Chapter 166: Who on Earth is Eating Hot Pot and BBQ in the Middle of the Night?!
....
A short while later.
The homeroom teachers returned from their briefing. Shizuka Hiratsuka swept her gaze over her students and spoke up. "Listen up, everyone. The Academy Chairwoman mentioned that we've booked this entire ryokan for the next five days. During our stay, make absolutely sure you don't damage any of the facilities."
The students nodded in unison. Shortly after, each class headed toward their designated lodgings for the school trip.
It was a traditional wooden ryokan, appearing quite aged but well-maintained. The estate was massive, easily large enough to accommodate all five classes of the first-year tier.
Seito followed Shizuka inside. Minami had reserved thirteen large suites in total: one for herself, one for the female faculty, and one for the male teachers. The remaining rooms were split between the boys and girls of each class.
Class 1-E: Boys' Dormitory.
"Ah... the glorious life of a school trip finally begins!" Iori Kitahara let out a dramatic groan of satisfaction.
"The environment here is actually top-tier," Hidenori Tabata remarked, peering through the sliding screen doors toward the small private courtyard.
"I have to agree, it's not bad at all," a familiar voice chimed in from beside them, causing the group to freeze.
They turned their heads in sync. Seito was standing right next to Iori and Hidenori, staring out at the courtyard with a serene expression.
"Why the hell are you in our class's room?" Iori asked, bewildered.
"What? Not feeling the hospitality?"
"I mean, you're welcome here, but..."
Hidenori glanced at Seito's empty hands and the bare floor around him. "Where's your luggage?"
"Didn't bring any," Seito replied flatly.
Iori: "..."
Hidenori: "..."
Good grief! Trust you to pull something like that!
"I'm going to see if anyone brought spares. You guys go ahead and settle in," Seito said, waving them off as he exited the room.
He made a beeline for the Class 1-E girls' room and slid the door open without a second thought. Inside, he found every girl fully dressed and staring right back at him. Feeling a twinge of "disappointment," he scanned the room until his eyes landed on Kirukiru Amou.
"Amou, did you bring an extra futon?"
"Didn't you bring your own? I don't have any spares," Amou replied, baffled.
She hadn't expected Seito to completely forget his bedding. Even if he had arrived late, he should have at least packed the basics. Seito nodded; it looked like he'd be relying on the ryokan's provided bedding. No big deal.
Returning to the 1-E boys' room, he found everyone busy setting up. He promptly leaned against the wall and began his favorite hobby: slacking off.
Soon, lunchtime arrived. Most students decided to eat at the ryokan's dining hall. Seito grabbed a bowl of rice and some side dishes, finding an empty seat.
Zip, zip, zip—!
Iori and the rest of the gang swarmed the table.
"Seito, what are the plans for this afternoon?" Hidenori asked.
"Haven't thought that far ahead," Seito replied through a mouthful of rice.
"I've got an idea," Iori said with a mischievous grin. "Let's go buy some ingredients this afternoon. We can do a massive hot pot and BBQ session tonight!"
"Great idea!" Seito agreed in a heartbeat. It had been a while since he'd had a proper hot pot, and the craving was real.
"It's settled then," Iori laughed.
The group finished their meal quickly and spent the afternoon shopping. They didn't just buy ingredients; they bought the whole kit—pots, portable grills, the works.
Time ticked away until it was 10:00 PM—official lights-out time.
Class 1-D: Girls' Dormitory.
Maple was huddled close to Risa.
"Risa... why didn't we see Seito-kun at all this afternoon?" Maple asked, her voice laced with confusion. She had been looking for him all day.
"I have no idea," Risa shook her head. To be honest, without Seito around, the afternoon had felt like it was missing its spark.
Just as they were pondering his whereabouts, a savory, undeniable aroma of spicy hot pot and charred BBQ meat wafted into the room.
"Where is that smell coming from?" Maple blinked, stunned.
"No clue," Risa muttered, equally confused. It was bedtime; who on earth would be cooking at this hour?
It wasn't just them. Every girl in the room—and soon, every person in the entire ryokan—was being assaulted by the mouth-watering scent.
A few moments later...
"Gah! Who is committing this food terrorism?!" Eriri snapped, sitting bolt upright. She was fuming. Who skips sleep to eat the two most fragrant foods in existence in the middle of the night?
"Eriri-san, just try to sleep. Let's pretend we can't smell it," Asuna advised, though she was struggling too. She had been planning to diet during the trip, and this was pure torture.
"Fine," Eriri groaned, diving back under her covers in a desperate protest against the delicious fumes.
But as time passed, the scent only grew more potent. It was impossible to ignore. And then, the silence was shattered by a chorus of rowdy screams.
"OHHHH—!!"
"IORI, YOU BEAST!"
"GET HIM, SEITO! ONE MORE ROUND AND IORI LOSES HIS SHIRT!"
"HOLY CRAP! HE WON!!"
"WHOOOO—!"
"OFF WITH IT! IORI, DON'T YOU DARE CHEAT!!"
"HURRY UP! TAKE IT OFF!!"
The raucous noise echoed through the wooden hallways. Those trying to sleep finally reached their breaking point.
"That's it! I'm going to kill them!!" Eriri roared, leaping out of bed and storming out of the room.
Between the food and the screaming, sleep was a lost cause. The other girls followed suit, fueled by the same irritation. As they stepped into the hallway, they saw the doors to other rooms sliding open. Students and teachers alike were emerging, looking exhausted but wearing expressions of mounting fury. Even Academy Chairwoman Minami was there.
The mob marched in silence toward the Class 1-E boys' suite. Without a word of warning, Kirukiru Amou stepped forward and slammed the door open!
The scene inside... caused everyone to petrify on the spot.
.....
Thank you for reading.