A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

Not all vegetarians eat small portions, but most vegetarians tend to do so.

However, this only applies to humans. Large herbivores consume an enormous amount to survive.

Elephants are a prime example. Elephants need to consume up to 100kg of food daily to survive.

It's only natural to maintain that size, and it's no different for humans.

"Are you going to eat all of this? Is it even possible?"

"There's nothing impossible about it, is there?"

Even I tend to eat a large amount of food, and even the slender Luna eats quite a lot.

Mana can be replenished through breathing, but consuming food is the most efficient way.

But Erica is on another level. She has built a mountain of vegetables and fruits.

'What on earth has been going on with her?'

I couldn't understand. Eating only vegetables was understandable since she's a vegetarian.

But eating such a massive amount is another story. She's eating as if she's become an elephant.

"Oh, is it because of nutrients? You don't have to worry about that. There's tofu and beans hidden in here."

Erica smiled and showed me the beans and tofu buried under the vegetables. It was piled up like some kind of cake.

Even with just vegetables and fruits, it's already an enormous amount, and she's eating those as well. How does her stomach even work?

I stared at Erica with a baffled expression. I had way too many questions I wanted to ask.

"Sivar, let her eat for now. You can ask later. It's rude to interrupt a meal."

Just then, Kara stopped me. She insisted that during meals, one should focus solely on eating.

It was a valid point I couldn't argue against, so I backed off. But I didn't forget to leave a word with Erica.

"Let's talk after you're done eating. I have questions."

"Alright. I'll wait."

Would I be the one waiting, or would Erica? I was betting on the latter.

And as expected, even after the meal ended, Erica was still eating.

However, in that short time, more than half of it was gone. Thanks to that, it didn't take long for Erica to finish her meal.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. But the Saint told me to chew every bite thoroughly."

"The Saint?"

"Yes. The Saint you introduced me to, Mr. Sivar. Oh, should I call her the Holy Saint?"

She only told me not to spill my food. Maybe it's because Erica is a vegetarian.

Anyway, that's beside the point. It's amazing how all that food fit into her stomach. How is her stomach even structured?

"Did you always eat this much? And it seems like you've... changed during the vacation?"

Kara seemed to notice Erica's changes as well, trailing off. Her gaze flickered toward Erica's chest.

Erica used to have even less of a chest than Luna. But now, that's no longer the case.

In terms of fullness, she's not lacking compared to others. Of course, she's still not on Ellie or Rize's level.

"Your chest has gotten... really big, hasn't it? Right?"

Unlike Kara, Luna asked outright. She had once mocked Erica with her sharp tongue.

"You noticed."

"How did you do it?"

Luna asked with curiosity. Her voice was a mix of genuine interest and envy.

Perhaps it's because someone smaller than her surpassed her in just a month. I silently cheered for Luna.

"During the vacation, I learned from the Saint. I realized how foolish and ignorant my beliefs were."

"...Really? So, you've abandoned that whole 'life is precious' thing?"

"Life is precious and valuable. That's an unchanging truth."

Kara's expression was priceless at those words. She frowned as if to say, "Here we go again."

However, Erica's next words were distinctly different from before.

"But we are beings who live by consuming life. There's no way to live without harming life in this world."

Previously, she insisted on valuing life unconditionally, which was frustrating.

But now, she had become more realistic. While valuing life, she acknowledged that it's impossible to live without harming it.

"The Saint told me, if you think that way, then what about soldiers? They stain their hands with blood to keep ours clean. Protecting life means eliminating external threats."

"That's true. That's what being a soldier is about."

"She taught me that's why they deserve respect. She said humans don't enjoy harming life."

The reason humans formed a 'military' is very simple: to prepare for external threats.

Without a military, we'd be defenseless against invasions, unable to do anything.

When the Japanese Empire invaded Joseon, the first thing they did was dissolve the military.

That's how essential the military is to human civilization. Without it, we'd still be living as tribes.

"But isn't it strange to be convinced by just that? Wasn't there something else?"

"The Saint threw me into the forest."

"Ah."

Nothing drives a point home like hands-on experience. It was a move that perfectly suited Rize's personality.

"At first, I thought I could live by eating only grass. There weren't many threatening animals either."

"But it must've been tough."

I said. Even without threatening animals, and even with abundant food, the forest is dangerous.

Moreover, no matter how abundant the food, you'd always be hungry. The reason is simple.

"Yes. Doing everything 'on my own' left me exhausted, hungry, and in chaos. I realized the value of civilization and the importance of the power that protects it."

It's because you have to do everything yourself. In civilization, there are people who handle difficult tasks for you.

Those people are compensated for their labor, and through that, we obtain many goods.

The only thing you can get for free in this world is air. Everything else, from food to shelter, comes from someone's sweat and blood.

"But what does that have to do with your increased appetite? You're eating like an elephant."

"After gaining enlightenment, the Saint told me that while there are many ways to avoid harming life, without power, it's all meaningless. So I learned about power from her."

"... ..."

I hope that power isn't the power of Chaos. The thought of Erica turning into some JoJo-like muscle-bound figure is terrifying.

Again, it's not that I dislike it. It's just scary to think of having another Rize around.

As I said before, it's like saying, 'There's another one of those in the world.' It feels like I've ruined a person.

"Come to think of it, there's a brawl scheduled soon. I'll show you my power then."

"I'm looking forward to that. Are you going to fight directly now?"

"If circumstances demand it, I'll fight directly. But I'm someone who protects life. If there's someone who can fight for me, I'll support them in every way possible."

I think I understand her mindset. She plans to support those who stain their hands with blood on her behalf.

It's not a bad thought at all. She respects those who have no choice but to harm life, like soldiers.

'But if she believes in Chaos, what happens to Gaia?'

That thought crossed my mind, but it's a sensitive topic, so I didn't ask directly.

Changing religion is a difficult thing across all times and cultures. It's that sensitive.

After chatting with Erica for a while, we parted ways. Erica said she was heading to the private training ground.

"What are you going to do now?"

"I'm planning to return to the dormitory. What about you?"

"Me too. I want to rest today. What about you, Sivar?"

"I'm going to meet Grandpa."

By the way, Grace went straight back to the dormitory after finishing her meal. She said she'd prepare for her private lessons since she had plenty of time.

From my perspective, I hated math so much that I was determined to kill time somehow. So I decided to head to Rod's residence.

Since it's a weekday and not the weekend, I'm not sure if Rod will be there. But I'll go anyway. I have no choice if I want to skip studying.

"See you tomorrow."

"You too, take care."

We each went our separate ways, and I headed to Rod's residence.

If Rod isn't there, well... I'll just wander around. I absolutely didn't want to study.

"Brother Sivar?"

Flinch-

At that moment, I heard a familiar voice from behind. Just hearing the voice made me flinch.

Thinking it couldn't be, I turned around, and there they were. The person we had just been talking about was standing right there.

"It really is Brother Sivar."

Natural silver hair and bright blue eyes. A chest as large as Ellie's and stunning beauty.

She wore a sturdy nun's habit that revealed her figure, yet strangely, it didn't provoke any lust.

I just felt an inexplicable sense of intimidation. An unexpected figure appeared before me.

"......Rize?"

"It's been a while. Have you been well?"

Martial Saintess Rize appeared before me. I hadn't heard any news of her coming.

No, wait. Has Rize ever sent a message saying she was coming? As far as I know, she's always shown up unannounced.

But I thought she wasn't going to attend the Brawl event. Considering this, there must be another reason for her visit.

"I've been well. And you, Rize?"

"Thanks to Lord Chaos's grace, I've been doing well. Besides, Brother Sivar introduced me to an interesting person, didn't he?"

Is she talking about Erica? If I introduced someone, it could only be her.

No matter how much of a clumsy and stubborn vegan nun Erica is, she'd be no match for Rize.

As I mentioned earlier, I threw her into the forest under the guise of a field trip, didn't I?

"Why are you here? To watch the Brawl?"

"Yes. I'm curious about Sister Erica's abilities, and I also wanted to check on Brother Sivar's recent activities. But......"

Rize stared intently at my face and tilted her head.

Your face seems different. Did something happen to you?

"......I was a bit sick."

"You were sick?"

"Growing pains."

I coughed up blood and went through a lot, but I brushed it off as growing pains. Rod will explain the details later.

Rize seemed to understand that I didn't want to talk about it, as she nodded and moved on.

"I see. I just came from meeting Mr. Rod. What about Brother Sivar?"

"He went to see Grandpa. Where's Grandpa?"

"Grandpa? Are you perhaps referring to Mr. Rod?"

"Yeah."

Come to think of it, Rize doesn't know yet. She's been away during the break, so her reaction is understandable.

At this, Rize gave me a subtle expression and gazed at me quietly. She seemed to be lost in thought.

"Grandpa, huh...... It's been a while since I've heard that."

"Rize?"

"It's nothing. I was just lost in thought for a moment."

I tilted my head but let it go. People can get lost in thought sometimes.

Anyway, it seems Rod is in his office, not at his residence. I wanted to talk more with Rize, but......

"Then I'll be on my way. I have an appointment with Sister Erica."

"Are you busy?"

"I'm not busy, but an appointment is an appointment."

Hearing that she had a prior engagement, I quickly became sullen. In the end, I had no choice but to go back and study.

I absolutely hated math, but I had no choice. Wandering around aimlessly was boring too.

"See you next time, then."

"Yeah. Take care."

"Ah, and......"

Just before parting, Rize called out to me. I turned to face her.

Then she gave a faint smile and made a joke I couldn't understand.

"Don't call me Grandma, alright?"

"......Got it."

I hadn't even thought of that, so why would she say such a thing? Could it be because she felt guilty?

As I harbored my doubts internally, Rize's smile changed ever so slightly.

"May blessings be upon you."

It might have been my imagination, but her smile felt slightly bittersweet.

[Faith decreases.]

"???"

What the hell.

I didn't even curse, though?