“Why did you accept the Invitation to the theater without asking me?”

“Because you need to relax more. While School is important, you need to build social skills for your goal to be achieved. Merchants need to talk to different kinds of People and therefore need to also be adept in being around different kinds of people.”

“Makes sense, but aren't I the Master?”

“Yes you are, Master.”

“Then how come you can decide for me?”

“Because we care about you, and want to make sure you go the right way.”

“But I am the Master… Nevermind, I start to get a headache. Can you please ask me before accepting any other invitation to any event?”

“I will think about it, Master.”

“That was not a ‘yes’, Seria. I wanted a ‘yes’.”

“Yes, I will think about it, Master.”

Drak was groomed in front of a Mirror. His hair was combed by Raja to not be too much everywhere like it always is, while Celia works on accentuation like cufflinks, while not really understanding which would fit better. Alice helps Celia with the decisions and leaves it to Celia to accomplish.

Seria herself goes over every seam of the Uniform to make sure no dust or other dandruff was somewhere on his person.

“I feel nervous. What if I do not like the theater? I do not want to just nod off in the middle of it.”

“That should not happen, but if there is a part to get bored you can silently talk to us or maybe Princess Eleonora.”

Drak felt a bit uncomfortable, but at the same time nervous about being on another Date with Eleonora. While she is a spy she is also one of his only friends he has in the School.

‘No, not only one of my friends, the only friend…’

Drak was a bit melancholic, but was pepped up again by his Maids, who quickly put in some good words and started to distract him from his bad thoughts. The time to depart got close, as it was already midday. Albeit the play was in a few hours, an invitation to a meal was also being put before it, of course by Seria also.

The breakfast was light, as he would be eating together with a Princess in a minute and might need to keep in place for a longer time afterwards in the Theater, so better not incite some later bowel movements before the meetup.

—

Arriving at the Mansion of Eleonora, Drak was in awe of how gigantic and fashionable it was. It was close to a palace, than a Mansion and had more estate than his own by at least three times.

The door was opened right away and did not even need to halt after the eight Guards on the front saw the Insignia. Traveling unimpeded the Carriage went through the road between the forest which was the front yard before stopping at the main Door.

After Drak disembarked from the Carriage with his Maids the door already opened and out came Eleonora with two Maids. She was in an azure blue ballroom dress with white accentuations. The Dress accentuated her platinum hair, which was inundated with some flowers in her braids on the side of her temples. White gloves up to the elbows were embroidered with golden thread and made her hands look like delicate porcelain.

Seeing her in this attire, Drak was for more than three seconds stunned and could not say anything. His brain had a hard time to explain to him that what he sees is real. Eleonora was normally already looking like a Princess, but right now she looked like one out of a Fairy tale.

As Eleonora was slowly walking down the stairs of her Mansion, Drak was able to come back to reality and meet her at the bottom of the stairs.

“Eleonora, you look incredible. I do not believe I deserve to be your partner at the theater tonight.”

“Silly Drak, of course you are. But you always keep your School Uniform on you. Maybe we should go shopping again to find a few more Outfits for different occasions for you?”

“Um… maybe, but this time I pay for myself. The money I get from Benefactor is enough to buy me two or maybe even three different outfits that might suit me to go out with you.”

“So, you want to go out with me more in the future?”

“That was not really what I-”

“It is a promise then.”

“But-”

“It is a promise then.”

“I don’t-”

“Promise!”

“I… I promise?”

“Good! I am happy to go out a bit more with you. We need to work together from now on, so it is better to know more about each other by meeting outside of the School.”

“...Do I have a veto?”

“Do you think you have a veto?”

“...No? Fine, let us depart. I have asked my Maids to book a private Room in a specific Restaurant. I do not know if it would suit your Taste, but I was thinking I will show you what I believe to be good cuisine.”

“Sounds fun! I never thought about how different Nobles eat, as I was always surrounded by other princes or princesses in the Imperial Castle.”

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Without further ado, Eleonora and Drak entered the Carriage with their specific Maids. Inside Eleonora was rather interested in the great build quality of the Carriage as it has a rather large spacial extension and also a more simplistic design she was used to. The whole Carriage had practicality and comfort as main aspects while all furnishing had simplicity and robustness as specialty. It was different than what she was accustomed to, but felt a warmth she was only having close to her most dearest Family. It was homely and felt snuggly.

Sitting around the table, hot tea and small fancy cakes were made ready for the trip to the Restaurant. The hot tea and cold fancy cake made a sweet combination while the two Maids accompanying Eleonora were refusing the Tea and just sat behind her on the referred seats looking distracted but in reality analyzing every single detail they could find.

“How are your historical studies, Drak?”

“To be honest, I am still not quite sure about it. The whole dates and events are rather monotonous. Battle of Lake Ardens in 324-”

“Fall of 342 and end in Spring 343.”

“Ugh, how can you remember all these facts like that, Eleonora?”

“It is quite easy to see the Noble fight against the war of the red Antqueen which broke from the earth to gain territory in our Empire as something fascinating and thrilling, don’t you agree?”

“...No?”

“Maybe that is the difference between us in view of the world. I think history shows the path into the future, like the Future is a mirror of our History. There is so much to learn about our mistakes. The reason it came to such a prolonged fight was the greed of the Count at that time thinking he would have a monopoly on Monster parts, but Ants are not some other Monster in a Nest but a steeled Army for conquest. Keeping low made it such a dramatic event!”

“In the end it was a Monster eradication that was prolonged just by trying to preserve as much gain as possible. People died needlessly just to preserve the Materials.”

“...true, the fight would have been easier if they used large scale Magic, but would have destroyed the topography too.”

“Unlike the prolonged fight making the place barren?”

“It became a good resource for biological plates of armor, which in extent made it a good thing.”

Keeping the Queen alive and breeding sub par Ants to be slaughtered right away? I heard the place had a serious decline in quality.”

“The Ant Queen got old-”

“And no new Queen will be born, as she is in captivity and would never lay eggs without being stimulated.”

“It is just a Monster.”

“Like us?”

“Us?!”

“You two can talk freely, the two Maids are hearing you discuss History while Drak is severely lacking~”

“Huh? What voice… You can talk? I thought you were mute. such a beautiful voice.”

“She let you hear her? Alice, why did you let her hear your voice all of a sudden?”

“She is contracted with you and also she is your friend, isn’t she?”

“Well yes she is contracted, but friend… I believe this is also true, it is just shocking for you to let your Voice out for not bloodsworn.”

“Bloodsworn?”

“Forget that Eleonora. Ah, darn it I promised you not to meddle with your head, so just keep that word a secret, okay?”

“Still I am curious, but for one right now, why does your Maid with such a beautiful voice not speak more often?”

“Trauma, quirk and she does not want anyone to hear her voice who is a stranger after I complimented her beautiful voice. For that reason I kept my comments about her beautiful face to myself.”

“Should I wear a veil like Seria?~”

“That is why I do not want to say too many things to you and keep them to myself.”

“My, I wish I could look into your head and see what else you think of me~”

“Remember last time.”

“I would not dare try again, Master~”

“Um, I am still here?”

“Ah, sorry Eleo… Elly, I was a bit distracted. Where were we?”

“Why do you think we are like Monsters?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I am like one, because I am abnormal. My whole being is abnormal and should not exist. You call me a ‘Calamity’.”

“No, that is just a Name for an unknown which has more power than normally seen.”

“And what do you do, if you find one of them?”

“We inquire of their allegiance and afterwards take them under the umbrella of the Imperium.”

“So capture them with sweet words or send someone to eliminate them.”

“N… yes.”

“And you are the same. As long as you are useful they will use your powers of precognition. If you go astray you will be eliminated.”

“I am not going astray from something I believe!”

“I know. You would die right the second I am not useful for the Empire anymore and tell someone everything about me and the Contract you signed.”

Drak was a bit melancholic. He knew how Eleonora was thinking and also knew he already said too much.

‘Maybe it would be better to change the subject as she would not understand my view anyway.’

“I believe you are not a Monster, and just because they use the word ‘Calamity’ does not make you one. I also believe in you and even if you go against the Empire I… I might just be disappointed but not sell you out…”

“Huh?”

Looking at Alice she nodded and Drak knew she meant what Eleonora said. Albeit it is not much, as only Eleonora sees him not as a Monster being used, it filled him with something warm.

“Elly, I am sorry for my words. I know you like the Empire, but I see it more from a neutral perspective as I have traveled the underworld since I was seven.”

“You must have had a hard life.”

“Not really, but it was… bloody. Many thought of me as an easy target and died to make a Name for myself, others died just because I saw how they had used illegal slaves and had to save them from fates worse than I had experienced.”

“Yes, the Underworld is a necessary evil, that I do not like myself, but it must be there to keep the balance between the Kingdoms. Otherwise this Empire might break into its Kingdoms again.”

Drak swallowed his words for how Eleonora just justified sacrifices of poor people to keep a simple Rule in place. In Drak’s mind there should be no Rule which needed to wield such a dirty tool to keep everything working and he saw how dirty this tool really is in the treatments of his former Maids and other family Members.

A small silence was entering the Carriage, before stopping at the Bistro Drak was visiting last time with Alice. As a Bistro inside the School City they also have private Rooms for different occasions and a Meal before Theater is nothing out of the ordinary for this small Bistro. The only thing it was not ready for was the rather large Carriage stopping at the side entrance, as at most Viscounts came to this place to rest and normally only Merchants or rich Families who were close to a title.

Making everything ready they saw Drak exiting the Carriage and one of the waiters remembered his face as he was once here before and had a positive impact in his mind. The second he saw the crest of the Maids from Eleonora however sweat was flowing down his brow, as he doubted the cuisine they had would be the right palate for an actual Imperial Princess.

Noticing the slight panic, Drak reassured the Waiter.

“I brought her here to taste the great cuisine of this establishment. If she is dissatisfied I take full responsibility. "Don't worry.”

While hearing those words the Waiter smiled, but was still worried, as it was just words for now, would he really jump in front of the Guillotine if she doesn't like it? He had his doubts.