Chapter 28: A Way to Thank Him

⛧°. ⋆༺☾❀˖°༻⋆. °⛧⛧°. ⋆༺☾❀˖°༻⋆. °⛧

Aster woke with a start, caught between the remnants of her dream and the morning light. In her dream was the event that happened yesterday—the one that had shaken her so much that even in her sleep, she was riding the wild horse again. She could hear the frantic pounding of hooves and feel the untamed power of the horse beneath her.

Then she thought she saw her crystal crescent moon necklace shimmer just before she lost consciousness. The wild horse seemed to slow, and right after, she felt a warm embrace catch her and hold her safely. Then she woke up.

She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes, thinking about her dream.
She thought of Randall. Katharina had said it was him who saved her. Aster tried to imagine how he could have reached her in time.

Her hand moved to her necklace.

Had it really shimmered, or was it just a trick of her mind? She wasn’t sure. She had lost consciousness, after all. But then she remembered—she thought she saw it shimmer once before, during the mirror’s judgment in their magical theory class.

“Aster! Breakfast!” Aunt Sally’s voice called from the doorway.
Aster was pulled back to reality.

“C… coming!” she said.

She followed Aunt Sally to the table, her mind half on the warmth of Randall holding her and half on the necklace that shimmered.

Katharina had insisted on escorting her home the night before after she’d been discharged from the academy infirmary.

Naturally, Aunt Sally had been worried.

“Are you sure you’re all right, Aster?” she asked, spooning soup into her bowl.

“Maybe you shouldn’t go to class yet.”

“Don’t worry, Aunt Sally. I feel better now—just a little dizzy, and—”
Aster paused as Katharina’s earlier words echoed in her head.
‘Lord Randall carried you back on his horse. Like a princess.’

Her face burned. She quickly covered it with her hands as the memory replayed.
“Kyaaahhh—!!” She suddenly sprang up, flailing as if she could shake the thought away.

“Waah?!~” Aunt Sally exclaimed. “I don’t think you’re all right at all. Look at you, you’re red! Do you have a fever?”

“N-no! It’s nothing! Really!” Aster protested. “It’s just… I feel so—”
She stopped herself, her voice dropping.
“So embarrassed to face him…”

“You mean Lord Randall? Your savior?” Aunt Sally teased, a knowing smile forming.

“It’s just… he’s saved me so many times already,” Aster admitted. “My debt is piling up. I don’t even know how to thank him properly.”

Aunt Sally chuckled.
“It’s funny, you know. You talk about Lord Ranley so casually. But the moment I mention your Lord Randall, your face turns redder than a tomato. I only called him your savior, and look at you—so defensive.”

“I—I’m not defensive!” Aster mumbled, staring down at her food.

“Then just tell him you’re grateful,” Aunt Sally said gently. “Promise to return the favor someday. That way you won’t feel so indebted.”

“I… I don’t know how to approach him,” Aster confessed. “He’s so popular. I doubt he’d want someone like me talking to him.”

“Is that what he thinks?”

Aster froze mid-bite.

What does he think?
At first, she had assumed he didn’t want to be seen with her—that was why he had walked away from her in class that day, right after she arrived late, handed Ranley the assignment, and hesitated when their eyes met. But during the dance, he had approached her himself… in front of everyone.
Did he pity her?

“I’m not really sure, Aunt Sally,” she murmured. “He’s just… so radiant. Sometimes I think he’s some kind of fairy. It’s hard to even look him in the eye—let alone talk to him.”

Aunt Sally laughed.
“A fairy? Well, now I’m curious to see him myself. Just speak from your heart. If he really is a fairy, I’m sure he’ll accept your gratitude—however you choose to give it.”

Aster sighed, still thinking about Randall and how she was supposed to face him.
“Now I’m really starting to feel dizzy…”

꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶ ๋ ࣭ ⭑꒷꒦꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶ ๋ ࣭ ⭑꒷꒦꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶ ๋ ࣭ ⭑꒷꒦

Meanwhile, at Flavia’s estate, Flavia, Isadora, and Renie were having tea. All three had been suspended for what they did to Aster, and they were still fuming.

“How can we be suspended over a mere commoner?” Isadora complained. “Professor Theo forgets his place. He may have served in a noble court once, but he is no noble himself—and even the headmaster will regret siding against us.”

“I know! This is all that good-for-nothing commoner’s fault! My father even went to the headmaster right after we got scolded yesterday, and they still couldn’t do anything about it? We are above her! How can they favor that girl over nobles like us?” Flavia ranted.

Renie scoffed. “Exactly. After all that yesterday—even after our parents stepped in—we still got suspended. They at least managed to stop us from cleaning the stables, but I still can’t get over how we were humiliated in front of Lord Randall.”

“And it doesn’t make any sense! Why would Lord Randall side with that wench? He spoke so calmly, but you could tell he was holding himself back. The way he spoke—it still cut deep.” Flavia said. “It almost felt like he actually cares about that useless commoner.”
She paused, her expression turning more annoyed.

“Still, I didn’t expect him to have that much influence over the headmaster,” Isadora added. “We contribute money to this academy, and that girl—”

“She’s a leech,” the three of them said in unison, sighing in frustration.

“Do you think Lord Randall likes her?” Isadora asked.

“Nonsense,” Flavia said immediately. “That girl is just playing the victim to get his attention. Lord Randall is simply kind—and a gentleman.”

She sighed dramatically, placing a hand over her chest.
“To be held like a princess by Lord Randall… ahh! That should’ve been me!”

“And to dance with him gracefully, like in a fairytale!” Isadora added dreamily.

“Exactly! Those are things meant for true ladies like us—not for someone like that Winslow.”

The three of them sighed, lost in their own fantasies, their eyes sparkling with delusion.

♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ. ♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ. ♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.

Melodic Literature Class – Thursday

Aster finally arrived at the room and sat beside Katharina.
“Good morning, Katharina,” she greeted with a smile.

“Aster! Are you sure you’re okay to go to class today? Are you not hurt anywhere?”

Aster chuckled. “You sound just like Aunt Sally right now. I told you, I’m okay. And thank you again for giving me a ride home yesterday.”

“I’m glad to hear that. After all, you were rescued by—” Katharina leaned closer and whispered into her ear, “Lord Randall.” She pulled back with a smile.

Aster’s cheeks immediately warmed, and almost without thinking, her eyes drifted toward Randall. He was staring off into the distance, deep in thought, as if nothing around him mattered.

Then Lady Shane arrived and clapped her hands. “Good morning, class. Today, we will be working in pairs to perform a duet. In high society, such performances are not merely for entertainment—they are a display of harmony, elegance, and one’s ability to complement another. Choose your partners. You may stay with your usual partner or find a new one.”

Without hesitation, Aster turned to Katharina, her usual partner, while Randall and Wren naturally paired up.

“Today might be a good day,” Katharina said. “Those three aren’t here. I’m glad they were suspended after what they did to you.”

“Really? They were?” Aster responded absently, stealing another glance at Randall from the corner of her eye.

Wren, still at odds with Randall after their argument, suddenly spoke. “Let’s switch partners.” He turned to Katharina. “I’ll play a duet on the piano with Miss Aster instead.”

Katharina blinked, slightly surprised, but then shrugged. “Is that okay with you, Aster?”

“Of course.” Aster nodded with a small smile.

Randall frowned at Wren.

Aster noticed it immediately.
Something was off.
The two had been unusually distant lately—cold, even. She hadn’t paid much attention before, but now… she found herself noticing Randall more than she intended.

“What happened between you two?” Aster asked Wren.

Wren looked at her, then gave a short chuckle. “So you noticed? Don’t worry about it. It’s just—”

He paused, glancing toward Randall.
Only to find Randall already looking at him—sharp, unyielding, almost like a warning.
Wren quickly looked away, forcing a light smile.

“It’s nothing.”

Aster hesitated, then nodded.

‘I’ll just let them handle it… they’re close friends—cousins, even. I’m sure they’ll figure it out.’

She glanced at Randall again.
This time, their eyes met.
Aster froze.
Then she quickly turned back to Wren, pretending to listen, though her heart had already started racing, heat creeping up to her ears.

At the front, Lady Shane observed the pairings and spoke again.
“Since Lord Randall Aurelius plays the violin and Lady Denvier the lute—both string instruments—and Lord Wren Aurelius and Miss Winslow both play the piano, it would be more harmonious to adjust your pairings.”

Aster stiffened.

“If you are open to it, Miss Winslow will partner with Lord Randall Aurelius, while Lady Denvier will pair with Lord Wren Aurelius.”

‘What?!’
Aster exclaimed internally, her grip tightening on her skirt.
Randall also flinched slightly, though he showed little reaction.

Wren, however, reacted immediately. He stood up.

“On second thought, perhaps we should keep the original pairs. I’ll partner with Lord Randall instead.”

Katharina frowned in confusion as she walked back toward Aster.
“That Lord Wren is so confusing. What’s his deal?” she muttered. “I thought this was my chance to be paired with Lord Randall.”

Aster let out a small laugh. “Well… let’s just leave them be and plan our piece. I’m just glad I’m back to being partners with you.”

Deep down, she felt a quiet sense of relief.
Randall was a violin prodigy. She was… average at best on the piano.

There was no way they’d stay in sync.
Still—her gaze flickered toward him one last time.

She hadn’t forgotten.
‘But I still need to thank him…Maybe I’ll just do it after class.’

Unfortunately, when the bell rang for lunch break after their Melodic Literature class, Randall stood up almost immediately and left without a word to anyone.
Aster blinked, watching his retreating figure.
‘So fast…’
She hadn’t even had the chance to stand.
By the time she gathered her things, he was already gone.
Her shoulders sank slightly.

Afternoon classes were separated by gender—ladies attended Refined Expressions, while the noblemen trained in Martial and Chivalric Arts.
There would be no chance to see him again until tomorrow.

Aster let out a quiet breath, her fingers lightly tightening around her books.
‘I lost my chance…’

Then she shook her head lightly.
‘It’s fine… I can thank him another time.’
Still—for some reason, it didn’t feel that simple.

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