After the dinner, Isaac parted his two friends.
As the sun was setting, he was on his way back to his dorm, filled with many thoughts.
He was, within this week, to somehow find a partner. The prince personally invited him to the banquet, and socially, there were bound to be repercussions should he fail to upkeep the expectations.
However, who would he ask?
From his logic, the most available ones to ask are women of commoner statuses. There were two reasons—one was that he too was a commoner like them now, and two was that should they have an ambition to step a foot into the noble society, they would take any opportunity available, even if it were to be participating as the partner who has a F-rank skill.
Problem was that his name went beyond just the idea of a F-rank skill.
Isaac Nameless. Today, there was no denying that he was one of names that were frequently brought up to the table. It garnered a lot of attention, and many nobles didn't view him in a good light. This directly contradicted the second reason for a commoner woman to accept his partner request.
He, throughout his life, has gone through many adversities. Whether he successfully overcame them or had them crash over him, he nonetheless managed to survive through them.
Among those, the political matters were where he was the weakest at. After all, skill regarding politics and social interactions came with experiences, not by learning through books.
This matter was giving him quite a headache.
Let's think this through. I may be missing something.
He continued walking through the corridor, at the similar pace as other students who were walking in the same or opposite directions.
And then, within the moving crowd, a whisper abruptly came, as someone passed by him,
"Come to class early tomorrow. From princess Lyra."
That was all. Isaac didn't bother to turn and inspect the speaker's appearance.
This is…
He knew that this was likely to be a follow-up regarding the information of Donaston Terra that he previously gave her.
He continued walking with a realization that she showed up in this corridor to specifically relay this message to him.
The idea was to find a private setting to talk to him. The private here doesn't mean library or dormitory—all because this implies that she is about to talk about a serious matter, one that may potentially be linked to the Solari Empire. Its operatives will assume that the linkage has grown deeper since the nightly assault.
Considering how an assumption is the best that the operatives can do at the moment, due to the tightened security and his [The Prism] confirming an absence of observers around him, they will focus on the background details of how he and Lyra met.
Since they were both in the higher class, "coincidentally" meeting early prior to the class because of their "diligence" was a plausible alibi that won't earn as much suspicion.
However, I doubt that this is all there is.
As far as he is aware, the class chamber has security cameras.
Furthermore, there is no guarantee that that whisper just before wasn't heard by another.
Lyra was a careful individual. She knew that the enemies managed to infiltrate deep into the Academy's system.
He believed that there was more.
…
The following morning started in the same way as any other day.
Isaac woke up earlier than many others. Took time to meditate, to assess his Manafold Circuitry. Stood up. Dressed. Made sure to take his knife with him, which was especially important since the curriculum for the past two weeks have been weapon training and nothing more. Today will be the same.
He left his room and walked through the empty corridor at his natural pace. It wasn't long before he arrived at the higher class chamber, early as Lyra indirectly instructed a day ago.
The room, around this time, was conventionally empty. However, it wasn't the case today.
Lyra was already there.
She was seated at the arc's right end with her hands folded on the table. She held the specific posture of someone who had arrived for a conversation.
"Isaac. You came."
She looked up when he entered. Stood up.
Isaac nodded, "As you instructed."
There were four security cameras at the room's corners, leaving no blind spot. Although silent, he knew that there was a high likelihood of them being monitored.
"Well, I called you to talk because…" Lyra then said, "you received an invitation of the banquet from Gladius."
It wasn't about an update regarding the information of Donaston Terra.
I see how it is.
Isaac chuckled lightly as he answered, "yes. It was rather surprising."
"He should have sent it sooner." She said flatly as if noting an accurate fact rather than making a complaint on his behalf. "A week is insufficient preparation time for someone in your social position."
He raised an eyebrow, "My social position being—"
"Someone who doesn't move in these circles and now needs to find a formal partner within a week." She looked at him with the direct attention she brought to problems she had assessed and found genuinely difficult. "I would help if I could, but no one comes to my mind. I personally, as the member of the royal family, attends partner-less. We are the hosts, and attending with a partner implies preferential social alignment. The tradition has existed since the First King specifically to prevent that implication."
Lyra called him out to the class to speak of these unnecessary details, instead of in a more private setting. Cold and impassive in tone, her overall demeanor implied that she wished to "show" her lack of connection to him.
In other words, this conversation was meant to be a show for spies to watch, an attempt to mislead them into thinking that the two weren't as close as they thought.
"I am aware," With these thoughts in his mind, Isaac said.
Lyra looked at him for a moment. "Do you have anyone in mind?"
"No."
She was quiet for a moment. "I am aware of your social orbit. Cassiopeia Terra is taken. Elara is taken—due to her high-ranked skill." She paused. "Let's just say that everyone imminent to you are taken. You need to step outside of your boundary."
Isaac said nothing. He was aware of this.
"Be mindful of your status, however. It will, unfortunately, work against you." Lyra said. "It may appear that Gladius is testing you, but let me reassure you in this aspect, that he is simply mischievous. He doesn't understand the difficulties that those of low social statuses go through."
She let out a light sigh, "Nevertheless, invitation was given. It is your duty to oblige. I will be expecting you on the seventh day of the next week."
"Of course."
The conversation ended. The two settled in the room, no longer talking.
Isaac reflected her words just now. One that caught his attention in particular was "those of low social statuses." By saying such a thing, she was indirectly mocking him of his status. It also meant that she had hubris that usually remained hidden.
Of course, all of this was an act. This conversation just now, for his case, was pointless.
So, thought Isaac as he looked at Lyra, who was also staring back at him with a gleam different than just before, when will the actual information come, Lyra?
After some time, the door opened. Other students began arriving.
"You are earlier to the class than usual," remarked Cassiopeia upon entry, looking at Isaac.
"I was invited to the banquet. By the prince." Isaac said, and this implied that he was early because of this matter.
"Yes, I heard."
"I was told that you already have a partner."
"I do."
"Too bad."
Cassiopeia paused at that. Looked at him, "You mean—" then she stopped. "As in, because you need a partner."
"Yes."
She looked at him, "Well, that would've been interesting on its own. Unfortunately, my house is the one who gets to choose my partner, not me. Pillar Houses tend to be very cautious." She stopped again. "But then, you were Valerius, also a Pillar House. But last year…"
Isaac shook his head, "Pillar Houses aren't all the same."
"…I suppose you are right."
She then opened her notebook and began to write something down.
Professor Maren soon arrived. Under her authorization, they were brought to the training ground. The groups were separated into four, the same as any other day for the past two weeks.
Isaac held his knife as Sam instructed. Footwork, grip, and many more—there wasn't much, and their training consisted of the same repetition as other days.
Sam dismissed them at the bell, yawning.
The training ground dispersed.
"Well, a mundane day," said Vesper, who sheathed his knife by Isaac's side. "Have you given a thought about who to ask to be your partner?"
Isaac inspected his knife before sheathing as well, "I've been thinking of asking Elara if there is any friend of hers interested in going."
"Doesn't sound like a bad plan."
He left the training ground alone today, seeking to find Elara.
The corridor, like any other day after the conclusion of a day's classes, was chaotic, filled with countless students who had agendas of their own. A variety of noises filled the space. Some were operating their skills as well—even the flow of ambient mana was turbulent.
He decided to wait a bit, until the corridor's chaos dies.
Then, something arrived at him.
Not a person. Not a sound. Not a voice in the conventional sense. It was something that existed in the space between thought and hearing—words that bypassed the ear entirely and rang in his brain.
The Hearthstone. Free Ground, western quarter. Second table from the back left wall. Fourth bell. First day of the festival. Come alone. The royal guard will identify himself.
Then, nothing. The transmission concluded with the clean completeness of something that had delivered its content and withdrawn.
Isaac recognized that this was the doing of a skill. That skill, from his knowledge, was likely to be C-rank: [Telepathy].
The Hearthstone is a bar located in the Free Ground's western quarter. The royal guard…
This was Lyra's true message.
Again, the morning's performance was a decoy, meant to misdirect. Now, in the most chaotic time, she delivered the message as secretly as she could. The mana trace of C-rank: [Telepathy] disappeared into the corridor's turbulent mana.
First day of the festival. Fourth bell.
He began to walk, seeking to find Elara.