R E I N
Ah, living through an otome game really is the best. The visuals of the capture characters were really on another level. Rein's eyes had been blessed again today.
Prince Amadeus is quite... infamous among women, is what she thought at that moment. No, he is not a playboy or a womanizer. It's just a lot of women admire him. And she kind of sees why they would. He's the second prince of the kingdom and he's insanely talented with the piano, and basicaly other instrument out there that exists. Aside from his looks, he also has the Rosemond Family's fire magic. She sees all those shallow reasons why women would like him but....
"Heh. As if you have a chance with him." Sophia Glowpeak, one of the most notorious women in their year, suddenly sat next to the crying girl. Rein and Angel Chapelle were sitting behind them. It's not like she wanted to eavesdrop. It's just that they were within hearing distance and she heard exactly how Sophia Glowpeak gushed about the prince's prestige.
"He literally rejects everyone!" Sophia Glowpeak muttered exasperatedly. "Like, everyone. With a smile." Sophia even tried copying his smile.
"She got rejected, that's why she's bitter," Angel Chapelle whispered to her discreetly. "What she's saying is based from experience you know." She smirked, with a glint in her coal eyes. She had an air of victory as she said that. From what Rein heard, it seems as if Sophia Glowpeak and Angel Chapelle apparently do not get along. She could understand, Sophia had quite the difficult personality.
"Really?"
Angel nodded, the lowered her voice a bit more so that Sophia, who was sitting in front of them, would not hear. "She's an absolute menace during the initiation. She kept clinging to Prince Amadeus AND pissing off just about any magical creature that crosses paths with her." Angel shuddered, like she remembered a horrible memory. "She dreams of being a princess.. or something like that. How about you, how did your initiation go?"
"My brother and I teamed up with Andrew Skotadi and Elena Margavine," Rein remembered the moster freezing completely even under the scorching glare of the sun. She remembered staring wide-eyed at the two nobles, who easily defeated the monster without much effort. They're in a whole other league of their own. And their visuals were top notch. Elena was even prettier in real life! "And they're so cool! They could use magic without artifacts and Andrew Skotadi-"
The moment she said Andrew Skotadi, she noticed Angel's expression crumble. Her eyes narrowed slightly and she looked as if she ate something sour.
"- froze it instantly and Margavine zapped it. There were literal ice crystals in the air and the it became colder, in the desert!" Rein gushed. The high nobles were so fascinating with their command in magic.
"Margavine is cool. I don't know about Andrew Skotadi though." Angel began writing in her notebook again, in her perfect font. Perhaps as a noble, Angel had lessons before on Dragon Cypher. The girl had been a lifesaver for her in this subject.
Rein contemplated whether she should ask Angel Chapelle about Andrew, but she dropped the thought. Angel looked as if she didn't want to talk about it, and they weren't probably that close to ask. They're friends alright, but they were at the awkward phase of getting to know each other and testing each other's boundaries.
Angel Chapelle is one of the capture targets as well if the player is Luka Noir in Reverse Lovelorn. Rein didn't know much about her route since all the hype was in the Clara Skotadi route. But she's pretty sure if Luka picked another girl- Andrew and Angel would quietly get engaged around the end of third year or after graduating. Was it out of love or was it just a political arrangement?
She thinks it would probably be more of convenience. Since Angel Chapelle's family is way up there in the noble rankings, certainly fit to be engaged to the next Duke of the Sapphire House. She doesn't really appear that much in Andrew's Route in Lovelorn, and Andrew in turn doesn't block Luka that much in Reverse.
Angel really is one of the nicest capture characters to befriend. Elena Margavine, for her seemed like an intimidating boss lady while Clara Skotadi on the other hand seemed to be deeply embroiled in all the debacle leading after graduation.
So, among the other capture characters, being friends with Angel is the safest choice.
It's not like Rein is here to change things. She's just here to quietly cheer on her brother. She's perfectly content with watching from the sidelines at a safe distance. Like a true fangirl.
Scratch that. She's still actually rooting for Clara and Luka to end up together to promote world peace
.... Although Elena Margavine also wouldn't be a bad choice.
"Speaking of, where is Elena Margavine? I heard she is supposed to take this class too." The slots for Dragon Cypher class had been limited, and Rein immediately signed up for this immediately. She doesn't remember what class Luka took up though.
"I heard she followed Clara's elective.Elena and Prince Avarys finally got officially listed to Culinary Class this morning. They're probably in the Pastry Wing right now."
".... Could they cook?"Rein asked slowly, trying to find the right words that wouldn't sound too rude. She tried mentally going over countless guidebooks and walkthroughs in her head, zooming in on the the trivia section. She couldn't find any info that related Avarys or Elena with cooking.
Angel looked like she wanted to shake her head, but she ended ip just shrugging. "I don't know, I'd never seen them cook." They shared a laugh at that one, imagining if the two Academe Royals ever went to the kitchen before. "But Clara does. I know she bakes. She used to make cakes for us during our birthdays and she's really good at it."
"Right, Clara is good at baking," Someone suddenly cut in, and when Rein looked up, she was surprised to see Prince Amadeus. An actual, real life, breathing royal!
She'd seen Prince Avarys a few days ago, and the boy was really intimidating- a ferocious predator in the jungle. His amethyst eyes really sends her into shivers. Avarys, is ten times more intimidating in real life! With that oppressing aura of his. She wonders how Luka even managed to last a fight with that guy. But hey, Luka is main character and the otome gods must be on his side.
Plot armor and main character buff must be pretty damn strong if even Luka Noir could get the Happy Ending from the Clara Route and possibly defeat Prince Avarys.
In contrast, Prince Amadeus seemed a bit more fluffy and approachable. She heard they're twins, but the way they carry themselves are polar opposites. She had a twin too, Luka- and people always say when they were younger that they can't tell them apart. Like two peas in a pod. But with Prince Amadeus and Prince Avarys, they're so easy to tell apart miles away.
"P-Prince Amadeus!" Angel squeaked, gripping her pen tighter. There was also a flush of pink on her cheeks. Rein narrowed her eyes at the suspicious way her friend reacted.
"Here's the book I talked to you about. Andrew and I used to read this years ago," He placed an all too familiar book on Angel's side of table. Rein recognized the brown hard cover immediately. This was something Luka religiously reads too. Don Montanac!
"You didn't have to!"
"It's alright. Read it, it might help you in Cypher too," He insisted kindly. "Ah, I'll go find seats in the back now. See you." He beamed at Angel, then nodded politely at her. So he is taking Dragon Cypher too.
"Hey Angel, you're friends with him?!" Sophia Glowpeak suddenly looked back, with a mildly livid expression on her face.
"Friend? Yeah, he's my friend," Angel shrugged, before her coal gaze settled to the title of Don Montanac. To casually admit that she's friends with a prince, that's Marquis Chapelle's daughter for you. Wow, her friend really lives in another league sometimes.
"Hi Noir!" Someone surprisingly greeted her in a beyond cheery voice. When she looked up, she was surprised to see Andrew Skotadi. His dark hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, and his eyes were like the glittering ocean.
Her eyes were cleared. Wow, to see two pretty boys in one day.
It was belatedly that she realized that Andrew was talking to her and that she was the only Noir in this class. Good thing she noticed, before she drools over Andrew and further embarrass herself. "Eh- uh, Hi Skotadi!"
"Woah, Monkey girl! You read this too?!" He immediately lightened up at the sight of Don Montanac. That was one of his favorite literary pieces, and she cringed when she remembered Luka and Andrew fanboying over their favorite characters and scenes. They probably talked about chapter one to chapter forty on their way back from the initiation. Thankfully, Elena helped her with the compass, and she could drown their chatters out.
And yes, trust Luka to even befriend one of his potential rivals. Even as his twin, the socializing skills of a main character is truly frightening. If Luka were to take Angel Chapelle's route, then he'd have Andrew Skotadi as his rival. It's quite bizarre to see them get along, but at this point all Rein could say was... as expected of the main character.
"Skotadi?!" Angel acknowledged, with a frown on her face. Total opposite reaction as to when she talked with Prince Amadeus.
"You even have a limited edition hard cover edition!" He gushed, so different from the usual ice cold Andrew Skotadi. "Do you know how hard it is to get it?"
"I'm just beginning to read it." Angel begrudgingly admitted. "And why are you talking to me? Aren't we fighting?"
"Hey Monkey," He grinned deviously, causing Angel to frown harder. "do you know in Chapter thirty nine, the main character di-"
"Oh god, piss off Skotadi!" Angel promptly covered her ears, glaring angrily at him.
Andrew rolled his eyes, laughing as he moved on to find seats at the back.
"Chapelle, how could you be friends with Andrew Skotadi too?!" Sophia asked in horror.
Angel glared at her, still annoyed from her interaction with Andrew.
"Excuse me? I'm not friends with him," She vehemently refused, silently daring Sophia Glowpeak to disagree with her.
"I think you get along well with Skotadi." Rein teased, noticing Angel getting more annoyed by the second. This situation.... is kind of bizarre. Angel and Andrew were friends in Lovelorn and Reverse, but they're not lovers. They had a relationship that is centered on mutual respect.
So when Marilyn steals Andrew, Angel would quietly step back in Lovelorn. In Reverse, Andrew would hand over Angel to Luka after assessing his sincerity.
"The opposite you mean. Urgh, Andrew Skotadi really pisses me off," Angel pouted, dropping her pen and then beginning on a tirade of 101 ways on why Andrew Skotadi pisses her off. They apparently had a misunderstanding that even got them dragged to the student affairs room for counseling. They did sort out that problem, but Andrew Skotadi just kept popping up randomly and being pettiest possible person in the world. They literally clash like fire and ice.
"But weren't you friends with Clara?- And Andrew is Clara's brother. How did you two get along before?" Sophia suddenly asked with narrowed eyes, akin to an interrogator.
"Andrew never hangs out with us, even if we're with Clara. You were there Sophia." Angel said with a tsk, mildly explaining that she never truly got to know Andrew Skotadi until they enrolled in the academy. "Hey Sophia, if you want him, he's all yours."
Sophia's eyes glittered in interest.
"Rein too, if you want Andrew Skotadi, he's basically for sale right now anyway. Just talk to Clara, deal closed."
Rein shook her head. "Nah, I'm alright. My eyes were blessed today to see two handsome men."
Then suddenly, Angel Chapelle doubled over, as something hit her head. It evaporated so fast the moment it made contact, but Rein kind of had an inkling when she felt the same cold breeze from the initiation.
"Why that little-" Angel touched the back of her head, idly noticing small ice crystals. She looked to the back of the classroom, glaring murderously at Andrew Skotadi. Rein also looked back, to see Andrew smiling innocently, and Prince Amadeus rubbing his temples, seemingly exhausted at the two's antics.
Their classmates, seemed unaware of the calm before the storm, merrily chatting away in their own little bubbles while waiting for the teacher.
At the moment, Angel and Andrew were non-verbally cursing each other in ten different languages. That was until Angel brought out her staff, and Andrew Skotadi began twisting the magic suppressor on his wrist.
She caught sight of scarlet eyes pinned at her.
Ah, Prince Amadeus. He pointed at Angel, then Andrew.
Alright, try to calm them down.
"Hey, Angel- don't get on his level. C-Calm down." She held Angel's shoulder. Angel gave the Skotadi heir one last glare, before turning to face the front once again.
"Ugh. I sooo feel sorry for the woman that would marry that- that- " Then she gave a frustrated sigh. "I want to say bad words!!"
"Eh? Angel, what if you end up marrying him?" Rein teased once again. It was comical how her coal eyes widened in thinly veiled horror. Because in Reverse, if Luka doesn't pick Angel, then the other capture characters would marry the rivals for their routes. In the after ending, Angel and Andrew got married in Reverse whenever Luka picks someone else.
"That's so scary Rein! I won't marry him, even if he's future Duke Skotadi!" Angel shivered, looking physically revolted at the idea. "Even if he's the last guy on Earth. Then humanity would just end with us!"
"Aren't you two engaged?" She asked curiously, because all she knew about Andrew and Angel were they were friends in their Academy days and set to get married after. The gentle and calm Angel Chapelle is the perfect match for the cold and distant Andrew Skotadi, many NPCs would say. Like literally, those two were so chill you couldn't even light a flint to get them to fight. And actually, among the toxic couples in Reverse that ended up together depending on Luka's choice (cough Elena and Adrien cough Avarys and Clara cough), Andrew a d Angel were quite tame.
But all she knew from the game were flipped all over. Angel and Andrew were at each other's throats.
Calm and gentle Angel Chapelle? - Please, the girl right next to her is obviously boiling in rage.
"What do you mean Rein? Gosh that's so creepy," Angel rolled her eyes, while laughing sarcastically. "I love Clara and I know they're desperate to find some girl to settle him with- but no way am I marrying Andrew Skotadi."
Rein just quietly laughed with her, feeling just a tiny bit confused. Was this some kind of hidden quest or something?
While on the other hand, Angel is smiling sweetly as she stared at the cover of Don Montanac.
Maybe this place isn't so different after all?
Angel in Reverse did read Don Montanac so she could get along better with Andrew.
But in Reverse, it was Andrew who gave her the book, and blasted her ears by chattering endlessly about it. Angel in Reverse found Andrew's avid interest entertaining, so she gave it a shot and ended up liking the book as well.
So weird that it is Prince Amadeus who gave it to Angel here.
Rein is now officially confused and Dragon Cypher I hasn't even started. ToT
______
Hi guys, mika here!
*dodges pitchforks*
Erm sorry I've been inactive for a bit. School has been hectic the past year. I've also unpublished the sequel chapters because I was debating whether to continue the academy arc or not.... But then I ended up continuing it after all TToTT
Well then, I hope everyone is safe and happy (* v *) love you lots and as an apology I'll republish the first twelve or was it fourteen chapters that I originally unpublished and also update two chapters episode 13 , 14 and 15.
Thank you for sticking with my story so far! I'm still fixing the earlier chapters from the childhood arcs huhu, but still thank you for always encouraging me!
Love you lots,
Mika🖤