A minor problem arose.

It wasn’t as extreme as me developing insomnia, or a national emergency caused by the maids hanging laundry outside only for a sudden downpour to ruin it.
Still, a problem is a problem.

Veronica senior had… passed on.

“Hmm… is this okay?”

I pondered for about five seconds.
I couldn’t imagine what kind of snowball effect meddling with the original story might trigger.

But the more I thought about it, the less serious it seemed.

“In a way, I’ve already solved one incident in advance, haven’t I?”
Kyle’s survival rate just went up by 0.1%!
…That’s one way to look at it.

“Yeah, this has to be a lucky break.”
It felt slightly unfair to have done unexpected overtime, but if I think of it as securing future sleep time, it wasn’t so bad.

Holding the lantern, I pushed the door open and stepped outside.
Three people pacing anxiously came into view.

“Put that down! We need to meet Veronica senior… no, we need to save Lunaris!”
“Calm down, chief! You even left the lantern behind, where do you think you’re going? Besides, you don’t need to worry about Lunaris!”

Chief Silvia looked ready to barge into the building.
“Ugh… my heart still won’t stop…”
“Thomas senior, it’s normal for the heart to keep beating. If it stops, you’re dead.”

Thomas clutched his chest, groaning in pain.
Poor Claire was stuck in the middle, trying to stop one person and calm another.

When she noticed me, her eyes widened.

“Lunaris!”

The three of them rushed over.

“I was really worried! I couldn’t decide whether to go in or not.”
Yep, good thing I didn’t. Trying to rescue someone from water when you can’t swim is just embarrassing.

“So, what did you do inside? I heard all sorts of bangs and crashes! Did you fight Veronica senior?!”

Excited, Chief Silvia rattled off questions.
Her consistency was strangely endearing.

I yawned, shrugged, and said,

“Nothing much, just helped Veronica senior pass on peacefully.”

“…What?!”

Claire jumped back, hiccuping from surprise.

“Y-you didn’t force her to disappear with magic, right?”
“I just persuaded her through conversation.”

“I thought I heard something breaking with the explosions…”
“That’s just the usual scuffle during negotiations.”

Chief Silvia’s eyes sparkled as she grabbed my arm.

“Amazing, Lunaris! Our ace of the Urban Legends Research Club! Let’s celebrate later. Come on, tell us everything!”
“Ah, I don’t think so.”

I was exhausted.
Right now? Just resting my head on my favorite pillow would send me into deep, blissful sleep.
If not for my determination to sleep on the soft beds of Linea Hall, I couldn’t even stand properly.

“Whaaa~! We still have to write the activity report!”
“Next time, next time.”

I handed the lantern to Chief Silvia and staggered forward.

From behind, I heard her voice:
“Let’s go somewhere again next week!”

I glanced back and replied,
“I’ll think about it.”

Sunlight poured warmly across my face as I woke up.

“Today’s the weekend…”

A day with nothing to do.
The warmth settled on my half-closed eyelids.

“Ahhh…”

A breeze drifted through the window, tickling my skin.
Spring light sparkled through the curtains.
Every movement stirred the scent of spring.

Looking around, today was one of those rare, perfect weather days.

“Too nice to stay inside.”

On days like this, outdoor naps are a must.
Sleeping outside has its own charm.
Using grass as a pillow, the clear sky as a blanket—it feels incredible.
The wind hums a lullaby, spring flowers tickle your nose.
This is romance. This is fantasy life.

Meanwhile, the maids would wash the sheets and blankets.
Returning to freshly laundered, soft bedding, I could sleep again in bliss.
A perfect self-reinforcing spiral…!!

At Linea Hall, half-hearted magical laundry doesn’t exist.
Professional maids handwash everything with care.
The touch of a pro’s hands is something magic can’t replicate.

“Uheee~”

Even imagining it made me sigh in pleasure.

While awake, I’d scouted the academy for the best napping spots.
This was all preparation for a day like today.

The old library was quiet and dim—perfect for undisturbed sleep.
Only drawback: members of the Urban Legends Club might wander in. 7/10.

The magic hall rooftop? Perfect for uninterrupted naps.
Even sneaky dating couples prefer the annex, so no one climbs the main hall rooftop.
Close to classrooms for quick naps—bonus points.
Drawback: direct sunlight in the afternoon. 8/10.

Considering various factors, the park was the optimal spot.
Usually a 7/10, today it deserved 9+ for a perfect nap.

I lay on the grass beneath a large tree, arms as pillows.
The soft grass behind me, cool wind brushing my hair—pure bliss.
Some students wandered nearby, but that’s just background noise.

“Nice…”

I exhaled lazily, and consciousness slipped away.
Good choice… to come out…
Zzz…

…

…

…Ugh, noisy.

I had just fallen asleep when the surroundings became lively.
Voices and wind mingled in a cacophony.

Half-asleep, I wrinkled my brow.
Suddenly, a warm, sweet scent hit my nose.

I sniffed in a daze.
It was… the smell of baked bread.

“Huhkyaaah—”

I shot upright, stretching arms and legs.
Looking around, colorful tents were lined up in the park.

Squinting, I saw students selling items.
Old books, handmade crafts, sparkling magical devices, various foods.
All sorts of things, a true bazaar.

“…A bazaar?”

Curious, I walked slowly toward the smell of baking bread.
Students from the economics department haggled with customers.
Magical engineering students promoted their gadgets.

I drifted toward the bread stand.
Freshly baked loaves were displayed.
A small oven powered by mana sat behind it. Quite professional.

“Hey kid! Want to try a sample?”

A boy at the stand waved at me.

“Not a kid, but…”

Half-awake, I approached as if mesmerized.
The smell alone was enticing.
The bread looked good enough.
For a makeshift oven, not bad at all.

The boy started boasting with pride.

“See? Impressive, right? It’s my graduation project, a ‘Mana-Powered Mobile Output Control Oven.’ Compared to commercial ovens—”

A girl beside him smacked his neck.

“Too long-winded. Nobody listens that way.”

Justice done, she demonstrated real promotion.

“Want to try this?”

I looked at the bread in front of me, then glanced down.

“Since it’s a sample, can I try the egg tart over there?”
“Huh? Ahaha! Sure, here.”

I held the egg tart in both hands.
Warmth radiated into my palms.
The aroma of vanilla and egg teased my nose.

I took a gentle bite.
…Hmm. Not as soft as I hoped. Slightly burnt.
But the crisp sweetness… strangely addictive.

“Mm… this rates about 0.5 Ria? Mm…”
“That’s too harsh a judgment.”
“It’s impressive! The key is that it tastes a little like Ria’s egg tarts.”
“Ria? Who’s that?”
“A skilled cook.”

Ria always cooked for me. Mmm.

As I chewed the remaining tart with puffed cheeks, someone placed a silver coin in front of me.

“You’re selling this bread, right? I’ll take one.”

Looking up, a crowd had gathered at the stand.
…Since when?

“That kid eats so cutely.”
“Like a little squirrel!”
“Hmm- fancy.”
“Even after eating, their mouth looks hungry.”
“Hey! Take orders, quick!”
“I want one too!”

The two vendors blinked at the sudden rush.

“…Ah. It wasn’t the tech or the taste.”
“The important part was the promotion sign.”

The egg tart melted in my mouth.
One piece wasn’t enough.

“Can I have another?”
“Uh, sure.”

The girl hurriedly handed me another tart.

“How much?”
“…Just enjoy it.”
“Oh—”

I don’t turn down such generosity.
Now that I see it, these people are genuinely good.

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