Realizing he had spent most of his journey yesterday from the Forrester estate to the Academy in a daze, Syron decided to take his time and smell the roses. As he stepped along the wide cobblestone path and past the gate to his estate, he looked around at all of the passing carriages and people walking about their day before taking a few deep breaths. In hindsight, this really was the first time in this life he had just stopped and enjoyed the new environment. Sure, he appeared to be a lazy ne’er-do-well, riding on his mother’s coattails to get away with a slovenly, wasteful life. Perhaps it was true, in some senses. But he had worked hard! Very hard, in fact. He had completely finished his physical therapy and then wrote the rules for a working tabletop role playing game in less than half a year.

Wait… how long has it been since I woke from my coma again? Five months? Is that right? I finished therapy in around three months, then I spent a few weeks creating the game… then… well, we played for a while. Then I had a month to put together the competition. That was two weeks ago… so… a little less than five months? Yikes. I feel like I’ve been here longer.

Syron stopped his mental rambling when his nose caught a whiff of freshly baked bread. He looked around for a source, hoping there was a bakery near his home. Instead, his eyes found a lovely young woman with brown hair and a plain white frock with matching sandals carrying a large covered basket. She was walking just past him, the tantalizing scent coming from her basket. Mari, Renee, and Kasumi all stared at their Young Master as he watched a pretty girl walk by. Like a creep. When he started to salivate enough to drool, Renee looked surprised but Kasumi looked thunderstruck.

“I bet those buns taste delicious.” Syron said offhandedly. Even Marigold failed to wipe the look of disgust from her face.

“Do you think she works at a nearby bakery? I’m suddenly in the mood for freshly baked bread. Something soft and mostly air. All the bread in the estate seems to be hard enough to break my teeth. I thought my family was wealthy… can’t even afford soft bread. Even those croissants from yesterday were crunchy instead of flakey. Woe is me…” Syron said while turning to look at his three companions. He faltered in his musings when he saw the looks on their faces.

“Um… right. Don’t know what that is all about, but whatever. I left early today, so I’m going to explore a bit before I head to the academy.” Syron claimed before walking in the opposite direction the woman was going. After all, where she came from might have more of what she had in the basket.

Hopefully it was store bought. If it was made privately, there is no way I’ll ever find it. Hah, is this really what my otherworld panic attack is going to be over? Vaguely nostalgic smelling food? I figured it would at least be over something more vital, like peanut butter. I should find out if pizza exists. If it doesn’t, it needs to. I used to scoff at all those Japanese light novels where the protagonists would throw a fit over rice and soy sauce… but I guess I kind of get it. Now that I’ve gone a couple weeks without Raylin’s cooking, the world is definitely a little… less? Am I home sick?

Syron shook his head and forced himself to wear a smile. Three hundred meters from the entrance to his estate, he saw a storefront sign in the shape of a baguette. With a fist pump and a skip, he stepped up to the door and gave a polite knock before entering.

“Hello? I wasn’t sure if this was the kind of store you enter or not…” Syron said tentatively. Marigold strained herself to stop from rolling her eyes. Renee and Kasumi just shared a look of shared joy. He had his hang ups, but their Young Master was a delight to be around most times.

“Just a minute!” A girl’s voice called from the back. There were shelves full of various breads and confections lining the walls, but there wasn’t a till or a place to sit.

Ah… most likely I’m intruding on a workshop, not a store.

When the girl appeared, all four of the group did a double take. Though she was covered in flour, her forehead was covered in sweat, and she was wearing an unflattering and loose-fitting double-breasted jacket with matching pants… there was no denying this was the same girl that just passed with the basket a few minutes before.

“Ah… you poor girls.” Syron muttered with a sigh. The pasty chef heard his mutter and tilted her head in confusion before frowning.

“Look, I’m busy. If you’re here to ogle, get out.” The girl said with fire in her tone. Inwardly, Syron praised her.

“Actually, I was just leaving my home earlier and a girl passed by carrying a basket that smelled so delicious, I dropped everything I was doing to find a nearby baker. Since that girl seems to be a carbon copy of you, can I assume that this is the right place?” Syron asked, keeping his words as polite as possible. He had a vague idea as to why she was so aggressive to someone that just walked in the door.

“Furthermore, I apologize for entering. I had never been here before and wasn’t sure of the proper protocol. In the future, is there a better way to make an order? Regardless of whether or not this is the right place, it still smells great.” Syron continued, looking away from the baker and gesturing to the shelves.

“Yeah, you must have seen my sister. She’s out on a delivery right now. We do standing orders for businesses and deliver it ourselves, but don’t deal with the public directly. I see you’re wearing the academy’s uniform. We are just a hole in the wall bakery that sells to local businesses so they don’t have to trouble themselves with it. Sorry if we can’t help you, but I can at least direct you to some of our clients if you really insist of eating ‘our’ bread.” The young woman said with a sigh, her too big hat falling lopsided on her head.

“Well, that’s a shame, but it can’t be helped. Sorry for bothering you like this. I just moved to the capital and don’t know left from right.” Syron apologized one last time before stepping out of the building. Kasumi looked murderous for some reason, so Syron gave her a questioning look.

“Whoa, Kasumi. The heck is up with that look?”

“She was dismissive of Young Master, and made you leave. She should be forced to be made an example of and…”

“Okay, seriously. Calm down. Where is all this violence coming from? You weren’t ever like this before we got to Pecunia. In fact, you were basically a decoration on the wall for the first several months I knew you. Now that we are here you’re going all gung ho about every little thing and threatening casual murder on a simple baker? Are we the villians? I just wanted a few rolls for the road, you know? Sheesh.”

I’m going to have to get a new knight if this keeps up. This sort of behavior is really not okay.

Syron shot a look at Renee, but she seemed just as surprised as him. Marigold was Marigold, of course.

“Yeah, let’s just head towards the Academy then. I’m feeling both hungry and frustrated now, and there is a delightful café right outside the gates. All the other boys will be totes jelly when they see who I’m dining with.” The girls didn’t really know what he meant, but they had long learned to not question it and to just go along. Renee had spent around an hour at a café run by an older lady right outside the Academy gates yesterday morning, but it was not really a place for a Young Master to bring his servants to. It was distinctly for couples. Even Renee felt uncomfortable when she realized it. It definitely wasn’t because she felt self-conscious about how she was alone.

They walked back past the estate and continued towards the looming Academy. With its spires that reached perhaps seven stories, it really towered over the surrounding buildings. Enjoying the stroll, Syron kept glancing around, trying to find out where everything was. There was a tailor that had Academy uniforms on mannequins displayed in their front windows, as well as a blacksmith’s storefront. The building was too small to have an actual forge inside, so it was just for vending their wares. Syron shrugged.

It’s just as well. We’re still only about two blocks from the estate. I wonder if we could hear the banging on metal from there? Probably not, but maybe?

“I’d like to go in that store some other time. I’d like practice weapons of various types and sizes.” Syron said with a casualness that implied he had no idea how expensive weapons from a storefront along the primary thoroughfare to the Academy was. Or perhaps he didn’t care. As he had taken to saying lately, he was apparently loaded.

“There’s the café in question. Shall we order a quick tea and… well damnit.” Syron was looking down another road that ran alongside the café, but the road was blocked with a carriage.

“Ah, Young Master that is the coat of arms for…” But he was already running and didn’t hear what Renee said after that. There were two rough looking guards for the carriage currently man handling an attractive brunette girl, her basket left strewn to the side. People noticed the scuffle, but when they saw the carriage had a coat of arms they just walked faster. A few of the older individuals shook their heads regretfully and turned away, causing Syron to seethe.

You call yourselves adults. Worthless, the lot of you. He thought with rage.

“Quit your fighting girlie. It’ll be worse for you if you don’t.” The uglier man said, his disgusting grin widening at how everyone else was turning away. He did see a student heading towards him, but he just assumed he was going towards the gate.

“Get off of me, cretin!” The woman yelled as she bit the arm of the man holding her and the turned to knee him in the crotch. She went to run but got kicked behind the kneecap, causing her to collapse to the ground. She hit her head hard on the cobblestone ground, causing a dull thud to resound on the street.

“Shouldn’t have done that. The Lord will be having fun with you later. That doesn’t mean I won’t try first.” The guard still standing walked slowly over top of her and pulled his foot back to kick her. He paused slightly when he heard the sound of several blades being drawn. Looking up, he saw a wall of heavily armored soldiers with their blades raised and pointing his way.

“Eh? When did you lot get there? (omitted)!”

“You dare assault a citizen within Kettenhemd? Do you have a death wish?” One of the armored men called out through his visor as he stepped forward.

“You lot ain’t no Knights or Prefects. You know who I work for? Walk away or I’ll have all your heads on a platter for breakfast tomorrow!” The ugly guard yelled out, spittle flying from his mouth. He was talking big, but of course he was more than a little worried at his chances. He felt a slight tugging on his waist, so he looked down. His utility knife unsheathed itself and then quickly stabbed into his own groin. Before he could cry out, a basic right straight hit him in the nose, causing him to fly backward with the blood spray trailing above him.

“Oh, thank goodness the carriage hadn’t left yet! I forgot my bag!” Beyeth Quoro came into the blocked off road. Standing in front of her was a blood covered Syron Forrester, his hands clutching a dagger over the mangled crotch of her collapsed guard. She peered into his eyes shining with fury and hatred, falling to her knees.

“Wait wait wait… these assholes work for you?” He said with a cold calmness that frightened her far more than screaming.