Chapter 41: The Courage to Love (1)

Royal Academy, midday several days later—lunchtime. Nearly all the students gathered in the academy dining hall, or rather, the overwhelming majority. Here, no one sought to set themselves apart with extravagant private meals. Such ostentation would only harm their reputation and draw resentment. Moreover, it was strictly forbidden by academy rules; after all, if every student insisted on bringing their own luxurious fare, imagine the chaos that would ensue.

Of course, simple lunchboxes were allowed if they didn’t disturb others, but even so, few would choose to bring one—doing so would be seen as a loss of face. Generally, there were three types of students who brought their own meals: those who wished to save time, who were the most common; those who couldn’t adapt to the academy’s cuisine, a rare few; and the truly scarce—those seeking to save money. Elsewhere, this last group might be large, but within these noble walls, such thrift was a rarity. Few among the upper echelons of the aristocracy understood frugality; squanderers were far more common—take, for example, a certain someone at the center of the hall.

As the young lady of the Ye family, Lan Yu had no need to pinch pennies, nor did she care to stand out. She always took her lunch in the academy’s dining hall—usually with two companions. One she liked; the other she detested.

Those two companions were none other than Ye Lang and the Seventh Princess. As to who was liked and who was disliked, there was no need to ask—it was common knowledge.

Recently, however, one of the two had stopped joining her. If it had been the Seventh Princess, Lan Yu would have celebrated with both hands raised, but fate had it otherwise. It was Ye Lang, her beloved younger brother, who hadn’t eaten with her for some time now, much to her displeasure.

“Lan Yu, where is Ye Lang? Is he skipping lunch with us again today?” The Seventh Princess, entering the dining hall, noticed Lan Yu sitting alone once more, Ye Lang nowhere to be seen.

If Ye Lang didn’t appear by now, it meant he wouldn’t be joining them today—yet again.

“Yes, no matter how I call him, he won’t come. He insists on eating that woman’s cooking. Honestly, as his fiancée, you’re useless; you can’t even keep your husband in line.” Lan Yu sighed, then launched her habitual attack on the Seventh Princess.

Though the two met frequently and knew each other better than they knew themselves, their relationship remained adversarial. Any time they met, they’d quarrel—one would say yes, the other no; even when agreement was possible, they’d seek to differ.

There was, however, one topic on which they were united: Ye Lang. He was the reason they so often found themselves together.

“I’m still only his fiancée, not his wife—I can’t control him. That’s your job as his sister; you’re the useless one…” the Seventh Princess retorted without hesitation. The two never shied from referencing the engagement between Ye Lang and the princess. Over the years, the Seventh Princess had never denied the arrangement, almost as if she tacitly accepted it. Ye Lang, on the other hand, would occasionally voice objections—though only rarely.

“You should be grateful he’s with her. If it were another woman, your status as fiancée would be at risk. As much as I dislike you, I wouldn’t oppose you two being together in the future,” Lan Yu said unwillingly. She was loath to see her brother marry the woman she argued with on a daily basis.

But she understood the Seventh Princess well, knew she cared for Ye Lang with genuine concern. As long as someone treated her brother well, Lan Yu would not oppose, no matter her personal feelings. That said, not opposing didn’t mean she approved. She also knew the princess’s feelings for Ye Lang weren’t romantic, but something more complex—an indescribable bond.

Though Ye Lang and the princess spent much time together and shared a close relationship, there had never been a spark between them. Their families were troubled by this, but there was nothing to be done; such matters could not be forced.

“Hmph. Even if it were another woman, my status would not be threatened. No one, no matter how exceptional, could replace me!” the Seventh Princess huffed. Whether this was bravado or genuine confidence, no one could say.

Quickly, she changed the subject, leaving no room for further probing.

“Lan Yu, why do you think he prefers her company? Is it just for the food?”

“What else could it be? With her qualities, there’s nothing but her cooking that could attract my brother. He isn’t that blind,” Lan Yu replied matter-of-factly.

“Not necessarily. He likes odd things. Perhaps he…” The Seventh Princess disagreed. Ye Lang’s tastes were peculiar, his standards inscrutable. What others admired, he dismissed; what others disdained, he praised.

She couldn’t help but suspect that perhaps it was this eccentricity that drew him to the woman in question—though, of course, it was a suspicion no one else would believe.

“Nonsense! If he ever fell for her, I’d lock him up immediately!” Lan Yu protested firmly.

“Heh, I was only joking. Why so nervous? Do you really think it possible?”

“Impossible. Absolutely impossible!” Lan Yu shook her head and resumed her lunch.

What kind of girl was so unthinkable, so utterly beyond the realm of possibility for both of them? Naturally, it was the girl Ye Lang was with at that very moment. Outwardly, she might possess a certain something, but she was, in truth, a perfectly ordinary eighteen-year-old neighbor—definitely not a beauty.

Within the Alchemy Academy, in Ye Lang’s classroom, a familiar scene was unfolding—one that had become a daily occurrence.

“Ye Lang! You stole my lunch again! Give it back!” a voice rang out, more exasperated than angry, laced with resignation and habit.

The speaker was a large-framed girl—Zhen Xiaoyan, their classmate, and precisely the “impossible” girl Lan Yu and the princess had been speaking of.

For a long while now, Ye Lang had been taking his lunches with her, for the simple reason Lan Yu had described: the food.

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