Chapter 47 · The Academy (2)

“My grandson… has a face that shows great promise. He is as beautiful and lovely as a single pink rose.”

That was how Marquis Laselles had described his grandson. At the time, I had thought the old man’s doting was a bit excessive, but Melvian Laselles truly was exactly as he had said.

“Princess!”

Ark hurried down, knelt, and examined me. He didn’t even seem to see the boy sprawled in front of him.

“Awk, I’m fine. This pewson caught me.”

Only then did Ark look ahead. Melvian was smiling brightly.

“That blazing red hair must surely belong to the Ellenoa family.”

“You’re… a Laselles?”

Ark’s expression turned noticeably cold. Ah, the Ellenoa and Laselles families had never been on good terms. The Ellenoa family was closely allied with the Alter family.

Ark quickly turned away from Melvian and shouted fiercely up the stairs.

“Who did it?”

Mana crackled from him. The aggressive mana unique to Dinitas knights, ready to be converted into aura at any moment. The students on the stairs were frozen in terror, not daring to come down.

“What piece of trash dared to attack the princess?!”

This was the first time I had seen Ark like this anywhere other than the Ars Confelo. Having only ever seen his playful, childish side, seeing him this seriously angry felt very unfamiliar. Some of the younger students were even sniffling.

“Awk, there awe too many people to catch the cuwpwit. Wet’s just go.”

I calmly soothed him. I too wanted to pop out the eyeballs of whoever it was the moment I caught them, but I didn’t want to cause a commotion on my first day.

“Princess, may I accompany you?”

As I dusted off my skirt and rose to walk on, Melvian spoke in a soft voice.

“Uh… s-sure.”

When I answered awkwardly, he smiled brightly. Ark looked displeased.

“Why are you acting so familiar with the princess?”

Ark, is that something a fifteen-year-old should say to a ten-year-old child!

“Because I want to get along well with the princess. We’re also going to be in a special relationship going forward.”

“What?!”

Ark’s eyes went wide. I was startled by the unexpected words too. Mm, he probably knows as well. Marquis Laselles said he’d educate him thoroughly.

‘But a betrothed… It’s so embarrassing!’

Since I planned to leave this country in a few years anyway, I wouldn’t end up marrying him, but having a betrothed was still a bit of a burden.

He was only a ten-year-old child. My body may be eight, but my mind is… I’ve given up counting my age.

‘But a promise is a promise, so for now I should treat him well.’

“Princess, what does this mean? A special relationship?”

Ark leaned in and whispered into my ear, but I just laughed vaguely and headed for the great hall. All the way there, I felt countless eyes on us. Those gazes didn’t stop even during morning prayer. I should have been used to it by now, but because of my trauma regarding people, my churning stomach never quite settled.

‘But why don’t I see Fwee?’

During the prayers, I opened my eyes slightly and searched diligently, but Freesia was nowhere to be seen. This was a time when everyone had to gather, so she should definitely be here. Was she ill? Remembering how drained she had looked the last time I saw her made me worry.

It was only near the end of the prayer time that Freesia carefully entered the hall.

“Freesia, you’re late again!”

The priest presiding over morning prayer rebuked her sternly.

“I’m sorry, I’m truly sorry.”

“To be late for sacred morning prayer over something as trivial as oversleeping. Don’t forget to come for disciplinary measures this evening as well.”

Seeing Freesia bowing repeatedly, apologizing in a cowering voice, made my heart ache. Freesia was a very diligent child, so why was she late? And it seemed it wasn’t just once or twice.

Just then, her eyes met mine, and her face flushed bright red before she hastily bowed her head. I had been about to greet her happily, but I awkwardly lowered my hand.

‘Ah, come to think of it…’

I suddenly remembered Ark and turned to look beside me. Three years ago, that boy had been a fresh-faced youth blushing at Freesia. But plenty of time had passed since then, so those feelings had surely faded long ago. The two had hardly crossed paths since.

But to my surprise, Ark’s face was as red as his hair. His eyes fixed on Freesia.

‘…Still?!’

Well, Freesia had grown prettier and prettier over the three years, and now she was such a beauty that even passersby would start and look back. Her neat black bob, her transparent white skin, and her large violet eyes stirred one’s protective instincts.

Still, to be unable to take his eyes off her after three long years without a single proper conversation.

‘So Ark is unexpectedly the pure-hearted type.’

No, but what was he going to do with his actual betrothed? Now that Ark was a young man of considerable age, I was concerned. All sorts of messy novel plots were rising in my mind when the priest who had been giving the sermon called my name.

“Princess Anastasia has been specially admitted to the academy. Princess, would you please come up here?”

Ugh, there was no need for greetings like this. Truly, being a princess was such a troublesome station.

Still, I made the most dignified expression I could and walked up to the dais.

‘In my past lives there was no one around me, but now the king favors me, and I have Paeon and the three priestesses, and Ark and Rizen, and the Laselles family.’

Just that much calmed my churning heart a little. From the dais, I looked down straight at the countless students.

“Princess Anastasia has received private instruction from Dean Roktania for over three years and will be entering the upperclassmen class directly. I ask that everyone show the princess proper respect and help her adjust to the academy.”

“Special admission?”

“The upperclassmen class?”

“Directly, without even an exam?”

The hall stirred. Some students frowned. Well, of course—entering the upperclassmen class required passing an exam. Since Dean Roktania oversaw it, I hadn’t needed to take one separately.

‘Well, they probably don’t know my abilities.’

Having received intense training for three years, I had grown strong enough to defeat even most adult mages. I could even heal myself, so there was no chance of ending up in a duel, but even if such a thing happened, I was confident I could win in a prepared situation.

The problem was surprise attacks, like on the stairs earlier. Being a young child, my agility and sensitivity to danger were lacking.

‘Still, I’ve grown strong enough to easily beat small fry like you even if ten of you came at me at once.’

A competitive urge to subtly show off my skills bubbled up.

‘Magic classes include sparring too, so I’ll have to show them a thing or two.’

As I smiled and gave my greetings, small voices rose from somewhere.

“So cute…”

“Oh my, she’s so small…”

Huh? So there were people like the three priestesses at the academy too.

Several girls who looked fairly mature were gazing at me with sparkling eyes.

‘Oh ho, so I should win over those girls.’

Good, I’ll use the carrot and the stick. Normally carrot and stick refers to coaxing and threatening, but I’ll use them a little differently. I’ll give a carrot to those who treat me well, and I’ll whip those who are rude to me.

Scanning the hall carefully, honestly, compared to my sworn enemies and the snake-like adult nobles, they looked insignificant.

‘They’re just kids, after all. Could they be as wicked as Aquila, Alter, or Tanian?’

◇ ◆ ◇

After the prayer meeting, an empty classroom on the outskirts of the campus.

“Hngh… hnngh…”

Around a girl with auburn hair shedding sorrowful tears, several girls had gathered and were comforting her.

“Don’t cry, Princess Stella.”

“Honestly, I thought, what could an eight-year-old do that’s so wicked—but seeing her today, she’s no joke.”

“Just because Lord Ellenoa is a little nice to her, she gets all high and mighty…”

“She must be doing it on purpose. To humiliate Princess Stella. She’s utterly insolent.”

“Exactly. Did you see that arrogant look on the dais? Anyone would think she were His Majesty the King.”

“And she’s a bastard with filthy blood mixed in!”

At Giselle’s icy voice, the girls around her flinched. It seemed they were still afraid of hearing or uttering strong expressions of hatred.

“What? Am I wrong? She’s someone who originally shouldn’t even be in the same space as us. Whether royal or noble, bastards aren’t recognized in status!”

“R-right. She’s truly unpleasant. And she’s not just any bastard either. Her father is an enemy nation’s mercenary…”

“Rachel, your beloved aunt died in the war too, didn’t she? And Yus, your older brother lost an arm to a Kalisan soldier.”

“That’s right! How much damage we suffered because of those barbarians!”

“It’s sickening. To take classes in the same space as the child of such people…”

“And she’s of a station that doesn’t even reach the tips of Princess Stella’s shoes, yet she dares to use Lord Ellenoa to insult the princess—unforgivable.”

“We need to make her realize her place.”

They looked at each other with eyes burning with resolve. Stella wiped her tears and spoke weakly.

“But how? Father and the dean all favor only her.”

“Leave it to us. Surely we can handle one tiny child?”

“And don’t worry—I’ll make sure to set Ark Ellenoa straight.”

Giselle wore a sinister smile.

◇ ◆ ◇

“Fwee! Fweesia!”

The moment morning prayer ended, I chased after Freesia, who fled the great hall as if running away, and with my short legs I could barely catch up to her. Ark and Melvian hurried after me as well.

“P-Princess…”

Freesia only stopped and turned to look at me after I grabbed the hem of her clothes from behind. Beneath her large eyes were dark circles. She looked as if she hadn’t slept properly.

“…Fwee, is something going on?”

“No, I’m sorry. I showed you such an embarrassing side today… I stayed up late doing homework yesterday and overslept.”

“That can’t be. Why awe you wying?”

She started, her eyes going round.

“L-lying? How could I dare to lie to the princess…”

“You’we avoiding me!”

I grabbed her hand tightly. But something was strange. Her hand, which should have been soft from years of nothing but studying, was terribly rough.

“…?”

As I tried to look at Freesia’s hand, she hurriedly tried to pull it away. But I gripped it firmly and examined it thoroughly.

“What is this, youw hand?!”

Her fingers were covered in wounds, and the back of her hand was white with blisters.

“I-I just… haven’t been taking care of myself… That’s why.”

“Wies! Fwee, why do you keep wying to me?”

Tears welled in Freesia’s eyes. Just then, the presence of other students drew near. In that instant, Freesia roughly pushed me away.

“Princess, I’m truly sorry. I’ll be going now. Please don’t mind me.”

“Huh? Wait, Fwee! Fwee!”

I hurried to chase after her, but in the blink of an eye the distance had grown. I stood blankly for a moment watching her retreating figure, then suddenly came to my senses and ran to the place I remembered.

“Princess! Where are you going?! Aren’t you going to class?”

Ark cried out in alarm, but I ignored him and kept running. Gasping for breath, I arrived at Freesia’s dormitory room. After throwing the door open, I was left speechless.

Countless pieces of uniform clothing were there. It was clearly unwashed laundry. One pile was neatly folded and set to one side.

“What is this…”

Ark murmured blankly at the sight.

I had nearly forgotten. That children can be just as cruel as adults. A light whip? That won’t do. For those worse than trash, a club is the only medicine.