“Good morning, Lady Leonora,” Kai softly called as he opened the inner door, addressing his master, who had her eyes closed in the morning sunlight.
“It’s morning.”
Her long eyelashes trembled slightly. As her eyelids slowly lifted, a pair of beautiful amethyst eyes appeared.
(Thank goodness…)
It was an ordinary morning scene.
Yet Kai couldn’t help but thank the spirits for the miracle that his beloved master was breathing and awake again today.
It had been about two weeks since she returned to them. Kai often recalled the snowy scene from that day.
On a harshly cold morning, Prince Albert, Bianca, and Natalia had wielded their imperial privileges ruthlessly to reactivate the summoning circle drawn by the Empire’s founder.
In the courtyard, students who had already been resummoned, along with the Marquis of Harkenberg and his wife, who had been granted special permission to observe, watched the circle with bated breath.
After the prince’s incantation, a brilliant light burst forth, pushing away the snow clouds. When the light subsided, descending with pure white feathers was none other than the selfless saint, Leonora von Harkenberg.
Snow gently fell, celebrating the girl’s innocence. She was adorned in white, with feathers floating around her, looking like a spirit from a myth, with unearthly, unblemished beauty.
Everyone raised their fists and shouted the names of the spirits at this miraculous sight, so loud that it seemed to shake the entire academy.
“Leonora!”
Albert, Bianca, Natalia, and Oscar, along with the key members of the academy and the marquis and his wife, rushed to the girl, embracing her fragile form as she stared blankly around.
The first to reach her and wrap his arms tightly around her slender body was Prince Albert. Though others briefly showed expressions of regret, they soon focused on the girl.
Then,
“Ah… Ah…”
Kai was the first to notice something amiss with his master.
“Lady Leonora…? Lady Leonora? What is the matter!?”
“Ahh…”
She was pale and trembling.
The prince quickly stepped back and, upon closer inspection, was shocked to realize that she was wearing nothing but a thin, tattered cloth.
“Leonora…!? What happened to you?”
“P-please spare me…”
She offered her clasped hands towards the prince as if pleading for forgiveness—an act of desperation akin to a criminal or slave begging for mercy.
“P-please forgive me. I will do anything…! I can endure hunger…!”
“What…?”
Everyone gasped at the girl’s unusual behavior.
“Leonora…! Damn it, what have they done…!”
Oscar, seemingly the first to understand the situation, quickly removed his coat and draped it over the girl, then urgently spoke to Lady Emilia, who was looking on in distress.
“Marquise Harkenberg, please embrace her. It’s likely best that no men touch her right now.”
Even those who hadn’t understood immediately turned pale at his words.
“No way…”
“Leonora, tell us! What happened to you while you were missing!?”
Emilia gently questioned her as she held the girl close. Though it was unclear if she heard, the girl mumbled to herself in a daze.
“I thought I escaped, but I got caught again…”
Her pained whispers made the women cover their mouths in shock. They immediately understood the implications.
When her magic had activated during the presentation, Leonora had managed to escape by instantly teleporting to a familiar part of the lower town. Unfortunately, she had been recaptured by those who had previously abused her.
No one suspected that Leonora, known as the gold coin thief Leo, had been terrified of being caught by the prince before she could turn herself in.
Bianca, her face tight with realization, asked,
“Leonora! What happened to the purple dress my brother gave you? Don’t tell me…”
“W-what? They took it off me…”
Her faint voice caused Bianca to choke up.
The men, including the marquis, clenched their fists in anger.
In the snowy winter of the Weitz Empire, stripping a girl of her dress and forcing her into rags was a heinous, inhumane act.
“Lady Bianca, please, we must prioritize getting Leonora to safety,” Natalia urged, her voice tinged with urgency.
Bianca quickly wiped her tears and nodded.
“Yes, you’re right. We must get Leonora to her room in the dormitory…”
“No.”
Lady Emilia’s firm voice interrupted.
“Leonora will come home with us.”
“Marquise…!”
It was a mandate for noble children of the Empire to attend the academy, and its autonomy was absolute. However, Lady Emilia’s determination was unwavering.
“Yes. We can no longer keep her here. We will take full responsibility for her care at our estate,” the marquis declared sternly.
His battlefield-hardened gaze left no room for argument.
Caught between the marquis couple and the prince, Kai’s priority remained his master’s safety, whether at the academy or the estate.
“…Understood,” Prince Albert conceded, breaking the silence.
“Your words are reasonable. We have no grounds to object.”
He met the marquis’s gaze with clear, unwavering blue eyes.
“As student council president, I grant Leonora von Harkenberg a week of leave. Please take good care of her.”
“…At least a year.”
“A week,” Albert insisted firmly.
Thus, Leonora was whisked away by the marquis couple, receiving intensive care for a week.
Last week, after a heartfelt farewell from the marquis couple, she returned through the academy gates.
(She’s been so brave since then…)
Kai mused as he watched his master rub her eyes. Initially, she had been in a near-delirious state, muttering pleas for forgiveness and refusing food, often waking from nightmares of a golden-haired spirit of death.
The marquis had been determined to hunt down the perpetrators, but Lady Emilia had prevented further questioning, understanding Leonora’s fear.
Their only clue was that the culprit had golden hair, a common trait, even for the crown prince.
Kai and the others spent their days lamenting their helplessness. They never realized Leonora’s pleas were about her supposed theft of gold coins, thinking only of their beloved master’s well-being.
“Good morning, Kai. It’s a lovely day,” her sweet voice brought Kai back to the present.
He looked up to see his master, fully awake, smiling warmly at him.
She took out the gold coin hanging around her neck.
“Good morning to you too, Mother. Still shining bright,” she said, lightly kissing it.
Seeing her peaceful expression, Kai felt his heart lighten. Watching her treat the gold coin, a gift from Prince Albert, as a cherished memento was a scene of pure happiness.
Yes, upon returning to the academy, Prince Albert had given Leonora the gold coin. It was likely a token of gratitude and apology for her bravery.
Initially, Leonora had been confused and hesitant to accept such a significant gift from the prince, which held special meaning when given to a non-family female.
After much persuasion and reassurances, she finally accepted it, albeit with reservations about any hidden conditions.
Kai saw her hesitation as a sign of her humility and was deeply moved. Despite her reluctance, it was clear she cherished the prince’s gift.
From then on, she never parted with the coin, perhaps seeing in it the motherly presence Lady Emilia once spoke of.
Kai watched over her tenderly as she frequently addressed the coin as “Mother.”
“Now, Lady Leonora, shall we get you ready for the day?”
“Huh? Today is a day of rest. Why?”
The master, tilting her head in confusion, seemed to have completely forgotten what day it was. Kai feigned reproach deliberately.
“Oh, honestly! Today is the day Lady Leonora’s portrait is to be painted, isn’t it?”
“Ah.”
The girl’s face tensed up. Indeed, she had completely forgotten.
Yes, it was a great honor. On this day, Leonora was to have her portrait painted, a privilege granted only to the student council presidents of each generation.
This was because Natalia and the other members of the student council, grateful for the girl’s dedication, had pleaded with the headmaster to have her likeness included in the academy’s prestigious gallery.
(The portraits of the past student council presidents… meaning, the past imperial princes… Lady Leonora’s portrait will be alongside them. It’s like a promise of being the official consort, even as a student. How proud she must be.)
After all, her master had been granted the Dragon Seal by the prince. Though the prince had strictly warned her not to show the gold coin to anyone, except for Natalia’s relatives, no one knew she had it. This meant that when she graduated from the academy or came of age, she could potentially become the prince’s wife.
(Lady Leonora is still so young that she hasn’t realized the significance yet…)
While helping her master prepare, Kai thought about how the girl was steadily moving toward a glorious future and couldn’t help but smile.
Of course, if Albert knew that he was swiftly preparing everything in the background, Leo would probably panic and faint.
Just as the preparations were completed,
“Leonora, may I come in?”
A knock echoed. Of course, it was Prince Albert, who had become a regular visitor to this room.
Kai opened the door respectfully and let him in.
“Good morning, Leonora. I’m sorry to intrude on your day of rest.”
“Uh, n-no… Good morning.”
The girl replied hesitantly, as usual, but her demeanor was softer than before. This was because the prince had given her a new gold coin, easing her wariness and beginning to trust him. However, those around them saw it as a sign that the girl was starting to realize her feelings and watched over them with amusement.
Today, the girl’s beauty was especially striking, thanks to Kai’s meticulous preparations for her portrait. Dressed in a pure white gown to keep warm, she looked like a snow spirit. The hem of her dress was embroidered with gold and blue threads, a clever touch by Kai.
Noticing this, Albert gently narrowed his eyes and took her hand, escorting the girl.
***
Walking through the nearly deserted corridors on a holiday, they headed towards the reception room where guests could be entertained. Leo, feeling somewhat nervous, glanced at the prince walking beside her.
(He said he wanted to thank me with a portrait, but is that really his only aim…?)
It had been two weeks since she was summoned by the prince again, without even having time to fully recover. At first, he thought she would be executed immediately, but instead, he was abducted by the marquis couple. Expecting to be detained, he found himself confined in their mansion with no word from the prince or any guards coming to capture him.
When he asked the marquis couple, “Am I not going to be captured?” the tearful Emilia embraced him and assured him that they would protect him from anything. The marquis also, prefacing with “I shouldn’t say this as a vassal,” expressed his disappointment in the prince and the academy, vowing to protect him from anything.
(Perhaps they really are trying to protect me from the narrow-minded prince who would put a bounty on me for stealing a gold coin.)
(Is it because of their age and wisdom that they managed to persuade the stingy prince?)
Feeling a bit guilty towards the couple who treated him like a granddaughter, even though that wasn’t the truth, Leo couldn’t bring himself to reveal his true identity during his stay at the mansion.
(The prince… he might actually be a good person…)
He glanced sideways at the prince again. The equation of “prince equals death spirit” that he had believed in was starting to change due to recent events. After being admonished by the marquis couple, the prince had not blamed him for the gold coin theft but had instead given him a new gold coin upon his return to the academy.
It was like being unexpectedly given another apple by a kind store owner after he had stolen one out of hunger and feared being beaten. This made Leo’s evaluation of Albert rise significantly.
However, Leo still couldn’t fully lower his guard, knowing he could never forgive anyone who took away such a valuable coin, even if the person had seemed generous for a moment.
(The prince has a previous record of dangling gold coins in front of me, so who knows what he’s thinking.)
A person who gives away gold coins might seem good, but if they plan to take them back after making someone happy, they’re the worst kind of person. Leo’s ordinary mind couldn’t make a clear judgment, leaving her heart in turmoil.
At that moment, the prince spoke up.
“Today, though I said it’s to thank you, I’m sorry to impose my selfish request on you.”
“No…”
“But I’m sure you’ll be surprised. We’ve invited a very special painter. He’s renowned for capturing his subjects as if they were breathing—a master of portraiture.”
With a playful sparkle in his eye, the prince’s words made Leo realize something.
(I’ve got it! His real aim is to create a more accurate wanted poster, isn’t it?)
For instance, the town patrols kept a record of people with previous offenses to conduct immediate investigations if they committed crimes again. These records, called “blacklists,” were something Leo and her friends lived in fear of being included in.
When he stole the gold coin and disappeared after the presentation, the prince issued a nationwide wanted notice. He had evaded capture because the standard of the wanted posters was low. Now, he aimed to upgrade them for future use.
(So, he’s definitely planning to capture me once the heat dies down. I almost fell for his trap with those gold coins…!)
It was an unconventional method, giving him a gold coin to coax him into confessing his crime, but Leo had already stolen gold coins twice. Considering this a serious pursuit, the prince must be well-prepared.
(They say a lion uses all its strength even when hunting a rabbit, so that’s probably what’s happening.)
(Sure, he plans to take away this coin too eventually, but that won’t happen. I’ll recover my magic and escape with this coin.)
Clutching the gold coin tightly through his clothes, Leo raised her guard once more. Just then, Albert spoke.
“By the way, today’s outfit suits you very well. Is that pure white gown and dress Kai’s choice?”
“Yes.”
Realizing he was indirectly asking about the purple dress he had given him before, Leo carefully chose his words to gauge his mood.
“I’m sorry… for losing the purple dress you gave me… Should I compensate…?”
“What are you saying?”
The prince interrupted sternly, surprising Leo, who had braced herself for his anger. She had risked her life for him and had been through so much, yet here she was, apologizing for a lost dress.
“You don’t need to worry about that. If you like, I’ll have a new one made for you.”
“No, thank you.”
The girl remained stern. Although he had accepted the gold coin happily, he still viewed his sweet words and lavish gifts with wary eyes, which frustrated the prince.
(I mustn’t force her. I need to be more careful with her delicate situation.)
The prince, too, was a seventeen-year-old youth eager to win her over but determined to tread gently for her sake.
“Prince, do we really have to do the portrait?”
“Why, Leonora?”
As they neared the reception room where the painter awaited, the girl began to speak desperately, listing several others she thought would be more suitable as models.
“Please, don’t say that. We put a lot of effort into this because we wanted to make you happy.”
“You did?”
“Yes. Traditionally, the portraits of past student council presidents were painted by students proficient in art. But from the time of Prince August—”
He stopped abruptly, realizing he had almost mentioned a sensitive topic. Prince August, overshadowed by Flora, had been the student council president and the first prince thirteen years ago. He was the man who had driven her mother to her death.
(From the time of…?)
Albert quickly resumed his explanation, skipping the sensitive part.
“So, since then, we’ve been allowed to bring in court painters. But this time, I thought it would be a waste for you to have just anyone, so I pulled some strings to get a special painter.”
Albert had sought out this particular painter by asking his father for permission, though the king initially refused, deeming it too extravagant for a mere student. Thus, with the help of Natalia, whose parents had previously modeled, and Oscar, who had business connections, he managed to secure the painter’s services.
(Although I didn’t expect the painter to be so difficult to work with…)
As they approached the reception room, Albert sighed softly.
***
The most popular painter of the era, for some reason, was reluctant to step foot in the academy. Natalia was currently keeping him occupied, delaying his departure.
Despite this, Albert was certain that once the painter saw this girl, he would be compelled to pick up his brush. With this conviction, Albert opened the heavy door to the reception room.
“Excuse me.”
The room, usually adorned with a luxurious sofa set, had its furniture pushed to one side, turning it into a makeshift atelier.
The person standing firmly in the center of the room swiftly turned at the prince’s voice.
“Let me introduce you, Leonora.”
The man, seemingly in his thirties, had deep chestnut hair and piercing eyes of the same color. His beard framed his lips, and his aquiline nose was particularly striking. With a graceful gesture, Alberto indicated the man.
“This is Mr. Gebhardt Anheuser.”
The man standing there was the very artist who had once painted the portrait from which the girl had received her ominous warning.