"Ha.... Hmm... Offmm..."
Astrea chomped down on everything her hands could reach, platters of meat, bountiful spaghetti, and fruits to the sides, she ate with blissful glee.
Cling
Kanon, shocked by Astrea's bottomless pit, nonetheless picked up after her.
Ikaros also ate like a hog but she kept up her elegant look.
The plates soon piled up near Astrea.
It was at least 8 inches tall by now.
Nagisa was at a loss for words.
Natsuki felt full just watching the two eat. She sighed.
The other students also can't believe the bottomless pits.
The other automata near the students also took up the challenge to eat as much as they could.
But, they couldn't handle the food.
The diner turned silent.
The waiters and even the kitchen staff stopped to take a look at Astrea deleting food from the plane of existence with ease.
They couldn't fathom how such a beautiful lady could fit so much food in that voluptuous body.
Sigmund was buried by the number of plates around him.
Charlotte's sandwich fell as she gasped in horror.
Astrea continued eating like nobody's business even if she became the center of attention.
Charlotte opened up her purse. With trembling hands, she counted her bills before tearing up.
Wu Yan looked at her before nonchalantly asking.
"Not enough cash?"
"A meal can't bankrupt me."
She refuted although she still gnashed her teeth.
"Looks like this is going to use up one month of my meal budget."
"Don't be shrieking in horror yet."
He grinned.
"Astrea is probably only 70% full. Wait till she eats her fill."
"This is just 70%?!"
Charlotte screamed.
She grabbed Wu Yan by his collar.
"I don't care, you're paying!"
"Hah?"
Charlotte's shampoo tickled his nose.
"I thought you were treating us?'
"I didn't say anything about that."
Charlotte huffed.
"Listen up, I borrowed you the money for the food. I didn't say anything about treating you all."
"You. Will. Pay. It. Back."
"Kay, sheesh."
He raised an arm.
"Wait until I go to a currency exchange. Oh, how about I just pay you with a gold coin?"
"A gold coin?"
Charlotte was tempted.
Astrea might eat a hole into one's pocket but it wasn't so expensive as to be paid off with a gold coin.
Charlotte would come up on top if he paid with a gold coin.
"I don't need to take advantage of your situation."
Charlotte turned him down.
"Just pay me back for the meal."
"Okay..."
"Oh, I am charging you interest too."
"Hey, this sounds like you're taking advantage of me!"
Astrea continued eating while Charlotte watched on with a tired look. Wu Yan agreed to pay back with interest.
"This automaton sure can eat. Now, I know why you're walking around with gold coins."
"You're half right. It certainly isn't easy to keep her around."
He continued.
"If she goes hungry during my exam, that would suck. I would rather she eat her fill here."
"A test?"
Charlotte flinched before recovering.
"You're going to take a ranking exam."
"So boring."
He said with a bored look.
"Rankings, how asinine."
"What do you mean pointless?"
Charlotte continued.
"Do you realize how important rankings are in this school?"
"Its importance?"
He grinned.
"For a certain section of the student body, right?"
The Walpurgis Academy trained elite Puppeteers.
The people who studied here are elites picked from the populace.
And, to choose the genius among geniuses, the academy hosted a tournament every 4 years.
The Night Party.
Also known as the Walpurgis Night.
The strongest puppeteer will be picked from the participants of this Night Party.
The victor will be known as Satan (Demon King).
Demon Kings are people who are recognized as the strongest in that tournament.
They will attain privileges like reading forbidden books, conducting banned experiments, and ignoring basically every Mage's law or code of ethics out there.
In other words, free rein to do as they pleased.
This included researching forbidden spells, genome modification, and conducting research into eternal life.
They will be treated like an army general due to the force they represent.
Fame, wealth, knowledge, power, everything will be within the reach of the demon king.
However, only the top 100 rankers can join.
This is why rank is very important, at least for Charlotte.
However, for those who are below the top 100, this tournament bore no importance.
"Hmm?"
They heard a commotion from outside the cafeteria.
"Ha.... Hmm... Offmm..."
Astrea chomped down on everything her hands could reach, platters of meat, bountiful spaghetti, and fruits to the sides, she ate with blissful glee.
Cling
Kanon, shocked by Astrea's bottomless pit, nonetheless picked up after her.
Ikaros also ate like a hog but she kept up her elegant look.
The plates soon piled up near Astrea.
It was at least 8 inches tall by now.
Nagisa was at a loss for words.
Natsuki felt full just watching the two eat. She sighed.
The other students also can't believe the bottomless pits.
The other automata near the students also took up the challenge to eat as much as they could.
But, they couldn't handle the food.
The diner turned silent.
The waiters and even the kitchen staff stopped to take a look at Astrea deleting food from the plane of existence with ease.
They couldn't fathom how such a beautiful lady could fit so much food in that voluptuous body.
Sigmund was buried by the number of plates around him.
Charlotte's sandwich fell as she gasped in horror.
Astrea continued eating like nobody's business even if she became the center of attention.
Charlotte opened up her purse. With trembling hands, she counted her bills before tearing up.
Wu Yan looked at her before nonchalantly asking.
"Not enough cash?"
"A meal can't bankrupt me."
She refuted although she still gnashed her teeth.
"Looks like this is going to use up one month of my meal budget."
"Don't be shrieking in horror yet."
He grinned.
"Astrea is probably only 70% full. Wait till she eats her fill."
"This is just 70%?!"
Charlotte screamed.
She grabbed Wu Yan by his collar.
"I don't care, you're paying!"
"Hah?"
Charlotte's shampoo tickled his nose.
"I thought you were treating us?'
"I didn't say anything about that."
Charlotte huffed.
"Listen up, I borrowed you the money for the food. I didn't say anything about treating you all."
"You. Will. Pay. It. Back."
"Kay, sheesh."
He raised an arm.
"Wait until I go to a currency exchange. Oh, how about I just pay you with a gold coin?"
"A gold coin?"
Charlotte was tempted.
Astrea might eat a hole into one's pocket but it wasn't so expensive as to be paid off with a gold coin.
Charlotte would come up on top if he paid with a gold coin.
"I don't need to take advantage of your situation."
Charlotte turned him down.
"Just pay me back for the meal."
"Okay..."
"Oh, I am charging you interest too."
"Hey, this sounds like you're taking advantage of me!"
Astrea continued eating while Charlotte watched on with a tired look. Wu Yan agreed to pay back with interest.
"This automaton sure can eat. Now, I know why you're walking around with gold coins."
"You're half right. It certainly isn't easy to keep her around."
He continued.
"If she goes hungry during my exam, that would suck. I would rather she eat her fill here."
"A test?"
Charlotte flinched before recovering.
"You're going to take a ranking exam."
"So boring."
He said with a bored look.
"Rankings, how asinine."
"What do you mean pointless?"
Charlotte continued.
"Do you realize how important rankings are in this school?"
"Its importance?"
He grinned.
"For a certain section of the student body, right?"
The Walpurgis Academy trained elite Puppeteers.
The people who studied here are elites picked from the populace.
And, to choose the genius among geniuses, the academy hosted a tournament every 4 years.
The Night Party.
Also known as the Walpurgis Night.
The strongest puppeteer will be picked from the participants of this Night Party.
The victor will be known as Satan (Demon King).
Demon Kings are people who are recognized as the strongest in that tournament.
They will attain privileges like reading forbidden books, conducting banned experiments, and ignoring basically every Mage's law or code of ethics out there.
In other words, free rein to do as they pleased.
This included researching forbidden spells, genome modification, and conducting research into eternal life.
They will be treated like an army general due to the force they represent.
Fame, wealth, knowledge, power, everything will be within the reach of the demon king.
However, only the top 100 rankers can join.
This is why rank is very important, at least for Charlotte.
However, for those who are below the top 100, this tournament bore no importance.
"Hmm?"
They heard a commotion from outside the cafeteria.
