Chương 71: Nimran II
Rachel touched her lips, still laughing at Ian's joke. She was relieved not to be in a fancy dress tonight, opting instead for comfortable, casual clothes. But her beauty shone regardless. Her golden locks cascaded below her shoulders, framing sapphire-like eyes and flawless skin. Her angelic face and kind personality completed the image of a picturesque saintess.
She tilted her head slightly, catching sight of Arthur joking around with another boy their age as they approached the table. The boy's cheeks were tinged with red as they walked over, plates full of food.
"Oh, that's Luke," Ian said, noticing Rachel's gaze. "He's a high noble and Rank 9. Seems like he and Arthur are friends."
"That's nice," she smiled, though a slight purse of her lips betrayed a hint of wistfulness.
'How nice it must be to make friends so easily', she thought.
Even Ian, the most sociable among them, hadn't formed true friendships outside of Class A. Even within Class A, Rachel couldn't say any of them were particularly close, except for her friendships with Lucifer and Arthur.
'Peculiar,' she noted, her lips curling into a small smile as she took a bite of bread dipped in melted butter.
Arthur Nightingale was indeed peculiar. Rachel didn't like analyzing people, but it was a habit drilled into her as a princess. During their time at the Isle of Azure Breeze and the Creighton Estate, she had observed him closely.
Arthur had a certain magnetism. Not just towards the Class A students, but towards all students. Rose and Luke were prime examples. Luke had tried to eliminate Arthur during the mid-terms to climb up to Class A, yet now they chatted like old friends.
'What exactly are you?' she wondered. It was because of this mystery that she never let her guard down completely around him, despite how much she wanted to. They had only known each other for a few months, but he remained an enigma.
Arthur was too befuddling, too confusing. She had managed to analyze all the members of the year, including the professors, but not him.
'Why is he so magnetic? Why does he look at us like that? Why does he want to be the strongest? Why? Why?'
Those questions constantly plagued her mind.
She wanted answers, but at the same time, she didn't. Rachel was exceptionally perceptive, especially when it came to emotions. She could effortlessly discern when someone liked her, disliked her, hated her, and everything in between.
For instance, she knew the reason Luke blushed was because he had been looking at her. It was obvious to her. However, she disliked exploiting this and only used the information if absolutely necessary.
But when it came to Arthur, her mind changed tracks so quickly. What was it about him? What made him different? That baffled her.
It was a question she might never answer. For now, she could simply be genuine towards him and her other friends. That's what she always did, and something she would never stray from.
Arthur and Luke finally reached the table.
"Hey Rach," Arthur greeted with a bright smile. Rachel responded with her own genuine smile, feeling a warmth that she rarely experienced.
"Go get a chair for yourself," Ian said, noting the eight chairs at the table. Luke nodded, placing his plate next to Ian's before heading off to find a free chair.
"How have you been, Sera?" Arthur asked, turning his attention to the third person at the table. The other five were still getting food.
"I'm good, Arthur. Make sure to enjoy the food," Seraphina replied simply. Her words were almost cold, but the subtle tremor in her voice and her known tendencies hinted at how close she felt to Arthur.
"Hey Arthur!" a bright voice called from behind him just as he chose a seat next to Seraphina.
He turned to find Rose leaning in close, their noses nearly touching by accident. Rose backpedaled, her face turning crimson as she apologized, "S-sorry, I wasn't expecting you to do that!"
"Don't worry about it," Arthur laughed, easing her embarrassment. Ian chortled, adding to the lighthearted atmosphere.
"So, you excited?" Arthur asked Rose, who adjusted her denim jacket before replying with enthusiasm, "Yeah, sure am!"
Rachel stopped paying attention to their conversation, her focus shifting to Rose. A mid to high-rank student from Class B, Rose was undoubtedly talented. She was also quite beautiful, with a natural charm that made her more approachable, especially for someone like Arthur.
Rachel found herself scrutinizing Rose's features—the way her eyes sparkled when she spoke, her confident posture, and the ease with which she interacted with Arthur. There was an undeniable appeal to her, a warmth that even Rachel, with all her poise and grace, couldn't ignore.
Rachel's thoughts were interrupted as Lucifer returned with a plate full of food. She noticed her own sparkling blue eyes had darkened, reflecting a swirl of emotions she didn't fully understand.
"Hey, what's up?" Lucifer asked, setting his plate down and taking a seat beside her.
Rachel forced a smile, pushing aside her inner turmoil. "Nothing much, just thinking."
Lucifer gave her a knowing look but didn't press further.
Suddenly, Cecilia appeared, her tray of food clattering onto the table. She interrupted the conversation between Rose and Arthur, grabbing his hand with a sense of urgency.
"Arthur, come with me," she demanded.
Arthur opened his mouth to protest, and Rose looked ready to interject, but before either could react, someone else stepped in. Seraphina's pale hand grabbed Arthur's other hand, pulling him back firmly.
"What do you think you are doing, Cecilia?" Seraphina's voice was as cold as her nickname, the Ice Princess.
Cecilia's eyes narrowed, her voice equally frosty. "I could ask you the same thing, Ice Princess."
Rachel watched the scene unfold, her internal conflict growing. Part of her wanted to step in and help defuse the tension. Yet, for the first time, she listened to the other part of herself that urged her to stay out of it.
The air was thick with tension as the two girls faced off, each holding one of Arthur's hands. The whole table fell silent, all eyes on the unfolding drama.
Arthur looked between Seraphina and Cecilia, clearly uncomfortable but unsure how to extricate himself from the situation. "Um, can we all just sit down and talk about this?" he suggested, trying to keep his voice calm and steady.
Seraphina's grip tightened slightly, her gaze not leaving Cecilia's. "If you have something to discuss with Arthur, you can do it here."
Cecilia's eyes flashed with defiance. "This is a private matter. It doesn't concern you."
"It does when you're disrupting our dinner," Seraphina shot back, her tone unyielding.
Rachel's heart pounded in her chest as she watched, torn between wanting to intervene and knowing it was best to let the situation play out. Her hesitation was telling; she was beginning to see Arthur in a different light, one that made her own feelings more complicated.
Lucifer, sensing the escalating tension, stood up. "Alright, let's all just take a breath. Cecilia, if you need to talk to Arthur, can it wait until after dinner? We're all friends here, right?"
Cecilia chuckled, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Friends? Don't kid yourself, Mr. Golden Boy. The only one here who's even remotely interesting is Arthur."
Lucifer's verdant eyes narrowed, and the subtle pressure of his white core emanated from him, causing the air to thicken. Cecilia's teeth clattered as she rallied her silver core to counter the oppressive force.
"Do not call me Mr. Golden Boy," Lucifer warned, his gaze as dark as a drake's hide.
Rachel felt a shiver run down her spine as the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. The situation was spiraling out of control.
Before anyone could intervene, another voice cut through the tension. "Why, too arrogant, Mr. Number One?" Ren's amethyst eyes glowed as he stepped in, countering Lucifer's pressure. "Or should I call you Mr. Golden Boy?"
Lucifer's eyes flashed with anger. "I don't think you should be saying much, Ren. You failed your ancestor and fell to Rank 3 despite being so blessed."
The air grew heavier with the clash of powerful auras. Rachel's heart pounded in her chest, the charged atmosphere making it hard to breathe. She glanced around the table, seeing the strained expressions of her friends.
Seraphina's usually composed face was tense, her grip on her fork tightening. Ian, ever the peacemaker, looked ready to step in but hesitated, knowing the volatile mix of emotions could easily explode.
Arthur, caught in the middle, tried to diffuse the situation. "Hey, let's just calm down. We're all here to enjoy dinner, not to fight."
Cecilia's gaze shifted from Lucifer to Ren, a smirk playing on her lips. "This is getting interesting. But Arthur's right. This isn't the place for a showdown."
Lucifer and Ren locked eyes for a moment longer before slowly backing down, the oppressive atmosphere gradually easing. The tension, however, lingered like a storm on the horizon.
"Let's talk later Cecilia," Arthur said to her before sitting back in his seat.
"I-I should go now," Rose stammered out, "Nice seeing you though Arthur."
Arthur smiled at her as she left our table.
Rachel exhaled, her mind racing. The dynamics within Class A were more complex than ever, and Arthur seemed to be at the center of it all. His presence was a catalyst, drawing out the best and worst in everyone around him.
"Sorry, this usually doesn't happen," Ian said to Luke on his side who was baffled by the entire situation and just nodded along.
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