"Welcome to the Golden Chalice Inn, good sir! How may I assist you?"
"One night."
"Certainly, Sir. Would you like to pay with coins or cheque?"
"Coin, I don't have a bank account yet."
"Very well, that will be one silver coin, please."
After some more conversations, Aurora was taken to a cozy room.
Although the room wasn't large, it was still a comfortable amount of space. There's an individual bathroom, and a toilet in a separate area.
The place was clean, with all the furniture he needed.
"Is there anything else I could help you, sir?" The staff wearing red asked politely.
"Coffee. I would like a glass, if you may."
"Certainly, it will be delivered shortly." The staff nodded as he closed the door.
"During your stay, we also provide complementary breakfast, everyday on the ground floor from 6 to 10 am."
"We wish you a good stay."
Aurora sat on the bed, gazing out the window. Another building had blocked the view of dusk, but still visible was the vermilion sky painted by the sunset.
This was the fourth hotel he had been to. He only would stay for one night at the previous ones, not because they were bad, but he wanted to explore different styles of accommodation.
Everyday, he would randomly instill two lies in the environment around him. Once his resonance replenished, he would attempt it again the next day.
He made a squirrel believe he was a tree, and ended up with acorns in his ears.
He blundered against an old man in a chess match at the park, then convinced him he had actually won the game.
He lied to the guy giving out free cookie samples that it was his first time, when he had been there three times already.
He slowly enhanced his understanding about [Kuro], hence overall progressing his Instrument in stage I. However, he was still dissatisfied about how he was stuck with this method of progression when he knew better ones existed, yet there was no opportunity.
But, with opportunity comes an event of risk, so he reconsidered his option.
'Perhaps a peaceful progression is not too bad.'
He sat alone in silence, slowly putting all that happened in the past few days together in his head. To progress further will not just be about his Tuning mastery, but how he will utilise his connections and status.
Then, the thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Come in."
"Your coffee is ready, Sir."
"Thank you, you can leave it on the table."
After the staff had left, Aurora sat at the desk, and took a careful sip of the warm brew.
'Maybe I could stay for another night here…'
***
"Molly, will dad be present tonight?"
Clara stood in front of a giant mirror, not once would she see her reflection due to her sight, but everytime, she would wonder, the appearance of the young woman looking back.
"My lady, unfortunately, his Majesty won't join the dance tonight."
"It is a youth party for the young talents heading into Grand Noctis Academy. Compared to the Junior campus, your journey beyond will be an entirely new experience."
"But the admission test had yet to begin, what is meant for celebration?" Clara sat back down, and Molly began to apply moisturiser on her face.
"That may be." She responded gently.
"But, although the admission examination is open to everyone, those who attended the Junior academy will have a higher chance of being accepted."
"Treat this as a networking night, my lady. In the admission examination or during your study, you need friends who can help you along the journey."
Clara became silent, no one knows what she might be thinking at the moment.
As if noticing her behaviour, Molly's hand paused for a second, but then went straight back to the routine.
"Molly, the skincare alone is fine." Clara spoke suddenly, her voice wistful.
"I won't be needing makeup today, or any day forward… no one will look at me anyway."
"...My lady." Molly smiled, her voice was comforting.
"You should be more confident in yourself, you are beautiful. You're the prettiest girl I have ever met, but more importantly, you have the kindest, most gentle heart."
Instinctively, Clara looked up. What she saw was still nothingness, but it felt warmer, more colorful and bright.
Yet it did not clear the shadow of doubts in her mind. After years of mockery, bullying and prejudice on the poor little soul, only herself knows the struggles, and God knows, only herself can talk her way out.
Seeing her hands still trembled faintly, Molly held them tightly, and playfully asked.
"If it's making you this nervous, perhaps we should've invited the young man we met this morning?"
"...Hehe." Clara chuckled softly, and it soon turned into laughter.
"If possible, I wouldn't want to meet him here…"
"Somewhere quiet, just the two of us… I'm talking about music of course!"
Molly gazed kindly at the flustered young girl, then helped her stand up.
"My lady, your brother will also be attending the dance tonight. He wanted to meet you beforehand, shall we?"
"...Okay."
The two walked past several hallways, and ended in front of a room.
"I'll be waiting for you out here." Molly bowed after she stopped her step a few metres away.
Hesitantly, Clara glanced back at her once, before heading into the room.
"You're here."
Right after entering, she was met with a bitter voice.
"Dear brother, did you want to see me?" Clara closed the door behind her.
"Yeah."
She could hear the sound of a man rising from his chair, and walked with heavy steps towards her.
She stood still, waiting as the sounds became closer.
A few seconds later, the footsteps halted. They now stood a few feet apart from each other, Clara could even hear the man breathe.
"What are you doing here?" The voice spoke.
"Dad… His Majesty wanted me to attend the dance tonight."
"Of the youth party?" The voice continued its impatience.
"I believed that was only for the young nobles going into the Senior Academy."
"What am I hearing right now, have you not talked with his Majesty about dropping out?"
"...No." Clara held tight to her dress, though she could not see, she was still forced to lower her head from the pressure she felt.
"I see." The man walked back to his desk, his voice became distant, but the pressure was not lifted. In fact, it had become more severe.
"I suppose that's within your nature, a parasitic scum."
"How did you think you were able to graduate from the Junior academy? It was me, a brother who unconditionally helped you in the group works — Every. Single. Time."
"If it wasn't his Majesty playing house, expecting his children to care for each other, I would've never wasted my time on you, a disgrace to the royal family."
His words were harsh, as if sharp blades, each stabbing mercilessly into the young girl's heart.
"There is no place for you here, and I will play the brother role no longer."
"If you want to continue studying at the academy, you're on your own. There is a group task in the admission exam, I would advise spending your time right now to find a peasant teammate out on the street."
"You may leave."
For a long while, she felt as if her feet were glued to the floor, unable to move an inch.
How cruel, HOW CRUEL!
During her three years at the junior academy, she passed all of the individual assignments with flying colours. The school had special consideration for her loss of eyesight, where during the exam, she would be alone in a room, with the examiner reciting the questions and her answering with voice alone.
However, that was the most where she had a fair chance. In group works, normally involved with practical work, there was no special consideration. She had to complete the same task like her classmates, but she could not see.
Clara's brother became her eyes in the group works, which she was eternally grateful for. But now, she fell into deep regret, regret of being such a burden to her brother, knowing how he truly felt.
She was capable, but Tuning was a much more difficult world. It's not the school that didn't want to implement more special consideration for students with disabilities, but in the case of blindness, it was even hard for them to become String Masters in the first place.
String Masters relies on spells, they could only learn spells through observing and memorising the spell structure. Since no one had yet invented Braille for spell structure, it meant that Clara only could use her Remnant Art.
Even foundational spells such as [Inner Vision] was something she could not perform, since she couldn't learn its spell structure. Other than her exceptional theory knowledge that managed to get her graduate the Junior academy, she has nothing that will help her in the journey forward.
This will the end for many…
But not for her.
'Don't cry, Clara. Don't cry.'
She repeated the words in her mind, her eyes squeezed as tightly as possible, refusing to let even a droplet of tear out in front of the man who despised her.
"I… I will repay your favour, brother. But I won't drop out, I won't stop."
Finally, with all her might, she was able to move her foot.
Without hesitation, she stormed out the room, and immediately fell in the arms of her dearest companion.
"What's wrong, my lady?" Molly asked worriedly, but the poor girl did not respond.
Instead, she cried.