The Galimar Banquet.
A celebration held to commorate the successful first sester of new students and to wish them well in their academic life ahead.
Since its inception, it had beco a traditional event, hosted without fail each year.
Students and faculty alike were welco to attend—any mber of the academy, regardless of their role, was invited.
Perhaps because of its lack of restrictions, the banquet was particularly popular among students.
For most, such early exposure to social events beca unforgettable experiences.
This was especially true for the commoner students.
Banquets were traditionally the exclusive domain of the nobility, with those of lower status rarely even able to witness them.
However, this banquet broke from that norm, granting even commoners the opportunity to participate as an official academy event.
Perhaps it was the academy's culture of valuing individual talent over family reputation.
This approach reflected the academy’s philosophy of minimizing class-based discrimination and evaluating students purely on rit.
An uncompromising ritocracy.
This was the vision of Gaston Galimar, the academy's founder and current headmaster.
Thanks to his ideals, students were given the chance to broaden their horizons.
"So there’s going to be a banquet again this year."
"It’s my first ti attending sothing like this... I’m so excited!"
"It’s that ti of year already, huh."
Commoner students were granted a glimpse into a world they had never known.
Noble students enjoyed an extension of their social spheres.
Faculty mbers, weary from their duties, could shed their burdens for a while, bond with students, and enjoy a brief respite.
It was a ti for all mbers of the academy to escape the pressures of daily life.
The slightly buzzing anticipation in the air was only natural.
"Who are you going to choose as your partner?"
"Hmm... Probably my fiancé, of course."
"Kyaa~! You two are so romantic!"
"Well, it is the Galimar Banquet! Of course, I want to spend it with soone special."
"You two will look perfect together!"
Naturally, the banquet’s popularity was also influenced by external factors.
Young minds loved to ascribe special anings to things, especially when it ca to fresh tales of love.
Such layers of aning, as they accumulated over ti, eventually took root as myths or traditions.
The Galimar Banquet, with its rich history, was no exception.
Its most famous myth was:
"The Fruit of Love."
If a maiden and a virgin danced together, their love would co to fruition.
An ideal subject for dreamy-eyed students to ponder.
To adults, it was nothing more than a silly superstition, but to the students, it was imbued with charm and significance.
Whether taken seriously or as a joke, it had firmly rooted itself in student culture.
With a week left until the banquet, the academy was already filled with boys and girls searching for partners.
Even the original protagonists of this world were no exception to this youthful excitent.
"So... who will you choose?"
The fox casually posed the question.
All eyes turned toward .
Around , the girls stood with a silent but palpable pressure.
It seed that, after hesitating to bring it up individually, they had decided to ask together.
The snake could only respond with an awkward smile.
"H-haha..."
Perhaps the boy didn’t fully grasp the situation.
He reacted clumsily, wanting to answer lightly but finding it difficult to speak in the chilly atmosphere.
His closed eyelids shifted slightly as his gaze wandered.
Eventually, one of the girls broke the silence.
The first to step forward was none other than the protagonist herself.
With trembling green eyes, she began to speak.
"W-well… when I thought about who to ask, you were the only one who ca to mind."
"Miss Rezia?"
"O-of course, it’s an impertinent request! But since you gave that ring last ti... I-I just thought it would be nice if you could be by my side."
"You don’t have to be so nervous when you talk."
"I’m sorry... My mouth just isn’t cooperating. I-it’s just..."
It was just like her.
The pilot fumbled and stumbled over her words for a while before growing dejected and withdrawing.
There was no ti to comfort her, as the villainess standing beside her stepped forward next.
She brushed her blue hair aside as she spoke.
"Well... I ca along too, but honestly..."
"But?"
"I wasn’t planning on attending a silly banquet in the first place. Still, if you really need a partner, I suppose I could accompany you."
"For soone who doesn’t care about banquets, you seem awfully flushed."
"S-shut up!"
"Even the Lady is offering herself as a partner."
"Ahem... That’s because you were my first..."
"Pardon?"
Her voice grew quieter as she spoke, and the boy didn’t catch her final words.
He tilted his head in confusion as only a faint mumble reached his ears.
As he remained puzzled, the fox slipped in.
Treating the villainess like an obstacle, she pushed her aside and clung to the snake.
Her gaze was icy.
"If you can’t even speak properly, step aside."
"W-wait! How dare you be so rude!"
"You’re frustrating."
The fox coldly retorted, taking her place beside him.
Her black pupils held only the golden-haired boy in their reflection.
She whispered softly.
"I’m also an option, you know."
"Miss Irene too…?"
"There’s no rule that your partner has to be a student."
"I didn’t think you’d be interested in such an event."
"I’m still a girl, after all."
The self-proclaid girl chuckled softly.
Her proximity was disconcerting.
As I felt her breath against my ear, the last unseen figure grabbed my sleeve.
It was none other than the quiet little prince.
The princess spoke in her usual monotone.
"I want to dance with you too, Yuda."
"Your Highness Charlotte?"
"Everyone else was saying sothing, so I thought I’d join in. Do I need to make so kind of pledge?"
"I don’t think it’s a matter that requires a pledge."
"Hmm. I’ll think about it."
"You weren’t listening at all, were you?"
The boy smiled awkwardly.
A "pledge," she said.
She seed to have latched onto so peculiar idea once again.
Soon, the girl spoke quietly, her voice calm yet startling.
It was a conclusion she had reached after what seed to be serious contemplation—one that left everyone else in stunned silence.
Her blue eyes showed not the slightest hint of hesitation.
"Would you like to touch my chest?"
"…What?"
"As a pledge for being your partner."
Her confident voice boldly demanded the position of partner.
Naturally, the atmosphere froze.
The shocking remark left the other girls utterly speechless.
Even the snake, who had managed to remain composed during the fox’s turn, found himself rubbing his temples at the princess’s bombshell of a comnt.
While ti seed to stand still, the girl in question rely tilted her head, her expression pure and unassuming.
"..."
Where to even begin addressing this?
Everyone sat in stunned silence, each pondering how to respond.
The princess, seemingly oblivious to the impact of her own words, broke the silence with a question.
"What’s wrong with all of you?"
"..."
"I heard most n like that sort of thing."
"Your Highness."
"Is Yuda not one of them?"
"Forgive , but... where exactly did you hear such a thing?"
"It was in a book Tanya was reading."
"Ah, I see."
Tanya.
The handmaid who had served the royal sisters since childhood.
She was only about fourteen, wasn’t she? Had she been dabbling in forbidden books already?
The boy made a ntal note to have a serious talk with her later.
"Or do you prefer sothing else? Like lower...?"
"Please, Your Highness, let’s stop there. If we go any further, my head might literally roll."
He intervened swiftly.
The last thing he wanted was to be branded a lunatic who harassed an imperial princess.
The boy composed himself, reeling from the close call.
"She’s definitely... one of a kind."
There was no way to predict where her thoughts might lead.
Thankfully, her naturally calm deanor kept things manageable; had she been even slightly more outgoing, things would have been far more troubleso.
Her bold statent had been shocking, to say the least.
But it was clear she had no particular interest in such matters—hence her lack of restraint in making such remarks.
One thing was certain:
It was not the kind of statent one would expect from the Empire’s second-highest royal.
The snake gently cautioned her and took a deep breath.
"Phew..."
As he cleared his mind, soone poked his cheek.
It was the rose, her red hair spilling down as she leaned against her wheelchair.
Having watched the entire scene, she smiled smugly, as though amused by the absurdity of it all.
Her signature teasing tone lightly jabbed at the boy.
"You’re quite popular, aren’t you?"
"Life has its surprises, I suppose."
"Maybe you shouldn’t have been so charming with everyone."
"I’m not sure what you an."
"You keep pretending not to notice, huh?"
"Humans can’t survive without pretending sotis."
"You’ve got a silver tongue, I’ll give you that."
Elize chuckled softly.
Her eyes, mischievously narrowed, glinted playfully. Then, with a wistful sigh, she murmured.
"It’s a bit of a sha."
"Hmm?"
"If it weren’t for this wheelchair, I would’ve joined in and made things more difficult for you."
"Your Highness..."
"In this condition, I can’t even stand on my own, let alone dance."
A bitter atmosphere settled briefly.
The boy reached out gently and held her hand.
With conviction in his voice, he reassured her.
"I’ll make sure you’re healed."
The snake had been studying tirelessly.
He sought a way to unravel the curse afflicting her without causing harm or leaving aftereffects.
It was an ailnt with many unknowns, making a hasty cure risky.
Having heard that the translations of the docunts he had left with headquarters were nearing completion, he felt confident that the mystery of the curse would soon be unveiled.
Holding out his pinky toward the girl, he made a promise.
"Next ti, when the opportunity arises... you’ll be able to walk freely across the hall."
"I’ve never doubted my physician, you know."
"I stake my life on it."
"You really are sothing... and yet you say you’ve never chard anyone."
Despite her grumbling, she hooked her finger around his.
The somber air lightened.
As if her mood had brightened, the girl nodded and posed a question.
It was one he had been waiting to answer.
"So, who are you going to choose? Everyone’s waiting for your answer."
"I was about to ntion that."
"What? Do you already have soone in mind?"
"Actually... yes."
Though hesitant, he began to explain.
It was sothing he had wanted to share earlier, but the chaotic conversation had made it difficult to find the right mont.
"I’ve already decided who to ask. The problem is..."
"The problem?"
"They’re not here right now."
The rose and the others blinked in confusion, question marks practically floating above their heads.
All five sets of eyes focused on him intently.
He maintained his composure, forcing a nonchalant smile.
"I plan to ask soone who has always supported ."
The air froze instantly.
"So... you’re saying that partner is ?"
Purple hair cascaded down to the desk, and crimson eyes blinked in surprise.
The mature woman, perhaps caught off guard, had even set aside the bottle of alcohol she had been drinking from.
Through her slightly tipsy gaze, she looked at the golden-haired boy standing before her.
"That’s correct."
The snake nodded.
"Will you join , Master?"
Selena Drunkard.
His ntor and now his chosen partner for the banquet.
Her perpetually narrowed eyes curved into a sly smile.
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