Claire gently touched Vivienne’s sleeve.
"Vivienne."
Vivienne turned toward her with a smile.
"Hm?"
"I just ran into an old friend." Claire nodded toward a pair of young women a short distance away. One of them had already spotted Claire and was waving enthusiastically. "Come on. I’d like you to meet them."
"I’d love to."
The two made their way across the lecture hall, weaving through clusters of students who were already exchanging introductions.
"Claire!" the young woman called brightly.
"Amelia!" Claire laughed as the two greeted each other with a quick hug. "I was hoping we’d end up in the same class."
"So was I! Mother said there was a good chance we’d meet again here." Amelia stepped back before noticing Vivienne. "And who’s this?"
Claire smiled and gestured toward her roommate.
"This is my roommate, Vivienne."
Vivienne offered a graceful nod. "It’s lovely to meet you."
"I’m Amelia Hartwell." The young woman returned the smile warmly. "I graduated from St. Catherine’s Academy. My family runs Hartwell Holdings."
Vivienne recognized the name immediately.
Hartwell Holdings was one of the continent’s largest property development companies, responsible for many of the luxury hotels, commercial districts, and residential estates found throughout the Empire.
Amelia laughed sheepishly.
"That sounded awfully formal, didn’t it? Sorry. Father always says university is where future connections begin, so introducing the family business has become second nature."
Vivienne chuckled.
"I think it makes perfect sense."
Amelia motioned toward the young woman standing quietly beside her.
"And this is Eleanor Hayes."
Eleanor inclined her head politely.
"It’s a pleasure to meet you. I graduated from Northbridge Academy. My father served in the Royal Army before retiring several years ago."
Unlike Amelia’s lively personality, Eleanor spoke with calm confidence.
Her dark hair was cut neatly just above her shoulders—an uncommon style among the young ladies of St. Albion—which, together with her upright posture and athletic build, gave her a refreshingly practical appearance.
Claire looked toward Vivienne.
"Your turn."
Vivienne smiled.
"I’m Vivienne Beaumont. I graduated from St. Cecilia Preparatory Academy. It’s wonderful to meet both of you."
For a brief moment, Amelia simply smiled.
Then...
"...Beaumont?"
Vivienne blinked.
"Yes?"
Amelia looked at Claire.
Then back at Vivienne.
"...Wait."
"As in..."
"...House Beaumont?"
Vivienne laughed softly.
"I suppose there’s only one."
Amelia lightly covered her mouth.
"Oh my goodness..."
"I didn’t even make the connection."
Claire folded her arms with an amused smile.
"I was wondering how long it would take."
"I’m sorry!" Amelia said, laughing at herself. "I was too busy introducing myself."
Vivienne shook her head.
"There’s nothing to apologize for."
"I’d rather everyone simply call me Vivienne."
"I like that," Amelia replied with a grin. "Then you’ll have to call me Amelia."
"And me Eleanor," the taller girl added.
"Deal."
Whatever little formality had existed between them quietly disappeared as the four girls began strolling toward the doors together with the rest of the class.
"So," Amelia said, slipping naturally into conversation, "what did everyone think of today’s orientation?"
Claire sighed dramatically.
"I spent the whole morning preparing myself for a speech that would last until dinner."
"And instead we got one that actually ended on time."
"I’d call that a victory."
The others laughed.
"I was more concerned about the curriculum," Eleanor admitted. "Those Foundation courses look demanding."
"They do," Vivienne agreed. "I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many required subjects listed together."
Honestly...
Staying in this university might be harder than making Anthony fall in love with me.
She almost laughed at the thought.
Amelia groaned.
"The moment I saw the timetable, I closed the handbook again."
"I’ve decided that’s tomorrow’s problem."
"A wise philosophy," Vivienne said with a smile.
Amelia suddenly clasped her hands together.
"But honestly..."
"My biggest impression today wasn’t the curriculum."
Claire already knew where this was going.
"Oh?"
Amelia sighed dreamily.
"It was the Student Council President."
"He is unbelievably handsome."
Claire gave a small cough.
"Ahem."
Amelia blinked.
"Hm?"
Claire tilted her head toward Vivienne.
"...His fiancée is standing right beside you."
Silence.
Amelia’s eyes slowly widened.
She looked at Vivienne.
Then back at Claire.
Then at Vivienne again.
"...Oh."
"...OH."
She buried her face in both hands.
"I’ve embarrassed myself twice in less than ten minutes."
Vivienne couldn’t help laughing.
"I promise you haven’t."
Claire smiled reassuringly.
"Don’t worry."
"I think every girl in the orientation hall had the same thought."
Eleanor nodded once.
"I’ll admit..."
"He is rather handsome."
"There!" Amelia exclaimed, pointing triumphantly. "See? Even Eleanor agrees!"
"I said ’rather handsome,’" Eleanor corrected calmly.
"I didn’t say I was swooning."
The three girls burst into laughter.
Vivienne found herself laughing with them.
It was... nice.
Comfortable.
Warm.
She had worried that arriving in a world she’d only ever known through the pages of a novel would leave her feeling like an outsider.
Instead...
Somehow...
She had already begun making friends.
Elsewhere in the lecture hall, several freshman boys had gathered near the windows while waiting for the crowd to thin.
One of them glanced toward the girls.
"...Who’s the blonde?"
Another followed his gaze.
"Lady Beaumont."
"The duke’s daughter?"
"Mhm."
"...Anthony Ashford’s fiancée?"
"So I’ve heard."
There was a brief silence.
"...Well."
"There goes that idea."
The group laughed.
"I wasn’t about to compete with the Student Council President anyway."
"Smart man."
Another boy’s attention shifted elsewhere.
"What about the chestnut-haired girl near the front?"
"I don’t know her name."
"But she’s pretty."
"There are a lot of pretty girls in our year."
"There really are."
The conversation among the boys gradually drifted elsewhere before the group disappeared into the sea of students leaving the lecture hall.
Vivienne and the others had already stepped out into the wide stone corridor.
Students filled every direction, some searching for classrooms, others comparing schedules, while many simply followed the signs pointing toward the university cafeteria.
Amelia glanced at the clock mounted above the corridor.
"...It’s already noon."
"No wonder I’m hungry," Claire admitted.
"I was too nervous this morning to eat much."
"I skipped breakfast altogether," Eleanor confessed.
Claire stared at her.
"You did?"
Eleanor nodded matter-of-factly.
"I woke up late."
Amelia laughed.
"Well, that settles it."
She pointed down the corridor.
"The cafeteria?"
"I heard it’s supposed to be one of the best on campus."
Claire looked at Vivienne.
"What do you think?"
Vivienne smiled.
"I think that sounds perfect."
Besides...
Meeting Anthony had already used up all of today’s courage.
Right now...
A good lunch sounded far more attainable than romance.
The four girls laughed as they joined the steady stream of students heading toward the university cafeteria, unaware that the afternoon would bring them one step closer to settling into life at St. Albion.