Academy’s Black-Haired Foreigner

“Imgan School will be conducted in a survival format. Attacks between students are prohibited. Night activities are also not allowed. Each group will camp at designated points for a week while exploring the field for otherworldly creatures and treasures in pairs during the day to earn points!”

Mayuzumi Mayu was reciting the safety instructions straight from the anime.

The ‘treasures’ are just glass beads hidden in the field.

The harder it is to find the treasure, the more points you get.

“If there is an emergency, I will send a message on the Hunter Watch, so you can relax. Students must also contact me in case of unexpected situations! On the last night, all students must participate in the courage training! Now, let’s start Imgan School!”

Mayuzumi waved her hand.

With that, a message arrived on my Hunter Watch.

It was the coordinates for Group 2’s camping point.

A holographic map appeared on the Hunter Watch.

The area may be vast, but the space for Imgan School is limited.

The received coordinates sparkle on the holographic map.

‘The same point as the original work.’

It matches the spot where the protagonist and Shinozaki Rin camped in the setting guide.

They said the camping points would be randomly assigned, so I was honestly worried, but this is the same location as the original.

‘Lucky again this time.’

It’s a blessing in disguise, I suppose.

Turning off the map, I sent a message to my group members.

It was time to start setting up our campsite.

*

The campsite assigned to Group 2 was in a pretty good location.

Right outside was a flowing stream, and there were plenty of trees for firewood.

Under the sunny weather, with a clear sky and a pleasant breeze from the forest, I sat on a tree stump supervising the tent setup.

“Hey, Kurosawa, can’t you set the support stakes straight?”

“Sorry, Kim.”

“Ishihara, assemble the frame correctly.”

“Got it, bro!”

The tent provided by the school was a 24-person tent, which I had only encountered in harsh winter training.

I questioned why a group of 6 needed such a large tent, but figured I wouldn’t be the one working hard, so I let it slide.

The protagonist and Ishihara were struggling to put the tent together.

‘Brings back old memories.’

Watching the two guys clumsily work reminded me of my military service days.

During winter training. It was freezing, and while setting up the tent, my hands and feet were numb.

‘Damn military training.’

Not exactly great memories.

Isn’t the worst training in the military the obstacle course and freezing winter survival?

The 24-person tent we arduously set up was so cold that even with hot packs stuffed in the sleeping bag, I almost froze to death while sleeping.

I didn’t realize the saying about waking up with a twisted mouth from sleeping in the cold until then.

It’s still only May; it shouldn’t be too cold here, right?

Clunk, clank.

Ishihara and Yuji assembled the tent frame and draped the tarpaulin over it.

“When the heck are those guys going to finish at this rate?”

Watching them fumble around was infuriating.
I’m going to die answering this.

Ignoring Ishihara wrestling with the tent, I shift my gaze to the adjacent clearing.

In the area expanded by cutting down trees, Nishizawa, Rin, and Olivia are busy cooking.

Flames flare up.

The firewood that was chopped burns in the brazier.

The purpose is to determine who will be the one to cook at Imgan School through a cooking competition, but is it really necessary to go overboard like this just to decide who’s gonna cook?

I had my doubts, but since they wanted to do it, I let them.

It doesn’t matter if I don’t cook. I’ve had enough of serving food from my freshman days during university MTs.

“Just you wait! I’m going to make the best dish!”

Rin mutters to herself as she viciously chops up the bright red kimchi on the cutting board.

What’s with the baseless confidence from a heroine who’s officially the worst cook according to the character settings?

Wait, kimchi?

But why is she chopping so much kimchi?

I’m a bit anxious.

“In the original story, Rin’s homemade dishes were considered undeliverable.”

Excluding the bento she brought to the last cherry blossom festival, which was certainly not 100% her skill.

In volume 2’s Imgan School episode, Rin also volunteered to cook, but what she made was something so toxic it was nicknamed “poison dish.”

You know, that dish depicted as a mix of green and purple in the anime.

“I’m feeling uneasy.”

Oh come on.

It’s reality; surely it won’t taste like that, right?

That’s an exaggeration, an exaggeration.

“On the honor of Olivia Napoleon Bonaparte, I will be the victor of this cooking showdown! Both of you should be ready to prostrate yourselves at my feet!”

Olivia confidently dons her apron, placing a hand on her chest with a triumphant smile.

Smack.

She slices through the ribs with a kitchen knife.

I have no idea what she’s cooking, but as far as I know, Olivia’s cooking skills are at the level of following a recipe to the letter.

So, I can rest easy that she won’t make something inedible like Rin.

“Princess, and you cow over there. I just hope you’re surprised by the dish that Eri makes! I will take responsibility for Master’s table!”

Nishizawa shouts while peeling potatoes with a knife.

Nishizawa Eri is, according to the character setup, the heroine with the best cooking skills.

This is due to her background of growing up in a single-parent household where she took on household chores, including cooking, from a young age in place of her mother who worked outside.

Can’t we just stop with that unbearable “Eri-chan” and the “Master” nonsense?

“You’ll see. Washboard.”

“The size of a woman’s chest doesn’t correlate with their femininity, and Eri will prove that. The foolish cow better not cry later.”

“I told you to stop fighting about cup sizes.”

Washboard, cow.

Even though this is a light novel world where boasting about breast sizes is a common theme, hearing such lowbrow arguments is painful.

“Got it! Master, you truly are a kind man who doesn’t care about a woman’s breast size! Eri is happy.”

“Ugh.”

Nishizawa Eri misunderstands, while Rin bites her lips.

Seriously, what’s with that?

“Interpreting his words however you want is your prerogative, but such a vulgar argument isn’t pleasant to witness. As his devoted maid, I must warn you! Do you understand?”

Olivia raises her left hand at her waist and points a ladle at Rin and Nishizawa, shouting.

Nice job! Good work, tsundere.

It was a painful sentiment that I couldn’t express out loud, yet she says it for me, it’s surprisingly refreshing.

Is this what they call catharsis?

The term “devoted maid” is becoming quite familiar now.

This much is okay now.

There aren’t any people around, so there’s no embarrassment.

“Ugh.”

“Cheh.”

Nishizawa clicks her tongue while Rin bites her lips.

The women grow quiet again.

I’m really glad I made Olivia one of my subordinates back then.
“Good job.”

“Ugh, this is really hard.”

“This is what experience is all about, Ishihara. I’ve heard that when a gate mission stretches out, it’s common to set up tents like this and stay overnight.”

The two guys are having a great time setting up the tent.

Meanwhile, I’m doing nothing.

And I’m very satisfied.

If only Imgan School could keep going like this, it would be wonderful.

‘That’s probably not going to happen.’

Thinking about the White Ghost Festival and the ‘Cult’ that will get involved.

On the last day, it seems I’m destined to be busy running around.

I whistle.

Time flies when you’re slacking off.

Before I know it, evening has settled in with the sunset.

When Ishihara and Kurosawa Yuji finally complete the tent setup after wrestling with it.

The cooking by the three girls is also done.

“Yay!”

Ishihara and Kurosawa Yuji assemble the picnic table.

Once the parasol is put in the hole in the center of the table, the picnic vibe really kicks in.

This is also something the school provided.

‘It’s just a picnic, a picnic.’

What survival?

I click my tongue and sit at the picnic table.

The lights installed near the tent shine brightly.

“Ugh, I’m hungry. Is dinner ready yet?”

“I’m looking forward to the dinner that everyone graciously prepared. Kim, what do you think?”

Ishihara and Kurosawa sitting beside me ask.

“I just want to eat quickly, whatever it is.”

My stomach clock is honest.

I haven’t done anything, yet it’s already grumbling.

There are already six bowls of white rice on the table.

“Alright, I’ll go first!”

Olivia boldly smiles as she steps up as the first one and lifts the lid of the pot on the table.

Inside the huge pot, there’s braised short ribs, and on the plate, there’s a rather decent-looking japchae.

Thud.

Olivia places her hand on her chest and confidently shouts.

“Braised short ribs and japchae are the essence of Korean cuisine! I-I didn’t particularly choose this menu because of you or anything… Ughhh…”

Olivia looks at me with a flushed face.

“So be honored and enjoy it! Got it? You?”

“Yeah. I’ll eat well.”

Seeing braised short ribs and japchae in a Japanese campsite is a bit unexpected.

I’m already used to the tsundere outbursts, and it’s okay.

Indeed, Olivia is the best.

“Hmph. That’s a natural response! It doesn’t matter to me at all!”

Olivia sits down with a red face, crossing her arms.

She picks up the braised short ribs with her chopsticks and places it on the white rice.

“Wow, this is delicious.”

“Bonaparte, impressive! I didn’t know you could cook so well.”

“I don’t need your compliments!”

Olivia glares at Ishihara and Kurosawa with a cold voice.

The atmosphere suddenly chills.

Her blue gaze turns to me.

“Hmph.”

Olivia sneaks glances at me while pretending not to.

It feels slightly awkward.

I take a bite of the braised short ribs she made.

The tender meat mingles with the sweet and salty soy sauce seasoning in my mouth.

“It’s delicious. You did well.”

Maybe it’s because she followed the recipe accurately, the flavor of the braised short ribs is honestly good.

Olivia’s face flushes all the way to her ears upon hearing the compliment.

“Y-You’re right. T-That’s just a natural compliment, so I’m not particularly happy or anything. You should try the japchae too! Here! Hurry up and eat!”

She aggressively offers me the japchae, wrapped around a fork.

“Hey, Princess. That’s shady.”

“Pretending and sneakily appealing, you’re quite the master, Bonaparte. This is tough.”

Nishizawa and Rin, sitting next to us, chime in.

What is this embarrassing situation?

Sigh.

But it’s Olivia, after all.

It wouldn’t be so bad to go along with her just this once.

After all, she is my number one ally.

I take the japchae wrapped around the fork she offers me.
I’m skipping the japchae wrapped around the fork.

“Ugh…”

Olivia moans.

She bows her head.

“Hey, how is it? If you say it tastes bad, I’ll kill you… You fool, idiot, sea cucumber, sea squirt, anemone… the stupidest man in the universe!”

Olivia’s insults follow.

The japchae tastes decent enough.

It’s a bit strange that Korean food made by a French person at a camp in Japan could be this tasty.

But it’s fine.

“It’s delicious. The japchae too.”

“I knew it would be! I’m not even happy. It’s only natural that the winner of the cooking competition is me, Olivia Napoleon Bonaparte! There’s nothing this noble French princess can’t do!”

Olivia smiles faintly with a flushed face.

Nishizawa Eri chuckles at the sight.

“Then it’s my turn? Here I go.”

She struggles to lift two large pots.

“Master! Eri-ling made braised meat and potatoes and soybean paste soup. These dishes are the very basics of woman power, aren’t they? Heehee.”

“Stop laughing strangely. And quit talking in the third person.”

It’s annoying.

Even if I filter out her ‘woman power’ nonsense, it’s true that braised meat and potatoes and soybean paste soup are the staples of Japanese home cooking.

They’re often featured in anime too.

I’ve been curious and ordered them a few times in the school cafeteria.

The taste? Well, I don’t remember it being anything I couldn’t eat.

“Eri-ling will serve! Everyone, wait.”

Nishizawa, holding a ladle, scoops the soybean paste soup and braised meat and potatoes into bowls for the group.

“Lastly, for the Master! Since you’re the Master, I poured in extra love!”

“I don’t need your love.”

“Master, you’re such a shy person.”

This is ridiculous.

Well, I am a bit shy.

Embarrassed to be precise.

“Dammit…”

Even if I speak, they won’t get it, so I might as well just give up.

What can I do? It’s a world like this.

Even if I want to throw up, I have to somehow try to adapt.

Sigh.

I inwardly groan as I take the soup bowl and side dish bowl from Nishizawa.

“Wow, this is amazing. It’s really the best. I think it’s better than what my mom makes.”

Ishihara exclaims.

Dude, even if that’s the case, comparing it to your mom? Isn’t that a bit much?

What a devoted son.

“Nishizawa… this is incredible… Can I have another bowl?”

Even the protagonist, with a moved expression, offers his empty side dish bowl.

Nishizawa’s face twists.

“Who wants to hear your opinions? It’s annoying. I’m not giving you any more. That’s it. Just eat what you get. Kurosawa.”

“Ah, got it…”

Kurosawa shrinks back at her cold rebuke.

For the first time in a while, I feel pity for the protagonist.

Poor guy. Tsk tsk.

“Master, what do you think? Hmm?”

Nishizawa Eri makes a flower pose with her hands under her chin, gazing at me.

She takes a spoonful of soybean paste soup and eats it.

Fireworks explode in my head.

I didn’t realize that a character’s cooking skills in a profile could indicate true cooking genius until now; she really is a cooking prodigy.

How can a simple soybean paste soup taste so good?

“It’s delicious… Yes… incredibly.”

“Try the braised meat and potatoes filled with Eri-ling’s love too. Here. Come on. Eri-ling will feed you! Aah. Hehe.”

Nishizawa scoops some braised meat and potatoes and holds it out to me.

“I’ll eat it, so put it away while you can say something nice. Enough of the love talk.”

“Got it… Hiiing.”

Nishizawa droops her shoulders with a sulky expression.

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