Even when it’s nothing that special, he reacts with over-the-top excitement. When he first saw the academy, he literally shouted out loud in awe.

But that also means he gets so wrapped up in the moment that he neglects everything else. Like this unpacking. If someone doesn’t step in, it’ll probably stay that way forever.

We’re heading to the dungeon together today, so let’s just get it done quickly.

It’s fine to have fun—but only after taking care of what needs to be done.

"Anyway, let’s eat. Oh—do you have any plates?"

"Uh… plates should be… in that pile."

He pointed at the luggage.

Yup. Definitely need to unpack.

When I turned back, he was scratching his temple with an awkward smile, looking like he’d been caught.

In the end, we just laid down a handkerchief as a substitute.

Good thing I’d made sandwiches.

We sat facing each other at the small table, pulled the lunchbox out of my <Item Bag>, and opened it to reveal sandwiches neatly packed inside.

"Alright then, let’s eat."

"Let’s eat."

It’s a little improper with sandwiches still in our hands, but we said the words and took our first bites.

The first sandwich was egg. The flavoring was a little on the strong side—exactly the way Zephyrus-kun likes it. After two weeks together, I already had a solid grasp of his tastes.

I snuck a glance at him. And there it was.

"Mm—oh! This is… this is amazing!"

His eyes went wide at the first bite, and after swallowing, he spoke with genuine wonder. By the second bite, his face melted in bliss.

Yes!

Bullseye. I hit his preferences perfectly.

That blissful look of his—it’s so different from his usual expressions, and that contrast makes it all the better. A face only I get to see.

"Here, Zephyrus-kun, have another."

"Oh, thanks, Hanna."

Timing it so he finished the first, I handed him a bacon-lettuce sandwich, the aroma of crispy bacon wafting up.

How about this one?

"This is delicious too!"

"I’m so glad."

Another melted expression. Another "delicious."

From there, Zephyrus-kun happily devoured them, eating nearly twice as much as I did.

So—that’s his normal breakfast portion. Twice mine. Noted.

Afterward, we sipped tea, savoring the aftertaste of breakfast.

"Ahh, that was amazing."

"Fufu. Hearing that makes all the effort worthwhile."

"Yeah. Hanna, your cooking’s seriously delicious. I could eat this every day."

"…Eh?"

Wait, what did he just—no, no, this is Zephyrus-kun. He probably didn’t mean anything deep by it. He’s the type to get caught up in the moment, after all.

Still… for me, that suggestion was a blessing in disguise.

"Um… if you’d like, I could keep making it?"

"Eh, really? Wouldn’t that be a lot of work for you?"

"Nope, it’s fine. It doesn’t take that much effort, and honestly, eating breakfast alone feels a little lonely… so if you’ll eat with me, I’d be happy."

That was the truth. We’d only been at the academy for three days, and with no classes yet, I had no friends besides him. Of course, I wanted to eat together.

"Well, I’d be honored… but every day seems a bit much."

"It’s fine, really. Don’t worry about it. You’re always looking out for me, Zephyrus-kun, so this is just my way of repaying you."

Calling it "repayment" softened his resistance.

And it wasn’t a lie—I really do owe him. So it’s only right I give something back.

"…Alright then. If you’re sure, I’ll gratefully accept, as often as you can manage."

After hesitating, he gave in. Looks like even he couldn’t resist good food.

Naturally, I agreed.

"Of course."

Now I had a perfectly valid excuse to come to his room every morning.

Today was shaping up to be a very good day.

Apparently, he felt the same, because his spirits were soaring.

"Yes! Thanks, Hanna! I’ll repay you plenty—just wait for today’s dungeon run, it’ll be great!"

He was about to rush straight off to the dungeon, but I wasn’t about to let that slide.

"Zephyrus-kun, your unpacking’s not done yet."

"Eh? Can’t I just do it after we get back?"

"Zephyrus-kun. No excuses."

"Yes, ma’am! Understood!"

For some reason, he answered with military-level enthusiasm and got to work unpacking.

Honestly, Zephyrus-kun always charges headfirst into whatever seems fun.

If no one keeps an eye on him, it’s a little worrying.

So I’ve decided.

I’ll be the one to take care of Zephyrus-kun. Yes—that’s the resolve I renewed today.

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