The Eclipsed Order

Chapter 190: Chapter 191: The Princess and the Adventurer

After returning to the academy, I went to speak with the dean.

There was a small matter I needed to settle regarding my attendance.

After a rather lengthy conversation—and a rather generous contribution to the academy’s development—the dean agreed to give me special permission to attend classes whenever I wanted.

Naturally, there were conditions.

The arrangement would remain strictly between the two of us.

No announcements.

No records that would attract unnecessary attention.

And, most importantly, nobody else needed to know that I had essentially bought myself the freedom to skip class whenever I felt like it.

The dean had been surprisingly cooperative.

Then again, after seeing the amount of money I was willing to contribute, I suppose anyone would be.

As far as the rest of the academy was concerned, I was simply a student with a rather flexible schedule.

I didn’t intend to abuse it.

’Well...’

’Not too much.’

Still, having the freedom to decide when I attended classes was considerably more convenient than having to follow a fixed schedule every day.

Unfortunately, there was one thing I couldn’t escape even with that arrangement.

Rhal.

The moment I returned to the classroom, he was already waiting for me.

And, as expected, he had rumors.

A lot of them.

Apparently, several things had happened around the academy while I was away, and Rhal had somehow managed to collect information about all of them.

One rumor involved a professor who had apparently been caught secretly meeting an old noblewoman.

Another concerned a group of students who had been caught sneaking into one of the restricted training areas and got a months of suspension.

There was also a particularly ridiculous rumor about a professor supposedly sleeping inside the library because he had become so obsessed with his research that he had forgotten to go home.

I wasn’t sure whether that last one was true.

With Rhal, there was always a fifty-percent chance that the story had been exaggerated beyond recognition.

Still, I listened.

We spent most of the remaining time talking about whatever rumors Rhal happened to remember.

Eventually, the conversation shifted toward something considerably more important.

The academy festival.

I leaned back in my chair.

"The festival starts tomorrow, right?"

Rhal immediately nodded.

"Yeah."

Rhal leaned back.

"Then you’re in for a surprise."

"Why?"

"Because the academy goes completely overboard with it."

I raised an eyebrow.

"What exactly happens?"

Rhal opened his mouth.

Then stopped.

"You seriously don’t know?"

"I just told you that I’ve never been here for one."

He sighed.

"Fine. I’ll explain."

I waited.

"The academy festival is held once every two years. It’s basically a special occasion where the entire academy stops following its normal routine for several days."

"So there are no regular classes?"

"Not during the main festival."

Rhal smiled.

"Instead, the academy is divided into four large groups."

"Four?"

"Yeah."

He held up four fingers.

"Each group contains students from all four years."

I nodded.

"So first, second, third, and fourth years are mixed together."

"Exactly."

Rhal continued.

"Each group has students from every year, and they’re responsible for preparing their own performances."

"What kind of performances?"

"All kinds."

His expression became more enthusiastic.

"Singing, traditional dances, theatrical performances, music, demonstrations, and whatever else they can come up with."

"So it’s basically a competition?"

"Not really."

Rhal shook his head.

"That’s the important part."

He leaned closer.

"There isn’t a tournament."

"No fighting?"

"None."

I blinked.

"At all?"

"Not as part of the festival."

Rhal laughed.

"The academy already has enough students trying to prove who’s stronger every day. The festival is supposed to be something different."

I thought about that.

"So it’s more like a show."

"Yup."

Rhal pointed toward me.

"Think of it as the academy putting on a giant performance."

"Interesting."

"The four groups spend weeks preparing their acts, and during the festival, they perform in front of the entire academy."

He paused.

"And because each group has students from first year all the way to fourth year, the performances are supposed to show cooperation between the different generations of students."

I nodded slowly.

"So every group has its own first-years, second-years, third-years, and fourth-years."

"Yes."

"And they all perform together."

"That’s the idea."

Rhal smiled.

"Some groups focus on singing. Others prepare traditional dances. Some perform plays or musical pieces. Sometimes they combine several things into one large performance."

"Sounds like a lot of work."

"It is."

He laughed.

"But that’s part of the fun."

I looked around the classroom.

Several students were already discussing the festival among themselves.

Some were talking about costumes.

Others were arguing about which group had the best performance.

A few were quietly practicing pieces of music.

The atmosphere was noticeably different from an ordinary school day.

There was excitement everywhere.

"So the festival starts tomorrow."

"Yes."

"How long does it last?"

"Several days."

Rhal leaned back.

"The first day is usually the opening ceremony and the first major performances. After that, the groups take turns throughout the festival."

I nodded.

I looked toward the windows.

Tomorrow would be my first academy festival.

I had attended plenty of formal events in my current life, but this was different.

And for once, nobody was expected to fight.

I couldn’t help finding the idea somewhat interesting.

"Then I suppose I’ll actually attend tomorrow."

Rhal immediately looked at me.

"Wait."

"Hm?"

"You mean you’re actually going to come?"

"Of course."

He stared at me.

"You usually disappear whenever you get bored."

"That’s because classes are boring."

"This is different."

I looked toward the clock.

The school day was nearly over.

Around us, the other students were still discussing tomorrow’s festival, their excitement becoming more obvious as the final hours before the event approached.

------

The next morning, the academy looked completely different.

The usual atmosphere of lectures, training, and students rushing between classrooms had disappeared.

Instead, the entire academy had been decorated for the festival.

Colorful banners hung from the walls, temporary stages had been constructed throughout the main courtyard, and students from every year were moving between the different preparation areas while instructors attempted to keep everyone organized.

The four groups had already been finalized.

Each group contained students from the first year through the fourth year, and every student had been assigned a role.

Some were responsible for singing.

Others were preparing traditional dances.

There were musicians, performers, stage assistants, costume designers, and students responsible for preparing the various props required for each performance.

And, of course, there were the drama groups.

I had initially hoped to avoid getting involved.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option.

"Group Four."

I looked at the list in front of me.

My name was there.

Right near the middle.

I sighed.

’So much for simply watching.’

The instructor standing beside the list continued explaining the arrangements.

"Group Four will be performing several acts throughout the festival, including a traditional dance, a musical performance, and a short theatrical production."

I glanced around.

There were students from all four years standing together.

First-years looked excited.

Second-years were discussing their assigned roles.

Third-years were already taking charge of several preparations.

And the fourth-years seemed to be doing most of the actual organizing.

Then I noticed someone familiar.

Princess Lyra was standing among them.

She was dressed in a simple academy uniform rather than anything resembling her usual royal attire, but there was still something unmistakably elegant about her.

She noticed me looking.

Her expression brightened.

"Ares."

"Princess."

She smiled.

"You’re in Group Four too."

"Yes."

I glanced at the list again.

"Looks like we’re stuck together."

Lyra laughed softly.

"I don’t think that’s such a bad thing."

Before I could answer, one of the fourth-year students suddenly approached us.

"There you two are."

I looked at him.

"What?"

He held several sheets of paper in his hands.

"We’ve finally decided the cast for the theatrical performance."

I immediately became suspicious.

"Why are you telling me?"

"Because you’re in it."

"...What?"

He handed me one of the papers.

I looked down.

The title was written at the top.

The Knight Beneath the Moon.

I read the summary.

It was a romantic drama about a young adventurer from a poor family who fell in love with a princess.

The princess’s parents opposed their relationship because the adventurer possessed neither wealth nor status.

Eventually, the princess was forced to accept an arranged marriage with another noble.

The two separated.

Years later, they met again.

The adventurer had become stronger, but the princess had changed as well.

Then, during an attack on the kingdom, the princess’s life was placed in danger.

The adventurer returned to protect her.

And in the final act, he sacrificed himself to save her.

I stared at the paper.

Then I looked at the student.

"You’re joking."

"I’m not."

"Why am I the adventurer?"

The student pointed toward me.

"Because we have no other options and the other have been assigned to different positions already."

"That’s your reasoning?"

"It’s a romance drama."

He shrugged.

"We needed someone who looked convincing as the male lead."

I stared at him.

Then I looked toward Lyra.

She was reading the same script.

Her eyes gradually widened.

"Wait..."

She looked at me.

"Does that mean..."

The fourth-year student smiled.

"Exactly."

He pointed between us.

"Ares will play the adventurer."

Then he pointed toward Lyra.

"And Princess Lyra will play the princess."

Silence.

Lyra looked at me.

I looked at her.

Then she slowly smiled.

"I suppose that’s rather funny."

I sighed.

’Of all the roles they could have given me...’

The student continued explaining.

"The other characters have already been assigned. The parents will be played by two fourth-years, the rival noble will be played by a third-year, and the supporting adventurers will be played by several first- and second-year students."

He handed us the remaining pages.

"Your scenes are mostly dialogue and emotional acting. There isn’t much fighting."

"That’s good."

I looked at the script.

"I don’t particularly feel like fighting during a festival."

"Right."

He smiled.

"And don’t worry about the romantic scenes."

I raised an eyebrow.

"What romantic scenes?"

"There are a few."

Lyra’s face immediately became slightly red.

The student continued as though he hadn’t noticed.

"But they’re not serious. Just enough to make the story believable."

Lyra looked down at the script.

"I understand."

I nodded.

"Fine."

The student smiled.

"Great. Your first rehearsal starts in an hour."

He walked away.

I looked at the script again.

’This is going to be troublesome.’

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