Thirtyx headed down the other aisle toward the dorm, and he spotted the Service Club table, relatively empty by comparison. Seerla held the attention of two girls, probably sixth- or seventh-years. As he approached, he caught snatches of conversation.

"Can I use hours from this club for scholarship credits?" one girl asked. "To apply, I need 30 volunteer hours this term, and I don't know where else to get them except through a club like this."

"Uh... I don't see why you couldn't." Seerla gave an exaggerated shrug. "I'm sure there are people who have done it. I think. I mean, I don’t actually know anyone else with a scholarship, so maybe I don't have the right answer, and—"

She was spiraling, and the girls’ nervous glances indicated it was putting them off the idea. Thirtyx tried to pause behind them and catch Seerla's eye so he could nod the correct answer, but the girls noticed him. One squeaked in surprise. The other flailed her short Troll arms.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I just overheard your question, and yes, you can absolutely use the hours for scholarship credit. Not sure if you've met Dain Calver—eighth-year Dragonfolk? Anyway, he got his scholarship that way, and I can probably put you two in contact if you want to talk to him about it."

The girl who had asked widened her eyes in mingled gratitude and temerity. Her friend grabbed her arm. "Thanks, we'll think about it," she said before pulling her friend away.

Thirtyx grimaced at Seerla. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare them away."

"No!" Seerla said with a hint of panic. "No, it's okay. I had no idea, and it isn't the first question I’ve had trouble answering." She rubbed her eyes with her stubby fingers. "I'm in over my head. You're sure you can't stay and help me?"

Thirtyx glanced toward the retreating girls. "What, do you want me to sit under the table and feed you answers? Because otherwise, I'm not sure I'll be much help."

An eighth-year Devil Thirtyx recognized but couldn’t name appeared at the table. "Excuse me, I was wondering what time meetings are for this club. There are a few I want to join, and I need to figure out my schedule."

He looked back and forth between Thirtyx and Seerla, who answered first. "Last term, they were Onspanes at 41st bar, if that helps."

The boy frowned, and Thirtyx cleared his throat. "It changes every term, though. Once we get an interest list, we send out a survey to figure out what time works best for everyone. You'll get some input if you sign up, but there’s no obligation if it doesn’t work out." He nodded to the sign-up sheet.

The boy's frown turned to a nervous smile. "So I'm not committing to anything if I put my name down? I won’t evoke the wrath of the princess if I back out later?"

Thirtyx and Seerla exchanged a conspiratorial look, and Seerla giggled. "She has far bigger things to hold grudges about. Believe us."

Over at the DHS table, Rhea was still engaged with a girl who had been there when Thirtyx passed earlier. The princess was typically skilled at masking her annoyance, but even from this distance, it was clear that she'd cast the world's most powerful silencing spell on the kid and drop-kick her across campus if she thought she could get away with it.

The boy at the Service Club table chuckled before scribbling down his name. "Thanks for being flexible! I'll stay in touch! Or... or I won't." He departed with a wink.

Seerla released a breath so heavy it seemed she'd held it for the whole interaction. "Thirtyx, Verith or no Verith, that was incredible. Stay. Please."

Curse her round, trollish face, optimized for begging. Even the harshness of those slitted pupils didn't look fierce in her expression. Thirtyx rolled his neck with a loud sigh. "If I start turning away more people than I'm pulling in, I'm leaving, alright?"

"Nah, that's when I'll take you up on your offer to sit under the table and feed me answers."

She'd said it so deadpan that Thirtyx wondered if she was serious, but a certain glimmer in her eye and the dull flicker of mischievous energy betrayed the joke. He forced a chuckle. "In retrospect, that sounds uncomfortable, so I’d better try my best."

The two girls who asked about the scholarship returned later. They had, in fact, discussed it, and both put their names down. As expected, plenty of people noticed Thirtyx, turned their eyes away, and kept walking, but several circled back around. Thirtyx let Seerla do the talking unless she had a question or needed some extra persuasive power. A few times, Thirtyx figured she'd gotten the ropes and considered sneaking away, but then another prospective recruit would show up, and he'd lose track of time. Before he knew it, the fair was over, and the adjacent tables had already packed down.