I Became a Swordsmanship Instructor in a Romance Novel

Iriel and Yuri stood frozen, unable to even think about sitting down.

Glance.

Once at Selena.

Glance.

And then once at the mint chocolate─dishes in front of them.

Selena had a bright smile on her face, as if she couldn’t wait to eat today’s meal.

‘That’s a lost cause…!’

Normally, Iriel would have snapped at Selena right away, but it’s natural to become meek in the face of true madness.

She had no choice but to look for Zeke.

“Zeke, this isn’t right…! Do something, do something about it!”

“Ugh… I, I’d rather have that clear porridge we used to eat at Count Gilbert’s…”

The two girls whispered to Zeke in small voices.

‘Endure…’

Zeke closed his eyes and repeated to himself.

This was all due to Selena’s ignorance, and the fact that she mixed it into everything because it was her first time tasting it was just a mistake.

Frankly, what fault did Selena have?

This appalling monstrosity of a meal was all the Saintess’ fault.

‘Yeah, even on Earth, there were always those who made weird food like this… Mint chocolate chicken, mint chocolate burgers, mint chocolate tteokbokki…’

Foods that everyone gargled with immediately after taking a bite.

Foods that made you gag because the mint chocolate taste lingered even in the gargle.

Of course, Zeke had never touched any of them.

Because companies never actually intended to sell those foods.

They were just grotesque dishes aimed at gaining publicity through word-of-mouth as noise marketing.

They were occasionally used as punishments for internet broadcasters.

The sins of that damn mint chocolate were about to begin in this unrelated other world.

Zeke barely managed to calm himself down and looked at Selena.

“…Selena?”

“Yes, Instructor. Hmm? But why is everyone standing?

You’re not sitting down… C-could it be that you don’t like these dishes…?”

Selena put her index fingers together and looked up at Zeke, wondering if she had made a mistake.

“…No. Let’s sit down for now.”

Zeke couldn’t bring himself to yell at Selena’s teary-eyed gaze, so he sat down for now.

Then Iriel and Yuri looked at him as if to ask if this was really happening.

‘I know, guys. Just wait a bit. She’ll realize this isn’t right after she eats it too, won’t she?’

He nodded his head to convey that meaning, and like cows being led to a slaughterhouse, Iriel and Yuri sat down.

“Hmm, well, I… I’m not used to food with this color. Selena.”

“Ah, I guess so! Iriel and Yuri tried it once before, but you haven’t, Instructor! Shall I taste it first?”

“I’d appreciate it if you would.”

Zeke quickly nodded.

“Yes─.”

Selena picked up a knife and fork and cut the steak.

And somehow, the cross-section of the steak was also filled with a light blue color.

Then, Selena took a bite-sized piece of steak and brought it to her mouth.

Chew─

Chew─

Finally, she swallowed the steak.

Contrary to Zeke’s expectation that her expression would immediately turn sour, her eyes sparkled as if filled with starlight.

“Wow─. This is such a unique taste! How can something taste like this? This is really delicious too!”

Selena continued to eat as if she enjoyed the food she had made.

There was no awkwardness in her movements, as if she was forcing herself to act.

‘Is that… delicious?’

When Zeke looked at her suspiciously, Selena offered it again.

“Ah, the unfamiliar color can’t be helped. I understand, Instructor.

I thought it was strange at first too. But, once you try it, it has a really unexpected taste, you know? I really want you to try this, Instructor!”

‘Hey, Selena?’

“It’s like, swallowing a handful of cool chocolate! I really, really want you to try this, Instructor!”

‘Why are you doing this to me…’

“Come on, hurry up. I really, really, really want you to try this.”

‘Please’

When Zeke still seemed hesitant, Selena cut the steak in front of her, stabbed it with a fork, and held it out to Zeke.

“Here, say ah─.”

‘Seriously, why are you doing this to me…’

Zeke couldn’t ignore Selena’s expectant eyes.

Just like when he faced the prehistoric bard, Zeke stared at the approaching mint chocolate─steak with a serious face and

slowly opened his mouth.

And just like that, Selena’s fork was pushed into Zeke’s mouth.

“…”

The moment the meat touched the tip of his tongue, he felt the intense mint flavor and sweetness.

Along with a feast of meat juices that didn’t match at all.

The meat was top-notch, as expected from Yohaiden.

It just didn’t go together at all.

‘This is not for human consumption.’

Zeke made his judgment in an instant and focused his concentration. As he did so, time seemed to slow down.

Just before the meat in his mouth was crushed between his molars.

Zeke secretly drew up mana and focused it on the tip of his tongue.

Flare─

The steak burned with a blue spark.

With a small but intense firepower, it turned to ash in an instant.

Only a bitter, burnt taste remained from the completely burnt meat.

‘Ah, I can eat this as much as I want.’

Munch munch─

Zeke started chewing and swallowing the food without any change in expression, while Selena watched with anticipation.

Iriel and Yuri stared at him in horror.

“…Hmm, it’s not bad, actually.”

“I knew it! Right!?”

Selena said joyfully as if Zeke had understood her taste.

“Hmm, but personally, I think this would be much better as a tea rather than mixed with food. The intense aroma overwhelms the original taste of the food.”

Zeke continued his meal nonchalantly.

Each time, smoke from the burning food in Zeke’s mouth tried to escape, but Zeke swallowed even the smoke.

“Ah, I see! I didn’t think of that. The original food… mint chocolate… a way to bring out both…”

“No, from now on, I’d like my food to be just food. However, it’s true that… this is a delicacy that you can’t normally taste, so I think it would be good for Iriel and Yuri to try it as well.”

Zeke dragged Iriel and Yuri, who were sitting quietly, saying that he couldn’t die alone.

They glared at Zeke with betrayal in their eyes, but Zeke slightly turned his head away, avoiding their gaze.

The awkward balance of the cool taste of the mint chocolate they had earlier and the sweetness that was completely out of sync came back to their minds, making their stomachs churn.

Even a cold drink was like that, so what would it be like with food that was still steaming hot?

It was too frightening to even imagine.

“Ugh…”

“Ugh…”

It was then, as they were hesitating in front of the blue food.

“Y-Your Highness…! You can’t go in now…!”

“I already know that Instructor Zeke Clayman is here! It’s urgent!”

A familiar voice came from outside the door, and

Bam─!

It was Rosnante, sweating profusely, who burst through the door.

Yuri and Iriel looked at him as if he were their savior.

It was the first time Rosnante had been so welcome.

“Rosnante!”

“Second Prince.”

Iriel and Yuri stood up from their seats and approached Rosnante as if on cue.

“You came looking for Zeke because you have something urgent to tell him, right? Then you’ve come to the right place!”

“We were actually in the middle of a meal.”

“W-well, that’s true, but…”

Rosnante, who hadn’t expected to be welcomed after barging in like this, stepped back hesitantly.

“It’s something you need to tell the Instructor in private, right?”

“Then we’ll excuse ourselves for a moment.”

“N-no, it doesn’t need to be that private…”

Rosnante stammered, but they dismissed his words.

“Oh, come on. Where do you think you’re going?”

“No, I’m sure it needs to be private. It’s not just anyone, it’s a meeting between the Second Prince of the Empire and the Instructor.

We can’t dare dine with the imperial family. This isn’t Ramielli Academy right now.”

“I-is that so…?”

These kids, who usually didn’t even treat Rosnante like a prince, were suddenly acting all chummy.

“So, sit here.”

“Please have a seat.”

“Uh, uh-huh.”

Without even a moment to gather his thoughts, Iriel and Yuri pushed Rosnante into a seat.

“Zeke, we have no choice but to step out for a bit.”

“Then, see you later.”

Iriel and Yuri gave a short farewell and left the room.

Rosnante sat there, dumbfounded.

“Rosnante, Second Prince. Visiting a lady’s house without prior notice and barging in on a meal like this, what kind of country’s law is that?”

Selena usually spoke informally, but this time she used honorifics.

She was very upset that her meal, especially this important meal where she had prepared a special dish, had been interrupted!

The fact that she was even scarier when she was being formal made Rosnante gulp.

“…S-sorry. But it was so urgent that I couldn’t help it. I’ll formally apologize for this later.”

“…Sigh.”

Selena glared at Rosnante and then let out a deep sigh.

“So, should I leave too?”

“No, no! I just came to tell the Instructor something urgently. Actually, it’s related to you guys too, so I wish you could have heard it, but it seems you’ve already left.”

Rosnante glanced at the closed door.

“Well… Rosnante, have you eaten yet?”

Zeke, who had been sitting quietly, asked Rosnante.

“Ah, not yet.”

“Then let’s eat together and talk afterward.”

Zeke offered the dishes that Iriel and Yuri couldn’t bring themselves to eat, like a pheasant instead of a… chicken. Well, a pigeon.

Rosnante’s mind was so full of thoughts about the Third Prince that he hadn’t yet noticed the blue food in front of him.

“…Hmm…?”

Finally, Rosnante’s eyes widened as he looked at the table.

“W-what is this…! This is all spoiled food! And such a vivid blue color…! There must be dangerous bacteria! Instructor! Have you been eating this?”

“…”

Zeke just stared at Rosnante, who spoke in a panicked voice, without saying anything.

Rosnante’s eyes turned serious as if he realized something from Zeke’s calm reaction.

“…Ah, this is… it’s all ‘meant to be’ like this from the beginning. With Instructor Zeke Clayman here, Iriel, Yuri, and Selena… And this blue color is like the color of mana…”

Then Rosnante bit his lip as if in frustration.

“So this means, it’s not spoiled, but… food that has a positive effect on mana…! This is discrimination! Providing food that makes you stronger only here!”

Gulp.

Rosnante grabbed a handful of pasta with his fork.

And then straight into his mouth.

“Ugh!”

Rosnante gagged as soon as he shoved the pasta into his mouth.

He grimaced, his face contorted in pain, and swallowed it with a gulp.

“…Ugh!! As expected, getting stronger isn’t easy! It tastes so awful! This is the most disgusting taste I’ve ever experienced!”

‘Hey, man.’

Grab.

Chomp chomp.

“I can’t believe there’s such a horrible taste in the world! I’d rather chew on the sand in the training ground!”

‘Hey, Rosnante?’

Grab.

Slurp.

“But, if I can swallow this ordeal and become stronger, I can handle something like this!”

‘Hey, look to your side?’

Chomp chomp chomp.

Rosnante’s utensils moved busily.

Every time, Rosnante gagged and suffered, but his combative eating showed no signs of stopping.

Selena just stared blankly at Rosnante, who was now moving his fork in his mouth without even eating the food.

Her eyes gradually lost their light.

Finally, Rosnante’s meal was over.

The blue food was gone without a trace, leaving only empty plates.

“…Ugh. This is really disgusting.”

Rosnante burped and frowned.

“Hmm, is that so…? I thought it was quite edible.”

Zeke glanced at Selena and quickly added.

“It’s not a bad dish, is it?”

“Edible? Not bad? Ha! Instructor! This food is by far the worst I’ve ever tasted! Ask anyone on the street! I’m sure people will die from eating this because it’s so awful! And this blue color… and the strange sweetness!”

Rosnante shook his head, denying it.

His relentless criticism of the food continued endlessly.

“This sweetness and coolness are so mismatched that it would be faster for me and Ilios to hug and make up!”

“This blue color is so vivid that I’d use it as an imperial dye! But I’d have to put a warning label on it saying ‘Do not eat’.”

“The disgust is so terrible that even a trash can would eat it and spit it out!”

“Ha… Prince Rosnante. Really… You’re just spitting it out…?”

Just then, a chilling voice filled with coldness came from the side.

‘Huh?’

Rosnante finally turned to the side.

There stood Selena, staring at him with terrifying eyes.

“If it didn’t taste good, you shouldn’t have eaten it… You ate it all like a pig… What did you say…?”

Selena’s lips were curled into a smile, but Rosnante’s instincts were blaring warning signals.

‘…I’m fucked.’