The restaurant’s atmosphere slowly died down back to normal as the intense exchange of words between Sylvester’s group and Clarence drew to a close. It would seem that people, no matter the age, are still weak to childish insults and banter.

“Yeah that’s right! Walk away you little chump!” Artian yelled, mocking Clarence as he made his exit.

“Okay the dude’s gone! Finally, peace and quiet.” He continued.

“Sadly, he does have a point. We need to join an organization if we want to participate together as one team.” Estelle interjected with a sullen face.

“I don’t really feel comfortable joining a large organization.” She continued with Artian now having a serious look on his face.

“It’s okay. I don’t really care about the prize. But if you really want to, I can just join an organization and win it for you.” He said with a gentle smile on his face, radiating a fluffy but knightley aura.

“Artian..” Estelle said, her eyes twinkling like stars in the night sky.

“I appreciate the obvious attempt at being sweet and all but it seems you forgot that rewards are only shared among the members right?”

“Oh. Yeah. You're right.” Artian suddenly lost all that prior jazz he once had and sunk into the pit of embarrassment.

“Pfft. Still, thank you Artian.” These words were backed by a heartfelt sincerity. However their very public and not so subtle display of affection wasn’t really appreciated by all. As the people around them barring Rossa and Sylvester seemed to be emanating an aura of envy.

Stares sharp enough to pierce through armor could be felt pointing towards the sweet couple who didn’t seem to care about where they were.

“Wow, 4 years ago I would have hated your guts Artian.” Sylvester joked.

“Back to the topic, do you guys still plan to join the festival now?’ Sylvester asked all three.

“Personally, I lost interest. I don’t really have the intention to go join a larger group just to win.” Rossa replied.

“That’s too bad, but you see there is a way for us to still get the shared rewards. Remember what that other guy, Victor Mandeme told us, Rossa?” Sylvester replied, smiling brightly as if a lightbulb in his head suddenly lit up with great luminescence.

“Oh, you mean the one where you get to ask the headmaster to bend one rule for you?” Rossa replied but then Artian decided to cut in.

“But what does that have to do with ohh… I get it now.” and just like that Artian was already on the same page as Sylvester.

“I think we can use that rule reward as a loophole. So you guys want in?” Sylvester asked in a devious and enticing voice.

“But, if you’re going to cooperate, you guys will have to give your word that you will listen to my directions.” Sylvester then flashed a devious smile.

“Hey, who died and made you the leader?” Artian protested.

“Hmm. I expected this kind of response. Thankfully I have come prepared.” Sylvester then took out a gold coin, with a tophat on one side and the ends of a swallowtail coat on the other.

“So, would you like to try your luck my friend? Heads or tails?” Sylvester said with a sly smile.

---

“Pfft! I can’t believe Artian lost for 10 straight rounds!” Estelle laughed as she remembered Artian’s red face.

“It’s either Sylvester is really lucky or he cheated. Either way Artian should have known better to try and challenge someone who presents themselves as a trickster.” Rossa replied.

After the four of them had dinner, Rossa and Estelle split off from Artian and Sylvester once they entered the student’s dorm village. The two girls seemed to have a friendlier relationship after Rossa’s sudden outburst a few days back.

For starters Rossa now responded to small talk, even though her replies were still rigid and somewhat formal.

Estelle noted that Rossa was very careful with her words, often choosing the most straightforward ones, though there are times where this facade seems to slip up. These slip ups are most common during moments when Estelle mentions anything related to the history, or rather, history of mages on earth.

Anything magic related, often bordering on occult level stories always seem to make Rossa excited and giddy, despite her best efforts to hold herself back.

On their way back Estelle decided to tell Rossa about the story of the frog prince, and emphasized that this version she was about to tell was most not the original, but Rossa listened nonetheless.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

It ended with Rossa having a sour scowl on her pretty face the moment the story arrived at its most famous scene.

“True love’s kiss? Don’t make me laugh. How can you say that’s true love when they literally just met? That is stupid! Utterly insulting!”

Rossa seemed to have lost her cool over such a trivial and common trope, while Estelle did her best to calm her down.

“Sorry, sorry. I did tell you it was a more “recent” version. The original I think had the princess throwing the frog onto a wall or something. I really don’t remember.” She explained.

“But yes, for some reason, a lot of old fairy tales and legends have been reimagined and had a lot of lovey dovey stuff forced into them so they can be marketed towards a larger audience.”

Rossa groaned even just thinking about the amount of distortion these stories went through, though she does understand that this simply the passage of time taking its toll. The consequence of an ever changing world that seemed to have left magic and mystery behind.

At least, that is what the world at large thinks.

“I see, marketing reasons huh?” Rossa mused and smiled, breaking her characteristic cold gaze. “It seems our worlds have a lot in common.”

“Oh wow really? In Vanicares too? Wow, I guess the need for a profit can lead multiple worlds into a convergent path. Like some sort of grand multiversal singular inevitably.” Estelle jokingly said, but a little bit amused that two worlds very much far apart have gone through similar artistic freedoms.

A few more minutes of idle chat and walking, the girls ended up at their dorm building. Like all the buildings in the student village the two storey structure boasted a mixture of modern and Baroque designs paired with one quirky design to separate it from others and different colored roof.

Their dorm room had absurdly large windows in contrast to Sylvester and Artian’s comically tall chimney and the roof was colored Magenta.

Upon entering the dorm, the pair were greeted by a “good evening” from the ever present twins Tinri and Nitri, a gesture they happily returned.

The pair wasted no time and headed straight back into their room.

Their dorm room had the same layout as Artian and Sylvester’s room but the wallpaper had white flowers as the design.

Entering the sleeping quarters, the difference becomes even more apparent upon seeing Estelle’s large pile of stuffed toys and plushies.

Surprisingly Rossa didn’t really have that many belongings with her and came to Inanis Orbis with some clothes and other bare essentials.

However, there was a plain wooden desk placed just in front of the window that overlooked the night sky twinkling with star-like bright lights given off by the far distant worlds.

“Ahhh, oh dear I feel so tired already. Finally I can get some much needed rest.” Estelle bemoaned as she sunk into her bed.

“Tch, at least change into your sleeping attire before lying down. You’ll get dirt and dust from outside all over your sheets.” Rossa reprimanded Estelle.

“Fine fine. I’m sorry MOM.” Estelle replied jokingly. In the end she got up and changed into her pajamas that had cute animal designs printed all over. While Rossa changed into a long and plain night gown, similar to the ones used on Earth during much older days.

Estelle then took off her large pair of ski goggles and hung them near her bed, afterwards she took out a black sleeping mask that had a magical circle printed on it and placed in on her face, covering her eyes. Despite this vision impairment, Estelle was able to navigate through the room just fine.

The pair then brushed their teeth, an act their two worlds also shared, although Rossa’ toothbrush looked really weird since it was just a stick with bristles all over and was made from a material similar to plastic.

As Estelle hunkered down in order to get some shut eye, Rossa instead sat in front of the desk lit up by the night sky bringing with her a white quill pen, a small envelope, a sheet of paper, and a stamp seal.

“What’s up? Not going to sleep yet?” Estelle yawned as she asked her question.

“I will, but I need to write this letter first.” Rossa smiled as she replied, another one of her slip ups.

“Letter? Letter for your home I assume.” Estelle asked, barely able to keep herself awake this time.

“Yes, you are correct. Why don’t you just go ahead and rest now. You sound very tired.” She suggested.

“Alright, good night.. Rossa..” With her words slurred and trailing, Estelle soon fell into a deep sleep.

Rossa then focused on the white sheet of paper, pointing her quill towards it but stopping a few centimeters above. Looking up at the night sky she tried to gather her thoughts and feelings into a better, more cohesive form.

After a few minutes of quiet contemplation, Ross then started writing. She funneled mana into the quill and black ink seemed to be dispensed from it staining the pristine white paper like a ball point pen.

“Dear Father”

“I am writing this letter to you to make it known that I am doing well in Inanis Orbis.”

“I have learned plenty of new things, and seen some interesting sights. Did you know that this world has something called the internet? I don’t understand how it works myself but they can somehow send messages and even images through vast distances without the use of magic.”

“Surprisingly, this world shares a lot in common with ours. Especially with how these people almost destroyed theirs during several occasions. Though at the very least, they never came close to what our ancestors ever did.”

“Anyway, how are mother and brother doing? I hope they are fine as well, and please apologize to my dear brother on my behalf for I cannot attend his bestowal of knighthood ceremony.”

“And to you, dear father, I hope that you have not returned to your old habits of smoking copious amounts of Lenen leaf simply because of my absence.”

“Finally, please say hello to my dearest mother for me and tell her that I have made new companions here in this other world and I am, surprisingly, enjoying my stay.”

“Your dearest daughter, Rossa.”

She then folded the paper and placed it inside the envelope. She took the seal stamp and channeled mana into it as she pressed it onto the flap. A symbol of a silver crown with three bright red jewels appeared on the envelope and sealed it shut.

Rossa then quietly went downstairs, moving quietly as to not to wake up the slumbering Estelle. She then headed to the front desk where the twins were located.

“Good evening miss Rossa, is there something we can help you with?” Nitri asked upon seeing her arrival.

“Yes, please deliver this letter to the Argentum household.” Rossa politely requested as she handed them the envelope.

“I see.” Tinri then took the envelope and placed it on the desk. “Rest assured, this letter will be delivered to the Argentum estate by daybreak.”

“Thank you.” Rossa then went back to her room and dozed off almost immediately once she laid down on her bed.