Chapter 4: Chapter 3: A friendly meeting with a girl

Berlin, German Empire

October 1, 1897

Justinian sits in one of the tables in the library while reading a thick book about Economy.  While he is inside the library, there are a lot of students making the library packed inside but in table where he is, there is not even another occupant aside from him. Even if most of the students in the university come from prestigious and powerful families and backgrounds, only a few have equal or more prestige than a future emperor of a nation or empire.

Even if the library is overcrowded, the people inside are observed to be silent inside as this is the main rule inside that is needed to be observed, making Justinian’s stay in the library enjoyable and comfortable.

But his aloneness in the study is disrupted when a small, black hair, female with large round glasses who is carrying a lot of books absentmindedly approach him and sits in one of the chairs at the table. Due to carrying a lot of books that blocks her front field of vision, she didn’t realize that there is a noble at the table where she is right now. After she realize that even though the place is packed but this table is not occupied, she started to sense that something is not right, then she slowly looks toward the other occupant in the table and seen a blue eye, blonde hair young man smiling on her and says “Hi… may I have the honor to know your name my lady?”.

At first, Justinian was shocked when a petite Asian girl approached and joined him in the table and he then realized that the girl might have not realized what she has even done and thus he wants to tease this girl. He also realized that underneath the large round glasses, he realized the girl in front of him is very pretty and cute, she may seem nerdy and petite but she is beautiful and elegant, and her black hair standout here as she seems came from the far east.

While Justinian is enjoying the accidental interaction between him and the girl, the other person in the conversation is in panic. She started to regret that she didn’t check on the surroundings before approaching the table, she is panicking inside but she knows that it would be much more disrespectful if she would not respond to the young noble’s question.

“I’m Lin Miyazono, your highness,” Lin replies cautiously as possible. Her head is looking below, she can’t look directly to him aside that the person in front of her is a noble and a royalty, she also disturbed his reading in the library. But instead she is shocked that after she replied and talked back he didn’t show any discrimination and aversion and instead shown interest and friendliness, lowering slightly her guard towards him.

“I’m Justinian. You can call me Justin Miss Lin. I hope we can be friends.” Justinian says, making Lin panic about why on earth this man is friendly towards her.

“I rather not call you in a such manner your highness. I’m just from a humble background and you are a noble. It would be preposterous for me to treat you like equals milord.” Lin replies, giving her honest feelings in her response. Being an Asian in Europe, she received discrimination and racism especially from those purist and nationalistic white Europeans who believed that they’re superior from other races. Especially in the current case, she is in now, the man in front of him is a high-ranking noble and he might be royalty or part of the imperial family of another nation base on the man’s uniform that he is wearing.

“Oh…” Lin’s short reply to him makes him speechless and thought of a response to the statement. And after a few seconds, he recomposed himself and told her that if it is an informal conversation like these she can drop the honorifics and he really liked her to be his friend.

She found this as little weird that why this person was very interested talking with her, but unbeknownst to her, Justinian remembers his past life and is very fond of Asians as for in his past life he is also an Asian. Seeing an Asian in a European university, in a time where racism and discrimination, is very rare. In a time where race superiority is prevalent and minorities and other races are looked down upon, he found this girl a unique and refreshing experience. He also really wants to talk with Asians in this life but due to his social standing and role, he finds this impossible to achieve, but seeing and talking with this girl can make it possible so he really wants to build a friendly interaction while he still can.

As Justinian conversed with little talks with Lin, she slowly opened up and started to talked with him like in matters regarding their lessons and life in the university. Both realized things they liked in common like politics, economics and social norms are on the same wavelength with each other, putting their hearts at ease. Justinian realized that Lin is smart and quick-witted based on the fact that she is a woman and not European but was able to enrolled and accepted in a university here in Germany, she also taken up Business and Economic course so that she can help with her father’s business.

They talked comfortably with each other and as they talked more and lost tracked on time. Realizing the library is starting to close, the two started to stand up and leave the place. They’re already at the university’s ground when they both realized it is time to part with each other, Justinian stayed at a special university dorm for nobles and royalties while Lin needed to commute for she lived in the city together with her parents.

“It is nice meeting you, your highness” Lin first talked to Justinian to say goodbye, she smiled towards him for she really enjoyed her day today.

“To you also Lady Lin.” Justinian also smiled towards him.

“Please don’t call me Lady your highness, you can just call me Lin. And thank you I really enjoyed the company.”

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“Me too Lin… I hope we can meet each other often.”

“I…” but Lin was not able to continue what she wants to say, as she was able to notice that students are approaching that seems like the Crown Prince’s companion coming. Instead, she slightly bowed down her head and then sprint away from him. Justinian can only just smile helplessly as she run away for he really wanted to introduced her to his men in the university.

“Sir who is that woman you are just talking with?” Count Karl asks when he saw that the Crown Prince and a woman are just talking a while ago. He was very curious to that woman because the Crown Prince rarely talked with somebody especially to women. The Crown Prince only replied to him with a smile and says “An interesting one.”

Then Justinian walked the opposite direction Lin went to with a smile in his face. The count can only follow him even though he wants to ask more questions but for now he can only sigh for he feels a different aura from the Crown Prince, whether it would be good or bad, he didn’t know.

** ** **

Berlin, Germany

Even in the night, Berlin, the capital of the German Empire, is still active and busy. The buildings and homes throughout the city we’re full of brightly light thanks to the discovery of electricity, as Germany was the birthplace of the second industrial revolution. Also, the streets are full of vehicles like cars as Germany is the home of the largest producer of vehicles in the world. Germany already become the forefront of science and technology from electricity, cars to medicine and military, the Empire become a superpower on par with Great Britain and France.

Lin after a few years staying in Berlin, became accustomed to the culture and life in Germany, she is staying in an apartment in Berlin, together with her Chinese mother. Her father is a successful Japanese businessman was able to purchase an apartment so that they can live in Germany. Knowing that European tends to look down towards Non-Europeans, it is truly surprising on how they were able to stay and live in here but with her father very acute business skills and acumen, he was able to create a large enough wealth and connections to be able to live and have her daughter to study. But because of that, he sacrificed time that he could stay and live together with his family due to his busy business dealings around the world.

At first, the family wants to immigrate in the US but because the country was on civil war a few decades ago and Germany is becoming the forefront of development, they opt to chose to live and stay here, avoiding the turmoil and anarchy that is occurring in the far east.

As Lin entered her home, she was greeted with the sight of her mother preparing a meal for dinner, and her two siblings playing in the living room. Her mother noticed her and asked how was her day and schooling. She just responded that it was fine and she approached her mother to help her in the kitchen, she asked if her father is present but her mother just smiled bitterly saying that it might take up about a week before her father would come home.

Lin feels sad learning that her father would take another week before he can come home. The sacrifices and effort that her father make so that she and her siblings can enroll in a prestigious university and have a better education especially for them Asian and Non-Europeans that is suffering from discrimination and racism.

After they have finished dinner, Lin helped her mother in washing and cleaning the dinner. Then after, she entered in her room, remembering why her father can rarely go home because of working to provide the family, this reignited her motivation to study and have a high mark in the university. After a year in college, she was able to maintain high grades and become an honor student every semester, pursuing a course related to business to be able to help to the family.

While studying, she remembered her encounter with the Austrian Crown Prince during the day, she smiled remembering how sweet and kind the Crown Prince to him, their small talks regarding global politics and economy, how the Crown Prince wants to end the discrimination and racism and open equal treaties and agreement towards eastern countries, and when he says that she is beautiful and how he admired her hard work and perseverance in her education.

She slowly becoming red and her heart thump faster as she remembers how the Crown Prince described her, calling her pretty. But then a knock on the door make her return to reality and she avoid daydreaming after.