Retrieve the Kingdom

Acquired & Acquainted

Phoebe woke up at 6:30 in the morning and prepared for the small meeting they will be held in the snacks shop. She wore her favorite outdoor yellow dress and puts her hair on a ponytail. She brings her small sling bag with her trusty notebook, a pen, and some aurels on an aurel pouch. 

“You seem suited up, Phoebe.” The archduke said as they took their breakfast. “I am going to a meeting, that’s why I delayed my visit first to my parents, don’t worry, I already wrote to them.”

“That’s good you are notifying them, I don’t want to run on some problems with your guardians.” Phoebe giggles as she finishes her steak. “I will be going now, sir. I will be just in the Honeysweet Snacks Shop. I am sorry if I can’t join you until you finish.” She stands and grabs her sling bag.

“It’s fine, I know it’s urgent.” The archduke smiles as Phoebe smiled back and walked away from the dinner table. She decided to just walk to the snacks shop to get some leg exercise.

15 minutes later, she reached the snacks shop and seeing the clock, she was a bit early. She already saw Cledwyn crunching on some buttered bread on a table in the corner. It was a bit awkward for her since his blood boils around her. 

She had no choice but to accompany the class leader. She approached him and takes the seat in front of him. Cledwyn looks at her, “I am glad that you are an early bird.”

She just smiled and hesitated to talk back. The boy grew fear in Phoebe to him. She’s also taking Belle’s advice not to initiate a fight with him or even, just be silent around him unless she have no choice to talk. 

They maintained the silence until Cledwyn can’t take it anymore and initiated a topic. “Did you heard anything yesterday?” Phoebe froze at the question. She looks at him and stuttered. “Yesterday?”

“Don’t play forgetful with me.” Phoebe gulps as she surrenders. “Well, I just heard loud mumbles, no context in particular.” She can’t count how many times she lied just to avoid a situation, but she needs to stay low until she is ready to make a final blow. 

“Are you sure?” He squinted his eyes as Phoebe tries not to make any suspicious movements and gestures that can detect her lying. “I mean, the door is blocking all the sounds. And, Cledwyn, whatever you and your sister talked, even if I have heard it, I wouldn’t care and respect your privacy.”

“So you are admitting you heard something?” Phoebe stopped as she questions herself if she spoke something that can push Cledwyn to make her spill what she heard. “Come on, it’s better to let it out and maybe I can explain myself, which I don’t normally do, but you seem an investigator type.”

Phoebe raised her eyebrow as Cledwyn smirks. “I’ve seen you are recording much on your notebook, and probably what you have heard is already written there.” The girl froze as thoughts came into her mind, absolutely blocking her right thinking. 

“You even have a plan… What was that? ‘Operation Overthrow’” Phoebe’s pupils shrank as she got nervous about what Cledwyn have known more. In impulse she suddenly stands and bends towards him, looking at him intently,

“What more did you read!?” She said as Cledwyn snickers. “I wish I could say to you… But you are a bit unfair.” He rubs his fingers. “Here’s the deal, you tell me what you have heard yesterday then I’ll tell you what I have known from your notebook.” 

Phoebe sits on the chair as she sighs. “Fine. I just heard that you won’t obey your sister and she said it’s a shame. That’s all, your turn.” Cledwyn wore his triumphant smile, “Well, I wish I could have known more about what you wrote, but I only saw as an idea for a novel and that big words saying, ‘Operation Overthrow’.”

Phoebe realizes she had fallen into his trap. “You manipu—” Before she can finish her sentence, Gerald arrived. “Hey, don’t fight early in the morning.” He said as he took the seat on Phoebe’s left. 

She took a deep breath and decided to let herself cool for a while. She took her aurel pouch in her sling bag and left the bag there. She ordered some waffles on a stick. She came back to the table and just in time, Kerry arrived.

“Maybe you two can get your snacks while we aren’t still starting.” Cledwyn offered as Kerry and Gerald left them alone and ordered their snacks. The cunning boy in front of Phoebe rested her arms on the table and intertwined his fingers and looks at the girl in front of him. 

“I never thought you were delusional, or maybe that was really a novel lore idea.” Phoebe looks at him, “What do you mean?” She said as she takes a bite on her warm waffle. Cledwyn clears his throat, “I am Princess Desiree… Well, I was… I thought those were dreams, but it’s true, I am dead… Well, I was dead, but now, it seems the gods reincarnated me.” 

Phoebe froze for the third time and got more pissed. “I don’t know what kind of mind you have, but I can say it’s pretty imaginative. I guess your mother is a fan of the late princess, well, queen, I may say. And she seems to fill your entire bookshelves with books that tackle that myth. I mean, it might be a best-selling book if you ever published that novel. But I afraid to say that you might raise controversy about the late queen’s death.”

Phoebe takes a deep breath. “Whatever. But please respect my privacy as I how respected yours.” She almost spilled the truth that may be Cledwyn’s most favorite joke ever. If she could just say that she was the late princess and not be laughed off. 

Before Cledwyn was able to speak, the other two officers came back with their snacks. “I guess we will now start our meeting."

Days have quickly passed, today is now the annual party in the academy. Yesterday, Gerald and Kerry have already set up their position on the school grounds. Today, Phoebe came to school with someone, her brother. 

She went out of the carriage as she approached the cart that was following them. She helped her brother taking the delicacies to their booth. They loaded it to the other transportation cart and start pushing them. 

“Hey, let me help you,” Andrei said as he took the cart handle and let him push the cart. “Hey, don’t, your father will be angry that you are pushing a cart,” Phoebe said as her brother’s focus shifted to them. 

“It’s fine! It’s better than being ridiculed for not helping a lady. Hey, are you Phoebe’s brother that she is talking about?” The prince looks at the man beside them which a few inches taller than him. 

“Yes, I am Bastien, wait… Are you one of the high princes?” He looks at him as Andrei nods. “Yes, I am Prince Andrei, but you can call me Andrei. Since you are my friend’s brother, you are now my friend also.”

“Woah, never expected to meet one of the men that is being adored by many in the kingdom.” Andrei giggles, “I am the most approachable one, so don’t be weirded out that you are talking with me. I am also the path councilor of Phoebe’s path, so it’s my duty to help you out.” 

They went to the Political Path’s first-year booth. The other 3 officers were there decorating the booth, well, except for Cledwyn who seems just looking around. Also, Eloise is there to help to decorate, the girl seems enthusiastic helping around.

“Phoebe’s here!” Kerry shouted as he approached the cart. “Woah, Phoebe really kept her promise treating us with food!” He was trying to grab one of the shrimp with breading but he kept insisting. Bastien just laughs, “Go on.” Kerry’s eyes sparkle as he grabbed one and savored every bite.

Eloise helped them arranging every container of the delicacies. “Thank you, Eloise.” Phoebe smiles as she places the last food on the counter. “No problem, I am happy to help you guys, just call me if you want to help!” Her sweet voice and sweet attitude even she is quite nervous make their class a bit brighter. 

The councilors invited them to the announcement hall as Bastien guards the food while the program is held. 

“Welcome Driessians to our Annual Acquaintance Party with the theme of Festivals and Fun~!” Cledaire brings up an enthusiastic opening which is responded to by cheers and claps. “This acquaintance party is very different from our previous ones. There will be more booths and fun activities for you guys to max out your fun~ Each year level will have its own booths, in a total of 12 booths are present in the wide school grounds, make sure you go on each one of them~”

The assistant head, Ferryl of Orell, took the spotlight. “The high student council also prepared activities, not just your booths. So just sit back, relax, and enjoy this day. Instructions on each activity and their period will be presented by our Councilor of Records, Chelsy of Mires.”

The red-haired girl presented some activities that will run throughout the whole event and their mechanics. The opening program ended with the closing remarks of the path councilors. The booth operators went first to the school grounds to manage their booths as other students check them out. 

Phoebe, Kerry, and Gerald were already waiting at their booth as their very own classmate checks on them. They were the first ones who tasted the foods and other students join them. 

“I never thought I would taste this in school!” One student exclaimed as they already finishing one of the delicacies. “Don’t worry, just get some. We will have more for you.” Phoebe said as Bastien says goodbye to them as he returns to the archduke’s mansion to help his father prepare food for the second batch of it.

The students are piling up on their booth just to taste the foods prepared. Minutes later, it started to decrease as students start to get satisfied with the amount of food they gobble up. 

“Damn, I thought this wouldn’t end!” Gerald said as he stretches his arms. “I am glad that we are earning some aurels with the donations, your idea works, Kerry!” 

“Well, it’s a good idea, since we are in the Politics Path, it’s best if we can help others with this simple booth that we are managing. Just suits our education path well.” Phoebe commented as Kerry blushes, “It was just a joke, but I guess it’s a good idea.”

“Speaking of ideas, did you noticed Cledwyn? I thought he was with us.” Phoebe said as she looks around. “I thought too, he accompanied us on the way here. He’s so quiet when he leaves, it’s kinda scary.” Kerry responded. 

“Maybe I’ll look for him, you stay here.” She went out of their booth as she started to roam around, looking for her partner. She checked every booth if the boy is hiding within the crowd. She didn’t found anything, even his shadow.

She tried to find him in the buildings, and eventually found herself in the main building. She roams around the halls, the student councils wouldn’t mind. She kept looking for Cledwyn as she heard a distant noise.

She followed it and found out it was from the student councils’ board room. She was about to ignore it as she heard a familiar voice. She listened closely. 

“Are you supposed to guard your booth?”

“We need to talk.”

“About what? And why here, there’s plenty of time in the home, you know.”

“You really suck, you know about that?”

A laugh was heard, “Are you just here to insult me? Come on, don’t be whiny, you are just proving that you are weaker and you don’t really deserve the position.”

“You really are a great pretender.”

“I am your sister after all. Anyway, to make this time worth it, you might wanna hear this information.”

“Phoebe?”