Ch. 2 - The First Lesson

The Grand Library was known to have one of the largest collections of books and information within the four allied countries. Foreign diplomats commonly visited the academy for this reason.

Most of them stayed in the restricted areas of the library though, so students scarcely saw them. The most restricted room was known as the Diplomat's Lounge. It was also rumored to hold one of the most luxurious lounges to have been built within the continent.

People say that sometimes, diplomats visit the academy for the sole purpose of using the lounge. They socialized with other diplomats while exchanging their menial stories of their travels.

It would be a lie if Naomi admitted she had never wanted to enter the lounge, but she was bigger than her silly wants.

Given the opportunity though, she would take it, and against her better judgment she found herself in front of the Diplomat's Lounge that morning.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Damien looked at the double doors in skepticism. He stood stiffly behind Naomi, tapping his foot in impatience.

Naomi looked around the library, and there wasn't a single soul to be seen. On a usual day you'd find a few students tucked in their own corners and tables, but today everyone was celebrating the Harvest Festival.

"Miss Labelle wrote the directions down for us. This should be it."

Damien only turned away from Naomi. The air around him grew grim. It was just as the rumors had said. Damien was terrifying.

Even the air around him felt murderous. Naomi wouldn't have been able to do anything in his mere presence, if it weren't for Naomi's unnecessarily big ego, of course.

"Perhaps you'd want to take a look at it." Naomi handed Damien the paper in her hands with no hesitation.

"No need." Damien stepped away from Naomi to avoid her outreached hand. It happened so quickly. Naomi couldn't even process the rejection until Damien prompted, "Let's just go in."

Naomi slowly dropped her arm, feeling awkward at the sudden rejection. She laughed through the stale tension between them, before Damien motioned to the door knob.

Naomi pointed to herself, "Me?"

Damien tilted his head, and even that was condescending.

"Oh you want me to open it?"

Naomi scoffed, and reluctantly pushed the door open. If she hadn't been previously reprimanded, Naomi would have definitely picked a fight with Damien already. He may look intimidating, but Naomi was irritated by him more than anything.

Who did he think he was?

Contrary to their expectations, instead of a foreign diplomat, behind the door was another student.

He had gentle brown hair, forming shaggy waves around the soft features of his face. In a single moment all the irritation Naomi felt was washed away by the student's welcoming aura.

Based on the emblem on his uniform, he was an upperclassman like Naomi and Damien, just not in their class. He set the book in his hand down when they had shut the door behind them. He then stood up with utmost reverence.

Naomi could've been mistaken, but he did shine by simply standing there, and his crystal blue eyes only did more.

Naomi snapped out of her short trance when she felt a cold tap to her hand. When she turned to check, she was met by the ever-so-dull Damien. He was giving her a look as if saying, 'Say something. Quick!'

She sneered at Damien. He really is full of himself. Then, she turned back to the student. The moment that she turned though, she was met by the student's amused smile, blind-sighting Naomi for a single second.

Then her own thoughts joined in the panic.

'Say something! Quick!'

"We've been expecting you." She blurted out, but as quick as she spit her words, regret came after. She closed her eyes, turning away from both Damien, and the student.

Damien shook his head and sighed. He cleared his throat before speaking.

"Miss Labelle sent us here."

The student was holding in his laugh as he looked back and forth between the two, "I was informed, yes." He regained his composure and smiled, and Naomi swore that the room got brighter. "My name is Jeremy, Jeremy of Camellia," — Camellia the Summer Country.

Jeremy bowed in formality before walking up to the pair. He reached his hand out to Naomi, "You must be Naomi." Then to Damien, "You must be Damien."

They both nodded, a little star-struck, a little intimidated. Their positions as Jesters weren't a secret, so Jeremy was bound to be in any higher rank than the both of them, but the way he simply stood and carried himself was enough to flaunt his status.

Naomi scanned Jeremy's face again. Contrary to most Camellians, Jeremy was pale, like Damien. She'd never expected him to be of Camellia if it hadn't been his introduction. Most people who came from Camellia had a golden tan complexion.

That was the moment it clicked—A popular prince-like student from Camellia everyone fawned over? Jeremy was the highest ranking student in the Academy!

"Jeremy of Camellia!" Naomi exclaimed, "I've heard so much about you! My grandmother loved to talk about you. Goodness she never stopped!"

Jeremy only laughed as he waved his hand in faux shyness, "You flatter me Naomi. You really don't have to."

"You're a living legend! How could I not?"

"Well, if you say it like that, then how can I refute?"

"It's like meeting a real-life prince!"

"Objectively, I am quite handsome."

"Bet you've saved countries in your past life."

"Bet I'm going to save even more in this life too!"

A smile played on Naomi's expression, as she held her laugh in. She really tried to maintain her composure, but when she shifted her gaze she spotted Damien standing in between her and Jeremy, as still as a log, almost comedically.

Naomi couldn't help but burst out into laughter, making Jeremy laugh with her.

"It's an honor to work with you." Naomi curtseyed.

"And I as well," Jeremy mirrored Naomi.

Damien, on the other hand, stayed, and stood very still beside them.

——

The three stayed in the Diplomat's Lounge for the rest of their session.

Jeremy paced around the room, as Naomi and Damien sat before him, their heads turning to follow his figure.

"In order to improve your chances for graduation we have to start improving factors within your control." Jeremy started. "Clearly it won't be based on academic performance, but there are other things that factor in for graduation such as etiquette, prestige, and likeability. I figure both of you haven't put much thought in those either."

Naomi bit her lips, guilty as charged. Damien also looked away for a moment to avoid Jeremy's accusatory gaze, and just for a second Naomi and Damien's gazes met. It was a moment of mutual understanding, before the two abruptly broke it off. Finding a sense of camaraderie from each other still felt wrong.

"Don't give up just yet." Jeremy, tapped the table to refocus the two. "It's not impossible, but it will not be an easy task. That's why I'm here. I'll guide the both of you every step of the way as per instructed by Miss Labelle. Suspend a little bit of reality, and trust me, kay?"

Jeremy's words eased up the room's atmosphere, allowing the two to breathe with a little more ease. With that, Jeremy began the very first noble lesson with Naomi and Damien.

Their focus that day was simple enough. It was a skill expected of nobles, perhaps a skill that was to be as natural as breathing. To be able to survive within high society one must master the art of facades.

"For Damien, I would like you to lift your shoulders up, hold them for a second, and release." Jeremy paced around the room, attentively looking at Damien's posture.

He did as he was told, but his body stayed stiff.

"Now if you could give me a smile."

Damien did so again, but his expression turned darker. It almost looked painful to see his attempt.

"You can relax your face now. You have far to go, but if you can improve just your smile, you'd win many people's hearts."

Damien pressed on his cheeks, suddenly conscious of his face.

Naomi smiled into her fists. It was entertaining to see how subtle Damien's passion was, but nevertheless just as present.

Naomi's thoughts were interrupted by Jeremy. He tapped at her table again to bring her attention back.

"Now Naomi, just as you were doing, I want you to stare into space and think of all your favorite things."

Naomi went straight for it, and as she did so, her expression brightened.

"Now I want you to think of all the things you hate."

Then her face fell.

"You also have far to go."

Jeremy clapped his hands to shift the room tension again, before walking to the back of the room to pull out a mirror.

"This mirror." He pulled it closer to the two, "will be your biggest enemy from now on."

Once positioned parallel to them, Naomi was quick to notice just how jarring the difference was between how she held herself from Damien. She knew she had always worn her heart on her sleeve, but she had never seen it as a weakness, not until now of course.

"It is within your best interest to start carving the image you want to be known for in high society. You may have an idea of what it is already, but it's also very possible that you don't."

Jeremy allowed the two to respond, but again, he got nothing but blank stares.

"Don't mind that then. I can start you off, and perhaps you'll find the image you want along the way."

Jeremy walked to stand by Naomi and Damien's side, so the mirror reflected all three of them. He paused for a second before coming to a conclusion.

"People admire rarity." Jeremy continued, "A noble woman with great empathy, but guards her emotions well is hard to come by. A noble man who's cold on the outside, but smiles warmly is also hard to come by. If you want a starting point you can start with this."

The two took a moment to digest Jeremy's words. It really was a wonder how he could make that up on the spot, but it was also such a foreign concept.

"That's ridiculous," Damien scoffed.

Although harsh, Naomi couldn't help but agree. Why must one live untrue to themselves in order for people to simply like them?

Jeremy shook his head, his expression heavy, "But I'm not asking you to change who you are, am I?"

Naomi was caught off guard by his statement when she realized she had accidentally vocalized her question.

"You're going to realize that so many people do so much more to win people's hearts. So much to the point that they lose themselves. All I'm asking from you two, is to take what you already have, and add to it."

"Take a weakness, and turn it into power." Jeremy approached them with a solid attitude, almost commanding the two. "You'll realize that people will eventually fall in love with your true selves regardless of the image you've initially put out. It's just much faster this way, rather than if you forced them to stomach your character at the moment."

"Turn it into power?"

"Let the power of influence be in your hands. Naomi. Damien. It will be your greatest weapon."