"How do you feel?"
The two-day final exam was over. As he walked out of the exam hall, Nangong Yu stretched lazily.
There was nothing he could do; the rules didn't allow submitting the paper early after finishing the questions, which bored him to death. Looking at Sugisaki Ken and the others who were walking out together, he asked casually.
"It's alright, there were no difficult problems. It might be a bit hard to get a perfect score again, though."
To maintain his position in the student council, his grades couldn't be poor.
Kazuto didn't say much, just nodded slightly and said it was alright.
"Why worry about final exams? By the way, have you decided where to go for summer vacation? If not, do you want to go out and play with me?"
The grades of the four of them were all at the top of the year. Bei Yuan waved his hand and looked at the three of them with some anticipation.
"Ah, sorry, I've already agreed to act together with everyone from the student council, so I can't go with you."
Walking along the road, Sugisaki Ken patted Bei Yuan's shoulder apologetically, but received a blank response from him.
"Oh, then I wish your harem dream comes true."
Not jealous, not jealous. It's just going out to play with four beautiful girls, Bei Yuan isn't jealous at all.
"What about you two?" He then turned his gaze to Nangong Yu and Kazuto.
"Me? As for me, I might stay at home. It's too hot in the summer, and there are several games I like that have come out recently..."
Kazuto scratched his cheek a little awkwardly, his voice also carrying an apology.
"Ah, as for me, I've already agreed to go to Europe with He Ren, so, sorry~"
Nangong Yu spread his hands, interrupting Bei Yuan's last hope.
"Tsk, is no one free? Forget it, my cousin invited me to play by the sea near her house for a few days before. I was planning to bring you guys along, but now it seems I'll just go by myself."
Bei Yuan scratched his head and said somewhat helplessly.
"Cousin? What are you going to do by the sea?"
Catching a name that piqued Nangong Yu's interest, he asked curiously.
"Hmm, I remember her family seems to run a diving shop. It's quite close to Saint Freya where we went last time. Although I'm not very good at swimming, I heard that diving doesn't require swimming, so I can just go and experience it."
"I see..."
Looking at Bei Yuan's somewhat expectant expression, Nangong Yu silently mourned for him for a moment.
Warrior, may you rest in peace.
...
"Princess, Princess?"
In the elegantly decorated Japanese-style room, Reisen looked at Penglai Shan Kaguya, who was kneeling in front of the table with empty eyes and a somewhat lost expression, with worry in her gaze.
Over a dozen calls finally attracted Kaguya's attention. She looked at Reisen, her expression still indifferent: "Is something wrong?"
"No, it's just... your state today seems very poor. Not only during the flower arrangement class in the daytime, but also just now..."
"No need to worry, Concubine (formal self-reference) is just a little short on sleep."
Kaguya shook her head gently, then no longer paid attention to Reisen.
Her current state was indeed very poor, and not sleeping well last night was just one insignificant reason among them.
The real reason was the events she experienced last night.
After the game was released, the sales and profit data for the first week were out. Having promised beforehand, she could only brace herself and take this data to her Father.
Because the cost was too high, it had only just broken even by now. In the eyes of her Father, who controlled the country's economic lifeline, this was probably very poor data.
As expected, after her Father finished reading the document, he didn't say a word, didn't even look at her, just let out a slight scoff and casually threw the document into the trash can.
And Kaguya could only return alone with dimmed eyes, dejected.
To this day, she still didn't understand why a work like to the moon would appear on a stage meant for newcomers. Was it really not intentionally bullying people?
Unfortunately, thinking about these things was useless now. Having lost her only chance, she also lost the fate of gaining freedom.
She would probably be arranged by her Father to marry into other powerful families in the future, marrying a man she had never met, then staying at home to raise children and worry about the trivial matters between wealthy families.
She sighed softly, dispersing the helplessness in her heart.
Forget it, hadn't she already prepared herself mentally for this situation? Long ago, Kaguya had already foreseen this future. This time, even Yonglin probably couldn't protect her.
Wanting the treatment of a wealthy family and also wanting freedom, where in this world is there such a matter-of-fact good thing?
Just as Kaguya was still somewhat lost in thought, there was a knock on the bedroom door.
"Please come in."
As soon as Kaguya's voice fell, the exquisite wooden door was pushed open, and a mature-looking woman with a large white braid, carrying a hint of sorrow, walked in.
After entering, she was about to say something, but stopped silently when she saw Reisen nearby.
The quiet air solidified for a moment. If Reisen couldn't sense the atmosphere now, she wouldn't be able to survive in this country.
Somewhat awkwardly nodding at the two of them, Reisen quickly retreated and firmly closed the door. She even deliberately made her footsteps louder as she left.
It wasn't until there were no other sounds in her ears that Kaguya seemed to put down the heavy burden on her body and sighed again, saying, "You've come, Yonglin."
Looking up at her, Kaguya's smile was a little bitter: "Sorry, Yonglin, I failed."
The woman Kaguya called Yonglin was silent for a moment, her voice filled with comfort: "No, you've already done well enough. This matter was just an accident."
"An accident? It seems Concubine (formal self-reference) is really unlucky, wasting the only chance Yonglin fought for me."
As someone who wasn't even the eldest daughter in the family, she had been trained as a valuable 'tool' since birth. If it weren't for the friendship she formed with Yonglin, who had taught her and was a high-level executive in the group, she might not even have had a chance to resist.
"So, Yonglin, is there something you need at such a late hour?"
It was almost dinner time, and Yonglin should still be busy.
Speaking of this, Kaguya suddenly noticed Yonglin frowning, and then her voice became somewhat heavy: "Your Father... asked me to take you to tonight's banquet. I heard... there will be important guests."
Hearing this, Kaguya's expression froze for a moment, but then the most beautiful smile bloomed on her face, like the spider lilies by the Sanzu River, so enchanting, yet so fragile.
"Is that so? That person really likes to kill the heart, specially sending Yonglin to invite me."
Slowly standing up, Kaguya walked slowly to the window.
Her thick black hair suddenly broke free from the hairpin's restraint and cascaded down with the gentle breeze. The orange sunset filtered through the window and enveloped Kaguya, as if reflecting the little remaining afterglow on her.
"I'm already eighteen and not yet married. I wonder if anyone will still like this 'old woman' of mine~"
Turning back, Kaguya smiled as if happily.
Yonglin could only respond with silence.