Chapter 10: The Foreign Prince
Translated by XianPiete
When the Academy next held session, the school was all abuzz about the happenings of the masquerade ball. People gossiped about the second prince and the older Lady Foix, they also gossiped about the younger Lady Foix and the third prince. The other big topic for discussion was the trio in black. To Claude's dismay, they spoke of the beautiful couple and the awkward third wheel in the devil mask. Of course, Claude knew another awkward moment was fast approaching as Olivier, or rather, his royal highness would be waiting for him in the Order of the Rose dining hall.
Claude took a deep breath to calm himself, then walked calmly over to the table as if it were a regular afternoon. He gave his customary bow and took a seat opposite Madeline. Guy greeted him normally, "Lord Rouvroy, I see you still aren't using the bathhouse I so considerately installed near your dorm." Claude gave him a smile in return. instead choosing to open the menu and act as though he needed to find something.
Olivier suddenly blurted out, "So, Claude, you mentioned the other day that you would be kissing my royal ass, I wonder if that is still a thing?"
Claude's menu crumpled as his hands shook, "Lord Girard, I apologize for my earlier words."
Guy and Madeline laughed, Madeline smiled at Claude and gently touched his arm, "Olivier is just teasing you, Claude. These two have the worst sense of humor when they get in the same room together, you know that."
Claude sighed and set his menu down and then looked at Guy and then at Olivier and asked, "Do you two really consider me a friend?"
Guy made a face while Olivier smiled and said, "Of course!"
Guy smirked and then said, "I consider you an ass." Which caused Madeline to glare at Guy who grinned and then said, "I consider you a friend, Claude. Honestly."
Claude then breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I know I am only the son of a Count, and I have always been a little intimidated by Lord Montfort and Lady d'Aumont because of that, finding out your background, Lord Girard, I was afraid that I might no longer be welcome to join you here."
Olivier smiled and said, "Claude, please call me Olivier, just as Guy and Madeline do." He gave his usual goofy smile, "I actually enjoy your insight on things and only have the urge to tease you because you are hilarious when you get flustered."
Guy smiled and looked at Claude and said, "You can still call me Lord Montfort though..." Madeline stomped her foot down on his causing him to say through gritted teeth, "I mean, call me Guy."
Madeline smiled at Claude and said, "and please, call me Madeline, I feel as though you three have slowly become the best friends I have ever had."
A short time later Alicia walked over and flopped down at a seat next to Guy, "Ugh, can you believe that rude third prince? My poor sister ended up crying for hours."
Everyone stared at her like she was crazy. Olivier smiled and then said, "I'm sorry I missed it, I am not fond of big social events."
Alicia looked at Olivier and then said, "You didn't miss anything, let me tell you. I didn't even get a chance to dance." When the servant came by she placed her order the same time as Claude, Alicia continued, "I did see the beautiful couple dressed in black though, they were adorable. I guess I could see why the other one dressed in black is being called the awkward third wheel. It was like seeing a Carriage with one wheel too small." She giggled.
Guy and Olivier started to laugh along with her which caused even Madeline to giggle, she looked at Claude, "Can I tell her Claude?" He shrugged helplessly in response. Madeline looked at Alicia and smiled, "The couple in black was Lord Molester and I, the awkward third wheel was Lord Rouvroy."
"Montfort, and just call me Guy." Guy said absently as he buttered a roll for himself seemingly uninterested.
Alicia clapped and asked, "Oh! You all use your first names now? May I join in? Claude, I thought you looked handsome as a devil, it was just that the other two looked like a matched pair, it wasn't your fault."
Olivier smiled at Alicia waiting for her to realize he was the third prince. He asked her, "Alicia, I wonder, is that rumor that the third prince accused you of trying to break up Madeline and Guy true?"
Alicia batted her pretty lashes and looked between Madeline and Guy, "Oh, are the two of you engaged now, Madeline?"
Madeline shook her head when Claude suddenly answered instead, "No, they are not."
Guy leaned close to Madeline and asked, "Should I have my father send the letter to your father, Madeline?"
Madeline looked surprised and more than a little happy before Alicia asked, "Is it true that there is going to be a foreign prince coming to the Academy soon?"
Olivier nodded and said, "It's true, the first prince from the neighboring Wütendes Menschenreich will be here to study." Olivier took a bite of his food and then after swallowing he went on, "It seems the Wütendes Menschenreich Emperor wanted his only son to escape some trouble he caused in his own country, similar to Guy here."
Guy looked at Olivier with a look like, are you trying to mess things up for me? Alicia then smiled and clapped her hands together, "I wonder if he's handsome?" She had a look that said she was dreaming of a handsome prince on a white horse galloping in to save her from the evil Duke.
Olivier rubbed his chin and said, "He is handsome, but, he's a bit like Claude, very dry and a little too interested in fighting."
Claude said, "I am not just interested in fighting. Also, dry?"
Olivier nodded, "You should loosen up, anyway, his name is Wolter von Plettenberg. He is as good with a sword as Guy, but he is no where near as brilliant." Olivier stirred his coffee and then said, "When he was younger, he was a bit of a bully, I think that is most likely why he was sent away from his friends and sycophants."
Alicia smiled at Olivier, "Oh! Is your father's territory along the border with the Wütendes Menschenreich?"
Olivier grinned at Alicia and said, "Mhm, you could say that."
Claude and Guy both face palmed and Madeline seemed interested as she asked, "Olivier, is the Wütendes Menschenreich swordsmanship much different from what our knight orders practice?"
Olivier nodded at Madeline and said, "Indeed, not just the style but also the sword. They prefer a shorter thicker sword that takes more strength to wield than our arming swords. Wolter prefers the saber to the sword however, which sets him further apart. He had the blacksmiths there make him a special saber he called a Cat Tanna or something."
Guy who was taking a drink suddenly did a spit take, "What did you say?"
Olivier repeated, "A Cat Tanna. It's long with a slightly curved blade, it can be used with either one or two hands. He even developed his own unique style of sword play that he uses with it, similar to your own swordsmanship, Guy."
Guy looked like he had seen a ghost as memories of his home suddenly flooded into his mind, for the first time in many years he felt homesick. He whispered, "Katana."