Chapter 8.5 - In the kitchen (part 1)

Even though Zoemi thought he wouldn't be able to fall asleep in that rather scandalous situation, he soon got drowsy and drifted off into the dreamland.

When he woke up again, he was alone and the magic crystal lamp was turned off, leaving the room completely dark.

"...whew..."

The black-haired boy let out a heavy sigh, got up from the bed, and looked out of the window.

On the horizon, a pinkish and golden glow was already announcing the coming daybreak.

Zoemi looked around and found the pocket watch he got from the head-butler after finishing his training, sitting safely on the bedside cabinet.

He picked it up and checked the time.

It was still a bit early to be up and about for a student, but an attendant like him could – and should - already start his day.

Thanks to Teo he already knew where the bathroom was so he washed his face and combed his hair.

After making sure he looks presentable enough, he got out of his room.

To be of use for his master, before coming to the Aspakeony Academy Zoemi memorized the plans of every facility in the complex.

Thanks to that he soon found his way to the dormitory's kitchen with little to no trouble.

Even though it was early enough for the chickens to still be asleep in their coops, the kitchen was already full of hustle and bustle of tens of cooks and kitchen hands.

The facility was divided into two main parts - the large one where the cooks prepared the meals for the students who didn't bring attendants with them or whose attendants couldn't cook - and a smaller part where the trained attendants were personally preparing the food for their respective masters.

Of course, if they wished to do so, the attendants could use some food prepared by the general cooks – and they would but that shortcut was used mainly for bread and pastries.

"...!"

"...that's him...!"

"Have you seen his face...?!"

When Zoemi entered, all the small talks died down, everyone seemed to suddenly focus on their work as if their life depended on it and no one dared to look in Zoemi's direction – but even so, a few rather rude whispers did reach the black-haired boy.

Not that it bothered him or anything.

Well... it did, actually...

Zoemi felt really embarrassed over the previous day and the whole grand entrance.

To take his mind off of it, he quickly picked up a few ingredients for a balanced breakfast and began preparing it.

|Bite-sized tartines for breakfast and proper sandwiches for the lunch break... for the evening meal - maybe a vegetable soup and...?|

Zoemi wasn't putting together a menu only for today - he was thinking about a whole week in advance.

It was important to take into consideration which products were in season keeping in mind the combinations that wouldn't be too bland or boring.

"Hmm~ hmm~ hmm~"

While humming with his hands full, the black-haired attendant took a free spot right next to a short brown-haired girl in a butler's uniform.

Ah he did, the girl turned to him and bowed her head politely.

"Hello, sir Zoemi, it's nice to see you again."

She said with an expressionless face.

Zoemi glanced at her and raised his brow.

"And who might you be?"

He asked in a suspicious voice, looking both at her face and somewhere slightly above her, as if on something standing right behind her.

"...?"

The brown-haired girl tilted her head.

"Sir Zoemi, have you already forgotten about me? I'm heartbroken...! Bu-huu!"

It might have been a sad scene if the girl didn't deliver her lines in a mostly flat voice...

"Thrown-away after one night...! It's me Te..."

"Oh! I see! You must be Teo's sister!"

Zoemi gasped in realization and nodded, interrupting her right before she could finish her sentence.

"Veo, right? I'm sorry, we must have met yesterday when I was high from the mana depletion."

"!!!"

The scarred boy was slicing off small parts of bread loaves and tasting each of them so he missed the look of complete disbelieve on the face of the previously expressionless brown-haired girl.

"How did you kn-uh..."

She whispered but stopped herself from finishing that sentence.

Zoemi was the first person who didn't even hesitate while recognizing the twins - and Veo even wore Teo's clothes to fool their master about which one of them was on cooking duty that day!

"Oh? Surprised that I know about you? Mhmm, no that one doesn't make the cut either..."

Zoemi was dividing his attention between talking to Veo and sampling the bread which resulted in a rather silly chain of sentences.

"You're not very similar but I could at least tell that you were sisters. Hmm, still not it..."

He added after glancing at the girl lowering her head, before returning to the bread.

"..."

Veo was speechless.

Not very similar!?

She and her sisters were completely identical!

There was a slight difference with how they acted, not to mention a certain problem that Veo had, but other than that Veo and Teo were identical twins for goodness's sake!

"Ah! Now, this is it!"

After trying a piece of white bread Zoemi smiled satisfied with finally finding the bread that would suit his master's palate!

"Here, you try it!"

He cut out another small piece from the loaf and put it in the half-open mouth of the speechless brown-haired Veo.

"And? What do you think? Is it tasty?"

The black-haired boy asked her with a smile, making sure that only the pretty side of his face is showing- which was how he usually acted near other people.

"...!"

Veo shook off the shock and started chewing – his eyes widened as in fact the bread given to her by the scarred boy tasted exquisite even without any topping.

"Indeed..."

She mumbled not looking Zoemi directly in the eyes.

"Right~?"

Satisfied Zoemi smiled at her and raised the tastiest loaf above his head after turning around to face everyone else in the kitchen.

"Who made this bread?"

"!!!!!"

He called and everyone in the kitchen stopped moving.

|...Are they really that scared of my looks or is it because of yesterday's entrance...?|

He wondered, slightly unnerved about the dead silence that ensued, but he still wanted to know the identity of the baker.