Chapter 10 - Bla Bla Bla... It's All I Hear.

Director Osmond puffs on his pipe as he observes the events with great interest. Chuckling to himself as Miss Valliere drags her familiar out of the room with a livid expression. Although he wouldn't make it public, the fact that one of his students had summoned a human familiar was massive. Significant enough that if other countries were aware of its importance, they would go to war without a second thought.

The reason for this was simple... Human familiars belonged to Void Mages. And judging by the runes on the young man's left hand, he was most likely The Gandalfr. One of Founder Brimir's most important and loyal companions.

Just the appearance of Gandalfr and his Void Mage sent danger signals racing through Osmond's mind, as it was likely the beginning of something undoubtedly larger than him. There weren't many accounts of the actual abilities Void Mages and their familiars possessed, but if they were anything like what Brimir was supposedly capable of, they would be a significant force in the future.

He was still somewhat apprehensive about revealing this fact to Miss Valliere, as she would likely boast about it and reveal it to the public. They would most likely lay claim to the artifact housed in the school so that Miss Valliere could learn the secrets of being a void mage and become a decorative figure of Tristain in the near future.

He would have to contact the palace to see if they would give him permission to hand over Brimir's prayer book to Miss Valliere... Perhaps it was time to stop it from gathering dust in the vaults?...

He rises and heads towards his office atop the academy, determined to witness the duel between Miss Valliere's familiar and Mr. Gramont. It would be better if he wasn't close enough to be implicated if anything adverse happened... Even if it wasn't "explicitly" forbidden for a commoner and a noble to duel, he imagined there would be hell to pay if Mr. Gramont were to be seriously injured... Still, it was best to confirm that Miss Valliere's familiar was indeed Gandalfr, and he couldn't think of a better opportunity.

............

I clench my hands tightly as Louise drags me out of the bustling banquet hall towards a more secluded corner. A heavy silence follows us as we retreat, and I can feel the tension in the air before she begins to speak.

The impact of her hand against my cheek is like a lash, but I force myself to ignore the pain; I had anticipated this moment. I keep my gaze fixed on Louise as she explodes in absolute fury.

"Do you know what you've done!? You've insulted the son of a count! Someone who can easily have you executed for insulting his fourth son if he so desires! And that's not all! You've besmirched the pride of your master!" Her voice resonates with rage as she raises her hand to strike me again, but I stop her by grabbing her wrist, trying to remain calm despite my growing discomfort.

"I understand that I insulted Guiche and his family, but how does that affect yours? It's not like you're going to marry him or anything," I reply, trying to explain my perspective.

Louise frowns with fury. "No, but now any possibility of such a union seems unlikely! But you don't seem to realize, familiar, that I am responsible for everything you do! Familiars are supposed to be completely loyal to their master, so every time you insult Guiche, it's like I'm personally saying those words," she shouts, her words filled with anger struggling to be controlled.

Ah, that makes a lot of sense. I mentally murmur, going over Saito's actions that had enraged Louise. Attacking Count Mott and demanding the release of Siesta, his property? That would definitely be reason enough for Louise's fury. And that time when Saito misunderstood Louise's words and kissed the princess outright? That could be considered sexual assault and a serious affront to her honor...

I awkwardly scratch the back of my head, reflecting on what I just witnessed. "Perhaps I got carried away, but let's face it, seeing that playboy get his comeuppance was kind of amusing," I murmur to myself as I watch Louise fiddle with her wand with evident anger.

"Anyway, I have a duel to attend... So..." My words are abruptly cut off when the ground in front of me explodes, sending dirt and debris flying everywhere. Clumsily, I turn to Louise, who points her wand at me with obvious fury.

"You won't be going anywhere, dog! You will obey me and immediately apologize to Guiche for insulting him! I won't let my reputation be tarnished by people like you!" Her voice resounds with authority as she holds her wand, forcing me to raise my arms in surrender.

"Look, no matter what you say, I'm going to face Guiche in a duel," I assert, challenging her authority with my own words.

The two of us continue staring at each other, tension palpable in the air as Louise keeps her wand pointed at me.

Suddenly, an idea sparked in my mind. "Hey, look! Professor Osmond!" I exclaimed, pointing somewhere behind Louise.

She seemed surprised for a moment, momentarily distracted by my comment. "Professor Osmond? Where?" she asked, quickly turning around to search for the supposed professor.

Taking advantage of her momentary distraction, I took a step back and prepared to run. Without wasting time, I started moving towards the exit, hoping that my trickery would work enough to give me an advantage.

Soon enough, I reach Plaza Vestori, where a crowd of students has gathered, eager to witness the duel that is about to take place. It's evident that many of them have decided to skip classes to not miss this exciting event, although the teachers seem willing to overlook the absences, especially when it comes to wealthy nobles whose families have great influence over the school.

In the center of the circle formed by the spectators, Guiche stands arrogantly, his frilly white shirt open enough to suggest an attitude of unwavering confidence. I notice his hand holding a rose, recognizable as the wand he uses in the anime.