Chapter 41: A Familiar Quiet, a Stirring Change

Sayo’s third-semester break was largely uneventful, much like the second. She slept in a little, had a late breakfast, then returned to the dormitory to relax and spend time with Ahrin. She visited the library, spent time with Nell, who was quite free with fewer patrons, and occasionally ventured into town with both of them. In the evenings, she dedicated some time to studying and magic practice, ensuring her days weren’t entirely frivolous.

A week passed quickly.

“Long time no see, Sayoreinne! It’s even nicer seeing you after a week apart.”

A soft voice broke Sayo’s concentration as she was reading. Turning her head, she saw Euru, who appeared to have returned from the royal palace.

“Ah, Euru? You’re back. It’s good to see you too. But how did you know I was here?”

“Hmm? I just came to borrow a book and happened to see you.”

“Is that so?”

Euru’s reaction upon seeing her hadn’t seemed like that of someone who’d stumbled upon an acquaintance by chance. But it didn’t matter. It wasn’t a big deal, and Euru had no reason to lie about something so trivial.

“So, what are you reading? Non-fiction? Literature?”

Euru plopped down next to Sayo, feigning interest in the book Sayo was engrossed in. She pulled her chair closer.

“Ah, this is a novel called Single Mother…”

Sayo diligently explained the story, but Euru barely listened. It was a bit surprising that Sayo was reading a novel, but Euru wasn’t actually interested in the book. She just needed an excuse to talk to Sayo and be close to her.

Euru studied Sayo’s face, which she hadn’t seen in a while (though it had only been a week). ‘Is this what it feels like to never tire of looking at someone?’

Being close to Sayo, Euru caught the familiar scent of her long hair, and it stirred something within her. As always, Euru didn’t hesitate to indulge that feeling, at least partially. She wrapped her arms around Sayo’s waist, pulling her close.

“Eep!”

A small, startled gasp escaped Sayo’s lips, and her body twitched. They’d been engaging in similar physical contact for two months now, so Sayo should have been used to it by now. But Euru found her reaction endearing, especially the way her cheeks flushed slightly. Euru thought she’d be disappointed if Sayo ever became so accustomed to it that she stopped reacting this way.

‘Finally, some peace.’ Euru’s week at the royal palace had been utterly boring, as always. ‘Since we already made an agreement for me to attend the academy, couldn’t I just show my face at the palace for a day or two and come back? ’ Euru grumbled internally, but some things couldn’t be avoided.

The library was deserted on a weekday morning during the break. Only one person manned the reception desk near the entrance, barely visible from where they sat. Nell and the other librarians were nowhere to be seen. With no one around to witness, Sayoreinne, who was almost alarmingly innocent in some ways, sat right in front of Euru. Euru saw an opportunity.

She wrapped her arms around Sayo’s waist, burying her face in the nape of her neck and inhaling deeply, savoring Sayo’s scent.

“Euru, wait…!”

Sayo put down her book and grabbed Euru’s arm. Knowing she couldn’t win in a physical struggle, Euru simply enjoyed the feel of Sayo’s slender fingers on her arm.

“I was just happy to see my friend after so long… Did I upset you?” Euru knew what she was doing. Speaking in a slightly hurt tone, implying that this was just a friendly gesture, would work.

“So long…? It hasn’t been that long. It’s not that I’m upset or anything. I understand friends can be like this, but in a public place, it might make others uncomfortable.”

“But there’s no one else here right now.”

“Even if there’s no one around… this is a public place, so we should refrain from such behavior. Someone could come in at any moment.”

Sayo was right, of course, but Euru had no intention of listening. She knew Sayo couldn’t stop her even if she pushed further, so there was no need to back down.

“Um, My Lady doesn’t like it!”

“Huh?”

A voice suddenly piped up beside them. It wasn’t loud – they were in a library, after all, and even in this situation, they seemed to be observing some level of decorum – but it was enough to interrupt. It was Ahrin, Sayo’s maid, who had intervened.

Euru had said there were no onlookers, but technically, there had been one. Ahrin, standing behind Sayo, had witnessed the entire scene. And despite understanding the difference in their social standing, and knowing she shouldn’t interfere, Ahrin couldn’t help but step in when she saw Sayo being… ‘molested’ by Euru.

“…What?” Euru frowned slightly, looking at Ahrin. It wasn’t meant to be threatening or angry; it was an involuntary reaction to the interruption. But Ahrin flinched and took a step back.

“Uh…”

“No, I’m not…”

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I’m truly sorry!”

“For my sake, could you forgive Ahrin’s rudeness? She’s still new to being a maid and doesn’t know any better.”

“I said I’m not angry… Fine, whatever.”

Euru wasn’t bothered. She found it rather amusing that a maid would dare to rebuke a princess. If Euru had been sensitive about such things, she wouldn’t have chosen to attend the academy and be on the front lines. She understood Sayo’s concern for the frightened Ahrin. After all, Euru was royalty. With that in mind, she simply acquiesced and dropped the matter. She also figured that even if she were angry, she couldn’t really reprimand Ahrin given Sayo’s presence.

‘That could be annoying.’ Euru was slightly bothered by how close Sayo and Ahrin seemed. Besides, the commotion had separated her from Sayo. Disappointed, Euru decided to wait for another opportunity. Being too aggressive might make Sayo dislike her, and that wouldn’t do.

“It sounds like something’s going on. What happened, Lady Euru?”

Despite their attempts to keep their voices down, the commotion had apparently been loud enough to attract Nell’s attention.

“…Has it really been that long? It’s even nicer seeing you after a week, Lady Euru.”

“Yes, it’s good to see you too. I trust everything has been alright while I was gone?”

“Well, things happened and didn’t happen. But one thing is certain: I’ve been with Sayoreinne this whole week.”

“Hmm, that sounds like fun. I’m so jealous. But is that all? Now that I’m back, we can have even more fun and fulfilling times than when it was just the two of you.”

Nell and Euru exchanged friendly greetings, catching up with each other. Seeing them together made Sayo feel a sense of accomplishment. She’d managed to bridge the seemingly insurmountable gap between a commoner and a royal, fostering a friendship between them. ‘And though it feels a bit late now that we’re in the library, it’s probably best to continue this conversation later, perhaps in the common room or outside. Their voices are getting a little loud with all the excitement.’

After that, the four of them had lunch together and spent time in the library until Nell’s shift ended. They continued to spend time together afterwards. Throughout the day, Nell and Euru stuck close, whispering to each other constantly, bringing a smile to Sayo’s face. ‘Are they even closer than I am with either of them now?’

They had dinner together and spent more time at a cafe before finally returning to the dormitory late at night.

“It was really fun spending time together. See you tomorrow, Euru, Nell.”

Back in her room, exhaustion finally caught up with Sayo. Her weak constitution couldn’t handle a whole day of running around. After a shower and a cup of warm tea, sleepiness overwhelmed her. She dismissed Ahrin and climbed into bed, drifting off immediately.

The rest of the break continued peacefully with Ahrin, Euru, and Nell. Every day felt similar, but that was the beauty of a peaceful, ordinary routine.

Time flew by, and January arrived.

Sayo put on her uniform, scarf, thick stockings, and coat early in the morning and left the dormitory.

Her second year was beginning.