Episode 58
“Serves you right.”
Llewellyn sneered at Alberich, enjoying his predicament.
Alberich, fulfilling his brotherly duty, stomped on Llewellyn’s foot, earning a silent scream.
“$&#)!”
“…Do you dislike the student council?”
Alberich, having incapacitated his brother, turned to Elonia, his face a picture of innocence.
Elonia wasn’t fooled.
“Yes, I do.”
“…”
“Ow… El, just be yourself. You’re scarier when you use honorifics.”
Llewellyn, finally recovering, chimed in.
Alberich also seemed uncomfortable being addressed so formally, his eyes darting around nervously.
Elonia, her mood slightly improved after seeing some familiar faces, finally relented.
“Ugh, whatever. But how did you even get into the girls’ dormitory?”
“Cousin privilege?”
“…Are the rules that lax?”
“Well, only for today. It’s the entrance ceremony. Besides, we bribed the Magic Department supervisor, telling him to blame us if anything happens while we’re here.”
Were they crazy?
And what kind of a supervisor would fall for that?
But then again, neither Alberich nor Llewellyn would do anything inappropriate in the girls’ dormitory. He must have granted them temporary permission.
“We thought it would be nice to show you around the academy again.”
“I already toured it before.”
“That was a long time ago. Father has added a lot of new things to the academy in anticipation of your enrollment, uh…”
“What?”
What did Dad do?
Elonia’s eyes widened at the mention of Artius, and Llewellyn quickly clamped his hand over his mouth.
Elonia glared at him, and Llewellyn, his eyes darting around nervously, turned to Alberich for help.
Alberich sighed, giving his brother a disapproving look, then revealed the truth.
“After your visit, His Majesty has been adding new structures to the academy, excited about your enrollment.”
That guy?
He had been whining about not wanting her to leave, and now he had gone and done this behind her back.
“What did he add?”
“…A fountain, a garden, a greenhouse, and—”
“And?”
Alberich hesitated, then sighed and confessed.
“…A personal training ground for you.”
Elonia’s face hardened.
That crazy man had built something in the academy without her permission?
A personal training ground?
She was surprised that Artius had done such a thing, but she was even more surprised that the headmaster had allowed it, considering the academy’s principle of equality under education.
“Want to see it?”
Llewellyn, after a moment of hesitation, asked, figuring he might as well show her since he had already mentioned it.
But it backfired.
Elonia’s eyes narrowed, and Llewellyn quickly backpedaled, offering excuses.
“N-no, I mean, you would have found out eventually. It’s better to see it now.”
“I’m going to tell Dad to demolish it.”
“El, that’s a waste of money.”
“I don’t care. It’s not my money.”
“It will be your money when you become Empress!”
“It’s not my money now, so it’s fine.”
“W-well… Taxes! It’s built with the hard-earned taxes of the citizens!”
“Dad wouldn’t use tax money for something like this. He probably used his own funds.”
Llewellyn fell silent, defeated by her logic.
Elonia, having silenced Lucid Academy’s most notorious troublemaker, decided to explore the area around the dormitory first, postponing her visit to the personal training ground.
But the moment they stepped out of the dormitory, she felt the weight of countless gazes once again.
And it was even more intense than during the entrance ceremony.
She quickly identified the cause.
“You two, walk a bit further apart.”
It was the Asta brothers.
She was used to being stared at, but the intensity had increased.
Alberich and Llewellyn, oblivious, looked at her with confusion.
“People are staring.”
“It’s not just because of us.”
“It’s partly because of you.”
They might still be kids in her eyes, but objectively, they were undeniably handsome, having grown into fine young men over the past four years.
In other words, they were the objects of admiration and envy at the academy.
Alberich, unfazed, replied,
“Get used to it. These stares will follow you for the next seven years.”
“Ugh.”
She hated being stared at.
Elonia didn’t plan on causing trouble at the academy, but she couldn’t guarantee that she wouldn’t act impulsively, like she had earlier.
And every time she did, the attention would be on her, potentially leading to chaos.
Unlike the Imperial Palace, not everyone at the academy would be supportive of her.
As Alberich said, the stares would follow her for the next seven years. Getting used to them and being cautious was probably the best course of action.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have enrolled early. I would have attracted less attention if I wasn’t the youngest.”
She had ended up enrolling at such a young age because of Caroline’s insistence.
Llewellyn and Alberich, worried that she might drop out, quickly shook their heads.
“I’m glad you came early. We can attend the academy together!”
“I agree. If you had enrolled at my age, we would have already graduated.”
That was true.
Even though Elonia had broken the record by enrolling at nine, Alberich was already in his seventh year, his graduation year, and Llewellyn was in his fourth year.
If she had enrolled at her actual age, she would have been alone, without any familiar faces.
Despite her complaints about attending the academy with the Asta brothers, she felt reassured by their presence and had been looking forward to experiencing academy life with them.
“By the way, Alberich, are the academy rules complicated?”
Elonia asked, trying to change the subject.
Alberich chuckled softly.
“They’re just basic rules. You don’t have to worry.”
“Right, just don’t get caught fighting. You’ll get suspended.”
“What do you think I am?”
“A walking example of ‘might makes right.'”
“You wanna die?”
Elonia punched Llewellyn’s arm playfully.
Thanks to her diligent training, she had gained some strength, and Llewellyn yelped, his arm throbbing.
Alberich, impressed, remarked,
“You can handle Llewellyn with ease now.”
“The fruits of my labor.”
“You should have joined the Swordsmanship Department…”
“It wouldn’t be easy with Professor Caroline around.”
She didn’t mind being in the Magic Department.
Professor Caroline had helped her during the interview, after all.
Speaking of Professor Caroline, Llewellyn, rubbing his sore arm, brought up a new topic.
“By the way, the average score for the Magic Department entrance exam was abysmal this year.”
“Huh?”
That was impossible.
Elonia had scored a perfect 100.
“What are you talking about? It was so easy.”
“It seems like it was only easy for you, El.”
“Huh?”
Elonia couldn’t hide her surprise.
They had reached the fountain.
Alberich spread his handkerchief on a nearby bench, and Elonia sat down, urging them to explain.
“No way, they couldn’t solve those questions?”
“That’s why geniuses are annoying. Don’t be mad, I’m including myself in that statement.”
“So, what was the average score?”
“Forty.”
“…”
“It seems Professor Caroline included a few easy questions for the new students.”
“That legend is true after all. The nightmare of a seven-point average.”
That was impossible.
Elonia hadn’t checked the average score.
She had only been concerned about her own score and whether she passed. And after receiving her acceptance letter, she had completely forgotten about the exam.
But an average of forty?
“El, you got a hundred, right?”
“…I messed up.”
“It’s not a mess. Professor Caroline is ecstatic because of you.”
“You’ll only have to endure her for seven years.”
“…”
She didn’t want to endure her at all.
Elonia quickly reviewed her class schedule in her mind.
After receiving her acceptance letter, she had carefully planned her schedule, choosing her classes.
“Oh, right, El, what classes are you taking? Tell us now.”
Elonia had kept her course selections a secret, fearing that they would follow her to her classes.
She spoke in a dramatic tone, as if revealing her dying wish,
“Four magic major classes… Two mandatory liberal arts classes… Two elective academic major classes, two elective magic major classes… and one swordsmanship major class…”
“…Your Highness, with all due respect, are you planning on conquering the academy?”
“Hey, you’re a freshman! You should have fun!”
That wasn’t the point.
Elonia desperately tried to recall the professors for her magic classes.
But she couldn’t remember.
Llewellyn helpfully informed her,
“Two of the freshman magic major classes are taught by Professor Caroline.”
“How do you know that?”
“I did some research because you were enrolling.”
She was touched, but she didn’t want to know that.
“Which elective magic classes are you taking?”
“…’Fundamentals of Magic’ and ‘Ancient Magic.’ Those are for upperclassmen.”
“Professor Caroline teaches those too.”
“…I’m doomed.”
“You’ll be entertained for a week, at least.”
“Ugh!”
“If you hate it that much, just graduate early! You’re already the youngest student. How cool would it be to be the youngest graduate too?!”
“Be quiet, Llewellyn!”
Elonia clutched her head in despair.
Alberich, patting her back comfortingly, asked cautiously,
“Didn’t you check the professors when you planned your schedule?”
“…No, I chose the electives based solely on the course names.”
She had benefited from Caroline’s favoritism during the interview, but she had assumed that they wouldn’t have much interaction since she was just a freshman and Caroline was a department head.
Elonia wished she could slap herself. Caroline, the epitome of a dedicated professor, had granted her wish.
Llewellyn, oblivious to the gravity of the situation, chimed in,
“Karma, I guess… Ow!”
Elonia pinched his side, silencing him with a yelp.
Ignoring Llewellyn’s cries of pain, Elonia racked her brains for a solution.
‘Can I cancel my enrollment? …No, that’s impossible.’
Even if she canceled the elective magic classes, the other two classes were still a problem.
Why would a department head teach two freshman major classes?
“Don’t beat yourself up, Your Highness. It’s understandable for a freshman to make mistakes.”
“…I’m angry at my own stupidity.”
“El, if you’re stupid, then all the other Magic Department freshmen are birdbrains.”
The brothers tried their best to comfort her.
But their words offered no solace.
‘It’ll be fine… right?’
Elonia desperately hoped for the best, but knowing Caroline, it was highly unlikely.