“Hmm?”
Olesia made a puzzled sound, seemingly not expecting Yuriko to suddenly show hostility.
She thought back over what she had said.
It seemed she had been too direct, causing Yuriko to misunderstand.
“You’ve misunderstood. I just thought it would be easier to be straightforward, so I voiced my speculation.”
Yuriko maintained her guarded posture, deciding to listen to what Olesia had to say next.
“So, Miss Wyndham, what exactly are you trying to say by bringing this out into the open?”
Olesia felt a little relieved.
It was good that Yuriko was willing to listen to her explanation; she really didn’t want to fall out with her.
“On the day you enrolled, I said I would compete with you fairly. Because you are the sister of that legendary Senior Ruri, I paid you a bit more attention. After observing you these past few days, I’ve confirmed one thing: you truly are a formidable opponent.”
“This is the first time I’ve seen someone score a perfect grade like me. If the exam had been more difficult, I might have lost to you. Your performance in Magic Class and combat training is also outstanding. I can tell your foundation is weak, yet you still perform better than everyone else. You’ve shown me your powerful talent.”
“You are an opponent worth looking forward to. I long to compete on the same stage as you in the future, so I won’t use underhanded methods to interfere with you.”
Yuriko listened for a while, feeling something was off.
“I understand what you mean, but if you really think that way, there’s no need to say it out loud, right?”
If you weren’t going to interfere, you could have just kept it to yourself from the start.
Why waste your breath?
Unless her intention wasn’t that.
“You noticed. What I actually want to say is, I won’t interfere with your activities at the Academy. I can even offer you help. So, could you please keep today’s matter to yourself and not tell anyone?”
This half-request, half-threat made Yuriko pause.
“Is that all?”
“Yes, that’s all.”
Yuriko covered her forehead.
After all that, you were just worried I’d spill your secret.
Knowing Olesia didn’t intend to turn hostile, Yuriko relaxed a lot.
She tapped a finger lightly on the table, putting on a thoughtful expression.
“I never planned to tell anyone from the start. After all, my initial plan was to defeat you fairly and squarely… However, I really hate being threatened. So, I’m considering whether to secretly tell a few friends, like Mira, or perhaps Nomily. Miss Wyndham, what do you think? Should I keep it a secret?”
“Absolutely not!”
Olesia grabbed the hand Yuriko had on the table.
She hadn’t expected her little trick to backfire.
Now, she could only beg for Yuriko’s forgiveness.
“If my earlier behavior upset you, I apologize! I just hope you won’t tell them!”
Yuriko could feel the strength in Olesia’s grip on her hand; even she found it heavy.
Olesia stood up from her seat, about to bow in apology, but Yuriko hurriedly stopped her.
“Sigh, Miss Wyndham, you have no sense of humor at all. You’ll never make friends like this.”
“Huh?”
Yuriko stood up, gently pressing Olesia back into her seat, then sat down herself.
“I was just joking earlier, Miss Wyndham. You’re too serious.”
“Is that so? I’m sorry. I don’t have any friends, so I’m not very familiar with these things.”
Olesia had thought Yuriko was serious.
After all, no one had ever joked with her like that before.
“Another hidden side of Miss Wyndham revealed. I thought you’d handle a joke of this level easily.”
“Miss Ruri, please don’t tease me. Even I have things I don’t understand. I’ll make sure to learn more about this sort of thing properly later.”
After that little episode, the atmosphere in the private room actually became more harmonious than at the beginning.
Yuriko extended her pinky finger, making a hooking motion.
“Enough joking. I’ll help Miss Wyndham keep this secret. Let’s consider it an exchange of secrets; we both have to keep them.”
Olesia looked down at Yuriko’s finger, then without hesitation extended her own pinky, linking it with Yuriko’s.
“Alright. Let’s bury it deep in our hearts.”
After the pinky promise, Yuriko and Olesia looked at each other and smiled.
“We’ve been talking so long, the food is completely cold.”
Yuriko looked at the two dishes on the table, now only lukewarm.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to waste it.”
Yuriko waved her hand.
“It’s fine. There was a reason this time, so I’ll forgive you. Perfect timing, the dishes I ordered are about to arrive. Miss Wyndham, let’s eat together.”
Outside the private room, a server entered carrying a plate of grilled fish and a bowl of boiled beef in chili oil, placing the steaming dishes in front of the two.
“Miss Wyndham, it seems you haven’t tried these dishes yet. They’re the signature dishes of my family’s place; it’s a shame not to try them.”
Olesia looked at the two hearty dishes.
The grilled fish had a crispy skin, its red oil broth surface covered with seasonal vegetables and potato slices.
The boiled beef’s color was also extremely enticing.
Just looking at it made Olesia’s mouth water.
“There are only two of us. Isn’t this too much?”
Olesia was a bit worried.
After all, they were just two girls and couldn’t eat too much.
This was also why Olesia hadn’t dared to order the grilled fish—it was too much; she couldn’t finish it.
“Don’t worry. If we can’t finish, I can take it home to feed my cat. My cat eats a lot.”
Yuriko enthusiastically served Olesia a bowl of rice and placed chopsticks in her hand.
“Don’t be shy. Dig in.”
Yuriko stared at Olesia like this, seemingly waiting to see her take the first bite.
Being stared at like this made Olesia a bit uncomfortable, but she didn’t want to disappoint Yuriko’s enthusiasm.
She picked up a small piece of fish with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth.
Olesia covered her mouth until she swallowed the fish, then nodded approvingly.
“It’s delicious. The grilled fish has a unique aroma, and the texture is more chewy without being too tough. After soaking up the broth, the flavor is rich, which is perfectly balanced by the rice.”
“I’m glad you like it. This is the dish I’m most confident in. Try this boiled beef too. I specifically asked the kitchen to add extra spiciness…”
After taking the first bite, Olesia had no more reservations.
She ate in small, delicate bites.
When Yuriko was full, she also put down her bowl and chopsticks, carefully wiping her mouth with a napkin.
“Thank you for the meal.”
Olesia hadn’t eaten much—just one bowl of rice, less than half the fish, and a few pieces of beef.
Apart from the half portion Yuriko ate, the rest Yuriko planned to take home for Phantom.