The portion was moderate and balanced, perfectly fitting the standards of a Noble Young Lady who valued refinement and health.
But Lyra…
She was like a small beast charging into a forest of delicacies, her eyes wide and practically glowing.
Ignoring everything around her, she headed straight for the meat and dessert section with a clear goal.
“This! This! And this! That looks delicious too! Boss, what is that? I want that one too!”
Lyra pointed at the dazzling array of dishes, dancing with excitement.
The lady behind the counter couldn’t help but chuckle and scoop an extra-large portion onto her plate.
When the two of them found a quiet corner and sat down, the contrast was even more striking.
Freya’s tray was neat and elegant, her food arranged like a work of art.
But Lyra’s tray…
No, it could hardly be called a tray. It was more like a small mountain of food!
Stacked high were grilled ribs and sausages, two steaks larger than her face drizzled in rich sauce, and a large bowl of creamy mushroom soup with visible chunks of meat floating inside.
On a separate large plate next to it sat a mountain of assorted desserts — chocolate-covered pancakes, powdered donuts, colorful fruit tarts, and several slices of cake in different flavors.
This staggering amount of food caused students at nearby tables to gasp and whisper.
“Heavens, can she actually finish all that?”
“Is that Senior Freya’s Assistant? Her appetite is terrifying…”
“I’d expect nothing less from someone who could kick a sword into a wall…”
Lyra turned a deaf ear to the murmurs around her.
She was already impatient to pick up her knife and fork (though her posture was still not quite standard) and pounced on her “mountain of food” with sparkling eyes.
She first speared a large rib and took a massive bite, narrowing her eyes in satisfaction.
Her cheeks puffed out as she let out a muffled exclamation of praise.
“Mm! Delicious! Even better than that restaurant last time!”
Then she scooped up a spoonful of thick soup, blew on it twice, and took a large gulp, letting out a contented sigh.
Freya picked up her spoon and tasted her own vegetable soup in small, quiet sips. Her movements were smooth and natural, making almost no sound.
She occasionally glanced up at Lyra, who was gorging herself across the table.
A hint of helplessness flashed in her pale purple eyes, followed by a trace of… softness that even she didn’t notice.
‘Truly… so full of vitality.’
Seeing her eat with such gusto made the light food in her own bowl seem more flavorful.
The two of them sat there — one eating slowly with effortless grace, the other devouring everything in a whirlwind of satisfaction.
They formed a peculiar sight in the Academy Canteen.
Lyra’s speed at clearing the food was astonishing.
Before Freya was even halfway done, the “mountain of food” had visibly shrunk.
The ribs became clean bones, the steaks left only sauce behind, the soup bowl hit bottom, and the dessert mountain collapsed at an alarming rate.
Finally, just as Freya had cut off a small piece of cake with her fork, Lyra let out a small, satisfied burp.
She patted her still-flat stomach, a happy flush on her face.
“Ah — I’m full! The Academy Canteen is great! Boss, are we coming back tomorrow?”
Freya: “…”
She looked at the mountain of empty plates and bones in front of Lyra, then at her own cake which she had barely touched.
She silently pushed the cake over.
“You should eat this, too.”
“Is that really okay? Boss, you’re the best!”
Lyra’s eyes lit up again, and she accepted it without hesitation, devouring the delicate berry cake in just two or three bites.
With the meal finished, it was time to settle the bill.
The Academy Canteen used a unified Mana Meal Card for transactions.
Freya took out her card, walked to the payment counter, and placed the card on the induction Magic Array.
The person in charge of settlement was a plump, kind-looking lady. She took Freya’s tray and calculated the cost quickly.
“Miss Freya, your meal is 15 silver coins.”
It was a reasonable price.
Then, her gaze turned toward Lyra’s mountain of empty plates…
Her mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. She began to count and calculate them one by one, her eyebrows rising higher the more she added.
“Grilled ribs, two portions, 40 silver coins. Special sauce steaks, two pieces, 50 silver coins. Sausage platter, 25 silver coins. Super portion of creamy mushroom soup with extra meat, 30 silver coins. Chocolate pancakes, three pieces, 18 silver coins. Donuts, five pieces, 25 silver coins. Fruit tarts, four pieces, 32 silver coins. Assorted cake slices, seven pieces, 49 silver coins. Plus the berry cake transferred from Miss Freya, 5 silver coins…”
As she spoke, she scribbled quickly in the Magic Ledger and finally reported a figure.
“Miss Lyra’s meal totals… 274 silver coins.”
Freya’s fingers, which were holding the Mana Meal Card, stiffened slightly.
274 silver coins?!
For one lunch?!
This was nearly equivalent to half a month’s food allowance for an ordinary student!
Although she knew Lyra ate a lot, she hadn’t expected it to be… this “substantial.”
Moreover, this was only lunch! If breakfast and dinner followed this same standard…
The lady combined the two bills, and the Magic Array flashed. A total of 289 silver coins was deducted from Freya’s card.
The original rich mana glow on the card dimmed by a visible amount.
Freya looked at the reduced balance and did a mental calculation.
The balance on her card was topped up quarterly by the Academy according to honor student standards, plus a large subsidy from Grandpa Aru. It was originally quite ample, enough to last until the end of next semester with some left over.
But at the rate Lyra was eating…
One-fourth of the total would be a conservative estimate.
It wasn’t that she begrudged the money. Neither House Dale nor House Elwin lacked for such expenses.
It was just… this direct “huge expenditure” caused by someone’s appetite gave her a subtle sense of unreality and a hint of… being stuck between laughter and tears.
Lyra was completely unaware of the “financial impact” she had caused. She leaned in, looking at the card curiously.
“Boss, is that it? That’s so convenient! I’ll treat you next time!”
She said it as if it were a matter of course, completely ignoring her own massive appetite. To her, eating well was only natural, and money wasn’t an issue — after all, the Boss had plenty.
Freya tucked her card away. Looking at Lyra’s unburdened and even magnanimous expression as she thought about “treating” her, that subtle feeling suddenly vanished, replaced by a desire to laugh.
Oh well. Being able to eat is a blessing.
Besides, Lyra’s loyalty and combat strength were worth far more than this meal money.
“Let’s go.”
She turned and walked out of the canteen.
“Okay!”
Lyra followed immediately, still savoring the delicious food.
“Boss, what are we having for dinner? The canteen’s grilled meat is great. I want to try that super large roasted lamb leg tonight…”
Freya’s footsteps paused briefly. She looked back, a helpless smile in her pale purple eyes.
“We’ll see… about dinner.”
It seemed she would need to ask Grandpa Aru to top up her balance more next time. Or perhaps… consider getting Lyra her own “unlimited” Mana Meal Card?
The sunlight streamed through the corridor windows, stretching their shadows long.
As Freya listened to Lyra excitedly planning the dinner menu, the corners of her mouth softened more than she realized.
‘Raising an Assistant who can fight, cause trouble, and eat… maybe it’s not so bad?’
At least life would never be boring.
Behind them, the whispers in the canteen continued.
“Did you see that? Senior Freya’s Assistant ate nearly 300 silver coins in one meal!”
“Heavens… how did she fit it all?”
“The point is that Senior Freya didn’t even blink when she paid!”
“As expected of someone extraordinary…”
The legend of “Freya Christo Dale and her mysterious, gluttonous, powerful Assistant” seemed to have gained another colorful stroke within the Central Magic Academy.
The afternoon theory classroom was spacious and bright.
Sunlight streamed through the tall arched windows, casting warm patches of light onto the neatly arranged wooden desks.
There was still some time before class started, and many students had already arrived.
They gathered in groups of two or three, talking in low voices, or studied alone.
Freya sat toward the front, with a heavy magic tome and her notes from the previous session spread out before her.
She was focused on reviewing the complex derivation of the “High-level Element Transformation Model” from the last lesson.
A few strands of her long purple hair slipped from her shoulder, framing her quiet and serious profile.
Lyra sat bored in the empty seat beside her — she had received special permission from the afternoon theory Professor, Professor Mabel, to accompany Freya as an “Assistant and auditor.”
However, at that moment, Lyra was propping her chin on one hand while the other unconsciously played with a quill Freya had left on the corner of the desk.
Her red eyes were half-lidded, looking quite drowsy.
To her, these profound theories and long incantation derivations were even duller than the stories told by the worst storytellers in the Black Market.
They were the perfect lullabies.
“Boss…”
She let out a small yawn, looking at Freya with watery eyes.
“Can I… go out for some fresh air? Or… just put my head down for a bit?”
She tried to bargain.
Freya looked up from her book and glanced at her. There was no emotion in her pale purple eyes as she spoke calmly.
“Professor Mabel allowed you to audit so you could learn, not sleep. Sit up straight.”
Lyra pouted, reluctantly straightening her back, but her eyes were already drifting toward the little birds hopping on the branches outside the window.
She was already calculating which canteen window to raid for food after class.
Freya withdrew her gaze and continued her review.
She planned to seek out Professor Mabel after class to ask about a few difficult points she had missed while she was ill.
Time passed quietly amid the scratching of pens on paper and the low murmurs in the classroom.
Just a few minutes before the bell was set to ring, the light at the classroom door was suddenly blocked by a tall, enthusiastic figure.
“Freya-dear — !!!”
A high-pitched, energetic call filled with unabashed joy rang out. Like the cheerful chirp of a bird, it instantly shattered the relatively quiet atmosphere of the classroom.