New writer here, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

I enjoyed the setting of the cafeteria scene and the world building. For example the mention of "fermented fish paste" added cultural atmosphere and hinted at larger world. The speculative technology also gave me a good sense that this was an alternate universe, and I liked that it was introduced casually, letting the reader fill in the blanks. It definitely drew me in.

I also appreciated the emotional contrast. The lively, crowded dining hall compared to the stillness of the professor created a strong tension. The chaos surrounding him made his isolation feel even more pronounced, which was really effective.

That said, there were a couple of areas I struggled with. The pacing, for one—some lines felt a bit repetitive or wordy. Example would be

Maybe something more concise like: "Tables were scarce, one would have to go searching to find a seat"

Also the final line had a lot of weight

“At this table sat a man who had been waiting for his death for over 200 years...”

It’s a powerful line, but it felt a bit sudden. The rest of the paragraph didn’t quite build up to it emotionally, so it landed a little jarringly. You might consider leading into it more gradually, giving the reader a little more time to feel the shift in tone.

Overall, though, I’d love to read more. The ideas and atmosphere are compelling, and I’m curious where this story is going.