"…May I ask what you an by 'dangerous'?" Lena yer's voice ca through, cautious.
Few students stayed in their rooms on weekends like today. The campus had salons for nobles, club activities, and events like tea parties and small banquets. Regardless of age, nobles naturally engaged in socializing to solidify their networks and strengthen their power bases. Those who didn’t were typically either eccentric loners or didn’t need to bother at all.
Thankfully, the hallway was empty, and their lowered voices were still audible from where I stood, just around the corner. Slowing my pace, I paused to better gauge who Lena was speaking with. Knowing her conversation partner would make it easier to intervene.
"Sylvia Pengryphon is…"
But Lena's conversation partner hesitated, as if unsure where to begin. She seed to know sothing about , but was wrestling with whether it was wise to divulge it. Hearing her uncertainty, I felt a rush of confidence.
I stopped trying to muffle my footsteps and let the echo of my heels ring through the empty corridor.
"…Ah."
A flustered voice—Mia Crowfield’s—reached as I rounded the corner and spotted her standing outside a door, slightly ajar. Only Lena’s gaze t us from inside, scrutinizing Mia with a hint of suspicion.
"Lady Crowfield," I greeted.
"…Sylvia."
At my voice, Mia took a step back, bowing her head slightly. I returned the gesture.
I felt that I’d grown closer to Mia, but she was still clearly conflicted about the idea of becoming friends with soone who’d killed her father. I could understand. I’d explained there was more to the story and told her to find once she uncovered the truth, but enough ti hadn’t passed for her to fully grasp it.
"Your Highness."
As soon as Lena saw , she stepped outside, presenting a distinctly different deanor from when she’d been addressing Mia. She shut the door firmly behind her, seemingly wary of anyone seeing her room’s interior.
…Did she realize how openly suspicious this made her look to Mia Crowfield?
Not that she seed to mind.
"As I ntioned before, there’s no need to call ‘Your Highness’ in the academy. It’s technically against school policy."
In theory, the academy’s rules promoted equality among students, discouraging titles and special treatnt. Of course, from faculty to students, no one seed to take this seriously.
"But…"
"Lady Crowfield."
"Y-yes!?"
Apparently, Mia hadn’t expected to address her, nearly jumping at the sound of her own na. I looked at her calmly and asked quietly.
"You called ‘Sylvia’ just now, didn’t you?"
"Uh, yes?"
She hadn’t even called by na before, yet Mia had begun to refer to simply as “Sylvia.” It ant she’d relaxed around —at least a little.
"Did I ever tell you not to?"
"No, I guess not?"
She seed uncertain, struggling with the sudden question.
I nodded, turning back to Lena yer. Her expression was still unreadable, but there was a hint of tension in her posture. Was she cautious around , too?
"Then calling by my na is perfectly fine. We already have another student in Class A with the sa surna, so wouldn’t it be more efficient to avoid confusion by using first nas?"
Not to ntion, the title "Your Highness" also applied to Alice.
"…Understood."
Lena responded, though she appeared to hesitate. Despite her stoic pose, I sensed she wanted to say sothing. It seed that, while she could put on a poker face, it wasn’t as complete as mine.
…Should I help her improve her expression skills? It’d save her from breaking character before I did.
"Do you have sothing you’d like to say?"
After a brief pause, Lena asked, "In that case, would you also call by my first na?"
When she finally spoke up, she didn’t hold back.
"…Very well. If that’s what you prefer."
I could have sworn her eyes sparkled for a mont… but I chalked it up to my imagination.
I turned back to Mia Crowfield.
"Um, you don’t need to go that far for !"
That was unexpectedly disappointing.
Besides, that wasn’t what I’d intended to ask.
It was a bit irkso that she’d feel free to call “Sylvia” but didn’t think I needed to reciprocate with her first na. Regardless, what I wanted to know was “why she was here.”
"May I ask what brings you here?"
"That’s—" Lena started to answer.
"It’s… a personal matter!" Mia blurted out, interrupting.
"…"
"…"
Stunned by her outburst, Lena and I both looked at Mia, who blushed furiously. Her pale skin made the flush even more apparent against her dark hair.
"W-well, then, why are *you* here, Sylvia?"
A deflection?
Her attempt at changing the subject wasn’t exactly smooth, but since I’d already overheard enough of Mia’s intent, I decided to let it slide.
"I ca here to speak with Lena… about sothing personal," I said, glancing at Lena. Her expression tightened. She seed anxious about the fact that I’d sought her out.
"A… personal matter?"
Mia looked back and forth between us, trying to make sense of it. She probably thought I was scheming sothing again.
"Lena, you ntioned coming from a military family, correct?"
"Yes."
At my question, Lena adopted a rigid posture, as if showing pride in her background.
This era was indeed different. Nationalism and militarism were on the rise, and without television or fully developed radio systems, the public had no way to truly understand the grim realities of war. The romanticism surrounding service and heroism remained strong.
"Then… are you proficient with firearms?"
"Of course."
"I see."
I looked back to Mia Crowfield.
"Few students in the noble class are skilled with firearms. A gun may be simple to use, but to wield it as a primary weapon with precision is rare."
In the ga, the only party mber who used firearms was from a commoner background… Roti, if I rembered correctly.
"That’s why I wanted to assess Lena’s skill level. If we end up in practical situations, working alongside soone with firearms expertise could be advantageous."
Lena took a asured breath.
"…What do you think?" I asked, turning to her. "Would you be interested in joining for a mission?"
"…"
Lena remained silent for a mont, then spoke with unmistakable conviction.
"I would."
Her firm answer allowed to breathe a quiet sigh of relief.
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