Chapter 12 – First Day Back at the Academy
A week has already passed since the four families met to discuss the matter.
The prospect of returning to the academy was now in sight.
There, the Saintess will surely approach with the intent to condemn Lunaria. When I played from the main character side, I felt nothing, but transposed into this reality, the actions of the Saintess, the main character, are utterly unthinkable for a young lady of my station.
Because it’s a game, that’s permissible. Because it’s the scenario, it can be allowed.
However, I was shocked when I was told that “Even if it’s a game, it’s reality for those living it.”
The moment I resolved to make Lunaria happy, I had already stepped away from the game, and the incident with her father and the others also deviated significantly from the scenario.
I reaffirmed my resolve. Just try it if you think you can.
Mithos continued to attend the academy during Lunaria’s leave. There, the Saintess was already acting like the Crown Prince’s fiancée, and she’d apparently charmed his aides to the point that they were completely under her spell.
However, “This World” is an utterly ruthless meritocracy.
From my brief investigation, I gathered that she hadn’t participated in any monster subjugations or land purifications. The power of the Saintess is the power of “Purification” that no one else possesses. The fact that she uses it without having achieved any merits whatsoever is convenient for us.
The Crown Prince, for his part, is drawn to a woman who is the complete opposite of Lunaria and is simply basking in the comfort of the situation. It’s laughable.
I don my uniform, fastening the brooch symbolizing my position as head of the household to my chest.
Within the deep crimson magic stone, a faint red rose blooms. The border, designed to resemble vines twining around the stone, is gold.
Designed to be instantly recognizable, this special item was presented by the King just yesterday. Anyone other than Lunaria who attempts to touch it will receive an intense electric shock to their fingertips, making it impossible for them to even lay a finger on it.
Not even the Crown Prince, nor the Saintess, could touch this unique object.
“…Well, I suppose His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wouldn’t notice, though.”
Muttering softly, I picked up my bag and left my room. Kyle, the butler, was waiting for me, so I handed him the bag I was holding.
As I followed Kyle, who was leading the way, he suddenly spoke up.
“There has been no communication from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince regarding Your Grace’s return to the Academy.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
“Her Majesty the Queen has sent a congratulatory message, and Duke Mitzegard has sent a congratulatory message and a gift.”
“I’ll check them when I get back.”
“Understood.”
“Also, since I’ll be taking on the Duke’s duties in earnest, please remove any unnecessary items from my office. Also, replace everything that Father used.”
“Yes, as you wish.”
When we reached the hall, the servants working there each stopped and bowed.
How long had it been since the mornings were this quiet?
No hysterically fussing stepmother. No brother and step-sister needlessly flirting.
I had no memory of spending a leisurely morning after those people arrived.
Let’s swiftly resolve the remaining issues.
I prepared carefully for my return to the academy, just in case.
Alicia told me, “The academy has an advanced studies class. You should have no problem transferring, so try taking the exam.” When I inquired, they were happy to prepare the transfer exam for me.
I contacted the families of young high-ranking nobles, and even some talented viscounts’ children, who had been Lunaria’s friends since childhood—with no thought of personal gain—and encouraged several of them to take the exam.
Some were rejected, but I received word that most had passed, and I couldn’t help but let a smile slip.
This would allow me to physically distance myself from the Crown Prince and the Saint.
I recall seeing students around the academy who weren’t in my class.
They had probably been approached by the academy itself.
I was told that they had intended to approach Lunaria, but they had refrained, considering how busy she was with her Crown Princess education.
That was certainly understandable.
In truth, the Crown Princess education was extremely demanding, even for Lunaria, who had received a certain level of education as a lady.
After classes at the academy, she headed straight to the Royal Palace, where her tutor, the Marquise, taught her proper conduct and behavior befitting members of the Royal Family, the history of the Royal Family, and etiquette for interacting with foreign nations, which are different from what they learn at the academy.
There was so much to learn that even breaks felt like a waste; she was simply cramming in the curriculum.
Love is rare in noble marriages. Many parents consider it a way to strengthen ties between families, or if the family background is impeccable, offer their daughter to the Royal Family to become the Crown Princess, and eventually Queen.
Lunaria is the daughter of the head of one of the four great duke families. She had an older brother, so it wasn’t strictly necessary for her to inherit the family line, but now circumstances demanded otherwise.
Her engagement to the Crown Prince came much later than customary, when both Lunaria and the Crown Prince were thirteen.
They gradually began to communicate, deepening their friendship, but she sensed that the Crown Prince was gradually beginning to resent Lunaria. Perhaps he found her suffocating.
Maybe he didn’t like being talked about as a pair. If we were six years old, I might have tried to understand, but we were at an age when we were beginning to grasp many things. Frankly, I felt it was unacceptable.
But that, too, would soon end.
Rocked by the carriage, I left home and headed for the academy.
As the white buildings of the academy gradually came into view, I spotted the carriages of other students commuting here and there.
The family crests on the carriages made it easy to tell which house they belonged to.
Mithos had sent a note saying that he would be attending the academy to coincide with Lunaria’s first day back in a long time, so I looked around in the carriage and discovered the Astoria family crest.
I signaled to the coachman from inside through the partition, and the carriage slowly came to a halt and the doors opened.
I stepped out and thanked the coachman for his help, and he bowed with a gentle smile and a hand on his chest. I asked him to come back after school and watched the carriage head off.
“Right then.”
“Lunaria, good morning.”
Just as I was about to pick up my bag and head towards Mithos, a voice came from above. It was Mithos.
“Good morning, Mithos. Is it alright? You came today just to match my schedule.”
“It’s fine. Besides, having you around helps me avoid the Saintess.”
“Well, that’s fine, but your tone…”
Walking side by side, we inevitably attracted attention.
Two members of the Four Great Duke Houses were walking together, one of whom was the Duke of Solfege, who had been on short leave until yesterday.
The fact that Lunaria has become a Duke is already well known in high society.
Perhaps for these reasons, the young ladies kept glancing our way. When I offered them an infinitely gentle smile, a delighted squeal of “Kyaa!” rose up.
“You’re something else, aren’t you?”
“Oh. From what I’ve heard, I haven’t done anything. I’m just acting normally, as I always have.”
Mithos murmured, “Well, true enough,” and suddenly stopped in his tracks.
“Well, I’ll be heading this way. I’m in the Knight Department.”
“I know. Thank you, Mithos. I will follow the route you wrote in the letter.”
“If anything happens, send your familiar.”
“Yes, you too.”
Just as we said our goodbyes and started walking…
The Crown Prince stood with his arms crossed, glaring at me, and the Saintess (probably) looked like she was about to cry. The Crown Prince’s entourage of students were all gathered, blocking my path.
“Quite the grand entrance you’re making, aren’t you? Trying to curry favor with the young master of the Astoria family for an escort?”
“H, how rude, Miss Lunaria! Just because you’re from the leading house!”
Faced with these two and their incomprehensible thought processes, I remained expressionless.
In the past, Lunaria might have responded in some way, but I don’t have the time to respond to such nonsensical complaints.
“Say something! You! Do you intend to ignore my words?”
“…With all due respect, in our country, it is decreed that one may not address someone of higher rank without their permission.”
When I confronted him with sound reasoning, the Crown Prince was at a loss for words.
“You! How dare you speak to His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Dale, in such a manner!”
While I was glad to have arrived at the academy with plenty of time to spare, if it meant getting tangled up with troublesome people like this, then arriving at the last minute might be a better option. As I was thinking about this, the rumored Saintess stepped forward to protect the Crown Prince.
Faced with this even more baffling action, I decided to remain silent and observe how things unfolded.
“Within this academy, status holds no sway! Therefore, allow me to speak plainly! To show such disrespectful behavior toward His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dale… Ah, please apologize!”
“Miss Primera…… how courageous …….”
“Truly worthy of the title, Saintess!”
Suddenly, time stopped.
In front of me were several glowing windows.
| Do you rebuke the words of the Saintess? |
| Do you apologize to the Crown Prince? |
| Do you lecture the Saintess on status? |
I have no intention of rebuking the Saintess’ words, nor do I have any reason to apologize to the Crown Prince.
Within the academy, status certainly doesn’t matter. But even if one were to explain what status is in the first place, the one fixated on her ‘Saint’ status is the Saintess herself.
Lunaria seemed to have scolded her thoroughly, but her reaction just now made it clear that it had no effect whatsoever. If that’s the case, there’s no need to do anything. So this time, I’ll deliberately interact with her as a noble, right in front of the students.
After selecting the opposite action from the windows in front of me, time immediately began to flow again.
“Apologize, you say? Very well. My deepest apologies, Your Highness the Crown Prince and Saintess. I am truly sorry. Now, if you’ll excuse me. Class is about to begin.”
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
The Crown Prince and the Saintess’ dumbfounded voices overlap.
“I recommend that everyone proceed to their respective classrooms to avoid being late. Well then, good day to you all.”
I bent my knees to perform a graceful curtsy and promptly left the scene.
The surrounding students who witnessed this gave faintly respectful glances.
“It’s just a scene of someone pointing out the obvious… but why does it feel so satisfying? …I’m glad that Lady Lunaria has returned…”
“It’s annoying when people bother you about strange things……”
“But the Saintess isn’t the Crown Prince’s fiancée…”
“She’s his favorite, you know. Say the wrong thing and we’ll be the ones disgraced……”
“Even his entourage…… with that attitude…….”
I suppressed a smile at the whispered conversation drifting my way.
Those people seemed to behave far more arrogantly in their daily lives than I thought.
Seeing such habitual behavior made me reconsider my opinion of the Crown Prince. Had he truly been unaware of how others perceived him?
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“Why…… why aren’t you upset, Lunaria……? Why aren’t you admonishing me like you did back then……?”
The group that was left behind stared blankly, eyes wide, completely unaware.
They didn’t realize what kind of gaze was fixed upon them?
“Lunaria…… you……?”
And the Crown Prince, who had assumed Lunaria was smitten, was also dumbfounded, having just realized she had shown not the slightest bit of interest in him.
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Sads Translates 