After we arrived to Charlotte’s room each of us took the notes and we began checking each other’s knowledge in the areas we deemed lacking. For me it was no doubt the history and magic classes, for Charlotte it was related to mathematics and surprisingly etiquette.

While both of us had weird expectations that we will be happily chatting, in reality we didn’t even look at each other and right after we were done studying one thing we continued with the next.

“This equation.” (C)

“Use this formula and then swap the A with C.”

“Are you sure?” (C)

“Try it.”

We soon grew tired of this exciting studying session and at one point two notebooks were thrown into the corner of the room and were followed by two bodies falling onto a bed.

“Who might have thought that our group activity would end up like that…”

“Can’t argue with that. Whenever I studied with the other girls we were chatting all the time… At least I am sure we will pass the exams.” She responded with a tone suitable for the response: ‘Yes, I will keep this talk alive because there are no other options’.

“Any ideas what we can do while we gather the strength to continue?”

“Maybe we can drink some tea? I have few tea leaves but that should be enough.” (C)

“Then how about you take whatever you have while I will ask my maid Francis to boil us some water? I will add my own leaves if there is not enough.”

“Sounds like a plan.” With this I went to my room.

Soon both of us were sitting at my table and drinking the tea. Charlotte gave me a strainer so I would not shock her with my pantea.

“Erhm… so, what do you think about Lilith?” I was the first to break the silence.

“She… is fine, I guess. Have you met her fiancée? The prince.” (C)

“I wonder if that man should have his hands cut off. He was clearly molesting Lilith the last time I saw them together.”

“You are no doubt mistaken. His Highness is righteous man, he would never do something like that!” (C)

“You surely do adore him.”

“This has nothing to do with you.” The talk ended up cornered and shot with a battleship gun.

Neither of us dared to talk and soon our table was shrouded in an awkward silence. Occasionally we made sounds of lifting and putting down the cups.

“I… sorry… My response was too rude…” Charlotte broke the awkwardness.

“I did not mind that. It was rude of me to vilify a person. Listen, I feel like we can’t have a proper talk like that… Do you have any ideas or anything you want to talk about?” I have some ideas but why not give her a chance to show off.

“N-no… I… never befriended anyone by myself…” She hid her face in embarrassment.

[What should we do? There are so many ‘friendship’ techniques but neither of them appears to work here.]

In the back of my mind I had some ideas but I just couldn’t think about what to do. And then I remembered something which can help a group of people forget about any obstacles in their talk. I went to the cupboard and found the bottle of liquor.

“Wanna drink?”

“What is it…?” Charlotte stared at the bottle like it was her first time seeing something like that.

“It is alcohol.”

“Well… it might work out better than sitting like that…” She moved closer to the table while I poured a cream-colored liquid into a couple of glasses.

“Cheers!” We clinked the glasses and drank the liquid.

…

“And then I told her ‘Let’s be besties’ but she was like ‘You are nuisance’. This girl, how can you even talk to her properly?!” (C)

“Yeah, I remember I was climbing somewhere and she stared at my ass all the time. She’s pretty but why does she always act spoiled? Whenever I’m not around she starts…”

…

“Ai lav yu… Yu’re da best…” (C)

“Y’a so cool… When I met ya I thought y’a so clingy bat den…”

…

I woke up on the ground somewhere. My cloak was somehow hanging on a branch of a fallen tree, while my dress was soaked in something. I looked around and saw I am somewhere in a forest. The opening where I was lying surely did not appear naturally or was here before the night.

“Uuuuu!” Charlotte was lying on my lap and crying.

Just by remembering this night’s activities I can tell we either became best friends, or best drinking friends.

“Wai dasn’t he lav me…?! Wai?! Uuuuu!!!” She is still drunk and keeps crying. I can’t remember what we were ‘discussing’ prior to that but judging by her interests it must be about Lilith’s fiancée.

[I feel like it will be going on and on forever. I should accelerate the sleeping process of hers.]

‘Bang’

I knocked her unconscious and after I retrieved my property I carried her back to the dormitory.

I wonder what she will tell me after she wakes up.