Bonus Story — Cesia : Hibiscus Match
Story : Cesia : Hibiscus Match Mizumori Fumaira
Characters : Magical Diary Hanako Games & Spiky Caterpillar
Part 1
"I found one, Lady Cesia!" chirped a freshman with a wolf belt. I took the card on his hand, mumbling a spell, and found that the card was nothing but a leaf.
"I don't know when you've learnt that spell, but there's no way to fool me," I said with a wink, grinning at him while punched his head lightly. The freshman just laughed and ran, trying to gather with his team.
It had been three years since I was here. Unlike last year, as a student council I also took a part on initiation. It was really fun to see the new students. Although I had become junior treasurer (yeah, it had been three years since I came to Iris Academy), I still didn't want to change my position as treasurer. But, as the junior years treasurer, I had more responsibility and, of course, the never-ending tasks.
The freshmen had a game to collect student council' member cards. They were divided into some teams—we mixed them so in one team there were no two freshmen from the same hall— and the team who had gathered the largest amount of the card would be the winner. The cards were everywhere, every place in Iris Academy. I hoped this game could make them knew each other, and, of course, made them felt that Iris Academy was their second home.
"I've had enough to see those children keep running here and there. It makes my head hurts."
I turned my face to the one who gave the sarcastic comment. But I just sent a cheeky grin at him.
"They have so much fun, unlike the usual initiation that made the freshmen felt pressured."
"At least the usual initiation did not make my head hurts."
"Then, what about the love letters? Hadn't you had enough of them?" I replied with a smirk.
He just grimaced.
"Just try not to making any unnecessary problem, Miss Treasurer," he said, leaving me with irritated face.
"Alright, alright…"
"Lady Cesia! I found one!"
"Alright, I'm coming," I ran through the corridor to the freshmen who called me. Right in the front gate, I nearly bumped on someone, but I successfully stop myself right before it happened. I quickly bowed.
"I really am…"
"My… have you ever been taught about manner?"
A soft, yet sharp voice of a woman triggered me to stand up properly. They were a lady on her late forty and a man that looked older than the lady.
CRASH!
The woman, the man, and I looked at the direction where the voice came from. The freshmen looked as they were going to be killed.
"What happened?" Minnie come out of nowhere to the freshmen. And I could see that…
"Oh, my! My arranged flowers!" the lady shouted, making the freshmen more frightened than before.
A large vase with beautiful arranged flower broke. The freshmen who still gathered there became pale. I quickly whispered to Minnie with farspeak.
'Minnie, go with the freshmen to backyard garden. The other cards are there!'
'But what about...'
I cut her whimper, 'Just go, I'll take care of this.'
Minnie quickly did what I had told her to. Then I faced the guests, bowing at them apologetically.
"I'm sorry, sir, ma'am. As the one who have the responsibility for this initiation, I apologize, I really am..." I apologized sincerely, still bowing at them. "I hope I could do something as apologize."
"Hmph... I should tell Petunia to add ethics and manners as one of the subjects," the lady grimaced. She then glanced at me.
"So, you're the one who are in charge in initiation?" actually no, but I nodded anyway.
"Yes, ma'am..."
The silence occupied us. I didn't know what to do, so I just stood there, waiting if they needed something.
"Are you going to stand there all day without, at least, let us sit somewhere?" the man asked sharply, in rich, deep British tone. Oh, damn, I forgot about that.
"A... Ah, my apologize. Let me show you the waiting room," I smiled apologetically, then walking after gave them a gesture to follow me.
"Hmph... as I had expected from a wildseed," the lady said with a mocking chuckle. The man just replied with a small chuckle. I clenched my fist. Well, it wasn't my wish to be born as a wildseed.
When we arrived in waiting room, they took a seat on the couch there. With a smile, I kindly asked, "Would you like some tea, sir, ma'am?"
They just slightly nodded. Then, I went to the kitchenette to brew some tea for the guest. After the tea was ready, I quickly placed the tea on the table before them. As soon as I finished my task, Professor Potsdam came to the room.
"Oh, Petunia!" the lady shouted excitedly. She put down the cup, standing, smiling to Professor Potsdam, followed by the man.
"How are you Helena, Lord Montague?" Professor Potsdam said sweetly to them. She sat on the couch, followed by them. I went back to the kitchenette, making another tea for Professor Potsdam, shrugging my shock as i heard the way Professor Potsdam called the man.
It wasn't only him who called by that title, right?
After the tea had been ready to be served, I quickly placed it before Professor Potsdam, not paying attention on their conversation. Then I stood before them.
"Um... If there isn't any other thing that I can help with, may I le..."
"Oh, don't be like that, Cesia. You have no..."
"Wait, Petunia, is she..."
With a small smile, Professor Potsdam answered, "Yes, Helena. She is Hieronymous's wife..."
"Cesia Touyama-Grabiner," I bowed at them. I swore I could feel the lady observed me from tip-to-toe.
"And Cesia, the lady is Helena Grabiner, Hieronymous's aunt, and the man is Lord Montague Aloysius Grabiner, you must have known him, right? One of their reason to come here from England is they really want to see you."
I knew my face was as pale as sheet. Guilt crept slowly to my mind, making my heartbeat faster because of the panic. I bowed deeply again at them.
"I... I'm sorry for not recognizing you, ma'am, sir..." I chewed my lower lip.
"I can't believe this!" the lady shouted, her face became red because of her anger. I bent down my face, clenching my fist. "I can't believe that Hieronymous married an ill-mannered girl like her! I don't really mind with her status as wildseed, but The House of Grabiner can't accept someone like her!"
I heard Professor Potsdam tried to defend me, "Helena, even though she's a bit... active, she is a good girl. She have good grades and very talented..."
I couldn't stand on this anymore! I tried my best not to cry, lifting my face, and looking straight to Helena Grabiner.
"Then, what should I do to make you accept me as one of Grabiner family?"
She looked a bit surprised. Maybe she expected me to cry in situation like this, but I was no more a girl that could easily cry like before. And I fully understood that crying in situation like this just made my image worser.
"Then..." a deep British voice broke the silence. I looked at Aloysius Grabiner, my father in law, who smiled amusedly at me, "How if you become Iris Academy's representative in Hibiscus Match?"
"Ah, that's actually a good idea..." She then smirked at me, "I kindly inform you that I am one of the judges in the competition."
Hibiscus Match was a competition for female students of magic schools in America. Every school must send one representative to win the competition. To win the competition they didn't only look at participant' magic skill, but also their knowledge and their manner. I heard professor Potsdam had decided that Minnie would be the representative. So, I took a glance to Professor Potsdam. She smiled, nodding at me. Then, I looked at my father in law and my aunt in law with a confident smile.
"I will try my best to win and make you accept me."
(A/N) : Friends, how are you? I'm truly sorry about this sh*tty long update. There were college, writer's block, and laziness coming by, making me didn't upload this bonus story earlier.
To be honest, I was confused when I had to write the bonus. Before I had finished writing a story about Cesia's birthday. But when I read again the plot, I dislike it. So, something came into my mind : the relationship about Grabiner' family and our heroine. I dislike-or more over I can't write, story about conflict between heroine and her parents-in-law, so the antagonist here was Grabiner' aunt. About Grabiner' father, yeah, I've read some fanfics and the authors made him play the antagonist-explaining why Grabbiner hated him so much, but in my version, his father had changed after Grabiner left him to Iris. Well, people always change, right?
And, oh, I have no knowledge about noble' title in England. Anyone can explain to me about Grabiner' family?
So far, I think this story will be separated to two or three parts. Hope you guys like it :DD
mind to review?
