✦ A Banquet of Unlikely Bonds ✦
(A richly
✦ The arrival of Olivia
The large, chandelier-lit cafeteria had become a swirl of low chatter, laughter, and the gentle clinking of cutlery on porcelain. Platters still steamed on wide tables, bowls of jewel-toned fruits sat nestled among elegant carafes, and the soft scent of caramelized sauces hung in the air. All around, students and invited guests gathered in small clusters, enjoying the rare splendor of a full-course banquet typically reserved for the academy's elite.
It was into this warm glow of festivity that Olivia finally arrived.
"Ohh, you're here at last, Olivia! Took your sweet time, didn't you?" Claire's voice teased across the table, her smile bright with playful challenge.
Olivia flushed instantly. Her steps slowed, fingers fumbling with the edges of her uniform skirt. "I—I'm sorry… Thank you for inviting me today, Claire-sis… and um… Aether." She ducked her head a little, cheeks reddening even more. "Nice to finally meet you properly, Aether. I believe this is our first time actually talking…"
Even in the middle of bustling celebration, Olivia's words stumbled out with a familiar soft clumsiness, and it made Aether pause. A smile curled unbidden at the edge of his mouth.
"She's still like that, huh?" he thought, warmth threading through the exasperation. Out loud he simply chuckled, voice gentle. "Hmm, nice to meet you too, Olivia."
✦ The unexpected introduction
Then, with a sly sparkle in his eye, he decided to deliver a little surprise.
"Also… everyone—if you really want to thank someone for today's banquet, it should be…"
Aether made a dramatic show of turning and pointing toward the cafeteria's wide arched entrance.
A hush fell immediately. Heads swiveled. Then someone sitting near the aisle squinted into the dimmer corridor beyond the doorway.
A shape was moving toward them, hands neatly folded behind her back. The tall figure was clad in flowing academy robes marked with gold threads that caught the light as she walked.
A cold shiver of realization ran down a student's spine. He gulped audibly.
"Everyone… correct me if I'm wrong, but… is that the Dean moving toward us?"
Another student leaned forward, face pale. "So it's not just me seeing things after all…"
The tension blossomed instantly. Dozens of eyes darted to Aether, who simply stood there with that same calm, aggravatingly relaxed posture.
"Uh… well, yes. It's the Dean," he confirmed matter-of-factly. "I invited her. She's actually the one who sponsored tonight's banquet for all of you."
✦ A wave of panic
For a heartbeat, absolute silence ruled.
Then, like a wave crashing into a seawall, reality set in.
"WHAT?!"
The entire group broke into a chaotic scramble—students leaping to their feet, chairs scraping loudly against the floor. Uniform skirts and trouser cuffs rustled as they all dipped into hasty bows, nearly toppling over each other in their rush to show respect.
Even Claire's jaw fell open, whirling around to face her brother.
"Aether… did you seriously ask the Dean to sponsor this entire full-course meal?!"
He lifted his shoulders in an elegant shrug. "Uhh, yes? Is that a problem?"
✦ Everyone's meltdown
But it wasn't just Claire. Students all across the hall were now frantically whispering to one another.
"What does he mean 'Is that a problem'?!"
"This kid is terrifying! First that tournament stunt, then going toe to toe with Lucas, dragging the Dean herself out into the arena to stop him—NOW THIS?!"
"He's basically skipping up the ladder of scandals—next he'll be asking the King to be his drinking buddy!"
They all collectively pinched the tender flesh of their forearms—only to yelp at the sharp sting of pain.
"No illusions? This is real. This is actually happening…"
✦ The Dean arrives
Meanwhile, the Dean continued her stately approach. Her presence—gentle, warm-eyed, yet underpinned by an unmistakable weight of authority—sent more tremors through the students. It was one thing to catch a glimpse of the Dean from afar during academy ceremonies; it was entirely another to have her stroll straight toward your dinner table.
When she arrived beside Aether, she paused, surveying the room with a small, amused lift of her brows.
"Everyone, please sit down." Her voice carried a soft, commanding calm that settled the chaos at once.
Then her sharp brown gaze swung directly to Aether. The corners of her lips twitched downward in faint irritation.
"This damn brat didn't even greet me properly. Aether, why are you the only one not offering a formal bow, hm?"
✦ Aether's cheeky reply
But Aether only smirked up at her, utterly unfazed.
"Well it's simple, isn't it? I invited you tonight. You're my guest. No need for formalities—hehe."
A shiver of horror rippled through the surrounding tables.
"How can he talk to the Dean like that?!"
"What if she gets angry? That's instant expulsion, right?!"
"This is how horror stories start—next we'll be finding him mysteriously vanished!"
Yet instead of fury, the Dean just closed her eyes, sighed dramatically, and muttered under her breath.
"This damn kid. I really ought to hang him in my office and laugh at him all day."
Then—smack!
She gave Aether a light rap on the head with her knuckles.
"Ackk—okay, okay, sorry! Come sit first!" he winced, rubbing at the sore spot.
✦ A confused crowd
The entire hall was left slack-jawed.
"And the Dean's okay with that?!"
"Crap, maybe we've slipped into some sort of genjutsu. Itachi isn't lurking here, right?"
A few even furtively checked for stray crows overhead.
"No crows… so it's real. We're all definitely awake."
✦ A little world context
[Translator's Note:]
Itachi: A famed figure from ancient Japanese lore (or well, manga stories passed down through old entertainment scrolls) known for casting powerful illusions with flocks of crows, making people see nightmares or alternate realities.
✦ The Dean's gentle joining
Finally, the Dean settled into an empty chair. Claire tentatively leaned forward, voice small but hopeful.
"Dean… is it really alright for you to dine here with us?"
The old woman's brown eyes softened, her features brightening into a warm smile that made her look every bit the kindly grandmother—if you ignored the undercurrent of razor-sharp cunning.
"Why wouldn't it be? I'm eating with my precious students, after all."
The tension in the room snapped like a brittle thread. Shoulders relaxed. Students exchanged shy smiles, some even letting out shaky laughs of relief.
Soon the conversations picked up again, glasses clinked, and forks returned to eager mouths. The Dean lifted her own cup of fragrant tea, humming in approval.
✦ A mischievous duel of words
Across the table, Aether stuffed another bite into his mouth and let out a happy sigh. "Sure enough… the meal's as tasty as I hoped."
The Dean peered at him over the rim of her cup, a sly smirk creeping onto her face.
"Well, naturally it would be. This is a menu tier only prepared for teachers and academy dignitaries. For you? I suppose it's quite the luxury, hm?"
Aether choked slightly on his drink, coughing into his napkin.
Around them, laughter erupted. Aether narrowed his eyes, a playful glint flashing there. "Hmph. She got me this time. I'll remember that, old lady."
As if sensing his inner vow of petty revenge, the Dean leaned back in her chair, one eyebrow arching high. "Ah yes, I'm waiting. Bring it on."
Their eyes locked—a spark jumping from pupil to pupil. Unspoken words crackled in the air.
"I will never lose!"
Thus commenced a battle of sheer facial expressions—fierce squints, challenging smirks, the subtle twitch of a lip. Nearby students watched, half horrified, half entertained.
✦ Turning the tables on the Dean
But then, as a lull settled over the tables, Aether decided to strike. He tapped the edge of his goblet with a fork, drawing every eye.
"Hey everyone… if you ever wanted to ask the Dean something, now's the time."
A sly grin curled his mouth, voice dropping low in a dramatic villain's purr. "Hehe… take that. Let's see how you handle their questions now. I'm sure most of them have things they've always been dying to know…"
From across the table, the Dean's warm smile froze for a fraction of a second. A vein ticked faintly at her temple.
"This brat. So that's your play, huh? Hmph—well I've come this far, haven't I?" She inhaled, then with regal calm declared: "Very well. You may all ask whatever you wish—though do keep it to things I can legally answer. I trust most of you have the sense to know the boundary."
✦ The first brave question
A hush fell. Then a voice piped up, gentle but ringing with earnest curiosity.
"Well then… I'll be the first to ask."
Claire raised her hand, smiling. Her friends gave her small nudges of encouragement.
✦ And so it begins…
Thus began a new chapter of their night—a banquet not just of fine dishes, but of laughter, rare chances, and long-guarded questions finally daring to be spoken. Under the gentle glow of chandeliers, with plates and hearts both full, bonds were forged in a way no ordinary day at Himwarry Academy ever could have managed.
Aether leaned back in his chair, eyes dancing from his sister to the Dean to the wide sea of curious faces.
"Yeah," he thought with a smirk. "This is more fun than I expected."