Misaka Mikoto was sitting at the long table with a bowl of porridge in front of her, but she hadn’t picked up her chopsticks yet.
“Waiting for you all,” she said.
Yoshino also came out, holding Yoshinon, and sat next to Misaka Mikoto.
The five of them sat around the long table and picked up their bowls.
“It’s good,” Misaka Mikoto said flatly, but the speed at which she ate the porridge gave her away.
“Sister Roxy is so amazing.” Yoshino took small sips, her eyes crinkling.
“It’s delicious.” Furina also nodded, then glanced at Roxy.
“What time did you get up?”
“Six,” Roxy said.
Furina was silent for a moment, then lowered her head to eat her porridge, saying no more.
Kagashi took a few bites and suddenly spoke.
“Once things stabilize later on, we must set up a Livestock Carriage and a Plantation Carriage.”
The four girls all looked up at him at the same time.
“The Livestock Carriage will have chickens, ducks, pigs, and sheep so we can eat fresh meat,” Kagashi said.
“The Plantation Carriage will grow vegetables and fruit, so we won’t have to eat canned food anymore.”
“Raising chickens.” Misaka Mikoto’s lips curved slightly.
“Does that mean we’ll have eggs to eat?”
“Yes.” Kagashi nodded.
“And duck eggs, and goose eggs.”
“Growing vegetables.” Yoshino tilted her head.
“Can we grow strawberries?”
“We can.”
Yoshino’s eyes curved into crescents.
Roxy didn’t say anything, but the smile on her face deepened.
After finishing breakfast, Kagashi cleared the dishes.
Roxy returned to the window to continue practicing magic.
Misaka Mikoto sat at the long table, practicing her electricity.
Yoshino was in the corner of the carriage, condensing an Ice Shield.
“Furina, aren’t you going to practice?” Kagashi asked.
“I’m building up to it.” Furina closed her eyes.
Kagashi glanced at her but didn’t call her out.
Furina lay on the table, boredly spinning a wooden bowl.
“Boring,” she muttered.
“So boring.”
Misaka Mikoto glanced at her.
“Weren’t you building up your state?”
“Finished building.” Furina rested her chin on the tabletop.
“Now I’ve entered Sage Time.”
Kagashi looked at her, thought for a moment, and opened the Construction System.
He typed a word into the search bar.
“mahjong.”
The options popped up.
[mahjong (Full Set)]
[Materials: Wood x10]
[Description: A set of standard mahjong, 144 tiles in total.
Hand-carved with a delicate feel.]
Kagashi clicked construct.
“What’s this?” Furina leaned in, her eyes instantly lighting up.
“mahjong,” Kagashi said.
“A type of tabletop game.”
“How do you play?” Misaka Mikoto also leaned in, the electrical arcs at her fingertips retracting.
Yoshino ran over with small steps while holding Yoshinon, standing on tiptoe to look at the mahjong tiles on the table.
Roxy also stood up from the window, put away her staff, walked to the long table, and watched quietly.
Kagashi briefly explained the rules: Pong, Kong, Chow, and Hu.
The four girls listened with partial understanding, but their curiosity was piqued as they gathered around the table and began arranging the tiles.
“What’s this?” Yoshino picked up a “Ten Thousand” tile and turned it over repeatedly.
“A number tile, one.”
“And this one?” Furina held up a “Red Dragon” tile, her expression filled with curiosity.
“A character tile.”
“This pattern is so cute.” Misaka Mikoto held a “Green Dragon” tile, her lips curving slightly.
Kagashi led them through a few rounds. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Furina was lucky and won the very first hand.
She was so happy she almost jumped up, pushing the tiles away and standing with hands on her hips: “As expected, this protagonist was born to be a winner!”
Misaka Mikoto wasn’t convinced; in the second round, she held out for a big hand and beat everyone.
Yoshino didn’t quite know how to play, but every time she drew a good tile, she would giggle, her eyes curving into crescents.
Yoshinon directed her from her arms: “Little Yoshino, play this one, play this one!”
Roxy played very steadily, neither rushed nor impatient, occasionally winning with a small hand.
Her movements while playing tiles were elegant, like a ritual; before playing each tile, she would first observe everyone’s expressions and then place it down gently.
They played for about an hour.
Kagashi checked the system time and pushed the tiles aside.
“That’s enough for now.”
“A little longer.” Furina clutched her tiles, refusing to let go, shielding them against her chest.
“We arrive at the station tomorrow at eight,” Kagashi said.
“The Novice Protection Period ends.
We don’t know what we’ll encounter at the next stop, so today we have to spend our time on serious business.”
The carriage fell silent for a moment.
“Serious business?” Furina asked.
“Familiarizing ourselves with our abilities,” Kagashi said.
“Yours, and mine.”
The four girls looked at each other.
Furina put the tiles back on the table and stood up.
“Alright.”
Misaka Mikoto also stood up, electrical arcs lighting up at her fingertips again.
Yoshino, holding Yoshinon, retreated to the corner of the carriage and extended a small hand, an Ice Shield manifesting in front of her.
Roxy picked up her staff, the tip glowing with silvery-white light.
Kagashi looked at them, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.
“Let’s begin.”
The wheels clattered “clack-clack” as the train traveled through the grassland.
Tomorrow would be a new trial.
It might not seem tempting right nobut who knows what the future holds?
“And If you’re enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!”