HTNSA 58

Chapter 58

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Eila trudged back to the dormitory and collapsed onto her bed.

She closed her eyes, attempting to restore the energy she had lost.

Rustle. Rustle.

Eila, who was half-conscious, raised her head with a puzzled expression.

There was a strange noise coming from somewhere in the room.

Looking around, she soon realized the source of the noise.

‘Did the egg just move?’

But when Eila looked at the egg, it suddenly became still, almost as if it were pretending nothing had happened.

She narrowed her eyes, carefully examining the egg.

‘…I didn’t notice earlier because of the exam, but it seems to have grown much bigger than last time. The color’s also darker.’

She turned her head and noticed a stack of books on the desk.

These were the rare books that she had recently requested from Fioni.

Eila had been gathering information on dragon eggs recently.

She couldn’t rule out the possibility that this egg might be that of a Black Dragon.

However, the information she could find in the academy’s library had its limits, so she had to ask Fioni for help.

‘I’ll have to look through those books.’

To clear her mind, Eila lit her mana lamp and sat down in a chair.

She quietly began flipping through the pages of the books.

She quickly skimmed each one, but it took a bit of time to find the information she wanted.

‘I guess these books alone aren’t enough…’

Just as she was about to close the book in frustration, her eyes caught the phrase “Black Dragon’s Egg.”

She widened her eyes and started reading the sentence eagerly.

“Black Dragon’s eggs are very difficult to hatch. This is also why they leave their eggs in Drake’s nests.

Dragon eggs react very sensitively to temperature and must be placed in an area rich in mana.

When the egg’s color becomes darker and it begins to grow in size, it should be placed in an area where both moonlight and sunlight can shine upon it to receive the natural energy it needs.

If the egg doesn’t receive enough sunlight and moonlight, it will fail to hatch.

It’s also recommended to speak to the egg. Dragons are exceptional creatures and can understand the words spoken to them even when inside the egg.”

Eila’s face became serious.

Her dormitory, no matter how much it had large windows typical of a good dorm, wasn’t exactly an ideal environment for hatching an egg.

While it was spacious, it didn’t let in much moonlight.

‘But there is one place that might work…’

Recently, Professor J.C. had given Eila a small greenhouse that she could use personally.

It was a space provided for her to grow herbs, but there were no rules preventing her from using it for other purposes.

Eila looked down at the silver key in her hand, deep in thought.

‘I wonder if it’s okay to use it for personal purposes…’

Although she was unsure, it was clear that keeping the growing egg in her dormitory was becoming more of a burden.

According to dorm regulations, she couldn’t keep an unapproved pet in the room.

Moreover, leaving a living being on the brink of hatching unattended didn’t sit well with her.

‘…Maybe I was destined to take responsibility for this egg.’

Eila clenched the key tightly in her hand.

Though she was already overwhelmed with managing everything on her own, she didn’t want to neglect the care she had already poured into the egg.

‘Alright. I’ll try to hatch it in the greenhouse.’

With that resolve, her eyes gleamed with determination.

As the fall cultural festival approached, the academy became busier and livelier.

Thanks to the magic department paying extra attention to the decoration and landscaping of the buildings, the atmosphere was even more vibrant than usual.

The central garden’s fountain was bubbling and filling the air with multicolored soap bubbles.

The bubbles floated in the air, creating small rainbows as they scattered, while the flower beds were in full bloom with colors that couldn’t be found in this season.

Not only the garden, but the academy’s buildings had also undergone several transformations to celebrate the upcoming festival.

Marble walls displayed student trophies and paintings, and the candelabras along the hallways filled the building with a warm glow, as if it were a cozy autumn evening.

It felt as if the entire academy had turned into one big festival venue.

Fioni looked around with an excited expression on her face.

Unlike last year’s festival, when she had been too sick to participate, she was now eager to take part. Even if she had joined, it wouldn’t have been fun without anyone to share it with.

Back then, she had no friends, and watching the festival alone wasn’t much fun.

But this time was different.

‘I have Eila now!’

And with Felix tagging along, they were planning to visit the various booths and enjoy the festivities together.

‘We’ll watch performances, check out the stalls, and have fun!’

Fioni’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Although the nobles looked down on commoners, they had a strange curiosity about their culture.

Perhaps that was why one of the most important traditions of the festival was the street vendors and public performances.

‘I’m also really looking forward to the fireworks on the second day, but honestly, the most exciting part is the ball!’

The grand ball, where all the departments participated, was the highlight of the festival, and it would be held on the last day.

That was why Fioni had been so preoccupied with planning.

‘I want to match a beautiful dress with Eila!’

Her eyes shone with enthusiasm.

The most anticipated event for the students at the cultural festival was the ball.

But ironically, the ball was also the place where their status was most clearly exposed.

The differences in family backgrounds were evident in everything from the clothes they wore to the customs they followed.

And this year, Eila would be given the opportunity to have the first dance.

‘At the academy, the top student gets the first dance.’

Felix was the top student in the swordsmanship department. Naturally, he would be dancing with Eila.

His clothes would be prepared by the Azenta family, so she didn’t need to worry about his outfit.

The problem was Eila’s dress.

‘If I match mine to hers, we should be able to coordinate the colors with our partners.’

Fioni had already made plans for Eila’s dress.

The soft imperial silk gown, emphasizing a slim waist, would highlight Eila’s beauty.

Fioni was confident that this gown would look even better on Eila than anything she had worn when she was a true daughter of House Blanche.

‘Eila will be the star of the ball!’

As Fioni returned to her dorm room, her fists clenched in excitement.

Just then, Rona handed her coat to her and immediately presented something in front of her.

“Your Highness, a letter has arrived for you from Prince Darian.”

The unwelcome news made Fioni’s smile fade rapidly.

She stared at the letter in front of her, before sharply looking up at Rona.

Unlike before, Rona had been behaving respectfully, likely because Fioni had grown distant from her whenever she got too familiar.

Fioni’s smile quickly faded as she looked at the letter from Prince Darian. She stared at it for a moment, her expression turning serious.

Rona had changed her attitude over time, treating Fioni with more respect. Fioni could sense it was because she had been cold toward her whenever Rona became too familiar.

“Enough with the nagging, Rona. I know my own body better than you,” Fioni replied, her tone sharp.

“But… if you keep overexerting yourself, you’ll collapse again,” Rona protested, her voice laced with concern.

“I’d rather die than lie around doing nothing. And about the medicine I’ve been taking every day… I think I can reduce it now,” Fioni said dismissively, still irritated.

“W-What?!” Rona gasped in shock. “But the doctor told you to take it regularly…”

“My health has improved significantly. I don’t need it as much anymore.”

Rona stared at her with wide eyes, still skeptical.

The situation was becoming more tense by the moment, but Fioni had no intention of listening to Rona‘s concerns. She had her own way of managing things.

Fioni picked up the letter from Prince Darian and started to open it. Her fingers trembled slightly as she unfolded the paper.

As she read the letter, her expression hardened, and her lips tightened. The letter was an invitation from Prince Darian, but it wasn’t just any ordinary invitation.

He was inviting her to meet in private—away from the eyes of the academy.

‘Why is he asking to meet me alone? This can’t be good.’

Fioni’s mind raced as she thought of the possible reasons for this sudden request. She had long suspected that Prince Darian had his own hidden agenda.

She didn’t know if she should feel anxious, curious, or even frightened by his invitation.

After a few moments of contemplation, Fioni made a decision.

‘I’ll have to meet him. I can’t afford to ignore this.’

She handed the letter back to Rona, who still looked concerned.

“You may go now, Rona. I have some matters to attend to,” Fioni said calmly.

Rona hesitated but nodded and left the room. The door closed softly behind her.

Fioni sat on her bed, staring at the letter from Prince Darian.

Her thoughts were clouded with uncertainty, but she knew one thing for sure—this meeting would not be a simple one. Whatever Prince Darian wanted from her, it was something that would impact her future.

As the evening sun began to set, Fioni couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something much larger. Her heart raced as she thought about what might unfold.