Light streams in through the window, naturally waking me up. As I breathed in the fresh air, the fogginess in my mind gradually cleared.
"Mmm." I stretched and got out of bed.
"Oh, good morning."
"Good morning."
As I sat up, I heard greetings from Shenley and Liz. They were sitting on the sofa near the door, still in their cute pajamas, seemingly relaxed.
"Good morning." I returned the greeting and got up from the bed.
The two of them look at me with wide eyes.
"Uh, Aoi-sensei… your hair…"
"It's… exploding."
I lightly patted my hair with both hands. "This happens every morning. It’s usually fine after I shower."
I moved to the mirror on the wall. I saw myself in black pajamas with my hair sticking out like a ball of yarn. After confirming that I looked the same as usual, I sat down in the chair in front of the mirror and tried to tidy my hair with a hand comb. It looked like I'd still need a morning shower.
While thinking about this, I saw that Ayle and Bell were still fast asleep. On the other side of the room, Eliza was sleeping sprawled out on her back. Because she was petite, she looked the youngest out of the group. Well, depending on her outfit, she could easily pass for a child.
We were staying in the castle, and despite the six queen-sized beds, the guest room was still spacious. The boys and girls were separated too.
On the boys' side, only Strass and Cote were there, so it might feel a bit lonely in such a large room.
While I was absentmindedly looking in the mirror, I saw Ayle and Bell waking up behind me.
Still sleepy, they greeted us.
"Ah, good morning."
"Morning."
Ayle's mind still seemed to be in a sluggish state.
For some reason, Liz pouted at the sleepy pair. "Really, Ayle-sama and Bell, you're late. You missed something very rare."
Ayle tilted her head with a questioning look on her face while rubbing an eye. "Something rare?"
Liz turned to Shenley with a sulky expression. "Right, Shenley-san?"
"Y-yes, it was a very rare sight," Shenley agreed.
Hmm, did something unusual happen? Maybe I still wasn’t fully awake.
Later, Eliza, who had been sleeping with her mouth open, woke up. After changing, we headed to the second floor of the castle. The second floor had a dining hall for guests, where about twenty people could dine together.
When we entered the dining hall, we saw Strass and Cote already eating.
"Good morning."
"Morning… you’re late."
"We took some time getting ready."
We exchanged morning greetings and such. As we took our seats, female maids came in with food without a sound.
They smoothly served the food for those who came in later. The plates were all white, with bread, soup, thinly sliced meat, vegetables, and fruit. The dishes were simple, not overly elaborate.
"Oh, this is delicious." Ayle, the first to taste the food, gave her honest opinion. Despite the simple appearance, it seemed to satisfy her, a high-ranking noble.
Encouraged, Bell and Liz also started eating. Both of them exclaimed how delicious it was, and with Shenley and Eliza starting their meals as well, I finally picked up my spoon.
I tried the translucent soup I was curious about. It was still warm, and the gentle sweetness spread in my mouth. I could taste the flavors of simmered vegetables and meat, along with salt and a hint of spice.
It tasted somewhat like pot-au-feu. I tried the bread. The crust was a bit hard, but the inside was soft and had a sweet flavor. The meat, on the other hand, was salty, and the spicy seasoning balanced the meal well.
"It's delicious, isn't it? I was surprised too. Simple yet it has a deep flavor." Cote commented with a smile as he tasted the food.
I nodded quietly and tried the fruit last. It looked like a melon but had a firmer texture. When I bit into it, I tasted a sweet and sour flavor. It was sweeter and more acidic than a melon, somewhat like a sweet grape.
"… Delicious," Strass muttered with the fruit still in his mouth. His eyes widened as he chewed the fruit, making the others laugh.
"By the way, Crown-dono said he was busy today and couldn't show us around." Strass, perhaps embarrassed by being laughed at, changed the subject.
Smiling wryly, Eliza nodded and looked at me. "Yes, it seems the lab is mainly for court magicians, so it might be better to visit when Crown-san is available."
Ayle raises her hand suddenly. "Oh, I'd like to visit the Maple Leaf Magic Academy!"
"That sounds good."
"Yeah, I'd love to see what it's like."
Liz and Bell agreed with Ayle's suggestion. These three really got along well. Shenley seemed interested too.
"Alright, let's visit the magic academy today. I'll go check with the castle staff." I stood up and left the dining hall.