Erika and Maruschka both started to have peaceful academy life. The prince and his people hadn't plotted against her lately.
Erika also became friends with Hanna Landsturm much to Maruschka's worry.
She didn't like Erika becoming friends with other nobles. For Hanna's part, she didn't like Maruschka just sticking around Erika all day.
Erika couldn't understand what this situation was. She was obviously worried about both of her friends.
Meanwhile, she remembered that Hanna Landsturm was actually a lackey of the villainess Erika Raubenbraum and would always be there to help Erika with her plans.
In the end she was punished for being around Erika all the time as well.
Erika was afraid of this plot. She didn't want to associate with her much due to her knowledge, but couldn't ignore her for long either.
Hanna for her part saw that Erika despite being the possible future queen of the country didn't have any noble backing and her only friend was the commoner.
So she decided to be friends with Erika herself. But there was an obvious catch.
She obviously felt superior to Maruschka because there were somethings that Erika only shared with her.
This made her proud. Though secretly.
She never mentions any of it Maruschka. In fact they don't even talk to each other.
However, Erika could notice the glares the two of them would throw at each other.
It's nothing like the glares two rival love interest would give to each other in comedy animes rather something with more hatred and fear.
Erika tried her best to maintain some kind of balance between these two.
Over the time both Hanna and Erika went to the prince and their classmate weilding to know about what happened to the students that entered Erika's room.
However, the answers they got from Weilding was not satisfactory. He always tried to avoid it saying,
"You are just girls. You don't have to know about it."
While the prince outright refused to meet her.
Over time, everyone at the academy forgot about the incident and although Erika and Hanna tried to dig things up, they met with dead ends everywhere.
Of course Maruschka was blissfully unaware of these actions taken by Erika and Hanna.
On the weekends, Erika would go to visit her father in his mansion with Bauer.
Although she went to visit him every weekend, neither she nor Bauer ever told him about the incidents in the academy as she didn't want to make him worry.
One day after class while Maruschka and Erika were returning to their rooms, Hanna asked Erika to visit her house.
This was a problem for Maruschka. Since she never had the courage to ask Erika to visit her house.
However, Erika noticed Maruschka was down and took swift actions.
"Instead of me visiting your house, why don't you both visit my place this sunday?" She said.
This surprised Hanna and Maruschka both.
"Lady Erika, you shouldn't let a commoner visit your house like that."She said to Erika.
Maruschka couldn't reply anything. She didn't know what Erika's father would think about a commoner like her visiting their house.
"why? You're both my good friends. And I don't discriminate among my friends. You should know this already." Erika replied.
"You two should get along with each other." She added.
"It's alright lady Erika. I can stay at the dorms. You don't have to bring me to you house." Maruschka spoke.
Anyone could see that the words Maruschka said was not from her heart and that she was down.
"No, I have invited both of you and as a higher noble you should keep my invitation. I will notify my father beforehand about you two."
Maruschka was happy that Erika would invite a commoner like her to her house.
But there was a little jealousy inside her.
"Why did you become close to the nobles? Am I not enough as your friend?" She thought.
But she also knew that due to Erika's standing, she must have some acquaintance with other nobles.
Still she couldn't believe a noble would become her good friend as well.
"I thought the Landsturm territory also had a good noble-commoner relationship. So why do you not like Maruschka?" Erika said looking at Hanna.
"It's not like that. The Landsturms relationship with commoners are just lords and subjects." Hanna said.
"We provide them with security and stability and they pay us. Nothing more nothing less. We don't interact too much with them."
Hanna's cheeks were turning pink. She was blushing.
"It's not like I hate commoners. It's just that this particular commoner is too close to you. Which is unacceptable." Hanna said looking down and a little shy.
"Is this some kind of a yuri love triangle?" Erika thought looking at both Hanna and Maruschka.
"Then next time lady Erika visit my home. It's also nearby."
"And what about Maruschka?"
"Forgive me but she can't come."
Maruschka was sad. Since she grew up in an orphanage, there was no way she could invite Erika to visit.
Erika didn't notice Maruschka's internal trouble but anyways decided that she needed to do something for her as well.
"Well, then why don't we visit your place after that?" She said looking at Maruschka.
Maruschka was conflicted about the proposal.
on one side she was happy that Erika wanted to visit her place on the other, she was ashamed that she was just an orphan and lived in an orphanage.
Hanna also quickly rejected the Erika's idea.
"Lady Erika, you mustn't visit the place of a commoner. They are not suitable for the future queen to visit."
Maruschka, as happy as she was also rejected the proposal.
"Lady Erika I live in an orphanage. It's not a place you should visit."
"See lady Erika. The commoner is also rejecting it."
"I already know you're an orphan and live in an orphanage near the suburbs of the capital. So no need to worry. I think I'll enjoy the time with the kids there as well."
"As Expected of lady Erika. She knows about everything." Hanna said proudly.
Maruschka was also happy that Erika actually knew about her circumstances.
After much debate, the plan was made for the next three weekends.
First both Maruschka and Hanna would visit Erika next weekend, then Erika will visit Hanna following weekend and after that Erika and Hanna both would visit Maruschka's orphanage.
Hanna agreed to let Erika go there on the condition that she would go as well.
"Why would lady Landsturm has to come? I think it'll be hassle for the sister in charge if so many nobles visit." Maruschka said poking her fingers.
"If lady Landsturm gets to spend a weekend alone with lady Erika then I want one too." Maruschka pouted.
Erika also looked at Hanna.
"Don't you think it's kind of unfair to Maruschka that You'd come to her place but she can't go to yours?" She said.
"Fine. Since lady Erika is insisting so much, you can bring her as well, but make sure to hide her commoner background."
"But you're the only one to call her commoner." Erika replied acting surprised.
"Grr, I shall take my leave now. See you tomorrow lady Erika." Hanna almost ran away shy and flustered.
"Fufu, such a cute girl." Erika laughed.
Maruschka on the other hand pouted,
"There is nothing cute about her."
Another day in the academy ended without a mishap for Erika.
But she didn't knew a storm was brewing under this calmness. A preparation for war was going on in the kingdom.
Both Erika and Theodore had prepared their armies without each other knowing.
The prince theodore also planned with his father the king to make non aggression treaties with the neighbouring nations.
This plan was advised by the king who couldn't allow the prince to wage a civil war while the outside nations were left unchecked.