Surviving in Blue Archive Chapter 124 44: The Tsundere Iori

During lunchti, the Gehenna student cafeteria was nothing like the quiet place I rembered, it was bursting with noise and activity, every seat taken.

Everywhere I looked, the tables were filled with students—each with her own unique flair, but all of them beautiful in their own way. The space, which had seed spacious on my last visit, now felt almost cramped.

And so, I imdiately began to consider retreating.

I hadn't expected the cafeteria to be this crowded.

There were simply too many students and this was Gehenna, after all. Even knowing that the Prefect Team would respond instantly if anything happened, I couldn't help but feel uneasy.

If only there were soone I knew, soone reliable, preferably with so combat ability.

I scanned the cafeteria, searching the sea of heads for a familiar face who fit the bill, but unsurprisingly, ca up empty.

After all, the number of Gehenna students I could claim to know personally barely reached double digits. Of those, the four girls from Problem Solver 68 were usually off-campus, and as for the rest, I'd only t Fuuka and Jurie from the School Lunch Club once, plus the Prefect Team President and her three officers.

Reluctantly, I accepted the reality and decided to grab sothing prepackaged from the convenience store instead.

But just as I turned to leave the cafeteria, luck turned in my favor.

Walking straight toward was a girl with a sniper rifle slung over her shoulder, a "Prefect" armband on her arm, her silver twin-tails glinting under the lights against her tan skin.

My eyes lit up instantly, and a bright, genuine smile spread across my face.

But just as I spotted Iori, she spotted .

She visibly shuddered, crossed her arms, and gave a look of utter distaste, then without hesitation, turned on her heel and started to walk away.

"Hey! Iori! Wait up!"

To my mild surprise, she actually stopped. Turning back, she glared at as I caught up, then huffed sharply through her nose, her tone dripping with irritation.

"You pervert. What do you want with now? Don't tell you've sunk so low that you'd try sothing indecent here, in front of everyone?"

As she said that, Iori took a half step back, her narrowed eyes glinting with suspicion.

…Her imagination really was impressive.

I let out a wry laugh and shook my head. "You're misunderstanding. You're here to eat, right?"

"Obviously. What else would I be doing in the cafeteria at this hour? There hasn't been any disturbance."

"Then great, let's eat together."

My sincere invitation was t with deep skepticism.

"…Huh?" Iori raised an eyebrow. "Hold on. Why would I eat with you? And didn't you just co out of the cafeteria?"

I scratched my cheek awkwardly. "Well… you know, this is Gehenna we're talking about. You get what I an, right?"

"Explain yourself properly."

I sighed. "I an, there are a lot of… problem children here. And with so many people inside, I was worried I might get caught up in sothing."

"Then just eat sowhere else."

She wasn't wrong. But first, I'd been craving Fuuka's cooking, and second, I was too hungry to go looking for another place.

Before I could co up with another excuse, Iori clicked her tongue, then took a few brisk steps to stand beside .

"Fine. Can't be helped. It's technically part of my duty as a mber of the Prefect Team anyway. I'll help you out... just a little. Co on, let's see if there are any open seats nearby."

With that, she strode toward the cafeteria doors, and I quickly followed.

My eyes involuntarily followed the arrow-shaped tip of her twin-tail ribbons as they swayed side to side. I couldn't help but think, what a good-hearted girl she was, beneath that prickly exterior.

Really, anyone who voluntarily joined the Prefect Team in a place as chaotic as Gehenna, working tirelessly every day to preserve what little order remained had to have a passionate heart.

…Maybe even Ako, if I were being generous.

Though, to be honest, based on the impression Ako had given so far, it was still hard to say I respected her.

Iori and I collected our al tickets from the self-service machine and joined the line at the serving counter.

The student handling the food there was soone I actually recognized—Ushimaki Juri , whom I'd t during my last visit.

Juri stood out among her peers, tall and well-built, her features soft and kind, her smile always bright.

A pair of sturdy bull-like horns jutted from her peach-colored hair, and her eyes were a gentle sea-green. Just below her left eye sat a beauty mark that lent her face a hint of allure.

She clearly rembered as well. Her eyes lit up as she greeted cheerfully.

"Oh, Sensei! Good afternoon! Welco back to our cafeteria! Are you here on business again today?"

"Sothing like that," I replied smoothly. "I ca to et a very important student."

I deliberately omitted the "-s" from "students," which earned a small, ambiguous hmph from behind —recognizably Iori's voice, though not quite as icy as before.

"I see~! Well, here you go, Sensei—enjoy your al!"

Juri took my ticket, handed a tray with my chosen set al, and smiled warmly.

After waiting for Iori to get hers as well, we found two empty seats tucked in a corner and sat down.

"Itadakimasu."

Hands pressed together, we both spoke the familiar pre-al phrase said to have originated from Hyakkiyako (Kivotos Japan Town), but now common throughout Kivotos and began to eat.

But as soon as I took my first bite, my brows furrowed.

It wasn't that it tasted bad (it was edible, certainly), but it was leagues below what I'd eaten last ti.

"What's wrong? Don't like it?" Iori noticed my reaction. "The food here's always been like this. I thought you knew that already. It's a student cafeteria, the best thing about it is the price."

Her words made pause and then it clicked.

Last ti, I'd visited between altis and ended up eating sothing Fuuka, the head of the School Lunch Club, had personally cooked—a special al, not the mass-produced version.

Naturally, when you're cooking in bulk, efficiency takes priority over quality.

Realizing that, I adjusted my expectations, took another bite, and found it… not so bad, in its own way.

Maybe it was Iori's presence, but I ended up enjoying the al peacefully enough. When we finished, I thanked her sincerely for keeping company.

She, of course, replied in her usual tsundere tone that it was "no big deal" and "not worth ntioning," before striding off with her head held high and steps light.

And, as a bonus, I'd managed to get her contact info along the way.

Once the cafeteria had mostly emptied out, I made my way around the back, into the kitchen area.

There, slumped over a counter in exhaustion, was none other than Fuuka.

"Yo, Fuuka," I greeted smoothly. "I ca all the way just to see you."