Chapter 170

Chapter 170 – Accidental Encounter at the Dining Hall

Four people walked around, stopping by various windows, and it was unclear when Alena had started carrying a bag filled with all sorts of food—sweets, barbecues, cookies, and more.

By the time they roughly finished touring one floor, several hours had passed. Eventually, they found a place to sit down and each bought something to eat. At Emanas’ dining hall, one could pay with money or meal tickets, which were distributed monthly to students. Even students from poorer regions could have enough to eat, but if one wanted to indulge in something luxurious, they would still need to pay extra out of their own pockets.

Since it was their first day, they hadn’t received their meal tickets yet, so Letis covered their meal. This young lady from a wealthy family seemed quite affluent and didn’t mind spending a little money. After hearing that Letis was treating them, Alena began to regret her earlier purchases, as she had already bought plenty of food and now couldn’t finish it all. She ended up ordering an expensive chocolate mousse cake out of spite.

The cacao used in chocolate was widely cultivated in the Southern Isles, and Alena had always enjoyed it, though her modest family circumstances meant she couldn’t eat it often.

If Alena came from a modest background, Nia was even more impoverished. She dared not order much and only got two buttered bread rolls. Lolan Hill, seeing this, spent some of her own money to buy Nia some smoked meat slices, being careful not to get anything too expensive, for fear that Nia wouldn’t accept it. As for herself, she paired her bread with a fruit platter.

Letis, on the other hand, ordered a set meal consisting of grilled ribs, egg rolls, vegetable soup, and a small glass of fruit wine.

The group sat on bamboo chairs around a small square table, beginning to eat and chat. As their conversation deepened, they became more familiar with each other. Occasionally, the girls would emit soft laughter, causing passing students to glance over curiously.

Among the four, if we were to compare appearances, Lolan Hill was the most captivating, followed by Letis, whose blonde hair and dress exuded a golden aura. Then there was Nia, who, despite her youthful naivety, was incredibly cute. Alena was also quite attractive, with a lively and energetic demeanor, but her beauty was somewhat overshadowed by her roommates’ stunning looks.

Just as the four were enjoying their meal, a commotion arose from below, accompanied by the screams of young women.

“Jielanen~”

“Jielanen!”

“Jielanen!”

A young man with blonde hair entered the hall, his appearance strikingly handsome. Behind him followed about twenty to thirty others. He wore a magnificent silver armor adorned with a golden lion emblem on his chest, and the edges and outlines of his armor were also golden. A large red cape billowed behind him, making him the center of attention.

“Who is he?” Some of the surrounding students began to discuss.

“I don’t know.”

“But I do,” said another.

“Tell us, old buddy.”

Ha ha, he is Jerlanen, the eldest son of the Salus family of the Cangcui Empire, and also the future Griffin Duke.”

“Originally one of the four ducal families, no wonder.”

“Yes, any single duke could rival the strength of one of the Xuehua Seven Kingdoms.”

“The Xuehua Union has already become a mere formality, I heard that you all have split up over there.”

“Even so, if your Cangcui dares to come over, we can reconcile in a moment, do you believe me?”

“I believe, I believe, can you help me with lunch in the future?”

“Only this cannot be done, child.”

“Damn!”

—

In the spacious hall, Aisaya followed a group of people led by Jerlanen, as the younger brother-in-law of Count Wolfspike, he naturally followed their leader, the eldest son of the Griffin Duke, and also became a probationary member of the “Golden-maned Griffin” club.

Apart from dividing students into four academic levels, Emanas also had various student clubs, such as the “Time Gear” club which Lanli and Tirela belonged to, Jerlanen’s “Golden-maned Griffin”, the “True Crimson Rose” club of the Red-robed Apostles, and the “Death Angel” club that studied the nemesis of chaos, among others.

The reasons and philosophies behind the formation of these clubs were complex; some united followers due to personal charm, others due to long-term goals, some based on new trends, and some because of shared interests.

According to school regulations, the smallest club needed at least three core members to be established and had to pass certain assessments. Students could join multiple clubs but could only be a core member of one.

The legendary tales of romance began at Emanas with two clubs: Roland’s “Stormwind” and Alin’s “Moonlit,” and as those students graduated, most joined their respective factions and became founding figures of future nations.

It could be said that those two clubs were the prototypes of the West Wind and Cangcui Empires, the starting point of countless legends.

Although these two clubs no longer existed after a thousand years, many students today still idolized them, yearning to follow in their footsteps.

“Feel free to order whatever you want.”

Upon entering the hall, this handsome young man who had caused countless young ladies to scream turned around and said to those behind him.

Behind him were either core members of the “Golden-maned Griffin” or freshmen this year. These freshmen were descendants of the Griffin Duke’s network, being children of his direct vassals, or the vassals of vassals, or relatives.

As the future Griffin Duke, Jerlanen certainly did not lack funds. Today was the first day of school, and naturally, he wanted to properly cultivate and get to know his potential underlings; perhaps one of them would become his right-hand man in the future.

Isaiah followed behind the group, also looking at the eldest son of the Griffin with a slight excitement. He had always loved reading heroic stories, and now seeing a living legend up close naturally made him even more excited.

The Griffin Duke’s influence extended beyond the Verdant region, almost comparable to that of the king. Jielanen was destined to become the next king, with his formidable strength, dazzling appearance, and radiant character all becoming objects of admiration for Isaiah.

These people found a spacious place, conveniently on the same floor as Lolan Hill and her companions. After settling down, they began introducing themselves to each other.

“Hello everyone, I’m Duncan, from the Hammer of Darkness County.”

“Hello everyone, I’m Linton, from…”

Several new students introduced themselves in turn, and it was finally Isaiah’s turn.

“Hello everyone, I’m Isaiah, from Eke County.”

“Oh, it’s you! You look a lot like your sister. I even went to your brother-in-law’s wedding when Commons got married, ha ha,” someone teased, referring to Isaiah’s sister and her husband.

A few familiar friends of Baron Wolfthorn’s students bantered back and forth. They were mostly from the same circles and knew each other well, which made Isaiah feel a bit more at ease.

Then came the mealtime. The boys were more relaxed and ordered mostly large fish and meat, since the Griffin Duke’s family didn’t mind the expense. They weren’t particularly concerned about the cost.

A few students brought some wine. Although the school restaurant only sold low-alcohol drinks, they started toasting and drinking.

As several roommates finished their meals, Lolan Hill and her companions prepared to leave.

“Can we wait a moment? I want to buy some snacks to have as dinner,” Alena suggested. After she spoke, others felt the same way and didn’t want to go downstairs again later, so they dispersed to buy something.

Lolan Hill was simple; her luggage already contained plenty of food. She bought some bread and stood at the balcony waiting.

It was not long after noon, and sunlight poured through the dome, illuminating the spacious hall. Occasionally, a few birds flew by, their chirping echoing in the empty space. A Daiju warbler suddenly landed on a small shrub branch in front of Lolan Hill, chirping “Chirp—Chirp—”.

After a round of toasts, Jielanen drained his glass and slowly put it down, sitting back in his seat. His gaze inadvertently fell on the young lady across the table. At this moment, he was immensely grateful for the extraordinary being’s excellent vision.

The black-haired girl slightly bowed, her silky hair sliding off her shoulders. She stretched out her hand, and a bird landed on her fair fingers. The girl smiled, and the soft golden sunlight fell upon her gentle face, making her appear as beautiful as a dream.