I Start with a Bad Hand!

“Wow—no joke, she really dislikes him.” Klaus shivered as if he had the chills. His utterly deflating response made me feel my own tension dissipate.

“I see…”

“No… it’s not just a simple dislike…”

Seeing my somewhat disappointed expression, Klaus continued to elaborate as if making excuses. He explained how frustrated Irene gets after speaking with Hayden, what happened last year, and that I should be careful too…

I felt like I already had a good idea without hearing it all. Even without the information from the original work, Klaus’s words seemed reliable. It seemed Hayden must be quite something if the usually composed Irene visibly disliked him so much.

As I moved slowly without much response, Klaus picked up a few of my belongings and followed, babbling on. Watching Klaus, who seemed familiar with serving others, I could easily imagine what his daily life with Irene might be like. Feeling like a large dog was following me, I mulled over the information I had gotten from my meeting with Hayden.

“If you offer a soul to the clock tower, it grants a wish.”

It seemed unlikely, but… if it were true, what wish would Dietrich have wanted to fulfill so desperately that she would offer her soul?

***

The days grew warmer, and the academy gradually became more vibrant. Then came the day of the spring ball.

The academy was decorated as if all the flowers of the empire had been gathered there. However, I remained in the old library.

Compared to the glittering light pouring outdoors, today the library felt even more somber. Neither the scholars who occasionally sighed like moans, nor the lovers who used the library as a secret dating spot causing scholars to sigh as if screaming, came here today.

I decided not to attend the spring ball. By the time I realized it was happening, it was too late to have a dress made.

The only evening dress I had brought from Heylem was a deep blue one given by Dietrich’s mother. Under the Baroness’s opinion that it was better to have dresses made in the capital’s tailors than in a rural estate, I had brought just enough money to the academy to get a few dresses made.

But now that I had a goal to meet the archpriest, that money could no longer be used for dresses. In fact, for my plans, I should have been pouring all the allowance sent each month into them.

I went to the entrance ball, so I can skip the spring ball.

Having attended the entrance ball had diminished my expectations. This time too, I’d probably just stand in a corner and timidly tap my foot to the music. I scoffed at the scene I could easily picture. Moreover, there was a place I wanted to visit while everyone was gathered at the ballroom.

Yet, there was one reason I stayed holed up in this dusty library: I was waiting for someone.

During class yesterday, I had slipped a note to the second prince who was sitting across from me.

“Please come to the old library at 6:30 tomorrow.”

The ball started at 7:00, so half an hour beforehand wasn’t too rushed. The second prince glanced at the note, looked at me, and then began to write something on it.

“Why?”

Despite the somewhat scribbled handwriting, it was neater than my meticulous script. Unlike his careless demeanor, the second prince was surprisingly tidy in his uniform and handwriting.

“I have something to return to you.”

The second prince nodded in understanding, his face sporting a smile that didn’t quite match his neat handwriting.

I could have returned his school jacket quickly enough. The problem was the second prince was too conspicuous wherever he went. Not just because he was a prince. Certainly, he had a face so striking that one might do a double-take and look back to make sure they saw correctly. He wasn’t quite my type like the crown prince or Hayden, but still.

To make matters worse, there were a few students in the classroom who seemed aware of the brief conversations the second prince and I had shared. Having a conversation is one thing, but returning a uniform might clearly suggest some sort of closeness between us. Hence, it was necessary to call him aside away from the eyes of others.

At 6:25, I got up from my seat. The second prince’s uniform remained where I left it. I then analyzed the big data from my experiences in the library to find a spot that was absolutely out of sight from my seat but visible from between the bookshelves. I had to get up from my seat before the second prince arrived.

‘But it would be problematic if someone else took the uniform.’

I quietly hid between the bookshelves and kept an eye on the uniform. It wasn’t long before the second prince opened the library door and entered. He was dressed not in his usual school uniform but in a splendid formal uniform. It was fortunate that I had become accustomed to seeing him frequently; Icarus, with his front hair slightly raised revealing his strong facial features, looked astonishingly handsome today, annoyingly so.

As if he had stolen all the faintly flickering lights in this dim library, his presence alone was overwhelming enough to make me feel fortunate not to have to face him directly. Even if I had stood right next to him disguised as a bookshelf, I would have undoubtedly caught his eye.

The second prince seemed to have noticed his uniform and the note I left.

“I have something to attend to and must go ahead. Here’s your uniform back. Thank you.”

He stared at the plain note for a long while. I held my breath and watched him. After standing motionless, he finally picked up the uniform and the note and disappeared.

I glanced at the clock stealthily. Thinking it best not to leave the library until the ball had started, just in case. Eventually, after the start time had long passed, I unfolded my cramped legs.

‘Ah, my legs are numb.’

Shaking off the pins and needles, I carefully stepped out of the library. The corridor was gradually sinking into darkness. Only his familiar red eyes seemed still to hold the light stolen from the library.

“Next time, try to hide in a less visible place.”

Even if I tried to ignore him, he was too conspicuous. The second prince was leaning against the wall, annoyingly commenting.

I screamed inwardly in frustration. Damn it!

***

I found myself in a location from the original novel, in front of the cherry blossom grove at the academy where the crown prince once again confessed his feelings to Roxanne.

And… with the second prince.

“But that was in the original story during Roxanne’s sophomore year.”

I had traveled a year back in time to arrive before their love game took place and before this place became significant to them.

The cherry blossom grove was a well-known spot among the academy people. So, to enjoy this path lined with cherry blossoms alone without anyone’s interference, it was necessary to come on a day like today when everyone’s attention was diverted elsewhere.

That was my plan, at least until the second prince who I met in front of the library started following me.

“Is your business all finished?”

“Yes.”

“The ballroom is in the other direction.”

“I know.”

Even if I changed clothes right here, it was already too late to go to the spring ball, but the second prince was making frivolous remarks. No, more than that, he didn’t seem to mind his fancy attire as he matched my pace, heading in the opposite direction of the ballroom.

“Aren’t you going to the spring ball, Your Highness?”

“It seems a freshman has lost their way, and as a senior, I couldn’t just stand by and watch.”

Stubborn guy… I eventually confessed to him that I was looking for the cherry blossom path mentioned in the academy. In fact, based only on the book’s description, I had no clue where it actually was. He asked in an exaggeratedly surprised tone,

“Going alone to that secluded place? You should be careful today, it’s the day of a lunar eclipse.”

A lunar eclipse means I should be careful? That was new to me.

“…Because it’s darker than usual?”

I asked, to which he paused before responding,

“…Because misfortune is more likely to occur.”

What? His unexpected answer was a letdown.

The people here, who wield magic reminiscent of modern science, held onto archaic ways of thinking in strange aspects. Well, the presence of a class system already made it quite archaic. I responded nonchalantly,

“I’m not fond of attributing meanings to natural phenomena. It doesn’t matter to me.”

At that, the second prince stopped walking for a moment, his expression one of surprise.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“There’s also a saying that a child born during a lunar eclipse brings misfortune to those around them.”

He tossed questions at me lightly. What odd things to say. I continued without looking at him,

“Not really. In fact, if you think about it, there are more people born on non-eclipse days who bring misfortune to others, simply because there are more of them. Yet, no one says ‘people not born during an eclipse bring unhappiness to others.'”

I think that’s just nonsense. I glanced at the obscured, dim moon and concluded, “There are superstitions that can be negotiated and those that cannot. The one about misfortunes being more likely during a lunar eclipse belongs to the latter category.”

‘As if a few minutes of the sun and moon overlapping is such a big deal….’