Chapter 148: Between Laughter and Silence
Dila dragged her steps forward, her silver hair swaying as her grip on Fran’s hand slackened. She let out a long, tired sigh that echoed faintly against the high-arched ceiling.
"At this rate... we will never... absolutely gonna make it... haaaa..." she muttered, her shoulders drooping as though the weight of the academy itself pressed down on her.
She turned her head, ready to groan at another empty corridor, when a cheerful laugh suddenly broke the silence.
"Hahaha... Princess, are you lost?"
There, leaning casually against the wall with a hand resting on his belt, stood the squire boy. His smile carried a teasing warmth, his posture relaxed, as if he had been watching their little struggle for longer than he should have.
Dila froze mid-step. Her expression shifted instantly into a flat deadpan, her blue eyes narrowing at him like twin blades of ice.
"Yeah," she said dryly, her voice dripping with annoyance. "Where were you when I needed you?"
Fran, still clutching her stomach with both hands now, whined pitifully, her cat ears drooping low. "I’m starving..." she groaned, her voice drawn out as if she were about to faint right there on the polished floor.
The squire boy chuckled again, lifting both hands in a sheepish gesture. He clasped them together, bowing his head slightly while closing his eyes, as though begging forgiveness with exaggerated formality.
"Ahh, hahaha... sorry, sorry," he said, his tone both apologetic and amused.
Dila pressed her lips together and let out another sigh, long and heavy, the kind that carried both her irritation and the tiniest relief that someone finally knew the way. She placed her hand on her forehead once more, muttering under her breath, "Unbelievable..."
Fran, however, perked up at the sight of him, her tail swishing again with sudden hope, even if her face still carried the drama of hunger.
The corridor that had felt so empty before now seemed a little brighter, as if the squire boy’s timing—though frustrating had broken their hopeless wandering at last.
At last, after what felt like hours of wandering, the squire boy led them through one final archway. The corridor opened up into a vast canteen lobby, so large it could have been mistaken for a banquet hall inside a royal castle.
The walls were lined with tall pillars carved with intricate spirals, and crystal chandeliers hung above, glowing softly and scattering their light across polished floors that shone like mirrors. The long rows of dining tables were perfectly aligned, their surfaces spotless, with delicate floral engravings along the edges that caught the light when viewed from the right angle.
Fran’s eyes went wide instantly. She clutched Dila’s hand tighter and gasped, her tail flicking with excitement. "Woaaaw... this is amazing!" she exclaimed, her voice echoing slightly in the grand space.
Dila’s gaze swept slowly across the lobby. The elegance was undeniable, every detail screaming of noble refinement. "Yeah..." she murmured, her lips curling faintly. But then her tone dipped into a sigh. "But the nobles are too few now... they’ve already left... the lunch session is over."
Her blue eyes blinked in disbelief as she spotted the rows of untouched food still laid neatly across certain tables. Platters of roasted meat, baskets of bread rolls, steaming bowls of soup... yet the tables themselves remained spotless, as if no one had ever touched them.
"I can’t believe it..." she whispered, her lashes lowering as she leaned slightly forward. "The tables are so clean, so uniform... yet still filled with food..."
The squire boy chuckled from beside them, rubbing the back of his head with a faint grin. "Now, now, Princess," he said warmly. "I’ve done my part. I’ll be going now."
He smiled, closing his eyes as if satisfied, and gave a small wave with his right hand.
"Wait—" Dila began, stepping forward, but he was already turning.
From a short distance away, he waved once more, this time with a hurried step. "Bye!" he called cheerfully, his voice carrying across the canteen before he slipped into the corridor beyond.
Dila stopped in place, her hand lowering as her face flattened into an expressionless stare. She let out a long sigh, her voice low and cold.
"Unbelievable..." she muttered, deadpanning as Fran tugged at her sleeve, still glowing with wonder at the magnificent hall.
Dila had only turned back for a breath when Dila’s hand went suddenly light. Fran was gone.
"Fran? Where are you?" Dila called, voice threadbare with mild panic.
Across the glittering expanse of the canteen, Fran stood like a tiny comet of chaos. She darted from table to table, eyes blazing with starry excitement, fingers already smudged with sauce as she scooped bread into her arms and piled little morsels on a plate with reckless joy.
"Take this, and this, and that one too!" she sang, hopping lightly between benches, each movement a small, gleeful dance. Her tail swished so hard it seemed to wag the air itself. The chandeliers above threw soft pools of light down on her, making her small movements glow.
A low ripple ran through the remaining nobles. Some stifled chuckles, some smirked, but mostly they watched as if watching a bold child at a theatre. A prince by the far pillar leaned toward his companion, voice low and amused. "Is that... Fran Eldoria?" he murmured.
"Don’t make a fuss," the other prince answered, a smirk in his tone. "Let her play. She won’t cause trouble... much." His laugh was light, but it carried the faint seasoning of nobles who’d seen far stranger spectacles.
From where she stood, Dila’s lips flattened. She watched Fran scoop a roll into her mouth and then, as if remembering manners, wave with one floury hand at the nearest noble. Her cheeks burned hot.
"Fran," Dila called, trying for stern but failing when the corners of her mouth twitched. "I think you’re damaging our reputation of etiquette."
Fran froze mid-bite, then gave a bright, innocent smile. "No I didn’t," she said, as if the words alone could rewrite reality. Her hands were full, her face still alight with mischief.
Dila sighed, long and theatrical, and let a small surrender slip out. "Alright... you win, Fran." Her voice was soft, but there was no real defeat in it. Only that tired, fond resignation sisters reserve for each other.
The muffled murmurs drew closer. A hush of recognition passed through the nobles as someone else whispered, "Is that Dila Eldoria... the true princess?"
The tone shifted then. Whispers curled into cautious distance. "Best keep away," someone hissed, half-joking and half-serious. "She’s the sort who might cut off your head if you speak out of turn." The words were more bravado than threat, but their meaning landed like a dropped goblet.
Dila closed her eyes for a heartbeat, irritation sharpening her features. She felt the fake rumor like a pebble hitting the surface of a pond... small, but making ripples. No one near enough saw the quick tightening of her jaw, the brief flash of something colder beneath her calm. She breathed out and stepped forward instead, moving toward Fran with the patient calm of someone used to quietly containing storms.
Fran, oblivious to the courtly calculations around them, skipped back to Dila and thrust a plate into her hands, grinning like she’d rescued treasure. The canteen’s music of clinking silver and low conversation resumed around them, and for a sliver of a moment, Dila’s irritation softened into something quieter... protectiveness, and a weary kind of love.
Dila had just steadied the plate in her hands, eyes flicking toward Fran who was still joyfully raiding tables, when a gentle voice rose just behind her.
"May I help you choose what to eat?"
Her heart skipped. Dila jolted, her shoulders stiff as she turned her head quickly. The sight caught her off guard.... a noble princess? No, not quite. The figure stood taller than she expected. A boy.... no, a prince.
Heat brushed across her cheeks before she could stop it. She tilted her head, blinking once as if trying to be sure this wasn’t a trick of her eyes. "What?" she said softly, her voice almost lost in the vastness of the canteen. "I think... all this?" She glanced awkwardly toward the food, words slipping out before her mind caught them.
The boy stood with quiet composure, his presence filling the air without needing to command it. His frame was tall, lean but with an athletic grace. His features were sharp, cut by nobility, yet there was a warmth in the way he carried himself.
Dark chestnut hair caught the golden sheen of the chandeliers, shifting faintly as he moved. But it was his eyes that pinned her in place—emerald green, calm yet carrying a depth that made her feel seen in a way she rarely allowed.
He smiled lightly, a kind smile without arrogance. "I’m Jade, by the way," he said, voice low and even, with a gentleness that felt so different from the haughty tones of the nobles around them.
For a moment, the chatter and clatter of dishes blurred into the background. Dila’s fingers tightened faintly around her plate, her mind fumbling with what to say next while her heart beat just a fraction faster than it should.
Dila tilted her head slightly, her silver hair brushing against her shoulder as she steadied her plate. Her eyes, still cautious, flicked toward him.
"Which kingdom are you from and your full family name?" she asked, her tone quiet but edged with a hint of coldness.
Jade only chuckled, the sound low and light, his emerald gaze unshaken. "That’s not important right now," he said with a faint grin. "Hahaha... all I need to know is your name. But will... i know already, Dila Eldoria am I right... and what a beautiful name."
Her lips parted, caught between disbelief and irritation. She blinked once, then deadpanned, "How may I trust you if you don’t even reveal which kingdom are you and your full name? Plus... why are you not affected by the rumors?"
He didn’t waver. Instead, his smile deepened, though not mockingly. "Because it’s simply not true... ahh hahaha..." he chuckled gently, his voice carrying warmth rather than scorn. "The way you fell... and forgave that knight... it showed me what kind of lady you are. One who doesn’t claim lives, even when others would expect it."
Her chest tightened faintly at his words, though her expression didn’t change much. Dila shifted the plate in her hands, her blue eyes narrowing. "Yeah... so what?" she said flatly.
But Jade didn’t flinch. He continued smiling, not insulted in the least. His laughter was soft, like someone who found joy in her guarded nature rather than offense.
At that moment, a familiar voice rang brightly across the canteen. "Sister!"
Fran skipped toward them, her plate stacked almost dangerously high with food. Her eyes sparkled as though every dish she’d collected was a rare treasure. "Hello, brother!" she chirped without hesitation, looking up at Jade.
Jade blinked, amused, and lowered his head slightly in respect. "My name is Jade, anyway. Nice to meet you too, cat girl. Or should i say Fran Eldoria." He smiled warmly, his presence calm yet kind.
Fran tilted her head, her ears twitching, then beamed. "What a nice boy. Is he your boyfriend, sister?"
Dila froze, her cheeks instantly flushing crimson. She almost dropped her plate as she spun toward Fran, her silver-white hair bouncing with the sudden movement.
"Whaaaat?!" she gasped, her voice high and flustered. "I don’t even have a boyfriend! Besides... I don’t want one..." Her gaze darted away, landing somewhere on the shining chandeliers above as if the ceiling was safer than Jade’s emerald eyes. Her lips tightened as her blush deepened. "Because... it complicates things that you don’t know or understand..."
Fran blinked innocently, tilting her head while nibbling on a piece of bread, her tail swishing playfully. Meanwhile, Jade only chuckled again, not mocking, just... softly amused, as though her embarrassed reaction was more endearing than anything else.
The canteen around them still glowed with elegance, chandeliers scattering soft light across polished floors. The few remaining nobles glanced discreetly, their murmurs quieter now, curious of the sight of Dila Eldoria blushing before a boy who seemed untouched by fear of her name.
Dila was still trying to calm the heat rushing to her face when suddenly two voices overlapped beside her.
"Umm... do you even want food?"
Both Jade and Fran had said it at the exact same time. They blinked at each other in surprise, then broke into laughter almost instantly. Fran giggled with her usual playful sparkle, her little fangs showing as her cat tail swayed behind her. Jade chuckled warmly, the sound rich but gentle, like he wasn’t laughing at her but simply enjoying the moment.
The harmony of their laughter filled the elegant canteen, echoing lightly beneath the chandeliers. Dila stood between them, her plate still in her hands, blinking rapidly as if caught off guard. Her lips curled into a smile, but it was forced.... awkward.
"Ahh... hahaha... hahaha..." Her laugh wavered, a little too high, a little too strained. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, trying to play along but clearly uncomfortable with being the center of attention.
Her eyes darted between Fran’s carefree grin and Jade’s amused emerald gaze, and the feeling of being cornered by their joy made her stomach twist. Still, she tried her best to hold the smile, even if inside she wanted nothing more than to sink into the polished floor beneath her.
Fran’s giggles softened as she leaned against Dila’s arm, still shaking from laughter, while Jade’s kind smile lingered, his eyes studying Dila’s expression with quiet patience, as though he saw through the forced laugh but chose not to call her out.
The nobles in the background whispered faintly, curious but keeping their distance, the sound of clinking silverware filling the pause. Dila tightened her grip on the plate, her heart still unsettled, caught between the warmth of their laughter and the discomfort of her own mask.
Dila stood still for a moment, her silver lashes lowered as her thoughts drifted far away. The plate in her hands slowly rose, pressed against her chest as though she were guarding it.... or perhaps steadying herself. Her fingers clutched at its edges, knuckles faintly pale.
Fran tilted her head, her cat ears twitching as she tugged gently at Dila’s sleeve. "Sister, sister... are you okay? You spaced out for a minute there..." Her voice was soft but laced with concern, her blue eyes glimmering with worry as she peered up at her.
Jade, still standing in front at Dila, leaned forward slightly, his emerald eyes watching her carefully. His tone was calm, respectful, yet gently probing. "Is there something troubling you?"
The question lingered in the air, weightier than the casual chatter of the nobles around them.
Dila blinked once, then shook her head quickly as if shaking free the fog. "No," she said, her voice carrying a brightness that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Her lips pulled into a small smile, soft but a little too neat, as though it had been carefully placed there to hide something beneath.
Her blue eyes shimmered faintly, reflecting the chandelier light above, but behind that brightness lay the quiet shadow of her uncertainty. She masked it with ease, but both Fran and Jade still seemed to sense the faint ripple beneath her calm surface.
Still, Dila’s smile held steady. She tilted her head, as if to reassure them, her silver hair brushing lightly against her cheek. "See? I’m Perfectly fine nothing to worry about," she added gently, though in her chest her heartbeat betrayed the calm mask she wore.