Most students at Serendia Academy ate lunch in the student cafeteria inside the school building. A few would have their meal brought to their room, but that was fairly uncommon. Nearly all the students ate in the cafeteria. But in truth, Lillian had yet to eat lunch in the cafeteria. She would always be busy in the infirmary to have lunch, so she usually only had some light snack during this time of the day.
However, that day, she'd practically been kidnapped by Casey and Lana to eat with them in the cafeteria. As she walked through the space, she was surprised, to say the least.
Whenever she heard the word "cafeteria," Lillian always thought of the one at Minerva's. There, you would walk up to the counter, pick something off the menu, pay the price, and receive a wooden card with the meal you had ordered noted on it. You'd then show the card to the person at the meal counter and exchange it for your tray of food.
Lillian had figured that Serendia's cafeteria would work the same way, but it was actually very different than what she'd imagined. The cafeteria essentially worked like a high-class restaurant. Once you arrived, you were shown to a table by an attendant, who would take your order and bring the food to your table. The price of the food was trailed up alongside tuition, so students didn't pay in the cafeteria.
Many of the students at Minerva's had been nobles as well, and its facilities had hardly been shabby—but Serendia was on an entirely different level. Clearly, no expense had been spared.
Lillian looked around as she and the other girls were seated by the attendant. As she sat, someone quietly slid into the seat next to her. She'd been looking down the entire time, so she figured it was Lana or Casey. But when she raised her head, she saw them both sitting across from her.
… Then who had sat down next to her? Lillian turned to look—and saw Claudia Ashley, with her black hair and depressing aura.
"What are you doing here!?" exclaimed Lana angrily, glaring at the newcomer.
Claudia leaned in closer to Lillian. "What do you mean?" she said. "We're friends, you know. Isn't that right? Lillian dearest."
Petrified, Lillian let out a few strange sounds but was otherwise unable to speak. Claudia brought her white-gloved fingers up to Lillian's face and stroked her cheek. Why did it feel like a snake slithering across her skin?
"...We had a heart-to-heart conversation the other night, didn't we?"
"...Yes."
"And you were worried about me, weren't you?"
"Um, I suppose."
"...Which means we're friends, doesn't it?"
"R-right..." Lillian answered, leaning away from Claudia.
Claudia, confident in her victory, grinned. Lana was enraged. "Don't force her to say things like that!" she shouted.
"Alright, alright," said Casey in an attempt to pacify her before holding out the menu. "Let's not be unsociable. Why don't we put in our orders?"
"...Oh, but I wasn't being unsociable," pointed out Claudia. "That girl is simply flailing about of her own accord... Isn't she?"
Lana ground her teeth at the obviously provocative remark. Casey looked between the two of them with an exasperated expression. "Both of you, settle down and let Lillian order. Oh, and Lillian, I would recommend this fried fish platter. It has amazing special sauce. And you like fish; I'd also recommend this sauteed dish here."
"...Okay, then I'll go with that."
Although Lillian earned a handsome income as one of the Seven Sages, she didn't particularly care what she got off the menu. In fact, she didn't care much about food in general, so she was grateful for Casey's recommendations.
After a short wait, their food arrived. In front of Lillian, the attendant placed a tray containing a grilled white fish saute, bread, and soup. Lillian thanked the attendant before beginning to eat. From the sauté came the delicious scent of lemon and butter. The soft fish melted in her mouth. After the powerful taste of butter filled her mouth, the refreshing, subtle flavor of the lemon tickled her tongue.
"...It's delicious," she mumbled.
Lana, tearing off a piece of bread, nodded as if Lillian's reaction was to be expected. "I know. I became addicted to the flavor when I first tried it as well."
Casey nodded as if reflecting on this herself. "I'm the same. My homeland is far from the sea, so if we ever eat fish, it's mostly ones from the river that we roast." She explained, splitting her bread in two, putting vegetables and fried fish between the pieces, and stuffing them into her mouth.
Her method of eating earned a frown from Claudia. "...That's how laborers eat."
"Everyone back home eats like this," explained Casey, unfazed by Claudia's astonished look. "When we get a break from work, that is."
Casey swallowed a big bite of her bread, then wiped her mouth with a napkin. She continued casually, "And where I come from, the nobles and laborers are the same. If we don't all put in the work, we won't have enough food to go around."
"...I'm surprised you were able to come here," remarked Claudia.
"You can go ahead and say what you're thinking: you're surprised such poor nobles were able to afford the tuition. I feel the same way. I really was lucky to be able to enroll here. Someone with a connection supported me."
Rather than acting humble, Casey appeared nonchalant. She didn't seem to consider her circumstances unfortunate anymore. But then, as if she was uncomfortable having those around her fuss over the matter, she grinned a little and changed the topic.
"By the way, have you all decided what you want to do at the school festival next month?"
Claudia, face still gloomy, said, "...I'll be in my room until the ball." Her constant melancholy was ruining Casey's efforts to change the mood.
Casey pursed her lips, then forced a smile. "Ha-ha... I didn't expect to hear that, but I guess you are pretty popular, Lady Claudia. You're one of the academy's three beauties, after all."
The academy's three beauties—the term was unfamiliar to Lillian. As she chewed on her bread, she tilted her head in confusion. Lana lowered her voice and explained.
"She means Lady Bridget Grayham, who is in her third year; Lady Claudia, who is in her second year; and Lady Eliane Hyatt, who is a first-year student."
Lillian had never met her but heard Eliane is the daughter of Duke Hemenlinna, but Bridget and Claudia certainly possessed incredible beauty. The first was the flowery sort, with rich blond hair and amber eyes, while Claudia was more mysterious, with black hair and eyes the color of lapis lazuli. The two of them standing next to each other would probably attract even more attention.
Most of the students at Serendia Academy were the children of nobles, so many of them were already engaged to someone. This was also true of Claudia. But some, even though, or perhaps because, they were engaged, wished to enjoy the ups and downs of romance free of such arrangements while they were still in school. For such people, the gorgeous Claudia was a target of admiration. As such, there had been a whole line of boys asking her to the school festival's ball the year before.
"...Neil is so busy with student council work that he has almost no time during the day to do what he wants," droned Claudia. "There isn't much point in my attending the festival."
"Unbelievable!" exclaimed Lana, glowering. "You absolutely must see the play this year! The costumes are incredible. I'm the one who oversaw them after all. In fact, I insist it's worth a look just for the outfits. Plus, we're using fireworks in the production. It will be splendid."
Lana puffed out her chest as she spoke, earning a pained grin from Casey. "Yeah, and that argument you had with the girl from the historical society was definitely something..."
Casey explained that Lana, who had been selected to take charge of costumes for the play, the highlight of the school festival, had gotten into an impassioned debate with a student from the historical society. The president of said society had insisted they should use costumes purely based in tradition, while Lana had argued they should be more flowery ones that featured a few of the latest trends. Their debate had raged for days, and in the end, the two had shaken hands like old war buddies.
"Well, we wouldn't have come to that conclusion if Lillian wasn't there to mediate." Lana admitted as she thanked Lillian, who proposed the idea of mixing both tradition and the latest trend for the costume.
Every year, as a tradition, Serendia Academy put on a play that told the story of how the first emperor founded the empire. It was a story everyone heard when they were young.
Around a thousand years ago, the first emperor had formed a contract with each of the seven Spirit Kings—fire, water, earth, lightning, wind, light, and darkness—to bring peace to a land ravaged by demons and dragons; he then borrowed the spirits' power to slay them. And with peace restored, he founded the empire.
Apparently, this play was the highlight of Serendia's school festival every year.
"Lillian, Casey. We should go see the play together on the day of the festival!" said Lana. "...Though it seems a certain someone will be lazing around in her room at that time."
Her jab was aimed at Claudia, but the black-haired girl seemed not to notice.
Lana pouted and turned away from her before continuing. "After watching the play, we can listen to the music club perform and take a look at the charity bazaar. Oh, speaking of—weren't you putting up embroidery at the bazaar, Casey?"
"That's right," Casey nodded, taking a handkerchief out of her pocket. "Something like this."
The handkerchief had small blue flowers embroidered on it. Lana observed it closely, her face locking into the appraising stare of a merchant. "You have skill," she said.
Lillian looked at it, too, giving her own straightforward impression. "...It's cute."
Casey scratched her cheek in embarrassment and laughed. "Aha-ha. Thanks. I'm actually pretty competent at it. Blue flowers symbolize happiness where I'm from, so we embroider them a lot. Once I met the quota for the bazaar, would like me to make you something, too, Lillian?"
"Um, that's..."
"Oh, do you not like flowers?"
"It's not that...It's just, I'm afraid I'll get them dirty during my work."
Then Casey leaned across the table and started mussing up Lillian's hair. "No need to worry. I'm offering to do it because I want to."
"Um...okay then," said Lillian quietly, nodding. "I'm looking forward to it."
School festivals at Minerva's had mainly involved everyone showing the results of their research. As a student, Lillian had naturally been expected to submit something fairly significant, so she'd been busy writing essays and creating materials. Back then, she
would hole up in a laboratory the day of the event and spend all her time preparing her exhibit as best she could, so she didn't really have a sense of what a school festival was like.
But she could feel the excitement radiating from those around her— more than she'd felt at Minerva's. Lillian preferred to stay away from crowded places, and festivals were as crowded as you could get. And yet…
…I think…I'm actually a little excited.
There wasn't anything in particular she wanted to do during the festival, but she hoped it would succeed, that it would go smoothly without any incidents.
"Accountant Lillian."
Suddenly, someone called her name. She looked up and saw Cyril approaching their table. He handed a piece of paper to her.
"We received advance notice from a contractor who will be bringing in materials after school today. As student council members, we need to be present, so come to the east gate after class. This is a list of materials."
"The east gate?" repeated Lillian. That one was always closed and almost never saw use.
Cyril gave a short nod. "We have a lot of materials coming in. If every contractor came through the front gate, they'd obstruct the students."
According to him, they were expecting three contractors, all at the same time. one would bring fabrics and clothing, another firework and the last lumber. The would was going to be the bulkiest of the three, so they were bringing it in through the east gate.
"His Highness and Secretary Howard will be attending the fireworks, while Secretary Grayham and Officer Maywoord will be looking after the clothing. That leaves us for the lumber."
"Alright," said Lillian with a nod.
Claudia, sitting next to her, took a sip of her tea, then muttered, "...How foolish of you to reveal student council plans to a third party."
Cyril frowned and glared at his younger sister. "What's wrong with informing other students of our plans?"
"...It seems Neil will be alone with Bridget Grayham...a woman other than me...I'll have to get in their way."
"Hold it right there!"
Claudia Ashley is the kind of person who would actually go through with what sounded to others like a mean-spirited joke, especially when it came to her fiance, Neil.
"The contractors will be present for the check as well," conitnued Cyril. "They won't be alone. So please do not cause any trouble for them!" He turned back to Lillian. "...Also, Accountant Lillian, we are in charge of a sizable amount of lumber. Report to the gate as soon as you can."
"Understood, Lord Ashley." Lillian nodded as a pair of arms suddenly coiled around her head.
It was Claudia, she'd embraced her from behind and now she whispered into her ear, "Oh, but you know my last name is Ashley too."
"...You're Lady Claudia, so I call you that and well..."
"Oh my. She won't even call you by your name, my dear brother. She calls me by my first name because we're friends, but I suppose you two are merely acquaintances. It simply can't be helped. I feel so bad for you, getting the cold soulder from the young and talented assistant medical officer...Dearest elder brother." Claudia smiled thinly as she looked up at Cyril.
Cyril grimaced. Not for the first time, it occured to Lillian that these siblings didn't seem to like each other very much. Lana and Casey appeared bothered by it, too, but they merely looked on in silence.
Lillian tried to correct the misunderstanding. She had no intention of giving him the cold shoulder. "Lord Ashley...I mean Lord Cyril Ashley. You're really good at your work and are a great person. So, um, I respect you."
Her attempt to console him only drew Cyril's blue-eyed glare. He was frightening.
"...I'm sorry," she apologized. "I know I should have called you 'Vice President' from the start. I'm sorry, Vice President Ashley."
Cyril had actually been giving Claudia a bitter look, but from Lillina's perspective, it appeared he was glaring at her. Finally, he heaved a sigh.
"...Just Cyril is fine."
"Yes...Lord Cyril," said Lillian in a weak voice.
Claudia gave a short, breathy giggle in Lillian's ear. "Oh my! What a commotion my dear brother, a mere acquaintance, is making simply because you called him by his first name."
"By the way, Claudia," retorted Cyril, "I didn't realize you'd finally made a friend."
"I have indeed. Lillian and I are on very friendly terms. Isn't that right...Lillian dearest?"
Lillian's head bobbed up and down. Another crease appeared on Cyril's forehead. "Accountant Lillian, Claudia isn't forcing you to do this, is she?"
"No, not at all..." Lillian shook her head.
Claudia tightened her grip, pulling Lillian even closer to her. For some reasons, she smelled really good, though it did nothing to calm Lillian's pounding heart. What was the deal with this girl?
"...How cruel you are, to be envious of our friendship...You're jealous that I'm so close with Lillian, aren't you?"
"Nothing could be further from the truth!" spat Cyril.
"Would you happen to have a mirror?" suggested Claudia. "You're making a terriible face right now, it has envy written all over it. Perhaps you should take a look for yourself."
Cyril was only getting more enraged. He was one second away from completely blowing his top. Frantically, Lillian raised her voice.
"Lord Cyril, you look the same as you always do. It's alright."
After all, he always looked this angry around Lillian. She wasn't lying. It was just like always.
"...Ah, so you're envious of everyone all the time, then? Is that it, dearest brother?"
"No...I didn't mean it..."
"Accountant Lillian!" Cyril exclaimed, "If Claudia is bothering you, just say so."
"Well, I mean, she's..."
"...You don't think I'm a bother, do you, Lillian dearest?"
"...No..."
The two siblings were both attractive, one with silver hair and the other with black. Caught between them, Lillian felt close to passing out. Casey, who had been drinking her after-meal tea, seemed fed up with the whole thing.
"Lady Claudia is toying with both of them, isn't she?" she mumbled. The black-haired beauty had Lillian and Cyril dancing in the palm of her hand.
Her personality is truly the worst, thought Lana, putting a hand to her temple and sighing.
...
The school festival would rely on two types of fireworks: the large atmospheric kind released into the sky at fixed intervals, and the smaller, specially crafted stage fireworks used during theatrical performances. The first batch would arrive the day before the festival, but the stage-use fireworks needed to be transported and checked early, since the drama club would incorporate them into rehearsals.
Along with student council members Felix and Elliott, Lady Maybell Hanes—head of the stage production—was overseeing the delivery. Although professional contractors would handle the fireworks during the actual performance, Maybell needed to learn proper handling procedures as the responsible organizer.
Maybell Hanes was a third-year known for her sharp intellect. Her neatly framed glasses and quiet presence made her easy to spot by any window where she could be found calmly reading. Yet the moment the topic turned to stagecraft, the serene book-lover transformed. Her eyes brightened, her voice gained energy, and her passion simmered to the surface like heat escaping a sealed pot.
Today was no different.
Maybell drifted closer to Felix as he checked the contractors' work, leaning in with practiced sweetness.
"Priiince?" she coaxed, stretching the word theatrically. "Have you reconsidered my proposal?"
"Your proposal that I appear in the play?" Felix asked without looking up. "I believe I declined you the first several times."
"I understand—truly, I do—that your student council duties leave you very busy," she insisted, clasping her hands dramatically. "But it would be only for a moment! Just the final scene! Won't you please grace us with an appearance as the first emperor?"
Even Elliott, who had been calmly reading the list beside Felix, took an instinctive step away as Maybell's fervor intensified.
Felix sighed, finally glancing up. "Someone else is playing the role. If I were to replace him only for the ending, it would be disruptive. The play should not bend just to indulge your whims."
"Not at all!" Maybell burst out. "If you stood on that stage, the audience would cheer! Weep! Their applause would shake the heavens—no, the earth itself!"
"You're exaggerating," Felix said mildly, returning to his inspection. Her enthusiasm was nothing new; Maybell's modest demeanor evaporated entirely in the orbit of anything related to theater.
Undeterred, Maybell continued with greater intensity. "If I had my way, the entire student council would be onstage! You, Prince Felix, as the first emperor; Lord Cyril as Sheffield, King of the Wind Spirits; Lady Bridget as Luluchera, King of the Water Spirits; and Lord Elliott as Archraedo, King of the Earth Spirits. With such beauty gathered together, the audience would swoon!"
Felix pretended not to hear her. Maybell stepped in front of him, blocking his path. Her eyes shone with a passion so intense it almost resembled devotion.
"Please—please reconsider. Lady Eliane is playing the empress, and she said she would be delighted if you performed as her partner, the hero Ralph."
Felix paused. At the mention of Eliane's name, a faint shadow crossed his blue eyes, though his expression remained perfectly calm.
"Then allow me to give you an official answer," he said. His voice grew crisp, almost cold. "Student council members cannot take part in the play. If you persist, I will be forced to treat it as interference with council duties."
"Urk!" Maybell groaned, biting her handkerchief in frustration—very unladylike for the normally composed honor student.
Her defeat finally settled in, and Felix softened slightly.
"I trust that the play will succeed without my involvement. Please make it a marvelous performance. I'm counting on you."
Even Maybell understood she could push no further. With the confrontation diffused, Felix returned to checking crates. Elliott sidled back to him, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
"You handled that well," Elliott commented. "Silver-tongued as always… But are you sure? If Lady Eliane wants you to be her partner, most men would throw away every scrap of pride for that chance."
Eliane was Felix's second cousin, and many—including Duke Clockford—hoped she would become his future fiancée. But Felix had no interest in that path.
He shrugged lightly. "I wasn't lying when I said we're too busy. She will understand."
"One of the school's three beauties, and you turn her down," Elliott sighed. "Unbelievable. Others would kill to stand where you stand."
"You don't truly believe that," Felix murmured, low enough that only the wooden crate in front of him could hear.
It wasn't that Felix disliked Eliane. Nor that he opposed the engagement Duke Clockford envisioned.
He simply felt… nothing.
No interest in marriage.No excitement for the bright future others claimed awaited him.No dream that stirred his heart.
Yet the weight of his path remained.
…Even so, I'll have to become emperor, he thought. Even if everyone calls me Duke Clockford's puppet.
...
When Lillian arrived at the east gate after finishing her work, she found that they were already bringing in the supplies. Cyril was next to the east storehouse giving instructions to the contractors.
"I'm sorry...I'm late, aren't I?" she wheezed.
Lillian had been working in the infarmary, treating various students who were getting hurt preparing for the festival. Cyril knew that and didn't scold her.
He looked down at her as she grasped and sighed. "Catch your breath. You sound awful. They just started bringing things in a minute ago. This is going to take a while anyway."
"A-alright..."
"Also, thank you," Cyril said, softly. Lillian looked up at him confused. "For talking to Claudia and becoming her friend. She has a weird personality so there aren't many people she gets along with. She seems to really like you...almost as much as Officer Maywood."
"...I'm not sure that's a good thing," Lillian said, a bit worried but then added. "And there is no reason for you to thank me. I didn't befriend Lady Claudia because of you. I did it because I enjoyed her company."
"...I see," Cyril whispered as he looked at the contractors. Lillian looked up at him and felt that instead of the student council vice president, the perosn standing before her right now is simply Claudia Ashley's older brother.
As she smiled at that realization, Cyril began his instructions. "I'm going to tell the contractors where to put the supplies. Accountant Lillian, check the list and made sure nothing's missing."
"Yes, sir," Lillian nodded.
Lillian is the type whose heart fluttered when she saw densely packed groups of numbers, but that was a trait most people didn't seem to share. Cyril was no exception, however, he had seen Lillian's abilities and trusted her with the task.
Most of this shipment consisted of already processed lumber. It had come in a variety of forms, some where thin planks while others were cylindrical poles. A few of them had already been assumed into smaller structures. They were probably all props for the play.
Lillian counter each kind of lumber and compared what she sees with what was written on the list. After repeating the process several times, Lillian looked up on a whim. Cyril was looking at her...or more specifically, his gaze was fixed on her hands.
"...Lord Cyril?" she called, confused. "Is something wrong?"
"I just realized something," he said with a sigh, "that I don't know anything about you."
"Pardon?"
"Whether its me, His Highness, Claudia or the other students. You always listen to our problems and give logical solutions. However, we don't know anything about you." Cyril muttered while looking straight ahead. "Whether they are things you like, things that make you uncomfortable, problems you may have, things you are curious about, what you really think of me...I don't know anythings about you."
"Lord Cyril?"
"Why haven't you asked me, the reason, I approved you for the student council?"
As Cyril asked, Lillian could respond immediately. She was indeed curious why the cautious and worried Cyril approved of Lillian. However, not once has she asked him about it.
"The members of the student council are the elite of this academy. Even if we were desperate to find a replacement for Aaron O'Brien, that position isn't something His Highness could fill on a whimp. You should have understood that by now, right?"
Cyril's eyes, icy blue like the clear winter sky, were overlooking Lillian. It was an expression and voice that lacked feeling in it.
"It's been two months since you came to this academy. Honestly, I thought you would whine about your situation at least once."
"I'm not sure what you're implying..." Lillian ended up saying that as she didn't understand what there was to whine about.
"I am aware that you were being harassed by few students who wanted to join the student council. I am fairly certain that His Royal Highness was already aware it would end up like that from the beginning."
Ah, so that's what he meant...Lillian finally understood what she meant by whining. However, Lillian felt it would be weird to whine about that. After all, while she indeed felt her heart throb from the harassment, never once did she think it was painful.
"Are you not angry? We knew this would happen but we still had you become a member of the student council."
"Why should I get angry about that?" As Lillian asked back, Cyril's eyes shook in surprise. "I don't know the exact reason why His Highness insisted on having me join the student council or why you approved of me, Lord Cyril...nonetheless, I am glad that I had the opportunity to meet you and get to know you."
Lillian answered without stagnation and with a smile on her face. It was a straight voice without any hint of boasting or bluffing in it.
"In the past, I had a friend who never told me anything about himself. His social pedigree, where he lived, his family or what kind of future he wanted...I knew nothing of it and I never thought to find out about it. I understood that it was something he was reluctant to talk about and perhaps, one day, he would be ready to tell me about it. Even if my friend never told me anything about himself, I could tell that he was a kind person simply be spending time together and that was enough for me."
He was a kind friend who sincerely listened to her, which was all she could ask for. Which is also why she wants to keep her promise to him when then parted.
"As for the reason why His Highness made me join the student council, I don't really care. Even if he did that out of malice, I'm still happy that I got to know you."
Cyril looked ahead after hearing Lillian's words. His lips quivered slightly, but then quickly steadied. He replied to Lillian with "I see..." the silence continued with neither of them talking.
Lillian didn't find the silence between then awkward. On the contrary, she felt it would be a precious page of her life that she could never experience again.