Chapter 11. The Protagonist Is Here! (I Wasn’t Ready For This…)
I'm glad to see Bridgit didn't come to any lasting harm from her encounter with proper coffee. I'm also glad she's not developing any phobia towards it. I'm also downright ecstatic she brewed me a fresh pot. And cooked a dinner. Because honestly, that audience took three times as long as initially planned and I'm sure father is ravenous by now. For that matter, I rather enjoy the food too, even if I'm not quite that dependent on it. It is rather convenient. I mean, I DO need to eat, but I can eat absolutely anything. Really, if I truly need to, I could simply consume patches of topsoil for sustenance and be entirely fine. Shoggoth bullshit is very bullshit. I'm a little surprised to learn my father intends to set off back to the county with the first rays of sun in the morning, but he did mean it when he said only fools leave their domains for long.
Meanwhile, I am preparing for my entrance to Academy. As it turns out, there is no specific date to it. Or, rather, there is the "be here by this day or you're not being enrolled this year" deadline, but apparently Academy allows students to occupy their dorm rooms pretty much any day in the summer. I suppose this is to help those students who are not rich enough to afford the private domicile in the capital, the prices here are notably higher than back in the county. Thankfully, we did explain the benefits of tar roads to the king in great detail, so father comes home with a grand commission to aid and guide the reconstruction of all major roads within the kingdom. Local tracts are under the jurisdiction of the respective lords, but it is the king who controls the highways. Of course, the road from our own county to the capital will get the first dibs. No one would expect anything less.
Tomorrow, me and Bridgit will visit Academy dorms, determine what I need to supplement there to make my stay comfortable and procure the sundries I didn't grab from home. I do remember there was some kind of kerfuffle with the dorm placements, so better stake my claims early. I really don't care for engaging in teenage drama over which room goes to whom.
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My first opinion of the Academy is that it could easily double as flower shop. Seriously, flowers everywhere. I suppose it makes sense, given the dependence of mages on flowers to do anything, but honestly? I don't need my domicile to contain seventeen planters. Negotiating the number to much more manageable six is harder than I expected, because the availability of planters seems to be directly connected to one's social status in the Academy, and my preference to limit myself to six is seen as a very humble gesture by just about everyone who ended up talking to me about it. The really funny thing is that I can simply force the necessary flowers to mature within hours by judiciously applied magic, which is something no one ever does, because the necessary spells would expend more fresh flowers than could be expected to grow. Not a problem for me, obviously, but to everyone else? Meh.
Other than that, things are pretty good. There is even a small bed for Bridgit to use when she's staying over to tend to my needs. The desk they provide is... Yeah. Suffice to say I have sent Bridgit out to commission or buy two more at the bazaar just so I could have some decent amount of space to work on. There is a grand total of seven students present so far, all of them from far off domains that don't seem to have any owned houses in the capital. I have taken my time to exchange pleasantries with all of them, but the general vibe they give me is that of wariness. It is to be expected, they're mostly children of barons and viscounts, and the king had all but announced that father is being promoted to marquis. The actual awarding ceremony will happen in the winter, it's a tradition to announce title promotions during the new year celebrations. Everyone already knows that it's as good as written in stone. Unless I manage to rack up even more achievements here and get dad promoted all the way to duke at once. He asked me not to push that one too hard, though, apparently it is also common for freshly promoted to conduct a number of, ah... acquisitions to increase their domain. Better not rock the boat too hard, lest it capsizes.
There is something odd here, however. Ed, as the only prince in attendance gets the royal suit, obviously, but the rooms reserved in my name are curiously as far from his as possible. I'm not too upset about it, because it means I'm going to live next door to Hiram, who is, by far, the most decent dude in the game. But it does imply Ed is less than thrilled about engagement and, more worrying, that he has the ear of the dean of Academy. Normally, betrothed are given neighboring rooms. This might be interpreted by student body as him trying to pawn me off to the Kraut Kingdom. Oh well, let's see what comes out of it first. I'm honestly not concerned about keeping his engagement and the more he does to sabotage it without any provocation from me, the better my position would be during annulment.
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The tables are brought in and I am taking a stroll in the gardens while the servants install them properly. I could obviously do this faster and better, but as a noble lady, I am expected to let them handle the menial tasks. Oh well, Bridgit can oversee the proceedings. As I stroll around leisurely, someone runs out from behind the corner, rams into my breasts face-first and bounces off me in a way that could be called hilarious if I wasn't worried about them being hurt. So I extend my hand, helping the girl in front of me stand up... Only to have her bat my hands aside irritably.
"We are people, no worse than you!" - she exclaims pompously, standing up and brushing her dress off. OOkay?
"You certainly are people, of that there is no doubt." - I offer sardonically - "I don't believe we are acquainted. I am Alyssa Gillespie, the firstborn daughter of count Gillespie. Who might you be?"
"Ah! Remember my name, and remember it well, because I will save everyone from your dastardly ways, lady Gillespie!" - she blusters - "I. AM. LADY! KNIGHT! SERENITY! DAYBREAKER! SELENE!"
What in the dickens. This behavior strongly implies she is the Protagonist... No. This implies she is the transmigrating Protagonist. The Protagonist in the game was not nearly quite so bombastic. Or dismissive of decorum. Really, calling me dastardly, why that could be grounds for a duel right there. Not taking the bait, though. So instead, I smile and fold my arms behind me. "Lady Selene, then." - I offer, and she makes the funniest sound ever. It makes me think of walrus struggling to swallow a cupful of shaken cola. "Daybreaker is an achievement title, if I'm not mistaken?" - I continue placidly - "That's impressive, having a prowess in light magic so great it warrants a title. Not sure if you know, but there are sunflowers planted over there by the second greenhouse. You might find them well matched to your magic."
"...I, I... You will not get away with this!" - she yelps, before running away abruptly. What in the name of all that is sane was that? Is she trying to get a headstart on our supposed feud? Was it something I said? Sunflowers are really the strongest flower she could wield, if she's light-aligned. And what's with the chuuni name anyway?
Lost in thoughts, I round the corner she ran out from, and knock down another girl. WHY, universe, WHY. I, of course, immediately kneel next to her and help her up, offering apologies as I do.
"I'm sorry, that was inexcusable. I was lost in thought and didn't look where I'm going." - I offer contritely, as I lift the girl up gently. She, unlike the rather stocky LADY! KNIGHT! Yada-yada is petite and... hnng. The words "ethereal beauty" do apply here in full. A quick glance at her ear confirms my hunch - she is an elf.
"No, no, I really shouldn't have been running around. It is all my fault." - she demurs, her voice doing rather funny things to my nonexistent innards.
"Let us both agree that it was an unfortunate accident and seek no fault on either side then?" - I proffer, as I guide her to the bench - "I am Alessa Gillespie, firstborn of count Gillespie. May I please know your name?"
"Ah. Well. I am called Moon Unit." - she returns, perching on the bench with an easy grace that makes me want to swoon. My own landing on the bench is nowhere near as impressive. I'm too busy blinking, though. This is... ridiculous. Weird. CRAZY! Why? Because this is the actual Protagonist. Who in the game is a sweet girl of elven descent who left the Evergreens because of an inheritance dispute. If I recall right, her father held three Conclave seats, but had four children, and Moon Unit had decided to bow out to let her siblings each claim a seat. The name is homage to Frank Zappa, and occurred as it is only in the original japanese version and fanslation. All official translations butchered it into... Selene. Shit. This is going to get very weird, I can feel it in my nonexistent bones. Weirder, because goodness golly gracious, I AM so claiming this deliciousness for my harem. Ed, you can suck it, she's MINE. You can have the transmigrating tsunbaka.
"May you find shelter in my grove one day." - I blurt out. This is a typically elven greeting, and... um. A proposition. Good going, Alyssa, open mouth insert all the feet. ALL OF THEM.
She giggles. "I thank my sister for the shade." - she returns with a smile. Phew. No offense given, it seems like. She is, if anything, bemused by my awkward elfisms, offering - "You are not born of the tree, I believe, but you know the ways of my people. I am glad. Many have had told me that this Academy might be less than welcoming to my kind, and I am heartened to know it is not quite as dire as they feared."
Back on somewhat familiar ground, I ruffle the back of my head sheepishly. "Evergreens does extend into father's county, so I did learn the elven etiquette by the rote, to be honest." - I offer to her - "Sorry to say, but barring a few more students in the same position as me, the rest won't be quite so familiar with the elven ways."
"Even so, it is a good sign that my first meeting is with someone who beheld the leaves." - she agrees - "I am prepared to take the curiosity and ignorance in stride, if needs be."
"You certainly are." - I have to agree - "Your Albish is impeccable. My apologies, but I won't be able to return the favor. I know but a scant few words in elven, and all of them would get me slapped, I'm afraid."
With a giggle, she nods. "I could tell." - she proffers amiably, - "You have accidentally used the greeting intended for an overture for courtship."
Shit. Shit. SHIT. I can't lie to her. I shouldn't. Light magic alignment comes with 'sense lies' cheat. Swallowing, I look aside. "I have spoken my mind without consideration." - I offer quietly - "In all honesty, I am currently bound by a promise that would preclude me from partaking even if you were interested, but I won't hide I am sorely tempted."
And now she's hit with atomic blush. Oh dear. I guess I'm the kind to go big or go home when it comes to social fuckups. "Ah... Well." - she finally manages, averting her eyes - "I'm, ah... flattered, but you really shouldn't break an oath because of this little one." PRAISE EVERY GOD EVER, SHE'S NOT PUT OFF. Now to salvage it.
"My gratitude for your understanding." - I offer solemnly - "Should the stars align to render the oaths void, I shall ask again, but for the time being, let us be friends at least?" That gets me a kiss on the cheek.
...A kiss. On the cheek.
...A kiss!
Oh by the ... of all the... I just... ARGH!
Fighting the goofy grin off my face, I stand up and offer my arm. "Would you like to explore the gardens with me?" - I suggest to her and stifle down another wave of butterflies in my nonexistent stomach as she hooks her arm around my elbow. Elven waifu, GET. Mine. Ed, push off. Hiram, sorry, but nope. Klaus, go die in a fire. Everyone else, take a hike. MINE. Even if I'll have to raze this kingdom to the ground to make this happen.
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Coming back from my totally not a date (even if we held hands and giggled like love-smitten schoolgirls), I am very pleased to learn Moon Unit is going to live in the same dorm. Not on the same floor, unfortunately, she has one of the smaller rooms on the ground floor while I occupy one of the bigger on the second, but still. Closer to me than to Ed, who lives in a different dorm building entirely. I'm even more chuffed to find out Tsunbaka is slated to move into a room across the hall from Ed. May you two find whatever happiness you can scrounge. Seriously. Just please, start dating and break off this stupid engagement so I could have my elven waifu.
Bridgit notices. I won't ask how, I'm probably emitting enough happy glow to double as a night light right now. The bane of being so magical. Still, she starts grilling on 'whom might the lucky gentleman be' practically as soon as the servants clear off. Admitting that it's an elven maiden does seem to affect more than a little surprise on Bridgit.
"Mistress..." - she offers, her voice rife with commiseration - "I am very happy you were able to find a good friend here. Gods know you deserve one for all the hard work you've done for the county and kingdom." I'm not sure if she grasped the "I want to have hot lesbian sex" part of it, or simply assumes I'm that happy for finding another girl in my age and social bracket I can socialize with, but she's certainly thinking it will be good for me.
