n

n

nMost of the student's body was already present when two carriages marked with the crests of the royal family entered the Aspakeony Academy and stopped before the Academy's Dormitory.

n

"It's the first and second princes!

"

n

"Eh? Why didn't they just arrive in the same carriage...?

"

n

"Don't be stupid! They might be brothers but they are political opponents!

"

n

"Eeeeeehhhhhh?!

"

nEveryone's eyes focused on them and the crowd was bustling with the excited whispers, waiting for the appearance of the two candidates for the future king.

nThe coachman of the first carriage came down and opened the door while bowing deeply.

nFrom the inside came a handsome blue-haired lad, he squinted his eyes as if in dissatisfaction and stepped down.

n

"The second prince! It's him!

"

nStudents started whispering to each other – the blue-haired boy was of course the second prince of the Bellcephora Kingdom - Surou Delche Bellcephora.

nHe and his older brother were born in the same year just ten months apart, therefore, they'll both start their education at the same time.

n

"Wha...?! Who is that...!

"

n

"That's outrageous!

"

n

"Who is this bimbo...?!

"

nPrince Surou wasn't engaged so when a female student followed him out of the same carriage it caused quite the stir amongst the entire student's body.

nNo one knew from which noble family this unknown blond girl was or what was her name though each of the present younglings had been meticulously taught about various noble houses and the hierarchy of the kingdom...

n

"...here, if you may...

"

n

"!!!!!!!!!!

"

nTo the even greater surprise of everyone, prince Surou offered his hand to the girl to help her step out of the carriage!

nMore than just a few high-born ladies clenched their fists in jealousy.

n

"Just look at this fool!

"

n---

nIn the second carriage, the first prince Horeo was biting his fingers from anger, barely able to contain himself from jumping out and slapping some sense into his younger brother's stupid head.

n

"Flaunting himself with some unknown girl in front of the whole academy...! What will people say! She's neither his attendant nor his fiancé! This could ruin his opinion not to mention the opinion of the entire royal family! That fool!

"

nHoreo growled, shaking with fury.

n

"...my prince...?

"

nZoemi was stunned after hearing that - in the game, it was Horeo who arrived together and then flaunted himself with the very same unknown girl... and Horeo in the game had a fiancé at that time!

nIt was never stated in the game but apparently doing something like that was very bad for the image of the royalty... Which Zoemi had to admit was true after a brief consideration.

n

"I honestly expected better of him! The two of us are the faces of the royal family in this academy, and this buffoon just...! Argh...! And I thought that he was better than this!

"

nHoreo breathed out through his nose furiously.

n

"Maybe she's a foreign nobility?

"

n

"As if!

"

nMiriette tried to guess the blond girls' identity - but Horeo shook his head and laughed bitterly at her first guess.

n

"Father would have informed me if that was the case, besides you saw it yourself earlier today as we had to stop because of them - he picked her up off the street!

"

nThe gold-haired prince nearly spat to the side, but since Zoemi was in his way, he hurriedly gulped down his saliva.

n

"But her traveling on foot could mean that she's a commoner – and since the academy would not accept just anyone, that means that she is someone with either strong or unique magic - back in the castle I've heard some kitchen-ladies talk about a commoner girl with healing magic... I bet that's her.

"

nZoemi decided to tell the two the truth about the girl while tip-toeing about the source of the information.

n

"Healing magic!?

"

nMiriette gasped in awe.

n

"Commoner!?

"

nHoreo covered his face with both hands, showcasing an exactly opposite reaction to that of his fiance.

n

"I-is that bad, my prince?

"

nZoemi was more than just confused...

nIf riding in a carriage together with a commoner was so bad then why did Horeo in the game do that?

n

"If she is the commoner you've heard about, then it may not be that bad... BUT...!

"

n

"...?

"

nSomething was clearly bugging the first prince but Zoemi couldn't understand what it was exactly.

n

"Since she is of low birth and basically no one here recognizes her, then even if her magic power is something outstanding, then her accompanying the second prince - who is yet to be engaged, mind you - is equal to the second prince spitting in the faces of every noble family that proposed a marriage candidate to him!

"

nHoreo explained trembling with righteous anger.

n

"O-oh...

"

nZoemi covered his mouth in shock.

n|But doesn't that mean that Horeo in the game was borderline suicidal for doing the exact same thing while being engaged to the daughter of THE Espine family?|

nIt seemed that by making sure that the first prince will get as close as possible to the Miriette, Zoemi did a great favor not only to her but to the gold-haired prince and every single relative and subject of his too.

nBecause of the declaration the prince himself just made, the black-haired boy had a fairly good feeling that right after the end credits of the game scrolled down and the player turned off the game, the duke and duchess Espine annihilated the entirety of the Bellcephora Kingdom in revenge for what happened to their daughter.

n

"That blasted fool needs to be stopped...!

"

n

"That's right...!

"

nThe gold-haired prince cursed – which Zoemi that it wasn't the time to have such thoughts!

nThe black-haired boy shook his head to clear his mind.

n

"Then we have to do something to turn the attention away from them!

"

nHe exclaimed and Miriette and Horeo looked at each other.

n

"Ah...! Of course...!

"

n

"...?

"

nThe gold-haired prince straightened his back and smirked looking at the slightly surprised black-haired boy.

n

"You're thinking about the same thing that I do?

"

nThe dark-haired girl's face bloomed with a similar unnerving smile, before she shook her head, using all of her willpower to look innocently and...

n

"Zoemi.

"

nShe turned to her attendant and asked in a serious voice.

n

"What is the scariest-looking darkness magic that you can use?

"

n