Archive of Our Own

Monica, who normally wouldn’t dare try to look at Felix and kept her eyes on her work, glanced at him. Again. She had done it multiple times during the Student Council Meeting, and it was probably only a matter of time before he or someone else noticed. Which was worse? Felix noticing her gaze or someone else like Lord Cyril or Lord Howard noticing? So scary. She shuddered, her eyes returning to her work. Still… She found herself glancing over at him again.

It was strange.

Felix hadn’t changed his appearance. He looked like the perfect prince. Even now, he kept his eyes on his work, writing something with his quill. Rather than his normal gentle smile, he had a serious look on his face. Monica, though, who was used to seeing him like this in the Student Council Room, didn’t think much of it. She knew how important his work was to him.

… No. She knew why she kept looking over at him.

She quickly looked away from him, missing the way Felix glanced at her.

That night she had hung out with him at the entertainment district… More specifically, the night she had hung out with Ike kept going through her head. She knew she should forget about it. She even remembered thinking she’d probably never get to hang out at night with him again.

It was difficult. More difficult than she’d thought it’d be.

Especially whenever she remembered the necklace he gave her.

Despite having a gold chain and a genuine peridot, it was modest. Perfect for someone like her. He had obviously put some thought into it, although why he had done so eluded her. Maybe because it was a gift? Or maybe because he was a perfect prince who knew how to treat women?

I probably won’t wear it anytime soon.

Monica wasn’t a fashion-conscious person, and unlike the rest of the girls at this school, she had only recently started becoming interested in fashion. An accessory, albeit a modest one, was too much for her. She wasn’t ready.

As she remembered what happened that night (again), she froze, her eyes widening, not even noticing her quill falling out of her hand, a sudden thought occurring to her.

Did she… ever thank him? She desperately went through her memories, breaking out into a cold sweat. She had thanked him for the book. Of course she had. It was one of her father’s books after all. Had she thanked him for anything else, though? She had, right?

She paled, squeezing her eyes shut and bending over the table, her body starting to tremble.

Oh no, oh no, oh no.

She… hadn’t. She remembered thanking him for everything before he left and even telling him she had fun. She had never thanked him for the necklace. Hadn’t even mentioned it. She hadn’t been able to at the time, confused why he had given it to her. Telling him she had fun… That wasn’t considered gratitude, right? Even if it had, he probably hadn’t considered it that way, even if he was starting to get to know her better.

Getting to know people was scary. People were scary. Even now. The thought of approaching Felix and thanking him made her stomach hurt. She felt like running away.

She didn’t want any attention. Attention was scary. She also knew that by attempting to thank him for it, she’d be bringing up that night again. He probably didn’t want that. Right now, he wasn’t Ike. He was the second prince and the student council president. She’d be troubling him by bringing up that night, even if she’d make sure to bring it up when they were alone. Still…

That necklace, much like the nuts he had picked up for her during their first meeting, had become one of her treasures. One she’d never forget about even after her job was over. She needed to thank him for it. Hang on… Was she… being impertinent by wanting to thank him and bother him about something he probably didn’t want to talk about? She trembled at the thought of someone finding out and punishing her.

Wh-Wh-What should I do, what should I do, what should I do?

She let out an unconscious distressed sound. She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want to bother him. At all. She hated bothering other people, especially him. But she also wanted to thank him. Thanks to him, she had another treasure, and while she didn’t get to properly convey her gratitude at the time, she wanted to do it now.

How was she supposed to thank him? Conveying her gratitude… Would that be enough? Somehow, she didn’t think so. Not after what he gave her. Not after the night they had.

“Monica?”

She froze at the voice. The familiar voice. She tentatively opened her eyes, looking beside her. Felix knelt beside her seat, concern in his eyes. She yelped, moving away from him and falling off her seat. Ignoring the pain, she quickly darted away from him until her back hit the nearest wall behind her. “Y-Y-Y-Your… Y-Y-Your Highness.”

Felix stood up, concern in his eyes. Suddenly, Monica belatedly remembered where she was. She started trembling again, this time at all the attention on her. Neil looked as concerned as Felix. Cyril and Elliott furrowed their brows, almost looking confused, although Monica knew it was only a matter of time before Cyril started yelling at her. Bridget, who had furrowed her brow, now gave her a look of disapproval, not even trying to hide it behind her fan, causing Monica to wonder if she had imagined her earlier reaction.

Felix took a step toward her. A very small step. Monica still flinched, pressing herself against the wall behind her. Why couldn’t she melt into the wall? Why couldn’t she disappear? “Are you alright?”

“U-Um, I-I-I-I…” Monica stammered, her eyes darting around the room, unable to look at anyone out of fright, yet somehow, her eyes kept returning to Felix. She suddenly realized with a jolt that she… had been talking to him. He had asked her something. “I-I-I’m alright. I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry… for the trouble. I’m sorry… for interrupting everyone’s work. I-I-I-I—”

“What do you think you’re doing, little girl!”

“Eep!” Monica shrunk back at Cyril’s anger, pressing herself desperately against the wall behind her. She had known this was coming. Oh, how she wished she could disappear.

Cyril, who at this point had stood up, too, glared at her, Monica shivering at the anger in his eyes. “Not only do you ignore His Highness, but you dare make him kneel before you! You deserve—”

“Cyril.” Felix held up a hand, causing Cyril to close his mouth, an unhappy look on his face. Felix didn’t look back at him, keeping his eyes on Monica. Why? Why did she do that? Monica silently berated herself. She hadn’t wanted to bother him, much less get his attention, and now, she had done both. Felix took a step closer, and when Monica didn’t flinch or move, he took another step. He held out a hand. If it had been anyone else, they might’ve looked ridiculous, standing at a distance and holding out their hand. Not Felix. Never him. “Come here.” His normal gentle and friendly smile returned to his face, the concern disappearing from his eyes. To someone else, he might’ve looked friendly and maybe even concerned about a friend. Not to Monica. The way he acted reminded her of something.

He… He was treating her like she was a small animal again!

Monica gripped her knees, looking up at him, her body still trembling. Usually, it took her a while to get her throat to work. Not this time. “I-I’m human!” she protested, aware it was weak.

Felix chuckled. “I’m aware you’re human. That wasn’t my intention, I assure you.” It… It was as if he had read her thoughts. Monica shivered, ducking her head. Scary. Felix kept his hand outstretched, although he didn’t make any move to get closer, much to her relief. “Come on. It must be uncomfortable on the cold floor.”

Don’t worry. I’m used to it.

Monica bit her lip to stop herself from voicing her thoughts. No doubt, that would just make things worse. Come to think of it… She paled, belatedly realizing something. They were still in the Student Council Room. She had interrupted everyone’s work. She trembled, trying to get her throat to work, her mouth opening and closing. She needed to apologize. She needed to. No matter what. Something flashed in Felix’s eyes, and Monica froze, recognizing the look. He had… looked at her like that before. It wasn’t a stern, angry, or even disappointed look. He looked just as gentle and as friendly as before. No, this time, it made her think of Ike. Felix, disguised as Ike, had given her that same look. An almost soft and gentle look. While she didn’t know why he looked at her like that, much less recognize the look, she found herself reaching out with a shaking hand.

This wasn’t Felix, who was noble and distant. This was Ike, her friend.

She couldn’t reach Felix’s hand at first, as she was too far away. She bit back a whimper at the thought of moving away from the wall. No one said anything or made a move to stop her or Felix. And Felix… continued looking at her with those soft, gentle eyes. She tentatively moved away from the wall and reached for his hand again.

Felix didn’t move, waiting for her patiently. When their hands touched, Felix’s eyes softened even more if possible. Was she imagining things? She had to be, right? He gently pulled her up, Monica gripping his hand at first, as she didn’t trust her legs to hold her weight. Once she was on her feet, she hesitated, glancing at the floor then at their hands. She should… probably let go now, right? She should at least thank him. She nodded to herself before looking up at him, the words stuck in her throat at those soft eyes. She didn’t know whether it was a good thing or not when Felix smiled his normal gentle and friendly smile at her, the soft look disappearing from his eyes. Felix briefly tightened his grip on her hand before leading the way back to her seat.

An awkward silence enfolded them, everyone’s attention on Monica and Felix. She avoided everyone’s eyes, staring at Felix’s shoes. What… had she been thinking? This… wasn’t Ike. This was Felix. She needed to forget about Ike. Her chest ached at the thought of forgetting about Ike, especially when she remembered the necklace. She didn’t know what this feeling was.

Maybe sadness? She didn’t want to forget about him. Sure, it had been for one night, and sure, Felix probably only gifted her those things on a whim, but he… had been her friend. She didn’t want to forget about her friend. Just like when she couldn’t forget about Casey.

No.

This… felt different for some reason. This felt even worse than that, which didn’t make any sense.

When Monica sat back down, Felix didn’t immediately let go, eyes looking her over, as if making sure she wouldn’t collapse or fall out of her chair again if he let go. He finally squeezed her hand before letting go with a gentle smile. He made his way back to his seat and clapped his hands, although she didn’t know why he did that, as he already had everyone’s attention. “I think it’s time for a break.”

Monica felt like protesting. Didn’t they already have a break? Sure, it wasn’t an official one, but they had stopped working because of Monica. They couldn’t take another break. She needed to speak up… and apologize. She nodded to herself, clenching her fists.

Come on. Speak.

Her mouth opened and closed, no words coming out. She briefly closed her eyes, clenching her fists, albeit this time out of frustration. Why? Why couldn’t she do this? She… needed to apologize.

Nero had once told her to imagine humans as something else, like a dragon or a spirit, but she couldn’t.

“Humans are humans! They’re scary! I can’t imagine them as something else!” she had wailed at him before letting out a pathetic sob. Nero had to pat her face with his paws to calm her down.

Cyril stood up and bowed to Felix, catching Monica’s attention. “As you wish. I’ll go brew us some tea.”

“Thank you, Cyril.”

Monica gasped, her mouth opening without her permission. “U-Um…”

Cyril paused, looking back at her, narrowing his eyes. “Don’t you dare apologize. His Highness called for a break. I’m only following his orders.”

Monica flinched, shrinking back into her seat. “B-But…”

“What Cyril said.” Elliott stretched before leaning back in his seat. “Frankly, I’m ready for a break.” He pushed away the papers and books, not even trying to clean them up. He said that as if… Monica hadn’t interrupted his work before.

Bridget nodded, neatly gathering her papers into a pile before putting bookmarks into books. “Some tea would be good for us.” She gave Monica a warning look, daring her to argue.

Monica squeaked, quickly looking away from her. No matter what the others said, she still felt guilty. It was her fault. She had interrupted everyone’s work. She didn’t deserve to have this break.

Beside Monica, Neil smiled his soft smile at her. “Don’t worry, Miss Norton. We still have enough time to finish everything.” He gave her a concerned look. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Speak for yourself,” Elliott muttered, and even though he didn’t look at Monica, Monica still flinched, feeling a pang of guilt.

Monica trembled in her seat, fidgeting with her hands. “Um… Um, I-I-I-I’m…” Was she trying to apologize? Or assure them she was alright? She didn’t know. She found her eyes looking around the room, trying not to look at anyone before her eyes found Felix’s. “Eep!” She jerked away from his gaze, somehow managing to stay balanced on her seat.

Amusement briefly entered Felix’s eyes before concern took its place. He smiled his normal gentle and friendly smile. “Are you alright? Maybe we should take you to the infirmary just in case.”

Monica desperately shook her head, breaking out into a cold sweat. “N-N-No, I’m alright.” She didn’t want to go to the infirmary. Not after what just happened. Not after how she had interrupted everyone’s work. Not only did she still need to apologize, but she also still needed to finish her work.

Felix’s eyes softened again, and Monica couldn’t help but wonder if Felix was doing this on purpose. “If you’re sure, Monica.”

There it was again. Her name.

She jumped before nodding vigorously. “Y-Y-Yes, I’m alright.” She still wasn’t used to Felix calling her Monica. Would she ever get used to it? She didn’t know if she wanted to or not. When Felix disguised as Ike called her Monica, it hadn’t been as bad. By the end of the night, she had been getting used to Ike calling her Monica.

She paused, furrowing her brow. Why? Because it was Ike and not Felix? That didn’t make sense. They were the same person, yet that night, Ike had been his own person. Even if Ike had been a noble, a Baron if Monica remembered correctly, Ike wasn’t royalty. Maybe that was it? Somehow, she got the feeling that wasn’t it because… she had been friends with Ike.

Thinking of Ike made her remember the necklace. She gasped, sitting up straight in her seat. “The necklace!” She froze, belatedly realizing what she did, feeling everyone’s eyes on her. Another awkward silence enfolded, although this time, Felix didn’t break it. No, he was one of the ones who stared at her. She squeaked, trembling at the attention, fidgeting with her hands and looking around the room, breaking out into a cold sweat. “Um, I-I-I-I… T-T-That’s…” She needed to apologize. Now. “I-I’m sorry!” She quickly bowed her head. “I’m sorry! T-That’s…”

She knew. Someone, most likely Elliott or Bridget, would say something about it. They always did. Oh, how she wished she could disappear.

With her head bowed and eyes closed, she missed the way Felix’s eyes widened, recognition entering his eyes. The way satisfaction briefly entered those eyes before making way for something softer.

Unsurprisingly, Elliott cleared his throat, causing Monica to flinch. This was it. He was going to say something about it, and she’d have to come up with some excuse. “Come to think of it… Where did Cyril go? Did he get lost?”

Cyril? Monica opened her eyes, confused. Why did he mention Cyril? She paled as a thought came to her. He wanted to tell Cyril what happened and get him to interrogate her. She shook her head back and forth a few times.

Not that! Anything but that! Scary!

Neil let out a confused sound beside her. “I thought he went to get some tea.”

“Sorry for the wait, Your Highness.” Cyril chose that moment to appear, Monica trembling in her seat.

Felix smiled his normal smile at Cyril. “It’s alright, Cyril.”

Elliott huffed. “Cyril, what happened to you? I thought you got lost.”

“Why would I get lost?” Cyril furrowed his brow, confused. He walked around the room, handing out the tea to everyone. “I was in the next room over.”

“Well, what took so long?”

Cyril paused, something flashing in his eyes. “I thought I heard something. A weird sound.”

“An intruder?” Elliott narrowed his eyes.

Cyril shook his head, sitting back down. “It sounded like a small animal, which is strange. There shouldn’t be any small animals around here.”

Felix chuckled, covering his amused smile with a hand. A small animal indeed. Still, he had promised Monica not to call her ‘little squirrel’ anymore. “Thank you for the tea, Cyril. I believe it’s just what everyone needed.” When Monica tentatively looked over at him, Felix smiled at her, his eyes softening at the unshed tears in her eyes. He never liked it whenever she cried. “It tastes good.”

Cyril perked up at the compliment, smiling at him. “Of course, Your Highness. It was an honor.”

Felix kept eye contact with Monica, sipping the tea. He hoped the tea would calm her down. She quickly looked away from him, Felix relieved when Monica picked up her tea and sipped it.

After their break, everyone returned to work, although Felix found it difficult to concentrate on his. He glanced at Monica, who was busy with her work. Earlier, he had been wondering why she kept looking at him. If it were another girl, he might’ve thought she was interested in him. He would never think that about Monica. Monica… wasn’t interested in him, much to his disappointment. She had to have something else on her mind when she kept looking at him.

Of course, he didn’t expect her to mention the necklace at all.

He didn’t know why he felt surprised. This was the first time Monica had seen him after their night together. He knew what he’d done hadn’t been fair. To either of them. Still… He would’ve made the same choice all over again. While he had always enjoyed going out to the entertainment district, he had a lot more fun with Monica. It was nice to have another… friend, even if both knew it wouldn’t last. Not only did he enjoy himself and acquire more information, but he also got to spend time with Monica and learn more about her.

These feelings for her should be a problem. He shouldn’t acknowledge them, much less give in to them time and time again, especially not when he still wanted to make his wish come true. He couldn’t stop himself, though. This was Monica, and something about her made him want to get to know her better, even if Monica didn’t return his feelings. Even if these feelings would just give her trouble.

He wanted her so much. Wanted her to look at him the same way he did her. He didn’t think he’d ever feel this way. In fact, he had been prepared for a political marriage. That political marriage might still happen, especially after he became king. Even if he had a political marriage, he didn’t think these feelings for Monica would disappear.

Earlier… What was Monica thinking when she mentioned the necklace? Not that he was opposed to it. It was quite the opposite, of course. In fact, he had been hoping for her to wear the necklace to the Student Council Meeting. No doubt, everyone would notice, and that was what he wanted. When she didn’t, he felt disappointed but forced himself to push it away.

Monica wasn’t interested in him. That was what he had thought for the longest time. Maybe… Maybe something changed last night. Of course, the one who had given her the necklace was Ike. He had told Monica to think of Ike as a friend. She probably thought of it as a gift from a friend.

While he was Ike, Ike… was a different person than Felix, and Monica knew it, too. Felix could never become Ike again, and Ike could never become Felix. At best, Monica thought of Ike as a friend. As for Felix… He had no idea what Monica thought about him.

This meant nothing. Monica wasn’t interested in him. That had to be it.

Then why? Why did she mention the necklace?

ZZZ

Monica stared at the necklace in her room. Somehow, she had managed to survive the rest of the meeting, and while Felix had tried to approach her after the meeting ended, she had managed to brush him off. She sniffed, remembering what happened, before burying her face in her bed and wailing.

Idiot, idiot, idiot!

Why did she mention the necklace? She had somehow managed to get away with it, but she knew everyone was curious. She wasn’t exactly the most fashion-conscious person in the academy. Of course everyone would be curious if she suddenly started mentioning necklaces. Not only that, she felt certain she had bothered Felix, although to be fair, she hadn’t looked at his reaction, too afraid to look. Still… She just knew it. She had to have bothered him. The necklace and their night out were a secret. Why did she mention the necklace during the meeting?

“Monica, I’m back! I just… whoa! Are you alright?”

She sniffed, lifting her head up and turning to look at Nero, who had come through the open window. “Nero, I messed up. I knew it.” She whimpered, burying her face in the sheets. “It’s impossible for meeeeeee!”

Nero jumped over to her. “Oi, you don’t know that for sure.” He paused, as if belatedly realizing he didn’t know what happened. “You’re going to have to tell me what happened.” When she sniffed, looking up at him, he sighed, fondness flashing in his eyes. “What am I going to do with you? Look, here’s my paws. You love them, don’t you?” He patted her cheeks with his paws.

She giggled, her tears stopping, holding his paws to her face. “I do!” She would never get tired of Nero’s soft and squishy paws. She wiped away her tears, sitting on the bed, petting Nero when he jumped onto her lap.

“So?” Nero prompted after a few moments, nuzzling her cheek, clearly wanting more attention. “What happened?”

Monica didn’t speak for several moments, wondering what to say, continuing to pet him. “You remember last night, right?”

“How could I forget? You left me behind and ignored me. For the whole night.” He huffed, probably trying to look irritated, although he didn’t look convincing with the way he closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.

Monica sighed, glancing at her locked drawer. “He gave me a necklace, and I didn’t even thank him for it.” She didn’t need to clarify who, as she had already told Nero what happened earlier.

Nero gave her a confused look. “Didn’t you thank him before you left?”

“Y-Yeah, I did, but…” Monica’s eyes darkened with sadness. “I didn’t mention the necklace. I only thanked him for everything.”

Nero blinked, still looking confused. “Isn’t that enough? That ‘everything’ includes the necklace, right?”

Monica hummed. “No, not really. At least, I don’t think it did. I…” She stopped petting Nero, bringing her free hand up to her chest and gripping the spot where her heart was. “I need to thank him. Properly.”

Nero let out a hum himself, nuzzling her hand when she didn’t continue. “Humans are so complicated. I don’t see why you need to thank him again. You said it yourself that you’d be bothering him if you brought up last night again, right?”

“Y-Yeah.” She continued petting him, a small smile returning to her face at Nero leaning into her touch.

“Yet you still want to thank him?”

Monica, for once, didn’t need to think about it. “Yeah.”

Nero reluctantly pulled away from her. “In that case, go for it.” He lit up, pointing at the ceiling with one paw. “‘You need to listen when your feelings are talking.’” His tail wagged, reminding Monica of a dog. She’d never say that out loud, of course. “Dustin Gunther said that in his book!”

Not for the first time Monica wondered what was so great about those books Nero loved. She paled, belatedly remembering what had happened earlier and hugged Nero, causing him to let out a surprised sound. “On second thought, I can’t do it!” She trembled at the thought of talking to Felix. “It’s too scary!”

“You’ve done it before, remember?”

She shook her head furiously. “T-That was different! Besides, that doesn’t make it any easier!” She didn’t need to explain to Nero that it was because of what happened that made it so different from their first meeting. Maybe she shouldn’t do it. She was getting ahead of herself by wanting to thank him. She could never do it.

Ike… No, Felix probably didn’t want her to bring it up again. Ike was probably a one-time thing. She wouldn’t get to see him again. Her heart hurt at that thought. She remembered the almost lonely look on his face. Why? Why did she keep thinking about it? About him? She didn’t understand these feelings. Maybe something was wrong with her?

Nero sighed, patting her cheek with his paw, causing her to open her eyes and look at him, surprised by his serious look. (When did she close her eyes?) “Monica, this is important to you. You shouldn’t give up so easily.” He lit up, excitement in his eyes. “Hey, you can practice with me again!”

“Please don’t,” she murmured, looking away from him. While she might be used to his human form now, that didn’t mean she wanted him to use it. Lately, he used whatever excuse he could get to turn into his human form, and she didn’t understand why. For someone who didn’t care about humans and thought they were complicated, he sure enjoyed turning into one. Or maybe he just enjoyed teasing her? Yeah, that was probably it. Her eyes found her locked drawer. She was scared at the thought of thanking Felix. Still… Nero had a point. This was probably the first time she felt this strongly about something, despite knowing she’d bother him and maybe make things worse between them. She winced at the pang in her stomach, holding it. “My stomach hurts.”

Nero waved his paws back and forth. “Don’t worry! I’m sure it’ll be alright!” He paused at her skeptical look. “Really. You’ll see.” She didn’t know where he got that confidence from. “I know!” He lit up, his tail wagging again. “Let’s brainstorm!” She blinked, confused. “I’m assuming you don’t want to just thank him. You want to make it special. Knowing you, you don’t have any ideas on how to thank him, right?”

She avoided his eyes. Correct as usual.

“Thinking up ideas will help you get into the mood! It might even give you confidence!”

She gave him another skeptical look. She didn’t understand his thought process at all. Why would thinking up ideas on how to thank Felix give her confidence? All it would do was depress her and scare her. She found herself wanting to protest but couldn’t at Nero’s sparkling eyes. She couldn’t do it. Not when Nero sincerely wanted to help. She sighed, nodding. “Alright, I… guess we can at least brainstorm.” She pointed a finger at him, giving him her best stern look. “This doesn’t mean I’ll thank him, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Nero waved her off, unaffected by her stern look. “I know, I know.” He didn’t sound convinced at all, she thought with a pout. His eyes lit up. “So I was thinking…!”

Nero, Monica thought, was weird. He got excited by the weirdest things. Why did he look so happy? He knew how difficult and scary this was for her. Even thinking about thanking Felix was scary. She looked over at the locked drawer, remembering how Felix… no, Ike had stopped her from taking off the necklace last night and how she had thought he would be sad if she took it off.

This was hopeless. She kept going in circles. Her thoughts and feelings kept contradicting each other. What was she supposed to do?

“Oi, Monica. You listening?”

... She might as well let Nero have his fun. Nothing good would probably come out of it, though, she thought gloomily. She looked back at him and nodded, resisting the urge to sigh.

This was going to take a while.

ZZZ

Monica peeked around the corner, hiding behind a wall, staring into the kitchen. Earlier that afternoon, Nero had, to her surprise, come up with at least a dozen ideas on how to thank Ike… no, Felix. Wait… She wanted to thank him for the necklace, so she’d be thanking Ike. Not Felix. As for why she was here…

One of Nero’s ideas was to bake cookies for him. She bit her lip, looking at the multiple servants and cooks. She didn’t know how to bake cookies, much less bake. She’d only bother them. She’d waste their ingredients and their time, and while she could use unchanted magecraft to open a window to allow the burnt smell to leave the building, it wouldn’t change what happened. No, they’d probably get angry with her or get suspicious, especially if a window wasn’t already open. That was the last thing she wanted.

“Huh? What are you doing, standing there?”

“Bwah!” Monica jumped and turned around, startled. She blinked, surprised to see Lana in front of her. That was weird. She didn’t even notice Lana walking up to her.

Lana gave her a confused look. “Did you want something from the kitchen, Monica?” What Monica didn’t realize was that she looked suspicious, standing there and not doing anything. She hadn’t even heard the students around her, whispering about her behavior.

Monica paled, shaking her head furiously. “N-No, I-I was just…” She racked her brain, desperately thinking of an excuse. What was she doing? Why did she get caught? Oh, she knew this was a bad idea. She gasped, a thought coming to her. “I was doing calculations!”

Lana furrowed her brow, still looking confused, concern briefly appearing in her eyes. Oh no. What was Monica doing? Why was she making Lana worry? She was horrible. “Right. Calculations.” She didn’t sound convinced.

“Y-Yeah, um, like how many times the cook flips the food or how long it’d take them to finish. It’s easy once you use the correct formula,” Monica babbled, waving her hands back and forth, aware she didn’t look convincing.

Lana stepped closer, concern appearing in her eyes again. Why? Why couldn’t Monica do anything right? “Monica, is something wrong?”

“No!” Monica burst out, causing Lana to wince at the volume. “N-No, nothing’s wrong, I promise! I should go!” She ran away from Lana, tears welling up in her eyes, although whether it was because of what happened or because of the eyes on her, she didn’t know. She sniffed, rubbing her eyes.

“Monica!”

She knew it. She couldn’t do it. This was a horrible idea.

ZZZ

Monica bent over, gasping for breath once outside. That was close. She didn’t want Lana to suspect something. Then again, she probably already suspected something because of Monica’s suspicious behavior. She let out a pathetic sound. Catching her breath, she looked up, her eyes widening. She had ended up running to one of the academy’s gardens. How she had managed to run that whole way without tripping over something or running out of stamina was beyond her.

Unlike when she had first transferred to the academy, the garden didn’t have any flowers. At least, it didn’t have ones she recognized. Winter flower buds grew in the ground and on the bushes around her. She blinked, noticing a flower and walked over to it.

The white flowers were small, reaching about three inches, their petals pointing at the sky, as if waiting for the sun. She didn’t even know some flowers blossomed in the colder months. While Monica liked to calculate and had helped the Witch of Thorns with some paperwork before, she didn’t know a lot about growing flowers.

One of Nero’s ideas was to give a flower, which was ridiculous. Did he really think she was the type of person to pick flowers? She wasn’t an expert on things like this by any means, but wasn’t it supposed to be the boys who picked flowers for girls? Why did Nero think Felix would appreciate a flower? He was the type of person to give girls flowers. Not receive them from people, much less girls.

She sighed, kneeling before the flower and poking the white petals. How could this diminutive flower stand tall and strong? The wind blew, causing her to shiver. The flowers swayed gently in the wind, not moving. While not as small as the flower, she was a small person and susceptible to the cold. It was amazing how this flower survived this long. It was stronger than her, that was for sure. She hung her head, depressed. She couldn’t do it.

There was no way she could give Felix… no, Ike a flower. Did Nero seriously think a flower would be enough to thank him?

A finger poked her cheek, causing her to flinch and hold her cheek. She landed on her bottom and looked up, her eyes widening at seeing Felix standing next to her. He smiled his normal gentle smile, amusement in his eyes. “Y-Y-Y-Your Highness!”

What was he doing here? It was like her thoughts had summoned him. Scary.

Felix chuckled. “I didn’t think you were a flower person. While there isn’t much to see right now, the gardens are beautiful the rest of the year. That being said…” He held out a hand, his smile turning slightly mischievous, reminding her of the smile Felix, disguised as Ike, gave her. Was this Ike? “What do you say, my lady? Would you like a tour?”

Monica quickly darted away from him, standing up and shaking her head, her face pale. “I-I-I-I’m good!” It didn’t even occur to her that she had refused his help until much later.

Felix seemingly didn’t take offense, stepping closer, amusement briefly appearing at how she stepped away. “I promise I won’t bore you. While I’m not an expert on flowers or the language of flowers by any means, I know a lot about the flowers here.” Somehow, she wasn’t surprised to hear that. Was he still Ike? That sounded like something the perfect prince, Felix, would say.

“Um… I-I just…” Monica tried to think of an excuse, her eyes darting around her, unable to look at him. It was too soon. Way too soon for her to be alone with him. She hadn’t even decided whether to thank him, much less decide if she wanted to be alone with him again. The cool autumn wind blew again, causing her to shiver. She missed the brief concern in his eyes. “I-I’m cold!” she finally managed to say.

Felix hummed, stepping closer. This time, Monica stayed still. Much like last night, he moved close to her and grabbed her hands, breathing warm air onto them. She still didn’t understand why he did that. That wouldn’t miraculously make her feel warmer. “That’s not good,” he murmured, his voice low with… concern? Worry? Was she imagining things? “We need to warm you up. I’ll take you on a tour when it’s warmer out.” … Why did he assume she’d already agreed? She thought back, trying to remember if she had agreed without realizing it.

Breathing warm air onto her hands shouldn’t have warmed her up. Not only that, but they were also wearing gloves. Thin gloves but still. Yet she found herself feeling warmer, although she didn’t know whether it was because of Felix breathing warm air onto her cold hands or how he kept holding her hands. Or maybe it was because of Felix’s warm eyes? She closed her eyes, her mouth opening, enjoying the warmth. Until she remembered where she was and how Felix stood close to her, holding her hands.

She jumped away, opening and closing her hands, trying desperately to forget what happened. Forget his warmth. “A-Ah, um… I-I forgot to open and close my hands.” She held up her shaking hands, opening and closing them for emphasis. They didn’t stop, although she thought it was because of Felix’s amused eyes and not because of the cold. “L-Look. All better and w-w-w-warm.” She didn’t look or sound convincing at all.

“It’s rather cold today. Let’s go back inside,” he suggested, holding out a hand, causing her to step away. She had been expecting him to tease her, especially since this probably reminded him of last night, and she didn’t know whether to feel relieved or confused when he didn’t.

She shook her head back and forth a few times. She couldn’t. She couldn’t be alone with him any longer. Not only was she worried someone else might see, but she was also worried and scared what else might happen. “I-I should go!” She stepped away again, thinking frantically for an excuse. “I-I’ve got preparations to take care of!” The festival, which started tomorrow, popped into her head. Perfect. “For the f-festival!”

Felix smiled at her, although his eyes narrowed a little, causing her to break out into a cold sweat. Oh no. He was suspicious of her. “What kind of preparations? You shouldn’t have any student council work to take care of. We already confirmed that earlier.”

Monica thought as quickly as she could for an excuse, her mind bringing up her excuse from earlier. “Calculations!” She nodded a little too quickly to be believable, and she knew Felix didn’t believe her. “I-I’ve got calculations I need to work on! Excuse me!” She ran away from him, forgetting to bow in her haste to get away from him.

She was too afraid to look behind her. Too afraid to see what kind of look he had on his face.

Wh-Wh-What just happened, what just happened?

She kept running, aware any second now, she’d run out of stamina. She couldn’t think about what happened. Couldn’t think about how cold it was or how warm Felix was.

She couldn’t.

ZZZ

Monica followed Felix at a distance, keeping her eyes on him. The student festival had started, and while she knew she needed to be careful, as he was surprisingly perceptive to people following him, she couldn’t take her eyes off him. For her job, of course. Assassins threatening to kill him might sneak in during the festival. She had to protect him. It had nothing to do with what happened yesterday… or wanting to thank him for the necklace.

Not at all. She still didn’t even know if she wanted to thank him for the necklace, much to Nero’s frustration.

One of Nero’s ideas was to hang out with Felix during the festival. While she had immediately protested, saying it was impossible, aware how public the festival was and how many people would stare at them, he mentioned something about getting him alone, which was even more impossible.

Everyone wanted to talk to Felix from fellow students to teachers. Even some people who Monica guessed might be nobles talked to him. Getting him alone would be impossible. Not just because of that, but also because she couldn’t do it. How would she get him alone? Besides, someone would see. She closed her eyes, holding onto the wall beside her, quivering at the thought of the attention on her. No doubt, if someone noticed, things would get even worse. It was bad enough when she joined the Student Council. If someone saw her running away with Felix, they’d spread rumors about her. The worse part?

It wouldn’t be just her fellow students talking. All these people who looked like nobles would notice, too. She didn’t need nor want more attention. Not when all she wanted was to protect Felix until the end of the school year.

She opened her eyes, blinking before paling. Oh no. Felix had disappeared. Where did he go? While she didn’t think someone would try to kill Felix with all these people around, she had no way of knowing for sure. She looked around, her panicked eyes desperately trying to find him. Last she remembered, he had been walking ahead of her. Maybe he was inside a classroom?

Someone grabbed her arm, pulling her into the nearby classroom. That person somehow managed to close the door, causing her to jump. Not just at the sound but at how… quiet the classroom was. Maybe it was a deserted classroom? No one should know about her identity. No one should know about her being Felix’s bodyguard, besides Louis, and Louis wouldn’t do something like this. If someone wanted to kill Felix, though, they might’ve noticed how she had been following him. They might want to attack her or use her.

The person didn’t let go of her arm. No, they didn’t even move, which she found odd. She slowly turned around, already preparing herself to see an enemy and quickly going through her mind on which unchanted magecraft to use to protect herself.

Nothing could’ve prepared her for Felix.

“Eep!” She pulled away from him, Felix immediately stepping close and raising a finger to his lips. Understanding the motion, she nodded, holding a hand to her chest, her heart racing. Th-Th-That was close! She had almost attacked him! Unlike a lot of people, Felix would know who she was if she attacked him with unchanted magecraft.

She shuddered, stepping away from him and bowing to him, closing her eyes out of fright. “I-I-I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” She couldn’t tell if she was apologizing for almost attacking him or for being loud.

“Monica.”

Her name. Felix had said her name again.

She tentatively opened her eyes, her eyes widening when Felix stepped close, gently grabbing her chin to make her look up at him.

“Monica, it’s alright,” he murmured, smiling his gentle smile, his eyes soft. Was she imagining things again? “I’m not angry.” He let go of her, smiling a rather wry smile, causing her to think of Ike. Was this Ike? “It’s my fault for surprising you like this, so I apologize.”

She shook her head back and forth a few times. While she didn’t know what was going on, she knew one thing. Felix didn’t need to apologize. She did. “N-No need.” Instead of apologizing again, she glanced around the classroom, noticing they were the only ones in there. “W-What’s Your Highness doing here?” She had another question, of course. One more important. Her mouth refused to work, though.

He didn’t speak for several moments, an unrecognizable look in his eyes, causing her to tense despite herself. What… was that look? She didn’t recognize it. He finally smiled his gentle smile, amusement flashing in his eyes. “I was curious, you see.” Oh no. She had a bad feeling about this. “One would think you were up to something when you kept following me around.”

I’ve done it now. Wh-Wh-What should I do, what should I do, what should I do?

Why did she think this was a good idea again? Oh, right. She needed to protect him. It was her job. Still, she should’ve known he’d notice her. He’d noticed her before after all.

She found herself looking around, unable to look at him, fidgeting with her fingers. She needed an excuse. One that sounded believable. She finally decided on what she believed was a harmless and believable excuse. “Y-You look busy!” When he looked surprised, she quickly waved her hands back and forth, starting to panic. “I-I mean, you were talking to everyone, and I know how I’d feel surrounded by people, so I thought you must be getting tired, too!” He didn’t speak, that unrecognizable look in his eyes again. She continued talking, unable to stop herself. “I-I know you’re different than me, of course, and you’re probably used to it, but I—” She quickly put a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide.

Oh, what had she done? What would he think? Wasn’t it presumptuous to think that way? She was surely troubling him. She didn’t even know why she came up with that excuse. It wasn’t something she’d normally ever say to him. She trembled, waiting for his reaction.

Felix stared at her blankly for a few moments before laughing. It wasn’t as loud as when he was Ike for obvious reasons, yet she didn’t remember him ever laughing like this as Felix. “You followed me around for that?” He laughed again, not even attempting to hide his amusement. “You continue to surprise me. Just when I thought I had you figured out, you go and do this.”

She blinked, confused.

If he noticed her confusion, he didn’t say anything. He smiled his gentle smile, his eyes soft. She knew she wasn’t imagining things this time, although she didn’t know what it meant. “I appreciate your concern. Thank you.” He chuckled, his smile turning slightly mischievous. Ah, she thought. It was Ike. Ike was in front of her. “Even if you didn’t choose the right way to go about it.”

“I-I’m sorry.” It was a weak apology, and both knew it. Neither spoke for several moments, Monica struggling to keep eye contact and not look away. She fidgeted with her fingers, forcing herself to open her mouth. “Ike...”

“Hm?”

She froze, belatedly realizing what name she used. Oh no. What did she do? She hadn’t meant to call him by that name. Before she could berate herself further, she blinked, belatedly realizing something else. Hang on… Not only did she call him Ike, but he had… responded. He gave her a patient smile, clearly waiting for her to speak. She gathered her courage again and took a deep breath. “Wh-Why did you bring me here?”

Finally. She finally managed to ask him the question she’d been wanting to ask. The most important question.

Why? Why did he bring her here? It wasn’t just because she had been following him, right? Somehow, she didn’t think so. She couldn’t explain why she felt that way. She just did. He was busy and probably needed to talk to more people. Not only was he the Student Council President, but he was also the Second Prince. Surely, he had more important things to do than to stand here in a deserted classroom with her.

He didn’t speak for several moments before staring at her neck, scrutinizing his eyes a little, as if unhappy about something. She unconsciously put her hand on her neck. “You’re not wearing the necklace.” Even his voice sounded unhappy, which surprised her.

She gasped, unable to help it, as this had been the first time he had mentioned it since their night together. It didn’t take long for her to avoid his eyes or for her to start fidgeting. “W-Well, I didn’t see any reason to wear it. I… don’t think I’m ready yet.” She looked up at him, her eyes widening in panic. While that had been the truth, maybe that had been too insensitive? “I-I mean, I’m not a fashion expert yet. Maybe…” She couldn’t find the right words to reassure him. What was the right thing to say?

Felix stared at her for a few moments, as if waiting for her to continue. When she didn’t, he smiled his gentle smile. This time, she knew it was Felix, and she felt her stomach drop for some reason. She got the strangest feeling she had disappointed him. No, not him. Ike. “While this has been fun, I should get going.” He reached out, gently cupping her cheek, although she didn’t know why. She was already looking at him. “Make sure to enjoy the festival, Monica,” he murmured, his voice taking on that tone when he was being seductive.

He left her behind in that deserted classroom, and she found herself collapsing to her knees almost as soon as the door closed behind him. Fun wasn’t how she’d describe it.

She’d messed up. Not only had she messed up by getting spotted by him, but she had messed up everything she wanted to say to him. Her heartbeat picked up at remembering something. The necklace. He had mentioned the necklace. That could’ve been her chance to thank him for it, yet she had blown it.

She sniffed, burying her face in her hands. She knew it. This was impossible. She should’ve never had these crazy thoughts about thanking him.

What was she thinking? Still… She didn’t like what happened. Didn’t like how unhappy he looked. The worst part? She didn’t even know why it bothered her so much.

ZZZ

Monica resisted the urge to fidget, not feeling comfortable in her dress, even if Lana had gotten it fitted for her. It wasn’t the size that was the problem, of course. She just wasn’t used to wearing a dress.

“Stay still, Monica,” Lana instructed, causing Monica to squeak and sit up straight. Maybe she had been fidgeting without realizing it? “I’m going to work on your hair now. You’ll be ready to go after that.”

No, she wouldn’t. She was missing something. Missing what, she didn’t know.

She bit her lip before taking a deep breath, forcing the words out. She had never done this kind of thing before, and she felt worried about Lana’s reaction. If anyone knew what she was feeling, though, it’d be Lana. (Nero was no help, even though she knew he meant well.) “Um...” She inwardly winced. What a great start. She felt like crying but resisted the urge, knowing it’d ruin her makeup.

“Hm? What is it?”

Monica stared down at her clenched hands, trying to decide what she wanted to say. Maybe this was a bad idea. Felix… No, Ike’s unhappy face popped into her mind, causing her heart to clench. No. She hated this feeling. She hated knowing she had disappointed him, even though she didn’t know why. “I-I have this friend. S-She received a gift from someone, and well…” She squirmed, even though Lana had told her not to move. “S-She’s been feeling strange.”

Lana hummed, combing her hair. “Strange how? What was the gift?”

“A-A necklace,” Monica murmured, not sure if Lana had heard her or not. “S-She’s been wanting to thank him… I-I mean, this person but doesn’t know how. She also… doesn’t like seeing them sad. She’s… never felt this way before. Never… wanted to do something like this, even though it’d probably be a bother.”

Lana didn’t say anything for a few moments, putting her hair up. “You know… If your friend wants to thank this person, there’s an easy way to do it.” Monica’s eyes widened. An easy way? How? “She should wear the necklace.”

Wear… the necklace? For several moments, Monica didn’t move or say anything, trying to register what Lana said. It was weird. She could’ve sworn Lana had said… Once her words finally registered, she shook her head a few times, causing Lana to protest. “I-I’m not ready! I’m not a fashion expert like you!” She froze, raising her hand to cover her mouth. Great. Now she’s done it. She needed to apologize. Now. “I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry I lied.” If she could bow her head, she would.

“Well, it depends on the necklace, of course.” Lana continued working on her hair, either ignoring her apology or not hearing it. Maybe Monica should apologize again? “Some necklaces don’t go well with everything. No matter what nobles think. There.” She pinned her hair and patted her shoulder. “All done.”

Monica lit up at the sight of her hair in the mirror. “It looks like a flower! It’s so beautiful!” As expected of her friend. She looked at Lana’s hair in the mirror. Come to think of it…

Lana flushed, as if noticing her attention. “Yeah, we match.”

“Ehehe.” Monica giggled, feeling happy she matched Lana. She should be ready now. That was what she tried to tell herself, yet she knew. Knew something was missing, although this time, she knew what it was. She swallowed heavily, clenching her fists before nodding to herself. She avoided Lana’s eyes before getting up.

“You ready to go?”

Monica turned around, shaking her head, feeling Lana’s eyes on her. “I’ll be right back.” It hurt to walk in these shoes, as she wasn’t used to walking in them, but she quickly made her way to her attic room and unlocked her drawer. She stared at her treasures for a few moments before gently picking up the gold chained necklace. She… never thought she’d wear it this soon. Back when… Ike gave it to her, she had mainly kept it on for his sake, not wanting him to look sad. Her hands shook at the thought of Ike looking at her. Ike… noticing the necklace. She didn’t know what this feeling was. All she knew was that this feeling, whatever it was, felt right.

She made her way back to Lana’s room, holding up the necklace, causing Lana to gasp.

“Monica, that’s beautiful!” She came closer, bending a little to look at it closer. “It goes so well with your dress, and it suits you perfectly!” Monica flushed, looking away from her, embarrassed at the attention. Lana looked up at her, her eyes sparkling. “Who’s it from?”

Monica froze, her eyes wide. What… was she supposed to say? She couldn’t say Felix had given it to her, and she couldn’t explain that night with Ike. That was right. This… wasn’t from Felix. Ike had given this to her. She remembered what happened that night. How Ike called her a friend. How she had called him a friend not too long ago. While she didn’t understand all these feelings she had for him, she knew one thing. She found herself smiling at the thought, and if Lana asked, she didn’t think she could explain why. “My friend.”

Lana narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing her for a few moments, causing her to squirm, as she remembered Felix doing the same to her earlier. Finally, she nodded, smiling softly at her. “Yeah, nothing wrong with wearing something casual like that.” She smirked, much to Monica’s confusion. “I’m sure things will go well. Do your best.”

Huh? What did she mean by that? All she wanted to do was thank Ike. Maybe that was what she meant?

“T-Thanks…?”

ZZZ

They arrived at the ball together, although Lana had quickly left her alone, much to her confusion, mentioning how she didn’t want to get in the way. Get in the way of what? She couldn’t think of an answer and promptly decided to forget about it. She took a small step into the room, looking around nervously.

Her eyes immediately found Felix, causing her to stop. Felix, who had his back turned to her, was talking to some teachers. He looked good in his formal suit, which wasn’t too surprising, considering he was a perfect prince. Even though he wasn’t looking at her, she felt self-conscious and started fidgeting with her fingers, hyperaware of the necklace around her neck. She knew it was only a matter of time until he noticed and feared his reaction.

“Oh, it’s Monica!”

She blinked, looking away from him, seeing Glenn approaching her. “Glenn-san…”

He stopped in front of her, beaming. “I was wondering when you’d show up! Your dress looks great! Where’s Lana? Didn’t she come with you?”

She smiled at the compliment. It was all thanks to Lana, who had prepared this dress for her. She felt happy Glenn complimented her friend. “T-Thanks. Lana’s…” At the mention of Lana, she furrowed her brow, her smile disappearing. “We came together, but she quickly left me, saying she didn’t want to get in the way.”

“Get in the way of what?”

“I’m not sure.”

Glenn suddenly gasped, stepping closer, much to her confusion. “Monica, where did you get that necklace!” He looked down at the necklace, leaning in to look at it. “It’s beautiful!”

Monica looked away, resisting the urge to fidget, feeling embarrassed. It was a little embarrassing… No, it was really embarrassing, wearing the necklace. Why did she think this was a good idea again? Her eyes found Felix again. Oh, right. “A-A friend,” she said shyly. “A friend gave it to me.”

“Are they here?” Glenn looked up from the necklace, scanning the venue, as if trying to find them, even when he didn’t know what they looked like or if they were even here. “Did you see them yet?” He bumped his chest with a fist, his posture confident. “Leave it to me! I’ll help you find them!”

Monica squeaked, quickly waving her hands back and forth, trying to stop Glenn. That was the last thing she wanted! “I-I-It’s alright, really. That’s not…” Why couldn’t she talk? She needed to convince him. “I mean, I appreciate it, but…”

To be fair, Glenn didn’t know Felix… no, Ike had given the necklace to her, so even if Glenn looked around, he wouldn’t find the person. She knew, though, that wouldn’t stop him. He might start taking it seriously and ask people for help. Knowing Glenn, it would only be a matter of time until he approached Felix.

Monica trembled in place at the thought of… approaching Felix. At Felix… No, Ike noticing the necklace. She wanted to thank him for it and ended up wearing it to thank him thanks to Lana’s idea. Even so, it didn’t stop her nerves. She hoped she wouldn’t be troubling him by wearing the necklace. That was the last thing she wanted.

Even if she couldn’t voice out loud how important the necklace was to her, she had wanted to wear it to thank him. Ike’s unhappy expression popped into her head, causing her heart to clench. … Okay. Maybe she had worn the necklace for another reason, too, even if she didn’t fully understand why she felt this way.

She didn’t know whether to feel relieved or not when Cyril approached, looking troubled and in a hurry. Desperate to help as a member of the Student Council and desperate to latch onto something that wasn’t the necklace or Ike, she instantly agreed to help, hoping it’d distract her. Plus, she really wanted to help. While she had worn the necklace to thank Ike and attended the ball, she had come wanting to help as a member of the Student Council.

Of course, that was before Cyril mentioned how they needed a kitchen liaison. Her first thought was to refuse and tell him it was impossible. Her? A kitchen liaison? That was impossible. She was afraid of strangers, and she didn’t think she’d be much help. As she thought this, she avoided Cyril’s eyes, her eyes landing on her necklace.

Ike, her friend, had given her this necklace. Ike was just as strong and as confident as Felix himself. She wished she could be that strong and confident. Maybe… Maybe this would help her take a step in that direction? The thought scared her. She didn’t even know what she was thinking. She knew Ike probably only gave her the necklace on a whim and didn’t know how important it was to her. It was strange, though.

She never liked receiving attention from people, and even the thought of Ike giving her attention was enough to make her start quivering. Then why? Why did she suddenly feel… braver? Why did she… like the thought of having something that reminded her of him?

Felix, strong and confident Felix, popped into her head, which she found strange. Ike had given her this necklace. Not Felix. Still… She… wanted to be as strong and as confident as him. She wanted to see Ike again and thank him for the necklace. Properly. This… could help.

With that thought in mind, she lifted her head. “I-I’ll do it.”

Cyril blinked, looking down at her necklace, as if just noticing it for the first time. “That necklace… Is that the one you mentioned earlier?”

Somehow, she wasn’t surprised he had heard what happened. “Y-Yeah,” she said shyly, fidgeting with her fingers. “A friend gave it to me.”

Cyril frowned. “I see.” He didn’t speak for several moments before giving her a wry look, which confused her at first. “If nothing happens, all you need to do is standby there.” Ah, he was talking about being the kitchen liaison. “Let me know immediately if something happens.” He probably had mixed feelings about her accepting this position, as he knew about her fear of strangers and was worried about giving her this job.

“I-I will!”

As a kitchen liaison, she did her best, the necklace moving around on her neck giving her strength each time it moved, which she found strange. She tried not to think about it that much, focused on finishing the task before her. Of course, she didn’t expect the sudden dizziness when moving the heavy basin. Her head started throbbing, and she couldn’t see straight anymore.

She… couldn’t stop here. Not yet. She hadn’t finished her job.

Her fingers slipped off the basin, and her small body collapsed to the floor. On the edge of consciousness, a strange thought came to her.

I… can’t let him down. I… promised to do my best.

Normally, that thought wasn’t strange by itself, especially when she remembered how Cyril assigned her this task. She wasn’t thinking of Cyril, though. Ike popped into her head, and she didn’t even know why. Maybe it was because of the necklace?

As if her thoughts summoned him, a voice, a familiar voice, called out to her.

“Monica!”

Ike…?

ZZZ

Felix left the venue, immediately looking around for Monica. He had probably done enough for one night, he reasoned. While the ball was still going on, they wouldn’t miss him, and if he bumped into someone, he could always claim to be tired.

Contrary to what Monica thought, he had immediately noticed when she had entered the venue. How could he not? She… was wearing the necklace. His necklace. He couldn’t believe it at first. This was the same girl who had told him she wasn’t ready to wear it and that she wasn’t a fashion expert yet. What changed her mind? He wanted to know. Badly.

No one besides the two of them knew Felix… No, Ike had given her the necklace, yet it didn’t stop his satisfaction and joy at seeing her wearing it. He had given it to her. Not Cyril or another guy. Him. While it would’ve been nice to give her something more obvious, something everyone would know came from him, he knew it wasn’t the right time. Monica wasn’t ready for it, which was alright with him. For now.

Maybe… Monica was starting to become interested in him? He shook his head, immediately crushing his hope. No, he shouldn’t get carried away. He didn’t even know why she had decided to wear the necklace. For all he knew, it was for another reason entirely.

Another reason… Of course. She probably thought of Ike as a friend and viewed the necklace as a gift from a friend. That still didn’t explain why she wore it, though.

He couldn’t find her anywhere. While dancing with Eliane, he had caught sight of her talking to Cyril, and while he felt a little better at seeing the necklace around her neck, he still didn’t like the sight of them talking together. The worst part? Monica hadn’t even watched him dance with Eliane. She hadn’t cared about him at all. The thought depressed him more than he’d like to admit.

After finishing his dance with Eliane, he had been determined to find Monica. Not that he knew where she went. She had left the venue after talking to Cyril about something. Maybe she was helping him with something? He knew Cyril and Neil were hard at work as fellow Student Council members. Maybe something happened?

He looked all over for her but couldn’t find her. He started checking even the most unlikely places, such as the classrooms. On his way to the kitchen, some young ladies giggled, smiling at him. He flashed them a gentle smile, causing them to whisper amongst themselves excitedly. Thankfully, they didn’t get in his way. He caught sight of a small figure collapsed on the floor. A very familiar small figure wearing a green dress.

“Monica!” He didn’t care who was watching. He immediately made his way over to her and picked her up. Her face looked deathly pale, her brow furrowed, as if in pain. His heart clenched. Looking around, he spotted a large basin full of ice, causing him to blink. That looked too heavy for Monica to lift by herself.

Ah, he thought. This must be what Cyril asked her to do. She was clearly helping the kitchen with something. He smiled, a soft look in his eyes, some of his concern abating.

He didn’t want to leave her alone, even for a moment, but he also knew what she’d think if she found out she hadn’t finished her task. Thankfully, talking to the kitchen staff didn’t take long, as she had collapsed in front of the kitchen.

After reassuring the kitchen staff, who had been worried at the sight of her, he picked her up in his arms, ignoring how the young ladies around him gasped. They weren’t important right now. Monica was. He quickly made his way down the hallway, glancing down at her.

She was just as light as the last time he had picked her up in his arms. Was she eating okay? He needed to take her somewhere she could rest. Somewhere quiet and safe. Somewhere people wouldn’t bother her.

Mentally running through a list of options, he finally decided on the Student Council Room. With the ball going on and Cyril and Neil in charge of the venue, no one should need to enter the room for any reason. It was the perfect place.

Once there, he made his way over to the couch and gently laid her onto it. He grabbed a light blanket from another room, and after draping it over her, he sat next to her and gently picked up her head, allowing it to rest in his lap. He then stroked her head, careful not to mess up her hair.

It was strange. In some ways, she hadn’t changed from when they first met, yet she had also changed in many other ways. It made him happy to see her slowly get stronger and feel more confident. She’d probably only get stronger and more confident in the future, and he hoped he was around to see it. Of course, he thought with a wry smile, Monica probably wouldn’t react well if he ever said that out loud.

His eyes landed on her necklace. He felt that satisfaction and joy from earlier. No matter the reason, he was happy to see her wear it, although he still wished to ask her why she chose to wear it.

Speaking of Monica… She let out a soft sound of pain, slowly opening her eyes. She blinked a few times, briefly closing her eyes before focusing on him with hazy eyes. He smiled at her, his eyes soft with concern.

“Are you alright?”

“Ike…”

Felix smiled at his nickname, his heart fluttering, feeling relieved. He continued stroking her head. “That’s right,” he murmured, not wanting to break up this moment by speaking loudly. “I’m here. I’m glad you’re alright.” She murmured something he couldn’t catch, moving closer to him and closing her eyes, much to his surprise.

Did… she even realize what she was doing? She was alright, right? She didn’t look cold, so he didn’t know why she had moved closer to him. In fact… Wasn’t this the first time she had moved closer to him of her own accord? Sure, she probably wasn’t feeling well and probably wouldn’t do it again anytime soon, but still. His heart fluttered, and he resisted the urge to pull her close. Any second now, he thought. Any second now, she’d realize what was going on and who she was with. The thought disappointed him more than he’d care to admit.

Almost as soon as he thought that, she opened her eyes, her eyes widening. She quickly moved away from him to the other side of the couch, the sudden movement causing the blanket to fall to the floor, her panicked eyes darting around the room. “Y-Y-Y-Your Highness! Um, I…”

Having Monica close like that was nice while it lasted. He smiled his gentle smile, resisting the urge to reach out for her. “I found you collapsed in front of the kitchen.” She paled, opening and closing her mouth. “I’m glad I was the one who found you.” Maybe it was bad and selfish to feel this way, but he was glad he managed to find her before someone else, like Cyril, could.

She buried her face in her shaking hands, Felix unable to tell whether she still wasn’t feeling well or if it was because she had remembered what happened. “I-I’m sorry… for the trouble…”

Somehow, he wasn’t surprised she apologized. “It wasn’t any trouble at all. In fact, I heard what happened.” When she tentatively looked up at him, he smiled another gentle smile. “The kitchen staff, mainly the cooks, were very grateful for your help albeit worried when they saw you had collapsed. Are you feeling alright?” While she had looked pale under the venue’s lighting, he hadn’t been able to tell from far away if she was feeling alright or if she had paled for another reason.

She sniffed, tears escaping and landing on her necklace. He thought back to what he had said, hoping he hadn’t upset her. She opened and closed her mouth a few times before speaking. “M-My task… Lord Cyril asked me to…”

“I know.” He kept his voice soft. “The kitchen staff were very grateful for the ice.” She looked up at him with teary eyes, causing his eyes to soften. He resisted the urge to reach out and wipe away her tears. “You did well. Next time you’re not feeling well, I want you to tell me.” That was selfish and probably unrealistic on his part, he knew, as he wouldn’t always be around, much less around her. Still… If she had a choice between him and someone else, he wanted it to be him. “When you need help, I want you to ask.”

She nodded a few times, still crying. “O-Okay!”

He hadn’t meant it as a lecture or a scolding, but he hoped she had listened and would learn from what happened. Even as he knew it’d probably take her a while before she asked for help, being the timid little squirrel that she was. He chuckled despite himself, moving close and wiping away her tears. “Come now,” he murmured, keeping eye contact. “You look much more beautiful with a smile on your face.” He could count on one hand how many times she had smiled at him. It was a very low and depressing number in his opinion.

Monica squeaked, jumping away from him, her eyes darting around the room, clearly unable to look at him. “I-I… You… Here…” Her tears had stopped, much to his relief.

Understanding what she wanted to ask, Felix moved away from her, giving her some space. It was hard, of course, but it was the right thing to do. “They should be alright without me. Cyril knows what must be done and is very capable.” Honestly? He felt a little bad taking Monica away from the venue. Cyril, if he hadn’t already found out what happened, was probably worried about him. He’d probably been expecting Monica to come back at some point, too. Ah well. It was too late. Besides, he was enjoying his alone time with Monica.

Silence enfolded them, Monica still not looking at him. Now that wouldn’t do. He got up and made his way over to her, kneeling before her, causing her to look at him with wide eyes. He smiled his slightly mischievous smile. “I just realized I never got to dance with you. We might not be at the ball anymore, but we can still dance together.” He held out a hand. “Would you like to dance, my lady?”

“B-But the music…”

He smiled a gentle smile. “If it’s easier to dance with music, I can take you back to the venue.” Of course, his plan was to dance with her in private somewhere. Not at the ball itself. “I don’t believe we need music, though. What do you think?”

“E-Eh? Um…” She looked away from him, fidgeting with her hands. “I-I’m still not very good. I-I’ll just step on your toes.” Her eyes darkened with sadness. “I’ll just embarrass you.”

When she finally looked back at him, he winked. “Not if we dance in here. I promise this will be our little secret.” His eyes softened at her surprised look. “Now… Would you like to dance or not?” He wouldn’t force her, of course. Still… One little dance with him couldn’t hurt. He knew it’d make him feel better after not getting to dance with her earlier and having thoughts about Monica dancing with Cyril or another guy.

She nodded a few times, grabbing his hand, much to his surprise. He hadn’t known she wanted to dance with him. She always seemed so afraid of him and normally wouldn’t dare come close to him.

They moved away from the couch to the middle of the room, Felix double-checking they wouldn’t accidentally bump into anything before starting to dance. She stumbled with the first step, surprised he had started without telling her, causing him to briefly tighten his grip around her small waist. They hadn’t danced like this since the time he helped her practice her ballroom dancing. Come to think of it… She had gotten lost in his brooch when they had danced together last time. She probably hadn’t listened or remembered what he had said to her.

“… Ike.”

Felix, who had been planning on speaking up, found himself surprised, although he didn’t show it. He smiled a gentle smile at his nickname. “Hm?” He liked it whenever Monica called him by his nickname.

She avoided his eyes, keeping her eyes on their feet, most likely concerned about stepping on his toes, before tentatively looking up and making eye contact. “I-I-I… You… T-That night…”

He, of course, already knew what night she meant. “I had a lot of fun that night, and it was all thanks to you. I’m glad I got to hang out with a friend.” Friend… He didn’t want her to see him as just a friend. He wanted more. A lot more. Still… He knew she probably thought of Ike as a friend. That would be enough. For now.

Her eyes widened for some reason, her eyes darting around and looking everywhere but at him, much to his amusement. “T-This…” She took a deep breath before bowing her head. “Thank you.”

“I believe you already thanked me.” Amusement colored his tone. Still, it was nice for her to thank him again. He was glad she had fun, and while he wished they could do it again, he didn’t think they would. That was why he hadn’t promised her anything.

Monica shook her head a few times. “N-No, not that.” She looked up at him, briefly tightening her grip on his hand, much to his surprise. She glanced down at her necklace, although this time, it seemed like she had done it to draw attention to it and not because of her nerves. “F-For the necklace,” she said shyly. “I never thanked you for it.”

Come to think of it… She hadn’t. He hadn’t been expecting her to thank him for it and thought thanking him for everything included the necklace. After all, she hadn’t looked very happy when she first spotted the necklace, and he had a feeling she had only kept it on for his sake and not because she wanted to.

Suddenly, he remembered the reports he had received from people about Monica’s recent behavior. How she had acted around him lately and how she had brought up the necklace during the Student Council Meeting. The reports had mentioned Monica behaving suspiciously. Of course. Now he understood why she had been behaving that way. She had been wanting to thank him for the necklace and didn’t know how.

He smiled a soft smile. It was a smile he could never do during the day. A smile for her and her alone. Honestly? A simple thank you would’ve sufficed. He had never thought she’d wear it to thank him. Not that he was opposed to her doing this, of course. He loved seeing her wearing it. “You’re wearing it. What changed your mind?”

“L-Lana said it’s alright to wear something casual like this.”

Ah. Of course it was thanks to her friend. He silently thanked Lana, keeping his smile on his face. Words couldn’t describe how happy he felt at seeing her wear the necklace. “As I thought, it looks good on you. If you wear it, I’ll be able to find you right away.” They stopped dancing, and he let go of her hand to lean down and kiss the gleaming peridot.

She flushed, looking away from him.

Oh? That reaction was interesting. He didn’t think he’d seen it before. At least, not directed toward him.

He knew he should pull away and not press his luck. The dance had ended after all.

He found himself reaching out and grabbing her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Thank you for wearing the necklace, Monica,” he murmured. “Will you wear it again?” He selfishly wanted her to. Wanted her to always wear the necklace. Even if she wasn’t interested in him. Even if she only thought of him as just a friend.

She pulled away, looking away from him, and Felix allowed her to, letting go of her, even if he wasn’t ready to let her go yet. “M-Maybe. I don’t know. If Lana says it’s alright.” Her eyes widened in panic. “That’s not… I mean, this was for you, so—” She quickly covered her mouth with her hands.

He laughed, his heart fluttering. He already knew she had worn it just for him. It was nice to hear her say it, though. “You made me very happy, and I’d love it if you wear it again.”

She blinked, giving him a confused look before nodding. She didn’t look like she understood.

… Oh well. That was alright. Right now, it didn’t matter to him that Monica wasn’t interested in him. She was wearing the necklace. For him. That was enough. He was glad he got to see her tonight. Got to dance with her.

This was one night he wouldn’t forget.