Blooming Buds

Alice Eagold had been at the centre of her generation.

Following her highly successful debut ball, her various talents became widely known.

At age 14, she entered and won a sword-fighting competition in the capital, handedly defeating Rikard Pennington who was known as the Young Rising Star without taking a single blow. At the ball to mark the end of the competition, the queen herself came down to praise Alice’s efforts and skill.

6 months after that, she was spectating a hunting contest when the barrier to ward off monsters broke, and she killed 8 A-rank beasts using just her magic.

She hosted many tea parties and attended them all, with rumours spreading that she had a fan club made up of young daughters of prominent noble families, though she also turned down every engagement offer that was presented to her.

When the potential candidates appealed to Duke Eagold, he said that his daughter had the final say and that was that.

Time and time again, the duke’s daughter found herself in the spotlight, more often by choice, and all for one goal - to attract her old tutor’s attention.

After abandoning her without a word after her social debut, Alice had received a single letter from Rose every 3 months like clockwork. They were filled with tales of Rose’s adventurers and praises for Alice herself, but Alice wanted to be reunited with Rose face-to-face.

Even after all of this, she still hasn’t visited me, Alice lamented, letting out a tiny sigh as she walked along the vast halls of the Academy towards her classroom.

Given the large number of new students each year, they were assigned to classes of 10-20 students depending on their abilities and latent talent or potential. Classes were numbered 1 to 7, with Alice being placed in Class 1 where the strongest and most intelligent freshmen were sorted.

It was, much to Alice’s displeasure, that one of the princes, the Saint and other very important, high-ranking individuals were too, meaning that her every word, gesture and even the tone of her voice and inflections would be scrutinised.

“Don’t worry,” Duke Eagold told her. “If anything happens, I’ll handle it for you, no matter the consequences!”

That wasn’t as encouraging of a statement as you might have thought, father, Alice giggled.

Finally, she arrived in front of the classroom doors and took a deep breath.

“Remember what she taught you and you’ll be fine.”

Be as graceful as a lady, as refined and polished as a sword, and as observant as an eagle soaring high above the world.

See what they show you and what they try to keep from you.

Alice opened the door and found herself to be the last one to arrive.

With a gentle smile and polite curtsey, she introduced herself.

At first, Alice wondered if anyone would care about her after seeing their other classmates.

However.

“A pleasure to meet you. I’m Charlotte de Vas, this generation’s Saint.” She gave Alice a beautiful, soft smile. “Would you like to sit next to me?”

“Y-yes, if you’re okay with me.”

Charlotte giggled. “What are you talking about? I’d be happy to have you.”

As Alice followed Charlotte to their seats, Alice found herself captivated by the Saint’s every move.

She’s so pretty and elegant. I wonder if that’s just her natural aura or charm or is that a sign of how hard she’s worked from a young age.

“Ah, Lady Charlotte,” a handsome black-haired man greeted her as they drew close. “Oh?” His smile changed just a little, a detail that Alice didn’t miss. “Nice to meet you, High Scorer. I’m Vladik Windsor, the 3rd prince of our kingdom. Nice to meet you.”

He doesn’t like me…no, he’s assessing whether I have any value.

Alice gave him a polite smile. “Thank you for the warm greeting, your highness. I still have a lot to learn, so I hope to grow with the friends I make.”

Prince Vladik grinned. “How humble.”

“Vlad.” Charlotte put her hands on her hips. “Don’t bully her; Alice is my first friend I’ve made here, so don’t be mean.” She gave Alice an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry about him.”

“It’s okay, Lady Charlotte.”

“Charlotte’s fine.”

“...Then, Charlotte.”

“Yes, Alice!”

What a nice girl, though. Alice saw 3 gentlemen sat near the Saint, all of whom were physically attractive, and saw how they viewed the Saint. She’s very popular. I wonder if she knows how they look at her. Remember what Madam Rose taught you; observe everything and miss nothing.

***

“It’s finally time.”

Emilia couldn’t hold back her glee.

To check that it wasn’t a dream, she reread the classroom roster and grinned uncontrollably.

She tried to force it back down, but a small smile remained on her lips.

It’s just as Lucien said.

“One day, the Saint will enter the Imperial Royal Academy. On that day, Samantha will return. If you’re sceptical, become a teacher there and get assigned as Class 1’s homeroom teacher when the Saint starts attending school. You’ll know the time is right when Alice Eagold becomes the highest scorer among the freshmen.

“Ah, if you’re worried about that ‘Young Rising Star’, don’t be. He won’t be able to compete with the Eagold princess.”

Lucien had spoken with absolute confidence, so Emilia wanted to believe his every word.

She heard the story of how Alice Eagold defeated Rikard Pennington without taking a single hit, so she had no reason left to doubt him.

So, she got her teaching qualifications, applied to work at the Imperial Royal Academy and stopped stalking Samantha’s trail unless it was very close to the school.

She worked hard, made herself known and respected among the school’s faculty, and the principal himself was more than happy to approve her request to serve as Class 1’s homeroom teacher.

Many wanted the honour, but the principal had spoken, and the matter was settled.

I sincerely hope I never have to use those hypnotic powers ever again.

She took deep breaths to calm her excitement and entered the classroom; they all went silent and focused on her.

Some, she noted, were staring quite strongly at her with inquisitive gazes.

The Saint and her harem, the lone wolves, a gathering of boys and girls centred around that Reiss kid…it really is exactly as that man said.

Emilia no longer tried to restrain her smile. “Good morning, freshmen. I’m your homeroom teacher, Emilia.”

This time, I’ll definitely kill you, Samantha!

***

Peter and Arc were the only 2 who sat alone in Class 1.

Like I thought, the Saint and Reiss are reincarnations and there might be more too. Arc frowned at Alice and then at Peter and Emilia. None of them were in this class. Neither was I, but I haven’t changed the main story. One, if not all, of them has.

He noticed a quick, sharp glance from Emilia when she entered, and Arc wondered if she knew he’d been staring at her.

The teacher was really happy to see us, but I’m curious how our protagonist over there will react to all these changes.

***

She’s beautiful! N-no, Aoi, don’t lose focus. Don’t be swayed!

***

Everyone’s so strong, Peter thought, observing the rest of his class from behind. But they’re still much weaker than my Master. Then again. He stared intently at their teacher as she began explaining what their school life in the dorms would be like and the term structures. She’s strong, but she’s hiding it…no, it’s not just that. What’s this feeling? Peter smirked. Interesting.

***

Ah…class is so boring! No wonder the game skipped it! Charlotte complained in her head, though she forced herself to smile and study hard, especially because Alice was doing so right beside her. I want to talk more with Alice, become good friends and then flirt with my guys.

Why don’t transmigration stories warn you of all the boring bits to a second life~!

***

“I’m tired,” Alice groaned as she walked home under the low hanging evening sun.

While she was grateful to have made a friend in Charlotte, she had barely had a moment’s rest. The first day of lessons, tours and welcome ceremonies and parties had been stressful, and a little overwhelming.

Even with all of her experience as the princess of a duchy, it was too much.

Is this what royalty have to deal with all the time?

The dorms were divided between their classes, so Alice was with all the other Class 1 students from the freshmen year. Charlotte offered to walk home with her, but Alice had been asked by Miss Emilia to help her with some things after class.

She was very friendly, but very talkative. Alice smiled. Everyone seems nice, but I wonder if the boys near Charlotte don’t like that she was talking to me so much.

It wasn’t just them either.

She’d noticed the strange looks Reiss, Arc and Emilia had given her but didn’t think too much of it.

She was used to being the centre of attention, though there was only really one person whose attention she wanted.

With weary footsteps, Alice carried herself to her bedroom. She hadn’t had a chance to see it yet, but her family maid, Rena, who’d accompanied her said it was amazing. Slightly excited, Alice turned the key in the lock and saw something she couldn’t believe.

“Welcome home, little lady.”

Stood by her bed in a smart butler’s uniform and wearing fake glasses was someone Alice hadn’t seen in years.

Alice dropped her bag and half staggered into the room.

“Would you like a bath? Dinner? Or maybe-?”

Alice ran over to Rose and hugged her tightly, the force of her charge tackling Rose onto the bed.

“Well done, Lady Alice.” Rose patted the young girl’s back. “Don’t cry; you’ll ruin your pretty face.”

“Shut up…idiot.” Alice rubbed her face into Rose’s chest. “Where have you been?”

“A lot of places, a lot.”

“Why didn’t you visit?”

“I didn’t have the time.”

“Liar.”

“It’s the truth, little bird. But to make it up to you, I spoke with your maid, Rena, and I shall serve as your exclusive butler for this evening until midnight.”

“...You’ll do anything I say?”

“Anything.”

“If I order you to never leave?”

“Apart from that.” Rose giggled. “But anything else is okay.”

“Then…” With hot cheeks, Alice meekly looked up and asked, “Can we get in the bath together?”

“Of course, Lady Alice.”

As upset as she was, as angry and relieved, and as happy as she’d been, Alice didn’t care about any of that anymore.

All that mattered, in that moment, was that the person Alice loved most in the world was back; that was what was most important.

Even if she’ll never feel the same.

***

“How nice~ I want to have a bath with Onee-sama too! Oh well.” Samantha turned her attention away from her familiar observing Rose and Alice and back to the ghost white corpse she had beside her.

Humming a happy tune, Samantha strung the body against the bell tower in the centre of the capital, about 20 minutes’ walk from the Imperial Royal Military Academy.

“A reward for your patience, my kin.”

***

Arc couldn’t sleep.

His first day at the Academy had been much more unpredictable and unnerving than he’d expected.

The protagonist, Reiss, was different, most likely a fellow reincarnator. The star student was someone he did not know; their homeroom teacher was Miss Emilia, yet another unknown name. Worse, the antagonists, the Silent Sect, hadn’t done any of the things they were meant to have by now.

This is all going off the rails far more than I feared. He sighed and rubbed his weary brow. The Butterfly Effect could have started right from the moment when I was reborn, but I haven't done anything to directly, or even indirectly, change things.

“Unless it was something major I thought was minor.” Arc was unsure, but no matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn’t make sense of it. “I guess the first priority is determining who reincarnated and who didn’t.”

Arc had intended to sit back and watch just in case something to the original scenario, but there were too many unknowns. “Let’s start with Reiss.”

***

“Like I thought…the guys got jealous.” Charlotte smirked a little but then moaned when she realised it’d be difficult to keep her budding harem happy and get a best friend.

If there was one thing that Charlotte regretted in her second life, it was that she didn’t have any female friends her age.

She had her mother and Yena, but they had raised her, so it was difficult for her to talk to them about everything she wanted to.

It’s everything I’d ever wanted and envisioned back in high school, but. A clouded expression came over her face.

“It’s lonely.”

All the most popular bachelors her age fawned and doted on her, making Saint Charlotte very isolated in high society. She remembered the cruel comments she’d heard, the spiteful invitations and the ruthless campaigns to bring down her standing.

Charlotte had endured it all for the sake of her dream, but it was draining.

Had Yena not always been there on Charlotte’s darkest days, Charlotte would’ve collapsed long ago.

“Alice was really sweet and cute.” Charlotte smiled slightly. “I hope she’ll be my friend.”

***

Emilia finished drinking from the blood pack and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Another month down,” she muttered, destroying the empty pack with a pink flame she conjured.

It alleviates the pain, but it’s still not enough.

Emilia looked at her now wine-red eyes in the mirror.

“Still can’t get used to it.”

11 years ago, she’d been attacked on the way home from school.

It’d been a normal day.

She’d gone to class, spent lunchtime with her friends, went shopping with her best friend after school until nighttime, and then.

“Good evening.”

Emilia shivered at the voice that still echoed in her ear.

Fangs sank into her neck, penetrating her skin and sucking up her blood.

It was such a paralysing, intoxicating effect that made her dizzy, made her want to vomit, made her want more.

She thought she’d pass out, until she felt her body burning up and changing.

Samantha - her ‘master’ that turned her into a vampire - had taunted her for more than a decade.

I had to drop out of school and run away from home. I still write them all letters, but no one would believe that I hadn’t physically changed since I was 17.

Emilia opened the locket around her neck, gazing longingly at the picture of her last family portrait taken when she was 16.

“I used to update this every year.” Emilia winced. “I’ll find a way to fix this and come back one day. I swear.”

***

Grace Wilbert had always been one of the centres of high society.

Not one of the flowers like Saint Charlotte or Alice Eagold, but she was someone everyone wanted to get close to and forge connections with.

Everyone except her father.

One day, he had been the doting, overbearing father she loved and admired.

The next, he was distant, spoke coldly and didn’t want anything to do with her more than necessary.

Years had passed since he changed.

He stopped spending time with her outside of meals and morning greetings. Her mother didn’t know what had happened either, but the loving family man who’d always cleared his schedule to play with her was now often away on business, meeting with wealthy merchants and minor nobles.

With every day that passed, Grace’s heart grew colder to the world. Her mother was the only one she had any positive feelings towards; she didn’t care about anyone else.

When Grace had seen Alice Eagold on that stage, with her head held high and proud, Grace remembered Alice’s social debut and how loving her home had been.

Alice, it seemed, had everything,

I’m jealous.

No, that’s not it…I just always wanted to know why it wasn’t me.

“Daddy…” she faintly whispered as she fell asleep.

***

“The last of the weapon shipments arrived.”

“Good.” Duke Wilbert’s dejected expression was hidden beneath his full-face mask. “Our partner will be happy with this. You’ve done well, Count Peckham.”

“Thank you, Leader! To think I’d be part of such a grand-!”

“Leader. The gifts have arrived.”

Together, the 3 men walked out into the gigantic warehouse where shipping containers were being delivered on flatbed trucks. Then, cranes were lifting them off and stacking them high up on top of one another.

“Open one.”

The duke’s men did so to reveal 50 state-of-the-art cybernetic combat mechs.

“Here.” A man handed the duke an electronic tablet. “The full instructions on how to operate the units as individuals, as groups or the whole legion as one. If you do well with this batch, my boss will send you more.”

“...Thank you, Mr Stephan.”

The small man pushed his glasses up his nose. “Of course, anything for our dear partner.”

I need to get this over with as soon as possible and break away from these monsters.

***

Stephan had nearly planted a virus on the tablet to make it not work properly.

But he’d refrained from doing so at the last moment.

He couldn’t do it.

He couldn’t risk it.

…You did so much horrible shit to end up in Tartarus, and now you get soft. Why?

“What’s wrong with me?”

***

Queen Elisebeth had the same dream again.

Of the time she’d nearly been assassinated during an ambush.

Of the twenty days she spent alone in the forest, struggling to survive.

Of the item that allowed her to fight back the terrifying monsters that tried to kill her.

Of the fear she felt holding that item.

And her resolve to destroy it.

“Tartarus.”

She woke in the early hours of the morning, covered in sweat, shaking as she remembered the masked woman, the one who scared her more than anything else in the world.

Sighing, Elisebeth climbed out of bed, put on her dressing gown and went onto the balcony to star gaze.

They were all out, shining brightly, and they ease Elisebeth’s worries.

“It’s fine,” she whispered, hugging her arms gently. “It’s just been destroyed. There’s no way it could have survived…It’s fine, it’s fine.”

She kept repeating those two words like a mantra.

***

Rose had snuck away from Alice’s dorm room right before the sun rose.

She had to leave the young lady sleeping peacefully in the bed alone and returned to the Black Griffin for one purpose.

She poured mana into Pandora’s Box and then resealed it after an hour.

It was glowing and pulsing, vibrating as if to try and speak or move, which made Rose smile.

“It’s ready. Everything’s ready. The reincarnations, the irregulars, the ones who know too much and the ones who know too little. Everything’s as it should be.

“Come, my dear flowers - bloom and wilt, and fight to stay alive.”