"Comrade?" She mumbled.

"Yes, we met at the Northern Academy. Soon, you'll enter the Academy too!" Fritts said, grinning happily.

Palma put on a poker face. She had very little interest in the academy.

"Anyway, Graham, Nepella and I met when we first entered the academy."

<<<

The Northern Academy. Twenty-eight years ago.

Fritts, Graham, and Nepella  were all in the same class.

Nepella, who was the strongest first year in the academy and had the top scores, was very popular among the students. All her peers admired her and wanted to become close with her. But the students could not approach her. Why?

"Run faster, Graham!" Nepella Shouted.

"Huff...Miss Nepella...slow...Huff...down...!" Graham said, he huffed and puffed while he ran as fast as he could.

"Come on. You're so slow." Nepella said, frustrated.

"Sigh. Miss Nepella, isn't it about time you stop picking on your fiancée?" Fritts said, joging at a steady pace next to Graham. He was a very athletic child, so running at Graham's pace was as easy as walking.

"Tch! The elders' are the ones who decided that, Not me! I don't want to marry a wimp." Nepella declared crossing her arms as she slowly slowed down.

"It's not like you have a choice..." Fritts mumbled. He rolled his eyes.

"What was that?" Nepella asked. She glared at him.

"Nothing..." Fritts replied feign ignorance.

"But we better stop here for today before Graham ends up fainting from dehydration." Fritts mentioned, he glanced at Graham, who was now staggering and grasping for air helplessly.

"Oh, dear. And you're the one who said you needed to increase you stamina." Nepella said, she grabbed Graham's rist and pulled him to a rest bench.

"Well you're the one who made him run a hundred laps around the whole school." Fritts mumbled, he handed Nepella a cup of water.

"A hundred is not that hard. I could run ten thousand laps around the school if I wanted to." Nepella said, she shoved the glass of water in Graham's face.

"Ouch... I wouldn't mind you being a little more gentle, Miss Nepella." Graham requested taking the cup from Nepella's hand.

"Haah?" Nepella snapped annoyed by Graham's sudden demand.

"Uhhhrr... Or not..." Graham corrected, looking away nervously while he sipped at his water.

"Continue to act that way, and you'll scare the whole school away." Fritts mumbled to himself. Fortunately, Nepella didn't hear him.

"Alright then. Let's see who can run the most laps." Fritts challenged.

"Fine. The loser has to buy the winner a three course meal." Nepella accepted, she got ready to start running.

"W...wait guys?"

"Heh! That's fine with me." Fritts said while he warmed up his legs.

"A...are you two even listening?"

"Ready...Set... Start!" Nepella shouted.

They both zoomed off running at full speed. While Graham was left behind all alone...

"S...So fast! But... class is about to start, you know..." Graham whined.

>>>

"Eh...?! Father and mother were so different back then." Palma thought, surprised.

"So who won exactly?" Palma asked.

"Ah... Lady Nepella won in the end. And we also ended up getting scolded by the instructors." Fritts admitted, awkwardly.

"I see." Palma estimated.

"Well, that aside, from now on, I'll be in charge of your training. Hopefully, you inherited the talent your mother had." Fritts joked.

Palma glared at Fritts. She didn't like the fact that he mentioned her mother's talent. She felt slightly disappointed.

"Like wise, I'll leave my training in your hands, Sire Fritts."