The high-heeled Mary Janes tapped against the wooden floor, creating a rhythmic echo. Merlin still held the half-eaten sandwich in her hand, while the afternoon sun lazily filtered through the gaps in the leaves. She pushed open the door to the clubroom.
Tiny particles of dust floated in the air, dancing slowly within the beams of light. In the depth of the light and shadow, a girl with long black hair in a single ponytail sat waiting, braced for a confrontation.
“Why are you looking for me?”
She was the current person in charge of the Talane Estate and the future Head of the Family, Oz. Merlin stopped chewing, feeling a bit speechless. ‘Why does this feel like a blind date?’ Even though they were both wearing Academy uniforms, she wondered why this rigid girl in front of her looked so formal and meticulous.
Every button was fastened tight to the very top, the tie was tied with standard precision as if measured by a ruler, and the pleats of her skirt were so flat they looked as if they had just been ironed. Merlin wasn’t joking; she looked down at herself. Although she was also the type to be neat—buttons fastened, tie straight—the skirt… well, the skirt hadn’t moved either. Even though their skirts were the same length, she felt that her own display of Absolute Territory, wrapped in white knee-high socks, looked better.
But compared to the stiff atmosphere radiating from Oz, Merlin felt like a free-spirited delinquent. Coupled with the way Oz sat with her hands flat on her knees and her back straight as a pine tree, it made the girl look even more rigid.
“Please, have a seat.” Oz pointed to the chair that had already been pulled out opposite her.
Merlin sighed, walked over, and sat down. As she settled in, her skirt hem inched up slightly, her Mary Jane heels tapped lightly on the floor, and her long legs naturally tilted together. The two sat facing each other, separated by an old desk covered in scratches. Although Merlin had never been on a blind date, she felt like this was exactly what it would be like.
Silence. A deathly silence. The awkwardness of a blind date deepened.
Merlin swallowed the last bite of the sandwich, taking the initiative to break the stalemate.
“Is this about Mahina?”
Oz nodded. After all, Merlin and Oz did not have much of a connection; their first meeting had been during the Grand Examination. Merlin carelessly brushed the remaining breadcrumbs off her hand, her eyes drifting toward the window.
“But… I don’t have much interaction with Mahina these days.” Regarding her current relationship with Mahina, Merlin was not one to approach her voluntarily. If Mahina didn’t reach out, they would naturally remain two parallel lines.
Oz was silent for a moment. “Didn’t you two often do things together before?”
“That was because she took the initiative to come find me. There were times I told her to go away, but she has a very thick skin.”
Oz gave a bitter smile. “Thick-skinned? In my opinion, Mahina is actually a person with thin skin, and that is not me being biased.”
The lunch break had just begun. In the distance, the sounds of students laughing echoed.
Merlin didn’t know what to say. “Hmm…”
Like a traditional elder, Oz fluidly lightened the mood when Merlin didn’t know how to respond. She truly resembled a traditional Northerner; her steady temperament was like that of a grandmother who worried about everything. As she spoke, Oz pulled all sorts of exquisite pastries and beverages from a basket under the table, as if performing magic.
There was Strawberry Cake, which young girls loved most, freshly baked Butter Cookies, and even a pot of steaming hot Black Tea. Besides, Merlin had nothing to do, and a free afternoon tea was hard to pass up. Seeing those delicate sweets, Merlin’s attitude softened slightly.
“Hmm, let’s talk then.”
Furthermore, her impression of Oz was that of an unlucky victim from when she had caused a scene during the exam. Oz had dropped out of the top ten in the grade that time, hadn’t she?
Oz’s movements as she poured the tea for Merlin were relaxed and flowing, clearly intended to lower Merlin’s guard. Oz pushed the teacup in front of Merlin, the steam blurring her features.
“Let’s not talk about Mahina for now, okay? As the person you were once closest to, she has tried for so long to no avail, and I don’t expect to be able to instantly change the status quo like a god. Moral kidnapping will only make you uncomfortable.”
“I think the state between Mahina and me right now is just fine.” Merlin picked up a cookie and took a small bite. “Aren’t we just ordinary classmates? We nod when we see each other, and other than that, we don’t disturb one another. Considering the things she did to me in the past, I think I’m already being merciful and good enough for not hitting her with a Large Fireball.”
Oz did not refute her; instead, she nodded.
“Yes… As someone from the Talane family who brought you harm, and as the new head about to inherit the position, I understand how much damage the Talane family has caused you.”
Merlin didn’t really want to talk too much about past unpleasantries. The fact that they were in the past didn’t mean they weren’t still painful, so she gave a simple response and focused on the cookie in her hand. “Uh-huh, uh-huh.”
“Then, how about leaving the former Head of the Talane family to be dealt with by the Elf Race?”
“Hmm? Is that allowed?”
“Of course it is. After all, isn’t harming an Elf Princess an international incident? Naturally, I have already discussed it with the Emperor. Because the Emperor is busy with official business in the palace and worried about wasting your time by inviting you,” Oz looked at Merlin sincerely, “wouldn’t it be a concise and convenient option for me to inform you instead? Besides, the former head is going to die regardless; perhaps the outcome would be even worse if handled by the Elf Race.”
This, in turn, made Merlin feel somewhat astonished. “Isn’t she your own father?”
Oz did not lower her head, meeting Merlin’s gaze, though sadness rippled in the corners of her eyes.
“Let’s not talk about Mahina… right? From my personal point of view—” Oz’s voice trembled slightly, “actually… I have also long been unable to tolerate the former head’s conduct. That selfish, greedy man who would stop at nothing for his own benefit turned the Talane family into a mire.”
Her hands gripped her skirt tightly, and the corners of her mouth began to twitch irregularly, as if she wanted to laugh or perhaps cry.
“I heard from the residents that before I was born, when my grandfather—the head before him—was still alive, everyone lived much happier lives.” Oz showed a smile that was not quite a smile. “At first, I just thought of it as everyone complaining, but as I grew older, the original warm and mutually supportive atmosphere in the North became worse and worse, to the point where everyone felt insecure. Perhaps you don’t know how bad it is now, Merlin, but since you lived in the North, you should be able to experience a little of the atmosphere that used to be.”
Merlin held the hot tea in her hands, her thoughts seemingly pulled back to that frozen land where goose-feather snow always drifted. She nodded, her eyes softening.
“Yes, even when I lived alone in the Slums back then, the aunts on the other streets would do what they could to help us.”