The Empire of Reimia (3)

Having ventured into the cafeteria, Toutar somehow finds himself in the company of Berwang, Relgar, Ifeon, and Imir. The five young men were sitting at the same table, each eating their own dish: fried eel with rice and vegetables for Ifeon, a huge omelet for Relgar, a colorful salad for Imir, and a large steak for Berwang. "But still," Ifeon said, breaking away from his meal, "who voted for Romeo? One vote was from himself, but where did the other three come from? I don't want to say anything about our comrade, but in my humble opinion, he's not the best candidate for this." "Me!" Berwang jumped up and raised his hand, as if answering a question in class. "But why?" Ifeon asked, genuinely surprised. "He is strong in spirit and character, just like the heroes in the books that the matron of our orphanage used to read to me when I was a child." "Heh," Ifeon smirked, a subtle hint of sadness on his lips, but he didn't continue the topic. "Imir," Relgar interrupted the momentary silence, "I must admit, at first I wasn't sure if you were a boy or a girl." "Aha-ha... Mm..." "Oh," noticing the awkwardness in his companion's voice and movements, Relgar hesitated slightly, "I didn't mean it as anything bad, and I didn't intend to offend you. I was just surprised by your refined beauty." "N-no, it's okay. I understand." "O-o-o," listening to this conversation, Berwang remembered something and became excited, "the older kids once told me that there are female demons who have both male and female 'attributes'." "Ahem," Ifeon choked and quickly drank a glass of water. Imir blushed. "That's disgusting." "Come on," Relgar disagreed, "I personally think that a good woman won't be spoiled by having a penis." "..." "..." "..." During this long and rather awkward pause, blood rushed to Relgar's cheeks and ears. "A-and what?... Well, yes, in terms of aesthetics, it might not look the best, but ultimately, it won't change what she is as a person. She will still be able to give you a child, surround you with care and love..." In response to this brief explanation, the others burst out laughing. Soon, the conversation shifted to another topic. "Guys, guys, what brought you to the academy?" Berwang's eyes lit up again. "Wouldn't it be better to start with yourself, Ber?" Imir humbly asked his younger friend. "They teach well here, and then they pay well. I want to become reliable and wealthy so that I can help my friends and the matron later!" "How noble," Relgar commented, "I must admit, my situation lacks any high motivation." "M?" "In short, my parents forced me here in an attempt to 'make a man out of me'." "I sympathize," Ifeon said, patting Relgar on the shoulder, "there is nothing more painful than being unable to fulfill your own dreams and being forced to follow the imposed standards of society." "Although I agree with you, I can't say that I dislike it here. But am I right in assuming that you came here to fulfill a certain dream?" "Yes. There is something I must do in this life, and I will stop at nothing to achieve it." Deciding to change the subject, Ifeon turned to Toutar. "What about you?"