"Lady Katarina," Maria said suddenly one day at the student council office, "Have you thought of what you wanted to do after the Academy?"
There were several cracks as various people looked up from their paperwork at greatly concerning speed. Lord Claes at least at least winced and started rubbing his neck. Without looking, Prince Alan reached over to his desk and dropped a chunk of ice he'd congealed from the air, dropping it into a space without paperwork. Umbasa, Prince Alan, who is still doing paperwork. You show there is hope for this country!
As Lord Claes wrapped the ice in a handkerchief and put it to his neck, Katarina blinked, tilting her head and tapping her lips. Maria fancied she could hear the rusty protest of unoiled gears as they began turning after so long idle. "Hm… I haven't really given it much thought… I guess I could become a farmer… "
"Your Duchy isn't that poor, Lady Katarina," Maria said flatly. "Quite the opposite, in fact. And it's more known for its hog farms than its crops."
"A pig farmer, then?" Katarina said.
"Please stop focusing on being a farmer, big sister," Lord Claes sighed.
"EH? But that's the only thing I know how to do!" Katarina said.
"Academy life has been a complete waste of time for you, hasn't it?" Prince Alan said.
"I forget everything right after the test," Katarina said shamelessly.
"Don't worry, Katarina," the Third Prince said with a charming smile. "All you need to be is yourself to be my princess."
"I weep for this country if that is so," Maria said. "Such low standards."
"I hear Prince Ian is becoming more active," Lady Cavendish said. "Maybe we can support him."
"Those who don't understand how wonderful Katarina is, please stop commenting," the Third Prince said.
"But…" Lady Tucker said hesitantly, "Lady Katarina, isn't it true you speak the Ashina Langauge? Surely that counts as something you can do."
"What, I can translate novels in Ashinago into our language in my spare time?" Katarina said.
"Yes please!" Sophia cried. "Ooh, I wonder what sorts of novels Ashina has?"
"That… actually sounds like something big sister can do," Lord Claes said, looking surprised at the admission.
"Eh, sounds like office work," Katarina sighed. "I don't want to just sit at a desk and write all my life. Who does that?"
For a moment, even her retinue gave Katarina Claes annoyed looks.
It was a wasted effort as she didn't even notice. "What about you Sophia?" Katarina asked. "What are you planning to do after the Academy?"
"Well, I used to consider working for the Ministry, but I think expanding this business Maria and I are doing together will get me more of what I want," Sophia said.
Mary frowned. "What was at the Ministry that you could get more of from working with Maria?"
"Revenge at everyone who's ever called me funny-looking by making them beg for my favor," Sophia said cheerfully.
"Eh?" Katarina said, blinking as Maria frowned, trying to parse that. "Why would anyone call Sophia funny-looking?"
"A lot of people," Sophia said, but her smile was rueful as she turned it towards Katarina. "They used to say it all the time when we were younger, remember?"
"Er, not really," Katarina said. "I think I'd remember, after all we hung out together all the time, and I never heard anyone saying such stupid things."
"Perhaps they were just jealous?" Maria said. "After all, Lady Sophia is a classical beauty, with aesthetic symmetry, wonderful skin tone, and hair and complexion impossible to achieve with mere dyes or cosmetics. Anyone would feel jealous at having to be compared to an ethereal, otherworldly goddess seemingly bathed in perpetual moonlight."
"Yeah, exactly! See, Maria gets it," Katarina said, crossing her arms and nodding decisively.
"Wh-wha? D-don't suddenly say things like that, m-my heart's not ready!" Sophia cried, her pale skin making it clear her blush was extensive. "R-really, d-don't, I only want to hear things like that f-from Lady Katarina or my heart will get all confused…" she muttered. Maria couldn't make out what she was saying.
"Dear Chosen Lord, there ARE two of them," the Third Prince muttered for some reason.
"I told you so," Lord Claes said.
"Lady Katarina!" Lady Hunt cried. "D-don't you want to know what I want to do after graduating?"
"Aren't you marrying Alan, Mary?" Katarina said.
"Yes Mary, aren't you going to marry Alan like how I'm going to marry Katarina?" the Third Prince said, sounding smug.
"I don't see how you're going to be able to do that without mother's approval, your highness," Lord Claes said, showing teeth. It might have looked like a smile to a complete idiot.
"We are engaged, Keith. Surely that is all the approval that is needed?" the Third Prince said, also showing teeth. Even a complete idiot would have thought it was too much to be a smile.
"Ah, it's nice you two are such good friends," Katarina said approvingly.
Maria resisted the urge to let her face drop into her hand. Your grace, our plan might still be doomed!
"If anyone still cares, I'm planning to go back to working on my music," Alan said. "Duets are all well and good, but I need experience working with an orchestra. And I sort of what something that's scored to those… we're calling them nightflowers now, right? Something scored to nightflowers."
Maria frowned. "You mean instead of instruments, parts of the score will be composed with the express purpose of being played by nightflowers going off?"
Prince Alan nodded. "Yeah. I know it's kinda silly, but the musician in me just wants to see where the idea will you, you know?"
"It sounds like a fine idea, Alan," Sophia said, smiling like a courtier. "Maria and I will support you all the way by selling you as many nightflowers as you need to make your music!"
"I look forward to supporting you in this endeavor in the future, your highness," Maria said, smiling like she'd just seen a huge pile of coldblood.
Prince Alan looked back and forth between the two of them. "Why are you both smiling like that? It's creepy, stop it."
"Don't worry Alan," Lady Hunt said. "I'll support you and your music. Take as much time with your music as you want. Even if it take decades, I don't mind. Spend all your time working on your music!"
Prince Alan smiled. "Thanks Mary. It's nice to know I have one good friend on my side. I'll support what you want to do to. Er, whatever it is, you haven't managed to say yet."
"Uh… KEITH! What are you planning to do?" Lady Hunt said, shamelessly throwing Lord Claes under the large swinging log covered in spikes.
"Eh, the same as before the Academy," Lord Claes shrugged. "Learn how to Duke from father, visit a lot of pig farms every few weeks, keep Katarina out of trouble… pretty much going back to how we used to live before the Academy."
"Eh? You're not going to look for a girlfriend, Keith?" Katarina said.
"I think I have enough women in my life as it is," Lord Claes said blandly.
Katarina got a… strangely compassionate look on her face. "Keith, you know I'll support you and Nico–"
"I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH NICOL ASCART!" Lord Claes cried. "Please stop thinking that, we're just friends, I wouldn't fall in love with him even if the world turned to ash!"
"Excuse me?!" Sophia said, eyes narrowing. "What, you think you're too good for my brother, Keith Claes?"
"Not everyone thinks Nicol is the Chosen Lord's gift to men and women, Sophia," Lord Claes said.
"Name ONE PERSON who's never wanted to be swept up in my brother's strong, sexy arms and have sweet nothings whispered into their ear!" Sophia said.
Lord Claes pointed. "Maria."
"Please leave me out of this," Maria said. "But yes, he's right. I prefer someone with facial expressions."
"Maria doesn't count, she has no taste!" Sophia said. Maria glared at her. She had EXQUISITE taste!
"So her assessment of you as an ethereal, otherworldly goddess seemingly bathed in perpetual moonlight doesn't count, then?" Lady Cavendish said, not looking up from her paperwork.
"Don't you dare try and take that away from me, my self-esteem won't be able to take it!" Sophia cried.
It was a perfectly ordinary day at the student council office.