In the following days Both Maruschka and Hanna looked forward to the coming weekend.
On the saturday, they were both ready to go visit Erika's house.
Hanna came to Erika's room. Though Erika had to receive her at the gate of the dorm.
Since the incident, the security had been tightened around the dorms, and any outsider had to either show documents about them coming at the request of someone at the dorm or be received by someone at the dorm.
Hanna came up all dressed up in frilly clothes suitable for visiting the house another great noble.
Maruschka felt ashamed.
She didn't have any such rich clothes to wear.
She felt that visiting Erika's house in such normal clothes would be harmful for Erika's reputation. She hesitated.
"Lady Erika, I think a commoner visiting your house in such common and shabby clothes will be disrespectful to the duke." Hanna said.
Erika looked at Maruschka and noticed that she may have been feeling the same way.
She thought for a while.
"Hmm, it's indeed a problem." She thought.
"Let's see..... Uh yes." She suddenly hit upon an idea.
"Maruschka why don't you visit in your uniform?! It maybe an official dress but to visit the house of a duke it might be enough."
Erika didn't think about comforting her by telling her any empty words. After all they would be shallow and wouldn't stop others from frowning at her or talking ill about her.
However, a school uniform would solve all the problems.
Maruschka heeded Erika's advise and changed into her spare uniform.
Bauer was also present as she stayed beside Erika all the time except for classes.
After Maruschka changed into her uniform, they set off for Erika's house.
Since the house was not very far away, they walked to the mansion.
After coming out of the gate, They could see the beautiful noble district of the capital.
They walked towards the houses of higher nobles. Here, the houses were bigger in both size and grandeur.
Though Hanna was a regular and Erika had seen grander buildings in her previous life and was also familiar with the noble district due to her knowledge of the game.
Not to mention, she already stayed at her father's mansion before. So both Hanna and Erika were unphased in the face of such beautiful and neatly arranged buildings.
Things were bit different for Maruschka however.
Being a commoner, she never had the chance to come at this place or see such grand structures.
Her eyes sparkled as she looked around to see the what was in front of her. She kept looking to all the buildings on the sides of the streets.
The street itself was also wide and neat. The bricks were all evenly laid and comfortable to walk on. It was nothing like the broken and muddy streets she was familiar with.
Erika noticed her surprise and awe and laughed while Hanna made a little fun about it.
Though Maruschka didn't mind since the passers by, that were all nobles didn't treat her as badly as they used to when she encountered them at the commoner section of the town.
It was as if the uniform had turned her into someone new.
After walking for a few minutes they arrived at Erika's house.
"Alright Maruschka you don't have to drool so much. Come in both of you."
"Perdon for the intrusion." Both of them entered the house.
Erika's father was waiting for them.
"Welcome, children. Treat the house as your own." He welcomed them.
Actually Erika had already informed him through private letter beforehand.
"Thank you for making time from your busy schedule." Hanna said bowing her head.
Maruschka tried to imitate.
"No need to be so courteous. Just call me uncle Walther and treat this place as your own. Thank you for taking care of Erika." He said with a warm smile.
"It's not like that. Instead of us caring for us, she has been taking care of us." Hanna said.
Maruschka also bend her head. She gathered all her courage and said what was in her mind.
"A-actually, I'm a commoner and Lady Erika has been taking care of me since the first day, so that I can get along and have a f-fun time at the academy."
Erika was surprised at Maruschka's honest opinion. She thought she wouldn't mention the fact that she was a commoner.
Hanna was caught off-guard as well. She didn't know what to do but decided to remain silent in front of the Duke.
"Ah, no need to mention that. It's the duty of a noble to take care of the commoners." Erika said bashfully.
Maruschka, Bauer and Erika sat down in a three seater sofa at the guest room.
The room was beautiful with various embroideries and ample lighting which magnified the beauty.
The furnitures were also beautiful, decorative as well as comfortable to sit.
There were two three seaters and two single seaters surrounding a center table.
The girls sat on the right three seater while Erika's father Duke Walther Raubenbraum sat on a single seater.
Servants brought snacks and tea for them.
They ate and chatted about their daily lives in the academy.
Walther specially inquired how Erika was doing in the academy and if she was engaged in any mischiefs.
Erika had already warned both Maruschka and Hanna not to speak about the questionable events that happened at the academy.
Walther noticed that Maruschka was trying to eat like a noble and though she had mostly grasped it, she was still having some trouble.
"Oh, it seems your friend here is still not that well versed in noble etiquette." He joked a bit pointing at Maruschka.
Maruschka felt embarrassed and almost sank into her seat.
Her hands stopped where they were and she couldn't say anything.
"Dad please stop teasing her. She already heard enough harsh words from teachers and other students. You don't have to make things harder for her." Erika said.
She was a little annoyed and angry that her father brought it up.
"Uh, excuse me. I didn't mean to accuse you or something." He said swiftly trying to cheer Maruschka up.
"You don't have to follow any etiquette here. I understand how hard it can be to get used to noble systems and manners." He said holding a smile.
Maruschka eased a little.
"You know Erika was even worse than you. It's great that you learnt so much in just the few weeks of being in the academy." He spoke, this time laughing.
Maruschka felt happy to hear the praises of approval from Erika's father while Hanna was more interested in the Erika being worse part.
She was almost about to ask about it when her curiosity was quenched by the duke himself.
"Erika over here, was so bad at this etiquette that her teacher had stop all her other studies and allocate extra time just to teach her to stand straight."
Everyone laughed hearing this. Even Maruschka smiled as the duke spoke about Erika's blunders one after another.
"Geez dad, don't speak about those incidents now to my friends." Erika cried out.
She was annoyed and embarrassed not knowing how to face her friends.
"Just don't let her act all high and mighty with you." Duke said looking at Hanna and Maruschka.
"And specially don't let anyone drag you down. Remember no one is good from the beginning." He said shifting his gaze towards Maruschka.
All of them understood that walther had spoke about those things just to cheer Maruschka up.
"Ah, I forgot. Isn't the graduation ceremony for the 3rd year students at your academy coming up in a few weeks? How's the preparations going?"
The duke asked making a serious face.
"The preparations will start from monday." Erika answered.
"We are all looking forward to it." Hanna said all excited and full of enthusiasm.
Maruschka however was more on the tensed side of things.
She felt as if she would be misplaced in a ballroom full of nobles and she didn't even know how to dance properly yet.
"I am looking forward to dancing with lady Erika." Hanna said suddenly.
"I know your first dance is already booked but now I am booking the second one." She said with joy and pride.
However, to Maruschka this was totally unacceptable.
Of course she knew at this point that the crown prince is Erika's fiancee and as customary, a young lady's first dance will always be her fiancée and there was no way Maruschka or anyone else could intervene.
However, the later dances were all voluntary and anyone could dance with any partner.
So Maruschka also wanted Erika's second dance.
She jumped up from her seat. It seemed as if her previous shy and timid self was gone as she boldly declared,
"There's no way that's acceptable. I want to be the one to dance with lady Erika second time."
Erika was surprised as was Walther. They didn't believe that Maruschka of all people would burst like that.