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Chapter 18
Cecilia lightly wiggled her foot, then cautiously stretched it out and tapped the toe of her brother’s shoe.
Perhaps because he was suspended in the air, his foot swayed gently like a pendulum before coming to a stop.
A soft, amused huff slipped from the man’s lips.
“…Alex. In that case.”
“Yes.”
“Then my corset and dress… they wouldn’t feel heavy, would they?”
After all, you’re lifting everything with magic anyway.
At her remark, he slowly raised one eyebrow.
“Would you like to come in my arms instead, even now?”
“……”
“If my lady sister is that eager, then I would be happy to—”
“Sorry. I’ll pass.”
Cecilia apologized swiftly.
At her answer, given without a moment’s hesitation, Alexis laughed even louder, and she had to don a shameless mask.
Arriving cradled in the man’s arms in front of her…
Well.
And now that the unpleasant swaying had disappeared, there was even less reason to give up the carriage.
“Anyway, Alex. Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
A crisp reply followed her belated gratitude.
Cecilia offered a habitual smile, then quickly shifted her gaze out the window.
It was green everywhere.
The scenery created by evergreen trees, unchanged through all four seasons, lacked any dramatic variation—enough to be boring to look at.
Even so, Cecilia forced a look of interest and stubbornly fixed her gaze outside.
She was determined not to look across at him.
While pretending to admire the scenery, she split her thoughts in two—one part arranging the list of young ladies who would attend the tea party, the other mapping out their seating.
The carriage arrived just as she completed two lists and discarded one.
As Alexis offered his hand, asking if she would like to step down, Cecilia almost blurted out a useless yet invaluable realization:
I will never invite the House of Baron Rotain and the House of Viscount Siener to the same tea party.
She straightened her shoulders neatly and stepped down from the carriage.
An ancient-looking castle, fit for an old legend, stood proudly with its spires rising high.
At the center of the grounds stood the academy’s symbol: the Fountain of Freedom.
It was said to be a sculpture gifted by the founding empress of Lucerne, wishing that all students of the academy might be freed from madness.
The statue of a woman, one arm raised skyward, bore an endlessly benevolent expression.
From her other hand flowed water that shimmered with an enigmatic light, enveloping the entire fountain.
A world without pain.
The words engraved at the base of the fountain did not feel trite, but bitter.
Because here, “pain” was a cruel and inescapable reality.
Staring at the clear streams glittering beneath the summer sun, Cecilia prayed silently.
…May everyone become free, just as this fountain wishes.
May a world without pain await them.
Even if it was an impossible, fleeting wish, the act of praying itself need not be worthless.
She slowly blinked her dry eyes.
“Shall we go in?”
As she was about to step forward, Alexis stopped her.
Caught by his hand and stepping back in surprise, someone suddenly dropped down from above.
“Siiiiiisteeeeer—!”
A brown-haired beauty in a jumpsuit stretched out her arms, grinning widely.
Spring seemed to bloom in her bright light-green eyes, and features that had once been doll-like had sharpened with age, forming a delicate, striking balance.
As always, Blanche fell straight from the sky and dove into Cecilia’s arms, then turned her head.
A black-haired man—familiar, yet unfamiliar—was glaring at her.
Cold eyes. A displeased stare. Crooked lips.
No way.
Blanche blinked furiously.
The man did not waver.
No way. This was a scam.
Blanche let out a shrill scream.
“Whaaaaa—! Why is he here?!”
“‘He’?”
“Blanche.”
A cold-toned question and a quiet reprimand fell at the same time.
Unable to withstand Alexis’s sharp glare and Cecilia’s stern gaze, Blanche’s lips trembled.
Yeees… I’m sorry.
“Th-then why is Your Highness heeere…?”
“Because I came back?”
“…C-congraaatulations on your return to the palaceee.”
“You?”
Alexis asked incredulously as Blanche dropped from Cecilia’s arms and began hopping in place, fuming.
“I am happy you’re back!”
“Fine. I’ll believe that much.”
“I mean it! I was just surprised earlier!”
“My ears hurt.”
“Aaaah! Just how did you live that your personality got even worse, Your Highness?!”
“Wouldn’t that still be better than you screaming when I said my ears hurt…? You had no manners or conscience to begin with, and now you don’t even have consideration?”
They really do fight every time they meet.
Too tired even to be resigned, Cecilia slowly backed away.
Noticing her attempt to slip out, Blanche hurriedly tattled.
“Sister, His Highness is bullying me!”
“He’s the Crown Prince. And you both look the same to me…”
“Sister!”
“Excuse me, Sister?”
Cecilia waved her hand weakly.
At the signal that she wouldn’t listen, both of them shut their mouths with sulky expressions.
She reached out and lightly pinched Blanche’s rosy cheek, stretching it just a little.
“Ow ow ow—!” Blanche stomped her feet, exaggerating the pain.
Only then did Cecilia let go and take a closer look.
Just as Alexis had grown taller, Blanche had shed her girlish air and matured fully into an adult.
Warm affection and joy shimmered deeply in her light-green eyes.
“Have you been well, Blanche?”
“Yes! And you, Sister?”
“I have. Alex has returned too, hasn’t he?”
Cecilia added briefly, then smiled at her brother.
The way her eyes softened was sweet as cotton candy.
Caught off guard, the man froze with a blank expression.
You’ve been well because I returned?
The thought tangled uselessly in his mind.
He could do nothing but be swept along.
His head rang.
All he could think about, foolishly, was how her eyes curved when she looked at him, how clear her smile had been.
“Alex?”
“Your Highness?”
At the two women’s voices, Alexis finally snapped back to his senses.
They had stopped walking toward the academy gates and were looking back at him in confusion.
“…Coming.”
Damn it.
Raking a hand through his hair, Alexis swallowed a soundless curse.
Inside the academy, Thierry Esdier shot out like an arrow and firmly grabbed Blanche, who was trying to flee again.
The knight, his brow practically stamped with a cross of anger, radiated fury from head to toe.
A series of solid flicks landed squarely on the troublemaker’s forehead.
Blanche squirmed and whimpered, but Thierry’s punishment was unwavering.
After enduring four or more stomach cramps a day due to various incidents, the knight had long since sold off his patience.
“At last, I meet the noble Imperial Princess.”
Turning lightly, Cecilia faced a straight-backed middle-aged man.
After pressing a brief kiss to the back of her offered hand, he introduced himself respectfully.
“I am Yulike, appointed by His Majesty the Emperor to lead Rive.”
The Rive Academy, which trained the mages of Lucerne.
Cecilia smiled warmly at the gray-haired headmaster who had protected the school for thirty years.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Yulike. I regret that I stayed within Pontref for so long and missed the chance to meet you sooner. It’s a shameful loss of time.”
“Their Majesties would hardly allow me to see Pontref’s treasure so easily. It is an honor to meet you now, Your Highness. As for the Prince—no, the Crown Prince…”
Yulike let out an admiring hum.
One of the two great pillars once responsible for all of the academy’s incidents shamelessly put on a thick skin.
“You’ve grown splendidly.”
“…I didn’t think you’d be the one to say that.”
“I didn’t either.”
Though Cecilia stared at him, Alexis wisely refused to look back at his sister.
She shook her head as if she couldn’t help it, then finally withdrew her sharp glare.
Only then did he turn back with a small smile.
“Then, Sister.”
“Hm?”
“Would you like to tour the academy with Lady Houston? I’ll be undergoing a stability examination in the meantime.”
“Unfortunately, Crown Prince, that won’t be possible.”
At Yulike’s interruption, Alexis tilted his head slightly.
“The one assigned to examine Your Highness is Graduate Blanche.”
“Whaaa—! Sir Yulike! Wait! Just a moment! You never told me this!”
As if anticipating Blanche’s desperate scream, Yulike had already stuffed both ears shut.
Thierry’s face, after a sharp inhale, held only pity.
Alexis, one eyebrow raised, remained dryly indifferent.
Cecilia, fiddling with the ends of her hair, asked calmly,
“…Then, Alex. May I watch your examination?”
“What?”
“Is that not allowed?”
Alexis stared at her.
So did Blanche, pretending to cry.
So did Thierry, standing silently.
Even Yulike, who had pretended to cover his ears, wore an awkward, half-baked smile.
The sense of unease tightened around her throat.
Just as Cecilia was about to withdraw the request—
Alexis answered smoothly.
“If that’s what you wish, Sister.”
