Chapter 22
Elonia and her companions arrived at Lucid Academy.
The place they arrived at was not the main gate of Lucid Academy but a secluded garden near the back gate.
Elonia and Ricardo, the country bumpkins from Heilan, excitedly looked around the academy.
“So this is Lucid Academy.”
“It’s my first time at the academy too, so it’s interesting.”
“…Ugh.”
“Huh?”
Llewellyn had been oddly quiet, and then suddenly he started retching.
Ricardo and Elonia exchanged glances at the same time and let out a low sigh, “Ah…”
“Warp sickness…”
Teleportation magic was a spell that disassembled the body into molecules, moved them, and reassembled them at the destination.
As much as it was a dangerous and difficult magic, not only were there few people who could use it, but even if they teleported safely, there were sometimes people who complained of sickness like this, and that was Llewellyn.
“Llewellyn, are you okay?”
“I’m, fi-… Urgh.”
“Doesn’t seem like you’re okay.”
His luck was really rotten.
Of all things, he had to have warp sickness.
Usually, people who had no tolerance for magic complained of warp sickness, but who would have thought Llewellyn would be one of those weaklings?
Elonia sincerely sympathized with him and patted his back.
It would take quite a while for the sickness to subside.
“What should we do, Princess?”
“Right. What should we do? We only have two hours.”
“Urp. D-don’t worry, Elon… Oppa isn’t that weak. I can guide you, ugh-urp.”
“Just rest.”
“No, oppa… can do it, urgh.”
“Sigh. Do as you please.”
Elonia clicked her tongue.
As soon as he got permission, Llewellyn grabbed Elonia’s hand and headed towards the main gate with footsteps like a dying patient.
Elonia quietly followed where Llewellyn led her.
Even the turtle-like pace didn’t last long.
“Huh? Isn’t that pink head Llewellyn?”
“He said he was going to the palace today, so why is he here?”
It was because children who seemed to be in the same grade as Llewellyn came flocking from afar.
“Ah… Damn it.”
Llewellyn cursed quietly and then turned right around, grabbed Elonia’s hand, and ran.
Elonia’s eyes widened as she wondered where this strength came from when he was about to die.
“Wow, you can run?”
“Of course, urgh.”
Ah, he’s overdoing it.
“More importantly, hurry up, urp. If we get caught, it’ll be big trouble! They’ll know you’re the princess just by your hair color!”
Peppermint-colored hair was the symbol of the Asta family.
Moreover, the only child with such light peppermint-colored hair at present was Elonia.
They had covered her hair with a bonnet, but the moment they saw her face, it would be obvious that the one next to Llewellyn was the princess.
Then Artius would also find out that she had secretly left the palace.
But more than that, Elonia didn’t like having to run in cumbersome attire.
“Rica.”
“Yes.”
Even though only his name was called, Ricardo understood perfectly and lifted Elonia and Llewellyn in his arms and ran with big strides.
When they looked back, the children chasing Llewellyn were already out of sight.
“Uh, urgh. Urp, ugh-urp.”
“Hey, if you’re going to puke, get down and do it.”
Elonia reprimanded him.
Even Elonia, who had been covered in blood and guts in her previous life, didn’t want to be covered in vomit.
Ricardo added,
“I don’t mind if you do it on my shoulder, but since the princess is here too, please hold it in, Prince.”
“Who would, do it so disgustingly, urgh.”
From the way he talked, it seemed like he would.
They had to get down before a scene unfolded that they wouldn’t be able to bear to watch.
Anyway, they had reached a quiet place, and Elonia tugged on Ricardo’s clothes.
Ricardo immediately understood and carefully put down the two children.
“Urp, ugh…”
“This is bad… Rica, let’s just go back.”
“But you wanted to look around the academy.”
“R-right. Elon. I’ll, urgh.”
“I told you to rest. I also want to look around the academy, but… I’ll go when I’m ten anyway, right?”
“Uh, the entrance age is from thirteen.”
“But Llewellyn also entered early because he studied well. Then of course I’ll enter early too.”
Unlike his fresh attitude, Llewellyn was famous as an unprecedented genius who, when given one book, would find ten more related books and finish reading them in a day.
That was why he had entered Lucid Academy, where the usual entrance age was 13, three years early.
It was something to be proud of, but whenever that story came up, Llewellyn would sigh.
Apparently, it was because he was treated as a set with one of the hostages from Heilan – the guy Llewellyn had repeatedly said was unlucky before – who was also a genius who entered Lucid three years early, anyway.
It was a foregone conclusion that Elonia would also enter the academy at a similar age to Llewellyn.
“Certainly, the princess will soon draw attention at the academy too. But are you really going back like this?”
“We have to. Llewellyn is in this state.”
“I’m fine, urp. Leave me here and go look around together. I don’t think I can go back by magic again, urgh, so I’ll find my own way back by carriage. Urgh, ugh-urp.”
Before he could finish his words, Llewellyn started dry heaving while holding onto the wall.
“…Rica. He’s talking nonsense. Let’s hurry back.”
“I think so too.”
Leave him here and go, my foot.
Even Elonia, who was reckless, didn’t want to be a princess who abandoned the corpse of her cousin at the academy.
Ricardo seemed to think the same, as he nodded.
But it was impossible right now.
If they used teleportation magic again now, it seemed like Llewellyn wouldn’t be able to endure it.
‘In that state, he needs to rest for at least 30 minutes.’
Ricardo seemed to think the same, as he suggested to Elonia,
“We’ll have to stay here until the prince feels a bit better, even if you don’t like it. Princess. Since we’re here anyway, why don’t you look around nearby and come back?”
“Nearby?”
“Yes. It’d be a shame to go back like this.”
In fact, Ricardo had also wanted to let Elonia get some fresh air since he became her guard.
As a result of observing Elonia’s daily life while guarding her with Ethan, Artius was truly a piece of trash.
Wake up at 8 AM, study after breakfast, study after lunch, about an hour of snack time, then study after dinner, and bedtime at 10 PM – the princess’s day went by with this packed schedule.
The only day Elonia could rest was when Llewellyn came to play.
Even that, if Llewellyn couldn’t come because of academy circumstances, she couldn’t rest.
Why was he pushing a child who was only four years old so hard?
Shouldn’t children that age be running around and playing?
As Elonia pondered, Ricardo started to urge her.
“Ah, you don’t want to stay here and see the prince throw up, right?”
“…You’ve suddenly become really rude.”
“No, Sir Rica. How can you let a child wander around alone, urgh. Urp. Ugh-urp.”
“I’ll just look around here for about 20 minutes and come back.”
As it seemed like Llewellyn would spew out his breakfast any moment now, Elonia’s change in stance was quick.
Ricardo waved his hand.
“Okay. If anything happens, let me know right away.”
“Ah, no, urgh. The princess’s guard should follow the princess, what if you stay here, ugh-urgh.”
“I put a tracking spell on the princess. And the one who looks like he’s about to die right now is you, Prince.”
If something happened to Llewellyn here, it would be Ricardo who would take the blame.
And if Elonia was really in danger, she would signal Ricardo, so he could rush over with teleportation magic.
“Then I’ll be back.”
“Okay.”
“Be, careful. Ugh-urgh.”
Ricardo crouched down on the street and patted Llewellyn’s back, leisurely waving to Elonia.
——
Elonia didn’t go very far.
There was a limit to how far she could go with her small steps, toddling along.
After roughly looking around the buildings and dipping her hand in the fountain, she came out to a place where people could be seen a little, with the intention of observing what the students looked like as they attended the academy, and hid in the bushes.
Elonia observed the few passing students.
Some wore uniforms even on the weekend, while others strolled around in casual clothes.
Thanks to that, Elonia’s outfit didn’t stand out much either.
‘Is that the swordsmanship department uniform? That one is obviously the magic department uniform.’
Lucid Academy established various departments according to the students’ talents.
In general, they all had white uniforms with gold embroidery, but the designs were slightly different for each department, so it was clear who belonged to which department just by their clothes.
‘The swordsmanship department’s design seems to be derived from a knight’s uniform. …The academic department has long coats? The ones draped over their shoulders look so cool.’
Llewellyn would probably also wear that long coat draped over his tiny body.
She had never seen Llewellyn in his uniform, but imagining it made her laugh.
But there was a boy who particularly caught Elonia’s attention.
He had the body of an excellent swordsman despite not being fully grown yet, so she had unconsciously kept her gaze on him and ended up being astonished.
‘Alberich Asta?’
The dark peppermint-colored hair tied neatly, reminiscent of the Duchess of Asta.
The same golden eyes as Llewellyn.
Even from a distance, it was clearly Prince Alberich, the eldest son of the Asta family and Llewellyn’s brother.
Feeling like it was a blunder, Elonia lowered her posture even more and hid her body.
‘What, was this the swordsmanship department building?’
No, it couldn’t be.
There was no way Llewellyn wouldn’t know his brother’s schedule, and no matter how out of it he was due to warp sickness, he wouldn’t have come here without a plan, but when she thought about it slowly, the one who had brought Elonia here was Ricardo.
In the end, the only one left for Elonia to blame by the process of elimination was Alberich.
‘Why is he here on a weekend instead of going home? Llewellyn comes here all the time.’
The talk about the brothers born from the same boat being so different was all true.
‘If Alberich catches me now, Artius that bastard will also find out.’
If it were the Duke of Asta or Llewellyn, they would take Elonia’s side, but Alberich might not.
The Duchess of Asta had said that Alberich Asta was the embodiment of all the world’s stubbornness.
‘If I get caught, he might tattle to Artius right away.’
It wasn’t that she was afraid of Artius, but she hated troublesome things.
Anyway, it had been about 20 minutes as promised, so it would be better to go back.
Before sneaking out of the bushes, Elonia slightly poked her head out to see if Alberich was looking this way.
But.
“What are you doing here, Princess?”
“Eek!”
She made direct eye contact with Alberich.
Honestly, this was the fault of her baby body that was far inferior to her prime.
Aghh, at the most exciting part. Please update quickly..