Hobie shouldered Hori as they emerged from the smashed wall.
The quiet one glanced and saw the Hataki present, standing in confusion. A participant just broke a 2 meters tall wall.
Hori spoke to Hobie with a slow voice. "You really....don't talk a lot." She said faintly, facing his bushy hair. Hobie simply nodded as usual.
After enough admiration, a female Hataki rushed to help Hori seeing she couldn't walk properly. Hobie placed her on the Hatakis back. Before they got going, Hobie's hands began to move in ASL.
/Thank you very much for your assistance/
Hori's eyes widened. Since he constantly replied earlier with nodding, meant he could hear. So contestant Hobie was mute.
The boy continued.
/I am sure I would not have passed without you. I promise to repay my debt/
He bowed as low as possible.
Hori said, shocked. "It's okay! You also helped me. Remember when you stopped running in front of that rainbow wall, I'm sure I would have gotten eliminated if not for you!" She expressed her gratitude as well, despite not understanding sign language she reasoned Hobie was showing appreciation.
The Hataki told her to rap it up. Carrying Hori was tiring.
"Till next time, Hobie! I wish you luck on the remaining trials!"
She waved and the Hataki began running out of the trial grounds.
Hobie silently watched her back as she left. He ruffled his hair and also left, refusing the help from other Hataki since he could still walk.
---------------------
The Hataki had arrived at the female dorm and dropped Hori slowly.
"Thank you for carrying me all the way here." Hori bowed and appreciated.
"No need to appreciate, it's our job. By the way, you and your partner finished really early, the first set in fact." The Hataki told Hori, impressed.
She however went silent, unwilling to expose what Narrator said, about SHO pressuring them to use the Bribery System. So she simply smiled and said they tried their best.
"Ehmm... before you leave, is there a sort of cafeteria around?"
Hori said, embarrassed. Clenching her stomach to prevent a growl.
"Don't be embarrassed, participants are fed during lunch or dinner, because the trials start in the morning. But you and your partner finished so quickly that it's not even past 10."
The Hataki continued.
"There's a cafeteria if you walk past this hall. It's meant for Priests but I'm sure they won't mind if a participant asks for food."
Hori bowed with gratitude then immediately followed the Hatakis direction.
----------------
With her hunger taking control, she rushed to the cafeteria with astonishing speed! However she found it slightly difficult locating the feeding grounds.
Groooowwwl~~~
Her stomach shamelessly spoke.
"Ahhh, I'm so hungry~~~!"
She exclaimed in pain. Hori then remembered last night, she hadn't eaten until the apples Meadow delivered when she laid in the Medbay.
For her metabolism, eating only peeled apples was insignificant to her superhuman stomach.
"Wait a minute!" She gasped and suddenly started sniffing. Hori remembered her extraordinary attributes, be it regeneration of wounds, her diamond like hands, or her classic 5 senses.
Hori was above average. With that she turned dog and followed the faint trace of food, curry to be precise.
After about 2 minutes.
Her feet touched the cafeteria floor, she found it.
From the satisfying background sound of chatter in a restaurant, to the obvious smell of Japanese local ingredients. This was certainly the place.
Hori slowly walked inside, still wearing her slightly stained white jersey.
Priests could be found like students dining in school, with their usual golden cross hanging below their necks.
Some eating, some simply chatting.
The cafeteria looked casual, but had more expensive tiling and roofing, evident of SHOs income.
'Wow, even though father was the head of SHO, I've never gone this deep before.....'
She glanced to the left.
'There's so much fooooooood!!!'
She almost yelled, seeing a row of lunch ladies serving multiple Priests.
Dismissing the impressive scenery of the cafeteria, she scurried towards a lunch lady taking no orders.
"Ehhm, g—Good morning ma'am." Hori greeted the grey haired woman taking a quick nap.
"...huh?"
The old lady, now awake looked down and saw Hori.
"....What'd you want kid."
She said wiping her eyes dismissing any trace of sleep.
"Excuse me.... sorry for disturbing your nap but, I'm quite hungry....can I please have some food?"
Hori bowed, fiddling with her fingers. Being the Prime Ministers daughter, she has never directly asked for food so it was quite embarrassing. Haruki always fed her without any requests.
With knitted brows, the lunch lady placed her palm on her face.
"Aren't you too young to be a Priest? And where's your cross?"
She pointed Hori with a clean dishing spoon.
"Ah, I'm not a Priest ma'am, I'm simply participating in this year's Sabbath exams!"
She exclaimed punching air showing her skills!
"Then if yer ain't no priest, then get outta here! Free quality Food is meant for Priests only!"
The woman yelled shooing Hori away. She argued only Priests deserved it, protecting civilians from Sinners and Sins.
"Oh...I see...."
Hori held her grumbling stomach and began walking away. Annoyed, she had fought some Sinners, and with the help of Haruki, they technically eliminated them despite being kids.
She dismissed her hunger and decided to just take a shower and sleep.
"Two bowls of ramen please, and some extra pork at the side."
A muscular army man ordered whilst Hori walked away.
"Coming right up Sir Scott!"
The lunch lady addressed the Bishop with a 180° switch, leaving Hori surprised.
She dished it out and handed the piping hot Japanese classic to Sir Scott.
He collected both with each hand, not feeling any heat due to the black bicker gloves he wore.
"Inori-san, mind eating with me?"
He said with a fatherly smile, his eyes now visible since his usual black shades rested on his forehead.
His casual invitation left Hori surprised, how did he know her name.
"I-I-I wouldn't want to impose Sir Scott! I best be on my way!"
She immediately bowed, both shy eating with a respected man and feeling awkward.
Growwwlllllll~~~~!!!
Her stomach said the truth, to which Sir Scott replied with a grin.
"C'mon, her cookings really good!" The Bishop complimented the lunch lady making her blush.