For the next three days, life at the Royal Institution and the Castle of Starlight settled into a steady rhythm, though not without its tensions.
Classes proceeded as usual, even though Aeric's responsibilities had grown as t constantly with many teachers who had complaints about multiple things to give to him.
As the Institution's Head Boy, it was his duty to listen to these complaints, but they were mostly reasons to spend ti and talk to him or to experint and decipher why he had such high Affinity for Divinity.
He was the headline of the school at every mont. Leaving the forr popular girls in Aryanne and Rosette feeling extrely dejected and rejected.
There was no class where questions were not directed his way, and because of his rampant studying in the Castle's library, he was usually able to answer most of them.
Still, it seed like the more popular he got, the worse his friendship with Celestia got. There was a constant undercurrent of tension between him and her.
Much different from the beginning of the school year when they had once been inseparable, an unspoken rift now divided them. Celestia barely spoke to him outside of necessary discussions about the upcoming battle, and Aeric, always caught up in his endless responsibilities, found little ti to nd things.
He often caught her looking at him, yet she would always look away before he could et her gaze. The sight of him constantly at lina's side only worsened things.
However, one day after the lessons of the day had finished, Aeric caught with her just before she climbed on Lumi, her Horned Pegasus.
He explained to her how sorry he was about how distant he'd been, and it was just the sa dump of responsibilities and situations that kept piling up that pulled them away.
Also, he promised that they would have that talk. Once they fought and defeated the beasts in Mursbridge, it would be the both of them once again. He told her he really missed her.
Celestia had smiled.
Speaking of lina, the exiled Moonlight Princess also had her share of struggles.
Though her exile from the Castle of Moonlight was temporary, it had left its mark. Her sisters — especially Aryanne — barely acknowledged her presence.
It was hard to accept this as Aryanne and lina had once been extrely inseparable. They were so close and together when it ca to that family and their mother, so to know that it was their mother that set them apart, it hurt deeply.
She had tried, at first, to speak to her, but her cold indifference made it clear that she still saw her as a traitor. Even Luna avoided her, letting her feel like she'd been truly abandoned.
lina, however, kept her head high. She had chosen Aeric, and she would not regret it. She couldn't start to regret it now that the consequences were showing. She knew what the consequences were going to be.
In the Realm as a whole, the common Institutions were all abuzz with excitent. The new Head Boy had brought much talk, most of it admiration, so of it skepticism.
A lot of the female Players daydread about the handso and charming Son of Eros, and when the male players tried to snap at them for drooling over a Prince that would never give them a chance, the girls retorted by telling them that they all also simped hard for the Daughters of Eros.
"Don't talk now when you're getting a taste of your old dicine!"
"That's how it feels when you ignore the girls around you and chase after the Princesses!"
"Finally we have a Prince of our own to fantasize about!"
"Too bad, he's only one. I hope he doesn't mind being shared."
...."You girls are crazy."
The question though was would the Son of Starlight truly uphold the responsibilities of his new title? Could he command the respect of both students and teachers?
When he ca for the first attendance in so Institutions, he participated in questionnaires and inspections with Daughter Daphne as everyone gawked at him, but Aeric made sure they had their answer.
Ho was no less demanding. Aeric barely had ti to breathe between his studies, his exercises, and his endless duties.
More than that, his mother's decree that he stay by lina's side ant they were together almost constantly. It was not an unwelco presence — lina was surprisingly easy company — but it was always being watched.
And of course, Rosette had made it her personal mission to monitor him like a hawk. Wherever he and lina went, her eyes followed, filled with suspicion and disapproval.
She still believed to this day that Aeric was evil.
At night, when the castle halls quieted and the candlelight flickered against stone walls, Aeric withdrew to his chambers, drowning himself in preparation.
The eting with the branching families lood before him like an approaching storm. He was young, and they were old — wiser, craftier, self-serving. Though so among them were truly loyal to Starlight, many only cared about securing benefits for their own bloodlines.
He had to be prepared.
Aeric spent every evening rehearsing his speech, standing before his mirror, adjusting his tone, his words, his expressions. His voice had to be firm, not too demanding but not yielding either. Every word had to carry weight. He had to make them see him not as a boy, but as their rightful leader.
He spent hours studying the family heads — who among them could be persuaded? Who had grudges that could be leveraged? Who would resist unless he applied pressure?
Ilyon, his trusted courier, had been invaluable in gathering information. Aeric had stressed to him — the eting had to be perfect.
Nothing should go wrong.
He had particularly set the ti as it aligned perfectly for him. His mother, along with the other ruling Mothers, would depart for the Divine Court that morning, where they would discuss the full strategy for the impending Wave War before the Disciples.
That was when Aeric would seize the mont.
The courtroom of the Castle of Starlight would be transford. A round table — symbolizing discussion — would be arranged at the center, and the seats for the family heads would be carefully placed.
Then, one by one, they would enter and take their place.
As for Rosette and Misty, Aeric had given the Twilight Twins a simple task — distract them. They had invited both girls to a house party, sothing Rosette would not normally refuse as it gave her the chance to gossip.
If that nosy cockroach was busy elsewhere, it would give Aeric the freedom he needed.
Everything was set.
The sun broke over the horizon, spilling golden light over the Starlight Castle. A knock ca at Aeric's chamber doors.
He opened his eyes.
Today was the day.
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