Note: Thank you to Dy for pointing out that normally in classes the tests would be brought up all together. I am aware, this is one of the few things I took creative license with including the ages of Eckhart, Justus, Magdalena, as well as changing what year they learn to make high beasts. That being said I am generally trying to keep to source material accuracy. As to your suggestion about Dimitri's name, I love it! And with your blessing I will happily use it. To your comment about what Ferdinand said about Peter, you aren't wrong, but for likely very different reasons than you think. Also I apologize about putting this here, I couldn't respond to your reviews like I usually do and this gave me a way to address the slight changes I made.

Ferdinand 1st year Royal Academy

After the graduation ceremony I received a summons from my father to join him in his room. At first, I went stiffly expecting she would be there, but when I arrived at my father's room it was just father, Sylvester, and father's head attendant. All of their other attendants had left. Then I remembered that even the archducal couple had separate rooms at the academy. I breathed a sigh of relief while keeping my expression completely blank.

We exchanged the long formal greetings and I gave them both blessings. Then once we were seated, father's attendant poured us tea. He started with father and ended with me. After that father dismissed even him. At my surprise which I had not been able to hide this time, the corner of father's mouth twitched up.

Then he was gone, father got up from his chair, approached me before pulling me into a hug. "Good job, Ferdinand. Ehrenfest could not ask for a better archduke candidate. You are my pride and joy." His voice was gravelly with emotions in a way I had never heard. I felt heat rise to my eyes and my lip tremble. A warmth spread throughout my body and left me feeling almost weightless. Almost as if I was drunk, even if I knew I had not consumed anything that would make drunk.

"Thank you, father." My words wobbled as fought the tears that threatened to flow from my eyes. A glance at Sylvester showed he looked equal parts smug and relieved at my reaction. Our father returned to his seat.

Sylvester chuckled. "More than congratulations. What you did coming in first class in every class is amazing. That has to be unheard of." The warmth from my father's praise only increased with Sylvesters.

I felt color rise to my cheeks. "I just did what was expected of me."

Sylvester shook his head no. "I don't think anyone else would have been able to manage that. I certainly never managed it."

I dropped my eyes from Sylvester's and muttered, "You could have."

Our father chuckled. "Indeed. Now, tell me about your time at the academy. Did you both enjoy it?"

Sylvester nodded empathetically. "I'm going to miss all the new food." Then he started shifting uncomfortably in his seat his cheeks touched with pink as muttered, "Glad to be marrying Florencia."

"Hmm, yes, I believe she will be a good match for you Sylvester." Then father's soft eyes turned back to me and held mine. "What about you Ferdinand? Any of the young women here suit your taste."

"No." The word came out quick and flat. Causing Sylvester to tip his head back and crow with laughter.

"Perhaps my little brother just has not grown enough to notice. There are certainly a few young ladies who have taken notice of you."

I scowled at him. Daring him to continue at his own peril. In this moment I did not care that my brother was the presumed next archduke. But Gods all damn him, my expression only seemed to insight him further as he leered back.

"Lady Minerva of Dunkelfelger is probably the most open."

I scoffed. "She enjoys vexing me at every turn. Nothing more."

My father had a rather strange look in his eye that I thought looked something like pity. "Your reports mentioned that you had been invited to many different things related to Dunkelfelger including training. But this is the first I am hearing about Lady Minerva."

I shot a glare at Sylvester that promised retribution. He merely grinned back completely unapologetic. I cleared my throat. "Sylvester likes to tease. I had a few run ins with one of the two female archduke candidates from Dunkelfelger. But mostly I have been interacting with their apprentice knights. Their obsession with ditter is a weakness that could be exploited if we have the knights to match them, but their skill at arms is to be envied."

Sylvester coughed into his tea. "By a few run ins he means he was invited to tea parties involving the two ladies."

I smiled icily at Sylvester. "No, I was invited to two with Lady Minerva. Though the second was actually an apology from Lady Magdalena The rest were upper duchies requesting I play music for their tea parties."

"What about the third invitation you received from Dunkelfelger."

"That was from Werdecraft. Not the sisters."

My father looked interested in that. "What did he want?"

"Mostly he seemed intent on figuring out how skilled of a knight I would be. He did not seem pleased when I said I would not be a knight as I am an archduke candidate." I frowned and remembered he had asked me a couple of veiled questions about twin flowers. It was not hard to understand he was asking my intentions towards his sisters, but there was no way I was giving Sylvester more to tease me about.

Father looked very thoughtful. "Dunkelfelger will make a good ally for you in the future, my son. Cultivate that relationship. As for the female archduke candidates, see what you think in a couple years. Perhaps things will have changed by then."

I ground my teeth in vexation at the thought of Minerva, but replied with a polite, "Yes father." From there we discussed everything I had learned in my classes, the various events that I had been invited to, and even my experiments with Schlaftraum's Gift. Though I withheld the part where my first attempt to use it had resulted in knocking myself out. We talked deep into the night until Sylvester was struggling to hide his yawns. Then our father smiled at us. "I think it is time we all get some rest. I will see you both tomorrow. But before I forget, Ferdinand, Sylvester has made it clear that you wish to stay at the academy year-round. I spoke with professor Hirschur and she agreed. With the expectation that you will assist her in her research and in classes."

I was absolutely elated and thanked father.

The next morning, I got out of bed well before Justus came to get me. I managed to get my clothes on with no help, but also no small amount of struggling. Then I slipped from the room and made my way down to the common room. After checking that no one was down here I carefully slipped from the Erenfest dorm and strolled to the library at a leisurely pace. I wanted to be sure that the librarians would be alright with me coming even after the library was closed. I was just down the hall from my destination when I felt a gentle tug on the end of my braid.

I spun around aiming a chop at the person who had dared to lay hands on me only to meet empty air and soft laughter. Lady Minerva practically danced away from my attack. Her silver eyes alight with amusement under her magic tool.

"Not the greeting I expected, but probably the one I deserved." She chuckled and I scowled at her. Her face was slightly flushed with effort as if she had run all the way here. "Oh, no need to be so grumpy. I came to congratulate you."

It was then I realized something. No one had been around when I left Ehrenfest dorm. I was certain of that. A glance down the long hallways showed no one else was up and about. So, how had she known to meet me here? I had no plans to visit the library so no information could have leaked. Could it have been chance, I wondered as I stared into those silver eyes. No, some instinct told me this was not a chance meeting. From now on I would have to be more circumspect with checking for followers.

"So suspicious." She pouted. Then she promptly ruined her pout with a mischievous grin. She reached out in between us and ruffled my hair vigorously. Now I would have to completely redo my braid. I growled and swatted her hand away. Which did not seem to bother her one bit. "You did good, Little Flower. Keep up the good work." Then she turned to go.

I was so surprised that called after her. "You came all this way unattended just to tell me that?"

She looked over her shoulder at me. "What makes you think I am unattended?"

Peter scoffed and stepped around the corner of one of the halls that branched off from this one. He was shaking his head in exasperation at his lady. There was even a very clear reprimand in the boy's orange eyes for Lady Minerva.

"See you next year Little Flower." She waved over her shoulder.

I could only stare in shock at her lack of manners. Even Peter winced as he took up stride next to her. What a strange woman.