Avalyne Academy Stories

7th Story - Scarlet

"Lady Scarlet, please slow down!"

I ignored my attendant, continuing to briskly stride forward. Commoners were honestly such nuisances. If they wished to stand by my side, then they should match my steps at the very least.

To make matters worse, I'd been forced to come to Avalyne Academy of all places. While it was once a respectable academy, its current ruined state was nothing more than a stain on our glorious empire, and even while it still stood proudly, the amount of unsavory individuals in attendance was simply far too high.

Firstly, there was Isabella Rosenhall. While she may be a fellow ducal heiress, her attitude and bearing was just so ignoble that I simply couldn't stand it. Had she not been a member of House Rosenhall, I never would've invited her to any of my tea parties or galas.

Then, there was Bastiche Revelo, a misguided fool who only ever knew how to obsess over his knight. I'll give him points for his loyalty toward Dame Ritya, but to refuse an invitation to the Imperial Academy merely for the sake of staying by his knight's side? How utterly foolish. If he were a worthy ducal heir, he would have simply leveraged the proper connections to grant Dame Ritya admission as well.

Lastly, there was Viviane Castellia. I honestly don't understand how the daughter of a highly accomplished knight and a famous general turned out so weak and pathetic. I'd only met her once during her social debut, but she wouldn't even look me in the eyes. At first, I thought she was attempting to disrespect me by withholding her attention, but I later realized that she was just woefully inept when it came to social interaction.

How the hell am I the only ducal heiress that has any measure of competence? I shook my head in disappointment as I rounded the corner, eager to reach the infirmary so I could grab my idiotic knight and get out of this dismal place.

"Ugh!"

"Uwaah!"

It felt like I'd ran into a brick wall. I stumbled instantly upon colliding with the blonde-haired noblewoman who had turned the corner at the same time as I did, crashing onto my derriere in a rather inelegant manner. Embarrassing as it was, I had no one to blame but myself for rushing ahead without heed to my surroundings.

I looked across from me, expecting to see the other noblewoman similarly collapsed. Surprisingly, she hadn't even budged and was now leaning down, graciously extending a helping hand toward me. I took it gratefully and she pulled me up as if I were no lighter than a feather.

"My apologies," the noblewoman said as she curtsied almost perfectly. There were only a few minor nitpicks I could see in her form from a cursory glance, but it was clear to me that she had otherwise been taught by an expert in etiquette. "I was in a hurry and lost track of my surroundings. I hope you'll forgive me."

"Of course," I replied, returning her curtsy and making sure to emphasize my perfect form. It wasn't as if I were declaring that I was better than her. Rather, she seemed like the type of noblewoman worth befriending, so I hoped she could pick up some of my better habits. "The fault lies with my own negligence to begin with."

"N-No, of course not! I was the one who was rushing!"

I quickly realized that she wouldn't be willing to accept that the incident was entirely my fault, and I was sure that she knew I wouldn't allow her to blame herself. It left us at an impasse, but just as I was about to suggest a compromise, the other noblewoman burst out in laughter.

"Perhaps both of us should watch our steps more attentively in the future," she smiled warmly. "I am Viviane Aspera di Castellia. May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?"

Viviane...? This is Viviane...!? My eyes widened, and though I parted my lips to respond, my voice faltered. I simply couldn't believe it. Sure, people could change, but it had only been four years since I last saw her. During her social debut, she had been shy, silent, and unassuming, yet right before me was a beautiful and poised noblewoman whose hair shone like the sun.