“And the ‘daily special’ is something made out of things they have still lying around?”

“To be honest, yes. It is made with most ingredients they have too much, as they would go bad otherwise.”

“Why not just throw them away and just make everything, so the customer can take what they like?”

“This would be a serious waste on Food. Also the price would be way too high for most people to pay.”

“Aha… So the people of a lower standard eat only what they directly ask for and not what is getting brought?”

“Yes, and this is for the People still on the richer side. Do you understand Elly?”

“I really never had thought about things in this kind of perspective. It sure keeps the resources needed way lower. An ingenious Idea, I never thought of. But what do the People with even less Money?”

“They… either starve for a day or two or eat what is mixed together in food shacks. While it is filling the stomach, it rarely has meat in it and if, they mostly do not know of which animal.”

“That is horrifying.”

“You do not know the half of it. Don’t ask what Slaves get to eat or you might lose your appetite.”

“So bad?”

“Worse.”

Scrutinizing the Menu, Eleonora was the first time shocked on how lower Nobles eat. While Drak was a Duke and should eat like her in a way, he had his own quirk and ate like a lower Noble. This intrigued Eleonora, as she never had contact with someone of the lower Class and Drak’s invite was the first taste of an establishment not made for the elite.

“Drak, how is it that you do eat like that? You are a son of a Duke, so why does it look like you are of a lower class?”

“I… I was not allowed on the dining table for a long time. When I was hungry I needed to go myself into the kitchen and take some things laying around. The problem was to learn which I was allowed to take and which not. To be honest I was dining even lower as a Servant until I got Celia on my side.”

“I am sorry, I did not want to touch a wound.”

“You did not. I am already over the happenings in my Family.”

“Is that the reason you always eat with your Maids inside the Mensa?”

“They are more of a Family to me than those people having the same last Name as me. I trust them and always care for them.”

“What about the other People in your Mansion?”

“All people I trust and call Family. While some are closer and some are further apart, they are all people I believe in.”

“You have a rather trustworthy personality, don’t you?”

“Maybe, but it feels so much better to be around people you can trust.”

“It must be nice…”

Eleonora thought about it. She herself could not say the same to the people around her. Not only is she under a Contract that threatens her Soul, but her own Spies were not only watching Drak for her but herself for the Empire. It is logical for the Empire to look over their people, but trust could only be put in her Uncle and maybe some of her Gracia family at most.

The Words of her Uncle is still in the Mind of her:

‘Be faithful to the Empire in front of everyone, as all eyes and ears of the Servants are also the eyes and ears of the Empire. Nothing stays hidden and Trust is the most valuable thing you can give someone.’

‘Trust, huh? Who can I really trust? Uncle I feel somewhat lonely without you around.’

“Drak?”

“Yes?”

“I would like to ask, can I trust you?”

Hearing those words Drak was a bit shocked, but had to think about it a while before answering.

“I have your life and death in my palm and maybe I sound silly to say it like that but… Yes, you can trust me. If you need help I can lend you a hand, but please do not use it too often, as it might skew my Plans a bit.

From the side a snarky remark came from Seria.

“Is something of your plan still as it was when we came here, Master?”

“Ugh. Please do not remember me, everything has gone awry, but I still need to keep going through! We are already three Months in this School just another five years and three quarters before I have that damn Document!”

* giggle * “Drak you are somewhat silly. If you need it you can make a bargain through me to the Empire and you might get something similar or a written exemption for border checks.”

“I wanna earn it myself, Elly!”

“Haha! Yes you will. I am sure of it! Can I ask you to take me with you once or twice? I want to see the World to make my own picture and not only out of books.”

“Huh? Sure, there are many places I want to see myself, so if you want to come too, I just take you with me to see them.”

A genuine smile was seen on Eleonora’s face. She was sure this could only work if she either married him or made other connections to be needed to be at the black merchants side, but this was not what she was caring about. The immediate answer of Drak showed he was genuine thinking of taking her with him, without thinking of how she might be a Spy or might betray him. He seems to really trust her.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

‘He seems to trust me. It feels warm, but still I have no way to trust him. Maybe there is a way, but how can I trust my Target fully? I really want a true friend…’

—

“The taste is… rough? But it is not bad. I notice the lack of multiple spices but the spices that are there are more abundant.”

“That is Salt and Pepper. Those two are heavily used. Also fat is being mixed into the dishes in different forms to permeate the taste better.”

“I see. The taste is really strange. The bread is not as fluffy and needs to be chewed harder. Somewhat old?”

“The bread is not made especially for the guest but given by Bakers in the morning.”

“So it is older? Why so?”

“It is easier to transport ten loaves of bread at once than transporting ten loaves separately when needed and being baked at the specific time.”

“So money again?”

“And lowering resources. A baker can put more bread into a bigger oven to make them all at once. With that some might be a bit darker while others a bit lighter, but they are finished quicker and less people are needed to feed more citizens.”

“The school does not explain such things. It is interesting how different people live. While I do not like the taste of the… ‘special Soup’, the other things are rather palpable and have only a harder chewiness to them.”

“Yeah, the Soup is made out of many old roots. While it is nourishing and cheap the taste is something you need to stomach. Those roots have something inside that makes people be awake a bit more and work harder, so they are often asked for by common Students.”

“I see. And they had too much right now.”

“Yes, so it was made into the special. Before those Roots dry out they make something cheap out of it for people to eat, who have not that much money.”

“And the Roots itself are eaten even if they taste horrible, because common Students work six days in School instead of our four. So more common folk come here?”

“Also some nobles who need a bit of energy to ‘socialize’ more. If you want to party through the night, you need enough energy and potions cost a fortune for lower class nobles.”

“So instead of drinking potions you eat the ingredients?”

“In some cases it works. Mercenaries always have some numbing grass with them to chew and put on their wounds to reduce the pain.”

“Drak?”

“Yes?”

“How are you knowing so much and still can’t learn history?”

“Because the things in books are so dry and boring?”

“...You are lazy in reading books?”

“...No?”

“Yes, Master is a bit tardy in reading and has a hard time keeping things in his head.”

“Seria!”

* giggle * “I see, how about I help you a bit in those aspects? In exchange you explain to me things I do not know about the lower caste and things that are outside of my expertise.”

“Please spare me! Seria tortures me already with all those books.”

The two of them discussed things in a light tone and the Maids were looking warmly at Drak, as he was back to his original self like nothing happened. Seeing their Master having a fun conversation and meal with his first Friend in the Imperial School gave them also the opportunity to see him being silly without any care and made all the work they did worth it.

—

As the sun slowly set the time for the Theater was close. The Carriage came to a halt in front of the Venue where already many Nobles and Merchants were starting to file into the Theater.

Exiting the Carriage were Drak and Eleonora with their attendants and the unlikely pair made some heads turn. While many knew about Eleonora they only heard about her being close to some strange character from hearsay, seeing Drak made them realize those rumors were rather true and made them question what was going on.

Entering the venue some came to greet Eleonora and gave a court hello to Drak on her side. The most they were aware of Drak was this greeting and afterwards tried to start a talk with Eleonora, who curtly denied their approaches. While going through the masses, it was clear how people showed their favorability towards Eleonora and disgust against Drak. But somehow both parties were reacting to it rather differently. While Drak was not caring a single bit about this, Eleonora was seriously annoyed by the trouble being caused by just talking to her and outright ignoring her Partner, which is obviously at her side.

Entering the private Balcony Eleonora had full right to use as a member of the Imperial Family she led Drak to the private seats. There were four of these Balconies being at the uppermost part of the Theatre for Imperial visitors and one had been made ready on her request. Seeing how two others of the Balconies are occupied as well, some cousins of her seem to be here too.

“I bet they are Langley and Marianne, who also are here.”

“Who?”

Drak was not really up to date with Names inside the School and never took care about remembering people he never even met. The fact of how many Princes and Princesses really are inside the School from the Imperial Bloodline, he had no idea.

“Langley is in the fifth Year and close to finishing the School. He himself is more of a Romance fanatic. If told bluntly, he likes women, plural. Marianne is… weird? She has an interest in fairytales and has an incredible mathematical mind. You do not need to care about them, as both are rather distant.”

“You know all your Cousins?”

“It is a necessity to know who is in the family and what they might do. The Imperial Castle is not a tame place most of the time.”

“Sounds strange. How can there be so much infighting?”

“While we work on keeping the Empire together we also vie for personal power. Our Gracia Family is third from below in Power, so we get often delegated into different kind of jobs and can not refuse.”

“This sounds like a rather toxic family relationship. It sounds quite like my own, in different ways. How are you handling it?”

Looking at the Maids of her, Eleonora looked to Alice, as she understood her being the one who can change what people perceive.

“I never stopped the misleading, you can tell all you want and no one will know except us~”

Eleonora felt somewhat strange. She felt opening up can be helpful, but Drak was an outsider and she was torn between telling and not. Making a decision she started to talk silently.

“Not so well. My Uncle is there but it can be sometimes hard. My Father and Mother are already gone. My Mother died at birth like prophesied but as it was also told I have a connection to Fate and can see through it they bore the price for the Empire. Who would have known I was a failure as my Magic only works on my surroundings and not over long distance? My Father himself took hard and dangerous Missions to make the Empire not abandon me, as I was a failure but also a risk. The Seers had a hard time to fathom my future and it made me a liability. As my Father died in duty I am now one of the last hopes of the Gracia household.”

“That is rather… sad. And you hope through me to get more Power?”

“Yes, as Branches no matter how small, if they have a C… a powerful person under their wing, they are seen as indispensable and have more leeway, if the necessity of this Person is needed.”

“So my Crystals are what might improve your standing in the Empire, as they could support Magic tools easier and cheaper?”

“I am sorry, I do not see you as a tool, but you might be really our last resort to not be eliminated by the pruning process of the Family Tree.”

“Killing the branch that can not fight or support the Imperial Family to make the power more firm. How ruthless. And you see the Empire still as good?”

“Of course! While we keep the strength in the Family high, the Empire prospers and can be at ease. No large wars need to be fought and except for the small skirmishes only Wars against Monster Nests are being fought.”

Drak was a bit torn. He would love to retort, but knew Eleonora would never understand it, as she sees the Empire as perfect. For now he just accepted her being that way, as he can not change her just because he wants her to change. He just wants to see how their friendship develops and if they someday stop being friends, making him internally a bit sad to think that this could be a possibility.