Increasing Tension

Weeks passed as academy life came and progressed. Through Luxion's observation, I was finally able to truly confirm that the protagonist of the original series, was at least not present in this school.

As it had turned out, Olivia was placed in the Advanced Class, and ended up in some of my classes.

Being I was seemingly the only person she'd had a positive contact with, it was not rare for us to talk about whatever.

Annoyingly, our interactions were noticed and my reputation was already starting to plummet with some of the nobles. They thought it was a bad look to speak to a commoner as much as I did.

I really didn't care enough to stop my interactions with her. It's not like I was actually looking for a marriage partner in this academy… well it wasn't my main purpose. And even if I was actively looking, those future Agatha wannabes would not even be considered.

That was why, when it came for all the guys to begin hosting tea parties, I was debating on whether I should even do so.

…

"Will you be holding a tea ceremony, your highness?"

"I'd love to attend."

"Me too."

As Prince Julius walked his loyal fans all followed after him. They were all delusional enough to believe that if they attended they'd somehow spark a series of events that led to them ending up with the prince.

"Your Highness." Angelica Redgrave approached the man looking as cold as ever. "I have the desire to speak to you about the upcoming tea ceremony. May I take this time?"

"Angelica, this is the academy, you cannot just force your way into a conversation."

There is clearly some tension. Even though those two are engaged.

"Why are they so cold to each other? I thought they were engaged?" Olivia who was sitting next to me voiced my thoughts.

To that, I just shrugged. I mean Luxion had collected data and I did actually know the reason, but, I'd keep that to myself.

With each second the interaction grew more strained before a small girl appeared from behind the Prince.

"Your Highness… I've heard you call for me." The girl I have identified as Marie came, knowing what Luxion has told me made it easy to see past her poor damsel exterior.

"Ah, Marie. Yes, I have." The lovestruck prince perked up at the small blonde-haired girl. "I will be holding a tea ceremony, I was wondering if you'd like to come, I promise, it will be small, I don't want anything flashy."

"Your Highness?! A tea party's size must reflect your position…you-." Angelica's complaints were cut off before she could finish.

"Do not question my decision, Angelica."

The prince started to get a bit impatient. The girl behind him, Marie, wasn't trying to hold back her smirk.

Yeah, I'm cringing watching this.

"You want some tea?" I offered Olivia before standing up. I didn't know about a tea ceremony but I'd hold a mini one just for the sake of it.

I would've even invited Rukul and Fred but they both seemed to be keeping their distance from me since rumors about me and Olivia started going around.

"Ah, you're holding a tea party?" Olivia tilted her head as she followed.

"Not so much, I'm sure I've mentioned before I'm not the biggest fan of the girls in this academy, the last thing I want to do is serve them tea." I led her into my dorm. Official venues for tea ceremonies weren't available yet and so I had to make do.

Thankfully there weren't strict rules regarding going into the opposite gender's dormitory. Everyone here knew the consequences of sleeping with a noble they weren't going to be wed to.

"Give me a bit to prepare, anything you are allergic to?"

I said as I went about rearranging the room. There was a class specifically dedicated to the art of tea, so I wasn't a complete amateur.

"Yes." Olivia just nodded shyly, her eyes ran around my room.

I hadn't done much to the place except bring my clothes in. It was pretty plain.

…

"This is good." Taking a sip of the tea Olivia's eyes opened wide.

"Thank you, you can ask for more anytime," I said as I tried a sip.

Mhm, yup, it is good. But the tea that man-made is better.

"May I ask you a question, Noir?" I heard even with my eyes closed her putting her tea down.

Opening my eyes I was met with the purest gaze I had ever seen.

"Hmm?"

"Am I a bother? I've gotten used to the scornful gaze of everyone, but now it seems they are looking at you the same way… perhaps it'd be better if I stopped hanging around you?"

I could've guessed she was growing self-conscious.

"No, you are not a bother. I've grown used to the arrogant and overall annoyance that is modern-day nobility. Your presence is like a breath of fresh air in comparison. I also don't care for how they look at me." I shrugged before taking one of the mini cakes I laid out.

"Oh…" Olivia seemed to not know how to respond to that.

"In that case… I have a request. From now on please call me Livia, it is what my friends and family call me." Her smile was radiant and infectious.

"Ok, Livia." I nodded, this girl really was a breath of fresh air. Was my life really becoming that depressing?

…

'I stepped in the bathroom for two seconds.'

We left my dorm after we had our fill of tea. On the way, I went into one of the school's restrooms.

Livia said she'd wait for me outside, and she did. What I didn't expect was how fast these vultures would track her down.

"Don't get too cocky just because Stardia is getting friendly with you. You still don't belong here you plebeian."

Livia was on the floor hunched over with three girls crowding her.

"What was the academy even thinking letting commoners in here? We might as well just let animals in too."

'How original.' I internally remarked before stepping in between the three and Livia.

"Well if it isn't Baron Stardia, say why don't you ditch the useless baggage and treat us to some tea?" The leader of the bunch said with a smirk.

Reaching down I offered a hand to Livia. This Kingdom is really starting to piss me off.

Taking it she stood up but otherwise kept her face down.

"Hey, I'm speaking to you." She called after me as we walked away.

"Luxion."

I whispered into thin air.

[Understood master.]

"You ok? I know what you're going to say but don't try to make this your fault." I spoke to her as we sat on a bench.

"Why are they so cruel." Even with her head in her hand, I could tell she was crying.

I couldn't answer that question. In this Kingdom that was the norm. She's just too much of a saint.

At the very least I could make things more tolerable for her.

…

A few more weeks passed.

As a Kingdom that had its founding through adventuring, it wasn't strange that the school added it to its curriculum.

Not just that, but the school was built atop a dungeon, and dungeon exploration was a part of the curriculum.

Today was one of those days.

So as I Noir Fou Stardia, stood grouped with Livia and Angelica Rapha Redgrave I questioned how things turned out this way.

…

"Alright everyone please form your squads, no more than 6 in each please."

"When you set out, make sure you do not go past the third floor."

The teacher in charge of monitoring this excursion told as people grouped up with those they knew.

"That's enough! I told you to know your damn place! You are not cut from the same cloth as His Highness!" It seemed like every day these arguments were breaking out between Angelica and the Marie girl.

"Stop this at once Angelica!" Of course, the prince was quick to step in front of Marie.

"I-I just wanted to be a part of the same group as his highness. If I'm a burden then please tell me I will stay away." Putting on her best pure maiden voice she spoke with her hands clasped.

No matter how much you act you'll never reach the level of purity of Livia.

"Don't push your luck! I have dealt with your antics so far, but if you behave like that…" Angelica retorted.

From an outside perspective, it seemed like Angelica was just being a bitch, which…she was. But she wasn't entirely at fault. That is still her Fiancé.

People began to mutter around us.

"STOP!" The prince's voice filled the entire dungeon.

'Jesus dude, she's right in front of you.' I covered my ears.

Angelica stood there in shock.

"We will group with Marie, the rest can group as they please," Julius said to the teacher before they left.

Unfortunately for Angelica, everyone had already grouped together, including her loyal subjects. There was space but no one even looked at her.

They did not want to get on the bad side of the prince by being seen near Angelica.

I not really caring for that, offered her a hand.

…

"Hey Noir, do you know how the treasures get left behind in the dungeon, I mean it's almost like someone left it for us," Livia spoke as the three of us walked deeper into the dungeon.

We had basically skipped the first floor as most students hogged all the mobs.

"Hmm, good question, can't say I have an answer." I thought hard, maybe a question for the Sage. Not right now though, I didn't need a headache.

"A lot of matters regarding the dungeon are a mystery, I'm sure with your experience you are well aware of this Lord Stardia." Angelica who had been silent since she joined our little group spoke for the first time.

"You're not wrong…" I said as we walked into a wide-open area.

Right when we entered around six Giant Ants began to swarm toward us.

"Head's up." Being the obvious main combatant, I rushed toward the closest one and with a quick unsheathing of my blade, chopped its head off.

These things were in the lowest levels of the dungeon. They were still pretty tough for newer adventures though.

"So… these are monsters." Livia seemed a bit taken aback as she took a step back.

Angelica too gulped down saliva.

As dignified and noble as she was this was probably her first time in a dungeon.

My role here was to be something of a guard/knight. The Academy really didn't expect the female students to actively put themselves on the front lines.

One by one I cut down the ants until finally, the last one burst into an explosion of purple fragments.

"Noir is quite strong isn't he…?" Livia questioned to herself as she stood in wonderment.

"You have been hanging around him and you don't know? He's a rather successful adventurer, the by-product of one of such excursions is even how he got his title as a Baron." Angelica seemed quite proud of my achievement."

"Noir was that amazing?" Livia looked at me in a different light.

"Keep your guards up and stay close. You never know what can happen down here." I called out to the two.

There was still one more floor to explore before we had to turn back.

LP: 266,280

I got only about 60 LP from those kills.

Sometime in the prior year, I had managed to rack up enough LP to buy the LP siphoning skill. It was quite effective especially when I used it in the never-ending dungeon. Before long I had already made up for how much it cost and then that number kept skyrocketing.

Besides a few small purchases I had been saving all I had for that one special purchase. Pretty soon I'd call upon obliteration in extreme intensity from the sky. I really couldn't wait.

"Right." Livia nodded to me as she walked over carrying a few gems we'd found on the way.

Angelica just nodded before she too began following me. I could tell the previous matters regarding the prince was still affecting her.

Still, neglecting your surroundings was a surefire way to get yourself killed in places like this.

…

She was negligent.

The next floor was full of monsters of different varieties.

Ant's like we saw before, horned rabbits…white furred monkeys.

That last one was what had gotten to her. In her Prince Julius-driven stupor, she wandered off just a bit too much.

I had noticed the Monkey before it jumped from atop her but it managed to still scratch her with its claws.

My blade pierced it a moment later thankfully and that was the only consequence she got.

"Are you okay?!" Livia ran up quickly behind us and got on her knees to look at where Angelica scratched herself on the arm.

"Ahh, it seems I was too caught up in my thoughts, I apologize Lord Stardia." Angelica grits her teeth. The scratch wasn't too deep but blood still gushed out.

I just shook my head and prepared to heal her, I couldn't use healing magic, but an injury of this level wouldn't cost much.

"Stay still." Livia worriedly held her in place.

"It really isn't much, scholarship student, I will have it healed later."

"THAT'S NOT FINE I'LL HEAL IT IMMEDIATELY!" Livia denied before to both of our surprise a light came from her hand.

Slowly but surely the jagged scratch began disappearing until all that remained was smooth porcelain skin.

"There, that should be better. Now be careful."

It was hilarious watching Livia scolding who would be the future queen of this Kingdom.

"Ah, yes… Thank you." Angelica still in shock nodded, absent-minded.

"I'm surprised, Livia, you seem quite good at that."

My genuine praise earned me a genuine smile as Livia responded. "Thank you, my teacher was a traveling scholar. He taught me a lot and I learned the rest on my own. I'm just glad I can be of help."

This girl was really too kind-hearted…maybe I should propose?

With Angelica getting injured I decided it was time for us to return back. Even if Livia could heal her I didn't wanna risk it. Nor waste any LP on an injury Livia couldn't heal.

On our way back we just so happened to pass the Prince and his group.

I really didn't want to stay for any more of the drama and was pleasantly surprised that instead of acting on her anger she just grit her teeth and continued walking.

I was sure she knew, even if she refused to admit it, that she had been nothing but baggage during this excursion. Even more so than is usually expected.

When we left the dungeon and returned to normal academy life I hadn't had much of an interaction with her. That was until an incident involving a certain pint-sized menace occurred.