The gold-encrusted carriage entered the duke Espine's estate and stopped before the stairs to the castle.
The coachman jumped down from his seat and opened the door for the passenger - and from the inside came a youth with flowy golden hair wearing an elegant white uniform with black lining, on his chest right above his heart shone a silver badge in the shape of a closed flower bud - a mark of a first-year student of the Aspakeony Academy.
The youngster straightened his back, stretching after the long journey – and in preparation for its continuation - next to the carriage and crossed his arms.
At first, he appeared calm, but not even a minute had passed and the fingers of his right hand has already started tapping nervously against his forearm.
Five minutes later, the door to the castle opened and two youths showed themselves.
A beautiful proud girl with short almost completely black hair with a green luster, and a boy with a burn scar on his right cheek, with longish jet-black hair.
Both of them were wearing the uniforms that matched the one that the golden-haired boy had, and both of them had the same silver flower bud badges too.
"Zo... Ekhm!"
The first prince Horeo opened his mouth but quickly closed it and cleared his throat.
"So good to see you, Miriette, my love, you look stunning."
He smiled at his fiancé and she nodded back with an almost straight face.
Almost.
The left corner of her mouth was slightly upturned betraying her true feelings as she did not miss who the golden-haired prince was going to call for first and who did he wanted to see more.
She grabbed the sides of her skirt and curtsy while slightly lifting them up.
"Prince Horeo, it's good to see you too. This look suits you very much."
She spoke up with courtesy.
"I hope you have not waited for long, the farewells with my parents took a bit longer than expected."
Miriette apologized though not very honestly...
...the truth was known that the golden-haired prince was waiting for wor them so she called out for Zoemi to help her out with her uniform to spent more time with him...
"Not at all."
Horeo shook his head lightly, knowing full well that Miriette's actions weren't accidental.
The exchange of pleasantries continued for a little bit as the three of them were not alone and the eyes of the coachman and the servants of the Epsince's household were keenly observing them fishing for any material for gossips.
"It's also good to see you in good health, Zoemi."
After the appropriate amount of small talk with his fiancé has been over with, Horeo turned to the black-haired boy - or rather already a young man - who was bowing down with his right hand pressed to his chest.
"It's an honor to see you again, my prince."
The black-haired attendant greeted the golden-haired prince in perfect mannerism.
All of their voices changed from when they were children.
Horeo's voice became manlier and was brimming with authority and confidence.
Miriette sounded proud and confident, but she would often unintentionally add a slightly lower, more playful tone to her voice, making her sound mysterious and seductive.
And Zoemi's voice became deep and melodic... it had a pleasant ring to it that made others want to listen to him... as long as they did not notice his face and turned away in shock.
When the three of them entered the carriage after the exchange of pleasantries, the coachman climbed back up on his seat and shook the reins at the horses who obediently began moving.
---
Horeo and Miriette were casually talking sitting next to each other but the nervous Zoemi on the seat opposite to them wouldn't join in on their conversation no matter what subject they have tried to speak about.
"..."
The black-haired boy was clenching his hands together and was nervously glancing through the window the whole time as if dreading something.
"Maybe he's worried about your luggage? He may be anxious since every other attendant went to the academy two days earlier and unpacked everything..."
The golden-haired prince leaned in and whispered to his fiance.
"But it was your idea to leave it all to your attendant!"
Miriette furrowed her brows and scowled at him.
"Hey! Don't give me that now! You have also wanted to travel together!"
Horeo frowned and glared back at her without an ounce of the gallantry he showed off before they boarded the carriage.
The engaged couple continued whispering to each other trying to figure out the cause of Zoemi's peculiar behavior.
They have no idea that Zoemi had stomach cramps from worrying over the first scripted event of the game...
The heroine would be traveling to the Academy on foot with a ridiculously big backpack.
She would encounter an old lady who hurt her leg, and while she would stop to heal her with her magic, the backpack would rupture and all her things would erupt and sprawl on the road blocking the way right before the first prince's carriage.
The coachman would try to chase the heroine away but would be stopped by the intrigued prince, who after learning that the girl has extremely rare variant magic would invite the girl into his carriage to travel the rest of the way together...
Zoemi for whom Kampf um die Liebe was his first otome game, didn't know but it was a rather cliché opening event.
In-game it was just an introduction of the main capture target so it wasn't that important – really - most people playing the game who just wanted to go to the meat and bone of the story, would just furiously click 'next' when the not-important dialogue would show up on the screen.
But in Zoemi's mind that unimportant opening event had already posed a threat.
After all, in the game, the first prince Horeo had been traveling in his carriage alone.
How will the situation play out now that both Miriette and he, Zoemi, were in the carriage with Horeo?
What will be the reaction of the golden-haired prince seeing the heroine?
And if the story will play ut just like the event in the game...
Will Miriette get angry that her fiancé picks up random girls from the street and invites them to his carriage?
How he, Zoemi, should behave when the time will come!?
The black-haired boy's heart was pounding and he couldn't calm down at all.
No, not yet, it is supposed to happen after dinner so there's still time...|
"Hey, Zoemi, Miriette."
The black-haired boy was thinking to himself when suddenly Horeo reached under the seat and pulled out a basket full of food.
"It's about time for dinner, don't you think? We won't arrive at the Academy until the evening so I had our servants back in the castle prepare something we could enjoy while traveling."
He declared, putting the basket between him and Miriette.
"Oh! That's a great idea! Don't you agree, Zoemi?"
The dark-haired girl brightened up and smiled at her attendant.
"Eh? What!? It's already that late!?"
Zoemi panicked and grabbed his stomach.
It's almost time!|
He bit his lips and clenched his fists in anticipation.