episode_0003

Why is the prince enrolling now?

Shouldn’t a prince like him leisurely stay in the palace until the end of the enrollment period and then come slowly?

Even if the academy is well-equipped, it can’t compare to the palace.

To abandon the palace’s hospitality and enroll as soon as the enrollment season arrives.

He seemed to have a strange personality as if he were the male protagonist.

“…Ugh, this is really annoying.”

It’s more frustrating when it’s my fault rather than blaming someone else.

It was a mistake to casually chat, thinking of him as just a cute little kid.

“…In novels, they talk about dazzling blond hair, azure eyes like a lake…”

Blond hair and blue eyes are the most common colors in this world.

With those features, one couldn’t pinpoint a person.

Running around aimlessly, he ended up in another strange place.

Although he barely remembered the way back, running wherever his feet took him was the result of a hasty escape.

“Haah, haah… Where am I now? A garden?”

Flowers, grass, trees, a fountain, chairs, and butterflies, and a snake.

“…A snake?”

The snake slithered into the bushes, hiding its form.

Judging by its triangular head, it was probably a venomous snake.

“Well, whatever….”

Since he had no interest in hobbies like flowers and plants, his interest quickly faded.

“I guess I’ll have to spend time memorizing the academy’s layout for a while…”

Just the scale of the academy alone, described in novels as being like a small city.

As it was a gathering place for all nobles in the kingdom, it had to be at least this size.

Thanks to that, memorizing the layout seemed quite challenging.

…By the way,

Was it because of being called a prince and forcing down food that he ran away and felt pain?

His stomach was cramping, his lungs felt squeezed, causing considerable pain.

Sweat beaded on his forehead as he wiped it hastily with his nightshirt and forced himself to stand up despite the pain.

Even if it hurt, he had to go to the dormitory to feel the pain.

Lying on a bed with a soft blanket was vastly different from being in pain on the street.

“It’s messed up right from the start.”

Meeting the person he should avoid the most on the first day and naturally engaging in conversation.

After finding out his identity, he did keep his distance coldly, but the fact that his face was revealed was the problem.

Still, if there was any comfort to be found….

“Surely he won’t pretend not to know after I spoke so coldly?”

If he has any sense, he wouldn’t pretend not to know after I treated him so coldly.

Thinking that maybe I’m being too friendly, I let out a sigh of relief.

“I’m sorry for being clueless.”

“…Excuse me?”

Suddenly hearing a voice, I turned my head to see the prince looking at me with crossed arms.

“…No, why? No, more importantly, did you hear what I said?”

“Yeah.”

If he heard what I just said, isn’t it normal not to pretend to ignore it and think ‘Oh, he must dislike me’?

Frowning slightly, the prince, Deron, didn’t shy away from my gaze with a puzzled expression.

“Is my gaze impolite?”

“My stomach hurts….”

It’s unnecessary to be so perceptive about this.

I’m not oblivious, but is it necessary to be so observant?

Dealing with high-ranking individuals like this is a headache.

“Well, I ate in a hurry and ran off.”

“Why did you follow me?”

“Well, curiosity?”

Curiosity? Did I provide something to pique his curiosity?

“…I’m just an extremely ordinary… Well, not exactly ordinary, just a rather cute girl. There’s nothing about me that would spark curiosity in someone like you, Your Highness.”

“…Do you know that even the words you’re saying right now are incredibly stimulating to curiosity?”

“I don’t know.”

Tidying up his tousled hair, he started to walk back the way he came, passing Deron…

But then he turned back and approached Deron again.

My face had already fallen, and since it had come to this point of chasing after me, I was already in trouble.

Since things have turned out this way, wicked and vile, I must thoroughly make use of it.

It’s always possible to keep a distance from the prince.

Treating the current situation as an exception.

Approaching Deron closely, I spoke with a serious expression.

“My stomach is really hurting right now, you know?”

“…And?”

“It’s because of the prince, you know?”

“…Why?”

Although it pricked my conscience to gaslight a ten-year-old prince,

It’s a universal truth that innocence is taken advantage of regardless of age.

I believe the prince will understand.

“So, can you tell me the direction to the dormitory? Since you’re telling me, it would be even better if you could take me there.”

I can return to the dormitory alone.

Simply retracing my steps from the dining hall should lead me back.

However, no matter how much I think about it, going back the same way seems like a roundabout route.

Wouldn’t it be better to quickly head towards the dormitory since I’m already going that way?

“…Well, nothing is impossible.”

With an expression that seemed to say there was no other choice, he frowned once but soon nodded obediently,

He didn’t seem entirely bad.

When I think about it, the prince can’t be bad.

Would they give the role of the male protagonist to a bad guy?

He is not morally bad, his appearance is handsome, and he is talented.

Overall, he would make a great husband.

It’s not about who is inferior or superior; it’s about the relationship.

“But, didn’t you receive guidance from the academy? If you’re not confident in memorizing it all, it’s better to carry it with you.”

“…Guidance?”

“When you enroll, they give you this, right here.”

Deron took out a high-quality parchment from his pocket and handed it to me,

I obediently unfolded the parchment handed to me by Deron.

It was a map showing the layout of the academy.

Certainly, if you have something like this, you don’t need to worry about getting lost, but it was strange.

“…I didn’t receive this?”

I didn’t remember receiving such a thing.

“That can’t be true.”

When I said I didn’t receive the map, Deron looked at me strangely.

As I met his gaze without avoiding it, a thought flashed through my mind.

“Ah.”

“Ah?”

Because I had been forcibly enrolled while I was asleep, I didn’t have any memory of receiving such a thing.

Is it father again?

Is father the problem again?

“I’ll have to ask for one later since I know why I didn’t receive it.”

“Can you not receive this?”

Deron muttered as if truly amazed, and I briefly avoided his gaze.

My father, who got angry after my attempts to run away four times a week, forced me to take sleeping pills and enrolled me in the academy.

And because I was forced to sleep, I didn’t receive the map.

To be honest, it felt a bit embarrassing to explain this fact directly.

I tried to roll up the map I had received to hand it back to Deron, but he shook his head.

“If you don’t have a map, write it down.”

“Don’t you need a map too, Your Highness?”

“I’ve memorized everything.”

“…Really?”

Since it’s been two days since the enrollment period began.

Even if he came and looked at the map on the first day, to memorize the entire map in just two days?

It didn’t make sense, so I concluded it was a child’s boastful exaggeration.

A child boasting needs to be scolded.

That’s what adults do.

With a wicked smile on my lips, I unfolded the map again and posed a question.

“What is the name of the building on the right side of the third courtyard?”

“The library.”

“Ugh… Then, what about the building next to the library?”

“…The shrine.”

“Finally, what’s the recommended restaurant inside the second outer merchant district of the academy map?”

“…Lulu’s Kingdom Special 12 Varieties Aged Meat. But what does this have to do with anything?”

This is unbelievable.

Did you get everything right?

So, does that mean it’s true that you’ve memorized this entire map?

“That’s why talented people…”

“…You’re subtly harsh, aren’t you?”

“It’s a slip of the tongue, so just let it go.”

“Bold to the point of being shameless…”

How much did he grumble while following behind Deron?

Deron led me to the front of the first-year dormitory where I originally stayed.

“We’ve arrived.”

“…Thank you.”

“No, why are you pursing your lips like that?”

“…Geniuses don’t understand commoners, you know.”

“You keep saying things I can’t understand.”

“…Anyway, thank you. Let’s not meet again from now on! Oh! It’s not that I particularly dislike princes, so don’t misunderstand!”

With those words, I fled into the dormitory as if escaping.

“Phew… I was trembling…”

Meeting the prince unexpectedly felt off in many ways,

but it wasn’t without any gain.

“I bothered him a lot, clicked my tongue in front of the prince, even used him.”

Perhaps his liking for me didn’t diminish a bit.

“Hehe….”

Even though I’m not a genius, I pride myself on being smart among commoners.

With a smug expression, clutching my aching stomach, I made my way to my room.

I’m glad the distance between the prince and me seems to have grown a bit.