Chapter 2.1

As the two set off, walking the length of lavishly decorated corridors inside the Tea Garden, pass portraits upon portraits and treading lightly on the velvet carpet, the bells of Gloriana's Tiny Ben outside tolled the passing of another half-hour.

Rosehip couldn't help but be thrilled, she was up close and personal with her idol. She held her hero's personal articles gingerly, making sure not to drop them.

"Madam, it's an honour to escort you to your quarters!." she said beaming, her eyes slightly shut from the intense glare of the mid-morning sun coming from the arched windows.

"The honour is mine, Rosehip, isn't it?"

She knows my name! Wait, till the others hear about this!

She nodded and said, "Ma'am, may I speak up?"

"You're already speaking," the other replied, jokingly "Tell me, what's on your mind."

She breathed deeply before speaking."It's just that I'm a big fan of yours and can I get your autograph.'

Earl Grey laughed and her heart dropped, she prepared herself for the rejection to come next, something that didn't come. "I would love to! Now give me a pen and paper, will you?"

"Sure thing." she set down the luggage and the umbrella and began to search for writing materials in her person.

"How did I manage to snag an admirer like you?" she heard the question thrown at her but she was starting to panic as she soon realized.

"Bloody hell, I don't have a pen and paper in me!" she swore before she can control herself. The next thing she knew was her blonde companion was again roaring with laughter.

"Is something wrong, Miss Earl Grey?" she asked, looking abashed.

"I remember when I was a first-year back then, I was sent to detention for swearing at English class."

"I'm sorry," she apologized, performing a full 90-degree bow.

"There's nothing to be sorry for, now I understand you don't have a pen right?"

"Yeah, my bad,"

"Will a kiss on the cheek do?"

Rosehip felt her cheeks warm-up and she knew she was blushing madly. "I-uh well, I kinda wan-yeah sure…" she trailed off.

Earl Grey smiled vivaciously and suddenly whipped out her white silk handkerchief and dapped it to her lips before she placed it in Rosehip's own pockets.

"Now, let's continue shall we?" She only managed a nod before she picked up the items of her "master". "Btw, what's your answer to my question earlier?"

"Oh yeah, you're the reason why I started doing Senshadou in the first place after I watched your semi-finals match on the 61st National High School Sensha-dō Tournament!" she replied, somewhat gaining her composure again.

"Ah, the one against Pravda. They made the mistake of bringing in their heavy weapons. They thought their IS-3s would strike fear into our hearts but rather we used it to our advantage and smashed them to pieces." The two turned a corner and was greeted by a corridor lined with doors.

"Ma'am-" she started.

"Please call me Earl Grey." her upper-class woman corrected.

"Earl Grey-sama, why did you pick me and my crew to fight alongside you, you could have picked your successor, Miss Darjeeling. What if I'm not up to your standards, what if I cost you this match?"

The blonde sighed and said, "Do you know my nickname back then?"

"The Devil on the Cromwell, right?" Of course, it was right, she had read up everything she can find on her, including numerous articles on her in the school paper, Gloriana Mail.

"Yes, and I didn't earn it by being indecisive, I've earned it by acting first and thinking later, and the results show themselves. If I can do it, I'm certain you can too."

"Even if I'm a pleb?" she asked, remembering one of the many names, she was called because of her upbringing.

"It isn't where you came from, it's where you're going that counts." she narrated. Now I know where Darjeeling-sama gets her obsession.

"But Darjeeling-sama said I should be elegant at all times and I don't know how to!"

"I hate how the Alumni Association has pushed the image of elegance even for the school's Tankery. I've seen your previous match on the 63rd Senshadou semi-finals and it was a close match indeed. If only you had more fast tanks, you would have taken the initiative first."

She nodded, remembering that fateful day, but instead of replying she realized they had reached her room. "Oh, here we are Earl Grey-sama, the Hyde Suite! Lovingly prepared by the Royal Maids, I hope it is up to your standards," she said, inserting the master key given to her by the Head Maid, Bohea.

The room was fit for the Queen herself, with its rose-coloured silk curtains, which covered a large window that gave the room's occupant an excellent view of the well-taken care Gloriana Gardens. She was sure that the room was in good hands, because she herself got assigned to it multiple times as punishment by none other than her senpai, Assam-sama.

She placed her escortee's belonging on the four-poster bed, taking in the sight of the sumptuous furniture inside the room, and was about to take her leave, making her way to the door.

"Young lady, don't leave just yet, I have something else to say." That made her pause as Earl Grey turned around and locked the oak door.

"For quite a long time, our Senshadou team has only been a speed bump for other schools like Kuromorime and Pravda in their quest for the cup.". The former commander began, where she was going, Rosehip didn't know, but she listened nonetheless.

Earl Grey made her way to the window and parted the curtain, illuminating the room a bit.

"But you, you have guts, we need more girls like you to raise St. Gloriana back into the pedestal she once held. You will have a future in this school's Senshadou team, I'm sure of it.

She beckoned her to come closer.

"Here's the plan."