The unusual "living" pattern of a tree branch with the delicate pink color of falling petals added to the haori's special beauty. Between the boy's shoulder blades was a large, palm-sized, five-petaled flower in a circle, with an empty white circle coming out of each petal.
The boy wore wooden "geta" shoes over white "tabi" shoes, and behind his wide belt, the beautiful sheaths of two blades — katanas of different lengths — glistened with lacquer. Sora was talking to two elderly magicians whom the sisters recognized as veterans of the war against Grindewald — Jacomo Savigny, the alchemistic martial artist and head of the family, and his best friend and partner, Olivier Crichale, the master of magical combat and founder of his own pure-blood line, the family that had received the inherited baronial title from the king.
Highly respected people close to the royal family, rumor had it that they were the ones who restored the state's law enforcement. Glancing over, the sisters decided not to interfere, such an acquaintance meant a lot, especially when the veterans themselves showed interest in the guy. Standing up to keep the man out of sight and out of mind, the girls watched cautiously.
But not for nothing. In the best traditions of the nobility, the girls watched their surroundings, the looks, the reactions, listened to conversations and whispers. It's very important. The reaction of society, as always, was heterogeneous. Some people were indifferent to the fact that the elderly heroes were nodding and joking with this foreigner, some were interested in "checking it out", and some were reluctantly croaking. It was the same as always.
The conversation, or rather what the sisters caught, lasted about fifteen minutes, after which the veterans withdrew and Sora, after casting a cold, confident glance at the people around her, moved to a small group of four young people, among whom the girls noticed Angelica Dunois. It was not always the right thing to do, so Fleur and Gabrielle decided to take a turn, and on their way out they saw trouble approaching.
No, not for them, but for an unusually dressed man who stood out among the locals. Gabby was surprised when her sister stopped her and pushed her aside. She looked at her sister in confusion and saw a frown on her face and a nod somewhere off to the side.
As soon as Gabrielle's eyes saw where Fleur was pointing, the younger girl almost lunged toward the boy, but her sister's unusually strong grip held her in place. Gabby herself realized that it was better not to get involved — it could be too much trouble, but her heart didn't understand logic. Fortunately, the older sister was able to not only restrain herself, but to restrain Gabby as well.
Both sisters realized that their family's authority was enough to keep THIS guy from bothering them. But if Fleur found herself unprotected around someone powerful, a loner like Sora, her tarnished reputation would only make things worse. If THAT guy started making his jokes and nasty remarks, Sora could get into a lot of trouble, which would make THAT guy happy.
In their helplessness, the sisters could only watch as the two boys and three girls were approached by a company of six wizards led by the Duke of De Reverdy's eldest son, Louis Baptiste, one of the most vicious and vile of the younger generation of nobles.
The people stirred, whispering in anticipation of something interesting. The sisters approached cautiously, noting the surprise on the boy's face as his company suddenly fell silent and looked behind him. Puzzled, he turned to see a group of young men stopping a few steps away from him.
It's worth clarifying that the "quirks" of the Savigny's "quirks" were not to the taste of the aristocracy, not all highborns liked it when the unborn were welcomed into the society of the chosen. The admirers of "pure blood" in France are also not rare, but a strong political force.
They understand the need for the lower classes to exist, but they do not like to tolerate them around them. "Plebeians should know their place" — is often heard in high society. So the arrogant grimaces of the arriving group of youths were nothing new, but the "leader" stood out, dressed up and adorned with jewelry, even against the background of his henchmen.