Blog of Destiny - Rae's Keeper

Something’s changed about Rae, and Misha isn’t sure what, or why it’s making her consider her best friend in a whole new light.

Takes place in book 1, chapter 2.

Something had changed about Rae.

Gone was the mostly normal friend from my childhood, with a normal amount of weirdness that could be excused on her mother’s side.

No, the Rae I was stuck with now was far weirder. Not only did she radiate a confidence that I’d never seen in our hometown, but she seemed more worldly too. A commoner getting 98 points on the culture test was unheard of, and while she fell behind on the etiquette test it was still well above what was expected. If she’d always had those manners I’d certainly never seen them used.

And the weirdest part was her interests. I knew Rae had flirted with Louie back in Euclid, those two would always disappear on some adventure or another, and I had my theories for what they would get up to. Here though? It seemed she had gained a suicidal crush on an aristocrat, and the frostiest one at that.

Said aristocrat was currently leading us to the lecture hall, with Rae, and subsequently me, in tow. Miss Claire was everything one would expect of an aristocrat. Pretty, dignified, and above all a hatred of commoners. She bullied and pushed away Rae at every turn, making it all the more confusing the way the girl clung to her.

I didn’t know how to feel about this new Rae. She was different to how my friend had been, but now that difference was making me see her in a whole new light. Just the thought of her newfound confidence was making me blush a little, I had never seen another girl act so forwards.

Maybe Rae wasn’t the only one who had changed. A girl was making me blush. Me! I didn’t think that way about girls! I mean, there was Prince Yu, but she was different; I was attracted to how she looked and we were already friends—nothing else was happening there! Sure, no other boys had caught my eye, but that’s because I was saving myself.

Once again secure in the knowledge of my own sexuality, I returned to looking over Rae. She still insisted on bothering Miss Claire, despite my constant chiding not to. Her misplaced attention caused jealousy to bubble up inside me as she proclaimed yet another “I love you!” that Miss Claire expertly parried. Further antics were thankfully cut short as we arrived at an already-crowded lecture hall.

Slipping inside, there were only a scant few minutes before Commander Lorek, head of the Academy Knights, stood up.

“Greetings students! I apologise for taking up some of your Saturday, however as commander of the Academy Knights this is an important time of year.”

He continued speaking. I tuned him out as it became clear this was the annual recruitment drive, and I had no interest in joining.

A few minutes passed before the murmuring of the crowd snapped me out of my thoughts. The princes were all standing with their hands raised, catching the attention of Commander Lorek.

“I appreciate the participation of the princes. Anyone else?”

Miss Claire also raised her hand. Oh no.

“I want to try, too.”

“Miss Claire, perhaps the load is a bit too heavy for a woman?” Commander Lorek responded, setting off her fiery temper. A short brow-beating later and he was reluctantly agreeing to her demands.

“Then I’ll take it, too.” A third voice piped up as—oh no—Rae raised her own hand, sparking another argument with Miss Claire that surely ended in—

“Misha, you take it, too. If this peasant passes, someone will need to reel her in.”

“I’m not Rae’s keeper…” I grumbled begrudgingly

Commander Lorek noted down all the names, mine included, before decreeing the test to take place tomorrow morning. He walked with strong strides out of the room as Miss Claire turned her nose up yet again at Rae.

The princes walked over to join us, but I still had questions for Rae.

“You’re very loyal, but you don’t really want to be an Academy Knight, do you?”

“Mmm. I just want to be with Miss Claire.”

I felt that jealousy rise up in my chest again, but hid it with a sigh. “I thought so.”

Miss Claire took the opportunity to re-litigate her argument with Rae, this time escalating into a challenge for Rae to pass. I felt hopeless as I witnessed them swear to God in front of me.

I skipped back along the hallway to our dorms with Misha. Claire had challenged me again, just as I thought she would, giving me another chance to try and prepare her for what was coming.

I was planning on brushing up on my knowledge with the school reference books that were provided to all students. It was no official lore guide and I had long ago memorised the answers, but reminding myself of the many school regulations couldn’t hurt.

Misha walked in a far more subdued way next to me. Of course, we couldn’t all have someone as special as Miss Claire to inject excitement into our lives, so her pace was understandable. We were almost at our dorm when I decided to pipe up.

“I can’t wait to get this test out of the way, it’s getting between me and my maidly duties to Miss Claire.”

As much as she didn’t get it, it was still nice to have our girl talks about these things, and sometimes she even had good advice behind the admonishment.

“Shouldn’t you be focusing on passing?” Misha rolled her eyes.

“I know what I’m doing. Just need to remind myself of some of the rules.”

“Since when did you already know the rules? I haven’t seen you touch those books since we got here.” She narrowed her eyes at me. Oops.

“Miss Claire is always talking about those things, she’s so well-read!”

“Of course.” I felt my anxiety settle as she dropped it.

We reached the door to our room and walked inside. Misha sat down on her bed like usual while I walked over to the small bookshelf and pulled out the academy guidelines, blowing the thin layer of dust off the spine. She was right, I hadn’t touched it since arriving in this world.

“Time to study!”

I pulled out the chair to my desk and sat down, cracking open the spine of the book in front of me.

“You were right Misha, all I need to do is keep showing her my skills can’t be dismissed.”

“Alright, I’ve had it.”

“Hmm?” I lifted my head up to look at her.

“Stop talking about Miss Claire so much when I’m— When I’m right here!” She stood up and looked straight at me. Her eyes were damp in the corners where there had been nothing just a minute ago.

“Misha, whaa—?” I trailed off in surprise.

Where was this coming from? She was acting totally normal before, just like she should in the game. She was the player’s steadfast best friend, the level-headed one to act as a reliable wing-woman.

That image of her shattered with how she appeared now, yelling at me with tears in her eyes, those eyes glinting with something I couldn’t name.

“You know Miss Claire doesn’t care about you. I know you don’t. But you keep pursuing her. Why, Rae?”

“Misha you— You like me that way?”

Furthermore she was only attracted to Prince Yu in game. Though I suppose Yu did have some rather feminine qualities…

“I don’t know what happened but you’ve changed. At the start of the school term it’s like you became someone else entirely, and since then I can’t take my mind off you!”

She knew?? I thought she would figure something out eventually maybe, but so soon? How had she—?

“The old Rae Taylor would never have been so eccentric, so confident, so forward!”

Huh, okay. Still, I needed to try and assuage her.

“Misha, listen to me. I’m still Rae Taylor. Just because I’m not exactly how you remember me doesn’t mean I’m not your best friend.”

“Oh Rae, you liar.” Misha walked closer to me. I could now make out the glint in her eye: Obsession. “Whatever you are now, whoever you are now, I like it.”

Startled, I started to back away, almost tripping over my chair. “Misha, you know I have dedicated myself to Miss Claire. Whatever’s gotten into you I can’t—”

She pounced, strength possessing her wiry frame as she pinned me to the wall with ease, despite her disadvantage in height.

Leaning in close to my ear, she purred. “Before I said I’m not your keeper. I’m now realising I could be.”

A gulp slid down my throat.

I returned to the classroom the next day, head held high with the confidence that this time I would grind that peasant into dust. I had brushed up on my rules and regulations of course, but such things are already drilled into nobles from birth, and I had long since memorised any potential answers.

Bracing myself as I opened the classroom door for another overly-enthusiastic greeting, I was shocked when I stepped inside and heard… the normal quiet murmurings of a classroom.

Where was she? That absurd girl must be planning something; a new brazen way to propose her idea of love to me. I looked around for anything that might give her game away and— Ah-ha! There she was, sitting demurely next to Misha, head down— Was that a leash?

I must have frozen for a few seconds, for when I next blinked Misha was waving me over. Now unsure of what else to do, I walked towards the disgraced noble.

She gave a small bow as I approached, as befitting a commoner. “Miss Claire! I just wanted to inform you that Rae shouldn’t be bothering you anymore.”

She gestured with a small tug of the leash in her hand at the taller girl, currently looking quite small. At this distance I could now make out the many dark red marks peeking out from underneath her collar and shirt. Just quite what had been done to her?

“Are you sure? She quite enthusiastically embraced my… discouragement.”

Misha energetically nodded. “All it took was an honest conversation!” She said more cheerfully than she had sounded in days.

“Very well, make sure it stays that way.” I stated, doing my best to sound dismissive. Despite my words I still felt something akin to disappointment that I wouldn’t be the subject of her affections anymore.

“I wish you luck on the test, I assume you’ll need it.” Even putting an edge of competition back into my voice didn’t have any effect on Rae, who stayed silent.

“Thank you Miss Claire.”

Misha bowed again as I turned away, walking towards an empty desk in preparation for the test.

What a weird day.