“You’re really a bad guy…”
A muffled voice emerged, soaked in intoxication.
It was still early in the day, yet the person sitting across from me had long melted away under the influence of strong liquor. Furthermore, this was just the two of us in the room.
If the other person had been a lovely lady, it would have been an undeniably great situation.
I had to swallow a sigh of lament.
It was because I already had an acquaintance with the man making a fool of himself before me.
Ru Pin Rainelle.
He was my precious comrade and the younger brother of the woman I might become engaged to. If it were Senior Elsi, at least her drunken, teary demeanor would come off as cute.
But I couldn’t just kick out my future brother-in-law without reason.
I listened to Ru Pin’s lamentations with one ear while letting them drift out the other. My glass was filled with hard liquor, yet I was already at a level of intoxication where I could easily shake it off.
Proof of that was that there wasn’t even a whiff of alcohol on my breath.
The only one drunk in this place was Ru Pin.
And one-sided drunken remarks always tended to provoke annoyance.
As much as I wanted to rise from my seat immediately, there were circumstances that wouldn’t allow me to do so.
For now, I was the one at fault.
I subtly diverted my gaze and swallowed hard.
“How can you… abandon our sister?!”
“Well, I never abandoned her.”
“Then what’s with the rumor?!”
Thud, thud.
Ru Pin’s thin arms flailed as he slapped the desk. He probably intended to make a loud sound, but there was no way a drunk mage had that kind of strength.
“I heard you wrote a romantic tale in the Holy Kingdom?! A falsely accused saint, a knight coming to save her… and a Heavenly Deity moved to deliver a miracle because of that dedication?!”
“Even I have to admit, it’s a great story.”
“The news has spread all over the continent already!”
After a while of fuming, Ru Pin finally seemed to lose strength and collapsed on the desk.
A feeble lament followed.
“Our Rainelle Clan has become a laughing stock… I pushed for an engagement, and look what happened…!”
My gaze subtly shifted toward my inner pocket. Inside lay a letter from the Rainelle Clan that I hadn’t yet opened.
In truth, Count Rainelle had every right to feel perplexed.
One of the clan’s archmages suddenly died, and the partner who was supposed to be engaged was spreading a love affair in the Holy Kingdom.
It wouldn’t be surprising if he collapsed from stress.
Ugh, I had no choice but to lean back, letting out a subdued groan.
I had to find a breakthrough.
“What are we going to do? The other party is a saint… No matter how high-ranked our Rainelle Clan is, we’re still outclassed. A polygamous marriage is out of the question…”
“…Right!”
It was right after I heard Ru Pin’s complaints.
Unknowingly, I clapped my hands together and exclaimed.
Ru Pin’s puzzled gaze turned toward me. But by then, I was already deeply immersed in the bright idea that had just struck me.
“Then it’s settled—polygamy!”
Of course, Ru Pin just responded with disbelief.
“Are you crazy? Haven’t you heard my story? Even if we wanted to, the Holy Kingdom and the people wouldn’t accept it! There’s a play based on your story running all over the place right now…”
“What if the other party is one of the five noble houses of the Empire? Or even the royal family?”
At my counterargument, Ru Pin’s mouth snapped shut.
Instead, he showed a look of shock.
“…Could there be more?”
No matter what, I just nodded enthusiastically.
It felt like the troublesome issues that had been plaguing me were coming together all at once.
“As long as we get acknowledgement for the polygamy, whether the wives are two or three wouldn’t matter much. Ru Pin, you’re surprisingly clever…!”
“Die, you womanizing bastard!”
Ru Pin’s eyes went wild, and he raised a liquor bottle to swing at me.
Naturally, Ru Pin’s rebellion was quickly suppressed.
Such was the plight of a mage.
Leaving the collapsed Ru Pin, stunned and shocked from drink and despair, I stepped out of the room. Now that I thought about it, it was about time I should visit.
Specifically, Senior Elsi.
It had already been more than ten days since I lost contact with her. Besides which, I had something to return to her.
A dark stick was resonating softly in my inner pocket.
Emma swallowed hard, entirely absent-minded.
The individual sitting across the table was just too imposing. Every time she faced a noble, her heart would race, but she never expected a member of the royal family to request a one-on-one meeting.
The Empire’s Fifth Imperial Princess, Sien.
Though she was far down the line of succession, she was undeniably a girl who carried the blood of dragons. Not even commoners, let alone high-ranking nobles, had the privilege of seeing her alone.
If she weren’t feeling nervous, it would have been even more odd.
In fact, they weren’t meeting for the first time.
The two had crossed paths once before in the Northern Region. But this was the first time they were having a serious conversation.
And to think they would be talking over a heavy bag of gold coins.
Emma’s pupils began to tremble as she couldn’t overcome her confusion.
In contrast, the princess’s complexion seemed perfectly calm.
“I heard your expenses have improved recently… I’ve been told that Senior Rainelle has been helping, is that right?”
“Yes, yes… that’s correct, Your Highness…”
Emma began to recite the facts while carefully observing the atmosphere.
It was difficult to guess what the princess’s intentions were. Being somewhat aware of a general idea, she needed to discern the more precise intentions.
The plight of a commoner.
If she caught the eye of a noble, her life would be in jeopardy.
For this reason, the princess deliberately wore an innocent smile, as if she understood Emma’s feelings.
“But has life grown difficult again recently? Are you perhaps surviving on those mushrooms in that basket?”
The princess’s gray eyes glanced at somewhere. There was a basket sitting in that location.
Inside it were piled-up mushrooms. Edible mushrooms that Emma had gathered from the forest.
The nutrient-rich forest of the Academy produced these delicious mushrooms all year round. Emma, whose life was entwined with poverty, would never miss out on such fine ingredients.
If she was lucky, she could even find mushrooms suitable for alchemical materials.
It was an action rooted in a reasonably rational motive. Yet, Emma could not help but bow her head in embarrassment.
Such a reason might seem pathetic.
The princess was one who lived in a world entirely separate from Emma.
To prove that point, the princess’s face now bore a hint of pity.
“I suppose Senior Rainelle didn’t provide enough gold for you.”
“Oh, no!”
Emma raised her voice, fearing any possible misunderstanding.
The princess’s steady gaze fell upon her. Only then did Emma snap out of it and, calming her racing heart, cautiously chose her words.
“It’s just that I have a terrible habit of indulgence. Senior Rainelle gave me plenty of gold, but I still have costs for alchemical materials and for remitting to my family…”
“Yes, that does fall short.”
Emma’s words didn’t even finish.
As if finding it trivial, the princess remarked so while spinning the teacup in front of her.
Even the fragrant aroma couldn’t disturb the princess’s complexion, as if to signify that the world they lived in was entirely different.
“Being sufficient means, you know, Senior… there must be leftover gold after spending. Let alone alchemical materials and living expenses to send home? How can you call that wasteful?”
As she said this, the princess gestured toward the bag of gold coins placed on the table.
Emma’s dazed gaze fixed onto the heavy pouch.
“5,000 gold.”
The unimaginable amount choked Emma’s breath.
Most commoners would never see that amount in their lifetime. Even most nobles wouldn’t readily part with such hefty sums.
Unless one was a high-ranking noble, it was exceedingly rare for someone to carry that much cash.
Yet, before that sum, the princess remained as calm and composed as ever.
“It’s just a small gift. Please accept it.”
With a sweet smile, the princess’s expression held no trace of calculation or scheme. It was truly a sum that exuded pure goodwill.
Still, Emma’s hesitation didn’t last long.
“Um, Your Highness? This amount feels far too generous for me…”
Just as she started to shake her head, trying to push the pouch back toward the princess…
“…Senior.”
A polite tone slipped from the princess’s lips.
It was a clear, melodious sound—yet one that bore an undeniable authority.
“Of course it’s important to know the topic at hand. Yet, there’s no need to play the fool.”
“What do you mean by that…?”
“Just accept it quietly.”
That single phrase was the signal.
The princess’s aura shifted dramatically. While her smile remained, her eye expression turned sharp.
Most importantly, those gray pupils now seemed to pierce into the very essence of one’s being.
“Too generous? Why should you, Senior, be the judge of that? I carry the blood of dragons. A truly wise person should know how to exploit the mistakes of the powerful.”
“B-but…”
“If it’s too burdensome, a small assistance would be fine as well. That too is a virtue of those who possess wealth.”
Emma couldn’t hide her confounded feelings.
Since the last homecoming festival, hadn’t the princess chosen to live quietly, concealing her true nature? How could she now reveal her past self?
The sudden change of heart was utterly bewildering.
Eventually, Emma had to ask, her face drained of color.
“Due to my lowly origins, I can’t fathom Your Highness’s intentions at all. What on earth do you wish for…?”
Coughing lightly, the princess cleared her throat at that moment.
Once again, the atmosphere shifted.
The snake that had concealed its intentions had vanished; replaced was a cute girl, flustered and wary of her surroundings. Emma had no choice but to respond with even more puzzled eyes to this dramatic transformation.
After hesitating for a while, the princess soon whispered, as if she had made up her mind.
“I-I wish to be paired with Sir Ian at the Saint’s festival…”
It was an incredibly trivial desire.
For Emma, it was a reason she had never even imagined. The girl sat there, dazed, listening to the princess’s not-so-convincing justifications.
“I’m not scared of Senior Rainelle, or the Lady Virgin Saint, okay? It’s not like I’m intimidated because of past reprimands… I carry the blood of dragons! I’m not nervous just because you seem kind and you’re close to Sir Ian… Also, I’m not agitated by the engagement talks! I’m definitely not jealous… no, absolutely not jealous…”
Finally, unable to bear her embarrassment, the princess’s head drooped low.
Sneaking glances at Emma, she squeezed out a pitiful voice.
“Could you… help me…?”
Without meaning to, Emma let out a faint laugh.
Finally, the princess seemed to appear more human. Girls of that age were all pretty much the same, and Emma let out a sigh of relief internally.
Emma didn’t fail to understand the princess’s feelings.
Emma herself had feelings for a man similar to Sir Ian.
So, Emma responded with a more relaxed smile.
“…First, I will ask Lady Rainelle.”
Surprisingly, Emma was a woman of honor.
She remained still even as the princess offered a sum of 20,000 gold coins.
In the end, the princess found herself crying and pleading all day long.
Thus, just before the Saint’s festival, various characters converged.
Another guest arrived at the Academy.
With each step the girl took, numerous gazes naturally converged on her. The shimmering gray hair framed her face, revealing porcelain skin and eyes like an icy lake.
Those who caught sight of her haughty and cold demeanor whispered among themselves.
“Isn’t that the Yuridina girl…? When did she return?”
“Since when was that her nickname? We should start calling her the ‘Ice Princess’ now, especially since she’s one of the key figures of the Yuridina Clan…”
The girl’s name was Seraia Yuridina.
Once upon a time, she lived amidst disdain and neglect. However, in just a few months, public opinion had turned around, and some students at the Academy now revered Seraia with envious eyes.
After all, she was one of the group fighting against the continent’s darkness.
Most had no inkling of the struggles hidden behind that cold exterior.
Yet inside Seraia’s mind was focused solely on one thought.
“I miss Senior Ian.”
Walking aimlessly, Seraia lethargically thought, consumed by desire.
“I want to be embraced by Senior Ian. I want to smell his scent. I want to overpower Senior Ian…”
The continuous battles with Delphine had left Seraia with intense fatigue and stress. It was enough to loosen her grip on rationality, a girl already prone to obsession.
The blue shine in her eyes scattered a chilly glimmer.
What if someone tried to interfere?
“I’ll have to kill them.”
Just as Delphine had taught Seraia.
And thus, a broken girl arrived at the Academy.
It was the prelude to a storm.
