"Jonathan, can we talk for a moment?" I asked Jonathan, who was in the classroom.
"Sure, Maurice. What's it about?" he replied.
"Nothing... I just want to talk privately," I said.
"S-Sure... I'll come right away."
We walked together to our room. My anger had reached its limit, and I pushed him against the wall with a force I didn't know I had. Honestly, it must have hurt, but I couldn't let everything end like this.
"Why, Jonathan? Tell me right now or-"
"Or what? Are you going to kick me out of the noble group? Expel me from the Academy or the Council? Are you going to tell your uncle?"
"Calm down, Jonathan... What's gotten into you? What's wrong with you?"
"There's nothing wrong with me... Something's wrong with you... Just two partners last night? In the past, there were at least four... Plus, you never felt ashamed to preside over public ceremonies..."
"Jonathan... Grow up, will you? Do you think you can become a king with this behavior?"
"Honestly? I don't want to become a king. Anyway, I think I'll become a cleric like Maurice, so we can be together and-"
I couldn't control myself and hit him. You can't become a cleric just to be with someone... It's immoral and, besides, it's not appropriate for his noble image.
"Maurice, are you jealous? Or are you mad because you're still under the protection of Granny Olga?"
"It's none of your business, Jonathan... Anyway, I think you owe me some urgent explanations, don't you think?"
"Oh, come on... Don't tell me you didn't enjoy it... Was the size just right? You know... Felix and-"
"It's none of your business... And you've already crossed all boundaries. I'm sure the king won't agree with your behavior..."
"Really? Then what do you want from me? Wasn't the emperor's son and the Japanese enough? Do you want another partner? Fine..."
"I don't think we need that. Anyway, it's probably better if we don't talk for a few days until I calm down, okay?"
"Anyway, it's not like I have a choice, right? Go and spend time with your new acquisition. Take care... Maybe the purification was too harsh for him, and he needs a break, don't you think?"
"What have you done to him, Jonathan?"
"Me? Hm, you'd better ask other people... Anyway, I was just an innocent bystander. I swear I didn't participate in the activity. You know I don't sleep with people of lower rank, right?"
"I don't care about your sexual preferences. Anyway, I'm going to talk to him."
"Sure, Maurice... Anyway, we'll remain friends, won't we? Don't forget that our parents trust in our alliance, you know?"
"I know... Anyway, leave me alone for a few days."
I can't believe Jonathan is involved in all of this. All of this has indeed made me look like a hero to Felix, but I don't think it's right to sell people. Plus, he is the son of the Count of Venice... If someone were to somehow inform the Count about this, my grandmother would suffer... I don't think... Anyway, I don't want wars in my duchy, so I'll try to hide last night as best as I can...
Right after that, I headed to the music class. Even though I went through so much last night, I can't leave my studies behind. Plus, honestly, that was the first time I ever made love to someone. It was quite enjoyable, especially since the princes last night were incredibly kind and gentle. The play I had with Felix earlier was enough to awaken my animal instincts...
After today's classes and the lunch I had with the council, including Felix, I went to Felix's room. I knocked on his door, and it turned out he was in the room with his colleague, Adrien. After greeting Adrien, I started talking to Felix about last night. Fortunately, Adrien had a meeting with someone outside the Academy, so he had to leave. I hope everything goes well with their meeting... Anyway, I started talking to Felix as calmly as possible.
"Felix, about last night..."
"If you came to talk to me about that, you'd better leave... I want to forget everything that happened last night..."
"Felix, do you still think it's my fault?"
"You've always been mean to me, even though you claim to want to get closer to me... I don't understand why you play with my feelings so much..."
"I'm not playing with anything... Maybe you don't trust me, but believe me... That sales act I received means nothing to me. I will never see you as a commodity or anything like that..."
"Even though I want to believe that, what happened to me yesterday is indescribable..."
"Tell me what happened... I want to know what happened so that I can help you and get through this together..."
"I was in the Academy's courtyard yesterday, and two men dressed in black hit me on the head and forced me into a black car... I woke up naked while a few people dressed in some kind of clerical attire or something were doing things to me that were supposed to be preparation for the ceremony that evening..."
"You mean..."
"Yes... Preparation for some sort of erotic activity, most likely... When I saw you in the crowd with the other nobles, I couldn't believe you would have to..."
"Believe me, I knew nothing about it, and that's precisely why I paid so much to prevent you from falling into the possession of any noble... Anyway, what matters is that I saved you... Or rather, I tried to..."
"Yes... As for what you did to me afterward..."
"Oh, come on... Don't tell me you didn't enjoy it. You wouldn't have been so eager if you didn't, don't you think?"
"Well... I think it's best if we forget about last night... Thank you for saving me, though... I'll talk to my father to refund the money and..."
"There's no need... Honestly, I don't care about the money, and my grandmother has a hundred times more, so..."
"Yes, but..."
"I want you to trust me. Plus, I was able to confront Jonathan when I found out he was behind all of this... Anyway..."
"Wait... Prince Jonathan did all of this? Why?"
"Well... He believes you're my rival for Emily's affection... And I don't like her either..."
"Neither do I... Who would like that fox who tries to trap all the nobles in the Academy?"
"Anyway, now that we've clarified that... Friends? At least because I saved you from those nobles. Honestly, the prince of Japan was upset that I bought you, you know? So I had to calm him down in a more..."
"I'm not interested in your activities from last night, but... I guess a friend like you wouldn't hurt, right?"
"That's exactly what I wanted to say too..."
After shaking hands and promising to be friends, I gently stroked his hair, which surprised him.
"Sorry... It's my way of comforting people. I thought you needed it after everything you've been through. Honestly, I think it's best not to tell your father, alright?"
"O-Okay..."
After finishing the conversation with my new friend, I decided to take a walk in the courtyard, and of course, Felix wanted to accompany me. I couldn't refuse him, so I had to take him along and stroll together.
We started discussing various topics, and I could see that we had quite similar opinions. Anyway, it's not like I'm some weirdo who has different views from other people...
"Maurice, you know... I think in the end, love shouldn't depend on gender or similar things. Even Marcus said that in the last class, do you remember?"
"I know that too... But not everyone believes that. Honestly, if I saw two girls kissing on the street and a straight couple doing the same, I wouldn't blame either of them... Or maybe both..."
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, I believe that kissing is a gesture of love, and everyone should do it, even those who love each other as friends... Plus, we should all love one another, right?"
"Y-Yes... Anyway, I think you're exaggerating a bit with this, don't you think?"
"Well, maybe... Anyway-"
As we walked under the window of one of our classrooms, out of nowhere, a bucket full of water was thrown toward Felix. Like a true hero, I threw myself over Felix to protect him. Well, apart from the fact that I was hit on the head by a solid bucket filled with ice-cold water, I was fine... Or almost fine...
"Maurice, are you okay?" Felix asked me, frightened.
"Well, apart from being soaking wet and having a headache, I'm fine."
"Maurice, you're bleeding..."
"Well, it seems to be more than fine... W-Why do I see two Felixes? I feel sleepy..."
I fainted from the impact and woke up while being laid on a bed in the Academy's infirmary.
"Maurice, are you awake?"
Marcus's voice made me realize that I was in the same world, so nothing new... Anyway, I'm sorry to tell Marcus, but...
"Marcus, I think it would be better if you talked to Jonathan..."
"Why, Maurice? Did something happen?"
"Not just something... He was on the verge of committing a crime... Anyway, if you talk to him in time, I think we can save him..."
"Wait... Jonathan threw the bucket at you?"
"I don't know... Anyway, I wasn't the target, Felix was..."
"Maurice, you know he doesn't like anyone talking to you, right? I think it's just a bit of friendly jealousy and not something-"
"I have a lot to say, but I don't think you'll understand... Anyway, does the date 13 mean anything to you?"
"Wait... My brother told me something about that... It's an evening when nobles gather and form various alliances... Anyway-"
"Yeah... I don't think it's okay if I tell you that I was there too, right?"
"Wait, you were there too? I thought you went to bed early like everyone else..."
"No... Jonathan put sleeping pills in the cafeteria food so we could leave undisturbed, you know?"
"I can't believe you were capable of doing something like that... I expect more from you, Maurice..."
"I know, but... it's not like you were an angel when you were studying here... Everyone knows how you used to sneak out at night to party with your colleagues..."
"Yeah... Anyway, have you seen my brother Anthony around?"
"Well, I can say that I did more than just see him... Anyway, it's his fault, so-"
"I don't think you slept with my brother... He's three years older than you, and yet-"
"But you wanted to sleep with Jonathan, who is six years younger than you, so..."
"This is not about me, Maurice... If your grandmother finds out about this?"
"If she finds out, I'll tell her that if she doesn't agree, I'll leave home... Oh, come on, I'm her favorite grandchild, the only one recognized by her sons, you know very well..."
"Yes, but-"
"Enough, Marcus. Go and talk to Jonathan and leave me alone, okay?"
As soon as Marcus left the room, another person came in. This time it was Felix...
"Maurice, are you okay?"
"Yes, Felix... Anyway, I talked to Marcus about what happened today, and he said he will take care of it, so you don't have to worry..."
"You can't be so calm about these things... It's all my fault... Now you'll become the target of others' cruelty because of me... It's better-"
"I don't want to hear anything about that. If you dare say anything, I will... Oh... It seems like he hit me pretty hard, don't you think?"
"Just lie down... You can't exert yourself right now, so don't stress..."
"I'll try... But don't forget that I have to protect you from all the traps you're about to fall into, don't you think?"
"Thank you for that... But you can't-"
Suddenly, horrifying screams were heard from the hallway... It's... Marcus, it can't be!