Best friends

Lazurii Fenrioette was leaning against a windowsill and glaring down at the garden in the back of the boy's dormitory.

"Laz, you already knew that your sister would not visit home! Think about it. If she wanted to stay to get the results of her exams, she would have to spend a whole week on the ship to come back, and then aboard a ship the same day just to not miss the beginning of the second semester!"

A green-haired young man leaned next to him and pointed out.

Despite being in the second year, the green-haired student was the same age as Lazurii and was talking to the blue-haired young man without any honorifics.

Actually, he was even using an overly familiar nickname!

"Come on, Ace. Do you think I don't know that?"

Lazuri grumbled, lowering his head while chewing on his lip to keep himself as calm as possible.

"It's just that she's not writing to me or anything!"

"Doesn't your father get regular reports and updates?"

The blue-haired young man grumbled with a scoff, to which his green-haired friend pointed out.

"Yeah. Him, not me! And those are written by Melinda's personal maid!"

Lazurii straightened his back and declared in a hurt voice.

"I'm her older brother! She used to always drag me out to the city to buy her presents and eat cakes in fancy restaurants! When she wanted something ridiculously expensive, she would always come to ask me to help her convince our father to buy it for her! She was our spoiled little princess! I wouldn't mind if it changed because she found herself a man who was catering to all of her wishes better than we did, but for all to change because of the lack of attention from that brat!? I don't dare to speak my thoughts about it out loud!"

He spat through his teeth, glaring to the side as if expecting to see the culprit of the change in his sister's behavior walking down the hallway.

"Please! Would you not mind if she changed because of some other reason? You would be just as upset as you are now- if not more."

"...that's a fair point…"

Lazurii's friend chuckled while pointing out, and the blue-haired young man could not refute his words.

"But it doesn't help anything!"

Lazurii added, clenching his fists with his muscles bulging so much they were about to tear through his school uniform.

"Huh, and here I thought that trashing the crown prince and the Graniteis' boy would make you feel better."

"Not in the slightest…"

Ace snickered teasingly, but Lazurii scoffed while shaking his head, glancing out of the window at the group of female students passing by.

"You know what will help, though? A nice warm drink in even hotter company! Come on, let's grab our coats and go to town - it's this King's treat~!"

The green-haired young man rolled his eyes before reaching out and patting Lazurii's shoulder while laughing jovially.

"You know what? A tankard of hot mead with nutmeg just might be what I need right now. But you've treated me two times in a row already. It's high time for me to return the favor."

"Ha! Return the favor! Sir, future duke, do you think that the crowned King of Silveria, Ace Adonis, would even consider something trivial like that to be a favor? I want to treat a friend, so I do just that!"

Lazurii breathed out and relaxed before nodding his head and smiling at his friend who puffed up his chest and announced pompously with no shame at all.

"Na-uh. It goes both ways, Your Highness. I want to treat my friend this time since going for a drink is our thing."

The blue-haired young man smiled while shaking his head and said back with no hesitation.

"If that's what you want to do, then so be it. Let it be known that this King cherishes the opinions and wishes of his friends!"

Ace blushed a little bit as he leaned back and declared while holding his head high without looking directly at Lazurii.

The two of them went to their rooms and then towards the dormitory's door while putting on their coats as the weather was rather chilly - although not particularly cold for that time of the year.

"How's the situation within your country?"

As they were walking to the Brylant Academy's gate, Lazurii asked while his breath turned into steam.

"Not bad. The people understand that we're a vassal state, so most of the backlash from taxes goes to Diamondium anyway, and mainly focus on badmouthing the Consul. It's a good thing my family got put in charge. Adonis family knows a thing or two about gaining stability and wealth, so our citizen's situation is bound to get better!"

Ace scoffed, shaking his head before tapping his puffed-out chest with one hand.

"Wait… why are you asking…? Hey, if you want me to try and compete for your sister's hand against the Diamondium's crown prince - I'm sorry, but that's impossible. Vassal state, remember? It was hard and costly enough to get us the privilege of naming the ruler a King."

But just as quickly as he turned proud, he furrowed his brows and spoke up defensively.

"Where did that idea even come from?! As if I'd try to hook my sister up with a helpless womanizer like you! Why would I want her to have another heartbreak? How many young ladies have shed tears because your advances weren't anything serious just this semester, mister royal playboy?"

"What can I say? This King simply hasn't met the woman worthy of becoming his queen yet~"

Lazurii started laughing while grinning at his green-haired friend, and Ace chuckled back.

"I haven't even seen your sister with my own two eyes! Who knows? Maybe she will be the one to be burnt into my memory, so I will be unable to forget about her? Maybe even more than the last girl… Patricia…!"

"Dream on! And I'm pretty sure the last girl you wooed was named Penelope."

The green-haired young man hummed and winked, making his blue-haired friend snort and correct him.

"My point exactly!"

"Pfffft!"

The two of them joked and laughed all the way until they reached the tavern, where they continued to laugh and drink but changed the subject to something more appropriate or at least something neither of them minded being eavesdropped on.