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Looking for the Runaway Princess – Chapter : 8
What is going on?
Elizia stepped closer to the flower vase.
No matter how she looked at it, her name was clearly engraved on the vase.
‘I never applied for something like this.’
Confused, she tightened her grip on the flower stem in her hand. The thin lily stem snapped with a crack.
Sophie, holding a bundle of flowers against her chest, walked closer slowly. She also had a confused expression.
“Elizia, did you apply for this by any chance?”
“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 connections to receive flowers like this.”
Elizia shook her head with a puzzled look.
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 country of the Empire.
In such a situation, there was no way a princess from Ortygia—an enemy of the Empire—would receive many roses.
She knew that, so she wasn’t foolish enough to apply to become a “rose” and draw attention like this.
She didn’t like being noticed in this way either.
And next to her large vase, there was another vase of the same size.
[Elizabeth Marche.]
It belonged to Bess.
After quietly staring at both vases, Elizia turned away without hesitation.
She didn’t know what had happened, but it was already done. Being confused wouldn’t change anything. It was time to stay calm instead.
Elizia took Sophie’s hand and moved to another place.
As Elizia walked, the students’ eyes followed her.
Male students looked at her back with enchanted expressions, while female students examined the fabric and design of her dress.
“Elizia, you look pretty today.”
A compliment was heard. Elizia playfully winked at the girl who said it.
The girl laughed brightly.
Sophie and Elizia sat at a table near a lion statue.
Elizia picked up a drink. On the opposite side of them, she saw Bess and her group.
Bess looked toward Elizia while whispering something to her friends, a mocking smile clearly on her lips.
‘I can guess what’s going on.’
Elizia gave a faint smile. The shape of this uncomfortable situation was slowly becoming clear.
Bess, who was almost certainly chosen as a rose. And next to her vase, her own vase. The result was obviously empty.
It was probably something Bess arranged to embarrass her or make her feel ashamed.
And she was the one being targeted by such childish tricks.
Honestly, whether she received roses or not didn’t matter or embarrass her at all.
In the end, other people’s opinions were just other people’s opinions.
What annoyed her was simply that she had been tricked by Bess again.
Such childish and malicious behavior. She couldn’t even decide how much of it she should tolerate.
If Bess were a man, she would have thrown a white glove at him, challenging him to a duel and telling him to stop such ridiculous behavior and fight properly.
But unfortunately, Elizia was strong enough to defeat male students, while Bess was a delicate girl who had never even held a sword.
The once quiet music became lively.
The sunset outside faded into darkness, and the hall was brightly lit by chandeliers.
Not only students but also invited guests filled the hall. The party had truly begun.
Elizia laughed and talked with Sophie and her friends, acting as if she had already forgotten what happened earlier.
That was her nature—she didn’t waste emotion on problems she couldn’t solve.
“Elizia, so the professor said: ‘In the late Plenet Dynasty of the Ancient Holy Empire, the streets were full of fake capitals and wandering pilgrims. In that dark age, what was the symbolic phrase that became popular? Rakan, answer me?’”
“Yeah. And then?”
“Senior Rakan said, ‘Isn’t it obvious? Kill all those trash nobles and royals.’ The professor was shocked.”
Listening to her friend Laila, Elizia chuckled.
That answer was so like him that it only made her laugh.
Even though he himself was a noble, he spoke like that without hesitation.
He was a strangely twisted man, Rakan.
While they were eating finger food and drinking, a group of elegantly dressed girls 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 a tiring person to deal with.
Bess was as beautiful as ever today.
Unlike Elizia, who kept her hair short and neat because she used a sword, Bess had long, feminine nails, detailed embroidery on her dress, and rich, flowing hair.
She was stunning enough to make anyone admire her at first glance.
But Elizia knew better than anyone that Bess was not just her beautiful appearance.
Behind Bess, four girls stood like guards.
Elizia gave them a composed smile.
“Hello, seniors.”
“Rakan isn’t with you today? You’re usually stuck to him.”
“We’re planning to meet him a little later.”
That was true.
They hadn’t made a strict promise, but if she approached him saying “Hello, senior,” they would end up together anyway.
Bess’s eyebrow twitched at Elizia’s words, as if she had said them on purpose.
A short girl next to Bess fanned her face. Bess pushed her hand away irritably.
“It’s strange how you’re always together, but there’s no progress between you two.”
“Do we need progress?”
“Not necessarily… but from what I see, either you’re not attractive enough, or he has no interest in you. Or maybe both. That’s what it looks like.”
Elizia smiled as if it wasn’t even worth responding and took a sip from her glass.
“Have you ever considered the opposite? That I might not be interested in Senior Rakan?”
“……”
Elizia looked at Bess while drinking.
“I am the heir to the throne of Ortygia. And I’m also pretty. Why do you think I’m the one waiting to be chosen by him?”
“W-what…?”
Bess hadn’t expected this kind of reaction.
Elizia’s eyes curved slightly as she looked at her.
“Do you always live a life where you’re chosen by men?”
“……You!”
Bess’s face turned red with anger, then twisted completely.
Her usual perfect mask was gone.
Elizia also dropped her fake smile and looked at Bess calmly.
This was the limit. She no longer had the patience to smile kindly at someone who showed her unnecessary malice.
A small commotion began, and people around started paying attention.
Bess clenched her fist and stepped toward Elizia aggressively. Elizia had no intention of stopping her.
That delicate girl wouldn’t even be able to touch her shoulder.
But someone stepped between them.
“That’s enough. Stop it and go back, Bess!”
It was Sophie.
Her usually gentle voice was now firm.
Elizia quietly looked at Sophie’s back as she stood in front of her. Her cold gaze softened instantly.
Bess’s twisted face also returned to a composed expression.
Bess stepped closer to Sophie. Though shorter than her, she looked down at Sophie arrogantly.
“You’re really something. Look at the people you hang around with, and it shows your level. Hello, Sophie? Someone like you, who would never have been able to look me in the eye before. The neutral country is fine and all, but treating low-class people equally is its biggest flaw.”
“……”
Sophie, a merchant’s daughter from a commoner background in the Empire, was being mocked by Bess.
Bess seemed to be releasing her anger from Elizia onto her.
Her words were full of sharpness.
She snatched a fan from a nearby girl and elegantly fanned herself, smiling twistedly at Sophie.
Other students gathered around Bess, and their sharp gazes fell on Sophie.
“What did you even come to this party to sell, Sophie?”
“……”
“Porcelain? Dresses? Or… your body? I suppose entering this school itself was your attempt to rise in status by selling yourself. How pitiful.”
Laughter followed her words.
Mocking laughter rained down on Sophie like heavy rain.
“……”
Sophie lowered her head silently. Her expression was calm, as if she had experienced this many times before.
But Elizia’s face turned red with anger.
She could tolerate mockery toward herself, but not toward Sophie.
Especially since Sophie had done nothing wrong except stand up for her.
“Senior Bess!”
Elizia stepped forward, pushing past Sophie.
Her dress sparkled sharply as she moved.
But before she could reach Bess, a man grabbed her shoulder to stop her.
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 one who laughed the loudest at Sophie earlier.
Elizia grabbed his hand tightly and, before he could react, twisted his arm behind his back.
She pressed his other shoulder down, and he bent forward, screaming.
“Ahhh!”
His face twisted in pain. He hadn’t expected her to fight back.
Elizia pressed harder. The man struggled, but he couldn’t escape.
She was someone who had fought trained knights with swords. A noble who had never held a sword was easily restrained.
She looked up calmly.
Bess, meeting her gaze, instinctively stepped back.
“Was it you, senior?”
“W-what are you talking about?”
“The vase with my name on it for the roses.”
“……”
Bess neither confirmed nor denied it.
Elizia understood that silence immediately and let out a small laugh.
“Argh! My arm! My arm!”
The man kept groaning in pain.
“Such an impatient person.”
Elizia released his arm and shoved him away. He fell to the ground clumsily.
Thankfully, the lively music covered the noise.
“Stop your childish tricks, Bess.”
“……What?”
“I can tolerate criticism toward me, but not toward my friends. If you say something like that to Senior Sophie again, I won’t stay quiet anymore.”
Bess clenched her fan tightly.
She wanted to say, “What will you do if you don’t stay quiet?” but Elizia’s eyes were too cold.
That fact hurt her pride, so she only exhaled sharply through her nose.
Then—
“Elizia.”
A deep voice cut through the tension.
It was Rakan.
He had entered without her noticing.
Elizia turned toward him.
Given the situation, anyone with sense would understand it was not a peaceful atmosphere.
Bess was from an allied nation of the Empire. Elizia was from an enemy nation. Rakan himself was from the Empire.
Elizia thought that if Rakan sided with Bess or scolded her, she would feel angry.
Maybe even slightly disappointed.
But what Rakan said was not that kind of thing.
