A Place Known Only to Laynobles

“Oh? You came back quite early. Was the gazebo unavailable?”

When I returned to my room in the dormitory still feeling dejected, the older student I shared the room with called out, “Tough luck.”

Last year during the Interduchy Tournament, our parents from both of our families had met and she and I had completed our color matching. Now that we had become officially engaged at this year’s Royal Academy, I wanted to do the sort of things lovers did.

After finishing our lessons, we had promised to visit the gazebo that was considered the classic spot for couples at least once together, so I had already told my roommates that I was planning to go there with her today.

“It was available.”

“It was free, and yet you came back at this hour…? Don’t tell me you did something outrageous and upset her. I told you time and again to be careful about how you touch women…”

The way he said it made it sound as though I had done something indecent to her in the gazebo, so I immediately denied it.

“That’s not it!”

“I never even touched her. We could barely talk before an archnoble glared at us and drove us out of the gazebo!”

“Ahh, officially it’s first come, first served… but, well.”

“There’s no way I could have a conversation with her while archnobles were wandering around the gazebo glaring at us!”

“Well, yes, that would be impossible.”

The unspoken rule was that if someone had left their highbeast in front of a gazebo’s entrance, others were not to interfere. However, there was no way we could ignore people circling around the gazebo under the pretense of searching for an empty one. And when those people were archnobles from our own duchy, even she became intimidated.

With the atmosphere growing unbearably awkward, we had no choice but to leave the gazebo early.

The archnoble cheerfully said, “Oh? You’re already done talking?” as he traded places with us and entered the gazebo. Then he sent an ordonnanz to his lover saying, “I have found an empty gazebo.”

“What infuriates me is that they do not think they pressured us into giving it up. In their minds, they were merely waiting for the gazebo to become available, and we simply finished our rendezvous and left on our own. ‘There was an empty gazebo’? There wasn’t! Say it properly: you forced us out!”

“I know, I know. The arrogance of archnobles really is astonishing.”

Just having the older student sympathize with my complaints and nod along made me feel a little better.

That was simply how the world worked. A laynoble sharing a single dormitory room with three others could never protest against or resist archnobles.

“It would be nice if there were somewhere we could go without archnobles interfering. She was feeling rather depressed, saying that if it were not winter, we could at least have gone on a picnic outside…”

The Royal Academy was only open during the winter. Once the socializing period passed its halfway point, snowstorms became less common, but there was still snow remaining in many places, and the temperature was far too cold to spend time relaxing outdoors.

Unless it was a place protected from the climate, like the area around the gazebos or the gathering spots assigned to each duchy, it would be difficult. That said, the gathering spots were unsuitable for rendezvous due to the feybeasts that appeared there.

“Here, take this.”

He held out a magic tool for preventing eavesdropping, and I accepted it with a blink of surprise. In this dormitory room, in the middle of this conversation… Was there truly a need to use something like this?

”…There is a place known only among laynobles.”

“Eh!?”

My eyes widened at those utterly unexpected words, and he warned me not to speak of it carelessly.

“You may only tell other laynobles. Also, it is only for those who have formally completed an engagement with someone from another duchy. If your fiancée is from the same duchy, you can reserve a meeting room in the dormitory, and if you only want to talk, you can do that in the common room.”

“That is true. I envy engaged couples from the same duchy for how close they can be.”

Couples from different duchies could also use the tea party rooms, but it was difficult for laynobles to monopolize one during the socializing season.

Sometimes several students with fiancées would reserve one together and divide it with screens, but that was not something they could do often. I truly wanted a place where we could meet freely without having to worry about others, like the gazebos.

“The final condition is that the person must not behave tyrannically toward anyone. We cannot tell someone about it if they would act overbearing toward women where no one can see them.”

“I understand. A laynoble, with a fiancée from another duchy, who is not overbearing.”

“If too many people learn about it, the place will become harder to use, so do not speak of it carelessly. Choose very carefully who you tell.”

…So that was his true intention.

I felt slightly exasperated, but I felt the same way about wanting to avoid increased competition.

“Where is it?”

“The staircase beside the auditorium.”

“You mean that staircase only used on graduation day?”

On graduation day, the auditorium transformed. A stage for sword dances and dedication whirls appeared at the altar, along with spectator seating. The staircase was used to reach those seats. Since there was ordinarily no reason to go near it, people did not approach the area.

“That’s the place. There are three rendezvous spots there: beyond the doors, at the top of the staircase, and beneath the stairs. Since there are staircases on both the left and right sides of the auditorium, there are six spots in total.”

”…I had no idea.”

“Of course not. You were not engaged until now, were you?”

Those words made it very clear just how carefully they selected whom to tell.

“If the space beneath the stairs can be used, then perhaps places outside the auditorium as well…”

“Do not go near the unused classrooms after classes end or the spaces beneath nearby staircases. Mednobles come and go there.”

Apparently, everyone thought of ideas as obvious as the one I had just come up with. After being warned, I nodded. I had no desire to go searching for a rendezvous spot only to be glared at by mednobles.

“First, go to the staircase and check for the mark.”

“A mark?”

“The mark of Ewigeliebe, the God of Life. You should recognize it since it is also used in magic circles, no? It means: do not interfere with Geduldh’s rendezvous, and do not enter beyond this point.”

During winter, Ewigeliebe’s mark—symbolizing how he encloses Geduldh within ice—felt perfectly suited as a sign indicating a rendezvous at the Royal Academy.

“The first place to check is beside the staircase. If there is a mark there, it means someone is already using the space beneath the stairs. If there is no mark, then you may draw the mark yourself with a stylo and use the space beneath the stairs.”

“Are there chairs or anything beneath the stairs?”

“Of course not. Bring at least a blanket yourself. It is merely somewhat better than having a picnic in the snow. At the very least, it is not a place specially prepared for rendezvous like the gazebos are.”

Even so, when he said it was a place for laynobles who simply wanted somewhere they could spend time alone with their lovers without being disturbed, I nodded.

Archnobles would never be able to sit on the floor beneath a dark staircase like that.

“Next, while climbing the stairs, check whether there is a mark on the wall at the landing. If there is one, the upper area is already in use. Give it up.”

“And if there is not one, does that mean it is fine to go around the landing and continue up the stairs beyond it?”

“Ah, that’s right. Check whether there is a mark further up the staircase. If there is not, then the area beyond is empty. Draw the mark with your stylo, go all the way in, and enjoy your rendezvous with her.”

He also told me to draw the mark fairly large so that it could be seen before someone finished climbing the stairs.

“And what should I do if there is a mark there?”

“It obviously means someone is already using the area beyond. In that case, go back down the stairs, draw the mark on the landing wall, and the two of you can spend your rendezvous on the staircase itself. When going upward, the spaces are used starting from the innermost area and working outward. After all, it would be far too awkward to pass through and check.”

I did not even want to imagine someone walking in while I was meeting alone with my fiancée. Thinking about it that way, I could clearly see how carefully the system had been designed so that people would not run into each other.

“You must use a magic tool to prevent eavesdropping so your conversations are not overheard. And when you leave, make absolutely sure to erase the mark with Waschen. Also, once the bell rings, the rendezvous is over. No matter how reluctant you are to part, you must withdraw at least once.”

Apparently, this also served to give those deeper inside a chance to leave, while allowing the other couples waiting their turn to switch places peacefully.

“So if you go after the bell rings, there is a high chance a spot will be open?”

“That’s right. I arranged to meet my fiancée at the next bell. I suppose it is about time for me to head out. Well then.”

Taking back the anti-eavesdropping magic tool from my hand, he smiled lightly and stood up.

…So that was why he was so composed compared to me, despite having a fiancée as well!

Feeling a little frustrated by how lacking in composure I was compared to an older student, I sent out an ordonnanz to call for my disappointed fiancée from earlier.