The academy garden in the morning was, as it always has been, the wide and open greenery which had the maintained paths running between distinguishable sections of vegetation.
Given how the festival was ongoing, the academy was quieter than the usual. This quietness was reflected in the garden as well, completely void of students save one person.
Evangeline Velvet was right next to the garden's eastern bench, positioned just where the morning light came through the tree coverage at the angle that made the space warmer than the surrounding.
She was reading in silence. The sound of pages flipping was the only noise she produced.
Then, the sound of footsteps entered, breaking the silence.
She looked up.
Irine approached, walking along the garden's eastern path with the [Glamour] running its background enhancement as it always did.
"Evangeline," Irine said, with familiarity in her tone. She nodded slightly while maintaining the same, composed expression that she always held by default.
"It went well." Evangeline spoke with a light sigh, as she closed the book. "I… thank you for your previous advice." Her eyes were cold as they gazed at the empty space ahead rather than at Irine. Her lips twitched, as if it was impossible to completely conceal the turmoil in her mind. "Isaac Nameless… to think I would need to show up in the banquet as Isaac Nameless's partner…"
Irine stood still for a moment. Then, she asked as she looked at the bench beside the wheelchair which Evangeline occupied, "may I?"
Evangeline gestured with the flatness of someone for whom the answer was obvious.
Irine sat.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Evangeline, in particular, closed her eyes and took in a deep breath as she enjoyed the bask of the sunlight that shone upon her and Irine.
Then, opening her eyes, Evangeline said once again, "Isaac Nameless."
Irine looked at her.
"How did you get to know him?" Evangeline asked, dully as if mildly curious of her question at best. "You mentioned that you two are friends."
"Impulsivity," Irine responded. "I approached him and became acquainted. We spoke occasionally and became friends."
"Impulsivity." Evangeline repeated. "I suppose that impulsivity is what drove the establishment of my partnership with him as well." She looked up at the sky above. It was blue and peaceful, which seemed to reflect the ongoing festival spirit. "He is Nameless. Clearly, he is hated by House Valerius. His skill rank is F-rank: [Condensation]. The status of being a higher class student and the past victory over Silas Fulgur… they mean nothing."
Irine said nothing. She was watching the garden's far edge as if she had something on her mind but decided that revealing it would be inappropriate in this conversation.
"If only I wasn't… bound by this wheelchair."
Then, Evangeline lamented. Her head dropped to the ground.
Irine turned to look at her.
"You know me. We know each other because my house is one of your family's major customers." Evangeline stared at her legs that sat on the wheelchair. "There were many men who wished to win my hands. Then, everything changed when the eastern border became unstable, and when an accident took my legs."
Irine pursed her lips, as if trying to think of what to say.
"…Yes, it is unfortunate," At last, she said, stiffly, "given how you have also been praised for your talent in mana work."
"That talent still remains." Evangeline curled her hands into fists. "My Total Reserve and Mana Efficiency stands above average. And unlike you, my Rite of Manifestation is still yet to come."
Irine looked at her. "Do you believe that—"
"Not believe," said Evangeline, interrupting her, "it's a must." Raising her head, she looked right back into Irine's eyes. "They took away my legs. Surely, there will be a compensation." She then whispered, "I am, and will be leagues above ones like Isaac Nameless."
Irine couldn't help but frown, although her expression instantly eliminated it.
"And now," Evangeline continued, "when I go to the banquet with him, I will be publicly humiliated."
"…Is that so."
Then, the silence ensued as they ran out of words.
Irine looked at the garden's far edge once again. Her expression was the flat composure she maintained in public, but the conversation that they just had gave a feeling of uneasiness to her.
"The festival is good this year," Irine said at last, standing up from the bench. It was spoken with a nuance that the conversation was complete.
Evangeline looked at her for a moment. Then, she opened her book again, flipping through pages to find the bookmark.
"Again, thank you for the advice," she said, after a moment.
"…I hope that he will be a better partner than you're expecting," Irine said. "Personally… I believe that he isn't the type to let his partner be humiliated."
Evangeline paused her act of flipping through pages when she heard that. When she looked up, Irine was already walking back.
Evangeline watched her go.
She looked at the book in her lap.
"…Isaac Nameless," she repeated the name, to no one.
She returned to the page. This time, her eyes moved.
…
The Hearthstone was as lively as ever, filled with laughter and joy-filled noises.
Isaac entered and found the same, second table from the back left wall.
Henrick was already there. The wide smile assembled itself as Isaac crossed the room—with the practiced ease of the public performance they had established the previous day.
"Look who's here!" Henrick said, with the warmth of someone genuinely pleased. "Sit, sit. I ordered already."
"You look happier than yesterday," said Isaac, as he sat across, "did something good happen?"
"We're both breathing and alive, brother! If that isn't good enough, what is?"
Isaac chuckled outwardly.
Alive, huh, he thought dryly, alive indeed. So far.
"Anyway, did you sleep well?" Henrick asked, rather casually.
"Well enough." Isaac picked up the glass of water that was on his side of the table. "Golden Repose is the best dormitory in the academy for a reason. Quiet during the night. No disturbances. Pleasant overall."
"Good, good." Henrick nodded with his hands around his cup. "Well, just wanted to ask given how crazy things tend to happen in festivals. I also do recall that last year around this time—" he shook his head, "—all sorts of things happened."
"Last year…" Isaac made a thoughtful expression as he stared at the empty air. "The only thing that I recall during that time is that Terra Patriarch nominated his third son as the heir."
"One more thing," said Henrick, with a mischievous gleam in his eyes, "you got kicked out of the banquet because of lacking a partner. Then, you locked yourself in your room until the academy resumed."
"Oh, come on." Isaac forced a groan. Inward, his mind was processing the information.
Donaston Terra hasn't left his room since the start of the festival yesterday… is what he is saying.
In other words, there was a low chance that Donaston Terra would be involved in the upcoming assassination attempt.
It did make sense, given how Isaac's bait letter would've alarmed their internal network, that Donaston's identity is at stake here.
"By the way," Isaac asked, "why here? Why don't we get to eat inside like we did yesterday?"
Henrick snorted at that, "who do you think we are, some kind of agents who need to meet secretly? We are here to meet and eat, nothing more."
"I mean, you know the owner here. That's how we got the special treatment yesterday. Just do the same."
"No. I don't want to bother my buddy again."
Isaac shrugged, "well, if you say so."
"Well then," Henrick took the time to flag the waiter with the casual authority he always had in crowded spaces, especially because of his huge stature. "Eat something," he said, "day is still long."
Isaac looked at the menu.
Day is still long.
Isaac's eyes narrowed.
The chance of the assassination attempt happening today is… quite high, huh?
In his pocket, there was the device that Henrick handed to him yesterday.
He was always alert ever since that night, but it seemed that tonight required even more focus.