“…Sylvia.”

Sylvia stopped walking when she heard a familiar voice calling her on the way back to the dormitory.

When she turned her gaze, she saw someone familiar. Seeing him, she smiled brightly like sunshine and called out to him.

“Cain!”

Cain, who had been away from the academy for a long time, had returned to the academy.

Looking somewhat haggard, Cain smiled weakly and raised his hand slightly while looking at her.

“Long time no see.”

“Indeed, have you been very busy?”

Although Felix and Helena were precious to her, Cain was also a dear friend—the first friend she could rely on since entering the academy. Therefore, Sylvia approached him with excited steps, not hiding her delighted heart.

“Yeah, there was a lot of family business, so it took longer than I thought. Has anything happened?”

“Anything…? No, nothing…!”

When Cain was away from the academy, many things happened to Sylvia. Many things that she definitely couldn’t have endured alone.

However, now those things became ‘nothing at all’ to her. Because she had reliable friends by her side who protected her.

At her answer with a bright smile, Cain nodded silently and slowly started walking.

“Are you heading to the dormitory?”

“Yeah, what about you, Cain?”

“Me too. I’ll walk you there, let’s go.”

“Okay.”

Cain and Sylvia walked together familiarly towards the dormitory. Cain had something he wanted to say, but realizing it wasn’t the right time yet, he refrained from speaking and quietly listened to her story.

“So Felix…”

“…Yeah.”

Cain, who had been listening to Sylvia’s story all along, felt something and stiffened his expression coldly.

“It seems you’ve become very close with Felix.”

“Huh…? Yeah, I’ve become close with Helena too…!”

Cain bit his lower lip without realizing it. However, when Sylvia’s questioning gaze reached him, he instantly reverted his expression. It wasn’t simply that she had become close with other people that bothered him.

Her expression when talking about Felix made his heart feel uneasy.

But Cain was different from Leonhardt.

He didn’t easily express his emotions and hid them from Sylvia. Nevertheless, it was inevitable to feel impatient.

For a very brief moment, a small silence lingered between them. Sylvia found the silence strange, but she didn’t speak up.

“Sylvia.”

Finally, when they arrived at their destination, the dormitory, Cain gathered his courage and called out to Sylvia.

“Yeah?”

“Do you have any plans this Friday?”

At Cain’s very cautious voice, she thought momentarily and shook her head. Since Felix also had something to do that day and wouldn’t be at the academy, she had nothing in particular to do.

“No, why?”

“Can you go somewhere with me that day?”

“…Where?”

Sylvia asked, blinking slowly because it wasn’t common for Cain to say such things to her. He took a very brief, deep breath before continuing.

“After Her Highness the Princess’s coronation ceremony, there will be a banquet. I’d like you to attend it with me.”

“…Can I go to such a place?”

Cain belonged to a ducal family, but Sylvia was a commoner.

“Even though I lost in the succession competition, I’m still participating, right? Moreover, since you’re going as my partner, you don’t need to worry about that.”

Cain was cold and blunt to others, but he was always kind and considerate to Sylvia. She was unaware he wasn’t doing this simply because they were ‘friends.’

“If that’s the case… Okay, I don’t mind.”

When Sylvia, who simply thought Cain was asking her as a friend because he had no one else to go with, accepted his proposal, he smiled faintly.

‘…Felix said he’s going there too, so I’ll be able to meet him.’

Cain and Felix. Sylvia thought it would be fine to attend a nobles’ banquet if she was with her two friends, and she waved her hand with a smile.

As Cain silently watched her back as she left for the dormitory, he sighed deeply and ran his hand through his hair the moment she disappeared.

“…Is this fortunate?”

Knowing everything Leonhardt had done, Cain felt dizzy seeing Sylvia looking bright on the inside. While feeling relieved at Sylvia’s appearance, which seemed really fine even without him, he also felt troubled by her appearance, which made it seem like she didn’t need him.

He knew well that Sylvia didn’t consider him a romantic interest. That’s why he invited her to this banquet as his partner. After sorting out his disoriented heart, he slowly left the place.

***

Friday morning arrived. After finishing my rough preparations, I stretched my stiff body and calmly left the academy.

Since many noble children had to attend the banquet on the day of Her Highness the Princess’s coronation ceremony, the entire empire was designated as a public holiday.

Commoners were also flocking to the imperial capital to celebrate Her Highness the Princess’s coronation. As I saw many students leaving the academy and heading to the capital, I noticed a luxurious carriage parked at the academy’s main gate and moved my steps there.

It seemed Her Highness the Princess had put quite a bit of thought into it, as the golden and splendid appearance of the carriage was almost dizzying. Anyone who saw it would feel that someone important was riding in it.

It wasn’t just me who felt that, as subtle gazes were gathering on the carriage. The identity of the person escorting Princess Ashillya had been kept secret until the end.

In such a situation, when a carriage presumed to have been sent by the royal family appeared, everyone’s attention was focused on who would board that carriage.

When I couldn’t bring myself to approach closely due to the burdensome gazes, an elderly knight waiting beside the carriage approached me and politely asked.

“…Sir, are you Felix von Astria?”

Since red hair wasn’t common, he seemed to have found me easily. I matched his etiquette and affirmed his words.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I am Godric. I have come to escort you, Lord Felix, by order of Her Highness the Princess.”

At the same time, people’s gazes focused on me. They were too far away for me to hear their voices, but they seemed to have noticed that I was the one who would board the royal carriage.

Even though everyone would find out once the banquet began, having it revealed made my head dizzy.

“…I will be in your care.”

Following the polite guidance of the elderly knight, I moved my steps towards the carriage. I lowered my head deeply, feeling the gazes around me.

“Please raise your head, aren’t you a guest of Princess Ashillya?”

As if he had experienced many such situations, the elderly knight eased my anxiety with a gentle voice.

Indeed, I had no reason to lower my head and fear people’s gazes when I hadn’t committed any crime.

Nodding at his words and straightening my back, Godric finally smiled with satisfaction.

As I climbed the splendid steps of the carriage, the interior, which was as wide and elegant as its exterior, came into view.

“Then, we will depart.”

“…Yes.”

As I lay my body on the plush seat of the carriage, I answered Godric’s words. He seemed to have experience driving carriages as he began to drive the carriage smoothly. Looking at the passing scenery outside the window, I faintly sighed.

If I can’t endure the focused gazes from the start like this, I wonder if I’ll be able to withstand the banquet. I had few acquaintances at the banquet and couldn’t stick by Princess Ashillya’s side either.

If only Helena could attend the banquet, it would be nice. Still, given her personality, it didn’t seem like she would participate in such a banquet.

I stared out the window blankly when I realized something and opened my mouth in a daze.

“That’s right.”

I didn’t tell Helena anything… Will it be okay? Sylvia should be with her, at least. Since I didn’t tell anyone that I was participating as an escort in Ashillya’s princess coronation ceremony, only Ashillya, Sylvia, and I knew about it.

Well, Sylvia will handle it and explain it well. Helena might be a little upset, but I can appease her later. With those thoughts, I relaxed and lay my body on the plush seat of the carriage.

***

Meanwhile, Helena, who was left alone…

“Everyone left me alone…!!”

Although she knew about the princess’s coronation ceremony, Felix and Sylvia didn’t when they would leave.

“This is too much!!!”

She could only wail alone at the academy.