Chapter 254: An Ordinary Afternoon [3]

By the time the weekend arrived, Ilya had begun to suspect that Garen possessed an extraordinary talent for organizing things he had no intention of paying for.

The original plan had been simple. Their group would have lunch somewhere outside Holy Trinity, enjoy an afternoon without assignments, and return before evening.

Somewhere along the way, Garen had suggested visiting a restaurant in the capital’s commercial district.

A rather expensive restaurant.

"You’re paying, right?" Ilya asked.

Garen looked offended. "Why would I pay for everyone?"

"You’re the one who chose it."

"That doesn’t mean I’m rich."

"You could’ve mentioned that before making the reservation."

"Well, I assumed everyone would pay for themselves."

Ilya glanced at the establishment’s polished windows and the elegantly dressed attendants waiting near the entrance.

He could certainly afford the meal.

The same couldn’t necessarily be said for everyone in their group.

Ma?lle, who had already examined the menu displayed outside, appeared to share his concerns.

"I’m not spending half my allowance on lunch."

"Half?" Garen looked horrified. "What are you ordering?"

"Nothing. That’s the problem."

Wolfram suggested another restaurant a few streets away, one he had visited with his family during a previous trip to the capital. According to him, the food was excellent, the prices reasonable, and reservations unnecessary.

That settled the matter.

Garen reluctantly surrendered his grand plans, and the group continued down the street.

Ilya found the entire situation rather amusing.

For someone who frequently complained about his family’s finances, Garen had surprisingly expensive tastes whenever he believed someone else might be paying.

Fortunately, his companions had learned to recognize the warning signs.

Their eventual destination was a comfortable restaurant overlooking a small plaza. The establishment was popular with academy students, and several tables were already occupied when they arrived.

Ilya took a seat beside Wolfram while Solveig and Ma?lle examined the menu. Lisbet had brought a small book, although she put it away once their food arrived.

The atmosphere was pleasant.

For once, nobody had an examination to prepare for or an assignment requiring immediate attention.

Garen spent much of lunch recounting his disastrous practical engagement, insisting that his opponent had been particularly fortunate.

Solveig eventually reminded him that running out of mana was hardly an act of divine intervention.

The subject then moved toward their plans for the remainder of the semester.

Ma?lle wanted to improve her spell construction results, while Wolfram had expressed interest in applying for one of the department’s advanced research programs. Lisbet was considering something similar, although she hadn’t decided which specialization interested her most.

Ilya listened with genuine interest.

His classmates were gradually beginning to develop their own ambitions, and the practical assessment had apparently encouraged several of them to take their studies more seriously.

Even Garen admitted that he needed to improve his mana efficiency.

A remarkable development.

After lunch, the group wandered through the nearby shopping streets. Ma?lle wanted to visit a bookstore, while Wolfram had heard about a merchant selling inexpensive magical components suitable for student experiments.

They eventually separated into smaller groups.

Ilya accompanied Solveig and Lisbet toward the bookstore, leaving Garen and the others to investigate the merchant’s wares.

The shop occupied two floors of an older building, its shelves crowded with everything from introductory magical theory to historical accounts of the Empire’s northern provinces.

Lisbet immediately disappeared into the academic section.

Solveig, meanwhile, found Ilya examining a collection of historical maps.

"Looking for something?"

"Just curious."

One map depicted the northern territories of the Empire, including several regions surrounding the Belozersky Grand Duchy.

Ilya recognized most of the settlements.

A few had changed considerably since the map was published, while others had disappeared from more recent records.

He had spent much of his childhood traveling throughout the North, accompanying military instructors or visiting estates associated with his family.

Seeing those familiar names brought back memories he hadn’t thought about in years.

Solveig approached to examine the map.

"That’s near your home, isn’t it?"

"More or less."

She pointed toward a mountain range bordering the northern wilderness.

"I’ve always wanted to see that part of the Empire."

"It’s beautiful in winter."

"I’ve heard."

"Also freezing, dangerous, and populated by people who consider complaining about the cold a personal weakness."

Solveig laughed.

"Sounds familiar."

Her own family came from Skeld Province, and although their circumstances differed from Ilya’s, she understood something of the northern regions’ harsher conditions.

They spent a while discussing the places they had visited growing up.

Ilya discovered that Solveig had traveled far less than he expected. Her family’s baronial estate was modest, and much of her childhood had been spent helping with local responsibilities rather than attending gatherings in the capital.

She spoke fondly of her home, particularly the forests surrounding the estate and the annual festivals held after the winter thaw.

Ilya found himself enjoying the conversation.

Solveig was usually outspoken around their friends, but when discussing something personally important, she became more thoughtful. Her descriptions were straightforward, with none of the elaborate exaggeration Garen might have employed.

Eventually, she asked whether he missed the North.

Ilya considered the question.

There were certainly things he missed.

The forests, the mountains, the familiar training grounds where he had spent countless hours practicing swordsmanship.

Even the winters had possessed a certain charm.

However, returning home had become complicated long before he transferred to the Magic Department.

His relationship with Anastasiya remained strained, and the expectations surrounding his family name had followed him throughout his childhood.

"I miss parts of it," he answered.

Solveig seemed to understand.

She didn’t press him further.

Instead, she suggested that he visit Skeld someday if he wanted to experience a northern winter without dealing with Grand Ducal politics.

Ilya smiled.

"Is that an invitation?"

"If you want it to be."

Her answer came naturally, although she appeared slightly embarrassed afterward.

Before Ilya could respond, Lisbet returned carrying two books.

Apparently, the store had an excellent collection of older research publications, including several volumes unavailable through Holy Trinity’s ordinary library.

Ilya helped her examine the editions before they completed their purchases.

By the time they rejoined the others, the afternoon had begun to pass.

Garen was carrying a small package of magical components, while Ma?lle appeared thoroughly dissatisfied with whatever price he had paid.

According to Wolfram, the merchant had initially offered them a reasonable discount.

Then Garen attempted to negotiate.

Somehow, he had managed to convince the merchant to charge him more.

Ilya decided against asking for details.

There were certain mysteries that mankind wasn’t meant to solve.

The group continued exploring the district until late afternoon, eventually stopping at a small café near the main avenue.

Their conversation became increasingly relaxed as the day progressed.

Without the pressure of academic obligations, everyone seemed more comfortable discussing their personal interests.

Ma?lle spoke about her plans after graduation, while Wolfram explained that his family’s expectations were rather different from those of his older brothers.

Lisbet occasionally contributed observations from behind her cup of tea.

Even Garen behaved himself for a while.

Ilya found the experience unexpectedly pleasant.

He had spent years surrounded by people who measured every accomplishment against his family’s reputation. At Holy Trinity, he had finally found companions who were interested in him without constantly comparing him to the expectations of House Belozersky.

That was something he appreciated more than he usually admitted.

As they prepared to leave, Solveig approached him while the others settled their bills.

"Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Yeah. We should do this again."

"I’m glad."

She seemed genuinely pleased by his answer.

For a moment, she appeared to consider saying something else, but eventually settled for reminding him about their upcoming coursework.

Ilya promised not to forget.

They walked toward the main avenue together, where the group gradually separated according to their destinations.

Garen and Wolfram headed toward the western district, while Ma?lle and Lisbet arranged to share a carriage.

Solveig’s route overlapped with Ilya’s for a short distance.

They continued walking through the busy streets, discussing their purchases and the places they had visited.

When they reached the intersection where their paths diverged, Solveig stopped.

"About what I said earlier."

Ilya looked toward her.

"The invitation?"

She nodded.

"I meant it. If you ever want to visit Skeld, my family would be happy to have you."

"Then I’ll remember that."

Solveig smiled.

"Good."

They exchanged farewells, and Ilya continued toward the Belozersky residence.

The afternoon had passed without anything particularly extraordinary happening.

No dangerous magical creatures, no political confrontations, and thankfully, no unexpected examinations.

Just an ordinary outing with friends.

For someone whose recent experiences had involved far too many unpleasant surprises, Ilya considered that a rather successful day.