Whether they were the offspring of peasants, commoners, or rural nobles, laying eyes upon royalty was an exceedingly rare occurrence in one’s lifeti.
Certainly, Janice had made a handful of visits to the palace as a childhood companion to the young princess, but for the then-young Janis, those experiences were far from delightful.
‘One mustn’t exhibit rudeness in the presence of a princess.’
‘Respectful distance must be maintained, and the mood of the princess must be keenly observed.’
In the midst of the watchful gazes of her handmaidens and manservants, forging a genuine bond of friendship with the princess seed like an insurmountable task.
“Oh… It’s been quite so ti. Your Highness.”
Janice’s awkward greeting was t with an equally awkward smile from Princess Camilla, who nodded in acknowledgent.
“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Morrela Yeong-ae. It’s been quite a while since our encounter five years ago.”
Philip perceived the palpable tension between the princess and Morrela’s heiress, and stepped forward to alleviate the atmosphere.
“Camilla will comnce her attendance at the academy starting tomorrow. As you’ll soon be her senior, I hope the two of you can establish a harmonious relationship.”
“Pardon ? Your Highness will be attending the academy?”
Janice didn’t know about foreign royals, but the admission of a Calaria Royal into the prestigious Privia Academy was an event of near-unprecedented significance, causing Janice to instinctively cover her mouth in shock.
Amidst this, Janice discerned an intriguing anomaly.
“However, why do you address the princess by her given na…?”
Even if Philip were a tutor and held noble status within the Oswald Family, showing disrespect towards the royal was a substantial breach of etiquette.
With the sacred blood flowing within her veins, the princess was a person worthy of respect.
Camilla answered instead.
“In his case, it is deed appropriate. Morrela Yeong-ae.”
“Is that truly so?”
Janice tilted her head with a look of incomprehension gracing her beautiful features, while Lua, who had been looking at Camilla with sparkling eyes, couldn’t contain her curiosity any longer and finally spoke.
“Are you really a princess?”
Camilla t Lua’s gaze, and in Lua’s clear, unclouded eyes, Camilla sensed a mixture of excitent and curiosity.
Camila responded with a warm smile and a nod.
‘This child must be Lua.’
Lua’s relaxed posture and casual gestures gave away that she wasn’t from a privileged background. She didn’t appear to be soone deserving of significant support, like that of the Viscount Oswald family.
‘Lua doesn’t seem to be fazed.’
Lua, who had transitioned from a commoner to a noble academy student with Oswald’s sponsorship, displayed no sign of fearing that her newfound status could be taken away.
“Yes, Lua. She truly is a princess. Starting today, she’ll be staying here. I thought it would be nice if you all could spend so ti getting to know each other while dinner is being prepared.”
“Sounds good!”
Lua’s eyes lit up as she enthusiastically accepted Phillip’s suggestion. Phillip handed a gold coin to Lua before retreating to his study to attend to his pressing matters, leaving the three girls to share a montary glance.
Janice was troubled.
‘…What should we do now?’
When Janice and Lua would hang out, it usually involved chatting and munching on snacks in Lua’s room. But now, with the unexpected presence of a high-status lady like a princess, Janice felt an urge to do sothing out of the ordinary.
Camilla picked up on her contemplative expression and let out a gentle laugh before offering her thoughts.
“Don’t worry too much, Janice. And you too, Lua. Starting tomorrow, I’ll be a fellow student at the sa academy. I hope we can all get along without any reservations.”
‘Is it really as simple as she says?’
Suppressing her impulse to retort, Janice forced a smile.
“Yeah, sure thing.”
At that mont, Lua, who was being cautious, softly inquired, “Um… Princess, do you also enjoy indulging in snacks like cookies?”
Camilla nodded in response to her query. Among the teenage girls, it was unlikely that any of them disliked snacking.
“Yes, I do enjoy them.”
The girls promptly decided to convene for a conversation in Lua’s room, and Camilla quickly beca acquainted with the concept of culture shock.
After Lua ushered Camilla and Janice into the room, she changed into pajamas herself, and then returned bearing a plate brimming with cookies and assorted snacks.
“Um, Lua? Won’t you get scolded if you eat snacks on the bed?”
The audacious action was enough to make Camilla feel a touch of unease. Were she in Lua’s shoes, she might have striven to present a flawless and obedient facade to Philip.
“Get scolded…?”
However, Lua rely chuckled and tilted her head in response. Witnessing this, Janice stifled a laugh. Adapting to the house’s ambiance, she began changing into comfortable attire, considering she had co over for a sleepover.
“Instructor has never displayed anger, Princess.”
Having visited Philip’s mansion on nurous occasions, Janice had by now grown accustod to the house’s atmosphere. Even if they conversed into the wee hours of the morning or disheveled the room, Philip had never shown irritation.
Yet, it wasn’t indicative of negligence either. If there wasn’t affection and interest, the sponsor wouldn’t have adorned her room in such a manner.
‘A truly unique individual.’
While Camilla pondered about Philip, Lua’s curiosity had reached its zenith.
“Princess… So, did you once reside in the palace?”
“Not anymore, but I did until recently.”
As Camilla nonchalantly responded, while Lua was brimming with excitent, and continued her line of questioning.
“Then, have you ever encountered malevolent dragons or wicked mages…?”
As the kind of tale that might appear in a children’s fairy tale was broached, Janice unwittingly let out a chuckle.
Camilla’s countenance briefly betrayed bewildernt at the odd query, but she swiftly joined Lua in laughter, finding amusent in the earnest manner in which the question was posed.
“… Regrettably, I never had the opportunity for such daring exploits. If I had ever co face to face with such situations, I doubt I would be here as I am now. Most likely, I would have been devoured in an instant or ended up as the forlorn wife of an aging mage.”
Upon hearing that reply, Lua fell into deep thought. It was almost akin to being asked if Camilla had ever experienced robbery.
“Hey, my apologies, Princess. What’s with that impolite question, Lua? Hurry up and apologize.”
Janice chided Lua while trying to stifle a laugh. Although innocent, Lua’s behavior could potentially vex Camilla.
“She didn’t inquire with any malicious intent, so there’s no need to worry. More importantly, it seems Instructor Oswald has been treating you well. The room is exquisite, and even the nightgowns are elegant.”
Camilla’s presence in this place was motivated not only by her safety but also by the desire to gain insight into Phillip.
‘Get close to him, Camilla. I still hold the belief that he might play a pivotal role in the looming calamity that may befall humanity soon. He appears to possess so knowledge about the fate of Count Eloy. Assess whether Phillip Oswald is soone trustworthy, and report back to .’
Though it could hardly be called a task or obligation, Camilla felt a profound sense of responsibility towards the words of the Sixth Prince.
‘Brother never misjudges people.’
The Prince Alessios she knew was a wise individual. If he held such a view, she would willingly heed his advice.
“What’s his usual personality like?”
“Has he genuinely never lost his temper? Not even a hint of annoyance?”
“Does he have a lover? What about his social connections?”
It was improbable that the aristocratic young lady possessed the knack for subtly extracting information from others. Janice, who was subjected to her line of questioning, could only misconstrue her intentions.
‘Could it be that she likes the instructor…?’
If it wasn’t a case of love at first sight, there seed to be little reason for such intense curiosity.
‘Co to think of it, she seed remarkably at ease conversing with soone devoid of any connection. She even addressed him by na directly…’
The girl’s daydreams continued unabated.
‘… Co to think of it, the Princess should be getting married soon. Ah… Could it be?’
Originally, the princess’s companions were often influential nobles from the sa realm or powerful figures from distant lands. It could be conjectured that soone of Phillip’s stature would indeed be a fitting candidate for marriage to the princess.
‘What should I do? It seems to be true.’
Pink puzzle pieces began to interlock within Janice’s mind.
In response, a whirlwind of emotions swept over Janice, ones that couldn’t easily be put into words. If forced to define it, one could say it was a sentint akin to “disapproval.”
Janice trembled slightly. She yearned to delve into the essence of this emotion that had her in its grasp. mories of the experiences she had shared with Phillip hovered to the surface of her thoughts.
The instance of being rescued by Phillip from an underground dungeon.
The encounter with a Manticore by the tranquil lake.
Their joint exploration of a dungeon during their Travel Club’s expedition.
While the tally of shared experiences wasn’t extensive, Janice found herself involuntarily thumping the floor as she recollected the events in the underground dungeon.
‘Co to think of it… I… I wet myself.’
If it was within her grasp, she would have wanted to forcefully delete the scene away. As a sudden flush of red colored her cheeks, Camilla grinned playfully.
“Why this abrupt change? Lady Morrela?”
“Oh… no. Your Highness. I believe perspiration trickled beneath my attire. I suppose I must take a bath.”
Janice lacked the courage to pry into the truth. She faltered, and found herself covered in cold sweat.
“In that case, Lua will take a bath too.”
Lua clung to Janice.
“Your Highness, you should accompany us as well. The fairy queen awaits within the bathhouse!”
Observing Lua’s excited chatter, Camilla chuckled with an expression that exuded charm. Despite being the sa age, Lua’s aura of innocence and youthfulness painted her as a younger sibling.
‘A fairy within the bathhouse. How cute.’
* * *
“Today, a new young one is joining us?”
Fairy Yuna cast a knowing smile at the group of girls entering the bathhouse. She then turned her gaze to Camilla, who draped herself with a towel, and inquired.
“What is the young maiden’s na?”
Camilla narrowed her eyes, revealing the strain she felt in tolerating such comnts. Though unaware of the girl’s identity, Camilla possessed a resilience that prevented her from flaring out.
“… Camilla Velopair Calaria. The sovereign princess of this realm. And you, who dares such insolence? A prompt apology is due.”
Fairy Yuna extended her hand with a mischievous grin, regardless of Camilla’s perturbation or composure. Having acclimated fully to the bathhouse environnt, she now wielded mastery over the water’s manipulation.
“Oh, a princess, you say? Is it so? Delighted to make your acquaintance. Eeik!”
Water that had filled the bathing basin surged forth, coalescing into hand-like forms. As those ethereal images drew near, Camilla’s visage grew somber.
“Ah, hold a mont. What are you planning to do? And may I inquire, who are you?”
The mischievous antics triggered by the fairy couldn’t be extinguished by any ordinary ans. Soon, water covered Camilla, and the towel that had encompassed her body fell to the floor with a thud.
“Kyaaah! Let go of ! Aaaah!”
‘Shouldn’t I intervene…?’
Janice hesitated for a mont. However, knowing from past experiences that intervening here could make her a target as well, she couldn’t act recklessly.
“… Lua. Can’t you ask the fairy to stop?”
Lua, who heard her plea, stepped forward.
“Fairy. Can’t you stop?”
But, the Fairy Yuna continued her prank without stopping, even as Camilla begged and cried.
Thrown in the air, spun around, and subjected to various pranks, Camilla cried endlessly with a soulless expression and begged her.
“Huuaaaah! Aaaah!”
Unable to bear witnessing the miserable sight of the princess, Janice had to avert his eyes.
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