episode_0027

“…Hyung! Jeong… Ryeo!”

“Umm…”

“Oh.. Il..gu!”

“Ugh..”

“Hyung! Pull yourself together!”

“Cough! Huk..huk..”

A sensation of having forgotten something very important sweeps through the body. The entire body drenched in cold sweat creates a sticky discomfort. Standing up to wash, Sofia the saint was standing in front.

“You were having a very intense dream.. Are you okay?”

“No, yes. Yes, that’s right. It felt like a very unpleasant dream.”

“Can I help you with something?”

“What? How..?”

Watching closely for any magic that could resolve fierce nightmare scenarios, the saint approached me, wiped the sweaty bangs, and gently stroked my head.

“When I had nightmares as a child, my older sisters used to do this often.”

“You had older sisters?”

“Yeah. Not biological sisters, to begin with. Once designated as a saint, all previous human relationships disappear instantly. Only the connection to God remains.”

“How about now? Do you feel better? Let’s go have breakfast quickly!”

The momentarily revealed face of melancholy emotions now only bore a bright smile, urging me on.

“Yes. I’ll shower and come out, so please wait outside the room.”

“I don’t want to! Ugh!”

Plop-

“Wow.. The bed is so soft!”

“Even though the saint’s bed must be the same.. it probably smells of sweat since you’re in it..”

“Yeah. Can’t hear you~”

Covering myself with the blanket up to my head, I quickly finished showering due to the saint’s urging and emerged.

“Snooze..”

The saint, who had fallen asleep while still warm in bed, perhaps due to its comfort. At first glance, she appeared to be a delicate girl who had never experienced anything harsh or challenging.

“Cream bread…”

The saint, seemingly dreaming of eating something, mumbled with her mouth. Suddenly, I felt like putting my finger in her mouth as she eagerly awaited food.

“Um.. Bleh!”

“Oh. You’re awake. Let’s go eat quickly.”

“Oh! Over there!”

Avoiding the running saint, I opened the door and saw Stella waiting outside, reading a book. I took her hand and headed to the dining hall.

“What’s going on! Why is the saint chasing you to death!”

“Let’s run first and talk later!”

“Don’t run in the corridors.. Eek!”

Dodging Prefect Crea’s scolding, we ran off, and it seemed the saint collided with someone following us. We opened the dining hall door, wishing them well.

“Oh. Kids, did you come to eat too?”

“Just a moment!”

“Huh? Oh.. my cream bread..”

Grabbing the cream bread from Flan’s plate and barely giving it to the saint who followed, I said, “Here! Nom nom..”

“Phew.. Fire successfully contained.”

“I was going to eat that after finishing mine..”

“Fortunately, we successfully contained the fire without casualties.”

“But I only saw two victims?”

After quickly eating breakfast, Flan, who was drinking coffee next to me, approached me.

“Kid, there’s a club meeting after school today. Will you come?”

“Um.. Is it okay if I go?”

“Of course! You’re also a member of our club. I thought you would come?”

After seeing off Flan, who left first, and sitting back down, the two looked at me with curious expressions.

“Kidney! Have you already joined a club?”

“What kind of club is it?”

“Well, it’s just a tea time club, more like a social gathering. I joined because they were short on members and facing closure.”

“Ah.. That’s too bad! It would have been nice if you had joined a volunteer club!”

“A volunteer club would have been great too. Even if I’m not a club member, I’ll go help out often.”

“That’s so nice!”

As Stella, lost in thought, watched the excited saint behind her, I asked why she was thinking so deeply.

“Well, I thought I should join a club too.. but there doesn’t seem to be an Astronomy Club.”

“You can do it.”

“No, how can I gather two people… You’re not here either.”

“It’s you. Is this a prank or something?”

“Ugh! It’s all because of you! If you’re a satellite, act like one and follow the stars!!”

Thwack-

Stella, striking my back with a soft fist. Soon realizing that her hitting hand hurts more, she stops and grumbles again.

“You said sorry. Ah, it’s getting late. Let’s hurry and leave.”

Today is a mess again, ugh. I want to soak my body somewhere deep…

“Oh. Me too…”

“Surprise! When did you get here?”

“Just now. My class just ended.”

“We had assembly together, didn’t we?”

Erin suddenly appears from the side, saying she was heading to the dorms but decided to accompany me to the library on the way.

“Huh?”

“Oh, are you going to the library too? Please go first.”

“Oh, thank you.”

“What? Why…? Wait a moment!”

“Huh? Me?”

A questioning woman suddenly calls Erin back. She seemed like a third-year student, asking Erin if there was any connection, to which Erin replies that she doesn’t know her at all.

“This, surely… Where is your hometown!”

“I don’t know, let go!”

“No, somehow, I must listen!”

“Ah! I really don’t know!”

“Those eyes and hair color, clearly the symbol of the royal family of our Trifia Kingdom!!”

Almost dragging Erin as she struggles, the woman yells in a frenzy. Before attracting more attention, she leads them out to an empty classroom.

“So Erin, is she the last princess of your ruined kingdom?”

“That’s right! Oh! How fortunate… I thought it was truly over.. Princess! Quickly return! Surely, if the Trifia citizens rally around you, we can start anew!”

“No. I’m not into being a princess or anything like that.”

“Well, that’s true!”

The two argue vehemently. Erin genuinely seems reluctant to become a princess. Of course, it’s not easy to believe the words of a stranger right away.

“I’m not that person. I have no memory of being a princess. My parents, siblings, even my country are distant from me. I’ve never experienced it, not even once since birth.”

“Wait, Erin!”

Saying so, Erin rushes out of the room. She runs off without anyone following her. Carefully looking at the woman next to her, she watches Erin’s retreating figure with eyes full of madness.

“At last… At last, I found her..!”

***

“Welcome…? Why do you look like that..? Did you come here against your will? Flang, you again!”

“It’s not me! She clearly said she would come herself! She just informed us about today’s meeting!”

“No, there was a bit of an incident just before..”

Taking the tea cup handed by Princess Libera, she took a sip and explained what happened just now.

“The Trifia Kingdom. Since it perished about 16 years ago, it makes sense timing-wise. If Erin, the girl, is indeed 16 years old, it fits.”

“Perished… How did that happen?”

“There were several reasons. An incompetent king, courtiers excessively checking each other, corrupt officials. Many things happened, but the biggest was undoubtedly the invasion of the demons. They never imagined they would disappear so tragically just because they were in the path of the demon retreat.”

“That… ”

“As that woman said, the Trifia royals were known for their white hair and blue-toned eyes. Looking at it this way, it does make sense for her to call Erin a princess.”

“Well, even if she resembles someone, can you tell just by seeing them once? Shouldn’t we observe a bit longer before knowing for sure?”

!”

Upon reflection, they had forgotten the possibility that those individuals might attack Erin. If there were many Trifia alumni within the academy, it was certainly not a safe place.

“Your Highness, how many Trifia alumni are there in the academy?”

“Well.. since the academy doesn’t discriminate based on origins, I vaguely recall there being around 14 of them..”

“14? That’s quite a lot.”

“If we include the professors, there are easily over 80 people, including students.”

“What!?”

“Wait, Kidney. Where are you suddenly going!?”

“I’m going to check on Erin! Thank you for today!”

“She’s gone…”

“That’s true…”

“Come to think of it, wasn’t the school nurse also a Trifia alumna?”

“That’s right. Although she didn’t mention it often, she wasn’t one to hide her origins.”

***

“Really, the princess is here!!”

“Yes, she is really here! I personally confirmed it by looking at her hair and eyes! Of course, the evidence is here!”

The woman took out a white hair from her pouch and showed it to everyone. Despite not grooming it frequently, the hair flowed and shone with a color that seemed to radiate. Everyone teared up upon seeing the hair.

“Oh.. she truly survived!”

“On that last day, we thought she was dead… It’s truly fortunate.”

“This person! On the last day! Now it’s time for a new beginning, positively!”

“You’re right, it’s something to celebrate. Oh, has Lady Maria arrived!”

“Why is everyone gathered here..? Trisha, what is this about?”

The girl called Trisha showed Erin’s hair to Maria, the woman known as Manya at the academy.

“This is..”

“Yes! It’s evidence of the princess!”

“No way.. that’s unbelievable!”

“I saw it with my own two eyes! Once you see it, Lady Maria, you’ll immediately recognize it! The noble aura of royalty!”

“Yes.. I must see it with my own eyes. Definitely.”

As the woman spoke, her eyes, like the others’, were also filled with madness. Somewhat different in essence.