That lunch, I did eat with Victor.
"Victor! Victor!"
"Hey, Mr. Student President, got a few suggestions for you!"
"Victor? I need to talk to you about sothing..."
But really, all we did was eat.
Because a ridiculous number of people kept coming over to say hi.
No one paid the slightest attention to , the person sitting right there with him.
“Uh, uh?”
Only Luka—who usually followed around muttering about our ‘rivalry’—ca up to talk to .
“Why are you eating with the Student President? Did you finally co to your senses and try to climb the social ladder?”
Then Victor looked at Luka and answered with a grin,
“Hmm? What a delightful little guy. You must be friends with Namia, huh?”
“Th-then what about you, Senpai? Why are you eating with Namia? It’s kind of shocking...”
“? Actually, I’ve gotten interested in Namia. I’m planning to hit on her a lot from now on, so don’t be surprised.”
Victor gave a hearty laugh and clapped Luka on the shoulder.
“But hey, you ntioned climbing the ladder? What subject are you trying to get info on?”
And just like that, Victor beca friendly with Luka too.
His social skills were truly sothing else.
“Just wait, Namia.”
As lunch ended, Victor winked at .
“Today was a bust because everyone kept interrupting, but I still really want to hear your story.”
After that, we had lunch together a few more tis. Sotis, he even ca to my classroom.
I was always alone. Back in the Academy, I’d been extrely reluctant to get close to anyone. Since I was attending school with Juan, I’d been constantly afraid that if I got too friendly with soone, it might slip and they’d find out about our family issues.
So whenever Victor showed up, I couldn’t find a good excuse to turn him down—and ended up spending breaks with him a few tis.
And eventually, when Victor flunked the civil service exam, we even ended up working together in the Scroll Managent Departnt.
And yet...
Victor still doesn’t know anything about what I went through...
It wasn’t that I’d made so effort to keep it secret.
It was just that, from pretty early on, I’d decided not to bother wondering whether I should tell him or not. We never had the kind of opportunity for that talk anyway.
Looking back, it was actually a very efficient decision.
So really—
This whole situation feels way too familiar...
I clicked my tongue as I watched the civil servants gather around Victor.
That’s when it happened.
“Wh-what do you all think you’re doing? This is soone else’s departnt! And—and right in front of my desk too! Are you all ignoring !?”
Anastasia furrowed her brow and slamd the desk.
“Just because we only have ten people, just because the workload looks light—you think you can look down on us? I’m the team leader here! Got it? Not long ago I took down an intruder with my own two hands!”
Her fierce energy made everyone straighten up imdiately.
Then, stiff and awkward, they each muttered apologies.
“S-sorry... It’s just been so long since we saw each other...”
“Over three years now. I just wanted to say hi...”
Victor and his friends had sothing in common: they were all cluelessly good-natured and had no malice.
That was why they acted so casually even in front of a Minister.
Well, maybe it was partly because we’d all gone to the Academy together...
“Hey, let’s take this outside.”
“Yeah. Gotta greet properly, right?”
Victor gave a sheepish laugh and scratched the back of his head.
“Ah, wait a second. I need to hear what’s been going on in our departnt.”
At that, his friends glanced at awkwardly, then turned to Victor with teasing smirks.
“Geez.”
As his friends urged him on, Victor gave a noncommittal shrug and set down his coffee cup—clearly intending to go with them.
I quietly watched his pale blue eyes.
The person who once reached out to when I was at my lowest.
So warm and so bright that I always found myself watching his back.
Looking at him now, I said softly,
“Brace yourself. Our departnt’s busy. We’re down to less than half the usual staff.”
“Ugh, yeah. What is this, only ten people including the Minister?”
Victor chuckled, so I shrugged and added,
“aning we won’t have ti for personal chit-chat starting tomorrow. Even our intern’s getting nosebleeds from overworking right now.”
Victor’s eyes widened in shock.
“Our departnt... has enough work for overti?”
“We have to prep for the Saint Cairo Banquet starting tomorrow. Her Majesty the Empress and His Highness the Prince will both be attending.”
I crossed my arms, my eyes gleaming.
A scroll showcase event, attended by the Empress and the Prince. I really wanted it to go perfectly.
It was the perfect opportunity to prove we were no longer the useless old Scroll Managent Departnt.
And if we pulled it off, we might even attract so competent rookies after the next civil exam.
Just then—
“Ah, the Saint Cairo Banquet!”
Soone in Victor’s crowd shouted out from the huddle.
“There was a banquet! Victor, you can go now, right? Since you’re the Marquis’ son!”
“Haha, that’s right! Victor’s a high noble now, huh?”
Victor blinked in surprise, like the thought hadn’t even occurred to him.
Well, he had gone on a long overseas assignnt not long after becoming Marquis Arwin’s adopted son.
It made sense that his new status would still feel unfamiliar.
“Ah... yeah, I didn’t even think of that. But wait—don’t you need a partner for a banquet?”
Victor blinked his rounded eyes slowly, then turned to look at .
“Namia, you’re going too, right? You’re a Minister.”
“Yes.”
“Have you chosen a partner?”
“No.”
“Ah, then—”
That was when Kibon, who’d been standing silently the whole ti, interrupted him.
“Minister.”
Everyone turned toward Kibon.
He looked at and said,
“I’d like to be your partner for the banquet.”
Clang! Anastasia dropped her coffee cup. Victor, too, frowned in surprise.
I answered calmly.
“Sure.”
Even Victor’s friends were shocked.
One of them couldn’t help but jump in.
“Huh? Minister? An intern probably isn’t qualified to attend, right? He’s a foreigner, and he doesn’t have a title.”
“No. It’s just customary for high-ranking nobles to attend, but if you’re invited, it’s not forbidden.”
I scratched my cheek and added,
“Besides, I made a promise with His Highness Prince Jaden earlier. I said I’d go with the first person who asked. It’s an imperial order—what can you do?”
It was truly out of my hands.
“Ah... I see...”
Victor muttered awkwardly, then smiled brightly.
“Well, I’ll be there anyway. It’s a good thing to let a young foreign intern see what an Imperial banquet is like.”
“Why do you keep calling ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ a friend? I am not your friend.”
“See? This is exactly why we need to offer cultural experiences to soone who doesn’t even speak the language properly.”
Victor winked at Kibon, then patted on the shoulder.
“Anyway, we’ll finish that conversation at the banquet, yeah?”
“Ah, yes.”
“High nobles, huh... I won’t know anyone there. Guess I’ll just stick to you like glue.”
Victor laughed heartily, and his friends chuckled along.
anwhile, Kibon—expressionless as always—spoke in a low voice.
“Let’s go, Minister.”
His tone was the polar opposite of Victor’s: stiff and formal.
“There’s a lot of work to do.”
The one who responded was Victor.
“Yeah, yeah! Hang in there. I’ll help a ton once I officially report in. Young intern friend, just hang on a little longer. Your big bro’s on the way.”
Kibon said nothing.
Victor left, laughing loudly with his friends.
Wow.
One thing was clear.
Those two... couldn’t be more different, and neither of them bends an inch.
Kibon’s supre outsider energy and Victor’s overwhelming insider charisma—neither one gave way.
And before long—
A summons arrived: I was requested at the Crown Prince’s office after work.
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