Chapter 23: Meal

Chapter 23: Meal

After a while, Sevi noticed that Noemi's face seemed to be less flushed and her breathing was more even. 

[Mission Completed!]

[Noemi's favorability has greatly increased!]

[Noemi's favorability: 7/100 --> 17/100]

[First Aid Skill increased!]

[First Aid (C+) --> First Aid (B-)]

'Nice, her favorability is finally filling in.' he mused, feeling a sense of accomplishment. 

'This is good, but I need to make sure her recovery is complete and that we get to the bottom of this issue.'

'I should communicate with Sir Cedric, he might be able to pull some strings here to find out who switched Noemi's medicine bottles.'

Sevi quietly left Noemi's room, careful not to disturb her rest. The corridors of the academy were calm, with only the occasional sound of footsteps echoing through the hall. He made his way back to his dorm, determined to contact Sir Cedric for help.

He reached his dorm, which was on the opposite side of the library, and went inside. He walked up to the 4th floor and entered his room. His room, as befitting the son of a duke, was elegantly furnished with rich, dark wood and plush, comfortable furniture.

He approached a richly adorned table where a large crystal ball rested. Sevi gently touched the surface of the crystal ball, muttering a few incantations to activate it.

The ball's glow intensified, and within moments, a shimmering image of Sir Cedric came into view, revealing a young man in his mid-twenties with a joyful demeanor. 

"young master Sevi, how's it going? why did you call?" Cedric greeted with an easy smile, his voice cheerful. 

Sevi quickly got to the point. "Sir Cedric, I need your help. My friend here at the academy got ill. Her medicine was tampered with."

"Her condition has improved, but I'm concerned that someone might have targeted her due to her."

 "That's quite serious. Do you have any leads on who might be behind this?" Cedric said as his smile faded slightly as he listened, but his demeanor remained calm.

Sevi shook his head. "Not yet. We suspect it might be due to the prejudice she faces here. I need your assistance to investigate discreetly and find out who could be responsible."

 "You came to the right person, young master! I'll get right on it." Cedric said as his expression brightened again.

Sevi felt a wave of relief. 

"Thank you, Sir Cedric. I really appreciate your help."

Cedric's smile returned, his cheerful demeanor intact. "Of course! I'll keep you posted with any updates."

With a final nod and a warm smile, Cedric's image faded from the crystal ball. 

Sevi felt reassured.

'It will only be a matter of time before the culprit gets caught, I should go back to Noemi.'  Sevi thought as he walked out of his dorm.

'Wait before going back, it's already lunch... I should get some food from the cafeteria to share with Noemi.' Sevi thought as his stomach rumbled.

He decided it would be wise to grab something to eat before returning to Noemi's room. With a quick detour, he headed towards the cafeteria.

As Sevi approached the bustling cafeteria, he was greeted by the usual set of students enjoying their meals and chatting together. The aroma of freshly prepared food filled the air, making his stomach rumble even louder.

He made his way to the counter where the cafeteria staff was busy serving the lunch crowd.

Spotting a familiar face, Sevi approached Ms. Martinez, the friendly cafeteria worker who he got close with in the past few days.

"Hi, Ms. Martinez," Sevi said with a smile.

"I was wondering if I could take some food out today. I want to bring lunch to a friend who's not feeling well."

Ms. Martinez glanced at him with a warm smile. "Of course, Sevi! Let me get you something special for your friend. What would you like to take out?"

Sevi thought for a moment. "Maybe a couple of sandwiches and some fruit would be great. And if you have any of those homemade cookies, that would be perfect too."

"Coming right up," Ms. Martinez said, moving efficiently to prepare the order.

She handed Sevi a couple of take-out containers, packed with the requested sandwiches, fruit, and a small bag of cookies.

"Here you go. I hope your friend feels better soon," Ms. Martinez said as she handed him the containers.

"Thank you so much, Ms. Martinez," Sevi replied, gratefully taking the food.

"I really appreciate it."

With a nod and a final smile, Sevi made his way out of the cafeteria, the containers securely in hand.

Sevi then made his way back to Noemi's room. 

He entered the room quietly, finding Noemi still resting under the blankets, though her breathing seemed steadier and her flushed face had improved. Sevi moved softly to her side, careful not to disturb her too much.

As he approached, he noticed Noemi's eyes were open.

"Hey," Sevi said softly, careful to keep his voice low so as not to startle her.

"How are you feeling?"

Noemi blinked at him, her voice still weak but steady. "Better, thanks to you."

Sevi offered a warm smile. "I'm glad to hear that. Here, have some food,"

Sevi set the containers on the small bedside table and began to open them. He carefully arranged the food so that Noemi could reach it easily.

Noemi glanced at the food,  "You really didn't have to go through all this trouble," she said, her voice wavering slightly. 

Sevi smiled, trying to keep his tone light. "I know you didn't ask, but it's already lunchtime... It's not like you can go to the cafeteria in that condition, right?"

"Well, I suppose. But still, it's not like I'm helpless or anything." Noemi huffed.

Seeing that Noemi is still not eating, Sevi suddenly suggested.

"Want me to feed you?"

 "Feed me? Are you serious?" Noemi said as she shot Sevi a sharp look.

Sevi grinned, unfazed by her reaction. "Just a suggestion."

"I'm not some kid who needs to be spoon-fed. I can manage just fine, thank you very much." 

Noemi reluctantly reached for the food and began to eat.  

As Noemi began to eat, Sevi picked up one of the sandwiches for himself and took a bite. He watched her with a friendly, relaxed expression.

"So, how's the food?" Sevi asked between bites, his tone casual.

Noemi looked up, trying to keep her composure despite enjoying the meal. "Yeah, it's actually pretty good."

Sevi grinned, clearly pleased with her response. 

While eating, Sevi suddenly thought of when he first interacted with Noemi. The time when he was suppose to pick a choice. 

'I thought it will appear if I interact with the heroine but... it hadn't. Why? Does it appear when it meets a certain condition?'

With that in mind, Sevi quickly finished his sandwich, "Well, that was satisfying."

Noemi nodded, finishing up her own meal and placing the empty containers aside. "Yeah, thanks for bringing this. It's been nice to have a decent meal and... well, company."

[Noemi's favorability has increased!]

[Noemi's favorability: 17/100 --> 19/100]

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