Chapter 189: Surrounded by Girls

The fat auntie at the window almost dropped her copper ladle when she saw the face before her.

The noisy clamor of the cafeteria seemed to fade away at that moment.

“Oh my god, he’s a real hottie!”

That shout was like pouring a ladle of cold water into a pan of hot oil.

With a bang, the place exploded.

The girls, who had just been tricked by Wendy’s shout and hadn’t quite reacted yet, turned back in unison upon hearing the auntie’s appraisal.

When their eyes locked onto the youth standing at the window like a crane among a flock of chickens, the air in the restaurant seemed to turn sweltering.

“Heavens! He really is handsome!”

“His eyes are so big! His face is so beautiful!”

“Quick! Let’s go see!”

The once orderly crowd lost control instantly.

A large group of young female students with restless hormones surged toward Wendy like a pack of sharks smelling blood.

Wendy hadn’t even had time to feel smug about his plan succeeding before he was surrounded by a fragrant wind.

He was completely stunned.

Up until now, he had been surrounded by people like Astreia, a Princess who was a mix of shy and forceful; Laxana, an intellectual and lively Beauty; or Layana, an older Noble woman.

He had never realized just how terrifyingly lethal his looks were to ordinary girls his own age.

“Wow, his skin is so good! It’s even smoother than mine after I use the most expensive Vanishing Cream!”

A bold girl reached out and lightly brushed his arm.

Wendy froze.

Before he could react, even more hands reached out.

“Look at his eyelashes! They’re longer than a butterfly’s wings!”

“His hair is black! That’s so rare! Does it feel like silk?”

“Junior, which department are you in? Are you free tonight? This senior will take you to the Little Forest for some fun, okay?”

Chirping praises and teasing laughter filled his ears.

Soft, warm little hands “accidentally” brushed against various parts of his body—some squeezed his arm, some touched his shoulder, and some even tried to find his waist dimples.

Wendy was left utterly helpless by this onslaught, a crimson flush creeping up his face.

He admitted that being praised and groped by so many girls made him panic, but the feeling of being the center of attention certainly satisfied his vanity.

Of course…

Wendy quickly scanned his surroundings.

Looking at the chests heaving with excitement, he added silently:

‘If there were fewer “flat boards” around, it would be even more perfect.’

“What are you doing! What are you doing!”

Just as Wendy was about to be swallowed by the crowd, a roar erupted from behind the window.

The cafeteria auntie had grabbed a massive pot lid from somewhere and slammed it against the windowsill with a loud clang.

“All of you, get back in line! This is the Central Academy! Not a brothel! If you dare act out again, I’ll record every single one of your names and deduct Academic Credits!!!”

The words “Academic Credits” were more effective than any Divine Arts.

Hearing this, the once fiery girls looked terrified, like a group of startled rabbits.

They gave Wendy several longing looks before finally returning to their crooked lines, glancing back with every step.

The world was finally quiet.

Wendy let out a long sigh of relief.

He then turned and glared at the culprit behind the window with a look of extreme resentment.

‘It’s all because you couldn’t keep your mouth shut!’

Being stared at like that, the fat auntie felt a bit sheepish.

She gave a dry, awkward laugh.

“Well… little hottie, I didn’t think much of it. I just… couldn’t help but exclaim.”

Seeing Wendy’s handsome face still written with the words “I am very annoyed,” she quickly tried to make amends.

She scooped deep into a large pot of tenderly stewed meat and dumped a mountain of meat and thick gravy onto Wendy’s tray.

Having done all this, she resumed her impartial expression and shouted at the people behind him:

“Next!”

The students waiting in line, both male and female, looked at the exaggerated portion on Wendy’s tray and then at the pitiful scraps of meat on their own.

They understood the situation instantly.

In an instant, countless looks of Envy and disdain were cast toward Wendy.

“Despicable! Shameless!”

“Using his beauty to trade for food! He’s a disgrace to men!”

“So what if you’re handsome!”

Wendy turned a deaf ear to their remarks.

Carrying his tray, he sneered in his heart.

‘A bunch of idiots. I call this “All is Fair in War,” an Overt Plot written in the art of war! To think you’re students of the Military Branch and don’t even understand this. You deserve to starve.’

He carried the heavy tray and pushed through the crowd under the envious and hateful gazes of everyone else, finding a relatively clean, empty table by the window to sit down.

Not long after, Athena and several other students from the class finished getting their food and walked over with their trays.

Seeing that Wendy had already secured a spot, they naturally gathered around the long table.

Fortunately, the newly established Strategic Command Department was sparsely populated, with fewer than ten people in total, so one large table was enough to fit everyone.

They waited a moment longer before seeing Athena, who had been the first to rush out earlier.

She returned dejectedly carrying two trays, and the amount of food on one of them was significantly less than the other.

It seemed the fierce foreign beauty had met her Waterloo on the Battlefield of the cafeteria.

Wendy scanned the group.

He discovered that although they came from different countries and had different backgrounds, every one of them was the type to keep up appearances even when they were down.

Even though they had no money and no influence in the Academy, the Noble Etiquette in their bones remained.

No one touched their silverware; they waited quietly for Athena to take her seat.

Only when everyone had arrived did they nod politely to each other and pick up their knives and forks to begin their meal.

Furthermore, as they ate, everyone was refined and elegant.

Their movements were graceful, and they made almost no sound while cutting their food.

That demeanor was several levels above his own, and he was a real Prince.

Wendy even suspected that if these people were eating dry bread and pickles, they would still spread white napkins over their laps and cut their food bit by bit with knives and forks.

As he complained internally, he reached out and grabbed a shiny roasted chicken leg from the top of his mountain of food and took a hard bite.

Crack!

“Ow—!”

A piercing pain shot from his teeth to the top of his head.

The pain was so intense that tears almost welled up in Wendy’s eyes.

The Prince looked at the chicken leg in his hand in disbelief.

It looked right.

It was golden-brown and fragrant; it was definitely a chicken leg.

But why was it so hard?

Just as he was wondering, an older-looking boy at the next table turned around.

Seeing Wendy’s grimace, he couldn’t help but laugh.

“A freshman, right?”