199 – Behind the Scenes (15)
Eternia was filled with a festive atmosphere.
On campus, even though there was still one day left until the prom, students were seen wearing masks.
On the roadside, planteras carry materials to decorate the prom venue.
A day before the prom, the class schedule ended in the morning to prepare for the party.
The theater department was scheduled to perform a short play at the ball, and the dance department was also quite busy with a group performance prepared.
The art department also had a role to play for the ball, but it was light and simple compared to the two mainstream departments above.
“Newcomer, take a picture of that flower. “I’ll take care of the rest.”
Our art department was moving the paintings we had created to decorate the ballroom and other event venues.
While moving paintings with Xenia in the greenhouse, Hayley rushed over and shouted at the art department students.
“Guys. Not only do we have to move the paintings, but we also have to move the greenhouse plants. “It’s our job to decorate the inside of the ballroom, so we can’t do it haphazardly.”
Some students sigh. Most of the art club members were weak female students, and the distance to the ballroom was quite long, so it felt daunting.
Xenia put a bunch of her paintings on her side and lightly kicked my calf and said.
“Newbie. “I’ll have to work hard to get the pleasure you deserve.”
“I understand.”
“Let’s go, newbie.”
I put a bunch of paintings on her cart and followed Xenia out.
As she got quite far from the greenhouse, Xenia, who was walking next to her, spoke.
“Newbie, have you found a prom partner?”
“Yes.”
“Who is it?”
“… “I decided to do it with Luna.”
“The blonde haired girl from the theater department? You also seduced a dragon. But what about our art department?”
“Yes?”
“You take care of the theater department, but there is no art department?”
“That’s….”
“It’s a joke. The newbie is smarter than he looks. “I know how to survive.”
“Survival?”
“How a man survives in a group of women. If you give someone special treatment… I feel a strange sense of discomfort. “It would be better to just choose another club member like you.”
I also vaguely knew what the strange feeling of discomfort that Xenia expressed was.
Because of that, even though Trisha was being bullied, she couldn’t come forward.
“Keep doing that in the future. I’m not saying you should be cold towards the art department. “It means behaving in a friendly way and staying within the appropriate line.”
“I understand.”
“Have fun at prom. “I should just watch from behind.”
“Senior is going to prom… Have you given up?”
“Yes. “What kind of dance are you doing when your feet look like this?”
“There must have been many people who wanted to become partners with seniors.”
“Thank you for even saying something.”
It was only a day before Xenia’s prom, and she was still limping on one of her feet.
She felt a little sorry to see him carrying her injured body and helping her with her work for an event that had nothing to do with him.
Although she seemed to have a tough and picky personality, she also had a responsible and altruistic side.
Then, a group of students ran out in the opposite direction from us.
“What is it?”
Seeing her sudden movements, Xenia also expressed her doubts.
Looking at the expressions of anticipation on the faces of those running, it didn’t seem like it was an emergency.
“Erzebet?”
“Come quickly. “You returned to Eternia!”
From what I heard, it seemed like Erzebet, the owner of the Planteras and the vice principal of Eternia, had returned. The students’ reaction was to make a fuss as if they were social celebrities.
It is said that some students from the Ministry of Magic entered Eternia to see Silverine. The students of the Department of Magic may not be much different.
“Newbie. Do you want to go see it with us?”
“Is that even necessary?”
“I mean, let’s smoke a little bit. “I’ll tell Haley well.”
Actually, a little bit of anticipation was swelling in my heart. It was because she thought that if Erzébet had returned, Silverine would have also returned.
***
Erzebet walks from afar, accompanied by two attendants. Is it because the sunlight is bright or is it because she is wearing bright clothes? The appearance is neither flashy nor authoritative, but the surroundings seem to shine brightly.
Other students also gathered like a cloud, but they did not dare to get close and could only watch.
Erzsebet smiled awkwardly as she looked at the students crowded together and walked forward.
Occasionally, I shake her hand and exchange a few words with the attendant.
Pointy ears. A beauty that lacks a sense of reality. She has the body of a woman in her twenties, but inside she has the soul of a hundreds of years old.
This is the first time since I saw it once during the masters class screening.
Her behavior is so relaxed and calm that Ergé Bette feels just like her grandmother. She feels like the exact opposite of Sylverine.
Has she lived for hundreds of years and all her angular parts have been shaved off? She seemed more compassionate than anyone else in the world.
Even if someone acts like a beggar and rushes to hug Erzébet, it seems like she won’t shake it off and just embrace her without saying a word.
“Newbie, listen to me. I can not see.”
Xenia, who was jumping up and down in the crowd of people, jumped up and jumped onto my back.
She then watched for a while and then said.
“Newbie. Do you like women with pointy ears?”
“I just like good people.”
The attendants gently admonished the students and cleared the way.
Then, Hergé Bett turned her head slightly and fixed her gaze on us.
It felt like our eyes made slight eye contact with me from a distance, but maybe I was mistaken.
She looked at us for a moment, smiled her eyes without saying a word, and went on again.
Unfortunately, Silverine was nowhere to be seen.
***
Knock knock.
After finishing her work, I came back and knocked on Trisha’s room door, but she still didn’t answer.
Did you go out today? There were signs that she had touched the meal she had prepared. They say you have to come out of the room.
How important was the prom to Trisha? When I see her disappear without even saying a word to her friend who lives with her… It seems that expectations were high.
“Trisha.”
I put my ear to the door, but couldn’t hear any sound.
When I turned the door handle, it was still locked and would not open.
No matter how hard she tried, it didn’t seem like her broken heart would improve. I turned around and headed towards the stairs.
As I was going down the stairs, Trisha’s door suddenly opened.
“Damian….”
Trisha, with messy white hair and thin silk pajamas, opened her door and said.
“Trisha?”
“Why….”
“What do you have to say?”
“Why, Cecile!”
Boom!
After yelling like that, he closed the door.
In an instant, Xenia’s words passed through my mind like lightning. She said she couldn’t forgive me for partnering with her best friend.
I quickly ran over and shook the doorknob, but it was already locked.
“Trisha.”
I can hear her voice through the door.
“I’m not going to play with you.”
“… He’ll come visit you after the prom. “Make it pretty and wait.”
“I’m not playing with you.”
You can interpret this as meaning that he will protest until you play with him.
Anyway, the prom can’t last all night and I have to go back to the dorm.
There will be plenty of time to play together. Although you will have to spend a lot of time soothing your upset heart.
***
The day of the prom, which seemed like it would never come, dawned.
First thing I did was prepare breakfast for Trisha, and then she got ready to enjoy the prom with a total of three girls.
Two masks I will wear. Then I took Luna’s mask, which had been oiled, and checked again what I had to do.
In case of an emergency, I hide the wooden sword in the ballroom. She sends Cecil and her first part, greets Lilith separately, and changes her outfit without being noticed, sending Luna and her second part.
It is not a difficult mission. I had experienced worse things in Barbisia, so I didn’t have to be nervous about this behind-the-scenes operation.
The dance was scheduled for the afternoon, and in the morning, performances by special talents and congratulatory speeches by external guests were scheduled.
I headed to the art department’s club room to conduct the morning event.
There, I watched the morning event while being held by Xenia’s hand as if we had made a promise. And in the middle, Hayley also sneaked in and naturally they became a threesome.
The two had bright expressions in the morning, but as the time for the prom approached, their expressions gradually darkened and their tone of voice became more sensitive.
“Newbie. “Do you think it makes sense to dance with a girl at the ball?”
“No. “It makes no sense.”
“I should have killed the guy who made my ankle like this.”
“….”
He must have been very angry because he came dressed up nicely and had to be pushed into a corner without being able to do what he wanted to do.
Even after the lunch and dinner party ended, they did not let me go.
Even though the prom was right around the corner, I couldn’t run away as if I was being held by a leash.
The two seniors led me to the front of the ballroom.
“Newcomers, wear a mask.”
Xenia and Hayley wore butterfly-shaped masks on their faces.
From Noble mtl dot com
Originally, I had planned to enter with Cecil, but my plan got a little twisted and I ended up entering the ballroom with the seniors of the art club.
The ballroom was full of beautifully decorated students. In one corner of the venue, a band played a proud march, and a magically floating chandelier on the ceiling gave off soft light.
As soon as we entered, we received harsh looks from other students waiting in the ballroom.
Not surprisingly, I was the only one who came in arm in arm with two women.
Haley whispered to me.
“I did this to save you, so don’t be puffed up.”
“… “Aren’t your seniors’ families here?”
“It will come when part 2 is released. “If you see me with your arms around a man, you’ll probably be foaming at the mouth.”
“….”
We sat in a nice corner of the ballroom.
While I was waiting, I once again saw the students’ eyes focused on one place.
Xenia spoke as if she could clearly see what the situation was.
“Ah, looks like he’s here.”
“… “Why are you doing that?”
“Newbie. Who do you think will be the most popular in Eternia?”
“… I do not know.”
“The newbie is also popular, but compared to that girl, it’s still not enough. Shinshin is still growing, but Elliot is already finished.”
“Elliot… “This?”
“Rookie, you’ve heard of it too, right? “He is the best sword user in Eternia.”
My head froze for a moment. Did I hear correctly?
The name I wanted to erase even more than Lisa Pascal.
I was bound to encounter that name someday when I came to Eternia, and only today I finally heard it.
Soon after, a tall man with dark blond hair strode in from the entrance.
As if light was focused through a magnifying glass, the students’ eyes were all focused on one point.
He looked just like I had seen him from afar a long time ago. He is tall and quite handsome. His presence was so clear that the ballroom froze just by appearing.
He is the best swordsman in Eternia. It feels like lava is being poured into my heart.
At least that may be the case for now.
But a year later, that assessment would be wrong.
Because I will rise to that position.
But it seemed like I wasn’t the only one who was stimulated by that appearance.
Hayley’s arms were full of strength as she linked arms with me.