Fantasies are Not Reality (2)

"Rika," I mumbled.

"Rika de Impalia Roselia," Luke added on my last name.

"But what are you going to do if I don't follow you? I consider Shelly to be my family," I wasn't going to go along with his plans.

I considered Shelly to be one of my best friends. Although Luke was right that I didn't consider her as my family, she was next in line after them. After coming back to school, Luke didn't have anything against me anymore. All my precious hobbies were moved into a room he didn't know about while a few members of the neutral fraction possessed the rest.

"You can think of your extra time before and after the break to be gone," he came up with a clever attack.

Everyone, including the teachers, trusted Luke. His family had enough power to influence the school especially after the fire and barrier incident. Meaning that Luke did have the power to prevent me from going to that café or anywhere else to fill it with longer study sessions. He could drag me anywhere and anytime he wanted, and no one would say a thing.

Although he didn't do it since it would drive the both of us crazy. He would always have to supervise me while doing his own usual stuff like practicing the sword with Alex. Plus, we would both have to attend all those fraction meetings together. We already spent enough time together the way it was.

"Fine! But as soon as that travel ban is lifted, I'm going to the third district," I lost against him.

I tried to forget how I lost against him as he poked all my weaknesses. I managed to negotiate with him to decrease it to half a week in the end. We both knew how the travel ban wouldn't last that long. Half of the week was spent in the first district while the other half was at my parent's house with the condition that he came with me.

"We're also travelling together," Shelly confessed while holding Ellen's hand.

"Our families are working together on a project," she explained while everyone was revealing their plans.

"The Monete family is ok with that?" I almost got up from my chair.

"I also asked Luke if it would be ok if we could take you with us," Shelly guiltily added.

How was it only me who got the different treatment? Everyone was travelling to wonderful places together without their partners and I was still stuck with Luke. Both Ellen and Shelly seemed to be asking for my forgiveness, ordering more slices of cake and strawberry ice cream. I dug my spoon into the desserts, accepting their apologies, knowing it wasn't their fault.

"We'll also send a lot of pictures!" Sienna tried to console me.

"And the video calls," Ellen added to make sure I wasn't feeling like I was left out.

"Stopppp," I didn't want to know how they were enjoying their lives.

This was how I found myself at the Roselia family mansion again. It was the same one I resided in for social week since it was close to the flower field. Ben also entered the mansion with us since he was helping his family with the matters of the cave. Delia's words were true that the Nuelle and Roselia families were getting close. The cave needed to stay as a secret between them, afraid that anyone else would discover the routes.

"Repeat what I said Rika," Luke tried to test if I memorized all his rules of what I could do.

"I can do anything as long as I don't leave the mansion gates, but I still have to finish one chapter from the book by the end of each day. If I want to leave the mansion, then I have to either get permission from Ben or you," I mumbled.

"And the penalty if you don't keep them?" He continued.

"I won't be able to leave the mansion at all for the entire week," I couldn't believe how ridiculous this was.

"Ben and I are going to help with the cave," Luke started to head out as soon as he confirmed I knew the rules.

I watched them leave the mansion grounds after passing what they had packed to the servants. I knew this would happen, secretly packing my comic books with me. It wasn't a bad way to spend my vacation when I was going to be mostly left alone. After ordering many plates of desserts, I sprawled out on the couch.

It was just a pity I couldn't go anywhere after hearing all the places others were visiting. Although there wasn't much to do at his mansion, I could eat whatever I wanted with the robots as long as it wasn't junk food. The plushy furniture was also a perfect place to lay down above the beautiful gardens. Luke wasn't there to scold me about my manners or slouched posture.

I opened a light novel while enjoying some cake. This wasn't a bad life. Since I knew the servants were robots, it made me more relaxed. I peacefully finished reading more volumes of light novels I had previously bought but didn't have the chance to read. I sipped from a straw dipped inside a large cup of strawberry milkshake. However, the light breeze coming in from the opened windows made my hair annoyingly drift onto the pages.

Wait. A light breeze? These things didn't exist here in a perfect place where everything was regulated.