"Greetings, class B. My name is Lady Ayda, and I will be your morning teacher."

  Lady Ayda was an older woman; not quite elderly, but old enough to be my mother. She had brown hair, peppered with gray, which she kept tight in a bun, and her dark brown eyes were giving us a rather severe look.

  "Baroness Adler will be your afternoon teacher, after your lunch."

  Based on her introduction, I gathered that Lady Ayda was likely not married. It struck me as rather odd that an unmarried woman would be teaching these classes.

  "My classes will focus primarily on the technical skills required in household management: budgetary, inventory, and supervisory. Baroness Adler will focus primarily on your social skills."

  There were 5 other students in the class, all young noblewomen.

  Near the front sat two twin sisters, Lady Annabelle and Lady Marybelle. Both appeared to be paying close attention, but I saw that Lady Marybelle's notes were comprised completely of a flower pattern doodle.

  "In this way, you will rotate with class A and receive a full education from both of us. You will likely be meeting class A during your first lunch break, and I highly encourage you all to make friends. Social connections are quite important for a young noblewoman, as the good Baroness will likely tell you."

  In the corner nearest the window, I saw the blonde Lady Beatrice and the brunette Lady Gertrude were quietly chatting and giggling away while they pointed outside the window at something down below.

  "Your evenings are yours to spend how you choose. However, you are to be back in your dorms by the 9 o'clock bell and no later, lest you face a strict penalty."

  In the other corner, nearest the door, a black-haired girl sat quietly on her own. I hadn't had the opportunity to overhear her name, yet. Her hair was thick with tight curls that bounced with her every movement.

  I had placed myself in the very center back, as far as possible from anyone else.

  "That is all for the introductions. You only have one winter to complete this remedial course, and you will either pass or fail on your own merits. To make the best of our available time, your first assessment begins now."

  Lady Ayda walked amongst us, placing a thick black book, a slate, and a marking pencil on each of our desks.

  "Turn to page 5 and complete the exercises there to the best of your ability. Continue until you can no longer progress, and mark where your knowledge failed you. This will allow me to tailor our lessons to each of your needs."

  I turned to page 5 with a bit of trepidation, and my heart sank into my stomach. It was a series of math problems, phrased into questions like "You ordered 20 candles last week and found yourself over-bought by 3 candles. How many candles should you order this week, assuming the same rate of consumption?"

  "I bet Erika would hardly have to think about questions like these..."

  ---

  In the hallway outside the classroom, the black-haired girl was waiting for me.

  "Wow, that took you a while. You must have made it pretty far, right?"

  I grimaced, and she laughed. "Ahh, haha. No, no, me neither. I hear Lady Ayda's class is actually one of the hardest in the remedial academy."

  She made a curtsey. "My name's Charlotte. May I know yours?"

  I made a rather clumsy curtsey back to her. "My name is Sophia. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Charlotte."

  Lady Charlotte laughed again. "No, no. Please. We're the same age, and none of us are adults just yet. Call me Charlotte. Or Char, if it would please you. Anything but Lady. We're not so grown up that we have to be formal all the time, right?"

  It was a bit uncomfortable, but at the same time, it did seem nice to be on friendly terms with someone. "Alright, Charlotte. Then you may also call me Sophia."

  As we made our way towards the dining hall to eat our lunch together, Charlotte chatted away as if we had known each other for years. She laughed easily, and often, and her hazel eyes sparkled in the light when she smiled. When we were halfway there, she seized on the opportunity to loop her arm around one of mine in a rather friendly manner.

  "You'll have to meet Jerem before you go. He's my fiance to be, and he goes to the regular academy in the main building."

  "Oh. You have a fiance?"

  "Well, yes. It's an arranged thing, you know what it's like. His father purchased a non-hereditary title, and so he's seeking further legitimacy for his son by marriage. I'm an only child, so my husband will become the baron once Father passes."

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  I was a bit taken aback by Charlotte's openness about the subject, and she caught the furrow of my brow. "Oh, no, don't worry about it Sophia. I met him a few years ago, and he's quite nice. We managed to come to an understanding about our arrangement." At this, she held my arm a bit tighter. "Anyways, he's a smart guy. I bet we can make him help us with our homework."

  ---

  The east wing of the Guldenfel Academy was where all remedial classes were held and they all shared the same lunch hour, so the lunchroom was quite full when we entered. I saw the other girls from class B sitting together at a table by the window, and naturally began drifting towards them as they were the only familiar faces here other than Charlotte and the crowd of unknown people felt overwhelming. Charlotte, however, hesitated, and I felt her hold on my arm loosen when she failed to follow me. "Uhm. Do you know them? From before coming here?" She asked, motioning with her head towards the Belles, Gertrude, and Beatrice.

  "Ah, no. But they're our classmates, so..."

  "Ah. Ah, well, if you'd like to sit with them, I'll, uhm. I'll see you later, okay?"

  She didn't give me a chance to respond before she trotted off, her hair bouncing with her every step.

  I felt a bit guilty, since I personally would have preferred sitting with her than with them without her, but she hadn't given me a chance to express that. I couldn't help but feel a bit silly, though. "Is that really all it takes? One conversation and I'm already attached..."

  I took a few deep breaths. At some point I had stopped refining magic all the time, but in times of stress it still took my active concentration to calm myself down before it could start. "I promised Erika that I would make some friends here. I'm sure she's also making her own friends among the other servants at the dormitory."

  Once I was feeling properly centered, I faked confident steps over to the table where the class B girls were sitting, but my false confidence nearly shattered when they all turned to look at me in unison. There was a short silence, but Lady Beatrice was the first to break it. She stood up and gave a polite curtsey. "Good afternoon, Lady Printemps. I am Lady Beatrice Dubois, and I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

  Lady Annabelle and Lady Marybelle turned to look at each other in surprise before turning back to look at me. "Printemps? Don't they all have red hair like us?" asked Lady Annabelle.

  Lady Gertrude pushed some papers around awkwardly. "Uhm. I heard that there was something about... Well... A branch family adoption..."

  I felt my skin flush with shame and embarrassment, but was spared by Lady Beatrice when she raised a gloved hand calmly to signal them to be quiet. "The vassal family of Dubois would never disrespect a lady of Printemps by gossiping so. I hope that you ladies of Savelli and of Finch will do likewise."

  Lady Beatrice then gestured for me to sit, and waited for me to sit back down before doing so herself.

  "Nice to meet you all. I am Lady Sophia Printemps."

  "Lady Annabelle Savelli," and "Lady Marybelle Savelli" the sisters chimed back together.

  "Gertrude Finch. You don't have to call me lady... I'm, uhm. Not a noble."

  This surprised me. I had thought everyone here was a noble. My confusion must have been written plainly on my face, because she continued. "I'm, uhm. Marrying the son of a count. Next year."

  "Oh. Is everyone here getting married next year?"

  The girls passed looks amongst themselves, and I felt vaguely excluded. "I hope that's just in my head."

  Once again, Lady Beatrice took the initiative. "I would be much more surprised to hear that any of us wouldn't be. Are you?"

  "I most likely am. The Hiems' son has taken an interest in me."

  A sparkle filled the Savelli sisters' eyes and they immediately leaned in towards me, Marybelle looking especially enamored with the idea. "Oh? Wow. A joining of the ducal families! That sounds quite romantic!"

  Lady Beatrice seemed to visibly relax a bit upon hearing that. "That's quite wonderful. When I saw you entering the room, arm in arm with Lady Laeta, I worried that you might be one of... those sorts."

  "Those... sorts?"

  But at my question, she merely lifted one eyebrow, and did not explain further.

  My stomach loudly gurgled, and the Savelli sisters giggled. Lady Beatrice cracked a small smile. "Ah, don't worry Lady Printemps. They'll be serving us at our tables soon."

  As if on cue, the bell marking the first hour of the afternoon rang, and servants began taking dishes out from the kitchens to serve us. To my surprise, Erika was among them, and she came out to serve me personally.

  Her hair was covered in a handkerchief, and she didn't acknowledge me. But though she was acting like she didn't know me, when she set a plate down in front of me she gave a small wink.

  As she left, I realized that I had double or even triple portions of nearly everything on the menu.

  ---

  When the bell marking the end of our afternoon classes rang I was in the middle of trying to control my breathing, because I was in a state of near panic.

  "Lady Printemps, you have demonstrated no less than three different critical failures. First, you allowed Lady Dubois to introduce herself to me, the hostess, before you. Lady Printemps, you hold a higher rank than Lady Dubois, and if this were actual high society you would have allowed her significant social leverage."

  Deep breaths. I knew I had to take deep breaths, and allow the feelings to pass by me without becoming panicked.

  "Second, your dress is clearly the same dress as the one I saw you in this morning. As the child of a ducal house, it is imperative that you reflect your peerage by wearing attire suitable to your station and the activities you will be partaking in. You were told that your first lesson would be a mock tea-party, so you should be wearing a dress for tea."

  I thought of a dark, empty space. It was a space that, lately, I found myself thinking of whenever I desperately needed control over my magic. I knew that this space felt comforting to me, but I couldn't place exactly why.

  "And third, you allowed Lady Charlotte to speak to you before you gave her the proper permission. Your station is absolute, and you must brook no transgressions, even from those you think to be your friends."

  Baroness Adler slapped her fan on the tea table with this last statement, directing me to look her in the eyes. Her gaze softened for just the slightest moment when she saw my fear, but then hardened again.

  "You are a Printemps, my Lady. You must act like one. The world will not be as kind as me."