The sisters and their cousin have been at school now for around a year and boredom has set in. At first, the all expected the noble brats in school to pester them to no end, after all, they are the grand children of two royal lines. Unbeknownst to them, Jote and company had already taken the initiative to quell the lecherous boys in the school by filing preliminary engagements with the girls and both royal houses. As the girls hadn't yet finalized the papers, they were still technically single women of very high value.

That was before today. An enterprising young idiot had taken on the job of academy messenger, with a side of gossip for a quick extra bit of cash. Without paying attention to who was nearby, he asked for a silver for the information he claimed would upset the balance of the school. Fifteen students later, he spilled the beans. "The Princess Quartet never sealed the engagements!"

Esther was just walking by when she heard this statement. It puzzled her because she had been hearing about the Princess Quartet for some time but no one yet had told her who they were even when asked with money, jewels, and food. However, the next statement clearly resolved the issue as one of the boys noticed her and reflexively muttered, "run... it's the First Princess!"

It didn't help the gossip, as he was currently looking at a ring of fire closing in on his neck. "Uhm... hello yo-yo-your Hi-i-Highness!"

"What's this about engagements? And am I to understand I have one on file?"

The boy nodded right into the flame, before straightening up. "You all do. It's why the guys haven't bothered you. Especially you. The Duke would kill anyone who approached his girl." Esther looked confused, she had never paid attention to titles and didn't know who was a duke. The boy, fearing for his life, and seeing a way out with his head on explained, "Silver Duke Jote of the Foresight!"

After the flames vanished, so did the boy, but Esther did not even notice through the haze of heat spreading around her...

-- I realized one thing reading other novels, the school itself is less than useless in the story. It's what happens outside of class that really tells the story.

Your Tardy Troll, Dreslief