[color=silver][center][h2][color=#ddb779]π•·π–Šπ–”π–“π–Žπ–‰ π•Ύπ–žπ–‘π–’π–†π–—π–Š[/color][/h2][sub]interactions:[@Serei2477] [@zombehs][/sub] __________________________________________________[/center] Despite his mother's best efforts, nothing could have prepared Leonid for his first day at the Officers Academy. The moment he finally beheld the Irinduil Monastery up close, neck craning as his gaze traced its highest towers all the way to heavens, he was hit with the sheer impossibility of his mission. Sure, he'd managed to fool commoners and lesser nobles with his noble act well enough, and no doubt convinced a spy or two without even knowing it, but to pretend on holy ground, under the watchful eye of Yhirel - of[i] God?[/i] Afraid the weight of his fear might send him tumbling down the mountain path he'd just emerged from, Leon tried to remind himself that he did [i]not [/i]believe in God, and that if Yhirel did not exist, he could not bust his cover. The other nobles around him could, though, and that thought was only marginally less terrifying. Come the introductory speech, Leon was still reeling. He'd picked a spot near the back, where he could see but not be seen, especially by the man giving the speech. Archbishop Augustine was disturbing. Not the way a starving rat eating another, equally starving rat was, but in an inhuman, otherworldly way. The man's face was too perfect, movement too fluid. At any point, if he were to just stop moving, he could have made for a fine marble statue. Leon shifted his weight, gaze wandering the Monastery's walls in search for best places to scale it. You know, if need be. By the time the speech was finally over, Leon had found twelve potential climbing spots, abandoned three of them, and almost tested out two. He'd also been reminded of his inability to remember names; a lack that had hardly been a bother on the streets, but turned out quite a handicap in his new home. He remembered the names of the Archbishop and the Princess at least, the latter who he'd only realized was present when her name was called. Was that [i]really [/i]what she looked like? She wasn't anything like he'd imagined! Why didn't she look like she was made out of marble too? And who let her be that tall? And-- why was [i]she [/i]his [i]house leader[/i] of all things!? The campus tour was a welcome break, up until Leonid realized who their guide was. Cursing their absent professor - whose name he had either not caught or been told - he settled to once again walking towards the back and keeping his gaze away from the Archbishop. It was easy enough a task; he was genuinely invested in trying to remember each and every area pointed out to him. Leon was busily wondering if any of the plants in the garden were poisonous (doubtful) - and whether they could be made so with the right mixture of ingredients (possible), when the loud voice of one of his housemate's created a ripple among the Scarlet Foxes. One by one, they each piped up, first to - and Leon couldn't [i]believe [/i]his ears - mess with the Princess of Galbia, and then to introduce themselves. Did-- did nobles just [i]do [/i]that? Mess with actual royalty? [i]... Huh.[/i] Maybe he could actually blend in better than he thought. Besides, some of the others were decidedly not nobility either, and as long as he stuck close enough to them for comparisons to be made, he'd be fine. Probably. ... Had that one girl been about to eat a flower, or was it just him? Leon hadn't yet shaken the thought, when a man called Alphonse approached the flowerbed to let his pet - a wyvern? Albeit a tiny one - have a go at the nectar. Hm. The Sylmare heir's gaze travelled between the lizard and the blue-haired girl, and suddenly he felt the urge to figure out whether he'd misjudged the look in her eyes, or she really was thinking about gobbling a flower. [color=ddb779]"Little fella's got good taste," [/color]Leon grinned as he leaned closer to the two, nodding his head towards the flower the wyvern was currently occupied with. [color=ddb779]"That right there's called the Vermilion Delight. Surprised they got it in abundance here, heard it's a real delicacy in some parts of the world. Supposedly puts honey to shame, and turns water into a treat with just a drop."[/color] If anyone actually in the know heard him, they'd know it was all horseshit, of course. So, just in case, Leon raised his shoulders into a shrug and added a pre-emptive:[color=ddb779] "Or so I've been told."[/color][/color]