Being Cruel Empress
25. Origin of Potions-3

Lecture day. The magic academy. As the best graduates of the magic academy, Erick and Sebastian are invited by Alrech to come to the academy welcoming their juniors. It turns out that new students are enrolling and are being accepted more than the previous year.

Erick and Sebastian help the busy teachers of the academy. And they were both surprised by the arrival of two people who approached. One of the two people who came was the woman Erick and Sebastian saw on the road at that time. Sebastian was surprised, he did not expect me to meet the woman he liked.

"Excuse me. Sorry, where's the registration?" ask the woman.

"There," answered Erick briefly. His eyes were back on something else.

Sebastian frowned, he considered Erick's treatment very disappointing in front of the opposite sex. Sebastian offered to help. He will drive to the registration place. The woman and the person she was carrying followed Sebastian.

Erick saw Sebastian looking familiar talking to the woman. Sebastian's face looked happy too. Suddenly Erick thought of what his Father and Mother said about his marriage which had been determined by his Grandpa and Grandma. Thinking that, Erick seemed to be unable to breathe.

***

Having never been able to hold anything and getting used to telling stories, Erick tells Sebastian what is troubling his mind. He said that he would meet his future wife who had been determined by Grandpa and Grandma. When he heard Erick's story, Sebastian laughed at Erick.

"Hahaha .. I can't expect a cold man like you to suddenly get married. Who's the lady? from which noble family?" ask Sebastian to be curious.

Erick shook his head, "On that I don't know, nor do I ask. You know I'm not interested in women let alone marriage" Erick replied.

Sebastian knows clearly how Erick is doing, as they grew up and played together since they were ten years old. A little bit they already know each other. Erick asks, is Sebastian's approach with the woman of his dreams smooth? Sebastian replied that he was still approaching the woman. Sebastian tells Erick the woman's name. The woman's name is 'Erren'.

***

After a month had passed since the enrollment of the new students of the magic academy, Sebastian and Erren looked familiarly speaking.  Erren and Erick had looked at each other several times, but Erick did not care about Erren. When Sebastian and Erren appear, Erick will immediately leave for various reasons.

Unexpected things happen. At the time Sebastian expressed his feelings for Erren, Erren refused subtly by stating that he already had a prospective husband chosen by the family. Sebastian was sad, he who was heartbroken immediately complained to Erick.

Sebastian expressed his disappointment. Erick can only entertain Sebastian. Erick said that most of the noble families are. Erick sendidi is one of them. Erick said, maybe Sebastian and Erren are not a match.

"Hahhh .. shit! Why among nobles should there be a designated marriage? why not marry of your own accord?" sebastian was upset.

"Eitherway. I can't answer that" Erick said.

Throughout the day, Erick continues to comfort the heartbroken sebastian. And after that day, Sebastian began to stay away from Erren. Erren was sad, but he couldn't do anything. Wanting to convey something to Sebastian, and unable to find Sebastian, Erren ventured to meet Erick and asked Sebastian for his whereabouts. Erick replied, if sebastian has any business out of the region.

***

After dinner together, the Grand Duchess asked Erick to take Erren for a walk to the park. Because parents want to discuss marriage. Erick couldn't resist, so he and Erren went for a walk in the park. The two are silent to each other. Soluble in each other's minds.

Erick thinks the person who broke Sebastian's heart is himself. He betrayed his friendship with Sebastian.

"How am I gonna explain it to Bastian?" inner Erick.

Erren glanced at Erick, "How could this happen? my future husband is Erick. The closest people to Sebastian. If Sebastian finds out, will their friendship be okay? When I rejected his feelings, he avoided me. When I found out my future husband was Erick, would he take it?" inner Erren.

"That ... emh .. about Sebastian .. " murmured Erren.

Erick looked at Erren, "It turns out you were thinking about it too" Erick replied.

Erren nodded her head, "I feel guilty for rejecting her feelings. Although she is a good person and helps me a lot, but I already have a prospective husband. My mother said, I can't think of any man other than my future husband, even though Mom never told me who and what my future husband was like. That's why I rejected Sebastian. Because my mother's orders are absolute." Erren explained.

Erick took a long breath. He said he was confused too. He didn't know what to tell Sebastian. He said he didn't want Sebastian to misunderstand him thinking he had taken Erren away from him.

Sebastian suddenly comes to surprise Erick. And Sebastian was shocked, when he found out behind Erick there was Erren who was invisible to him because it was covered in trees. Seeing Erick and Erren together, Sebastian instantly fell silent.

"Why are they alone in the park? why is Erren at the Grand Duke's residence?" sebastian wondered.

"Bastian .. can you calm down and hear my explanation?" Erick.

"What do I need to hear?" answer Sebastian.

"Look ... suddenly my house has a guest and that's Erren and his parents. And I also just found out, that Erren was the wife-to-be I was talking to you about at the time. Which identity I don't know." Erick explained.

"Sebastian .. I also didn't know that Erick was my future husband. I rejected you because my mother said I couldn't see anyone other than my future husband. Can you understand this situation, and not misunderstand it?" Erren.

Sebastian's shocked. Suddenly Sebastian was loud with tears in his eyes. He said he shouldn't have come to see Erick to not know the truth.

"It's okay. I-i understand. I left because I still have business" Sebastian said.

Sebastian just left Erick and Erren. Sebastian's feelings were mixed, he was angry, upset and also sad. He is not angry at Erick and Erren, because both of them have explained that they do not know the identity of their respective prospective partners. He is angry at himself, if he is just an ordinary person with no status.

"If my status is higher than Erick's. Will there be a difference?" murmured Sebastian.