Palace Back Garden, Night
The night in Evercrag was tranquil. The cool mountain air blew gently, carrying the scent of snow and newly blooming winter flowers. The crystal chandeliers in the garden dimmed, illuminating the stone path leading to the small pond in the center of the palace garden.
Damian walked alone, still wearing his blue coat, now lightly covered with snow. He stopped at the edge of the pond and stared at his reflection in the nearly frozen water. "The world of nobility… is still the same as ever," he said quietly.
Soft footsteps sounded behind him. Rin arrived, wearing the soft green dress she had worn since the ball, now covered with a thick coat. Her face looked uncertain, but she approached anyway.
"You haven't slept yet?" Damian asked, turning her head.
Rin shook her head slowly. "I just want to get some fresh air."
Damian smiled slightly. "You'll get cold like this. Would you like an extra blanket?"
Rin smiled briefly. "Are you always like this outside of school? You seemed… very polite."
Damian chuckled. "Polite? I was just trying not to embarrass my family in front of those nobles."
Rin laughed softly, but then lowered her head. "But seriously, Damian… I'm impressed. The way you speak, the way you stand, everything seems so calm. Everyone is watching you, but you don't seem nervous at all."
Damian glanced at him, then sighed softly. "That's the result of training since childhood. My mother was very strict about manners. If I greeted a guest incorrectly as a child, the punishment could be a week of non-stop etiquette training."
Rin was silent for a moment, staring out at the pond. "I'm not like that. I was even awkward talking to the nobles earlier. I felt… so small among them."
Damian turned his head, slightly puzzled. "Small? Why?"
Rin gripped the hem of her coat tightly. "I'm nothing, Damian. I'm just an ordinary student from the academy, not from a noble or important family. When they saw you standing there, everyone looked at you with respect. I could only stand in the corner, afraid of saying something wrong."
Damian sighed softly, then sat down on a park bench near the pond, which was partially covered in ice. "Rin, do you know why the nobles respect each other?"
Rin looked at him doubtfully. "Because of their status?"
Damian shook his head. "No. Because they're pretending to be like that."
Rin paused, trying to grasp the meaning. Damian smiled faintly. "You don't need to be someone else to be respected. Truly strong people don't need titles or expensive clothes. You've helped so many people at Blaumont, remember? That's worth more than any noble title."
Rin stared at him for a long moment before finally sitting down beside him. "I want to be able to speak like them… but still be myself. Can you teach me?"
Damian thought for a moment, then smiled slightly. "Okay. First lesson: don't bow too deeply, or your back will ache. And if someone speaks too arrogantly, just smile… like this."
He stared ahead with the calm expression of a noble. Rin tried to imitate him with a serious face, but her lips trembled with laughter.
Damian looked at her, then laughed softly. "Okay, maybe you're still a little off."
The night breeze blew gently. Snow fell gently, covering their shoulders in a thin layer. Rin looked up at the sky with a serene gaze. "You know… sometimes I think you're too perfect for this world."
Damian glanced at her briefly. "If I were perfect, I would never have gotten scolded by my parents or Professor Limbert."
Rin smiled slightly, looking down slightly. "You always know how to make people feel better, huh?"
Damian shrugged lightly. "I just don't like seeing people feel inferior. Whether they're nobles or commoners, they're all the same. Titles are just names, not a person's worth."
A few moments later, there was silence. Only the sound of the mountain breeze and the rustling of branches echoed through the cool night. Rin looked at Damian, her eyes reflecting the soft light from the garden lamp.
"Thank you," she said softly.
Damian turned. "Huh? For what?"
Rin smiled warmly. "To always be yourself."
They fell silent again, but this time it wasn't awkward. The night was peaceful—two young people sitting under the falling snow, sharing a warm silence without needing many words.
A Few Seconds Later….
"MASTERRRR DAMIANNNNNNNNN!!"
Liam's voice echoed loudly throughout the park, shattering the tranquility of the night. Rin immediately jumped in surprise, while Damian instinctively stood up from the bench. From the park gate, Tessa and Liam could be seen approaching—more precisely, Tessa was walking quickly, her face red, and she was pointing at them.
"What the hell?! What are you two doing here so late at night?!" said Tessa.
Damian blinked in confusion. "Sit down?"
Tessa immediately glared. "Sit down, you said?! Hurry up, prostrate yourself, and apologize right now!"
Damian froze. Rin, panicked, immediately lowered her head, her face as red as a tomato. "T-Tessa, we just—"
"Just what?" Tessa interrupted, crossing her arms across her chest in anger.
Liam stood behind her, holding back a laugh with all his might. "Heh… from his expression, it looks like Master Damian is in real danger right now."
Damian sighed heavily. "Tessa, you misunderstood."
"Oh, really?" Tessa stepped closer. "So if I also want to talk to you in the park at night like this, you'll talk to me too, huh?!"
Damian stared blankly, not knowing how to respond. "…I guess… yes?"
"You man!!" Tessa shouted, kicking Damian in the face.
Liam and Rin both screamed in surprise. Damian fell backward, unconscious, a few seconds later.
Tessa snorted loudly, then looked at Rin, her face still red. "I'm not jealous, okay! Not at all!" she said quickly before looking away.
Liam whistled softly, crossing his arms. "Wow, this is the first time I've heard someone say 'I'm not jealous' while kicking Master Damian in the face."
"SHUT UP, LIAM!!" said Tessa.
Rin lowered her head even further, but this time she couldn't hold back his laughter. Her voice was soft but audible in the cold night air.
Damian, now sitting limply, holding his cheek, just smiled resignedly. He looked at his three friends—Tessa, who was still annoyed, Rin, who was laughing embarrassedly, and Liam, who was almost out of breath from holding back his laughter.