Moonlight slowly faded from the stone walls as the night passed.
Somewhere beyond the tall arched window, the sky had begun to brighten with the soft pale light of dawn.
Inside the quiet room—
Null slept.
Peacefully.
For once, without overthinking narrative structures, cosmological absurdities, or the statistical likelihood of dramatic irony.
Just sleep.
Several hours later—
His eyes opened.
"…Huh."
He blinked slowly at the ceiling.
Soft morning light now stretched across the stone walls where moonlight had been before.
The room was quiet.
Very quiet.
Null lay there for a few seconds, staring upward.
Then he exhaled softly.
"…Morning already?"
A small golden-white window appeared quietly beside his head.
[Current time: 06:18 AM.]
Null squinted slightly.
"…Respectable."
He rubbed his face and stretched his arms above his head.
His shoulders rolled.
A faint crack ran through his back as his muscles loosened.
"Okay."
He sat up on the bed.
"Not the worst night of sleep I've had."
Fantasy Omniscience responded calmly.
[Your body entered deep recovery cycles for the majority of the night.]
[Physical fatigue accumulated during the combat has been fully resolved.]
Null nodded slowly.
"Good."
He swung his legs off the side of the bed.
The cool stone floor met his feet.
For a moment he just sat there, letting the last traces of sleep fade from his mind.
Morning light continued to grow stronger through the window.
The trainee residential wing outside was still mostly quiet. A few distant sounds of movement echoed faintly through the corridor, signaling that some early risers had already begun their day.
Null stretched again.
"…You know."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"This world really does run on early mornings."
Fantasy Omniscience replied.
[Structured training institutions tend to follow consistent daily schedules.]
Null sighed.
"…My old life strongly disagreed with that concept."
A small pause passed.
Then a faint grin appeared on his face.
"Fantasy Omniscience-san."
[Yes, Master.]
"…How's the world doing today?"
A brief pause.
Then—
[Status: operational.]
Null stared at the golden-white interface.
"…Very helpful."
[Thank you.]
He snorted softly.
Then stood up.
"Well."
He stretched once more before walking toward the small wash area attached to his room.
"Even observers of cosmic narrative structures should maintain basic hygiene."
Fantasy Omniscience replied immediately.
[An admirable decision.]
Null glanced sideways at the floating window.
"…That sounded suspiciously like judgment."
[Observation: personal hygiene increases social compatibility by approximately 63%.]
Null blinked.
"…You quantified that?"
[Yes.]
He shook his head with quiet amusement.
[Yes.]
He shook his head with quiet amusement.
"…Omniscience really is terrifying."
Cold water splashed across his face a moment later.
The chill snapped the final threads of sleep from his mind.
Null exhaled slowly and ran a hand through his hair.
Morning sunlight now streamed more fully through the window, filling the room with soft golden light.
A new day at the Sanctum had begun.
Null looked at his reflection in the mirror briefly.
Then shrugged lightly.
"…Alright."
He wiped his face with a cloth.
---
Half an hour later—
Null stepped out of his room, lightly closing the door behind him.
The trainee residence hallway had begun to wake.
Doors opened here and there.
Footsteps echoed faintly across the The corridor of the trainee residence had begun to stir with quiet morning activity. Doors opened here and there, footsteps echoed along the stone floor, and faint conversations drifted through the hallways as trainees prepared for the day.
Null walked leisurely through the corridor.
Hands in his pockets.
"…Fantasy Omniscience-san."
[Yes, Master.]
"I just realized something tragic."
A pause.
[Proceed.]
He sighed.
"…I'm out of ingredients."
Another pause.
Then—
[Confirmed.]
[Your personal food supplies were depleted during last night's meal.]
Null clicked his tongue.
"…Truly unfortunate."
He continued walking toward the stairwell.
"Well."
"I suppose I'll have to eat like a normal trainee today."
[That would be the most efficient solution.]
Null gave a small nod.
"Cafeteria it is."
—
A few minutes later—
Null pushed open the large doors leading into the trainee cafeteria.
Warm light and the lively murmur of morning chatter immediately spilled out to greet him.
The cafeteria was already bustling.
Long rows of wooden tables filled the spacious hall where young trainees—priests, clerics, warriors, and knights-in-training—sat eating their breakfasts while talking about their schedules, upcoming training sessions, and the usual rumors that circulated within the Sanctum.
The clatter of utensils.
Low conversations.
Occasional laughter.
It was the normal rhythm of a morning in the Sanctum.
Null stepped in calmly.
And like always—
A few heads turned.
Then a few more.
"…Ah."
Null quietly chuckled to himself.
"…Same as always."
He walked deeper into the cafeteria, weaving easily through the tables with the familiarity of someone who had been here many times before.
But as he passed between tables—
Whispers naturally followed.
At one table, a group of girls immediately leaned closer together.
One of them clasped her hands near her face.
"Ah—he's here again."
Another girl whispered excitedly.
"Why does he look so damn sexy this early in the morning?"
A third girl sighed dreamily.
"Those eyes are illegal."
"He seriously looks like a sculpture made by the divine hands."
One girl covered her mouth to stifle a small squeal.
"Do you think he's a secret prince from another kingdom?"
Meanwhile—
At another nearby table—
A group of male trainees stared at Null with various levels of irritation.
"…Unbelievable."
One of them stabbed his spoon into his porridge.
"Look at that."
"Why does that guy look like he walked out of a divine painting?"
"Half the cafeteria turns into a fan club the moment he walks in."
Another scoffed.
"Tch. Look at all the girls staring at him."
"What kind of unfair genetics is that?"
A third trainee muttered bitterly.
"Bet he practices that calm mysterious walk in the mirror."
Their grumbling continued until a voice from a nearby table suddenly leaned into the conversation.
Nearby—
A few other trainees were whispering among themselves.
One of them leaned closer to the group.
"Hey."
The boy lowered his voice conspiratorially.
"I heard a rumor about him."
The others leaned in.
"What rumor?"
The boy leaned closer.
"I heard he went on a mission recently."
The group listened.
"With her."
The table went silent.
"…Her?"
The boy nodded gravely.
"The Saintess of Living."
Several people nearly choked on their food.
"WHAT?"
"No way!"
"Are you serious?!"
Silence.
Meanwhile—
The group of jealous trainees from earlier had overheard that part.
Their expressions darkened immediately.
"…You're kidding me."
"You mean Lady Sora?"
"The Saintess herself?"
One of them slammed his cup onto the table.
"THAT GUY got to go on a mission with her?!"
Another trainee groaned loudly.
"This is injustice."
"Divine injustice!"
A third clenched his fists dramatically.
"What kind of cursed luck does that guy have?!"
Their voices had become loud enough that nearby tables were now paying attention.
The girls who had been admiring Null earlier immediately turned toward them.
One of the girls frowned sharply.
"Excuse me?"
Another girl crossed her arms.
"Why are you yelling like that?"
One of the jealous trainees scoffed.
"Because that guy keeps hogging all the attention!"
A third girl narrowed her eyes dangerously.
"And that justifies you shouting like a barbarian?"
A different girl stood up.
She wore the robes of a trainee cleric, and her expression carried the firm composure of someone deeply devoted to the Sanctum's teachings.
Her expression was stern.
She folded her arms and spoke firmly.
"Using such crude and disrespectful language within the Sanctum is improper."
The jealous trainees froze.
The girl continued calmly.
"This is sacred ground dedicated to the Divine."
"If you have complaints about another trainee's appearance or fortune…"
"…please do so without degrading yourselves in the process."
The boys immediately shrank back into their seats.
"…Sorry."
Meanwhile—
Null walked right past all of them.
Not a single glance.
He had heard every word.
Every whisper.
Every complaint.
Every dramatic reaction.
And the only thing he did was quietly chuckle under his breath.
"…Youth."
Fantasy Omniscience spoke calmly within his mind.
[Your appearance appears to create noticeable social disruption.]
Null shrugged.
"Can't be helped."
By now he had reached the food counter at the far end of the cafeteria.
Large trays of breakfast dishes lined the serving area.
Fresh bread.
Eggs.
Stewed vegetables.
Warm porridge.
Null placed a tray down on the counter and glanced over the options.
"…Alright."
He murmured thoughtfully.
"Let's see what today's cafeteria menu has to offer."
Null stood at the counter for a moment, scanning the trays and the small wooden board hanging behind them.
Various breakfast options were written in neat chalk.
Mana-infused grain porridge.
Sunroot vegetable stew.
Lightly grilled wyvern eggs.
Honey-glazed sanctum bread.
A few more specialty dishes rotated depending on the ingredients the kitchen received that week.
Null folded his arms slightly as he read.
"…Hmm."
He leaned a little closer to the board.
"Not bad."
Fantasy Omniscience spoke quietly.
[The mana density of the porridge is slightly higher today.]
Null nodded.
"Yeah, I noticed."
He continued observing the menu for a few more seconds before deciding.
Just as he was about to speak—
He looked up.
Someone had already been waiting on the other side of the counter.
The chef in charge.
A kind-looking woman with a round face and a bit of comfortable plumpness stood there with her hands resting on the counter. Her warm eyes held the gentle patience of someone who had spent years feeding hungry trainees.
Her name was Fiuyme.
And when she saw who it was standing there—
Her face lit up with a broad smile.
"Well now!"
Her voice carried cheerful warmth.
"If it isn't our talented young chef."
Null chuckled softly.
"Morning, Chef Fiuyme."
She laughed heartily.
"Good morning to you too, boy!"
She leaned forward slightly.
"Haven't seen you around the kitchen for a few days."
Null scratched the back of his neck lightly.
"Ran out of ingredients."
"Had to come back to civilization."
Fiuyme snorted.
"Listen to this brat calling the cafeteria 'civilization'."
But the teasing in her tone was affectionate.
Null gave a small nod toward her.
"By the way."
"Thanks again for the ingredients you gave me last time."
At that—
Fiuyme suddenly reached over the counter and patted his shoulder.
Her expression shifted into something nostalgic.
"Ahh…"
She sighed.
"Don't even remind me."
Null tilted his head slightly.
"Still thinking about it?"
Fiuyme leaned back, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.
"How could I not?"
She shook her head slowly.
"That dish you made…"
"…with those completely ordinary ingredients…"
Her eyes widened slightly as if remembering the taste again.
"I swear I could still feel the aftereffects of that flavor for two whole days."
Null blinked.
"…Two days?"
Fiuyme pointed at him dramatically.
"Two days!"
She placed a hand on her chest.
"It was complicated."
"Elegant."
"Balanced."
"And somehow still comforting."
She let out a long sigh.
"Boy, I've been cooking mana cuisine for over twenty years…"
"…and that meal still caught me completely off guard."
She patted his shoulder again.
"Don't fret about it."
"You deserve to cook your own food with the skills you've got."
Then—
Her shoulders slumped slightly.
"And after tasting that dish…"
She sighed again.
"…I realized I still have a long way to go before reaching the level of cooking I dream of."
Null listened quietly while she continued talking.
Fiuyme had clearly been thinking about that day for a while.
Meanwhile—
Inside his mind—
Null thought dryly.
But that was just a normal dish from my home world.
His eyes drifted slightly as the memory surfaced.
A very standard recipe.
Nothing fancy.
Nothing magical.
Just the result of centuries of culinary experimentation from a world that relied purely on chemistry, heat control, and flavor layering.
Yet—
Here in this world—
It had shocked one of the Sanctum's most respected chefs.
Who would have thought…
That something like that would even surpass magical cuisine.
Back then he had only cooked it for one reason.
I just wanted to pass her little test so she'd let me procure some magical ingredients to experiment with.
Only afterward had he realized something interesting.
Even a relatively high-quality Earth dish could completely overturn the culinary expectations of this world.
The result?
One of the Sanctum's best chefs now looked slightly dispirited every time she remembered it.
Fiuyme suddenly straightened again.
"So!"
She clapped her hands once.
"Don't worry about ingredients, boy."
"You can take as many as you want from the kitchen."
She grinned widely.
"Especially after those divine recipes you gave me in exchange."
"It's only fair I return the favor, right?"
Null nodded politely.
"Much appreciated."
Inside his mind though—
He sighed.
But those were just recipes using ordinary ingredients…
Compared to magical ingredients, their value shouldn't even be comparable.
He shrugged internally.
Well.
Whatever.
Fiuyme leaned forward again.
"So!"
"What'll you have today?"
Null glanced back up at the menu board.
Then pointed.
"I'll take the mana grain porridge."
"And one grilled egg."
Fiuyme nodded.
"Good choice."
She turned toward the kitchen staff.
"Mana porridge and egg!"
Within a minute the meal was ready.
Null picked up the tray.
"Thanks, Chef."
Fiuyme waved him off.
"Go eat before the warriors eat everything."
Null chuckled quietly.
With tray in hand—
He turned away from the counter and walked back through the cafeteria.
The room was even busier now.
But Null didn't stop anywhere near the crowd.
Instead—
He found a solitary table near the far window.
Sunlight streamed gently across the wooden surface.
Perfectly quiet.
Perfectly peaceful.
Null sat down alone.
He picked up his spoon.
"…Nice."
And began eating breakfast like the solitary protagonist of a story that hadn't even started yet.
****
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