Star as the Substitute
Tougher than diamonds, rich like cream
Stronger and harder than a bad girl's dream
~ Huey Lewis
Chapter 1
Pleasure and revenge, have ears more deaf than adders to the voice of any true decision. ~ William Shakespeare
“How are you getting along with the drones?” Leon asked as he walked across the campus.
He was getting some dirty looks from other students. Either they were upset at him going up against Jilk Fia Marmoria at the end of the previous term, or word had gotten out that he’d made a bet on the outcome. He thought that the latter was possible. Anyone in the queue could have spread the word that he’d made a bet and it wasn’t as if he would have bet on the opposing champions - but still, he’d bet with the bookies not directly against the other students. He hadn’t taken their money directly and they’d have lost just as much money even if he’d made no bets.
He’d ask around later. Maybe it was something else, or maybe he was just under-estimating the willingness of teenagers to throw around blame on an easy target.
“All twelve drones reached the designated buildings last night,” Luxion reported through Leon’s earbud. “There is no indication that any have been detected. After sunset, I will begin investigating the targets for the optimal surveillance positions.”
“Good work.”
After Luxion’s stellar job scouting Leon’s path through Castle Fanoss, the boy had realised that he was underutilising the AI’s capabilities. Over the summer, additional drones with improved stealth capabilities had been constructed and within a day or so Leon hoped that they would have managed to hide themselves in the private offices of various people of interest.
“I hope that having to devote time to watching these new humans is not entirely wasted,” the AI grumbled.
Leon shrugged. “Honestly, most of it will probably be of no interest or value. And if they’re meeting somewhere covertly, chances are we’ll miss that. But at least if I come up as a threat in anyone’s eyes there’s a chance they’ll talk about me in their own offices so I’ll be forewarned.”
“Remember that the drone’s range is limited.” Luxion’s sensor light blinked at Leon before it hid itself again. “If we travel away from the continent then all they will be able to do is power down and hopefully avoid attention.”
Better than nothing, which is what I had before, Leon thought. “But while we’re here it’s going to be a source of information that no one even knows to watch out for. I should have thought about this before.”
“I am glad you did not. At least I was spared months of having to watch new humans other than those you choose to interact with.”
“Hopefully you won’t be too traumatised.”
He’d had to guess who might be a potential source of problems, and it wasn’t just a matter of possible enemies. Besides the fathers of Marie Fou Lafan’s five champions, Leon had picked out the offices of two marquises, two counts, the head of the Ministry of Magic, the senior priestess at the temple and Duke Ades. He’d considered sending one after Marie’s father instead, but Viscount Lafan was fairly unlikely to directly target Leon, whereas the Duke might take offence at a mere count’s younger son spending a significant time with his treasured daughter (and her elder twin).
Even if the duke didn’t decide to swat Leon for presumption, it might shed some light on why he was favouring one sister so blatantly over the other. Leon didn’t think he’d like the answer, but he was still curious.
Entering the student council wing, Leon was amused at the ostentation. This was a school, but the rooms looked like they belonged in an exclusive gentleman's club. Then again, perhaps that was the idea - to prepare the members for that sort of lifestyle. The instructions he’d received led him to a door marked as the council meeting room.
Knocking lightly, he paused for a moment to check for any response.
“Come in,” two or three voices called out.
The door opened easily and he saw the room inside had several polished tables forming a U-shape. Besides the chairs at the table, there was another ring of seats backed up against the walls - though they lacked the padding of those at the table. There were six seats at the base of the U, fourteen down each side at one at the base of each leg of the U. Enough seats for thirty-six at the table then, the full numbers of the Student Council.
He wondered if the position of Student Council President came with a loudhailer so that they could be heard across the room.
“Welcome, Lord Bartford.” Nicol Fia Ascart’s voice carried effortlessly to him. Oh yes, he was a wind mage wasn’t he? Maybe it was a requirement for the office? “Please take a seat.”
Leon bowed slightly and complied. Only about half the seats were taken - Deirdre Fou Roseblade gave him a challenging look and patted a seat beside her. He was tempted to ignore her, but Sopiha Fia Ascart was on the other side of the indicated chair, and given how nervous she looked - despite her brother being the president here - the boy decided to support his classmate.
“Lady Roseblade, Lady Ascart,” he greeted them both, pulling back the seat. “I trust your summers were pleasant.”
“It was adequate,” the drill-haired blonde pronounced sharply, causing Sophia to pause politely in her own attempt to answer. “Did you stop running away from me, Leon?”
“I went about my business, it’s not my fault you couldn’t keep up,” he told her with a smirk, then glanced the other way. “Sophia?”
“We visited Lady Katarina for weeks,” she told him with a proud smile and then pouted. “But Lady Redgrave was with her the whole time.”
“Another one for Claes’ harem?” asked Deirdre slyly. “Is this the new fashion?”
“Hopefully not,” Leon said, while Sophia flushed. “Or Lafan was doing it before it was fashionable and that’s a terrible thought.”
“Mmm. Quite. Although perhaps it has some benefits…”
Leon followed Deirdre’s look and saw Clarice Fia Atlee sitting further up the opposite side of the table. A uniformed servant was providing her with a glass of wine and three more in the same finery were sitting at the wall behind her. In contrast to their immaculate dress, the second-year had eschewed a uniform jacket and her blouse was only partly buttoned, with a choker plainly visible around her neck. “Is she drunk already?”
“She’s not that much of a featherweight,” the blonde girl said dismissively. “It’s a statement.”
“Clarice has been like that since the start of the summer,” Sophia murmured. “It -”
The doors opened again, this time with no one knocking. Prince Julius Rafa Holfort entered, flanked by Jilk Fia Marmoria and Brad Fou Fields. Leon heard Clarice set her wine-glass down sharply, so much so he wouldn’t be surprised if it scratched the table’s polished surface. When he looked at her, she was glaring at the new arrivals - or one of them, to be specific - with venom that seemed more intense than that which Count Olfrey had directed at his captors as he was dragged from his keep.
“It frightens me,” the albino at his side whispered.
Deirdre shook her head as the three first years found seats together - as far from Clarice and Leon as they could manage, which meant that they were down at the foot of one end of the U. Not exactly the centre place that a prince could normally have taken. “She’s making a statement.”
“Mmm.” Leon agreed reluctantly. “I’m not fluent in the language sartorial, but I’d have to agree. How do you translate it?”
“She’s trying to show off what Jilk passed up on,” the third year student told him. “Both to make him jealous and to reinforce her self-image by drawing other men to her.” She paused. “She might stand a chance if most of the so-called men here weren’t whipped little boys.”
“And she’s about a foot too tall and three cup-sizes too large for him. No accounting for taste, I suppose.”
“L-lord Bartford,” Sophia flushed. “That’s horribly rude.”
“True though.” Deirdre gave the younger girl a measuring look. “If Lafan dumps him, you might want to watch out, Ascart. You’re not that much larger than she is.”
This was apparently not a scenario that countless romance novels had prepared the little albino for, at least in such crude terms. Her face was almost as crimson as her eyes.
“Should the cad be so despicable as to trifle with you, dear lady, I shall not hesitate to duel as your champion,” Leon offered her. “Assuming your brother doesn’t get hold of him first.”
“I’m not ready for this!” she squeaked, nervously. “My heart!”
“It’s a purely hypothetical scenario,” Deirdre pointed out. “Lafan will probably string her idiots along until the end of the academy, at the least.”
“And were someone to break my sister’s heart, such as the overly-flirtatious younger son of a count, I would have volunteers eager to swear I was far away from the miscreant’s death,” a voice whispered into Leon’s ear.
Recognising the voice and that no one else seemed to have heard them, the young man turned and bowed slightly to Sophia’s brother in acknowledgement.
More students filtered in, the two Stuarts arriving with Mary and Angelica. The four of them moved up and took seats beyond Sophia. “Keith has been delayed slightly,” Gerald directed the statement towards Nicol. “But he should be here in a moment.”
Indeed, just as the clock on the wall began to chime, Keith Rafa Claes made a hasty entrance and secured the last seat for himself.
At the head table, Sirius Fou Dieke rose. “Ladies and gentlemen, I call the council to order.” Silence fell over the room and the redhead turned to the dark-haired president. “Sir, our full membership stands assembled.”
“Thank you, Mr Secretary.” Nicol rose to his feet. “For those joining us for the first time, welcome to the Student Council. Membership of this body comes with both responsibilities and privileges. For those unfamiliar with either, I commend the student handbook to you - you were all chosen with the expectation that you would not need your hands held. If you must ask, then do so after carrying out basic research.”
The president remained bland of expression and tone as he gave that less than warm welcome. Practically every girl at the table blushed and looked away despite this.
“I will stress, however, that the student council’s library is for those of us seeking a convenient place to study, while our drawing room is available for socialising. Please keep the activities to the appropriate chambers - council duties can come with interruptions to studying time, so the rooms here are intended as a refuge.”
That seemed sensible enough and Leon saw Scarlet nodding from where she sat.
Nicol looked across at his cousin. “Moving to new business, Lady Atlee has kindly demonstrated a lapse in our current rules. Given the restrictions on bringing guests into the student council wing, some guideline on the number of servants appropriate is clearly overdue.”
“Oh, of course, blame me.” Clarice leant forwards, which drew one glance from Leon before he remembered his manners. “The school allows us servants, why are you complaining now?”
“Because if every girl here brings as many servants as you - or more if this escalates, as it so easily could, there won’t be room in here for the council members?” asked Gerald.
“Correct.” Nicol folded his hands. “I am not suggesting that all servants be banned, but I believe a limit of one per student would be wise.”
“And what if I decide to just not turn up at all?” Clarice challenged.
“I’m sure Lord Marmoria would consider that a relief,” her cousin told her. “But I would not.”
-
Katarina remembered the days when she’d been an older sister to Keith.
Of course she was still the older sister, but he didn’t act like it any more. At some point he’d begun acting as if he was the one keeping an unruly little sister from getting into trouble.
Case in point: “Do remember not to drag the princess off to help you with your gardening,” he instructed as they walked towards the student council wing. “Or pull her into a discussion about romance novels.”
“But what if she’s interested in romance novels?!” Katarina protested. “She might be!”
Keith rubbed his brow. “Actually, it would probably be best if you just avoided her entirely.”
“Aw…”
She didn’t remember any princess visiting the academy during the game. Although there had also been no giant robot duels, which was a strange thing to skip over. Acchan would have loved that. Well, probably. Maybe. She wasn’t sure, but it would be fun to find out.
And having a real life princess here might be some similarly shocking development. What if Gerald fell for her charms? Or what if it was Keith?! Katarina almost gasped out loud. What if Keith was trying to keep her away because he’d already fallen in love with the princess?! That might mean that Katarina was already the villainess of the route and there could be a bad end looming that she had no idea about!
“Katarina…” her brother warned. “Whatever you’re thinking…”
“Actually, I have a question.”
“Yes?” he asked her, looking nervous.
Katarina brushed her long hair back. “If you don’t want me to meet the princess, why are you walking me to the student council meeting to welcome her? I’m not even allowed into the council rooms, am I?”
Keith stopped dead and let go of her arm. “I… yes. Good point.”
You see! Katarina could still be a big sister. Keith was worrying about nothing. She looked ahead and then frowned. “Isn’t that Olivia?” She picked up her skirts and ran ahead to greet her friend. And see if she had a basket of sweets, but mostly to greet the girl. It would just be a nice coincidence if Katarina got something to eat.
There were two other girls with Olivia. It was nice that she was making friends.
Then Katarina got close enough to hear the conversation: “You think you’re special?” an older girl was demanding, pulling Olivia by one arm. “Acting as if being on the student council makes you better than us!”
The other girl yanked Olivia’s other arm, leaving the blond girl staggering. “Lady Redgrave only keeps you around the way she would a pet. An animal that she can pat, and feed, and that isn’t bright enough to ask anything.”
“The only reason the council tolerates you is because she doesn’t have a demihuman to be her servant.” The first girl caught hold of the aiguillette on Olivia’s uniform jacket, marking her as one of the student council. She dragged on it, almost tearing it away. “Maybe if you crawl under the table for Ascart and Dieke, they’ll keep you around when Lady Redgrave is bored of…”
A chunk of the ground about the size of Katarina’s fist bulged up beneath the foot of the second girl as she pulled her hand back to slap Olivia. Off balance, she stumbled into her compatriot - who lost her grip on Olivia and went sprawling on the floor.
Katarina loomed over them. “How dare you say such things?! How dare you lay your hands on Olivia?!”
“But-but…” one of the girls on the floor exclaimed, face white.
“She’s just a commoner!” the other called, trying to stand.
“Who told you that you had the right to stand on the same ground as us?” Katarina snapped, like the villainess that she was, throwing words that the game’s Katarina would have used at this pair. “Olivia is a member of the student council because she earned it.”
“There’s no way a commoner could have done better than nobles in the exams. Redgrave had to have fixed the results!”
“Are your heads filled with cotton?! If the academy let dukes’ daughters fix results, wouldn’t I be on the student council? Wouldn’t Violette Rafa Ades? But we’re not. Because Olivia and the people who were at the top of the scores were smarter and worked harder. She’s a good person who cares about us. And that’s the same reason she’s popular with the council, the same reason that Angelica likes Olivia far more than she ever liked you.”
And then Katarina leaned over. “And if I ever see, or hear, or even just suspect that you’ve thought about hurting Olivia again? Then there will be a Bad End for both of you!”
There were tears rolling down the girls’ faces. “We-we’re sorry!” one shrieked in terror, and then they were scrambling, staying low to the ground as if they didn’t dare to stand upright given her previous words. One of them even kicked off her shoes after she kept stumbling.
“Uh…” Katarina stared after them, breathing heavily. “Well! That… happened, I guess!”
“Sis,” Keith sighed from behind her.
She turned around and saw that Olivia had fallen to her knees, while her brother was offering the girl his hand to help stand. To Katarina’s dismay, there were tears on Olivia’s face.
“I’m sorry, did I scare you?” she asked. The two siblings each took Olivia’s hands and pulled her up.
“No, no. Not at all.” Olivia leaned on Katarina for a moment. “It was just, hearing you say that. Saying that you like me.”
“Of course we do.”
At the sound of footsteps on the path, Olivia pulled herself upright and started straightening her uniform. Keith offered her a handkerchief for her face.
“Are girls like that common here?” a girl asked a moment before she rounded the corner. “I don’t think one of them was even wearing shoes.”
The boy whose arm the new arrival was on sighed. “One of the reasons that all noble daughters are expected to attend the academy is so the mental defectives can be identified and weeded out.”
“Oh, Leon!” Katarina greeted him with a wave. She saw the added trim on his uniform, the same kind as that worn by Olivia and Keith. “I didn’t know you were on the student council!”
Keith sighed. “Katarina, I did tell you.”
“Did you?”
Olivia giggled and then hiccuped.
“Permit me to make the introductions,” Leon offered with a sweeping bow. “Lady Katarina, Lord Keith, Miss Olivia, this is Princess Hertrude Sera Fanoss, our most illustrious guest at the academy. Your highness, may I present the most honourable son and daughter of the Duke and Duchess Claes, and Miss Olivia Campbell, the young lady who has the unique and most admirable distinction of being the first scholarship student in the academy’s history to earn a seat on the student council.”
Katarina and Olivia curtsied and Keith bowed deeply.
“Welcome to Holfort, princess!” Katarina offered brightly. “I hope you enjoy your stay here!”
“I suppose anything’s possible,” the dark-haired girl told her. “Are we interrupting something?”
“Oh, I was just walking my little brother to the council wing,” she explained. “We ran into Olivia and... oh!” She saw that the earth bump she’d raised earlier was still standing up above the path. Focusing on her magic, she pushed at it. Down, down, down… After a long moment it subsided until it was almost impossible to tell that anything had been done here.
And she’d thought she wouldn’t be able to learn any more magic here! Any day now she might be able to start making holes in the ground rather than bumps! That would be ever so useful when planting seeds.
“I can tell I’m going to meet so many interesting people here,” Hertrude murmured.
“Travel does have a way of broadening one’s horizons,” Leon said in that old man way of his that suggested that he was repeating something he’d heard or maybe read a long time ago.
The princess looked over to Keith. “A brother. Perhaps you can tell me about having one, Lady Claes. I only have a sister, you see.”
“Of course, princess!”
“Your highness,” Keith hissed.
“What?”
“You’re supposed to call her ‘your highness’.” He bowed again to Hertrude. “My apologies, my sister means no disrespect but sometimes she’s a little too excited to remember her etiquette.”
Hertrude nodded in understanding. “Well, as I am a student here, we can perhaps dispense a little with the formality. Please call me Hertrude, Lady Katarina.”
“And I’m Katarina!” she said brightly. Hah, and Keith had wanted her not to talk to the princess! But now she would learn all her secrets and work out the Bad End so she could avoid it.
“I do hate to separate you, since you’ve become such fast friends,” Leon drawled, “But we do have a meeting with the student council to get to.”
“Oh, you’re not on the council?” asked the… asked Hertrude.
Katarina shook her head. “I’m their fellow champion but not their fellow council member.”
“Champion? That sounds like a fascinating story. We must meet again soon, Lady Katarina so you can tell me all about it - as well as your brother.”
Hmm. Maybe Hertrude was interested in Keith? Could that be the secret path? Katarina wished she had a notebook handy so she could start taking notes. Gosh, Acchan would love this.
-
Leon and Keith had no sooner entered the council meeting room with Hertrude and Olivia than Angelica rose to her feet and approached them.
“Olivia!” she exclaimed, taking the other blonde’s hands. “Are you alright?”
Hertrude had opened her mouth to speak and then closed it again when Angelica addressed Olivia, not her. Leon sighed. He was sure the duke’s daughter didn’t intend to slight their guest, but seeing her friend’s eyes red from crying must have driven all else from her mind.
“I’m alright now.” Olivia said bravely.
Angelica accepted that, though only for the moment, and turned to Hertrude, curtseying. “I’m not sure your highness will remember, but we have met before.”
“Of course I remember you, Lady Redgrave.” Hertrude smiled with what Leon thought might be a little actual warmth. “I take it that you and Miss Campbell are friends? I must say that I hadn’t expected to find a commoner rubbing shoulders so readily with the daughters of two different dukes.”
Leon mouthed ‘Katarina’ to Angelica, from out of Hertrude’s line of sight.
The blonde nodded fractionally in understanding. “Katarina and Olivia are just two of the people who stood by me at the worst moment of my life,” she said frankly. “I regret the circumstances, but not that it let me know who my real friends were - or who might become such friends.”
“You’d stood up for me,” Olivia spoke up.
“And who stood up for you this time?” Angelica asked her, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there, because it’s clear you needed someone. Katarina perhaps?”
The other girl looked down, embarrassed. “Yes.”
Leon reached over and poked the scholarship student in the shoulder. “She does it because she cares,” he reminded her. “Just as you help her because you care. I think it’s called ‘friendship’, although it’s a rare enough concept that you might want to check if I’m pronouncing it right.”
That got a giggle from her.
Keith smiled ruefully. “It’s good to know my sister will always be the bravest knight, however much it horrifies mother.”
“I definitely need to hear this story,” Hertrude declared. “It’s a shame Lady Katarina didn’t come with us. Is it true there’s a rule that she can’t come in?”
“Non-members aren’t supposed to, unless it’s on business,” Gerald explained as he and Nicol approached the little group. “Although we are making an exception for you, your highness, so perhaps another could be made.”
“Oh, my apologies.” Angelica took Hertrude’s hand. “Princess Hertrude, may I introduce Prince Gerald Rafa Stuart, Katarina’s fiance, and Lord Nicol Fia Ascart, the president of the student council. Gentlemen, I present Princess Hertrude Sera Fanoss.”
Both of the boys bowed and kissed the princess’ hand. She flushed a little as Nicol did so - even royalty was not immune to the young Ascart’s allure, it seemed.
“Welcome to the academy,” Nicol murmured. “I would not wish to feel you were not being made welcome, but as one of our members has just proposed a motion...”
“Please continue.” Hertrude fanned herself slightly with her hand. “I would be fascinated to see how your council does business.”
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Nicol didn’t speak up, but as before his voice carried clearly around the room. “Our distinguished colleague, Prince Gerald, has offered a motion that his fiancee Lady Katarina Rafa Claes be granted the privilege of entering our chambers as a guest, in exception to our general rules. Do I hear a second?”
“Yes!” exclaimed Mary Fou Hunt quite loudly, drowning out at least four other affirmations.
“And are any opposed to this motion?”
Clarice Fia Atlee, lounging in a chair while her one allowed servant massaged her shoulders, snorted. “Oh I can’t have more servants, but Gerald gets to bring…” She failed to keep a straight face. “Oh go ahead, it can only make this place more lively.”
“Opposed.” The secretary of the council, Sirius Fou Dieke raised his hand. “Not that I don’t like her,” he added apologetically. “But I fear she may distract certain members from their duties.”
“He’s probably not really opposed,” Leon explained quietly to Hertrude. “But it’s an unspoken rule that someone always has to object so that there’s a vote. There apparently has never been a unanimous vote in the history of the academy’s student council. Not even when someone proposed a motion that the sky was blue.”
“Why would someone do that?”
“History does not record. Alcohol may have been involved. Although depending on the weather, they might have just been wrong.”
Nicol clapped his hands together sharply. “Ladies and gentlemen, your votes please. Who favours granting an exemption to Lady Claes?”
Hands rose into the air. Leon didn’t see anyone except Sirius who didn’t have their hand up. He certainly favoured the idea.
“Very well. And opposed.”
Sirius solemnly raised his hand. Sophia and Mary made gestures for him to lower it, until Alan put his arms around their shoulders and gently made them stop. Looking around, the redhead nodded. “My lord president, I beg to report that the ayes are in the majority.”
“So noted,” Nicol declared solemnly. “Keith, Gerald, I’d let you sort out between you who gives Katarina the good news, but that might derail the rest of our meeting. Leon, perhaps you and Scarlet could take care of that?”
Leon bowed. “It would be my honour.”
“Wait!” Julius stood up. “I propose that we should also make an exemption for Marie!”
Hertrude frowned and turned to Angelica. “Is that Prince Julius?”
The blonde nodded.
“And Marie would be…?”
Another nod.
Hertrude pursed her lips. “I suppose I’d read too many romance novels and was assuming that as a prince he would at least have some dignity or discretion.”
“It’s surprisingly rare in those with enough authority or connections that almost no one tells them no,” Leon noted.
“We have… another motion, it would seem.” Nicol managed to convey distaste for it without breaking his monotone. “Do I have any second?”
“Absolutely!” exclaimed Jilk. “Marie is a paragon of womanhood, of course she should be admitted here!”
His statement was met with derisive laughter from Clarice’s chair. Leon shook his head sadly. “I really ought to hate him for the way he threatened my family… but this is just sad.”
Hertrude gave him a startled look, but before she could ask, Scarlet raised her hand. “Opposed.”
“So noted. Your votes please?”
Julius and Jilk’s hands went up. Brad did the same and the three of them looked around for support. Even among the older years only two of the council members were sycophantic enough to yield to that non-verbal petition. Notably, not a single one of the first years did so.
“And opposed?”
More than twenty hands rose - including every other first year member of the council.
Sirius Fou Dieke made a show of counting and then reported seriously. “The nays have the majority.”
Julius stepped forwards. “But why?!”
“Because no one except the three of you actually like Lafan?” suggested Dierdre with a vicious smile.
Nicol cleared his throat. “I would also add that you did take an oath to break off your relationship with Lady Lafan, your highness, in the event that you were defeated as her champion - which you were. Bringing her in would very much count in my view as an attempt to circumvent the terms of that oath by manufacturing a cause to meet with her on the pretext of school duties.”
“If you will excuse me,” Angelica declared, “I will join Lady Ades and Lord Bartford in letting Lady Claes know of her open invitation to the student council wing. I fear that I am feeling a little… tired and of an ill-temper today.”
“I really can’t imagine why,” Leon observed.
Hertrude’s lips quirked. She had a sense of humour under her royal hauteur, which just made Leon like her. It was rather inconvenient, given she was likely to wind up an enemy, but he’d just have to live with that. Unless she got him killed, which was a real possibility and should probably deter him more than it did.
He offered Angelica his arm, which she accepted. Then he offered his other arm to Scarlet and exited with two lovely flowers flanking him. Behind them, Julius was trying to argue and making a terrible job of it, while Nicol began to try to wrangle the council into discussing the upcoming academy festival.
“Leon,” Angelica told him as they exited the building. “It occurred to me over the summer that at no point had I ever thanked you for taking my side against Julius.”
He considered that. Hadn’t she? He hadn’t really thought about it.
“Typical new human ingratitude,” Luxion confirmed.
“As I told your father, I did have my own reasons for doing so.”
Angelica looked away. “I’m not blind to the fact that Gerald, Alan and Keith did so because of Katarina. You and her though, you were the ones who stepped up first. I heard what happened to your room.”
Scarlet pulled Leon’s arm slightly. “What happened to your room?”
“Petty vandalism,” he explained.
She made a disgusted noise. “Who?”
“It doesn’t really matter. The act was petty, and so are they,” Leon told her. “Punching them in the face won’t undo anything, and it might make more trouble.”
“The fact that I can’t even do something about that just makes me feel more guilty,” Angelica told him. Then she paused in mid-step, leading Leon to do the same and thus Scarlet. They both glanced at Angelica and then followed her gaze towards two girls ahead of them. One was clutching a shoe, while the other was searching - presumably for the other since she was barefoot. The same pair Leon had come across while he was escorting Hertrude, he thought.
Leon cleared his throat. “Ladies - and I use the word in the loosest possible sense.”
The pair turned guilty expressions towards him.
“Speaking on behalf of the student council, you’ve already embarrassed the academy quite enough by showing such disgraceful faces to our royal guest. And now you still don’t have the wit to put on shoes? Go to your rooms, get yourselves cleaned up and whatever you were up to before… don’t do it again.”
The pair fled, taking the one shoe with them.
Angelica shook her head. “Those two - I should have reined them in previously. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were the ones giving Olivia trouble earlier.”
“Katarina took care of them then.”
“My cousin is too kind-hearted to do much,” Scarlet disagreed.
Leon snickered. “Scarlet, you really should get to know Katarina better. She has a strong sense of justice, she’s just got a different way of expressing it than you do. Trust me, if she dealt with them then they’re feeling worse than Chris Fia Arclight did after he realised he was humiliated in public by losing a duel to a girl with a hoe.”
Angelica laughed, a little bitterly. “Yes, that would sting his pride.” The humour drained from her tone. “It occurs to me that what convinced me to curb those girls was finding them acting as gatekeepers, deciding for themselves who I should meet and what I should do. And yet, was I so different?”
“I don’t get it,” the girl on Leon’s other arm admitted honestly.
“Looking back, I told Julius so often that he should do this, or shouldn’t do that. Because it was beneath his royal dignity. Not just about Lafan, but about other things.” She yanked at her hair with her free hand, loosening it slightly from its tight braided bun. “He must have been so tired of me telling him what to do.”
“As with my room, you can’t undo that,” Leon told her with some sympathy. “But you can move forwards and learn from it. Maybe the two of you should get together with Clarice and Violette, form some sort of support group. That way when you find other young men you can watch each other’s backs and try to avoid any further mishaps. It probably won’t stop all of them, but at least having a fresh point of view can help.”
“But why do we need each other for that, when you’re around to lecture us?” asked Angelica. She nudged him slightly. “For someone who doesn’t have a fiancee…”
“Perspective helps,” he said honestly. “And while I may change my mind about this, one thing I don’t plan to do is get engaged at the academy. We’ve got five years, a third of the lives we’ve lived so far, before we’re expected to marry - which is still stupidly young. That’s a long time - so take a step back. See who you meet, see who you like and then give yourself a chance to make mistakes.”
“My parents married right after the academy,” Angelica told him. “And they loved each other very much.”
“Good for them. It doesn’t always work out like that…” He glanced at Scarlet, saw that she looked to be thinking and elected not to enquire about her own parents for contrast. “Oh, I meant to ask - is Arclight’s engagement to your sister still on?”
She shook her head absently. “No. Father finally decided to break it right at the end of the summer.”
“Ah.” What in the world made him wait that long? “There will be great rejoicing among the young men of the academy. And I’m serious that you should perhaps make sure to look out for each other. Because I might be able to lean on the two of you for advice if I ever do take the plunge into trying to court someone. This, you see, is my cunning plan.” Plan B, but a plan nonetheless.
“Not to build your own harem to rival Lafan’s?” asked Angelica snidely. “I was thinking you wanted us all together so you could romance all four of us.”
He tilted his head to the side as if considering it. “Do you think that would work?”
Scarlet reached up and tapped her knuckles against the side of his head. “No.”
“And now you went and put the idea in my head. Thanks, Angelica.”
He counted her wicked smile as a prize.
