The carriage began to move slowly, its wheels creating a soft clatter over the cobbled streets of Cellesterra. The rhythmic sound of horses' hooves echoed proudly between the rows of buildings lining the main road. Outside the window, the city was beginning to stir. Morning sunlight illuminated the bustling market, and the scent of freshly baked bread and spring flowers drifted in through the carriage window.
As we reached an intersection near the market, the sound of hooves was suddenly masked by the cheerful notes of music. A sweet melody from stringed instruments blended with the lively beat of small drums being struck with enthusiasm.
"Looks like there's a street performance up ahead," muttered Oswalt, seated to my right.
"Yes, you're right," I replied, peeking out the window.
"A street performance? What's that?"A soft, curious voice came from my left, prompting me to turn my head.
Our faces were suddenly so close I could smell the faint scent of roses in her hair. Princess Serena seemed just as startled as I was when our eyes met for a brief second—too close for comfort.
We both jerked back.
"S-sorry…" Princess Serena stammered.
"No, it's not your fault…" I quickly responded, equally flustered.
An awkward silence hung between us until it was broken by a sharp glare from one of the noble students sitting across from me. The look in his eyes carried a deep disdain, as if my presence near the princess was an offense. But I simply ignored him and turned my gaze back out the window.
The music grew louder. From the top of the carriage, we could see a crowd of townspeople dancing, laughing, and singing in the street. Street performers played cheerful folk songs while children ran through the crowd, laughing gleefully. The bright colors of their clothes, flowers, and little flags brought the scene to life with simple joy.
As our carriage slowed to make way, an elderly woman from the crowd approached. With a warm smile, she held out a single white lily toward the window.
Without hesitation, Princess Serena accepted it, her smile radiant.
"Thank you…" she whispered, as if she'd never received such a small gift with so much feeling.
"So this is what a street performance is…" she murmured in awe, her eyes fixed on the white lily in her hand.
"Yes… this is how common folk enjoy their entertainment in the city," I replied without looking at her.
"Really? It's… truly delightful."
"You've never seen anything like this before?"
"In Aurendell, Father and Mother often took me to see theater or orchestras in grand halls. But… it never felt like this. This is more alive. More… intimate. Warmer."
I fell silent for a moment.
Truthfully, I had never seen an orchestra, let alone a stage play—such entertainment was costly and usually reserved for the upper class and nobility. Our worlds were very different, even though we now sat side by side.
"I see…" I finally said, trying to sound casual, though something about the conversation felt unfamiliar.
She gazed out the window with a small smile, still holding the lily tightly, as if it were a treasured keepsake.
And in that moment, I realized something: Princess Serena wasn't just a noble, not just a symbol of status. Beneath her title, she was someone warm… and perhaps, not entirely unreachable.
As I turned my gaze back outside, her soft voice reached me again, barely audible over the lively music and laughter.
As I was about to return my attention to the street performance, her gentle voice, muffled by the festive noise, reached my ears again.
"Hey, your name is Yohan, right?"
I froze. It took me a few seconds to be sure my ears hadn't mistaken the direction of that voice. Slowly, I turned to face her. She looked a bit nervous.
"I-is there something on my face?" she asked anxiously, misinterpreting my sudden serious gaze.
I snapped out of it. Apparently, I had been staring at her longer than I realized.
"Ah! N-no… your face is still as beautiful as ever."
I had no idea where those words came from. My tongue moved faster than my thoughts.
Princess Serena's eyes widened, her cheeks turning crimson. She quickly turned her face away, trying to hide the flush.
"I-I didn't mean it like that… I'm sorry," I hurriedly tried to correct myself.
"I was just surprised you knew my name."
"I-it's… I do know," she replied nervously, avoiding my gaze. "But it's not like I purposely tried to find out or… or—"
"I know," I gently interrupted, trying to reassure her.
"You've been the talk of the whole academy, so… that's how I learned your name," she said quickly and hesitantly.
I gave a faint smile. It seemed the rumors about the incident I caused had indeed spread far and wide—maybe even reaching the ears of the Holy Order.
(I need to speak with Preceptor Rozen as soon as possible before this gets worse.)
"Yohan…"I flinched again when she said my name once more.
"What is it?"
She clutched the lily tighter, then slowly turned to face me.
"Can we… be friends?"
"Huh?"
I was too stunned to hide it. Even some people inside the carriage fell silent, overhearing the unexpected question.
"You… don't want to?" she asked softly, her eyes dimming.
"It's not that, it's just…"
"Then… let's be friends, okay?" she said, holding out her hand.
I looked at her, hesitant, then slowly raised my hand to take hers. But before our hands could touch—
Someone stood up in front of us.
"Serena."
That hand was intercepted by a male student who had suddenly risen. He was tall, with golden hair, and wore a noble's uniform.
"Reinhart…?" Princess Serena looked surprised.
"You shouldn't casually touch a stranger's hand," Reinhart said coldly, his eyes locked onto mine like I was a thorn in his side.
"He's right, Serena. You shouldn't be speaking so familiarly with someone of lower class," another noble girl chimed in.
The tension rose. Princess Serena quickly pulled back her hand.
"I don't like your tone, Olivia," she replied sharply. "And you, Reinhart, Yohan is not a stranger. He is—"
"I am merely a commoner, Princess Serena," I cut in quickly, trying to diffuse the situation. "And they… are not wrong."
Serena turned to me, her expression wounded.
"But I don't want to judge people by their status," she said. "I want to be friends with anyone… regardless of status or blood."
Her words echoed in the sudden silence. All eyes were on her—no one dared to argue. Even Reinhart and Olivia were quiet, though their faces showed clear disapproval.
She was truly different.
The atmosphere inside the carriage turned somber. No one spoke. Everyone simply stared at one another in silence. Not even the cheerful music outside could dispel the quiet that had fallen.
Amid that stillness, a soft voice whispered beside me.
"I truly want us to be friends, Yohan."
I slowly turned to her. She looked at me seriously, though her voice remained gentle.
"But you might get into trouble because of that. I don't want you to be in trouble because of me," I replied in the same quiet tone.
"It's alright. I don't mind," she answered without hesitation.
I fell silent, contemplating everything. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Reinhart still staring at me with an unreadable expression.
Finally, with some hesitation, I nodded.
"In that case… alright."
Princess Serena's face lit up instantly. Her smile was so warm, so full of life.
I didn't know what would happen next.
But…It felt like a good beginning.
Time passed. The cold night began to wrap around our journey, and the convoy finally stopped at a wide open field that had been chosen as a resting spot.
The guards immediately began setting up tents, while the male students helped build the camp. On the other side, the female students, along with some teachers, began preparing dinner. The aroma of hot broth and spices filled the air, bringing warmth to the chilly night.
As I carried a few logs for the fire, Wilhelm approached me with a wide grin.
"Hey, Yohan. Enjoying your trip?"
I shrugged. "Hmm… I don't know."
"What kind of answer is that, damn it?"
I looked at him briefly, then said quietly, "If I told you what happened during the trip… you wouldn't believe me."
Wilhelm stared at me, curiosity lighting up his face. "What happened? Don't leave me hanging!"
I lowered my head slightly and replied without looking at him, "Somehow… I became friends with Princess Serena."
"Pffttt… HAHAHAHAHA!"
Just as I expected, he didn't believe me.
"You think I'd fall for a joke like that?"
I simply shrugged. "Believe whatever you want."
Wilhelm kept laughing, thinking it was just a meaningless joke. I decided to ignore him and sat by a small campfire with the other students.
Dinner time arrived. Everyone sat with food in their hands, enjoying the warmth and calm of the night. Light chatter echoed here and there, but the mood remained peaceful.
Until suddenly, footsteps approached from behind. As I turned, I could hardly believe my eyes.
Princess Serena—wearing her simple yet elegant travel dress—stood before me, holding a bowl of hot soup in her hands.
"Yohan, may I sit next to you?" she asked gently.
I froze for a moment, feeling dozens of eyes suddenly on me. "Ah… yes. Of course," I finally replied, a bit flustered.
Wilhelm, sitting right next to my left, immediately looked at me like he'd seen a ghost.
"Hey, Yohan, what's going on here?" he whispered quickly, barely audible.
I gave him a flat look. "I told you. But you didn't believe me."
Wilhelm opened his mouth, but no words came out. His eyes shifted back and forth between me and Princess Serena, utterly speechless. Meanwhile, murmurs began to spread around us. Curious—and some disapproving—glances once again landed on me.
Yet in the midst of it all, Princess Serena calmly sat beside me, smiling as if none of it mattered.
And that night, under a starry sky and the glow of the campfire, I realized something...
Perhaps my journey has only just begun. But at the very least, I am no longer walking alone.