I Don't Need To Log Out

It was lunchtime in the academy.

Alia, thankfully, escorted the players to the eating area.

The cafeteria was a massive, open hall bustling with students of all races, all seated at long wooden tables that stretched across the room.

The air was filled with the chatter of hundreds of voices and the enticing aroma of freshly cooked food.

Evan's eyes immediately lit up as they entered. "This place is huge unlike our school," he said, his gaze darting between the various food counters. "Do you think they have desserts here?"

"Relax, Evan," Carmen said. "Food's not going anywhere." She hadn't realized this but after hanging out with the older girls, her self-esteem was increasing, especially while talking to Evan.

Alia turned to face the group, hands on her hips. "Alright, listen up. Over there is the self-serve section," she said, pointing to a row of counters stacked with trays of steaming food.

"And over there—" she pointed to a smaller counter manned by staff, "—is where you can order more specialized meals. But don't get carried away; you don't want to embarrass yourselves on your first day."

"We don't embarrass that easily," Zack said, puffing out his chest.

Alia raised an eyebrow. "Right. Because showing up late to a lesson and falling asleep in class wouldn't be embarrassing at all."

Zack opened his mouth to retort but quickly decided against it, muttering something under his breath.

The group grabbed their trays and began filling their plates.

Maria paused at the self-serve counter, staring at a dish of what looked like roasted vegetables, though they were an unusual shade of blue.

"What is this?" she asked, wrinkling her nose.

"It's Zyrithian root," Alia explained, grabbing a small portion for herself. "It's an acquired taste, but it's great for stamina."

Maria hesitated, then cautiously added a tiny scoop to her plate.

Once everyone had their food, they settled at an empty table near a window. The view overlooked the academy gardens, where a few students were relaxing in the midday sun.

"So," Alia said as she sat down, looking at Arlon with a mischievous grin. "Arlon, you're already causing a stir around here."

Arlon, in the middle of taking a bite, glanced up. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, don't play innocent," Alia teased. "I've already heard some of the girls talking about you. You're quite popular."

The players froze mid-bite, staring at Arlon, who raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, his tone flat.

"Really?" Alia said, leaning forward. "Because I distinctly remember hearing someone say, 'That new guy with the sword is so mysterious.' Oh, and, 'Do you think he has a girlfriend?'"

The players burst into laughter. Read the latest on My Virtual Library Empire

"Arlon, the heartthrob of Cardon Academy!" Zack said, grinning. "Who would've thought?"

Arlon sighed, putting his fork down. "Can we not?"

"Don't worry," Alia said, laughing. "I'm just messing with you. But seriously, you've definitely caught some attention. Why not give one of them a chance? I don't think every girl in our academy is bad."

"Pass," Arlon said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

As the laughter subsided, the conversation shifted to lighter topics.

"So," Evan said, taking a bite of something that resembled meat but had a strange purple glaze. "What's the deal with this food? It's good, but it's so... weird."

"These are special to the academy, but I am surprised you didn't know about them," Alia said. "It's not just about taste—it's designed to enhance your physical and magical abilities. That purple glaze? It boosts your mana regeneration."

June stared at her plate thoughtfully without giving any information about not knowing about Trionian cuisine. "Wait, does that mean all the food here has some kind of benefit?"

"Pretty much," Alia said. "Even the desserts."

Evan's face lit up. "Did you say desserts?"

"Yes, Evan," Alia said with a sigh. "Go ahead, but don't eat too much, or you'll be regretting it during the afternoon lessons."

Evan was already halfway to the dessert counter.

"Does he always have this much energy?" Alia asked, watching him with amusement.

"Pretty much," Zack said. "Though it usually fades when he has to run laps."

When Evan returned with a towering plate of pastries, Alia shook her head. "You're going to crash halfway through class, and I'm not going to feel bad for you."

Evan grinned. "Worth it."

As they ate, Alia shared stories about life at Cardon Academy, from the grueling training sessions to the occasional pranks pulled by students.

"There was this one time," she began, "someone enchanted a chair to stick to the first person who sat on it. Our professor ended up dragging it around the entire lesson. Didn't even realize until someone pointed it out."

The group laughed, imagining the scene.

Despite the teasing and banter, the lunch felt comfortable. The players found themselves relaxing in the lively atmosphere of the academy, enjoying the company of their guide-turned-friend.

As they finished their meal, Alia stood, stretching. "Alright, break's over. Let's head to the next lesson."

Evan groaned. "I knew the desserts were a mistake."

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Alia said with a smirk as they headed out of the cafeteria, leaving the lively dining hall behind.

---

"Our next class is in the forest behind the academy," Alia said, leading the group toward a path lined with tall trees. "Ah, if you don't know, there will be magically created and summoned creatures in the forest."

"What do you mean by that?" Carole asked, tilting her head in confusion.

Alia glanced back, her expression calm but amused. "Since there used to be no creatures in Trion, we had nothing to train against.

So, the academy started with projections—illusions that mimicked enemies."

"Projections?" Evan said, raising an eyebrow. "Like holograms?"

"Kind of, but more magical," Alia replied. "The problem was, they were too fake. You could tell they weren't real.

No weight behind their attacks, no real pressure." She gestured dramatically with her hands. "So, the academy upped its game.

Now, we use magically created creatures and summoned beasts or spirits. They feel more real, but don't worry—they're still safe enough for training."

Maria frowned slightly. "Safe, huh? That doesn't sound reassuring."

Alia smirked. "Don't tell me you're scared already. You've fought real enemies before, right?"

Maria huffed. "I'm not scared!"

"Good," Alia said with a chuckle. "Because there's one more thing. The next lesson is conducted in teams. The topic is 'Battle Synergy and Role Adaptation.'"

"Teamwork, huh?" Zack muttered, glancing at the others. "Guess we'll see how that goes."

Alia grinned. "Don't worry too much. Just try not to embarrass yourselves. Oh, and don't slow me down if I'm on your team."

The group exchanged uncertain looks as they approached the forest, the sounds of rustling leaves and distant magical hums growing louder with each step.