If it weren’t for Sebastian treating Ron like a misbehaving child, Dante would be forced to listen to a long lecture before his actual lectures started. The morning hadn’t properly started yet, and those two butlers made a battlefield out of the house. Edward watched their arguments about the technique of brewing tea with amusement. House ghosts found it entertaining too, especially Agnes. At the same time, Dante had childhood flashbacks when both brothers were betting their daily snacks on who would win the spat, Sebastian or Ron. The problem with their bet was that both of them were very biased.

  Later on, it was rather strange and awkward coming to the academy with his older brother. Of course, Dante hadn’t forgotten that this older brother of his was called the prince charming of the country. Before starting university, he thought that only people of the Crimson Duchy thought so; he was quickly proven wrong.

  “You realise that you’ll have mountains of marriage proposals.” Dante voiced, and Edward looked at him with a tired expression.

  “Like every other day, and because I never stated what gender I prefer, there’s twice as much.” He sighed. Faye, on the other hand, looked at them both, suddenly horrified.

  “May I get out of the carriage before the gates?” Edward looked at her with one brow high up, while his brother, more or less, knew why she wanted to escape being seen anywhere near the future duke. “It’s just that my entire year...well...they’re your fans, Master Edward, because of that article last year.”

  “That’s why I hate Velvet Whisper…” His handsome face twisted in the same way when he ate a slice of lemon without sugar by accident. His favourite snack since childhood, something their mother also loved. It was only once that Dante had seen him cry, and it was not long after her death, while eating that. After that, he never allowed himself to cry, especially not in front of his younger siblings.

  “And you're going to be more popular after they write about you again.” Dante pointed, and the future duke groaned.

  Faye didn’t get the escape she desired; they made her suffer along with them. When she exited the carriage first, she started playing with her coat. She didn’t want to look at all the people who would soon look their way. Edward exited first. It took a minute for the crowd to realise it wasn’t Dante. Dante followed him, and when he stepped to stand side by side with him, students, teachers, and soldiers, who were still stationed near the academy, even though there was no sign of the monster for a few days, exploded:

  “Is that who I think it is?”

  “Oh my Time! They are so similar!”

  “I heard he’s single.”

  “How can someone like that be single?!”

  Dante felt chills, and it wasn’t the late autumn coldness. He looked at his brother, who now smiled. It was such an easy smile, full of charm and confidence. How many times did he practise that?! – Dante thought, but then Ed looked at him and winked. It reminded Dante of their mother. She always did that when she sensed Dante was nervous. It made him look away, but the nervousness nearly disappeared.

  When he turned his face to the side, he saw the familiar handsome face. Kelit looked confused, like he didn’t expect Dante to have a brother who looked like his slightly older copy. He looked worn down. Like he didn’t sleep all night. The blond man was also pale, but not the kind of pale when stressed ate them up. The kind of pale that indicated dehydration or illness. Dante wondered what had happened. Kelit was completely fine yesterday. He threatened mass murder—kind of fine.

  Peter was standing right next to him. At least one of them looked a little better. The man looked refreshed, though his eyes were still darting around. It was like nothing had changed, except something small.

  Dante felt a weight on his shoulder. Edward wrapped his arm around him, literally making the young lord carry half of his weight. Dante realised he was looking in the same direction.

  “Your friends?” He asked with a slightly teasing edge to his smile.

  “Yeah.”

  “Introduce me. I’m excited to meet your friends! Especially the blond one,” he teased. “You looked at him longer than at the other.” He explained when Dante furrowed his brows. That explanation made the young lord roll his eyes and only his ears, thankfully hidden under his hair, flushed with colour. He gently tossed Edward’s arm off his shoulders and started walking towards the entrance.

  “You’re impossible. I’m dropping you off with the first professor I see, and I’m done with you…” He didn’t manage to walk off far when Kelit decided to eagerly catch up to him. He dragged Peter by the shoulder. The normal man out of this duo must have protested.

  Out of the Crimson brothers, the one to move for greetings was, of course, Edward. He moved with such grace that even more people were gawking at them now.

  “Oh, it’s such a delight to meet Dante’s friends.” The worst part of this sentence was that he meant it with his entire being, and Dante could only sigh deeply. “Please call me Edward.” He extended his right hand with a smile that nearly made the youngest audience member faint.

  “Kelit,” the blond man grasped the hand, while Peter muttered prayers under his breath. “And this is Peter, he’s being shy. It’s a pleasure to meet Dante’s brother.” There was a hint of sincerity in his voice. So he can be nice. Then why the fuck is he so awful to Alicia? – Dante wandered watching them with a growing sense of wrongness. He was just sure that if those two got along well, the remains of his peaceful life would be gone forever with the blink of an eye.

  “I would love to talk, but I have to meet the academy’s administration; the quicker the better.” Even though Edward sounded like he was performatively dismissing them, he meant every word. “Would you like to come for tea this evening?”

  “That’s my…”

  “Of course! We will be there.” Kelit cut Dante off, like he didn’t hear his protest at all. “Would you like my help finding professors?” He even offers help. Dante had no idea what had happened to this man; perhaps he was really ill, which made him approachable.

  They all moved together inside. Kelit and Edward were chatting, mostly about Dante. The young lord couldn't believe his eyes. He also couldn't point out who betrayed him more: Edward or Kelit. They both must have some hidden agenda behind all that small talk. – He was lost in thought until Peter tapped his shoulder. He did it so quickly and lightly that the feel of touch barely registered. The brown-eyed commoner breathed in deeply.

  “My lord...I mean Dante…” he cleared his throat. For a moment, he considered his next words. “Thank you for the books...I lost...mine, and I wouldn't be able to afford new.” Dante was sure that it wasn’t all he wanted to say, but Peter wasn’t determined; he looked more like this talk was an inconvenience to him. It probably was, looking at his situation. “Something happened yesterday.” That was the only thing he admitted. He didn’t say what happened or why.

  He doesn’t want my pity...or rather, a noble to pity him. – Dante realised.

  “Kelit helped me...I didn’t like his help, to be honest. I thought he would be proud after that, given his personality, but...I think I misjudged him.” He looked at the blond man. “I know it may not seem like it, but we’re not exactly friends…He spent the entire night in the toilet...well, throwing up. I tried to give him water, but he didn’t want to drink it. Can you check on him? You’re closer to him than I am.”

  Dante was quite shocked. He didn’t expect those two to be best friends, but it seemed like they hadn’t had any relationship except being room-mates. Peter bit on his lips before continuing:

  “That’s all I wanted to say…and please tell Lord Edward, I won’t be coming for tea. My mother is ill, and I spend every evening with her.” It didn’t sound like just an excuse. That was the moment when Dante recognised a big strength under that timid and gullible outer layer. And that strength was slowly withering with every passing day.

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  “Would you like…?”

  “No,” Peter must have guessed what Dante wanted to ask.

  “Alright.” The young lord said, a little disappointed, but he respected Peter’s decision all the same. The commoner checked if Kelit was looking his way. After confirming he wasn’t, Peter bolted in a completely different direction. When the blond man realised that the man he dragged along disappeared, he only sighed in quiet annoyance and resignation.

  When they finally found a reliable professor, whom Edward could easily sweet-talk, the older brother left reluctantly. Kelit and Dante were left alone. It was the ideal moment to take a closer look at Kelit’s state. He wasn’t looking that bad, which made Dante realise why Edward didn’t say anything. His brother didn’t associate Kelit’s slightly pale complexion with being ill; he didn’t know that the blond man was usually radiant. Did I think that Kelit is radiant? What is wrong with me? Maybe I’m the ill one…

  Kelit wore his usual smile, which softened when he looked at Dante. Or it was just Dante’s imagination and delusion planted by Alicia and Edward...and Ron probably too. He bit the inside of his cheek to stop thinking and just look at the man’s state.

  The blond man looked neat, more neat than usual. He was doing that lately, styling his hair, wearing his clothes appropriately. Shirt tucked inside his pants with all the buttons buttoned till the collar, he was even wearing a tie. It was just the Academy’s uniform, but Kelit, before Alicia appeared, was always disregarding the rules about students’ appearance. He looked like a perfect student. His sun-kissed skin was slightly green, but it wouldn't be noticed by anyone who didn’t pay close attention to the man.

  Do I really pay such attention to him? – Dante asked himself, quietly recoiling with realisation that he was staring at Kelit for far too long for comfort. In contrast, the blond man looked pleased to be so closely inspected.

  “Do I have something on my face, or are you just that fond of my looks?” He teased, which made Dante grit his teeth. Is he an actor? That would explain how convincingly he pretends.

  “Let’s go drink something,” Dante didn’t give any reaction to that shameless flirt; after all, Kelit never meant it. And he was determined to help this unbelievably stupid man hydrate.

  After hearing the word ‘drink’, the blond man’s face dropped for a moment.

  “Must we? We have classes,” that was the first time Kelit refused Dante’s suggestion.

  “Yes. And while we're at it, let's eat some bread at the academy’s cafe,” Dante used the same tone that Edward often uses when one of his siblings or their father misbehaves, and it worked wonders. “And since when do you want to attend lectures other than Bernadette’s?” The only answer Kelit gave was a crooked smile and avoidance of Dante’s gaze for as long as five seconds. He adapted to the situation quickly.

  Kelit wasn’t his usual self, at least not yet. He was quiet the entire walk to the canteen. Dante ordered for him, before the man would refuse any kind of substance entering his body. Ron once told him that ginger tea and toast are good for an upset stomach. For himself, he took normal green tea and one more toast, so Kelit wouldn't be the only one eating, which would give him an easy escape. Wait...Am I starting to act like Alicia? – The slow realization came crashing down on him when he handed the cash to the waitress behind the counter.

  The woman smiled at him; it wasn’t the usual restrained smile that he had been given by people till now. Funny how gossip could quickly change one's reputation. It was also what got his reputation bad in the first place.

  The blond man opened his mouth only after they sat down. He didn’t look uncomfortable, but Kelit looked at a lot of things, and in truth, he was many other things eternally. The biggest mystery for Dante was who this man actually was, but he did not care about Kelit’s actual status, money, or magic. Maybe a better question was: how does this man really feel? There were too many contradictions and pretending.

  “Won’t your fiancée be disappointed?”

  “Alicia?” Dante needed to confirm, still not accustomed to that world. Of course, he means Alicia, you idiot… “She probably will be, but she will live.” Well, Alicia was bad-tempered when stripped of amusement. And currently her favourite chew toy sat in front of Dante. Those words led to a misunderstanding. That one was clear when Kelit tapped his finger on the table. But the young lord couldn't tell what that misunderstanding could be. Or why would the blond man care?

  When their order was set down in front of them, Kelit was about to start yapping, which Dante quickly distinguished as a tactic to avoid both drinking and eating. He quickly cut the blond man off.

  “Go on. It’s easy on the stomach.”

  “Do I look like my stomach has problems?” He asked, looking over himself like he was assessing if he done a sloppy job covering it. When he didn’t find a flaw, he glared at Dante. It was the first time Kelit actually glared at him, and it made the young lord happy. He finally felt comfortable enough to do that. “That traitor Peter told you.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement.

  “Peter did tell me this and that. Now drink the tea, unless you want me to force you?”

  “Why do you care?” Kelit asked like he couldn't quite grasp the meaning of kindness.

  “Just because.” The blond man blinked, looking at his toast like it offended him just by existing. “What, can’t I?” Dante deliberately used the same words that Kelit once used at him. The blond man looked at the young lord, searching for a lie or a catch. When he found none, he sighed:

  “Alright, I’ll drink, but…”

  “Eat the toast too, I’ve already paid for it.” The blond man barked a laugh.

  “No one ever told me to eat like you just did,” he teased, but there was some sincerity to that sentence. “You’re really an anomaly, Dante.” He whispered into the tea, and Dante couldn't hear the words correctly. “And you know I eat a lot.” Kelit even added to cover that whisper. For a moment after taking a sip, he frowned like the hot tea hurt his empty and sensitive stomach.

  “Yeah, I’ve seen. I’m pretty sure you developed a second stomach just for sweets. Like a cow.”

  “Hey! That was unnecessary!” Despite himself, Kelit laughed. His laugh had such a nice sound that Dante found himself staring again. He quickly averted his gaze. He really was too aware of Kelit lately. We are just friends, and I haven’t had living friends in a long time. -- The thought settled wrong. Dante didn’t linger on why, but he felt gloom creeping on his spine while thinking about friends, he pushed it away. That was also the moment he realised that he stopped paying attention to ghosts when he was with others. And when he took a look around, there were many ghostly figures present, but he couldn't care less, when before his attention would be mostly on them.

  They spent an hour at the cafe before Alicia found them. Kelit managed to hydrate, and he already looked a little better, but when he saw her red locks, he frowned. She sat with them; it would be hard to uninvite her, especially since she wasn’t invited.

  “If you’re going to slack off, at least tell me in advance,” she didn’t look as angry as she was trying to pose. “You do that next time, and I’m telling Edward.” She pointed a finger at him, not so lady-like. “And you…” She took a glance at Kelit. “Should drink some more.”

  The blond man again looked at himself, and again he hadn’t found any flaws. How did Alicia know something was wrong? It must be the thought that crossed his mind. She was just a perspective, and Dante was sure that she had to deal with people who tried to hide their real state of health. Take, for example, an overworked father, such as Thane.

  “The guy you hang with, Sunshine, didn’t have his ‘escort’ today. Know something about that?” She fished for information, simultaneously taking Dante’s cup of tea and drinking from it. The question made Kelit hold his own arm, harder than it should be. He dug his fingers into the skin, while the sight made his smile look even more unnatural.

  “The half-brains are okay…well, mostly.” He answered through his teeth.

  “Kelit,” Dante seemed to understand something crucial about Kelit's state of mind and body, but he didn’t want to cross the visible boundary and comment on it. Instead, he said: "Violence is not an answer.”

  “I know that.” His fingers dug deeper into the skin. Alicia flicked her fingers right at his hand.

  “That is also violence!” She reprimanded, and in that moment, the blond man was so surprised that he let go of his arm and looked at her, spooked. “As you see, it did more damage than it’s worth.” Her gaze sized him up and down, then she sighed. “Next time, think before you act.”

  “Wow, I’m surprised you’re saying that. When we were younger, you were the one beating other children.” That comment got Dante a light smack on the back of his head. “That’s what I mean!”

  “Darling, I've grown out of that habit.” The young lord would disagree if Kelit’s eyes that followed both of them now didn’t indicate that right this moment, another misunderstanding arose.

  “You fit together,” the blond man said with a smile so unhappy and resigned that it even made Alicia flinch.

  “And yet, Sunshine, you still try to steal my Darling from me.” She deflected, and thankfully, that ridiculous sentence made Kelit frown.

  “Oh? I don’t think a mare Flower can compare to me.” Dante was at the same time relieved that the old Kelit was back and disturbed by the turn of the conversation. Till now, they behaved well enough.

  “Excuse me? Did you imply that you’re more handsome than me, Sunshine?”

  Yes, their spat definitely took a wrong turn somewhere along the way. Dante only hoped that they wouldn't suddenly ask for his opinion. He was sure that if it were to happen, he couldn’t hold a straight face. Please ask the waitress…Just not me. – He begged all the gods he knew.