Chapter 129: A Relaxing Afternoon (1/2)
The group reached central campus with little time to spare. Luckily, it seemed that a number of the students had planned on being fashionably late, so they blended in with the slow moving crowd that was approaching the venue.
Circular tables, capable of seating groups of eight, had been set up in a wide grassy area, and a small army of servants went around providing the students with refreshments prior to the actual meal. A raised platform with an erected podium stood on one side, suggesting that a speech would be part of the festivities.
At the moment it seemed like the students were mostly talking in small groups, the event taking on the air of a upscale social gathering.
”I guess this is where we mingle.” Mike said uncertainly, looking around.
Sera pulled his arm, to ensure she had his attention. ”Alright, think of this as a test run for tomorrow. You are supposed to be the head of our household, which in noble society means you need to act with dignity and restraint. Try to remain calm at all times, don't say anything embarrassing to anyone important, and whatever you do, don't get into any duels.”
Brenden chuckled, ”I think that last bit is going to be hard for him. I'm honestly surprised he doesn't end up getting attacked by monsters every time he leaves the dorm.”
”Hey! I'm not the one who got into a brawl yesterday.” He replied, slightly annoyed by the exaggeration.
The Oracle pulled his arm again. ”Focus. You need to avoid reacting like that. It will only show weakness.”
”Alright, alright. I'll be careful.” He assured her, before spotting a familiar face. ”Now if you excuse me, I'm going to go say hi to an acquaintance.”
He walked up to the callow young man who was trying to hide himself in the shadow of a nearby tree. ”Hey, Edgar. I didn't expect to see you at an event like this.”
The dhampyr jumped at the sound of his name, but relaxed when he saw Mike. ”I normally wouldn't be attending this kind of thing, but my advisor said it was required…” He trailed off while looking at his feet.
Mike realized that the other students nearby were whispering quietly amongst themselves, while shooting glances at the pair of them. It seems his attempt at a friendly greeting had only made Edgar the center of attention.
”Sorry about this. I figured I would say hello, since I saw you.” He explained.
Edgar was wringing his hands in an anxious manner. ”Please do not apologize. It's really your reputation that will be affected by association with me. If anything I need to apologize.
”Don't worry about it. I have the bad habit of becoming a target for rumors anyway.” He replied while waving it off.
A woman's voice, amplified by magic, rang out over the gathering. ”Attention students and guests, please make your way to your seats. The meal will begin shortly.”
”Alright, I'm heading over to join my friends. Do you already have a seat?” Mike asked.
Edgar brightened momentarily, before returning to his gloomy self. ”I…..do…” He said quietly.
[Probably plans on hiding somewhere until the event is over with, to avoid causing me trouble.]
Looking at the uncomfortable young noble, he was reminded a little of his past self. Although he never had to face Edgar's level of persecution, he'd spent most of his life as a loner. He had discovered that there were few things more miserable than being alone in a crowd.
”Want to sit with us? I think we have room.” Mike said, scanning the crowd to locate his companions. It looked like they had set up on a table near the rear edge of the gathering.
”Are you sure? I wouldn't want to cause you any trouble…” Edgar asked, with a hint of suppressed hope in his voice.
Wrapping an arm around the dhampyr's shoulders, Mike pulled him along. ”It's fine. Trust me, I get into all kinds of trouble regardless of who I associate with. Hanging out with you shouldn't make any difference.”
He halfway dragged the young man over to the table, and made him take a seat. Mike was surprised to see Aine and Rebecca sitting next to his friends.
There were only three open seats, so he chose one next to Sera for himself and placed Edgar on his right. As soon as he sat down, Sera rounded on him angrily. ”What's this I hear about you being attacked by this redhead?”
Swallowing nervously, he replied. ”I wouldn't really call it an attack. It was more like a heated argument that went a little too far.”
Aine broke in quietly, trembling slightly and unable to meet Mike's gaze. ”I lost control of my temper, and I had every intention of attacking you, before you…..stopped me. I can only apologize for my indiscretion.”
Edgar was looking between the two parties in a slightly panicked manner, as if he didn't know what he should be doing.
”Why didn't you tell us about this?” Sera hissed at him, clearly upset. Brenden, on the other hand, looked mildly amused by the whole situation, and Tal appeared impassive.
”You were busy, besides it wasn't that big of a deal.” He whispered back, before clearing his throat and addressing his classmates. ”Although you may have been the first to act, I am not without fault in this matter. I suggest we let bygones be bygones, and start fresh. Would that be acceptable?”
[Didn't I already have this conversation with Rebecca? Why is it coming up again?]
He looked over at the quiet woman, and was surprised to see a slightly mischievous expression on her face. Clearly, she had engineered this for some reason.
Aine blinked at him, as if taken aback by his response. Finally she nodded, looking more confident now. ”If that is alright with you, I would like that.”
Sera sighed, knuckling her temples in a manner that suggested a developing headache. ”We'll talk about this later. Anyway, would you care to introduce us to your acquaintances?”
Mike went around the table, giving introductions. There was a flash of calculation in Rebecca's expression when he used their last names. He realized his mistake afterwards, since his classmates had never mentioned their full names. He concluded with Edgar, who for once seemed rather upbeat.