Episode 56
Elonia gulped, hiding the sword behind her back and feigning innocence.
“I didn’t.”
“I heard everything.”
“Ugh, who told you?”
Elonia grumbled, wondering who the snitch was. Just as she was plotting revenge, Artius revealed the culprit.
“The maids in the Imperial Princess’s Palace were gossiping. They said they saw you in your uniform today.”
“…”
It was the maids who had helped her change.
Elonia was weak against her maids.
While Sarah had been the one who raised her, the maids had also helped, caring for her diligently.
The thought made Elonia angry.
“Well, it’s not a big deal. You’re the one who tormented me until I turned five, so you have no right to complain.”
“Elonia…”
“Lady Asta has always loved me, so it’s only natural that I showed her first. If you were so upset about it, you should have been nicer to me!”
In an argument, the first to strike and the loudest voice always won.
And thus, Elonia always emerged victorious.
No matter how many times she brought up his past mistakes, Artius, burdened by guilt, could never win against her.
‘He always has so much to say, even though he knows he’s wrong.’
Elonia snorted.
But seeing Artius sulking, she felt a tiny pang of guilt, as small as a speck of dust in the Imperial Princess’s Palace, remembering the sword she was hiding behind her back.
‘…This must be a really good sword.’
She couldn’t just take the gift and run.
She hadn’t actually planned on hiding her uniform from him completely.
She was just a little embarrassed to show off to him directly, so she had decided to wait until the entrance ceremony.
“…Wait here.”
Elonia disappeared into her dressing room, then emerged a moment later, wearing her uniform.
The ribbon was a bit crooked since she had dressed herself, but at least she was wearing it.
She strapped the sword to her waist and stood before Artius.
“There, happy now?”
“…”
But contrary to her expectations, Artius was frozen in place, his eyes wide with shock.
Elonia waved her hand in front of his face, wondering if he had fainted, and at that moment, tears welled up in his eyes.
“…Sniff.”
“W-what? Why are you crying?”
“…It’s nothing.”
“It’s clearly something. Tell me the truth.”
“…I’m just overwhelmed with emotion, seeing my little bean all grown up and ready for the academy.”
“Oh, you’re getting more and more sentimental with age. Stop crying!”
“…Sniff.”
Artius’s tears continued to flow despite her scolding.
Elonia sighed, wiping his eyes with her sleeve.
“Elonia, you’re staining your uniform.”
“It’s not like this is the only uniform I have. I can always wash it later.”
“But—”
“If you’re worried about my uniform, then stop crying.”
Artius finally stopped crying at her reprimand.
He straightened her crooked ribbon, his lavender eyes soft and moist.
“I won’t be able to see you as often once you’re at the academy.”
“It’s not like I’m going off to die. And we have communication crystals.”
Communication crystals were forbidden for hostages but were commonly used by Ravanta students without restrictions.
Artius still looked sullen.
“It’s not the same as seeing you in person.”
“We have holidays.”
“That’s only two months.”
Lucid Academy was a boarding school.
But just like Llewellyn and Alberich, who visited the palace every weekend to see Elonia, students were allowed to go home on weekends if they lived nearby.
“I’ll visit every weekend. If I’m not busy.”
“…You have to.”
“I will. Promise.”
Elonia took his hand, much larger than hers, and they linked pinkies, sealing their promise.
But Artius, overcome with emotion once again, pulled her into a tight embrace, his tears flowing freely.
“I’m going to… miss you so much, Elonia. Sniff.”
“Oh, come on!”
Elonia scolded him, but she gently wiped away his tears.
Her new uniform, from the sleeves to the hem of her robe, was now stained with teardrops.
***
March arrived, bringing with it the blossoming of flowers and the long-awaited entrance ceremony of Lucid Academy.
Artius carefully brushed Elonia’s hair, styling it in a half-updo, securing it with a lavender ribbon.
Sarah, who had lost her hair-styling privileges to Artius, looked wistful.
Elonia, ready to leave, climbed into the carriage, surrounded by her loved ones.
Ethan and Ricardo were the first to bid her farewell.
“Take care of yourself, Your Highness.”
“If anyone messes with you, write to His Majesty and tell him everything.”
Even royalty weren’t allowed to bring their knights to Lucid Academy.
Elonia had expected Ethan to frown at Ricardo’s flippant remark, but he surprised her by nodding in agreement.
Touched by their concern, Elonia chuckled, reassuring them.
“I can handle myself.”
“That’s right. Give them ten times what they give you.”
“Ten times? Make it twenty, Your Highness.”
Ethan even raised the stakes.
He had been spending so much time with Ricardo that he was starting to rub off on him.
She used to be wary of Ricardo, but now they were quite close.
Next was Sarah.
She pulled Elonia into a warm embrace, tears welling up in her crystal blue eyes.
“Your Highness…”
She choked back a sob, her shoulders trembling.
Elonia patted her back, comforting her second mother.
“I’ll be back, Sarah.”
“Your… Highness… Sob…!”
“Don’t cry. I’ll call you every night and write letters.”
“Your Highness, please don’t get sick… Eat well and get plenty of sleep…”
“I will, I will.”
Sarah finally released her, wiping away her tears.
She had told Sarah not to cry, but Elonia herself felt a pang of longing for her embrace.
And then it was Artius’s turn.
“Elonia.”
“Yes, Dad.”
“You are my precious daughter, irreplaceable. Never forget that.”
“I won’t.”
I fought hard for this.
Elonia smiled, her eyes shining with determination.
Artius pulled her into a tight embrace, then released her.
The carriage door closed, and Ethan and Ricardo, taking their seats on the driver’s bench, cracked their whips.
“Giddy up!”
The four white horses neighed and surged forward.
Elonia’s world was about to expand even further.
***
Garnethia Bereta, who was starting at the academy this year, had just entered through the main gate, heading towards the entrance ceremony, when
She was nervous about starting at the academy and tried to focus on walking straight ahead, but the commotion around her was too distracting. She finally turned her head to see what was going on.
And she was speechless.
A large, white carriage, adorned with gold, pulled by four white horses.
And knights in dazzling imperial uniforms.
It was clearly a carriage from the Imperial Palace.
And the passenger was obvious.
Elonia Ainar Ravanta, the Imperial Princess and the youngest student to ever enroll in Lucid Academy.
Everyone was lingering by the main gate, hoping to catch a glimpse of her.
Garnethia, upon seeing the carriage, also froze, her curiosity piqued.
The princess had been surrounded by rumors since she was a baby, whispers about her being neglected by the Emperor.
Those rumors had been debunked, but everyone was still curious about the princess who had caused so much commotion related to the academy.
Curiosity was a mage’s instinct.
And finally, the carriage door opened.
“…!”
The commotion vanished, replaced by an eerie silence.
Two knights helped Elonia out of the carriage.
Most of the students were more interested in the little girl than the impressive imperial knights.
‘A fairy…?’
It wasn’t a human who emerged from the carriage. It was a fairy.
Her bright mint green hair, shimmering under the sunlight, seemed otherworldly. Her cheeks were so chubby and white that they looked soft and squishy.
Her eyelashes were so long that they fluttered like butterfly wings every time she blinked.
‘That’s Princess Elonia…!’
She was adorable.
Not a human, but a fairy.
A fairy who had lost her way, her wings hidden, walking on two legs.
‘…Wait a minute!’
Garnethia snapped out of her daze and looked around.
The students who had been crowding the gate were staring at the princess with their mouths agape.
But Princess Elonia, seemingly accustomed to such reactions, walked confidently, parting the crowd effortlessly.
And then,
“…!”
Their eyes met.
Her large, gentle eyes seemed indifferent, but her clear lavender irises held a depth and confidence that belied her age.
She might be only nine, but her regal bearing was undeniable.
Garnethia, along with the other new students, stood frozen in place, mesmerized, until the princess was out of sight.
The situation, with the new students paralyzed and unable to move, was finally resolved after the professors arrived.
***
Elonia, after finally making it past the main gate and arriving at the auditorium, sighed in relief.
‘They were staring so much.’
She knew she was the Empire’s only princess and the youngest student in Lucid Academy’s history, but it was still overwhelming.
If it had been adults staring at her, she wouldn’t have been so nervous.
But seeing so many children frozen in awe of her made even Elonia feel self-conscious.
And from today onwards, she was alone, without Ricardo or Ethan by her side.
‘It’ll take some time to get used to this.’
She had spent most of her life alone, but after years of being loved and protected by those around her, being alone again felt strange and unfamiliar.
The auditorium was no different.
The usually boisterous hall was eerily silent, with Elonia at the center of attention.
She felt the weight of their curious gazes.
Headmaster Endymion, unable to bear the tension any longer, took the stage earlier than planned.
“Dear new students of Lucid Academy, I sincerely congratulate you on your enrollment.”
The students’ gazes shifted towards the headmaster, but only for a moment.
They continued to steal glances at Elonia, his words falling on deaf ears.
‘I’m sorry, Endymion. I didn’t mean to cause this.’
Elonia offered him an apologetic look.
Endymion loved the entrance ceremony more than any other event in the academic calendar.
Seeing the bright, hopeful eyes of the new students, each with their own dreams, was a source of great satisfaction for him.
But this year, he was deprived of that joy. He left the stage, his shoulders slumped in disappointment.
Then, the department heads took the stage, each offering their own words of welcome.
“Greetings. I am Theodore, the head of the Academic Department. Congratulations on your enrollment. May you hone your intellect and blossom into brilliant scholars—”
“I am Gunnar, the head of the Swordsmanship Department. I welcome you, fledglings, to our nest, and I hope you soar to greater heights.”
“I am Caroline, the head of the Magic Department.”
“I am Julietta, the head of the Theology Department. May the blessings of God be with you all.”
Professor Caroline’s greeting was the most succinct, bordering on dismissive.
Compared to the other professors’ eloquent speeches, her simple greeting stood out, but not in a good way.
Elonia, her expression bored, glanced at the stage, and her eyes met Caroline’s.
Caroline winked at her.
‘Ugh.’
Elonia cringed.
She couldn’t bring herself to feel any warmth towards her.
Caroline had caused her so much anxiety with that exam.
And the actual exam had been ridiculously easy.
Elonia quickly turned away, ignoring her.
The last to appear was Alberich.
“I sincerely welcome you all. I am Alberich Asta, the student council president of Lucid Academy.”
Alberich, well-known as Elonia’s cousin, thankfully managed to capture the students’ attention, unlike Endymion.
He had become the student council president in his seventh year.
Elonia, looking at him, felt a surge of emotion.
‘He was just a snot-nosed fourteen-year-old when we first met, and now he’s the student council president. I’m so proud of him.’
She had just turned nine. If anyone heard her thoughts, they would be speechless.
The student council president’s brooch gleamed on his impeccable Swordsmanship Department uniform.
“May this day mark the beginning of a journey filled with endless possibilities. Applications for the student council are open to all new students—”
Alberich paused mid-sentence.
The students, who had been stealing glances at Elonia, turned their attention to him.
“I encourage Elonia, who has made history by becoming the youngest student to enroll in Lucid Academy, to apply for the student council if she’s interested.”
‘That sly fox.’
Elonia cursed him under her breath.
He had just been praising her, and now he was throwing her under the bus.
Thanks to him, all eyes were on her again.
Alberich, a rare smile on his face, left the stage.
“That concludes the entrance ceremony. Once again, congratulations on becoming students of Lucid Academy.”
The entrance ceremony finally ended, leaving behind a trail of whispers and excitement.
After the ceremony, the students were given time to settle into their dormitories and rest.
They were allowed to explore the academy if they wished, but Elonia wanted to escape the crowd as soon as possible.
The Academic Department students, who had been sitting furthest away from her, were the first to leave the auditorium.
And then, Elonia noticed something familiar.
‘Isn’t that…?’
There was a girl who was unusually tall for a thirteen-year-old.
She had bright, curly blond hair.
It wasn’t uncommon for students to enroll late due to unforeseen circumstances, but there was something familiar about her back.
As if sensing Elonia’s gaze, the girl turned her head slightly, looking for her.
Cat-like eyes, olive green irises.
And a uniform with bright red embroidery, clearly distinct from the Ravanta students’ uniforms.
‘Olivia?’