There was no reaction. Even as we spoke, facing each other during the meal, not a comment was made about the stain, much less a motherly gesture from her.

Has she failed to notice it? But I can clearly feel the stain in the corner of my mouth. There was barely any meat left, and with the last piece dipped in the sauce, I made sure to make yet another stain. Oh god, I can feel it covering a large area between my mouth and chin! I was about to take the napkin, but stayed my hand and held strong.

I just had to continue talking to Barbara. Bear with it.

“I know my mother is from House Sitarion, but exactly how are we related?” I started. Dolores did indeed come from house Sitarion. The top noble houses often intermarried, it seems.

“Ah, I know not exactly. I think we share a great grandfather?” She replied with an elegant tone. NOTICE THE STAIN DAMMIT!

I tried multiple other topics, but she didn’t make any move. I then heard some giggling, and as I turned my head, I was being pointed at covertly. Shit! I finally gave in and removed the stain. I gave up this approach and merely tried to find common ground with Barbara.

“Merely two years before we join the academy… Are you looking forward to it?” I ask her. She turns her head and has a faint smile as she replies.

“Very much so. I look very much forward to the freedom one finds there.”

I have lessons most of the day, every day, so I can relate to the prospect of having more free time. But at the same time, I could be caught with my pants down if I don’t make sure I am prepared for the future. After all, all routes end in some kind of war.

“Indeed. What manner of classes are you planning on taking?”

“I haven’t given it much thought, there are still two years, after all.”

I faintly remember her appearing in the first year-end tournament. She was a shield-mage, specializing in defense and barriers, but those characteristics didn’t make her very good in single combat.

The dinner slowly comes to an end and soon it became a different party. We moved to a ballroom and sweet music started playing. Waiter were standing ready to serve small treats or wine. I knew I had to do at least one dance with Barbara, as she was hostess and I the most important guest.

“May I have this dance?” I said and extended my hand. She graciously accepted it by doing a curtsey and placing her hand in mine. It was very different to my lessons. In my lessons, I am dancing with a 50-year old instructor that’s taller than me, but now I am the taller one and I must admit, Barbara looks quite lovely, especially if you were to compare her to the old crow that teaches me.

I lead and move as I were taught and Barbara follows effortlessly. I notice a lot of people stop up and look at us as we are going at it. People gradually stop their own dances to spectate hours and when we are done, a small applause follows.

“Thank you for the exquisite dance.” Barbara says as we finish.

“I am the one who should thank you for letting me dance with such a beautiful woman.” I reply, paying the best lip service I could. She seems a bit taken aback by the comment, but she is quickly invited by yet another young man before we can continue our talk.

I also have a duty to mingle some more. I get a drink off one of the waiters and find Holger, who is staying by the wall, as many of the personal attendants of the noble children present are.

“Very commendable dance, young master.” He greets me, but I have another purpose.

“Can you direct me the daughters of counts? I can’t really tell.” As a son of a duke, I should only dance with those close to my own position. If I were to invite the daughter of a baron house, which I have no obligation to, it will be seen as me being charmed by her beauty or some weird declaration.

“It should have been apparent in the seating earlier, but seems you didn’t pay adequate attention… Very well, the lady in the green dress with the red hair ornament is of House Jorga.” He directs me.

“Thanks.” I had paid too much attention to Barbara and hadn’t paid note to the other guests at the dinner party, which bit me in the ass, but Holger bailed me out. After many, many dances, the evening is finally coming to a close.

I didn’t get anything done and feel a bit frustrated. I only danced with a bunch of count’s daughters, and my ploy to charm Barbara completely failed.

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Holger escorts me back to the room I was staying at. After a night’s sleep, we once again exchange some pleasantries with Barbara, before leaving with carriage. I am in a sullen mood, since another two days are going to be spent making my ass sore.

“What were you doing at the dinner?” Holger asks me. I am a bit confused, as he was attending it too, leaned against the wall behind me as most of the attendants were.

“What do you mean?”

“From what I saw, you very clearly stained yourself.” I flinched.

“I guess I was just nervous, this being my debut and all.” Holger’s eyes narrow.

“It looked to me like you were doing it on purpose.” I flinched again. If he became convinced, how would I explain that? I had already thrown out the idea of letting other people in on my foreknowledge. I imagined a person trying to explain to the me before ending up here that my life was part of a game he played and it seemed absurd. I would not associate with him at all. Maybe if he could predict some future events, but the events I knew of were still four years away and were even dependent on the choices of the protagonist. I steeled myself.

“No, really, it was just nervousness.” Holger looked like he didn’t buy it.

“If you say so, young master.” He ended it with that.

The journey home was another two grueling days. I was also plagued by why my attempt had failed so fantastically and I came to a possible conclusion. There are still four years till the Barbara I knew exists, and she has yet to develop her motherly personality. With that idea, I found myself somewhat at peace, as I spent the rest of the trip home reading.

I didn’t get to rest when I came home. Alicia was mighty curious about what these events were like and I had to tell her all about it. I told her about the reception and the dinner, but as I get to the dance she turned a bit weird. As I started saying I led in the dancing with Barbara, she started questions.

“Was she pretty? Do you like her?” It sounds oddly cold, is she thinking that I am saying isn’t pretty?

“She was very pretty, but if I had to say, my little Alicia is much prettier.”

“I see, I see” she muttered, while turning her gaze downwards and reddening. Our little conversation was then interrupted.

“The lord has sent for the young master.” A servant announced. He has never called on me before, so I wondered what it could be? I left immediately. I knock on the door and hear an “Enter.” Which I do.

My father in this world rises from his desk and walks over to me. He towers over me complete and asks in an intimidating voice.

“Do you know why I called you here?” It was low and almost made me shake.

“Forgive me father, but I don’t know.” I merely replied. A hard slap was sent across my face and knocked me off of my feet. I tumbled to the floor. Shit! It hurts like hell.

“Don’t ever embarrass the Sterling name again, or I will see to it that you have nothing but etiquette lessons for a year! Do you understand?” What? I slowly got my feet. Is this all because of the stain on my face at the party?

Another slap was sent across the other cheek and I feel to the floor again.

“Do you understand?” He replied in a heavier tone than last time.

“Yes, father, I understand.” I said as I got my feet once more. Shit! This asshole has a real temper on him.

“Very well, you may leave.” He said as he sat down once again.

As I left, I could taste blood in my mouth. In the game, Hannibal took incredible offense at even the slightest disrespect and I thought him an ass, but if this is how he was raised, it only makes sense.

After my debuts, parties became somewhat commonplace with me attending one every two months or so. The only character from the game I met at them was Barbara, as we belonged to the oldest part of the cast. Every time I received the seat of honor, and when it was time to dance, apart from the hostess I was obligated to dance with, every girl seemed to wait on my call, even Barbara. I don’t know if it was simply the status of being the only one from a ducal house of these parties, but I honestly enjoyed the attention.

I didn’t skip out on training either. I soon found myself moving in ways I never could have imagine, my magic appeared to be growing stronger by the day and it was honestly quite surprising. I never really did well at physical activities before. I wonder if I somehow inherited Hannibal’s talent with his body, or if I just were never really forced to do physical activities to the point where I’d significantly improved, but I received much praise from most of my tutors.

Alicia was growing ever closer to me. We spent what little free time I had together now, either simply eating together or talking, or doing a variety of recreational activities available to us as a ducal house. The most often pastime we indulged in together was horseback riding and picnics, often together. We would ride out with a few attendant to a suitable spot, have them arrange a picnic for us while we chatted away before returning.

A whole year was spent in this manner, and I didn’t have much on mind except bettering myself for the future. That is, until my father called me one day.

“I have made arrangements for a talk of marriage with the oldest princess.” He said curtly as I showed up in the room.

“I believe I don’t have to stress how important this is?”

“No, father.”

“Good. You will do well to impress her. If this works out, we could have enough legitimacy to… Well, don’t worry about that. She will arrive for the talk within two weeks. Be prepared.”

“Yes, father.”

“You’re dismissed.”

“Yes, father.” The pain from the earlier slaps coupled with his tough frame and stern attitude didn’t leave me much in the way of resistance. I wondered for a brief moment if it was better to follow up on his words, but I had my own plans that I quickly deferred back to. Princess Zoenna’s route is the one I know the best and the one I would prefer the protagonist to go down. As such, it would be best for me to leave her uninterested in me.

The only clue that I have from the game is that Zoenna found Hannibal to be selfish and boorish, in those exact words. In other words, I simply have to not accommodate her and speak only of myself, and reply to whatever conversation she starts with only short, dry responses.