Free Web Novel"Spacing out again?"
A slender finger lightly flicked Pavela's forehead.
The force wasn't heavy, but it was enough to pull her out of that chaotic heap of memories.
Pavela blinked and met Eleanor's slightly helpless gaze.
The afternoon sunlight streaming through the window was reflected in her ice-blue eyes, along with a faint, amused smile.
"What are you thinking about?"
Eleanor put down her fork, propped her elbows on the table, and rested her chin on her interlaced fingers.
"You were so lost in thought that the ice cream is almost melted."
Pavela glanced down at her cup.
A layer of condensation had formed on the glass, and the edges of the vanilla ice cream were starting to slump, mixing with the caramel bits into a pale golden mush.
She stirred it with her spoon, then scooped up a mouthful.
"Thinking about... what's happened since I came back from Dr. Lovelace's place."
She said vaguely.
Eleanor watched her.
Then she reached out and gently stroked Pavela's hair.
Her fingertips brushed past the stray hairs on her forehead and stopped at the crown, giving it a light rub.
"You certainly have been through a lot this past week."
Eleanor's voice was soft.
"Need me to help you sort through it?"
Pavela's head swayed slightly from the rubbing, her short silver hair spreading and gathering between Eleanor's fingers.
She didn't pull away.
"...Okay."
Eleanor's fingers gave another two rubs before withdrawing.
She leaned back against the chair, hands folded over her lap, her posture as elegant as if she were presiding over a formal meeting.
But the smile in her eyes hadn't faded.
"After returning from the Seventh Division, you stayed at my place for a few more days."
"It's been three days, hasn't it?"
"To be precise, two and a half days."
Pavela corrected her.
"Fine, two and a half days then."
Eleanor nodded.
"During those two and a half days, you went to the Seventh Division every morning to report, only to be told by Ms. Edna that Dr. Lovelace hadn't returned yet."
Pavela's spoon stopped mid-air.
"How do you know?"
"You said so yourself."
The corners of Eleanor's mouth curled up.
"Every night when you came back, you'd lie on the sofa, staring at the ceiling, and say, 'Ms. Edna can't teach me how to read.'"
Pavela was silent for a second.
"...I said something like that?"
"You did."
Eleanor's smile became more apparent.
"And more than once."
"On the first day, you said, 'Ms. Edna's meows have at least seventeen different tonal variations, but I can't understand a single one.'"
"On the second day, you said, 'I suspect she's using meows to mock me.'"
"On the third day—"
"Enough."
Pavela interrupted her.
She thrust her spoon into the ice cream that had completely turned to mush and stirred vigorously.
"I get it, I was in a bit of a... state back then."
"Cute?"
"...Abnormal."
Eleanor gave a light chuckle.
"So then you decided to go back to the academy for classes."
Pavela shook her head.
"It wasn't exactly my decision."
"There really was no other choice."
She took another scoop of the ice cream mush.
"Ms. Edna is indeed very smart, and she definitely knows more words than I do—no, I should say, every cat in the Seventh Division knows more words than I do."
"But the problem is the language barrier."
"I can't distinguish the meaning of words from various tones of meows."
She put the spoon in her mouth, her expression somewhat helpless.
"So I could only go back to the academy to find a human teacher."
Eleanor nodded.
"And then you met that—what was his name?"
"Professor Vasily."
Pavela said.
"The teacher for the Foundations of Mecha Dynamics course."
"I don't understand his lectures at ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) all, but I can at least recognize thirty percent of the words in his handouts now." freeweɓnøvel.com
Eleanor looked at her.
"Fast progress."
"I was forced into it."
Pavela scraped the last bit of ice cream mush from the cup.
"Dr. Lovelace's blueprints are full of Imperial military markings. If I don't recognize them, I'll press the wrong button again next time."
She put down the spoon and pushed the empty cup aside.
"But, more important than learning to read is something else."
She looked up at Eleanor.
There was a hint of seriousness in her gray-blue eyes.
"The suggestion Sister gave me."
Eleanor's finger tapped lightly on the table.
"To build your own power base."
"Mhm."
Pavela nodded.
"To form a society within the academy."
That's right, form a society.
In fact, many students from prominent backgrounds in the academy did exactly that.
They founded various fraternities and sororities.
Using trust and interests as a bond, they united a group of peers to serve them or to pursue a certain goal together.
This was how the Dawn Brigade and the Iron Cross were born.
Eleanor had once done the same.
Actually, given the reputation of the Schwartz Family, Eleanor, and herself, Pavela only had to give the word and her society would instantly be flooded with students.
However, Pavela didn't want that kind of organization.
Because what she wanted to do had nothing to do with interest or glory.
What she wanted to build was a pure organization with the goal of ending this war.
Such fellow travelers were rare in the Royal Knights Academy.
So rare that Pavela had to find them personally, one by one.
Fortunately, her roommate Natasha was a good candidate.
Natasha was now doubting the direction of the Fire of Freedom.
Doubting her brother's decisions.
Doubting whether this path really led to the destination she desired.
This doubt was the best entry point.
So, she didn't stop Natasha's investigation.
On the contrary, she even had Eleanor release some information.
This information was like puzzle pieces.
Viewed individually, each piece was very ordinary.
But they didn't fit together at all.
Thus, Natasha would continue to doubt.
Doubt Pavela's true identity.
Doubt Pavela's true purpose.
Doubt whether Pavela was a friend or a foe.
And this doubt would make her want to get closer.
Want to see for herself.
Want to find the answers.
Moreover, Pavela knew that Natasha wouldn't share this information with Igor.
Because she hadn't even figured out what these pieces meant herself.
Because her trust in her brother and the Fire of Freedom had already begun to waver.
Next, she just had to wait until Natasha was deep enough.
Wait until her doubt accumulated to a critical point.
Then Pavela would have the opportunity to completely win Natasha over.
...
"The twenty-third of the last month, which is five days from now."
"Why that day?"
"Because that's the academy's routine maintenance day. Most facilities will be closed after 8 PM, and patrols will be reduced."
"The reading room on the east side of the third floor of the Old Library is in a semi-abandoned state; very few people go there normally."
"And..."
"That day happens to be the Winter Solstice."
"Winter Solstice?"
"Yes, the longest night of the year."
"In Usar, there's a saying."
"The night of the Winter Solstice is the moment the old world dies and the new world is born."
"If we're to start something new..."
"There is no day more suitable than that."
