"Hm"

Riley, who had just tortured a boy in front of his classmates just minutes ago, was now just casually standing in front of a canteen. A canteen where all the castle's staff and servants seem to gather and eat.

And since Riley was now the private professor of the castle's young people, he was technically one of the staff now. But as soon as he and Zac entered, however, everyone's eyes landed on them as if they were a couple of intruders.

"...I don't think we're welcome here," Zac whispered close to Riley; the eyes, still following him even with the slightest of his movements, "Maybe we should go elsewhere?"

Riley did not seem to mind, however, as he just continued to step inside the canteen.

"Wwait, Lord Riley! I thought your main mission was to meet with Princess Aerith?" Zac quickly followed behind Riley, almost tumbling as he made sure not to get far.

"Meeting Aerith is not my mission, Star Sergeant Zac," Riley let out a small sigh and shook his head, "It is my obligation."

"...What's the difference? We should"

"And these people are only mildly curious about me," Riley did not let Zac finish his words, "They are, however, still glaring at you."

"..." Zac quickly turned to look at the people staring at him, before awkwardly smiling at them and rushing to once again follow behind Riley, who was already in front of the food and talking to the server.

"Which one would you recommend I eat, themarian chef?"

"Oh, a fellow gourmet inside the castle? This my first time seeing you here, lad."

"This is also my first time seeing a fat themarian."

"..." The female server, who truly is what one would consider fat, could not help but look Riley in the eyes as soon as his words reached her ears. Her eyebrows soon began to furrow, and then

she suddenly burst out in a fit of laughter.

"Now where on Theran did they pull you from?" The female server almost screamed as she placed a tray in front of Riley, "Just from that comment alone, I'll give you the best meal of the daythis is supposed to be reserved for someone else, but I like you."

"I truly appreciate that, themarian chef."

"Call me Lou, but everyone here calls me Mama Lou," Lou once again laughed as she started scooping up and serving Riley some dishes that he hasn't seen before, "Now, this here is a monober meat and tendon stew. And on the side, we cut and grilled its horn to cook the marrow and season it just right."

"..." The stew, although clearly different, was still familiar. The horn, however, was not something that Riley expected. He had already tried bone marrow before, but never from the horn of an alien creature he has not even seenA monober. Come to think of it, he hasn't seen a themarian animal yet.

"Thank you for this, Madam Lou," Riley bowed his head, before grabbing the two trays in front of himthe sliced horn didn't fit on the tray from how large it was, but that didn't matter at all.

"And you, what can I getWell, look who it is," Mama Lou then turned to look at Zac, only for her eyebrow to raise as she crossed fat arms, "Now that is a face I haven't seen for a hundred years. You still wearing makeup, brat?"

"MMama Lou. It's been long."

Riley only glanced at Zac, before just leaving him to it and finding a table; after all, after days of arriving on the planet, he was finally having legitimate Theran cuisine. But alas, even after a full minute of looking around, all the tables were full.

"..." This is truly weird, Riley thought. Just a day ago, the castle was emptywith almost no life in sight when he and Princess Esme were walking around. Zac did mention about them possibly being ordered to deliberately ignore them, while Princess Tifa said that all the staff was busy preparing for Aerith's trial.

Well, whatever the case was, it was unavoidable that they could no longer avoid Rileythey were in a mess hall, after all.

Riley continued to walk around a few more steps, before just letting out a sigh and expertly placing both trays on one arm. And with his free hand, he grabbed something from his coat.

It was a miniature table. It didn't remain small for long, however, because as soon as Riley threw it in front of him, the table became larger; as large as a normal table. Riley did not immediately place the plates on the table, no.

Everyone near him watched as Riley pulled an entire tablecloth out of his pocket, before waving it around like some sort of matador and covering the table with it before placing the plates. They then continued to watch as Riley also pulled out chairs and a complete set of cutlery.

"Hm," and once he seemed satisfied, Riley finally sat down.

"Where did these things even come from?" Zac, who had just finished talking with the server and didn't quite see what happened, could not help but blink in disbelief as a fancy table just suddenly became available to them.

"It's from the Guesthouse," Riley sighed as he grabbed a spoon; his eyes, almost not being reflected by the old spoon he was holding, "It is the only memory I have left of it. turns out these cutleries aren't stainless John bought the wrong thing."

"...Right," Zac could really only squint his eyes as he took a seat, "But where are my spoon and fork?"

"I don't know, Zac. Perhaps you forgot to bring a set."

"Why would I be carrying around spoons?" Zac sighed, "I guess it doesn't matter. Food is meant to be eaten with your bare hands."

And so, finally, a figment of peace. But alas, Zac was not even allowed to swallow his food before a group of guards approached their table.

"Isn't this Red Lip Zac?"

"..." Zac then snuck in a few chews, before taking the chance to follow the food before actually turning to address the guards. After all, he might not get the chance to do so anymore.

"Boys," Zac then nodded as the usual, arrogant smile returned on his face, "It's been a long time."

"Ha! So, it really is you!"

"I told you, it was him. Who in the Grand Militia would even wear makeup?"

"Women?"

"Shut the fuck up."

"I thought you boys were ordered to ignore us?" And before the group's charades could continue, Zac stood up from his seat and looked all of them straight in the eyes one by one,

"And I don't like the way you're standing in front of a superior officer. Attention!"

The group immediately stood up straight as soon as they heard Zac's words. But after a few more seconds, the one that seemed to be the leader of the group quickly snapped out of it and hit his friends on the head.

"What are you guys doing!? Even if he's a Star Sergeant, he's not from Hel anymore!"

"R right."

"..." And as Zac watched the group try to regain their composure, Riley stood up. Zac was a little nervous as to why he did so, and the guards were also aloof from the sudden action, thinking that Riley was backing up Zac.

But then, he just carried his plates and walked back to Mama Lou.

"He's done eating already?" Zac blinked in disbelief. He was able to eat that fast even with distraction. Zac then looked at his meal, only to see that only a mouthful was consumed. But alas, since his mission was to follow Riley, try as he wants to finish the food, he would no longer be able to.

And so, with a small sigh, Zac could really only grab his plates and follow Riley.

"Where do you think you're going!? We're still talking to you!"

"..." Zac looked at his arm, which was now being grabbed by one of the guards; he then turned to glare at the man's eyes, "You don't seem to understand, Cyril. I am here on a mission, and you are currently obstructing it."

"You think just because you got accepted by the Grand Militia, you're better than us!?" The guard, Cyril, tightened his grip on Zac's arm, "The only reason I'm not in your position is that I am loyal to the Kingdom!"

"...Right," Zac rolled his eyes before pulling his arm away from Cyril's grip, almost spilling the contents of his plate. The other staff that were eating there, could really only move their tables from the impending chaos,

"I don't want any trouble, boys. Unlike you, what I do actually matters for Theran."

"What did you say!?" And almost in a fit of rage, Cyril let out a roar before slamming his fist on the table, completely splitting it in half.

"..." Seeing this, Zac instinctively dropped his plates; his eyes, as wide as they could be as he once again looked Cyril straight in the eyes.

"Pft, same old Red Lip Zac," Cyril then let out a small chuckle as he approached Zac, stepping on the table as he did so, "Even if you're already a Star Sergeant, you're still afraid of confrontation. How typi"

"What the fuck did you do?" Zac's breaths started to get heavier by the second as he stared at the broken table. He then turned toward Riley who, even from the counter, was already looking at the broken table on the floor.

"Oh fuck

this isn't going to be good."