They all met together three days later meeting at Felicia’s where they took the potion and then went to the winter festival. They had included Ethan in this who was already missing Leon, but the two would have the rest of their lives together. They had fun until they came across their fiance’s trying to act like commoners but failing miserably. Lidia made a comment about how pathetic they were and several other commoners nodded in agreement. Someone commented that they looked like some sort of herem and it made them laugh and agree. Their group looked like a gaggle of commoner girls with Ivan and Lua both dressed in skirts, all of them haggled and were frugal using only their money they’d earn adventuring. Lua who was now a cow beastman carried a sword and even though he was still the smallest he acted as the protector. They all ate and drank and had fun dancing in the streets with strangers like everyone else. It was the only joy they got for the rest of the year, the only exception was when they went into a dungeon together. 

It was two months after the festivities, and Lua was in the stables, he’d not spoken to Henri and had avoided him whenever he could. Today they had been out riding, something he struggled with but they had been tested today or at least half the class had been. He didn’t have a horse of his own, his mother thought it a useless skill for him to have but he’d snuck it into his schedule for the year not even carrying that he had to share the class with Marissa, because he also shared it with Lidia. Since it was the end of the day he was taking his time with the large chestnut gelding was a favorite of his. He took off his tack, brushed him down, checked him over, and then brought him to his stall where he filled his grain bag and gave him a large apple as a treat. He was just done as he noticed a familiar figure standing in the doorway. Looking over he was surprised to see Henri there after weeks of avoiding him, he didn’t have lesions so he was confused as to why he was there.

“Is there something you need?” He asked, confused. He worried he was going to be yelled at for something he didn’t do again, but what came next was a bit of a surprise.

“No… Yes, well, I came to see you.” He told him as he walked over.

“For what reason?”

“Do I need one to see you Lua?”

“What is it I’ve supposedly done now?”

“I feel like you’ve been avoiding me and I just wanted to know why?”

“Wow, just that? Nothing to yell at me for nothing to blame me for when I was nowhere near your precious Marissa? We haven’t spoken since before the ball except for those sorts of things.” He pointed out.

“I…” Henri bit his tongue, he came here because he was tired of whatever was happening between them, he’d been missing him, he was confused but today he’d felt clear headed. “I’m sorry, I’ve been stressed out and tired lately, but whenever I’ve been with you I’ve felt better.” 

“Well, it has been your choice Henri, I’ve been available if you tried.” He gave an affectionate pat to the horse's muzzle before he walked over to him. “But you haven’t tried and I’m tired of being the only one who tried, so I’m tired too.” He told him as he walked past him and waited for him to move out of the doorway so he could shut it and lock it then mark down what he’d done.

Henris took his hand as he put the pen down, that warm feeling raced up his arm. “Then consider me trying Lua, I’m sorry, I’d like to make it up to you by taking you out to dinner tonight, just the two of us.”

“I…” Lua paused and looked into Henri’s pleading eyes and bit his lip, he should have said no, he should have just walked away but he caved, he always caved to him. “Alright, but I’m a bit sweaty from our lesions so you’ll have to wait for me to change and clean up, if you really mean it I’ll meet you at the front entrance in thirty minutes.” He told him.

Henri smiled and then kissed his cheek causing Lua to blush. “Then I’ll see you at the front gate in thirty minutes.” He told him. They walked back towards the dorm’s hand in hand till they reached his dorm. “I’ll see you in thirty.” He told him before he turned towards his own dorm.

Lua feeling suddenly happy rushed up to his room and then quickly cleaned up and put on casual clothes rather than his school uniform. He brushed out his long silvery green hair and then practically skipped out and right into a scene straight out of the game.

“Marissa, what's wrong? Why are your things wet?” He heard Henri said in a concerned voice. He skidded to a halt right out of sight and listened.

*sniffle* *Sob* “I had to get my things out of the pond, I got out of my horseback lesions and then I found that my things were missing.” She sniffled and sobbed some more. “I looked all over the stable and then I went outside to look around and I noticed the pond and there seemed to be something in it, and that’s where I found all my things.”

“Who did this? Do you know?” He asked. 

He didn’t need to look, he could see the scene from the game, his sister had taken her bag and dumped it in the pond to ‘put her in her place’. To top it all off the pond was still frozen which meant he would have had to unfreeze it to do so.

“I don’t know but I know I heard Lidia and Lua talking about the pond and how they should really clean it up.” She sobbed. 

This is the part where he comforted her with their first real kiss, this was the part where he should come out and see it and attack her. This could be the end of any kind of relationship between them. He wasn’t going to attack her, he wasn’t going to let this end Henri would listen to him wouldn’t he? He took several deep breaths to calm himself and he walked around the corner as if he didn’t know what was going on. There he found them, she was lovingly embraced in his arms, she looked up at him and she kissed him. He froze in his spot and couldn’t suppress the sob that escaped his throat. Henri heard it and broke the kiss as he turned to look at him in surprise. He fled back to his room ignoring him calling to him, but he didn’t chase him.  The knowledge of what happened was well known throughout the entire campus within the hour, many others had witnessed the entire thing. Ivan was at his door within the first twenty minutes.

“Lua?” He called knocking at the door. “Can you let me in?” He got up slowly and opened the door for him, his eyes were red, and tears still flowed down his face. “Oh Lua, come on let's get you cleaned up.” He stepped into the room and closed and locked the door behind him then he took him to his bed, sat him down then got a wet rag to put onto his red eyes. “There that’s a bit better, have you eaten?”

“No we, we’re supposed to be going out on a date…” fresh sobs escaped his lips remembering everything. He told him, he told him everything from being cornered in the stall to going out to see them kiss. It confused him, how could the prince try to mend their relationship and then not even an hour later just smash it to bits like this? Ivan listened to him calmly, everyone had agreed on one thing, they saw Marissa kiss the Prince but he had clearly only called after him. Just about every girl who had been on the fence of who’s side to be on found themselves strongly on his side now, even a few followers of Marissa now were re-thinking everything.

“I’m guessing you’re not hungry then.” He said, wiping his tears away. “How could he do this to you? You are such a wonderful kind person Lua, you deserve better. He didn't even chase after you.” 

Lua shook his head, food was the last thing he wanted. The thought of eating made him feel sick.