Reborn again to change WHAT?

Chapter 4

Cory looked to his friend as sweat drifted down his forehead. His palm was shivering from the pain while he held the sword almost dented by the recent force. Sitting on the bare ground he glanced up at the frowning boy "Derek, did something happen?"

Derek huffed a bit and threw down his sword. A thin stream of light entered the basement through the only porthole visible above the ground. He sat down in front of his friend "Just...I just feel angry."

Cory chuckled "Why? Did your girl dump you?"

Derek grinned "I am not dating her yet to get dumped but..." his face darkened "Maybe she doesn't like me as much as before."

"Anyway how long have you known Edith? I am surprised to see you chasing a girl you met only once."

"Who said we have only met once?"

"Then what? Those boring tea parties our parents organized didn't really make an impression on me."

"That was enough too," Derek said quietly "I couldn't take my eyes off her when we first met anyway."

Cory laughed "Really? I can't believe I lived to see a day you say that about a girl. But that doesn't mean you can almost break my sword. You've used too much magic in our practice today."

"Whatever," said Derek coldly and got up, he extended a hand to Cory who took it and did the same. "Let's have one last fight."

                                                           ****************************

It was the month of the Spring Festival, March. The flowers in full bloom swayed to the wind and I could only stare disappointed at the withered flower in front of me, to which I had tried to impart some growth magic. I jumped when I heard a step behind me and saw the crown prince glaring at me.

"Your highness," I curtseyed politely "Is anything the matter?"

"You know Derek well?"

"He is in my class," I answered "So I guess so."

He gave a sardonic smile "You- guess? Anyway Lady Edith, I hope we will have a more comfortable conversation next time."

He turned and left with great strides as I tried to wonder why he had asked such a question. In my previous life though he got along with Derek he was polite to me but didn't ever try to talk with me in the academy so it felt odd. He seemed different too, quite like Derek and was much colder and ruder than he was before.

I decided not to bother about it. After all he was just probably trying to see what I was up to just like he wants to be aware of what every other student wants to do. He was too vigilant as if one of us might conspire against his life.
Derek came just then and I wondered if he met the crown Prince on the way. He didn't say anything about it but invited me to go to the market since it was the outing day for the students.
"I would like to.. But I have yet to master the simplest spell."
He came near and glanced at the withered plant. "Why don't you try again?"
I gave a short nod and began casting the spell. In the middle of the spell he came closer to me and held the elbow of the hand which I was pointing towards the plant.
"Strongly wish for it to grow. It won't be too hard then." He whispered to my ear and I was quite distracted by his proximity almost making me forget my words.
Somehow I gathered some calm and then focused my mind on the wish as I cast the spell. The plant slowly revived with a few newly born saplings unraveling from the soil.
"It worked, it's pretty." I was glad to see it and then realized Derek was still close to me so I took a step away "Thanks, I didn't know you knew Plant growth spells."
"I 've recently gotten interested in it. Because someone I like, likes it too."

I turned away to hide my blush, he didn't take the cue to stop instead he took my hand "Hey, let's go take a walk around the market. We are allowed to go out today."

Taking my hand back I shook my head. It was getting too hard for me to distant myself from him. "No I can't leave today, my cousin Pamela is coming to visit me," I told feeling some sense of relief. I didn't lift my eyes to see his expression and before he could say anything more, Hans came running towards us.

"Hey Edith, the Professor is looking for you."

I was glad to leave since I didn't feel like racking my brains to answer Derek's questions. I also hadn't the faintest idea why he was behaving this way, when he wasn't like this at all in my last life. He seems intent on being with me but I couldn't understand the reason for his interest since we haven't even talked to each other much until we met here in the academy.
The Professor handed me some basic spells to practice with since I was quite behind on my progress.
Seeing the time I ran to the Lounge room reserved for visitors and was promptly glad to see the beautiful girl in a green dress. Pamela Roster was a sharp tongued but kind girl who had a lovely silver hair and dark eyes. She was a foot taller than me and also two years older. Her figure was flattering and the emerald green short sleeved dress only highlighted her beauty.
She gave me a side smile which meant she found something amusing to tease me with "You have been running. Late as usual my good cousin."
I pretended to look offended "It's not my fault the professor called me in the last minute."
She gave a rare laugh "OK, Let's not waste any more time and go for tea. I already reserved a table."
I nodded and we both stepped outside to get to the carriage. But the Crown Prince was standing by the gate with a frown. I was worried about Pamela seeing him because I knew nothing good will come from her love to that boy who hadn't a speck of interest to others lives other than his lover 's.
Surprisingly she completely ignored him while I gave a short curtesy and this made him angry "Looks like the Lady of Roster House doesn't know how to greet royalty."
Pamela stopped and turned back. With a sad face she bowed "Oh I am so sorry your highness. I thought you were a guard so I didn't venture to spare a proper glance at you."
I could feel CP's fury in his words "Lady Roster, have you gone mad?"
"Indeed I must be mad your highness, Now I 've curtseyed and apologized for my mistake. You must allow this mad woman to be spared from your excellence."
Honestly I kept understanding her words less and less. Though her tone was humbled it felt as if she was implicitly mocking him. Even he couldn't fully grasp the meaning but he couldn't do much since he didn't want to cause an event as soon as he had entered the academy. He knew his father would then have something to say.

He grumbled under his breath and walked away while Pamela shook her head and got into the carriage as I followed her. We arrived at the Rosetta Boutique where Madam Rosetta, the best seamstress made her dresses. Pamela and I had been invited to a ball held by Countess Tori who was a close friend of my mother. I didn't like her very much since she was quite flamboyant and flirtatious even being married to a Count. Actually in my past life I heard some rumors from the servants in my mansion which makes me suspect something about her. While I was sick my mother was also quite sickly so I am not sure if she died after I did as well. But her illness came quite suddenly, unlike mine which was diagnosed a year ahead of my death.

Countess Tori showed a high regard to my mother but I feel some hints of jealousy whenever she tries to praise her. I may be thinking too much but I don't think there is any harm in being cautious so I decided to drag Pam with me to her ball to get a much closer look into her acquaintances and life.

The lovely lavender and blue dresses lifted the somber mood and I was able to finish shopping with Pam quite happily. She dropped me off at the academy and went back to her mansion.