"I make it my business to know a lot of things," Aria says. "It's the only way a mere countess like myself can survive in the political currents around here."

She crosses her arms. "You need a tutor."

Corvina releases Aria's hand. "And you're putting yourself forwards for the role?"

"Does it look like anyone else cares?"

Aria shrugs slightly. "I don't pretend to not be out for myself, but I am at least honest. I think helping you will help me in the long term, because you'll almost certainly acquire a title above mine as long as you play your cards right and don't do anything stupid. Mutual benefit is the name of the game, isn't that so?"

Corvina shrugs. "I guess? I don't - I've always tried to stay out of politics."

"A commendable impulse that I wish I could indulge. Unfortunately, that's just not life at the royal academy."

She offers her hand. "Friends?"

This could all be a trick, but Aria seems to be approaching her with honest intent... 

But that could be what she wants her to think...

... Fuck second-guessing. Aria didn't need to help her with the reporter, and she didn't need to extend a hand in friendship, either. 

"Friends," she says, and she takes Aria's hand. 

"Alright, then. Let's leave this place and start working on getting you up to speed. My rooms?"

"Lead the way."

The next morning...

Where the hell is Corvina? 

Leah's checked her rooms (she's not there), and she wasn't even present at her introductory classes. She didn't even turn up to dinner last night. No-one has seen her since the admissions ceremony, which would normally mean that she's gone to collapse in her rooms after the long carriage trip and all the stress of moving, but today it would seem that she's not there. It's hard enough to get people to talk to her when she's just a dame and not even landed nobility, but it seems like nobody is even keeping track of where Corvina's gone, never mind that her test scores exceed Black Cocoa's. 

Sometimes Leah doubts that Maxwell's lay supporters have anything between their ears. Then again, it's just as bad on the liberal side - all these landed nobility have not a clue in their heads when it comes to promotions by merit. Have the liberal faction snapped her up already? For all she knows Corvina's been assassinated by some idiot, this disappearance on her first day is incredibly suspicious.

She could ask Ms. Carpenter to speak to her eyes and ears among the serving staff, but gathering reports from informants without exposing them takes time she doesn't have. And it'd hurt her reputation if she was seen to have to rely on support from the wider faction.

Who would know, whose business is it to know - 

Ms. Baker. She's got the sharpest pair of eyes in the entire court, and as a commoner herself she's not going to pass over an opportunity to speak to Corvina. And Leah knows where she is, she's covering the inaugural breakfast.

She goes down to the breakfast hall.

The meal hall is filled with long benches of Imperial students, all eating together. Young men and women in crisp uniforms, the flowers of the realm.

There are cliques, of course. Committed liberals cluster around Ishaza on the north side of the hall, while the staunch conservatives gather around Indigo on the south side. Each of them has enough daily business to attend to that it's required of them that they be present in the same locations every meal, so that their many, many underlings can see the flag and feel that they are being listened to. The Princess comes and goes as she likes, at times favoring the liberal table with her presence, at other times eating at the conservative one. At times she eats privately, or takes her throne closest to the kitchen at the far west end of the hall.  

There are perhaps three competent people at each table. Leah counts herself as one.  

Ms. Baker is holding interviews at the far east end of the hall, as far from the Princess' seat as is possible to get. Her camera rests against the small of her back, tucked in close against her body; she has out a pad of paper and a pen and is taking notes rapidly in her reporter's shorthand and making small affirmative noises as a Marquis' son waxes on about tariffs on furs. 

... She can't cut in line, not when a marquis' son is speaking. She'll have to wait. 

She goes and gets herself a plate of bacon and eggs with trenchers so as not to seem to be hanging around. 

Meanwhile, at about the same time...

Corvina's missing. 

The obvious first hypothesis is the conservative faction, but Cocoa has no idea why they would be interested in a lowborn girl, even if she does have test scores in excess of his own. An assassination is unlikely - it would be an outrage to the commoners, and that invites strong backlash, and the royal academy is warded against such attempts such that it would at least be very risky. There doesn't seem to be a strong motivation for anyone to kill or kidnap Corvina, not even the conservatives. 

Even if she was seduced by the conservatives, that should mean that she would be at their table at dinner for them to show off their new acquisition - unless the older members of the faction objected? It is certainly a possibility. But there's a complexity penalty there. 

If only he had better penetration into the academy staff, he would be able to find the room that's ordered more than one meal for the night easily. But the conservatives are much stronger there, as much as you'd expect commoners to understand that supporting the liberal faction is much more in their interests. 

Who would be interested in a young commoner with extraordinary ability... 

Well.

There's one obvious culprit. 

He doesn't like it. He doesn't like it one bit. If he's right, this is going to complicate everything straight to hell. 

But she's probably with Aria. Nobody else has the audacity to make a move like this. 

He goes down to her rooms and knocks on her door.

Aria answers her door. Her expression is a mask of polite neutrality. 

"Good morning," she says to Cocoa. "What a surprise to see Black Cocoa knocking at the door of a mere countess. How may I assist you?"

Ah, Aria. Never change. 

"Can't I drop in on my old mentor from time to time?" He smiles neutrally. "May I come in?"

"I'm afraid I already have a guest." She doesn't budge. "Perhaps another time?"

Of course. Nothing comes for free with Aria.

"I would consider it a favor if you would allow me to discreetly join you and your guest for tea."

"Oh, my! Surely you are not proposing anything indiscreet." 

Ah. So even Aria can't control the academy staff. She's done better in the past. What a pity.

"Why, of course I don't mean anything untoward. The presence of your guest would preclude anything hazardous, don't you think?"

Aria's face falls from her feigned surprise.

"I believe so," she says. "You'd better come in."

She steps back from the door, and opens it a little wider.

And beyond her in the room sits Corvina Quill, at a large table overloaded with sweet desserts and a plate of breakfast food. She's sitting in an overstuffed armchair with a cushion in the small of her back and looks vaguely confused, but happy.

She looks over at Black Cocoa and hastens up from her chair to make a sloppy curtsey. "Black Cocoa!" 

She ducks her head and flushes a little, apparently overwhelmed. 

Cocoa steps inside, and lets Aria close the door behind him. He raises a small silver circle in one hand and releases it - 

Good, there are no servants in the room at the moment. His passage here will be noted, but the contents of his conversation with Aria and Corvina should be secure.

"Sit," he says mildly. "There's no need to stand on ceremony."

Corvina's gaze goes to the shards of light dissipating in his hand. "Wait, was that a divination charm? Cast off the tips of your fingers with ambient mana???" 

Her eyes light up. "You're really as good as they say you are!"