The hero is now gone, but I’m still here, now what? (Undergoing editing)

“Prescine, again, I can't thank you enough for going out of your way to do this for us-”

 

“Are you just going to keep saying that every time this happens? Do I have to sit here and listen to you do this for 3 more days?”

 

I glared at Laceresta, “well, I'm just trying to be thankful,” I defended with a huff. I crossed my arms, “and if you can't see that then clearly you're the problem.”

 

The Lioness rolled her eyes, “oh yeah, I'm the problem,” she scoffed, “Prescine already knows that we're thankful for what she's doing isn't she? Why say it over and over again? It's starting to get annoying.”

 

“Well- I mean I do it because-” again, I was cut off, this time by Prescine.

 

“Ladies, ladies, you're both friends so how about we just come to an understanding that I know you're thankful and you don't need to say it again in the future?” I raised a finger in defense, looked at Laceresta, who was glaring at me, before letting out a resigned sigh.

 

“Alright, fine,” I reluctantly said.

 

“There we go!” Prescine grabbed my hand before it could go down and squeezed it, her tone shifted and she started speaking softly, “I know you're thankful, you don't need to say it to me, every day, I already know.” 

 

“Fine,” I pouted while averting my eyes, “thanks still,”

 

“Goddess how pretentious,” Korbinian said as she made her way over to us.

 

“And also a bit gay, sister,” Charcoal threw out as she passed us by.

 

I tried to grab her but I couldn't quite manage it and, gah! She was this close- I looked towards Prescine to tell her to let go but when I turned back to Charcoal, my sister had already increased her pace and the length of her stride and was meters away from us in less than 10 seconds.

 

“I'll get you back for that!” I yelled.

 

She turned back, grinned, and blew her tongue at me, “Try!” 

 

“I swear I'm gonna get her back for that,” I murmured as we ourselves headed off for the cafeteria.

 

“What did she call you just now?” Prescine asked, “it probably wasn't an insult since you both looked playful so I'm kind of curious what it is,”

 

“It's the word that Neophyte created, and it's used when a woman starts liking other women,” Laceresta responded while wearing a smirk.

 

“Gay?” Karsten said, “that's… why would you do that?”

 

Is she asking me why I “created” a word because I'm pretty sure that's not how this works.

 

“Because I'm-” I paused, mostly because I didn't know what to say, I'm… what? “It's nothing,” I said, “it was a word that I said on the spot back on the dinner table, and like a parasite, it kind of just stuck itself to the rest of my siblings,” I wasn't angry, wasn't irritated, I was just… calm at the fact that everyone thinks I like girls… which I don't-

 

But then again-

 

Nope- nope- not going through that train of thought because I am not gay.

 

“I think it's kind of nice that you thought about that sort of thing,” Prescine cheerily said, “I… don't think that it's bad to like women, personally speaking, or even liking someone with the same sex as you,”

 

“Uhuh,” I dully replied to my peer's short rant, is it just me or is this whole topic starting to sound weird? “And why would you say that?”

 

“Well- you know? It's not like it'll kill someone if… people do that?” She said, “so what's the harm? Liking others and loving people should be natural in my opinion and love comes in a lot of ways-”

 

“So if I say that I want to sleep with my siblings you'll not find it weird?”

 

What I said caused everyone to look at me oddly, “what's wrong with that?” Laceresta asked, genuine confusion lacing her tone, “what's wrong with liking siblings?”

 

“She has a point, Neophyte,” Prescine chimed, “my cousins married each other so I don't see what's the problem there?”

 

“I-” right, guess that kind of thing is normal here… I completely forgot that this world is based on the medieval ages, “- I'm just testing you,” I grinned to displace their odd looks. It didn't work. I laughed awkwardly, “uhm, your reactions earlier implied that you all find same sex stuff weird-”

 

“Yeah, because you can't produce an heir,” Laceresta cut me off, “I didn't say anything to defend you liking other women because I don't see the point,” she added, “while marriage between family is normal- right as long as they're capable of producing children, that is,”

 

“I guess you have a point,” I nodded in agreement, save for the whole siblings marrying each other bit, Laceresta had a valid point, “you don't think my whole thing of liking other girls is normal?”

 

The Lioness shook her head and bluntly replied, “no,” I smiled, well, at least she was being honest, and I was also glad for this breath of fresh air, finally, someone normal- and as if I jinxed myself, Laceresta's next words were the opposite of what she's been saying, “but I am trying to give it an open mind so… you know, don't think that I'll hate it forever or something,”

 

My eyes narrowed, was she… hinting at something or was I being socially stupid again- the latter, it's definitely the latter when it comes to me, this happens all the time, Goddess, Laceresta would not put any other meaning to her words with how blunt she is most of the time.

 

I grinned at her, well, I might as well be supportive, “sure! I hope you accept it one day,”

 

She focused her gaze forward and just glared at the hallway while nodding, “yeah, sure,”

 

Our walk towards the cafeteria after that was filled with nothing small talk between each other- thankfully the previous topic didn't get continued, - and looking around, I noticed that we still had the same group of people- with the addition of Sleet, - as yesterday; with my friends, our guide, Prescine, as well as Karsten and Korbinian.

 

It was… I felt pretty happy to have a group of people to talk to again after only having Zath and my siblings for so long.

 

I personally feel that this change is pretty good.

 

When we got to the cafeteria proper, we quickly found a table- the same one that we used yesterday, actually, - and after that, it was only a matter of waiting for the servants to bring us food. I found all the waiting annoying and so, I decided that I wanted to be productive-

 

“Karsten, you said you wanted to teach me about politics too right?” The pious girl nodded and after getting that confirmation, I gestured at Prescine, who seemed to know where I was going with this because she was giving Karsten a small wave while smiling softly, “well, so will Prescine, is… it fine if I want you both to teach me at the same time?”

 

“... I think so,” Karsten said after a pause where she was eyeing the student council president, “and I am happy that you feel I can teach you alongside someone who's been this school's president for so long,”

 

“Well, now you're flattering me,” Prescine giggled, “I've only been the president for 3 years!”

 

“Straight.” I said dryly, “she's “only” been the student council president for 3 years straight.”

 

My small joke- it was a joke, no matter how unintentional, - got Karsten to lightly giggle, and she offered Prescine a hand, “well, I hope we can work well together,”

 

I smiled, “great! I'll take you both to my suite later and we can study there alongside Zath,”

 

“Sure!” Prescine responded.

 

“That was such a bad line sister, but I'm glad it worke-” before Charcoal could finish, I reached my hand out behind me and tried to grab her but got nothing but air, confused, I looked down as laughter entered my ears and saw a small tree whose bark ran with orange, molten veins growing on the ground, “- nice try!”

 

I glared at Charcoal's Pledge as it burrowed back into the ground before scanning the cafeteria for her and spotting her 5 tables away, grinning at me alongside our siblings- Stalactite was cackling too, the traitor! I thought she wanted to help me?!

 

“I'm gonna get them back one day,” that's a promise.

 

Prescine's laughter died down, “so, uhm- Zathania would be there too?” She turned to my maid, who bowed in response to being acknowledged by my fellow Royalty, “huh, how polite,”

 

“Yes, and thank you,” Zath answered, “I will be studying herbology so that I can learn how to cook and prepare various beneficial herbs for everyone,”

 

“That's a good idea,” Prescine said with a nod, “I think I want to learn that kind of thing as well since I'm going to be cooking for myself and my partner in the future,”

 

“Partner?” Korbinian pointed out, “not husband?”

 

Prescine giggled, “you can never know,”

 

“Fair enough,” Sleet shrugged for Korbinian who shortly followed with her own gesture- a nod. The Nimbusegia then turned to Zath, curiosity coloring her features, “Herbology huh?” She hummed, “we do have chefs back in the house who are capable of making amazing dishes using herbs but I personally feel that you learning how to do it for yourself is also a good idea,”

 

“I suppose so, yes,” Zath nodded, “are you going to learn it as well?”

 

“Not really, no, I have maids for cooking and I'm not going to waste an hour of my day doing chores when I can spend it either learning or studying, or training,” Sleet replied with the iconic arrogance found in the members of powerful Houses, huh, and here I thought that she was level headed compared to the rest of them, “I just thought it was fascinating that you're learning how to do it,”

 

“Right?” I agreed, glossing over her tone and way of talking because everyone looked at her badly just now- and I didn't want to start anything, especially during lunch, “I'm learning how to do it as well so I can prepare my food with my own preference,”

 

“Like I said, it's a good idea,” Sleet nodded and now, everyone knew that she didn't really mean anything when she was using a certain kind of tone earlier, “learning how to cook, or any important household skill, often is, but it's really not for me- and I thought that you wouldn't want to do that as well since you train a lot?” She asked me and I shrugged while smiling wryly, “and also… with the amount of food that you eat, won't it take you hours to cook one of your meals?”

 

“Yeah,” I confirmed, “and the time it takes to finish my meals is why there are people who cook them for me but for little things like bread and stuff, I personally like to get handsy with them,”

 

“And she fails, more often than not,” Zath added to the interest of everyone.

 

I groaned- “please don't start with that,”

 

“Oh, please do start,” Korbinian sensually said, “so~?”

 

“Well… it doesn't happen much but mistress can sometimes be found in the kitchen, cooking her own meals-”

 

“She's banned from it! Remember that Neophyte!” That… was not Charcoal's voice so I turned to their table to spot Bismuth looking worried while leaning over a burning tree, “do not ask her to cook for any of you!”

 

I huffed, “I only burned the kitchen… two times!”

 

“FOUR!” Bismuth corrected and both my friends from our table as well as my siblings from theirs were laughing- at my misery, I'll get them back for this, that I swear. “You did it four times!”

 

Feeling awkward from all the stares, I tried to get their attention off of me by conceding, “okay, fine, four times, now leave it be,”

 

“I was not joking, and I will not apologize, do not let her cook,” and the tree right next to us disappeared back into the ground.

 

“You burned your kitchen four times?” Prescine asked and I nodded, she looked impressed- when she, in fact, shouldn't- why is she impressed? “I can't imagine you failing that many times honestly,”

 

I hid my face with both my hands in embarrassment and groaned, “I know!”

 

“Well… I still think that it was worth a shot, right Zath?! Not everyone is good during their first few times trying something!” Prescine's encouragement didn't reach me, their first few times my ass! I don't see other people burning their own kitchen when they start learning how to cook! “And- and how did you fail that many times anyway- sorry, I'm being indirect- how did you burn your kitchen four times?”

 

“Mistress often forgets to either turn off the appliances or how to time what she is cooking,” Zath shook her head, “one time, I remember her coming out at night and muttering something about wanting to bake her own cake and what she did was she went to the kitchen, turned on the oven to preheat it, and then-”

 

“Left. She left, didn't she?” Laceresta guessed correctly.

 

Hence why Zath nodded and I tried to hide my face further, where's a rock when you need one? And how do I hide myself underneath it? “Yes,” I heard my maid say, “she went back to her room and fell asleep.”

 

“...” Silence was the only thing that emerged from our table and I gained the courage to peek my eye out and immediately regretted it.

 

Why does everyone look sad?

 

“... how-” Prescine shook her head, “sorry,” Prescine held my hand, “you must've been really tired that night huh?”

 

“Well-” I started, “I'm tired during most nights back when I was still in the castle because of my training so…”

 

“We get it,” Laceresta sighed, she patted my back, “I'll make sure you're not tired when you try to cook,”

 

“So she fell asleep while cooking,” was all that Fafnir said, “that makes a whole lot of sense compared to what I was thinking, which is you not knowing how to cook.”

 

“Or being so bad at it that she somehow got the kitchen to burn down while trying to fry eggs,” Korbinian muttered, “but yes, guess falling asleep while cooking will cause the kitchen to burn down,”

 

“Not paying attention will do that too,” Sleet said.

 

“That,” Korbinian nodded.

 

“Okay, so moving on-” I gestured around each of us, “Zath wants to study about herbology stuff later so I'm heading for the library after class,” I faced Prescine, Fafnir, and Laceresta, “is it okay to take a detour?”

 

They all nodded, “great!” I clapped, “I think I want to grab a few more books from that place as well,” I hummed, “do you guys know any books about… being a leader?”

 

“I don't think those exist but there are books that discuss economy and other topics related to managing a territory,” Prescine replied, “that should be good enough for our purposes,”

 

"Right,” I said, guess there's no books about PR? Or is that like a psychology thing? Does media management exist here? Probably not- “okay, so economy, and stuff, what about military? That's part of being a leader right?”

 

“It should be yes,” Prescine nodded, “I guess you'll need to grab one of those books as well then,”

 

“It's settled then,” I peered behind her and saw that the servants were now heading our way, great, guess lunch is about to start for us. Finally. “We're about to eat,”

 

“Good, because I'm feeling hungry,” Korbinian snapped her notebook shut.