A Morning Interlude

"I'm nervous…"

"Don't be. You have practiced well, and you are flawless."

"But, what if I forget my lines!"

"I trust you to make up something appropriate to the occasion."

"Umu… that's a lot of responsibility."

"If you wish, we can cancel your role, and you need merely enjoy the festival. I will take the brunt of the blame by going back on my word. As president, success is expected. Failures are my responsibility."

"NO! I can't ask you to do that! I'll be there, I promise! I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away… I mean, where would I run to?"

"I don't know about running away, but if you tell me you had too much fun and lost track of the time, I will understand."

"No, I'll be there! I will!"

"All right. Know you may turn back at any time."

"I won't! I… I… I swear on my honor! I swear on… on ever eating sweets again!"

"So important a thing?"

"Yes! If I'm not there, I will never eat sweets again! No matter how delicious or how much you put in front of me… (gurgle) um, I'll definitely be there!"

"Very well. Far be it for me to question one who has sworn on something greater than honor."

"… I'll be there… I… I'm not usually good for anything… or have people depend on me… so I want to make you proud."

"You just did."

"Prouder!"

"You will remember proper protocol from now on?"

"Er, probably not that proud."

"(cough) Well, it is always good to know one's limitations when one strives to surpass them. Then I must be off. Will you be going to breakfast?"

"I… think I'll stay here a little longer."

"Then may the good sun guide your way."

The day of the festival arrived. Against all odds, it did so with Lady Claes not running out of stock to sell from 'taste testing' and unofficial catering to Student Council rehersals.

"– so let us not delay! I officially pronounce the Academy's Festival open! May it live forever in fond memory!"

With the conclusion of Maria's address as the Student Council President, along with the almost deafening squeals and cheers of the nobles in the crowd, the school festival was now officially under way. Even the usually more reserved noble ladies in the student body were visibly excited today, though there was the usual reddened outrage at Maria. She could not think why. She had chosen to wear one of her pink dresses for the occasion. Perhaps they merely found her very presence outrageous. Well, there was no helping it except to defend herself when they inevitably moved against her.

She had begged another favor of Lady Claes, paid in sweets she'd barely managed to find the time to make, to borrow her carriage and her maid to fetch Maria's mother so she may visit. The school was open to visitors, parents and guardians, during the festival, so long as those visitors were not nobility, but if anyone chose to raise issue about Maria's mother attending she would see them regretting it. Maria had commissioned a suitable dress for her mother for the occasion, so she would not have to be seen wearing the same dress twice, and Miss Shelley had volunteered to escort Maria's mother to further sell the deception. Thank the sun for Miss Shelley and her kindness. She'd given them money to be able to afford the much more expensive noble foods that would be present, leaving the money with the maid.

Maria had also arranged for the children in her care to attend the town festival in nearby Estus, which apparently traditionally held their own festival at the same time as the school. She had paid for the children's caretakers to attend with their families, and prayed for the best. This should allow them to be close enough to see the presentation they would put on.

Members of the student council were to be stationed at various locations, both to attract attention to certain attractions and to participate. The princes, for example, would be at the area showcasing the abilities of those particularly skilled in magic. Maria herself had been requested to attend, but she had explained that despite the name, Light Magic did not actually produce visible light, and that watching her heal wounds would be highly inappropriate. Her magic, for all that it was rare and valued, was literally not much to look at.

The junior members of the student council, as was traditional, got the grunt work, stationed at three intersections at a booth to answer questions and direct non-student visitors to locations should they need directions. As Maria was a fair ruler however, they would do so in shifts, so that everyone would have time to enjoy the festival as well.

For now, Maria was patrolling, seeing that everything was running smoothly. Yes, definitely patrolling! Not just wandering around enjoying herself at all!

That she met with her mother and Miss Shelley was pure coincidence! She wasn't abusing her power at all!

Yup, this was definitely a legitimate patrol.

Miss Shelley had requested they pass by Lady Claes' venture. After not having had her charge in sight for more than a day due to picking up the dress for Maria's mother and then staying the night at Maria's house to be able to bring her mother to the school early the next day, she was justifiably worried about her charge. Lady Claes had five other servants to take care of her, but as her personal maid, Miss Shelley had a strong sense of duty.

"Oh my," Maria's mother said, looking at the thick crowd before them. The air was thick with the smell of oil, vinegar, salt, salted oil, and the peculiar tastes of the fried vegetable snack Katarina had devised. "Is this normal."

"For the school? No. For Lady Claes?" Maria shrugged. There was at least SOME order. One of the ladies who was Lady Claes' friends was frantically trying to get people to line up in order of arrival, made difficult because some were trying to get to the front simply to see what the fuss was about. At some point all the table and chairs had been removed, and people were eating standing up due to the number of people while more of the ladies went collecting empty bowls and saucers in trays, and looking quite awkward doing so. "Well, at least her venture is popular. She must be happy."

In the direction of where the crowd was facing, someone tearfully cried for help. It sounded like Lady Claes.

"Or not," Maria said, pulling a whistle from her pocket. "Excuse me mother, I must tend to this."

As her mother and Miss Shelly moved away, holding hands so as not to lose track of one another in the crowd, Maria blew the whistle to get people's attention and set about organizing matters.

"Congratulations, Lady Claes," Maria said. "Your venture is officially the first to be sold out and it's not even noon yet. Your crops have more than paid for themselves." Maria coughed delicately. "So, can you please let go of me now?"

"My heroine…!" Lady Claes continued to sob theatrically and clutch at Maria's waist, a cry that was taken up by several of her companions in this venture, who were doing the same. "There were so many… we were outnumbered…"

"I've never seen a man lick a plate for the dregs of food," another said, looking as if she'd been thrown off a cliff.

"Truly, humanity is separated from beasts only by the Dark Soul, and sometimes it is not enough," yet another said, making the circle of the Darksign on her chest.

Maria sighed and set about calming them down and getting herself extricated.

Fried Vegetable Snacks

Small snack made up of fried and salted vegetables. Gradually restores a small amount of HP, but at the cost of increasing carried weight, usually at the thighs.

Made of vegetables harvested by Katarina Claes, one would think they are simply a novelty. But no, apparently they're just that good.