With The Fifth Loop, The Third Prince Has Been Added To The Cast. - Chapter 3.1

“Oh? Are you having lunch now too, Cheryl?”

It might have been the first time I ran into Prince Camus at school just before lunch.

“Yes. Are you also going to eat now, Your Highness?”

“Yeah, I’m heading to the cafeteria. Would you like to eat together if you don’t mind?”

“Ah… I’m sorry, I… well…”

Honestly, I was happy he invited me. If I could, I wanted to say yes right away.

But instead, I lifted my bag just a little to show him what was inside. The reason I couldn’t accept his offer was right there—my lunch.

“Oh, I see. Sorry, I forgot—you always bring a packed lunch, right?”

He wasn’t wrong. But I didn’t remember ever telling him that.

I make my own lunch every day and eat alone in the courtyard. But… how did His Highness know?

“That’s too bad. I actually just remembered a book I wanted to recommend to you. I thought it’d be fun to talk about it over lunch.”

He said, “Maybe we can talk later,” and started to walk away. I found myself reaching out and grabbing his hand to stop him.

“Oh—I’m sorry! I, um…”

“What’s wrong? Did you need something?”

Even though I had just pulled the prince’s arm (which was very rude!), he was still gentle and kind as always.

“If… if it’s alright, maybe… you could share this with me?”

“Huh? You mean your lunch? But isn’t that your meal?”

“It is, but… I always end up making too much, enough for two people. So if it’s not a bother…”

And then I froze.

I realized I was doing the same thing I did with the cupcakes—I handed him homemade food without thinking it through.

Back then, at least it was during a cooking class, so it was kind of safe.

But now… a prince eating a noble girl’s homemade food, made at home with no one watching? That couldn’t be allowed.

“S-sorry! What am I even saying…? Of course, you can’t eat something like this…”

I was so embarrassed; I didn’t know what to do. I just wanted to run away.

“Wait.”

“Y-yes…?”

I didn’t actually try to leave yet, but Prince Camus held my arm gently, as if to say he wouldn’t let me go.

“That’s a lunch you made, right? If I say I want to eat it, would you share it with me?”

“Um… well…”

“Is it not okay if I eat it?”

“No, it’s not that it’s not okay…”

“Really? Then I want to eat it—with you!”

“But, um, what about poison tasting…?”

“It’s fine. You made it, Cheryl. But if you’re worried, you can eat everything first. I’ll only eat what you already ate, okay?”

I wasn’t sure if poison tasting worked like that… and I wondered if it was okay for a prince to be so careless.

Still, what filled my heart most was happiness—because Prince Camus wanted to eat my food.

“If you’ll eat it, Your Highness… I’ll be really happy.”

“I’m really happy I get to eat your lunch too! Wait here—I’ll go grab the book I wanted to show you! ”

Seeing how truly happy he looked made my heart feel warm. I watched him run off and hoped he’d come back quickly.

“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?”

Right after His Highness disappeared from sight, Franz appeared behind me.

Once again, one thing was certain—he was clearly angry.

“What do you mean?”

“That lunchbox—you made it to eat with me, didn’t you?”

Why is he bringing that up now?

Yes, it was true—once, that was the case.

It all began before Claire had enrolled, back when we had just entered the academy.

Wanting to do something, anything, for Lord Franz and wishing to eat lunch with him even once, I started making lunch for two every day.

But in reality, he only ate with me a handful of times, and not even once after Claire enrolled.

Still, I clung to the little hope that someday he might eat with me again, and so, in each repeated life, I continued making lunch for two every single day.

But that’s all in the past now.

Now, not even the slightest part of me wants to eat lunch with him.

That wish had been cast aside in my fourth life.

Yet I still make lunch for two simply out of habit—an ingrained routine I couldn’t shake off no matter how hard I tried. Even though I knew it was unnecessary, I couldn’t help but make two portions.

“It was true once. But not anymore. Franz, you always eat in the cafeteria with Claire, don’t you? I know full well you wouldn’t eat the lunch I made.”

“And yet you still make two portions, hoping, just maybe, that you’ll eat with me?”

“No. That’s something from the past. Now I don’t need to make two, but I’ve done it for so long that it’s just a habit. Even if I know it’s unnecessary, I end up making two portions.”

In the end, I throw half of it away every day, which feels like such a waste.

But habits formed from repeating life since my first one are terrifying things—before I know it, I’ve made lunch for two again.

“You don’t have to act tough. I know you still want to eat with me.”

“No, that’s not—”

“And now, since I won’t eat it, you’re trying to dump the leftovers on His Highness, aren’t you?”

“Wha!? That’s not what I—!”

“You’d better stop. You wouldn’t want to get arrested for disrespecting the royalty, would you?”

It was true—I had no intention of offering the lunch to him. That was completely out of the question.

But now that he said it, I couldn’t deny the situation—I was basically pushing it onto Prince Camus just to avoid throwing it away.

When I thought about how terribly disrespectful I might be being to a royal prince, I couldn’t say anything in return.

“I don’t mind at all. I have no intention of accusing her of disrespect.”

A dignified voice rang out, surprising both me and Lord. We turned to look towards the one speaking.

As soon as our eyes met, Prince Camus smiled gently at me.

That smile felt like it was saying, “It’s all right.” I felt relief wash over me.

“It was my idea to ask her to share her lunch. She only agreed because I was being selfish. There’s no disrespect in that, is there?”

Saying that to Franz, Prince Camus smiled and took my hand.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. You weren’t harmed today, were you?”

“No, I’m all right.”

“Good. Then let’s go.”

Franz  stood there in stunned silence and, for once, didn’t try to stop us from leaving.