It had been two weeks since the school had begun and Colin and his friends were still unable to find fiancés.

As they looked at the other noble knights who had managed to acquire some, they felt troubled about whether they should be happy for them or if they should pity them.

They saw a noblewoman holding a pile of papers over a kneeling noble knight.
“What are doing? I got an 88% score on my homework. I clearly asked you for a 100% score.”
“That’s impossible. That teacher clearly said he would never give such a score.”
“That’s your problem.”
“Eh!?”

In another area, they saw a noblewoman and her lover having a picnic as a noble knight acted as their butler.

They also saw a noble knight begging a noblewoman. They didn’t the reason but they could tell from the cold smile the lady gave, the noble knight was getting screwed over.

They also saw a noble knight being made to lick a lover's boots while his finance sat on his back with another woman who wasn’t wearing the academy uniform.

“Eh… isn’t that?” Colin uttered

***

“Sue… Would you like some more tea?” (Catherin Pandaramn)

“No… let me pour it Catherin…” (Sue)

“You are my guest… It’s fine if I pour it. Zain would have been the one to pour but he is getting his shoes cleaned after this fool spilled it on him.”

[Oi Oi… He spilled it himself. I wasn’t even here… Shit.] (Charley Gardner)

“Thanks, Catherin…” (Sue)

As they chattered people around them started to gossip aloud.

The princess and her two friends were walking past in the park.
“Who is that?” (Sue)

“Princess Teresa Hiltrud Eleadia and her two aides. Catherin Sealedge Collwood and Helen Von Hillthorn. Both are from duke households.” (Catherin Pandaramn)

“Should we pay our greetings then?” (Sue)

[Oi Oi… there is a limit to daydreaming] (Charley Gardner)

“Sue. Those guys' social standing is beyond our reach. We can’t so easily approach them nor do we want to do so.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Avoiding them is the best possible action to take.”

“I understand. I will avoid them.”

“Good girl…”

[Tch… I really can’t get close to the princess. I guess I will back off and wait for another opportunity to achieve my goals. I will not be some lover forever.] (Zain)

“Now that I think about it. Charley. You went and did that thing that lets you choose the leaders of the noble knights, right?” (Catherin Pandaramn)

“Eh” [Why does she know something like that?] “Umm… yes” (Charley Gardner)

“Who won?”

“A first year. Colin Frederick.”

“It wasn’t you? Tch…”

“Is something the matter?” (Sue)

“I was just wondering if he was hiding money from me. But I guess he is not… There was this wonderful dress I wanted but it is expensive…” (Catherin Pandaramn)

[What is wrong with this woman? Didn’t she just shake me down weeks ago? Where does all that money go? It doesn’t look like she is investing in anything.] (Charley Gardner)

“I think you look beautiful in anything you wear Catherin.”

“Zain… You shouldn’t say that in public.” She replied before blushing.

Of course, Zain was merely playing a role. In reality, he thought very little of his lover.

“How about me?” (Sue)

“You too Sue…”

This time he meant what he said. He truly loved his childhood friend from the bottom of his heart. They both blushed and giggled as he uttered such words to them.

[This is just bullshit.] (Catherin Pandaramn)

***

“Did you see what was happening?” (Princess Teresa Hiltrud Eleadia)

“I swear you never change princess…” (Helen Von Hillthorn)

“But…” (Princess Teresa Hiltrud Eleadia)

“There is nothing you can do in the first place, so stop complaining.” (Catherin Sealedge Collwood)

It was the end of the day and the three of them were in the princess’s room having a light snack and discussing various issues when the princess brought up the issue of the noble knights.

“Even so, have those women no shame in the way they conduct themselves? Treating someone in such a way… They are the worst.” (Princess Teresa Hiltrud Eleadia)

“They are the daughters of barons and viscounts with no inheritance to their name. It would be hard to expect them to act in a noble way, to begin with.” (Helen Von Hillthorn)

Nobles with no chance to inherit anything had four paths to take. The first three paths were open to male-born nobles.

First, become a knight. Whether it was a royal knight or kingdom knight, it made no difference. They would have a steady income and if they proved themselves they might even be able to marry a noble daughter with inheritance.

Thereby bring them under her family's care. This would in turn strengthen the ties with their own family. In a noble society, blood ties were the foundation of everything.

Second, become an adventure or an explorer of the Labyrinth. Fame and fortune awaited those who reached the very top but the risk was also greater than that of a knight.

Third, become a merchant. This was the safest path but because of the big investment required to start it, many opted for the other two options.

The fourth option was mainly for the women. Marriage. While it was hard for a male to achieve this before becoming successful as a knight or adventure or merchant, a pretty girl even if she was the third born could easily become a wife to a noble, or at the very least a rich merchant. Some would even marry promising knights, gambling on the possibility of their success.

Thinking about this the princess asked the obvious question that hadn’t been asked by the royal family.

“Why noble knights?” (Princess Teresa Hiltrud Eleadia)

“Eh… What do you mean?” (Catherin Sealedge Collwood)

“Most would marry another noble, a rich merchant and if worst came about, a rising knight. Why would they choose a noble knight when they are looked so down upon because they leave in the border region.” (Princess Teresa Hiltrud Eleadia)

“I heard that the knights pay for a marriage contract. In return for paying the women. They would have them adopt their firstborn son and have their own children...” (Helen Von Hillthorn)

“I am well aware of all that… but I cant see those women agreeing unless it was for a huge amount. How much do they charge them?” (Princess Teresa Hiltrud Eleadia)

“Isn’t it recorded in the tax records?” (Catherin Sealedge Collwood)

“Noble knights aren’t taxed because the capital offers no support to the border regions and those regions produce nothing of importance anyway. Very few traders even travel that far. I know that they also pay their fiancés family but those tax-dodging bastards never declare the truth. According to the records, the highest amount is 800 silver coins but I really don’t think that is accurate.” (Princess Teresa Hiltrud Eleadia)

“Why don’t we just ask a noble knight?” (Catherin Sealedge Collwood)

“We can’t do that. If the nobles found out we were asking around about their fiancés behind their backs it would cause a huge uproar. Besides, even if you got a noble knight to talk. It would be his word against that of the upper nobility. It will just cause him trouble.” (Helen Von Hillthorn)

“Tch… Fine, let’s drop it for now.” (Princess Teresa Hiltrud Eleadia)

[Why can’t i shake this feeling that we are missing something important]