The Banquet
Praise was still pouring over Yelich.
In that moment Hervena leaned toward Blow and whispered, barely loud enough to reach his ear.
"I'll be back."
He glanced over his shoulder. She wore an easy smile with something faintly ominous folded into it, and he nodded.
"If you're going to do it, do it right."
"Of course. In return, you'll grant me a wish?"
"A wish?"
"I have one in mind."
With that she walked straight into the roar of cheers crying out for Serdia.
The cheers soon subsided. Standing before the bead, Hervena offered a formal bow and spoke clearly enough for the whole hall to hear.
"Hervena Westriver, fourth year, Caipol Municipal Magic School."
She had come out after the elites—Renerit, Yulia, Yelich—and the students of Serdia snorted.
"Who's that?"
"Isn't she the girl Young Master Blow Deblique keeps with him?"
"A bit much, isn't it. Just wants the attention."
"Westriver? A commoner, then."
"...Coming out after Lady Yulia and Lady Yelich? Did she only step up to try the experience?"
For whispers, they carried remarkably well. Hervena paid them no mind. She walked up to the Mana Bead, extended her index finger, and set just the tip of it against the glass.
It flew in the face of common sense—anyone handling a Mana Bead was supposed to maximize the surface of contact—and the students of the Imperial Capital Magic School narrowed their eyes at her all the more.
"What is she trying to do?"
Renerit grumbled, her face pinched tight. Blow, watching the smile Skadi was holding, murmured as if to himself.
"She's committed."
As if she had been waiting for those words, a violet magic circle flared at the tip of Hervena's finger—larger, and brighter, than any that had come before. In an instant the powder inside the Mana Bead took on the same violet as her hair. That alone was enough to drop Yelich's jaw; she had been watching with a thoroughly bored expression.
Moments later the particles began to drift like snow, then surged upward in a gathered column. The top split by degrees until it resolved into the unmistakable shape of a tree. Scattered powder settled onto the branches, seemed on the verge of melting, and then divided into five and began to bloom.
"Cherry blossoms."
Blow was the first to name them. The moment he did, the flowers that had fallen began to sway on a wind rising from within.
No one knew what to say. The air had gone solemn, and Julbert, a smile on his face, was the first to break it.
"In the dead of winter, Hervena is giving us spring."
"The turning of the seasons—and the blessing that parting brings, in falling flowers."
"Blow? That's a remarkably literary way to put it."
"I don't know much about literature. But looking at the falling blossoms, the line simply came to me."
The blessing that parting brings. A line borrowed from another world, of course, but nothing else could have captured the sight. Once again their words locked together without a seam, and beneath the bead cherry petals piled up like heavy snow. The beauty of it stopped not only the onlookers but the hotel staff, who paused mid-task to stare.
A few brief minutes passed. Hervena, whose expression had not shifted once, drew her hand away, and the last blossoms still clinging to the tree came down in a rush. Then, in the hall that had held only silence, applause erupted—enormous, crashing.
"Whoa!"
Most of them had forgotten how to speak and could only gasp. Hervena bowed to the room and came back to Blow, preening.
"Well?"
"Perfect."
"Hervena! That was a truly beautiful sight."
"Just as I thought!"
Of one heart and one mind, the Caipol side heaped praise on Hervena—and then every gaze turned toward the Imperial Capital Magic School.
The capital's knight cadets, who had felt defeat settle over them at a glance, had gone quiet. Renerit's face and Yelich's had hardened to stone. The ordinary students standing behind them, especially, could not keep from sharing what they had just seen.
"Petals even smaller than Lady Yelich's fish, and she handled them that delicately..."
"That girl's a monster."
Whispers filled the hall. Yelich ground her teeth—and at last Rachel Campbell, host and judge alike, burst into laughter and strode forward.
A judged victory for Caipol, in other words.
Blow wanted to stage a proper ceremony on Caipol's behalf. Mindful of dignity, he settled for spreading both arms toward the Serdia contingent and giving a shrug. It barely qualified as a gesture. Among the Imperial Capital students who saw it, a few were irritated enough to bite their nails, and Rachel took one look at them and burst out laughing before turning toward Yulia.
"All right—let's enjoy the banquet! Yulia?"
"Yes, my lady. Everything is ready."
Yulia's voice was brighter than usual, and the hall grew loud again with talk of what they had just witnessed and with anticipation for the banquet still to come.
Hervena, still under stares thick with awe, came up to Blow with a prim look, then smiled in triumph.
"You saw, didn't you? You owe me a wish."
"At that level, I think two would be fair."
"Really? Really?"
She looked ready to jump for joy. Blow nodded.
"It was that kind of performance, Hervena."
"I put in a little effort."
"If that was a little, I'm the one who ought to be afraid."
Blow was still joking when Skadi, who had been watching with quiet satisfaction, slipped neatly into the conversation.
"If you want to see what isn't a little, come by the mana workshop sometime. In any case, Young Master Blow Deblique—where is my seat?"
"Shall we take places near the dais, Lady Skadi?"
"Yes. I'd like that."
As their party started off, someone came pelting toward them.
"Hervena Westriver!!"
It was Renerit Hersi. Flushed with excitement, she caught Hervena's hand.
"Lady Renerit. What is it?"
"Can I eat with you?"
"Ah, that's..."
Blow, who had been watching in silence, nodded to her.
"My lady, would you care to dine at my table?"
"I'd be honored! Young Master Blow! I've taken an interest in this Hervena. In Lady Skadi beside her, too—and in you!"
"Then shall we go together?"
"Wonderful!"
The answer was barely out before Renerit linked arms with Hervena and, as if she had been waiting all evening, began firing questions.
"You really, really are incredible at magic!!"
"Ah, yes. Thank you for thinking so kindly of me."
"You're coming to the Imperial Capital for university, right!?"
"Um..."
Their conversation carried them to the round table. Renerit took the outermost seat, and beside her, in order, sat Hervena, Blow, Skadi, and Jane.
One of the Imperial Capital mages who had followed Renerit over bowed to her.
"My lady, we will sit at the table behind."
"Okay!"
"Those people are...?"
"Yeah! The kids from our school's Cat Lovers Club!"
"Ah. No wonder the mana felt..."
"I know, I know. What magic are you best at? I—"
She poured it out in a rush. Hervena shot Blow a glance that begged for rescue, but he, terrified of being dragged in, quietly looked away.
By about the tenth question, a strikingly handsome young man in splendid dress approached their table and offered Skadi a courteous bow.
"Good evening, Lady Skadi."
"And you are..."
"Michellan Teshio, of the Imperial Knight Academy. I hoped I might ask whether my friends and I could be granted the honor of joining this table."
His soft, intent gaze was fixed on Skadi. To Blow's eye she looked a little burdened by it, and there were no decent grounds for refusal. He was on the verge of inviting them to sit when a bright voice cut in from behind.
"Michellan."
"Ah! Lady Rachel...!"
"This seat is the closest to the dais. I believe Yulia and I are meant to sit here."
"Ah—it was your seat, my lady! Of course."
"There's a ball later. You can finish then."
...Finish what?
Skadi stared at Rachel, dumbfounded. Rachel only looked back at her with an ominous smile.
"Yes. I'll see you later. Lady Skadi as well."
"Good!"
"Yes."
Michellan, who had been staring at Skadi hard enough to bore through her, left it at that and turned away. In the meantime Rachel, Yulia, and the retainers of both took their places, and the table filled.
A few young masters glancing over wore displeased looks meant for Blow, but he was occupied shaking hands with Theo, whom Yulia had brought along.
"We met once at Central, didn't we?"
"Ah! Yes—thank you for remembering!"
"The painting was rather good, as I recall."
"You flatter me. Still, I was truly astonished today. I never imagined the people at your booth were quite so remarkable, Young Master..."
Theo looked toward the former hot-spring booth members seated beside him and marveled all over again. His eyes caught on Jane, elegantly dressed, and color rose all the way to his face.
"Jane, say hello. This is Theo, Lady Yulia's retainer. A new name on the rise, where painting is concerned."
"Ah, I see. Hello, Theo."
"How do you do, Miss Jane."
Rachel, having swept the hall with a look, let out a short laugh and turned to Blow.
"This table is the star of the whole room!"
Countless eyes were flicking toward them. Blow answered as if it were obvious.
"Wouldn't that be because you sat down, my lady?"
"I wonder. Our Imperial Capital lot looked fairly shocked after Yulia's and Hervena's magic."
"They did! They did! For that moment she was better than our captain! At handling mana!"
Renerit said it with easy warmth. Praise embarrassed Hervena; she could only scratch at her cheek. Rachel's eyes narrowed on her.
"And why are you here, Renerit Hersi?"
"Because it looked fun!"
"Hmph. The loudest one of the lot had to come."
Rachel sighed faintly. From the kitchen, servants began to emerge with plates of salad.
"Oh. The banquet's about to start."
"Young Master, shall we?"
"Yes, Lady Yulia."
Yulia rose, and Blow rose with her. As he made to step away, Rachel addressed him in a flat, unimpressed tone.
"Blow Deblique. You said it to me back then."
"Which part?"
"Imagine all you like. I'll show you more than that."
"Did I?"
"Want to get hit in front of all these people?"
"Ah! It's coming back to me."
"Hah. Fine. Does it still hold?"
Jane gave him a nod so slight it was almost nothing. Blow answered with confidence.
"Yes."
"Then I'll look forward to it as much as I please."
He bowed and climbed to the dais with Yulia. For some reason Rachel was snapping at him less than usual, and Renerit tilted her head, looking from one to the other.
Ten minutes later Blow was gone—up on the dais, explaining the banquet—and the Blow table was a Blow table without Blow.
Renerit, who seemed to have taken a genuine liking to Hervena, kept talking at her. Skadi, meanwhile, was already fielding her fifth invitation to dance at the ball to come.
"I'm sorry."
"Perhaps you already have a partner..."
"Yes. I do."
The knight cadet from the Imperial Capital retreated to his own table, promising with obvious regret to wait for the next chance. Feeling oddly guilty, Skadi wet her throat with water for no particular reason. Rachel, who had been staring straight at her, spoke.
"Skadi."
"Yes, Lady Rachel."
"Who is he?"
"......"
Skadi's lips parted, and nothing followed. The claim that she had someone to dance with was a lie she had made up on the spot. The greater truth was that she had never learned to dance at all; she had not expected to be thrown into high society so suddenly. When no answer came, Rachel's gaze shifted to Jane.
"Jane Foresti."
"Yes, my lady."
"Tell me. Just me. Who's Skadi's partner?"
"How could I speak of something my lady has chosen to keep secret?"
The answer was crisp. Rachel looked at her, let out an empty laugh, and went on.
"You. I thought it the last time I saw you, too."
"Yes, my lady."
"There's a solid streak in you, isn't there?"
"Thank you for the compliment, my lady."
"You're wasted under Blow. Pretty face, besides."
"Thank you."
Where noble heirs asked Skadi to dance, retainers and the like came to Jane instead. Theo, Yulia's retainer, still could not take his eyes off her. Unlike Skadi, Jane was refusing them outright, and Rachel studied her before asking in a voice bright with mischief.
"How about it, Jane Foresti! Any interest in joining House Campbell? You and that Melo."
"Oh my! My lady, that's too much! How can you say a thing like that outright, in a place like this? Shall I make Hervena an offer, then?"
Renerit slid in without missing a beat. Rachel answered, listless.
"You. And Hervena over there. I'm only saying it because it will never happen."
"......"
"......"
"Strange, how high their loyalty runs."
Both of them held their silence. Rachel looked from one to the other, genuinely curious.
"Hey. Blow didn't put some hypnotic spell on you, did he? Check carefully."
"No. He treats us very well, the young master. Right, Hervena?"
"Not so much as a speck. I have no thought of going anywhere else."
"Is that so? Hmm..."
Hervena's flat refusal left disappointment coloring Renerit's face. Rachel clicked her tongue, yawned, and added,
"Then I'll just take Linne! Don't tell me he did something to Linne, too?"
"Linne is working hard at our potion shop."
"Bah."
At that Rachel pointlessly stuffed the salad in front of her into her mouth. Renerit, watching, broke into a wide grin.
"Honestly! I'm so glad I came to this table!"
"Why?"
"Because I've never seen Lady Rachel left out in the cold like this!"
"What did you just say?"
"Blow Deblique treats you completely differently from the way everyone else treats you, doesn't he?"
"Differently how?"
"He handles you so carelessly."
"Does he?"
At that moment the hall doors opened, and the savory aroma of meat flooded the room. The hall went quiet all at once. Every eye filled with anticipation.
"Hm? What's this fishy smell?"
"Fishy?! It's cheese!"
"Cheese?"
"I could swear it on every dish I have ever eaten. This is cheese."
Renerit said it to Rachel without a flicker of doubt. Pizzas thick with melted cheese took their places at every table, and in that way the banquet began.