[Author's Note: Hey, everyone! Damian here! I have good news and bad news. The good news is I have been invited to participate in an upcoming competition where your favourite Old Knight might get a light novel adaptation! Yay! *Clap!* *Clap!* *Clap!* The bad news is the views and collections are dropping. Each view and collection I get motivates me more to get these chapters out sooner and in good quality. However, with the views and collections dropping, I slowly start to question if my novel might even make it past the first round of judging. I won't ask for you guys to leave a review since you never seem to do. Just please, if you have space in the library, add my novel to your collection or let others know of my work. That's all I ask. Anyways, I rambled for too long, enjoy the chapter.]
While Charles and Medea were having their little intimate moment together.
Lilith Sharon, Charles' "Master," was having lunch in Babylonia's cafeteria, for classes had been cancelled for the rest of the day after Charles' duel with Prince Albert drew the attention of over half the students, who skipped their classes to go watch the match in the Arena.
With less than half the students attending class, the teachers called it quits for the day and let the students have a self-study session that spelled out "Free Time."
After watching the morning spectacle, it was already noon, and the students were on their lunch block.
Some went to the town beside the school for lunch, where many famous restaurants, bakeries, and teahouses were located. But most students stayed in the cafeteria as the school had its staff of renowned chefs recruited from all over the continent. They even have a chef from the Far East Continent among their ranks, adding variety to the school's menu.
Fitting of their competent kitchen staff, the cafeteria was as well-decorated as the halls.
Ornately crafted and designed chairs and long tables made from the finest wood of dryad-grown oaks served as places for students to eat.
Pillars of fine marble supported a sharply arched ceiling covered in carvings and mosaics depicting various mythical beasts, monsters and people from a long-forgotten era, and Wisps of a multitude of colours, caged inside crystals specifically designed to trap spiritual beings created a giant chandelier that would light up the cafeteria in a myriad of colours at night.
At the far back of the cafeteria were the staff seats. Unlike the students' cafeteria furnishings, the staff furnishings were plainer.
Plain to the point you could buy them anywhere at your local carpenter shop.
However, there was one remarkable thing about the staff furnishings.
They were all positioned at various heights.
The shorter furnishings are placed in front of the higher furnishings. The short furnishings were the majority, while the higher furnishings were the minority, and they were stacked in order from shortest to tallest.
Overall, it looked like a pyramid or a caste system of sorts.
However, that's a story for another chapter. Today, we will be focusing on Lilith Sharon.
Now what is our star for this chapter doing?
Let's see, our dear Helen, in all her beauty and grace, sat at one of the seats near the corner of the cafeteria drinking tea and being surrounded by well over a dozen students.
As you may have guessed, they didn't come to her with good intentions.
Now, where should we start?
Hmm, maybe the beginning is good. Yes, everything starts at the beginning.
Everything, without exception.
Even I, your humble narrator.
Lilith POV:
He won.
I can't believe it!
He actually won!
I ignored the people and audience around me. I got up on my seat and loudly cheered with all my heart.
With one breath, I let loose my years of pent-up resentment and anger caused by the unfairness of society towards me and my family.
I cheered so loud that my voice nearly drowned out everyone else's.
Many people in the seats looked up at me from their boxes like I was crazy.
But for once in my life, I didn't care.
I didn't care if I looked crazy.
I didn't care if the nobles looked at me with annoyance and disgust.
I don't care what everyone thinks of me because...
Even if it is just for today.
I have won.
I, Lilith Sharon, have shown the world that House Sharon hasn't bowed down to the world yet.
We are struggling, we are in shambles, we are laughed at, and we are at rock bottom, but we still live on.
It is not over yet.
House Sharon will rise once more.
When we do, all the past transgressions done upon us will be paid back in full.
Blood will be paid with blood.
Death will be paid with death.
Everyone shall-
"Hey, Lilith, I have some things I have to deal with. I'll see you at lunch, hopefully. If not, then let's have dinner together."
Hey! Can't you read the mood!? I'm having my own inner monologue at the moment!
Helen looked at me quizzically.
"What was that?"
Crap! Did I accidentally leak out my thoughts!?
While I racked my head to think of an excuse, Helen turned to one of the neighbouring seats."
"Hm? Oh, never mind, that was just the neighbouring seat."
Oh, thank the Goddess, she didn't notice!
"Anyways, I just received word that classes for today will be cancelled after more than half the students didn't show up for their classes. This was likely due to the duel between your knight and our idiot brother."
"Due to Albert's foolish actions, he created several problems I have to deal with. I'll try to get them wrapped up as soon as possible. Though I don't think I can make it for lunch. If I don't make it, let's eat dinner together, alright?"
I let out a sigh of resignation.
"Sure."
Her eyes beamed with happiness.
"Excellent! I'll be sure to see you soon!"
With that, she got up from her seat and left using one of the Teleportation Circles in the back of the audience box.
Geezus, why is she always like this?
From the start, when we were first introduced to each other as kids back in the capital, she'd always find some way for us to hang out together as much as possible.
Whether it be at events like some bigwig's son or daughter's birthday party to something as mundane as taking a walk, she'd suddenly appear out of nowhere and ask if she could join me.
Naturally, I would always say yes.
If I said no once, my entire family could find their heads on the chopping block.
That was how influential and temperamental the legendary Belandian Ice Princess, Helen Belran, could be.
Don't believe me?
One time, at a noble gathering in the capital, a foreign noble of Francois origin, Marquis Fou, said something in a private conversation with Helen that she didn't like.
The week after the gathering, the Marquis and his family were stripped of their riches and sent to the coal mines for life under charges of selling state secrets to other countries.
Naturally, there were many rumours surrounding this controversial news. Many were wild baseless rumours like the Marquis was actually punished for his flirty attitude toward the Queen or slept with one of the King's favourite maids. Then, there were the more reasonable theories, like he was framed by his opponents with false evidence.
However, I'm probably the only one who knows her true colours. Everyone else who meets and converses with her would find her cold, charismatic, intelligent and capable. The perfect Royal candidate to lead a country.
But I know better.
I found out what her true personality was like beneath that mask made of ice.
It was at that very party I learned she was...
A complete psychopath.
Grand Gala, Beland Capital, Brucel.
Several Years Ago...
"So, I said to Count Bourne..."
"Who do you think I am!? Some startup baron in the sticks!? I never worked a day in my life!!!"
"HAHAHAHA!"
"HAHAHAHA!"
"Oh, the jokester, as always, Count Vermith. I never get tired of your jokes."
"Oh! Stop it, Viscount Augustus, you flatterer! How many ladies have fallen for those sweet compliments of yours?"
"One, my wife."
"HAHAHAHA!"
"HAHAHAHA!"
Uh, will those guys stop chattering already?
It's already a headache being stared at by others like I'm a disgusting cockroach they can't stamp out.
Listening to two gossiping loudmouths doesn't help at all.
Hanging out with Helen is much better than this.
Now that I mention it. Where is Helen?
I haven't seen her at all.
She's usually always at the center of the ball, either listening to lip service from six dozen suitors or forced to dance with the noble son of some powerful, wealthy or influential individual that The Royal Family has tried to pair up with.
I'd already checked the center of the ballroom or gala, but she wasn't there, just the usual nobles chatting away, either talking behind each others' backs or attempting to make connections.
People parted ways for me as I searched the room, not out of respect but disgust.
"Tch! It's the Sharon girl."
"Look at how she walks like she owns this manor, arrogance, I say!"
"Frankly, her whole family should have been put down like their branch families and relatives abroad. I don't get why the King still keeps them around."
"Shh! You better be careful!"
"What? Wasn't what I said true?"
"Yes, but there's a limit to what we can say! The current head of the household is married to his Majesty! Insulting House Sharon is fine, but bring the King into this, and our Houses are done for!"
"Tch! Bunch of cowards and wh*res hiding under the King's protection!"
Hmph, you're all cowards for not daring to speak up to me, and are you sure you guys aren't women and secretly work in a brothel Sunday after church because you all sound d*ck-less for not having the courage to say your complaints in the face of a young girl and would gladly spread your legs open to authority.
Of course, I passed by them quietly and kept my inner monologue to myself. Voicing out my complaints would only do me and my family more harm than good.
And if word reached my mother of what had happened, I won't be able to sit for a week with the discipline she'll give me for the vulgar language I used.
Quietly passing by the gossiping nobles, I soon found Helen.
It wasn't difficult to find her as she stood out like a sore thumb.
A more apt analogy would be she stuck out like a beautiful ice rose amidst weeds.
And I'm not exaggerating when I say she was like a rose.
Even though she hasn't reached thirteen, the year all young girls transition from adorable pudgy cherubs to graceful goddesses.
Helen looked like she were the child handcrafted by the Gods of Ice and Nature.
Her icy light-blue dress was in layers like the petals of a rose.
The front of her dress was cut shorter than the back in a short-skirt fashion, revealing well-proportioned snow-white legs, with her feet wrapped in beautiful glass-like diamond slippers.
The upper part of her sleeve-less dress stopped short of the collarbone and hugged her developing chest. Baring her shoulders, neck and collarbone for the world to see.
Finishing the dress was a pair of elbow-length gloves of the same colour and a small tiara with sapphire gemstones.
And I haven't even touched upon her face yet.
A face stuck between childhood and a young woman's, a look between innocence and maturity. A dazzling combo, a petite nose, large purple amethyst eyes that are both unusually filled with coldness and mystery, and long flowing blue hair like the ocean that flowed down, unbraided on her back. All that was enhanced by a slight touch of makeup that made her even more dazzling and mystical.
I looked at myself in the glass and sighed.
A plain black-haired girl wearing an out-of-date and simple black dress that makes me look like I'm attending a middle-class merchant's funeral at best.
Honestly, this was the best my family had to offer after most of our riches were confiscated by the Royal Family.
Another reason why I hate this Kingdom and this society.
Setting aside my negative thoughts, I looked at Helen closely and saw something amiss.
All that beauty that would make a grown man commit the most grievous of sins for was marred by dark anger that clouded her face.
Everyone who wished to talk to her avoided her, not wanting to be the outlet of whatever frustration she was holding in.
Everyone except me.
I was still a naive young girl at the time. So I wouldn't have known much about politics, but at that time, the ignorant and innocent young me decided to approach and comfort her.
It turned out to be a tremendous mistake in the end.
I walked up toward Helen, who was silently fuming about whatever was upsetting her and greeted her.
"Your Highness, Helen, how are you doing? You don't look too happy."
"You can say that again, Lilith."
Helen barely changed her expression as she responded, but I saw a bit of the coldness thaw in her eyes when she heard me. This was usually how she communicated her mood to others.
"Do you wish to share what's on your mind?"
A few moments of silence followed, with Helen quietly contemplating whether she should share her thoughts before she finally responded.
"A man, a Marquis, infuriated me a few minutes ago in a conversation. The Marquis insulted something important to me. I can't tell you the specifics, but in the most basic terms, he spat in the Royal Family's face and questioned their power."
"And I am at a loss as to how to handle this as the Marquis holds significant influence over the northern regions of our nation that is rich in precious minerals."
Hold on! I didn't expect this conversation to be about politics!
I thought you got into an argument with that idiot Albert or something!?
What am I, a girl from a fallen noble house, supposed to say in such a grave matter!?
"Tell me, Lilith, what are your thoughts on this? How should the matter be handled?"
Damnit! The ball's in my court! Think Lilith! How should I respond!?
If I take too long or don't answer correctly, rumours of my inability will spread, and my family will be shamed even more than it already has!
What would I do if a powerful noble insulted me?
Honestly, I would laugh and let it slide. My house is already in financial and social ruin. The Duke status we still hold is nothing more than a decoration.
While I continued to think, Helen stared at me the whole time, waiting for my answer.
Beads of sweat began to form on my brow as I slowly started to cave under pressure.
Even when silent, she exudes an oppressive aura. I guess it's just in the Royal Blood.
Wait.
That's it!
I mustn't think from the position that I'm a lowly fallen noble!
I must imagine myself as an influential member of the Royal Family, like Helen!
A few more moments of hard thinking passed before I presented my solution.
"Your Highness."
Helen perked up and carefully listened to me.
"If I were in your position, I..."
To be continued...