The next day ca like yesterday never happened, again. But today, I grew even more detached from classes. In fact, I had been rather detached ever since Mirabelle and Villius left the chamber. I couldn’t even continue with my sparring.
In the end, I ended the spar early, headed back to my dorm, and watched my ceilings in silence. That silence had been carried through strongly even to my classes.
As I sat between Lionne and Eveliana, my mind kept wondering…
Do they still rember yesterday?
Are they thinking about it right now?
Did they tell anyone about it?
Every ti one of them would speak up, be it to talk to other students or answer the instructor’s questions, I would flinch ever so slightly, worried they might yell out what they saw back then.
Thankfully, none of them seed to be bringing it up. Like the world today, they acted like nothing at all happened yesterday.
Lionne still tried to convince to beco a class rep, but that was pretty much it. But that doesn’t an they hadn’t told anyone else about what they saw.
I worried that if I told them never to ntion it, it might reinforce the rumors in their heads that both of us are an item. But if I didn’t tell them, there was a small chance they might see it as a go-ahead to yell things out.
But… to be honest, I had no ti to worry about this.
I needed to preserve my brain power.
After all, my best birthday gift was scheduled for tomorrow, which was a blessing on top of a blessing, since tomorrow was the first day of the weekend, AKA, the day of my extra classes. But I had given a notice letter in advance for proper leave. The Third Prince himself signed the letter, so it was more like an ultimatum.
With tomorrow’s visit to the Royal Archives as the new thought occupying my mind, I felt my mind clear up a little. Not enough to combat the boredom of the class, though.
…
When classes finally ended, Lionne, Eve, and I walked together out of the room. When we reached the halls, however, Lionne stopped in her tracks. Eve and I turned to her, curious.
“What’s wrong, Lionne?” Eve asked. “Are you not heading to the cafeteria?”
“Yeah, I need to… do so business. Sorry!” she said, clasping her hands together with an awkward smile. “Don’t worry, though! I already told my friend to reserve a seat for you guys! It should be on the sa table as last ti!”
Again? This was the second ti she excused herself, but it wasn’t all that weird. I guess being an heir to a rchant family would be pretty demanding, too. But the fact that she still reserved a seat for us was an amazing feat by itself.
I nodded. “Noted. Thank you, Lionne.”
“Alright, I’ll take my leave then. See you soon!”
With that, she left us in the hallway, walking fast down the corridor and turning a corner.
—
In another hallway of the sa main building, I was walking down the hall as Feyt after finishing my classes, with an empty lunch box in hand.
“So Feyt! Ready to learn horse riding later?” Attila said, walking beside with her own empty lunch box.
“Oh, it's after lunch, right? I can’t wait!”
Finally, sothing practical to learn. The-Saint-slash-Council-President said it would happen in the second week, but that didn’t happen. But different generations had different schedules all the ti, so that wasn’t really her fault.
“Have you ever ridden a horse, Feyt?” Attila asked beside .
“Hmm?”
I recalled that I once rode a horse with Dad when I was really young. But that was my only mory of it.
“Not really,” I answered.
“Oh, then it’s my turn to teach you so stuff, eh?” she said with a proud smile. “You may not know it, but I’ve been riding horses since I was old enough to lift a sword!”
And how old would that be?
As I talked about horses with Attila, I heard a voice from behind us.
“There you are!”
“Hmm?”
I instinctively turned back,
There, I saw a friendly face. The problem was that face wasn’t supposed to be friendly at this specific .
A student wearing a standard white academy uniform jogged her way towards us, her faded pink hair bobbing with every step.
“L-Lady Lionne?” I muttered.
“Oh, please, just call Lionne!” She approached, stopping just a step away. “It’s nice to see you again, Sir Feyt! I believe we haven’t introduced ourselves properly. I am Lionne of House Astreid. It is an honor to finally make your acquaintance.”
Instead of reaching her hand out for a handshake like yesterday, she offered a proper full curtsy.
Both Attila and I were frozen. Before long, I cleared my throat.
“U-Uh,,,? Lionne, I’m—”
“Sir Feyt of Class First-A, a promising squire, and the future personal bodyguard of Lady Carine. I’ve learned a lot about you!”
I wasn’t even trying to introduce myself!
“W-What business do you have with ?” I finally gave out my actual question, forcing a polite smile.
Could this be related to the incident yesterday?
Damn it, I knew she would have problems with it!
What, is she going to tell to not approach or be so close to Carine?
She clasped her hands together.
“Nothing alarming, I assure you,” she said smoothly. “I just realized that we haven’t properly introduced ourselves, that's all. Considering how often you’ll stand beside Lady Carine in the future, it would be inappropriate of to remain unfamiliar.”
“I see…” I replied cautiously.
Attila was now fully silent, stepping back but leaning in at the sa ti as if trying to enjoy a show.
Lionne’s eyes dropped to the box in my hand. Then, a smile crept up her lips.
“Are you heading to the cafeteria, Sir Feyt?”
“Y-Yes?”
She tilted her head slightly. “You intend to bring your al back to the dormitories?”
“That’s usually what I do.”
In fact, that’s usually what every commoner students do. I even had to teach Ricent how to not starve to death a few days back.
Lionne’s smile widened again, like soone who just seen a door to success.
“The cafeteria is always so full, isn’t it? There’s so much to be gained to dine in, like the drink bar, but there never seems to be any seats available,” she lanted, almost dramatically. Then, her smirk returned as she faced . “However, if you wish, Sir Feyt… I can arrange a seat for you.”
“…Arrange?”
“Yes.” She said it as if it were obvious. “A seat by the window. A seat by the entrance. Any seat you desire, I can help ‘save’ one just for you.”
I felt like a kid being offered so drugs in a back alley.
Though, what she said was true. Dining in was much better than eating at dormitories. You can access the drink bar at anyti, no alcohol. You can have seconds or even thirds. And it was a lot more social, if that was a positive.
But the thing was… I was already experiencing those benefits as Carine, so I wasn’t exactly curious or dreaming about it.
“That won’t be necessary,” I answered with a shake of my head.
Lionne paused, caught off guard.
“Oh?”
“Walking back to the dorm isn’t really troubleso. And besides, the cafeteria is crowded, right?”
She studied for a mont.
I couldn’t tell if she was surprised or recalculating. Carine’s eyes were a lot better at noticing microexpressions. Though she humd as if she was thinking deeply.
Then, a small chuckle escaped her.
“Are you aware that I am responsible for reserving cafeteria seats for Lady Carine herself?”
I nodded.
Of course I knew. She was reserving stuff for , after all. Still wonder how she does her magic, though.
“Oh? You knew already?” Lionne clasped her hands together. “Lady Carine must speak quite fondly of then. I’m honored!”
At least she looked happy to assu that.
“Anyway,” she continued smoothly, “since I oversee Lady Carine’s seating arrangents… I believe you can imagine what I am capable of arranging for you.”
I blinked in silence.
Not really?
After a mont of silence, she leaned close, really close, until I could feel her breath near my ear.
“I can reserve you a seat,” she whispered, “right beside Lady Carine herself.”
My entire body jolted.
I stumbled back two full steps, waving my arms in denial.
“No, no, no! That won’t be necessary!”
Lionne remained leaning forward for half a second longer, as if my ear were still there. Then she slowly straightened, an eyebrow raised as she lightly scratched her cheeks.
I knew it! She totally bought into the rumors now!
She chuckled again softly as she continued. “Very well, if a seat beside her is too direct, perhaps a table across from her?”
I shook my head fervently. “N-No thanks! I would rather… not intrude…”
“Intrude?” She tilted her head. “But, aren’t you her future bodyguard? Isn't it your job to stay by her side at all tis?”
She didn’t sound like she was teasing.
She sounded genuinely confused.
“N-No, really! I respect my—I an, Lady Carine’s privacy! It’s uhh… an agreent we made, yeah!”
Lionne stared at in silence, studying . Then, with a soft sigh, she lowered her shoulders.
“I understand, I won’t force you if you don’t want it…”
I let out a sigh of relief.
“But!” she suddenly added, leaning in close again. “If you ever need help with sothing, be it getting a seat in the cafeteria, reserving sothing at the market, or maybe…” Her lips curled into a teasing smirk. “Securing a private mont with soone, you know who to shout for, yeah?” She punctuated it with a playful wink.
“Uhh…”
I didn’t even know how to respond.
Lionne straightened up, smoothing her uniform, and gave a firm nod. “Well then, I won’t keep you any longer. I hope you have a wonderful lunch, Sir Feyt!”
“R-Right… You too.”
With that, she turned on her heel and disappeared into the crowd.
Only after her footsteps blended into the surrounding noise did Attila clear her throat.
“Feyt… You have so amazing friends, huh?” she said nonchalantly.
Well then.
That’s the final nail in the coffin.
My friends now truly believe the rumors.
My drama-free life is absolutely cooked, isn’t it?
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