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Looking for the Runaway Princess – Chapter : 9
“What is this?”
Elizia stepped closer to the flower vase.
No matter how she looked at it, her name was clearly written on the vase.
‘I never applied for something like this.’
Confused, she tightened her grip on the flower stem in her hand. The delicate lily stem snapped with a crack.
Sophie, holding a bundle of flowers against her chest, walked closer. She also looked confused.
“Elizia, did you apply for this?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“But this is…”
“I don’t know what’s going on either. Besides, I don’t have many people I know well enough or strong enough connections to receive flowers like this.”
Elizia shook her head in confusion.
Because the neutral country of Swena was close to the Empire, most students at the Royal Academy were from the Kashtra Empire or its allied nations rather than the Kingdom of Ortygia.
Sophie and Rakan were both from the Empire, and Bess was a princess from an allied nation.
In such a situation, there was no way a princess from Ortygia—an enemy nation of the Empire—would receive many roses.
And Elizia knew that, so she wasn’t naive enough to apply for something like this and become a “rose.”
She also didn’t like getting attention in this way.
Next to her large vase, there was another vase of the same size.
[Elizabeth Marche.]
It belonged to Bess.
After staring at both vases for a moment, Elizia turned away without hesitation.
She didn’t know what had happened, but it was already done. Being confused wouldn’t change anything. She needed to stay calm.
Elizia took Sophie’s hand and moved to another place.
As she walked, the students’ eyes followed her.
Male students looked at her back with fascinated expressions, while female students checked the fabric and design of her dress.
“Elizia, you look pretty today.”
A compliment came from somewhere. Elizia winked playfully at the girl who said it.
The girl laughed.
Sophie and Elizia sat at a table near a lion statue.
Elizia picked up a drink. Across the hall, she saw Bess and her group.
Bess was whispering while looking at Elizia, a mocking smile on her lips.
‘I can guess what’s going on.’
Elizia gave a faint smile. The shape of the situation was becoming clear.
Bess was practically confirmed as the “rose,” and next to her vase was Elizia’s vase—most likely empty.
It was probably Bess’s plan to embarrass her.
She was the one being humiliated by such childish tricks.
Honestly, whether she became a rose or not didn’t matter to her.
Other people’s opinions were just other people’s opinions.
What annoyed her was being tricked by Bess again.
Such childish and malicious behavior. She didn’t even know how much she should tolerate it.
If Bess were a man, she would have thrown down a white glove and challenged him to a duel.
But unfortunately, she was a delicate girl who had never even held a sword.
The music, which had been quiet, became lively again.
The sunset outside faded into darkness, and the hall was lit by chandeliers.
Guests filled the hall, and the party truly began.
Elizia laughed and talked with Sophie and her friends, as if she had already forgotten what happened earlier.
That was her nature—she didn’t waste emotion on problems she couldn’t solve.
“So, Elizia, the professor said: ‘In the late period of the Plenet Dynasty of the Ancient Holy Empire, fake capitals and wandering pilgrims filled the streets. In that dark age, what was the symbolic phrase that became popular? Rakan, answer me?’”
“Yeah. And?”
“Senior Rakan said, ‘Isn’t it obvious? Kill all those trash nobles and royals.’ The professor was shocked.”
Elizia chuckled at her friend Laila’s story.
That answer was so typical of him that she could only laugh.
Even though he was a noble himself, he said things like that without hesitation.
He was a strangely twisted man.
While they were eating finger food and drinking, a group of elegantly dressed people approached.
“Hello, Elizia?”
It was Bess and her group. Their greeting sounded polite, but their eyes were full of hostility.
Elizia sighed. Elizabeth Marche. At this point, she was just tiring.
Bess looked as perfect as ever.
Unlike Elizia, who always kept her hair short and neat because of sword training, Bess had long styled nails, detailed embroidery on her dress, and rich, flowing hair.
She was beautiful enough to take one’s breath away.
But Elizia knew better than anyone that Bess was not just her appearance.
Behind Bess stood four girls like her followers.
Elizia gave them a calm smile.
“Hello, seniors.”
“Rakan isn’t with you today? You’re usually glued to him.”
“We’re planning to meet him soon.”
That was true.
They hadn’t made a fixed plan, but if she greeted him, they would naturally end up together anyway.
At Elizia’s words, Bess’s eyebrow twitched.
A girl next to her waved a fan in her face. Bess pushed it away angrily.
“It’s strange. You’re always together, but there’s no progress between you two.”
“Do we need progress?”
“Not necessarily… but in my opinion, either you’re not attractive enough, or he has no interest. Or both.”
Elizia smiled and took a sip of her drink.
“Have you considered the opposite? That I might not be interested in Senior Rakan?”
“……”
Elizia looked at Bess calmly.
“I am the heir to the throne of Ortygia. And I’m beautiful too. Why do you think I’m the one waiting to be chosen?”
“W-what…?”
Bess hadn’t expected this reaction.
Elizia smiled slightly.
“Do you always live a life where you’re chosen by men?”
“……You!”
Bess’s face turned red with anger and twisted completely.
Her perfect mask disappeared.
Elizia stopped smiling and looked at her calmly.
This was enough. She no longer had the patience to smile at someone who kept targeting her with malice.
A small crowd gathered.
Bess clenched her fist and stepped forward aggressively. Elizia didn’t stop her.
But before anything happened, someone stepped between them.
“That’s enough. Stop it and go back, Bess!”
It was Sophie.
Her usually gentle voice was firm.
Elizia looked at Sophie’s back. Her cold expression softened instantly.
Bess also calmed slightly.
She stepped closer to Sophie. Even though Sophie was taller, Bess looked down on her.
“You really are something. Look at the people you hang out with—it shows your level. Hello, Sophie. Someone like you wouldn’t even be able to look me in the eye before. The neutral country is fair, but it’s a flaw that it treats low-class people equally.”
“……”
Sophie, a merchant’s daughter from a commoner background, was being insulted.
Bess seemed to be releasing her anger on her.
Her words were full of sharpness.
She grabbed a fan from a nearby girl and fanned herself elegantly, smiling cruelly at Sophie.
Other students gathered around Bess and began watching.
“What did you even come to this party to sell, Sophie?”
“……”
“Porcelain? Dresses? Or your body? You probably came here to raise your status by selling yourself. How pathetic.”
Laughter followed.
Mocking laughter rained down on Sophie.
“……”
Sophie lowered her head silently. She looked used to it.
But Elizia’s face turned red with anger.
She could tolerate insults toward herself, but not toward Sophie.
Especially since Sophie had done nothing wrong except stand up for her.
“Senior Bess!”
Elizia stepped forward.
Her dress shimmered as she moved.
But before she reached Bess, a man grabbed her shoulder.
He tried to push her away.
But his strength was too strong for someone grabbing a woman’s shoulder.
He was from the Noah Kingdom, the same man who laughed at Sophie earlier.
Elizia grabbed his hand and, before he could react, twisted his arm behind his back.
She pushed his other shoulder down.
“Ahhh!”
He screamed in pain.
Elizia pressed harder. He struggled but couldn’t escape.
She was used to fighting trained knights. A noble like him was easy to handle.
She looked up.
Bess, meeting her gaze, took a step back.
“Was it you, senior?”
“W-what are you talking about?”
“The vase with my name on it.”
“……”
Bess neither confirmed nor denied it.
Elizia understood and let out a small laugh.
The man kept groaning.
“Stop… my arm!”
Elizia shoved him to the ground.
“Stop your childish tricks, Bess.”
“……What?”
“I can tolerate insults toward me, but not toward my friends. If you speak to Sophie like that again, I won’t stay quiet.”
Bess clenched her fan.
She wanted to respond, but Elizia’s eyes were too cold.
Then—
“Elizia.”
A deep voice cut through the tension.
Rakan.
He had arrived without her noticing.
Elizia turned toward him.
Given the situation, anyone could see the atmosphere was tense.
Bess was from an allied nation. Elizia from an enemy nation. Rakan from the Empire.
Elizia thought that if he took Bess’s side, she would feel annoyed.
Maybe even disappointed.
But what he said was not that.
