A Few Weeks Into the Semester
Everything was going as it had in the original timeline: no significant deviations from the usual flow of events could be noticed. However, there was one glaring difference—the way the Academy treated Leon. Many students, including the girls, displayed caution toward him. Some of them had even been warned by their families to stay away from him. Nevertheless, dirty rumors still circulated behind his back. Not that Leon cared one bit.
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One typical day in the Academy courtyard, Leon could be found sitting with Raymond, Daniel, and the two brothers. They were discussing an important topic that, truth be told, was more irritating than enjoyable.
"So, what are we supposed to do about this tea party?" Leon asked, casting an indifferent glance at the others.
In the Academy, tea parties were considered an extravagant way of sucking up to girls.
"As much as we'd like to avoid it," Daniel said regretfully, "we'll have to invite some of the girls. Anyone have ideas?"
Raymond gave a wry smile and replied tersely, "None."
The two brothers exchanged glances but kept quiet. They knew all too well that any attempt to invite girls to a tea party would end in disaster. Most likely, they'd get slapped in the face for even trying—they ranked that low in the eyes of the local ladies.
Leon wasn't eager to chime in either. He couldn't think of a single girl who genuinely piqued his interest. Well, aside from Angelica, Olivia, Clarice, and Deirdre—they were exceptions.
"You guys should invite girls from baron families," Leon finally said, looking at his companions. "Sure, they can be arrogant too, but at least they don't cross the line."
"What about you?" Raymond asked suddenly. "Are you not planning to host a tea party?"
Leon scratched his head and answered reluctantly, "I don't know. We'll see."
He had no interest in organizing one. He doubted it would bring him any joy and couldn't understand why, in the manga and novel, he had supposedly enjoyed tea so much. He was certain it wouldn't be the same this time.
Raymond and Daniel seemed like they wanted to say something more, but their attention was drawn by the sound of female cries and whispers nearby. The whole group turned to see the approaching figure of the Prince, surrounded by his entourage.
In short, it was the first confrontation between Maria and Angelica over the Prince, witnessed by Leon.
Author's Note: This event is almost identical to the original, so I've summarized it.
After their argument, Leon glanced at Angelica and thought, Looks like this will all be over soon... Then he headed to the Academy for a lecture on tea etiquette.
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The Lecture
Entering the classroom, Leon took his seat and began listening to the instructor. He was a tall, elderly gentleman with meticulously styled white hair and a well-groomed mustache. A monocle adorned his right eye, and his formal black suit highlighted his stately presence.
Standing before the students was Lucas Raphael Holfort—the uncle of the current King of Holfort, Roland, and Leon's future mentor.
However, despite the grandeur of the moment, Leon quickly grew bored. He started to close his eyes, losing track of the lecture. Naturally, this did not go unnoticed.
"Lord Leon!" Lucas's stern voice suddenly rang out.
"Ah? Y-Yes, sir!" Leon blurted, jumping out of his seat.
Lucas gave him a sharp look.
"Pay closer attention, if you please."
The class buzzed with murmurs.
"A viscount is still just a viscount—his baron roots show," one student whispered.
"What else would you expect from a country bumpkin?" another added.
The comments sparked a flicker of annoyance in Leon, but he chose to ignore them, pretending he hadn't heard a thing.
Meanwhile, Lucas continued his lecture on the importance of being a true gentleman and the nuances of hosting a tea party. Noticing Leon's focus wavering again, he called out:
"Lord Leon, how about some practice? Come forward."
Leon descended reluctantly, thinking to himself, Hah, is it going to play out just like in the novel? This should be fun! No way will I react the same way as back then.
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Five Minutes Later
"Master!!!" Leon's desperate voice echoed through the room.
He stood before Lucas, clutching his head in his hands. His face was a strange mix of tears and a grin.
"Lord Leon, have you finally understood?" Lucas asked with a faint smile.
"Yes! I'm so moved! I'm ashamed I didn't take this seriously before!"
"I'm glad to hear that. Now, tell us—what have you learned from this practice?"
"I've realized how important it is to be a true gentleman and to host perfect tea parties! I hope that one day, I can reach your level of expertise!"
Lucas adjusted his monocle slightly and chuckled softly.
"That's admirable, Lord Leon. But you're mistaken if you think I am perfect. Even I still have much to learn."
"What?! Even you?!" Leon exclaimed in shock.
"Precisely. Perfection knows no bounds. However, I can teach you the basics."
Lucas extended his hand toward Leon.
"Lord Leon, are you ready to embark on the path of tea artistry?"
Tears streaming down his face, Leon grasped his mentor's hand.
"Yes, Master! I'll do everything I can to become a worthy disciple!"
Watching this dramatic display, Luxion, hidden in stealth mode, coldly remarked,
"What is this nonsense? Are you filming a drama here?"
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Fun Fact: In the original novel, Angelica once told Leon, "If your Master were a woman, you wouldn't even look at other women." So, here's an idea for a fanfic if you ever feel like writing one😂
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Also, I wanted to share some news—this fanfic has already been added to the libraries of 3,000 people, and the number of views on my work is about to reach 1 million! Thank you to everyone who has been with me all this time. Once again, a huge thanks for following my work! That's all for now—see you!