“Hah, Your Highness the Crown Prince…?”
“I didn’t expect to see you here!”
“What could bring him here?”
Ah.
Evan has arrived. He must have brought Hawkins and Benjamin with him.
‘Should I take a quick peek? No! Why would I?’
I lowered my head onto my arms like the boy next to me and buried my face.
Isn’t this better than before? Instead of sitting there blankly, stuck beside people who only care about Cecilia, only talk about Cecilia, only pay attention to Cecilia—at least this way I’m apart from them. Isn’t it better to just keep my distance like this?
“What are you thinking about so deeply?”
Or maybe not.
Should I have stuck to Cecilia’s side? Can I even make friends when I can’t even ask someone’s name properly?
Ah, I thought I could do well on my own. At this rate, maybe I’ll manage to put some distance between me and Cecilia. Why am I so hopeless?
“Hey!”
Tap, tap.
“Ow.”
I lowered my head even deeper.
If they’re going to pass by, couldn’t they do it quietly? Why hit the desk as they go?
But then, everything around me went quiet. Hm. Something feels off about the atmosphere.
“Liana Credere.”
A voice I had no desire to get used to called out.
“They’re calling you.”
And then, a completely unfamiliar man’s voice followed. Surprised, I sat up from my slouch. The boy next to me was staring at me with a bored expression. For a split second, I caught a glimpse of his name tag—‘Maon’ was written on it.
It wasn’t a name found among the Empire’s nobles. Truly an unfamiliar name.
Maon was a boy with skin as pale and clear as Cecilia’s, and jet-black hair.
I’d never seen his face anywhere before. Startled, I looked at him, and he pointed with an annoyed face to my left. Following his finger, I saw Evan’s face.
Unlike yesterday, he was properly dressed in his uniform. If he just donned a cloak, he would look just like a prince from a storybook illustration. His brilliant blond hair seemed to capture all the light in the classroom.
“Your Highness?”
“Are you dozing off before class even starts?”
“No?”
“Then why are you lying down? Anemia?”
It’s not anemia. The more you ask, the more embarrassed I get.
‘Did he not find Cecilia? Why is he talking to me?’
“No, Cecilia is over there.”
The words slipped out before I knew it. Evan raised one eyebrow.
“What?”
“Didn’t you come to find Cecilia? The top entrant, I mean.”
Phew.
I tried so hard not to stutter.
I spoke calmly and pointed forward, but Evan grabbed my hand and gently lowered it. His warm hand surprised me, so I quickly pulled away. Even though it could have been awkward, Evan just lowered his own hand without a hint of embarrassment.
“What are you saying?”
“Sorry?”
“What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Are you not fully awake? Maybe you really were dozing.”
As he spoke, Evan shook his head.
Huh?
“If I came looking for someone else, why would I be standing here talking to you?”
He had a point.
He had a point but… it’s strange!
Isn’t he supposed to be looking for Cecilia on the first day? Of course, the first meeting changed but…!
“Don’t you think so?”
But Evan’s question left no room for argument, so I could only nod.
“Then why…?”
There’s no reason for him to come find me, is there?
“Liana~ Did you fall asleep again?”
Someone called my name in a soft voice, naturally entering the scene.
Who else could it be?
Of course, it was Cecilia. The eyes that had been glancing over at us now naturally turned to her.
For just this moment, I was actually a little glad.
She hooked her arm around mine, and I awkwardly smiled, offering my arm in return.
‘I know everything, Evan! Isn’t this the girl you were looking for? I know!’
I didn’t know why she came to me, but since Evan had seen Cecilia, his attention would soon turn to her. Just like Daisy. Daisy was looking this way with a somewhat lonely face.
“Cecilia?”
“Sir Evan!”
Cecilia greeted him with a bright smile.
“Sir Hawkins, hello to you too!”
“Yes. Cecilia.”
“Cecilia is the top entrant? You all know each other already?”
At Evan’s surprised question, Cecilia shyly tucked her hair behind her ear. That meant yes. Seeing her bashful expression, Evan let out a small gasp of admiration.
“Incredible—top of the class, huh.”
“It’s nothing, really.”
Oh dear. It looked like Hawkins wanted to answer the question about whether he knew Cecilia, but—
His lips, which had parted, closed again.
Unfortunately, the topic of conversation was now centered entirely on Cecilia.
“If you keep being so modest, won’t the rest of us students feel embarrassed? If it’s really not that impressive, I mean.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean it like that!”
Cecilia frantically waved her small hands, looking impossibly lovely. Evan grinned and admitted that he was just teasing her.
The warm mood they created had all our classmates quietly watching.
Hawkins was among them. He couldn’t take his eyes off Cecilia’s fair face.
His facial muscles were so stiff and his lips clamped so tightly, it was hard to believe those were the same lips that had greeted Cecilia so gently just moments ago.
‘Hawkins is as devoted a knight to Cecilia in this life as ever.’
I could almost see the path of hardship stretching out before him.
“Oh, thank you so much for that time. Did you get home safely?”
“Oh, it was nothing. You were quite startled—are you all right?”
Ah, they’re talking about the incident in the square.
Curiosity bloomed on the others’ faces. Pretending to chat among themselves, it was obvious they were eavesdropping.
Hm.
I glanced sideways at them, propping my chin on my hand.
‘My lady! If you do that, your face will get crooked!’
Ack. For some reason, I could almost hear Olly’s voice.
My arm slipped, and I nearly smacked my face into the desk. I quickly glanced around. Hopefully, nobody saw that embarrassing moment.
Yep, everyone’s focused on Cecilia and Evan. Good, they’re useful at times like this—thank you, Cecilia!
Phew. Should I just squeeze my neck for good measure? I put both hands on my neck, considering it… and locked eyes with Maon.
“……”
“……”
W-when did you start watching?
I was about to twitch my lips in embarrassment.
If I asked, I’d just be admitting that I’d been acting foolish! He’ll pretend not to have seen, right? He wouldn’t really say “You look ridiculous,” would he?
“You’re going to make your face crooked if you keep that up.”
“…! You…!”
W-What?!
My face flushed red in an instant.
How embarrassing! Couldn’t he have just pretended not to see?
But before I could protest, Maon silently laid his head on his desk.
Did he really say that to me? Should I ask him?
“Liana, what are you doing by yourself?”
Evan, who had been deep in conversation with Cecilia, raised his hand to pause the talk and looked my way.
It was a completely natural and graceful gesture. He was truly every inch the Crown Prince.
“Hm. Miss Liana, am I bothering you?”
“Liana~! Sir Evan is talking to you. What were you just doing? Ah! You were talking to the person next to you, weren’t you? Hello?”
When Cecilia bowed her head, her long hair swung over her shoulders. A soft scent of her hair oil drifted over. Evan and Hawkins seemed to notice, and their eyes fixed on her glossy hair and radiant face.
“Mmm. Hehe, he must be sleeping.”
Unfortunately, Maon didn’t react at all to Cecilia’s question.
He remained facedown on his desk. Who knew if he was asleep or just ignoring her? Still, you couldn’t force someone up if they were like that. Cecilia blushed, then smiled innocently.
“Ha ha.”
Evan chuckled at Cecilia.
Yes! Even I have to admit, there’s no other noble girl as innocent and adorable as Cecilia. Of course people can’t help but smile and be drawn to her!
That’s why it’s no wonder everyone else feels left out.
But couldn’t they just stop making a world of their own right next to my seat?
Thanks to the warm current flowing among them, Evan’s question for me naturally fizzled out.
I was relieved I didn’t have to explain my foolish behavior.
So why do I feel so drained?
Olly, I miss you…
“Are the two of you friends? Liana.”
Tap, tap.
My cultivated manners wouldn’t let me slump over my desk, so I sat upright, focusing on keeping still like a painting. Evan tapped my desk.
“……”
“Liana, are you meditating? You seem to have a knack for it, but won’t you join our conversation?”
“…I was practicing my posture.”
I wanted to bite my tongue!
Practicing posture, really. Who would practice that in the academy classroom? How ridiculous. That’s the kind of thing you do at home!
“What? Hahaha!”
Evan laughed, his shoulders shaking.
It wasn’t the dignified laughter of the Crown Prince, but the giggle of a mischievous boy who’d found something amusing.
My face was burning up.
‘I want to go home. Olly! Please come and get me!’
“Indeed. Your posture is flawless and beautiful.”
Evan wiped away fake tears, then swept back his golden hair with a suddenly serious face.
“…Thank you.”
Thank you? What am I saying!
I wanted to say, ‘Please just go,’ but the words wouldn’t come out, so anything slipped from my lips.
“I’m not teasing, I mean it. Being thorough is a good thing.”
No, even if you practiced for a hundred hours at home, nobles are supposed to look like they were born perfect after just an hour of practice outside. What I just said is mortifying!
That’s my Achilles’ heel.
Always practicing alone at the manor so I wouldn’t fall behind Cecilia, who does everything so effortlessly…
I really didn’t want Evan to know that! Sorry, but Evan, your words aren’t comforting at all.
Behind my mask of a smile, I could feel my real expression growing cold.
“I’m serious.”
Evan insisted. But his words just didn’t reach me.
Even if he claimed it was a joke, I’d only look even more pathetic, not less.
I deliberately smiled with poise. Swallowing all my embarrassment, I spoke in a refined voice.
“Of course, if I practice every moment, shouldn’t I be more graceful than the lady in the ‘Manual of Etiquette’? Am I prettier than her?”