“Whaaat?!” Flavia exclaimed after hearing Narias’s mom had been disowned by her parents.
“B… but…” Emilia’s eyes were big and wide, sparkling from the frosty astonishment.
“That is…” Ileena was about to say something, but couldn’t find the right words to express her shock.
“I can understand your surprise, but it’s ok. You don’t have to feel bad about it,” Alvina told the girls, adding a kind smile on her face.
“But… how did that happen? If you don’t mind me asking, Lady Alvina?” Emilia brought up the courage to ask.
“I suppose I should tell you the full story from the beginning. Gosh… how many years has it been? That brings me back…” Alvina seemed like her mind was travelling back to her past, cheeks catching a mild flush. “Lorenard would become so embarrassed each time when I remind him how we got together. Nobody ever thought it could happen, even me.”
Alvina chuckled charmingly while Ileena, Flavia and Emilia stayed quiet, patiently waiting to hear her story.
“Both of my parents were wonderful people, hardworking and ambitious. My father had two wives at the time and I had an older brother from my father’s first wife. As you may know, coming from a Tier Three Rank family opens many new possibilities, including being able to enrol into any academy of your choice. However, even if Tier Three Rank offers you additional perks that come with it, it is still the lowest of the top three Noble Ranks and it shows when you mingle among the higher Rank people.
Being a man, my father understood that. He knew that the best my brother could achieve was to become one of the husbands to a woman who comes from a Tier Two Rank family. More often than not, when you marry into someone who comes from a higher Rank family, your family’s Rank doesn’t change. On a very rare occasions a person might be fortunate enough to have their own noble Rank increased, but that would be an exception rather than a rule. So, my parents were putting a lot of effort into raising and grooming me, so I would attract a husband from a higher Tier family.
It was hard at first, but the more I studied the more I understood why my parents were pushing me. I started attending social gathering with my parents at an early age, witnessing what a difference ones Noble Rank made. You might think Tier Three Rank is a high Rank, but I am certain Ileena and Emilia here could tell me stories what a vast difference between the third and the second Rank is.” Alvina stopped talking for a moment, chuckling charmingly.
“I must admit, I was blessed with a rare beauty that I have and my parents would always say if I conduct myself in the right way, I will definitely attract a good husband. I had enrolled into a prestigious school, the same school I had met my current husband, Lorenard. How he managed to pass the exams to be accepted in it still remains a mystery to me. Aha…” Narias’s mom couldn’t restrain herself from laughing. “Anyway, back then, the academies weren’t as strict with sorting and accepting the students solely based on their family’s Rank. There were wide mix of students in many prestigious schools, but times had changed unfortunately.”
“As soon as I started going to school, my beauty didn’t go unnoticed and I quickly became one of the most popular girls at the academy. And since I was groomed to be the best I could be, I was excelling both in my studies and at communicating with people. Very soon, I had boys running after me, trying to win me over.”
“There were at least three boys who basically declared that one of them will definitely take me as their wife. It was amusing to hear them say that, but they were very serious about it. All three of them came from the Tier Two Rank families. However, it wasn’t like all three of them wanted to become my husbands. No, they were fighting over me. They wanted for me to become their future wife, or one of their wives to be more precise. I didn’t mind that of course and it felt flattering to have boys fight over me.”
“Unfortunately, when I say the boys were fighting to prove who was better suitor for me, I literally mean that. They tried to prove themselves in many different ways, be it excel in their studies or actually fight against each other for real. On one side, I was happy to have boys trying to win me over. After all, my parents worked hard to raise me properly, so I could find a good husband. On the other side, seeing boys who I started to like fight each other was unsettling. I wanted them to get along, not be at odds with one another.”
“As time was passing by, people started talking that one of the three boys will take me as their wife for certain, but it was yet to be decided who will be the lucky one. I was holding off to give my answer, so everyone simply assumed that the best one will claim me as their prize in the end, which was quite sad now that I think about it. At the time, I looked at it only as a game, with me inevitably becoming a wife to one of them sooner or later. But life doesn’t always work the way you plan it. As it were to happen, that’s where Lorenard came in.”
Alvina let out a chuckle, covering her mouth with one hand.
“He was so clumsy and awkward. Lorenard would always manage to get himself into trouble and become a laughingstock in front of other students. That is probably not the best way to talk about my husband, but that’s how he truly was. He wasn’t performing well at his studies and he’d always be at the bottom of the list after the exams. Test results were public knowledge for all the students, so everyone knew how each other performed. I was always at the top of the list in both written and practical exams. A trait that was desirable to see on the ‘Future Wife’s’ resume.”
“However, there was something about Lorenard that pulled me towards him. It wasn’t his performance or looks, although, he was quite good looking… and still is. Hmh…” Alvina touched her cheek with one hand, probably thinking about her husband. “But since he came from a Tier Four Rank family, he wasn’t popular among the girls. To tell you the truth, I didn’t see him as someone I would be romantically interested in. Lorenard was amusing in a way, but he would go over the top from time to time, trying to get into the fights he couldn’t win and would end up hurt as a result. Other students would have a good laugh, but one time I took pity on him.”
“There was one time when Lorenard got into a fight by challenging two boys at once. With him just barely knowing how to use magic, he was doomed to lose and so he did. Lorenard was still lying on the ground after everyone left, so I approached him to ask if he was ok. You should’ve seen his face. It was so red from the embarrassment I could barely hold my laugh in. I extended my tissue to him and said ‘You know, studying and training to become better might help you win sometimes.’ He couldn’t say anything back to me, which was so cute. I smiled and walked away, leaving Lorenard sitting on the ground with his mouth wide open. Little did I know how much my words had impacted him on that day.”
“The days went by and my three main suitors continued to court me. I wasn’t idle on my end, of course. I was spending time with each one of them, wanting to get to know my suitors better. All three of them excelled at their studies, were groomed well by their families and would’ve been perfect for me to marry into. However, as great of the future husbands as they were, I still found it disturbing that each one of them were claiming to be better than anyone else. That was especially evident when I would witness my suitors interact with the students who came from the lower Tier Rank families. In most cases, they treated those other students unfairly to say the least. I was always treated with respect by all three of them, but I started to wonder if that was just an act to win me over and whether or not their attitude towards me will change in the future.”
“One other thing that I wasn’t fond of was all three of my suitors weren’t actually cooperative with each other. It’s not that they weren’t getting along. As a matter of fact, they would hang out together a lot. But it was more of a rivalry relationship than anything else. Each one of them had told me early on they wouldn’t accept a man other than themselves to be involved with me.”
“Now, going back to Lorenard. Surprisingly, he started to do much better at his tests and practical exams. The test results were public knowledge to the students, so you could only imagine my surprise when I saw Lorenard’s name jump up the list after each test. That’s not to say he became the top student at the academy. Far from it.” Alvina chuckled. “But he was starting to improve, even if a little at a time. Our second encounter couldn’t have been more amusing. I went to the library to study for the upcoming exam as I usually do. I picked up some books and was about to find a table I could sit at to study. The library was full of other students who came there to study and there weren’t any empty tables available. Coincidentally, I noticed Lorenard sitting at one of the tables, desperately trying to learn something he visibly had trouble with. Curious to know what he was struggling with I came over to talk to him.”
“His reaction was the most adorable. Lorenard was about to pick his stuff and leave, so I could sit at the table myself, but I managed to convince him to stay. Instead, I sat next to him, and without being too intrusive, asked Lorenard if he was preparing for the upcoming exam. He said he was, but was struggling to understand the subject. I offered to help him with it to which he excitedly agreed only to back down the next second, becoming embarrassed again. I ignored his refusal and continued to talk to him like I normally would. I must confess, helping someone learn something was a new experience for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. After that one time, I started coming to the library more often than I usually would in hope to find Lorenard studying, so I could help him again. At that time, it was a fun experience and the thought of becoming Lorenard’s wife, or even a girlfriend, hadn’t crossed my mind yet.”
“Time went by, and before I knew it, studying together at the library became a regular thing for me and Lorenard. Our studies paid off and his scores went up too which I was very happy about for some reason. Little by little, I was becoming fond of his company and wanted to spend more time with him. That of course didn’t go unnoticed by the other students. My friends started giving me strange stares and had questions why I would waste my time with someone from a Tier Four Rank family when I had boys from Tier Two Rank families courting me. I would laugh it off telling them he was funny and I simply wanted to help him study.”
“Unfortunately, my suitors didn’t take my benevolent act kindly. As boys who wanted to prove their superiority, they went out of their way to put Lorenard in his place, so to say. While I was studying at the library one day, one of my girl student friends came to tell me that my three main suitors and Lorenard were about to get into a fight. I became distressed in an instant. Not because I was afraid for Lorenard to get hurt, but because I never enjoyed watching the boys beat each other up. So, I rushed to see what will happen.”
“The fight had already started once I showed up. At that time, Lorenard was much better at using magic. He wasn’t great, but he wasn’t a pushover either. But what astounded me the most was that Lorenard wasn’t fighting back. He was simply getting back up after being blown away by yet another one of my suitor’s attacks, a strange daring smile never leaving his face. When my suitors noticed me watching, they perked up to show off in front of me even more. It was painful to watch Lorenard being beaten up to a pulp, but for some reason he never fought back. But the most astounding thing was he was always getting back on his feet. I wanted them to stop, but I couldn’t come out and simply say it.”
“Luckily, one of the teachers showed up to stop the fight. The students scattered, leaving Lorenard lying on the ground, not bothering to help him up. The teacher herself simply told him to go get checked at the infirmary and then walked away. Lorenard must’ve been putting in some time into his physical training, because, as beaten up as he was, he was able to stand up and was ready to go. Before he left however, I stopped him to ask why wasn’t he fighting back? His answer was nothing I expected him to say. ‘Those guys were your suitors, weren’t they? They are the people you care about, so it would’ve made you sad if someone you cared about got hurt.’ My heart literally dropped to my ankles. I can still remember Lorenard showing his nonchalant smile before walking away. That was the day I understood he truly cared for me.”
“Lorenard and I weren’t dating, nor I considered him someone I’d like to have serious relationships with. I had simply found our time studying together enjoyable and I found out I loved helping other people. However, Lorenard probably saw more in me than I ever allowed myself to think he would. As time went by, we would talk about various things, including marriage. Not about us getting married, but about the marriage in general. That’s where I felt short on the listening part, which was so unfit for me. However, I really enjoyed talking to Lorenard, probably because he was one of the very few people who let me talk just for the sake of talking.”
“We would talk about my suitors too. I would tell him what I liked about each one of them and how I wished they’d get along with one another. Without knowing it, I was telling Lorenard what kind of future husband I would love to have. Surprisingly, he was supportive and never said any bad word about them and on that day I understood why. He wished for me to be happy. It didn’t matter for him whether he could be by my side or not. The mere thought I would become sad was enough for him to not raise his hand against one of my possible future husbands.”
“From that day onwards, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. We would meet up at the library from time to time to study together, but the meetings were becoming less frequent. It was our third year at the academy and the day I had to give an answer to one of my suitors was coming close. My parents were pushing me as well and I knew I had to make a choice.”
“There was about one month left until we would graduate from the academy when it happened. I was walking with one of my girl student friends to the cafeteria to eat something when we were met by some other students rushing past us, telling there was some commotion happening outside. When one of them said the commotion involved my suitors and Lorenard, I instantly rushed outside, thinking they were fighting again.”
“Luckily, they weren’t, but it didn’t make me feel any better. Apparently, Lorenard was being made fun off for some reason. Two of my suitors were holding him put while the third one had taken something away from Lorenard. Very soon, I learned what it was all about.”
“What’s this?” One of the boys asked in a loud voice.
“Give it back!” Lorenard demanded, but the other two boys were holding him in place.
“Hey, listen to this!” The first one shouted for everyone to hear. “You’ll never believe it, but… Lorenard here wrote a love letter! He’s… in looove!”
The sarcastic loud taunt produces a lot of laughs from the students who heard it.
“Tch…” Being pinned down, Lorenard couldn’t do anything about it.
“But that’s not all! You will never guess who he is in love with!” The same boy made a pause before announcing it. “It is… Alvina Selenvi!”
His announcement produced even more laughs from the crowd.
“You imbecile nobody! What makes you think Alvina would want anything to do with you?!” The insults followed, accompanied by more laughs.
“Psst… hey.” One of the boys who were holding Lorenard hinted to the one who had taken the love lotter from Lorenard to look to the side.
“Ooh, it seems today is your lucky day, Lorenard.” The boy who was holding the letter was quick to notice who his friend hinted at. “Look, Miss Alvina is standing over there. Why don’t you go and confess your love to her right here and now?”
The boy extended the love letter towards Lorenard, with the other two boys letting him go. Lorenard was hesitant to take it back, afraid it was some prank to tease him, but the boy actually let Lorenard take the letter. Once it was in his hands, Lorenard turned to where Alvina was standing and started walking towards her slowly.
“Is he actually gonna do it? What a dumbass, nobody ever confessed their love in public. He should save himself from getting even more embarrassed and just leave.” The whispers and comments were heard from the other students as Lorenard was walking closer to where Alvina was. He stopped about three feet away before bowing down in front of her.
“Miss… Alvina, I… I like… Tch… Miss Alvina… I’ve been in love with you for a while now. I wish nothing but happiness for you and was wondering… I was wondering if you… if you be willing to become my girlfriend?” Lorenard extended the crumpled letter in front of him, bowing down as low as his back would let him.
“AHAHAHA! He actually did it! What a moron!” The laughs from the other students couldn’t have been louder, however…
“Huh?” Lorenard lifted his head up when the letter he was holding was taken away from him. At first, he thought someone nicked it from him again, but it was Alvina who picked it up.
“I thought you’d never ask.” Alvina said, smiling at him happily.
“HUUUH?!” The laughs were changed by the confused gasps and glares.
“What?” One of Alvina’s suitors exclaimed, voice full of anger. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means, I’d love to be Lorenard’s girlfriend.” Alvina answered, a happy smile not leaving her face.
“Eh? That’s… Tch… How dare you, you… you worm!” One of the three suitors was about to attack Lorenard.
“Fire Wall!” But Alvina interfered by erecting a wall of fire to stop him. “I’d like to remind you that Lorenard is my boyfriend now. Anyone who tries to harm him will have to go through me first.”
“Wha…” A complete silence befell the crowd. However, the boy who was about to attack Lorenard composed himself fast. “Tch… I was never interested in you that much anyway.”
He turned away to leave, with the other two Alvina’s suitors following his lead. Teachers showed up soon after, reminding the students the classes weren’t yet over.
“I’m sorry… for causing you trouble, Miss Alvina.” Lorenard said once the courtyard was almost empty.
“Now, now, I believe you should address me properly from now on, Mister Lorenard.” Alvina spoke to him playfully.
“Oh, aaa… yes. Apologies, Miss-“ Lorenard wanted to correct himself but was interrupted instead.
“No more ‘Miss’. It is Alvina from now on. We are a couple now, are we not, Lorenard?” Alvina said, adding a teasing smile.
“Huh?” Lorenard’s stared at her in disbelief. It took him a few moments to get back to reality. “Of course, Alvina.”
With the last words of her story, Alvina became silent. She picked up her cup to have a drink, enjoying the wonderful memory of Lorenard asking her to become his girlfriend. A soft silence befell the place.
“Wuaaaa… That was sooo… awesome.” Flavia was the first one to speak, almost jumping up from her chair.
“That was… so romantic…” Emilia commented, trying to hide her flushed face behind her hair.
“What… an amazing story. Thank you for sharing it with us, Lady Alvina.” Ileena commented, not able to hide her face anywhere.
“My, my, what a rollercoaster of emotions. I felt like I was reliving it all over myself. My cheeks are burning hotter than ever.” Alvina was touching her cheeks with both hands, gently shifting her body from one side to another, like a little girl.
“But… you never told us about how you lost your status Rank, Lady Alvina.” Flavia remembered.
“That’s right. So sorry. I became so excited I told you only the pleasant part of the story. To tell you the truth, my parents never approved of me choosing Lorenard. My father was especially harsh with me for disobeying him and choosing someone of the lower Rank. My parents and the parents of my suitors were keeping in touch during my years in the academy. They had big hopes and plans for my future and their own. So, when I announced I will be marrying Lorenard, they took it as a betrayal. My former suitors families cut all ties with my family. That just put my father in a very unpleasant position. He demanded me to break up with Lorenard and go apologize to the other families, explaining it was just a foolish child’s whim. But when I refused, he banished me from his house and forbade me from ever stepping foot in his home again.”
“I wish I could say that was all there was, but Lorenard’s family had a backlash because of it as well. My own father, or maybe even my former suitor’s parents, pulled some strings and made life for my husband’s parents much more difficult as well. Lorenard was in good terms with his parents, but he couldn’t expect to receive any help from them. So, we were left on our own. Forgive me, but I wouldn’t want to talk about our struggles in too much detail. It was really hard at times. Lorenard was working any jobs he could get. I was supporting him any way I could. Things became so bad at one point, we were forced to sleep in the stables of whoever let us stay there.”
“That’s just… horrible…” Emilia covered her mouth with both hands.
“Now, now. Don’t feel bad about it, it’s all in the past.” Alvina added with a smile. “Things started to improve after a while. Lorenard got a job with the Crimes Investigation Bureau. We saved up and bought a small piece of land where Lorenard started learning how to grow Grapily berries. It was hard, but we came out of it and here we are today. Unfortunately, I was never able to mend my relationships with my father. Although, my mother might've had a change of heart, but she couldn't go against her husband. I send them letters regularly, but I am yet to receive one back. It’s a little sad that Narias has never seen his grandparents, if you think about it, but I never regretted my decision. After all, if I had chosen to marry one of my previous suitors, I would’ve never given birth to my little Narias and we wouldn’t be sitting here talking as we are right now.” Alvina gave a short explanation, adding the most loving smile she could offer.
“That’s… true.” Ileena agreed, with Flavia and Emilia nodding in too.
Niuniax
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“Whaaat?!” Flavia exclaimed after hearing Narias’s mom had been disowned by her parents.
“B… but…” Emilia’s eyes were big and wide, sparkling from the frosty astonishment.
“That is…” Ileena was about to say something, but couldn’t find the right words to express her shock.
“I can understand your surprise, but it’s ok. You don’t have to feel bad about it,” Alvina told the girls, adding a kind smile on her face.
“But… how did that happen? If you don’t mind me asking, Lady Alvina?” Emilia brought up the courage to ask.
“I suppose I should tell you the full story from the beginning. Gosh… how many years has it been? That brings me back…” Alvina seemed like her mind was travelling back to her past, cheeks catching a mild flush. “Lorenard would become so embarrassed each time when I remind him how we got together. Nobody ever thought it could happen, even me.”
Alvina chuckled charmingly while Ileena, Flavia and Emilia stayed quiet, patiently waiting to hear her story.
“Both of my parents were wonderful people, hardworking and ambitious. My father had two wives at the time and I had an older brother from my father’s first wife. As you may know, coming from a Tier Three Rank family opens many new possibilities, including being able to enrol into any academy of your choice. However, even if Tier Three Rank offers you additional perks that come with it, it is still the lowest of the top three Noble Ranks and it shows when you mingle among the higher Rank people.
Being a man, my father understood that. He knew that the best my brother could achieve was to become one of the husbands to a woman who comes from a Tier Two Rank family. More often than not, when you marry into someone who comes from a higher Rank family, your family’s Rank doesn’t change. On a very rare occasions a person might be fortunate enough to have their own noble Rank increased, but that would be an exception rather than a rule. So, my parents were putting a lot of effort into raising and grooming me, so I would attract a husband from a higher Tier family.
It was hard at first, but the more I studied the more I understood why my parents were pushing me. I started attending social gathering with my parents at an early age, witnessing what a difference ones Noble Rank made. You might think Tier Three Rank is a high Rank, but I am certain Ileena and Emilia here could tell me stories what a vast difference between the third and the second Rank is.” Alvina stopped talking for a moment, chuckling charmingly.
“I must admit, I was blessed with a rare beauty that I have and my parents would always say if I conduct myself in the right way, I will definitely attract a good husband. I had enrolled into a prestigious school, the same school I had met my current husband, Lorenard. How he managed to pass the exams to be accepted in it still remains a mystery to me. Aha…” Narias’s mom couldn’t restrain herself from laughing. “Anyway, back then, the academies weren’t as strict with sorting and accepting the students solely based on their family’s Rank. There were wide mix of students in many prestigious schools, but times had changed unfortunately.”
“As soon as I started going to school, my beauty didn’t go unnoticed and I quickly became one of the most popular girls at the academy. And since I was groomed to be the best I could be, I was excelling both in my studies and at communicating with people. Very soon, I had boys running after me, trying to win me over.”
“There were at least three boys who basically declared that one of them will definitely take me as their wife. It was amusing to hear them say that, but they were very serious about it. All three of them came from the Tier Two Rank families. However, it wasn’t like all three of them wanted to become my husbands. No, they were fighting over me. They wanted for me to become their future wife, or one of their wives to be more precise. I didn’t mind that of course and it felt flattering to have boys fight over me.”
“Unfortunately, when I say the boys were fighting to prove who was better suitor for me, I literally mean that. They tried to prove themselves in many different ways, be it excel in their studies or actually fight against each other for real. On one side, I was happy to have boys trying to win me over. After all, my parents worked hard to raise me properly, so I could find a good husband. On the other side, seeing boys who I started to like fight each other was unsettling. I wanted them to get along, not be at odds with one another.”
“As time was passing by, people started talking that one of the three boys will take me as their wife for certain, but it was yet to be decided who will be the lucky one. I was holding off to give my answer, so everyone simply assumed that the best one will claim me as their prize in the end, which was quite sad now that I think about it. At the time, I looked at it only as a game, with me inevitably becoming a wife to one of them sooner or later. But life doesn’t always work the way you plan it. As it were to happen, that’s where Lorenard came in.”
Alvina let out a chuckle, covering her mouth with one hand.
“He was so clumsy and awkward. Lorenard would always manage to get himself into trouble and become a laughingstock in front of other students. That is probably not the best way to talk about my husband, but that’s how he truly was. He wasn’t performing well at his studies and he’d always be at the bottom of the list after the exams. Test results were public knowledge for all the students, so everyone knew how each other performed. I was always at the top of the list in both written and practical exams. A trait that was desirable to see on the ‘Future Wife’s’ resume.”
“However, there was something about Lorenard that pulled me towards him. It wasn’t his performance or looks, although, he was quite good looking… and still is. Hmh…” Alvina touched her cheek with one hand, probably thinking about her husband. “But since he came from a Tier Four Rank family, he wasn’t popular among the girls. To tell you the truth, I didn’t see him as someone I would be romantically interested in. Lorenard was amusing in a way, but he would go over the top from time to time, trying to get into the fights he couldn’t win and would end up hurt as a result. Other students would have a good laugh, but one time I took pity on him.”
“There was one time when Lorenard got into a fight by challenging two boys at once. With him just barely knowing how to use magic, he was doomed to lose and so he did. Lorenard was still lying on the ground after everyone left, so I approached him to ask if he was ok. You should’ve seen his face. It was so red from the embarrassment I could barely hold my laugh in. I extended my tissue to him and said ‘You know, studying and training to become better might help you win sometimes.’ He couldn’t say anything back to me, which was so cute. I smiled and walked away, leaving Lorenard sitting on the ground with his mouth wide open. Little did I know how much my words had impacted him on that day.”
“The days went by and my three main suitors continued to court me. I wasn’t idle on my end, of course. I was spending time with each one of them, wanting to get to know my suitors better. All three of them excelled at their studies, were groomed well by their families and would’ve been perfect for me to marry into. However, as great of the future husbands as they were, I still found it disturbing that each one of them were claiming to be better than anyone else. That was especially evident when I would witness my suitors interact with the students who came from the lower Tier Rank families. In most cases, they treated those other students unfairly to say the least. I was always treated with respect by all three of them, but I started to wonder if that was just an act to win me over and whether or not their attitude towards me will change in the future.”
“One other thing that I wasn’t fond of was all three of my suitors weren’t actually cooperative with each other. It’s not that they weren’t getting along. As a matter of fact, they would hang out together a lot. But it was more of a rivalry relationship than anything else. Each one of them had told me early on they wouldn’t accept a man other than themselves to be involved with me.”
“Now, going back to Lorenard. Surprisingly, he started to do much better at his tests and practical exams. The test results were public knowledge to the students, so you could only imagine my surprise when I saw Lorenard’s name jump up the list after each test. That’s not to say he became the top student at the academy. Far from it.” Alvina chuckled. “But he was starting to improve, even if a little at a time. Our second encounter couldn’t have been more amusing. I went to the library to study for the upcoming exam as I usually do. I picked up some books and was about to find a table I could sit at to study. The library was full of other students who came there to study and there weren’t any empty tables available. Coincidentally, I noticed Lorenard sitting at one of the tables, desperately trying to learn something he visibly had trouble with. Curious to know what he was struggling with I came over to talk to him.”
“His reaction was the most adorable. Lorenard was about to pick his stuff and leave, so I could sit at the table myself, but I managed to convince him to stay. Instead, I sat next to him, and without being too intrusive, asked Lorenard if he was preparing for the upcoming exam. He said he was, but was struggling to understand the subject. I offered to help him with it to which he excitedly agreed only to back down the next second, becoming embarrassed again. I ignored his refusal and continued to talk to him like I normally would. I must confess, helping someone learn something was a new experience for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. After that one time, I started coming to the library more often than I usually would in hope to find Lorenard studying, so I could help him again. At that time, it was a fun experience and the thought of becoming Lorenard’s wife, or even a girlfriend, hadn’t crossed my mind yet.”
“Time went by, and before I knew it, studying together at the library became a regular thing for me and Lorenard. Our studies paid off and his scores went up too which I was very happy about for some reason. Little by little, I was becoming fond of his company and wanted to spend more time with him. That of course didn’t go unnoticed by the other students. My friends started giving me strange stares and had questions why I would waste my time with someone from a Tier Four Rank family when I had boys from Tier Two Rank families courting me. I would laugh it off telling them he was funny and I simply wanted to help him study.”
“Unfortunately, my suitors didn’t take my benevolent act kindly. As boys who wanted to prove their superiority, they went out of their way to put Lorenard in his place, so to say. While I was studying at the library one day, one of my girl student friends came to tell me that my three main suitors and Lorenard were about to get into a fight. I became distressed in an instant. Not because I was afraid for Lorenard to get hurt, but because I never enjoyed watching the boys beat each other up. So, I rushed to see what will happen.”
“The fight had already started once I showed up. At that time, Lorenard was much better at using magic. He wasn’t great, but he wasn’t a pushover either. But what astounded me the most was that Lorenard wasn’t fighting back. He was simply getting back up after being blown away by yet another one of my suitor’s attacks, a strange daring smile never leaving his face. When my suitors noticed me watching, they perked up to show off in front of me even more. It was painful to watch Lorenard being beaten up to a pulp, but for some reason he never fought back. But the most astounding thing was he was always getting back on his feet. I wanted them to stop, but I couldn’t come out and simply say it.”
“Luckily, one of the teachers showed up to stop the fight. The students scattered, leaving Lorenard lying on the ground, not bothering to help him up. The teacher herself simply told him to go get checked at the infirmary and then walked away. Lorenard must’ve been putting in some time into his physical training, because, as beaten up as he was, he was able to stand up and was ready to go. Before he left however, I stopped him to ask why wasn’t he fighting back? His answer was nothing I expected him to say. ‘Those guys were your suitors, weren’t they? They are the people you care about, so it would’ve made you sad if someone you cared about got hurt.’ My heart literally dropped to my ankles. I can still remember Lorenard showing his nonchalant smile before walking away. That was the day I understood he truly cared for me.”
“Lorenard and I weren’t dating, nor I considered him someone I’d like to have serious relationships with. I had simply found our time studying together enjoyable and I found out I loved helping other people. However, Lorenard probably saw more in me than I ever allowed myself to think he would. As time went by, we would talk about various things, including marriage. Not about us getting married, but about the marriage in general. That’s where I felt short on the listening part, which was so unfit for me. However, I really enjoyed talking to Lorenard, probably because he was one of the very few people who let me talk just for the sake of talking.”
“We would talk about my suitors too. I would tell him what I liked about each one of them and how I wished they’d get along with one another. Without knowing it, I was telling Lorenard what kind of future husband I would love to have. Surprisingly, he was supportive and never said any bad word about them and on that day I understood why. He wished for me to be happy. It didn’t matter for him whether he could be by my side or not. The mere thought I would become sad was enough for him to not raise his hand against one of my possible future husbands.”
“From that day onwards, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. We would meet up at the library from time to time to study together, but the meetings were becoming less frequent. It was our third year at the academy and the day I had to give an answer to one of my suitors was coming close. My parents were pushing me as well and I knew I had to make a choice.”
“There was about one month left until we would graduate from the academy when it happened. I was walking with one of my girl student friends to the cafeteria to eat something when we were met by some other students rushing past us, telling there was some commotion happening outside. When one of them said the commotion involved my suitors and Lorenard, I instantly rushed outside, thinking they were fighting again.”
“Luckily, they weren’t, but it didn’t make me feel any better. Apparently, Lorenard was being made fun off for some reason. Two of my suitors were holding him put while the third one had taken something away from Lorenard. Very soon, I learned what it was all about.”
“What’s this?” One of the boys asked in a loud voice.
“Give it back!” Lorenard demanded, but the other two boys were holding him in place.
“Hey, listen to this!” The first one shouted for everyone to hear. “You’ll never believe it, but… Lorenard here wrote a love letter! He’s… in looove!”
The sarcastic loud taunt produces a lot of laughs from the students who heard it.
“Tch…” Being pinned down, Lorenard couldn’t do anything about it.
“But that’s not all! You will never guess who he is in love with!” The same boy made a pause before announcing it. “It is… Alvina Selenvi!”
His announcement produced even more laughs from the crowd.
“You imbecile nobody! What makes you think Alvina would want anything to do with you?!” The insults followed, accompanied by more laughs.
“Psst… hey.” One of the boys who were holding Lorenard hinted to the one who had taken the love lotter from Lorenard to look to the side.
“Ooh, it seems today is your lucky day, Lorenard.” The boy who was holding the letter was quick to notice who his friend hinted at. “Look, Miss Alvina is standing over there. Why don’t you go and confess your love to her right here and now?”
The boy extended the love letter towards Lorenard, with the other two boys letting him go. Lorenard was hesitant to take it back, afraid it was some prank to tease him, but the boy actually let Lorenard take the letter. Once it was in his hands, Lorenard turned to where Alvina was standing and started walking towards her slowly.
“Is he actually gonna do it? What a dumbass, nobody ever confessed their love in public. He should save himself from getting even more embarrassed and just leave.” The whispers and comments were heard from the other students as Lorenard was walking closer to where Alvina was. He stopped about three feet away before bowing down in front of her.
“Miss… Alvina, I… I like… Tch… Miss Alvina… I’ve been in love with you for a while now. I wish nothing but happiness for you and was wondering… I was wondering if you… if you be willing to become my girlfriend?” Lorenard extended the crumpled letter in front of him, bowing down as low as his back would let him.
“AHAHAHA! He actually did it! What a moron!” The laughs from the other students couldn’t have been louder, however…
“Huh?” Lorenard lifted his head up when the letter he was holding was taken away from him. At first, he thought someone nicked it from him again, but it was Alvina who picked it up.
“I thought you’d never ask.” Alvina said, smiling at him happily.
“HUUUH?!” The laughs were changed by the confused gasps and glares.
“What?” One of Alvina’s suitors exclaimed, voice full of anger. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means, I’d love to be Lorenard’s girlfriend.” Alvina answered, a happy smile not leaving her face.
“Eh? That’s… Tch… How dare you, you… you worm!” One of the three suitors was about to attack Lorenard.
“Fire Wall!” But Alvina interfered by erecting a wall of fire to stop him. “I’d like to remind you that Lorenard is my boyfriend now. Anyone who tries to harm him will have to go through me first.”
“Wha…” A complete silence befell the crowd. However, the boy who was about to attack Lorenard composed himself fast. “Tch… I was never interested in you that much anyway.”
He turned away to leave, with the other two Alvina’s suitors following his lead. Teachers showed up soon after, reminding the students the classes weren’t yet over.
“I’m sorry… for causing you trouble, Miss Alvina.” Lorenard said once the courtyard was almost empty.
“Now, now, I believe you should address me properly from now on, Mister Lorenard.” Alvina spoke to him playfully.
“Oh, aaa… yes. Apologies, Miss-“ Lorenard wanted to correct himself but was interrupted instead.
“No more ‘Miss’. It is Alvina from now on. We are a couple now, are we not, Lorenard?” Alvina said, adding a teasing smile.
“Huh?” Lorenard’s stared at her in disbelief. It took him a few moments to get back to reality. “Of course, Alvina.”
With the last words of her story, Alvina became silent. She picked up her cup to have a drink, enjoying the wonderful memory of Lorenard asking her to become his girlfriend. A soft silence befell the place.
“Wuaaaa… That was sooo… awesome.” Flavia was the first one to speak, almost jumping up from her chair.
“That was… so romantic…” Emilia commented, trying to hide her flushed face behind her hair.
“What… an amazing story. Thank you for sharing it with us, Lady Alvina.” Ileena commented, not able to hide her face anywhere.
“My, my, what a rollercoaster of emotions. I felt like I was reliving it all over myself. My cheeks are burning hotter than ever.” Alvina was touching her cheeks with both hands, gently shifting her body from one side to another, like a little girl.
“But… you never told us about how you lost your status Rank, Lady Alvina.” Flavia remembered.
“That’s right. So sorry. I became so excited I told you only the pleasant part of the story. To tell you the truth, my parents never approved of me choosing Lorenard. My father was especially harsh with me for disobeying him and choosing someone of the lower Rank. My parents and the parents of my suitors were keeping in touch during my years in the academy. They had big hopes and plans for my future and their own. So, when I announced I will be marrying Lorenard, they took it as a betrayal. My former suitors families cut all ties with my family. That just put my father in a very unpleasant position. He demanded me to break up with Lorenard and go apologize to the other families, explaining it was just a foolish child’s whim. But when I refused, he banished me from his house and forbade me from ever stepping foot in his home again.”
“I wish I could say that was all there was, but Lorenard’s family had a backlash because of it as well. My own father, or maybe even my former suitor’s parents, pulled some strings and made life for my husband’s parents much more difficult as well. Lorenard was in good terms with his parents, but he couldn’t expect to receive any help from them. So, we were left on our own. Forgive me, but I wouldn’t want to talk about our struggles in too much detail. It was really hard at times. Lorenard was working any jobs he could get. I was supporting him any way I could. Things became so bad at one point, we were forced to sleep in the stables of whoever let us stay there.”
“That’s just… horrible…” Emilia covered her mouth with both hands.
“Now, now. Don’t feel bad about it, it’s all in the past.” Alvina added with a smile. “Things started to improve after a while. Lorenard got a job with the Crimes Investigation Bureau. We saved up and bought a small piece of land where Lorenard started learning how to grow Grapily berries. It was hard, but we came out of it and here we are today. Unfortunately, I was never able to mend my relationships with my father. Although, my mother might've had a change of heart, but she couldn't go against her husband. I send them letters regularly, but I am yet to receive one back. It’s a little sad that Narias has never seen his grandparents, if you think about it, but I never regretted my decision. After all, if I had chosen to marry one of my previous suitors, I would’ve never given birth to my little Narias and we wouldn’t be sitting here talking as we are right now.” Alvina gave a short explanation, adding the most loving smile she could offer.
“That’s… true.” Ileena agreed, with Flavia and Emilia nodding in too.
Niuniax
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Thank you for reading. Leave a comment and favorite the chapter if you enjoyed it. Apologies in advance if you find a weird sounding phrase or a grammar error. These are draft chapters after all.
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