Chapter 95

Talk of the upcoming end-of-term gala fills Eden Academy. Becky briefly dreams of inviting Loid until Henry Henderson clarifies that guardians other than volunteers are barred. Damian wants nothing to do with the party, but Henry lectures him on the social value of such events. Nudged by Becky, and seeing a chance to advance the Friendship Scheme, Anya bluntly asks Damian to be her dance partner; he rejects her in a fluster and flees, and she sours on the idea in turn.

On gala day, Martha escorts a dressed-up Becky and gets recruited by Henry as an event volunteer. Every first-year attends, and Henry frames the party as a chance to mingle before class reassignments. Whispers follow both Damian, for his family name, and Anya, for her growing catalog of school incidents. The festivities open with interclass competitions for a day's access to the Imperial Scholars' lounge: a quiz that Damian dominates until Anya costs her class by blanking on the headmaster's full name, a quality-judging contest, and a hunt for a replica Stella hidden among replica Tonitrus Bolts. Villiers Hall takes the overall win, to Damian's frustration.

A thirty-minute mingling period precedes the dance. Loid slips in disguised as a waiter, intent on salvaging the partner situation after learning of Damian's refusal. Becky fends off a queue of young heirs, declaring no interest in children, while girls from powerful families swarm Damian. When rival boys start approaching Anya, including Arnold Crowley, the year's top Classical Language scorer, Damian keeps interfering despite himself. Loid concludes none of Anya's suitors offer intelligence value and resolves to stay out of it, privately doubting the Desmonds would ever view Anya as a match, a thought that jolts her into loudly announcing she wants Damian as her partner. With girls appealing for Damian's choice, Ewen and Emile proclaim a "Damian Desmond Dance-Partner Selection Committee" to vet the candidates themselves, bewildering Damian. Anya accepts the challenge, and Loid, recalling his fight with Winston Wheeler, commits to winning for Plan B, while Henry's announcement that the dance starts in ten minutes goes ignored.

Anya invites Damian to dance and is turned down; both later end up at the center of the partner-selection spectacle.

Interclass games open the gala, with Villiers Hall winning the Imperial Scholars' lounge privilege.

Loid infiltrates the gala disguised as a waiter to shepherd the Friendship Scheme.

Ewen and Emile found the Damian Desmond Dance-Partner Selection Committee, and Anya publicly enters the contest.

A 21-page Volume 14 chapter in the Term Finals Arc, released March 4, 2024.

Arnold Crowley, first mentioned in Chapter 93 as the Classical Language top scorer, debuts here; his name and distinctive hair evoke the occultist Aleister Crowley. Several background students appear modeled on real Japanese idols from Nogizaka46 and Sakurazaka46, and the birthday guesses for Mr. Green may reference idol birthdates as well.