episode_0042

Louis’ period ended after about a week.

… Actually, it ended in 4 days, but I was so mentally shocked that I was like a wreck over the weekend.

The kid who used to go ‘Huh♡ Hik♡’ even if I tickled him a little while washing him now just sits still like a doll, so that says it all.

But somehow he overcame it, and on Monday, Louis announced his return to the Academy.

I greeted him with hearty applause.

“Louis! Please take good care of me again from today!”

‘You’ve worked hard, really. Weren’t you upset that you couldn’t flirt with Irene all this time? This older sister will push you hard!’

“… Yeah.”

Strangely, I feel like I’ve become more feminine, but there’s nothing I can do about it.

All I could do was pray that Irene would calm down.

That’s why I started planning ‘What is it, what are they, what are they two’ from the first lecture of the 6th week of the academy.

Nothing much, just pushing Irene towards Louis.

Up until this point, daily life was not much different from before.

Suddenly something strange happened.

-Crunch, crunch.

“Everyone, be quiet.”

‘Ah, it’s the teacher.’

The teacher came in while we were chatting.

The eyes of the cadets, including the four of us, were drawn towards the podium.

Soon, a murmur spread throughout the auditorium.

It was because of a man following the master.

-Whisper.

-Who is that?

-Aren’t you an imperial person?

“Where have I seen you before…?”

His appearance was so exotic that even Shepor, who was sitting on his lap, muttered a questioning voice.

But I couldn’t answer.

———When I saw his appearance, my complacent mind instantly turned into a battle stance.

-Wow.

‘…Blonde Tanned Thug!!!’

A solid muscular body that can be felt even through thin clothing.

Well-tanned copper skin and slightly dull blonde hair.

It was exactly the same as the so-called ‘Golden Sun’ that tormented Irene so much in the original.

Although he has a rather innocent expression for a gangster, you can’t help but be wary of him.

At that moment, his gaze turned this way.

-Shh.

“… … !!!!!!”

‘I laughed at Irene, that little punk who looks like a rice cake!!!’

I immediately went into full alert mode.

With his cheeks puffed out like a puffer fish, he placed a punch on Irene’s arm.

Do you know who I am? I’m the Third Princess.

And Irene and I are like this.

So, the purpose was to let you know that if you touch it, you’ll get in trouble.

His eyes were curved into crescent moons.

-Smile.

“… I think you laughed at Estee?”

‘Shepor, you keep quiet, you socialite!’

As the second daughter of a writer, Shepor, who has not been able to make a name for herself in high society, seems to feel no threat.

But I, who am absolutely a dark person, never overlooked that smile.

I know very well, thanks to my eldest brother, that people who smile with their eyes wide open like that are the scariest.

I decided to prepare by sending telepathy to Crow, who was waiting next to me.

[Crow. That blonde-haired, brown-skinned punk I asked you to do last time, that’s probably him. Be on your guard.]

[… Estee, he doesn’t look like a gangster at all. Rather, he seems closer to a devout priest.]

[It’s a very bad habit to judge a person by their appearance, Crow. Keep watching, and if you see anything happening, report it to me immediately.]

[According to the will of the saint.]

‘Honestly, Crow is good at everything, but he just lacks the ability to judge people.’

Crow started to watch the man with a suspicious look.

As I was doing that, the teacher cleared his throat loudly.

“… Before we start the lecture, there is a student who has been specially transferred to the Magic Department. Is there a group with a seat left?”

It seems like he’s trying to find someone who will accept that golden sun.

Since this ‘Fundamentals of Collaborative Research’ course is conducted in groups, it was a natural action for a professor.

“… … … .”

-Quiet.

No one raised a hand.

It seems like it’s quite burdensome to bring in new members now that it’s been six weeks.

In our group, no one raised their hand first, only observing my gaze as the highest ranking member.

Me? Are you crazy enough to bring Geum Taeyang into our group? You know what Irene will be like.

If Geum Tae-yang intervenes between a couple taking pictures of each other, it’s a death sentence.

In the end, it was Geum Tae-yang who raised his hand.

“My name is Ferrado. I am the crown prince from the kingdom of Felsia across the sea, and I am also a scholar who was specially transferred in recognition of my cooperation in the heretical magic research of the main sect.”

‘Crown prince?’

Geum Tae-yang gave a brief self-introduction, perhaps sensing that there would be no end if things continued like this.

My eyes widened at the fluent imperial language.

… the Kingdom of Pelcia, have you heard of it?

A rising trade power across the sea: Pelcia.

A strange country that maintains a smooth relationship with the main church even though it practices theocracy.

But, if you’re the crown prince, you’re the next king.

How can the heir to the throne of a country be the Golden Sun…?

My cheeks puffed out even more with tension.

‘This guy, Geum Taeyang, is a real guy…!!!’

“Estee, is that prince looking at you?”

“…Louis, you keep quiet.”

Meanwhile, Louis is talking nonsense.

I immediately ignored it.

Sure, his head is turned this way, but why would he look at me? He must be aiming for Irene.

I glared at him with all my might.

I was staring so hard that I got hit square in the eye.

-Smile.

“Can I ask you to join me?”

‘Hey. A frontal assault? How brave.’

Geum Taeyang walked towards me and smiled brightly.

Because we were sitting so close together, there was plenty of empty space in the chairs.

I, who was thinking for a moment, smiled too.

“Of course! Please take good care of me, Prince♡”

‘This method is no easy feat. Rather, I have to thoroughly monitor him from the side so that he can’t use any tricks!!’

“… … Ahem. Thank you.”

Geum Taeyang blushed slightly as he sat down next to me and Shepor, probably not knowing that I would come out like this.

And yet, he sits about 50cm away from us, with one buttock floating in the air.

​

Perhaps it was clear that he had just realized this bold move.

That I am an extraordinary person, dangerous to get close to.

Surely, in that golden sun’s head, an evil snake is wagging its tongue and muttering, ‘Isn’t this it?’

My heart pounded with pride at the thought of my own dark power.

-Mumble.

“Oh my, how thoughtful.”

‘Shepor really doesn’t know anything.’

Shepor seemed to think it was simply a consideration for the woman…

What does this social newbie know? Hmm.

“Disciple, you are so kind… ♡ Ahem. Then let’s start the lecture.”

‘I’ll keep watching you so you don’t do anything stupid!!’

-Obviously.

I kept watching him.

Right next to me, until the lecture is over.

* * *

The lecture ended a little early today too.

Is it because you are studying the ‘magic of transformation’ that the teacher is giving the lecture at double speed?

And then, right after the lecture ended.

The four of us turned our gazes straight to Geum Taeyang next to me.

He also looked this way.

“… Thank you for accepting me so kindly. Princess Esti Noir d’Abruen.”

-Obviously.

“No problem, Prince♡”

A sharp confrontation ensued.

The other side expressed confidence that they knew my identity.

I also countered with, ‘So what can you do?’

If it was a game, it would have been a huge fight, with the sound of lightning crackling echoing through the air.

However, his subsequent words made me let my guard down a little.

“It’s been 5 years since I’ve seen you, but you’re still as beautiful as a flower.”

“… … Huh?”

… It’s been 5 years since I’ve seen you? I’ve never seen a golden sun like this before.

I tilted my head in confusion, wondering what kind of nonsense this was.

It was only after Shepor, who had been nagging at my stomach, raised his voice that I realized what he meant.

“Oh, by the way, you came to our empire 5 years ago, right? You showed up briefly in the social circle. You’ve grown up so well!!”

“Hehe, was that Lady Shepor? You’re still as beautiful as ever.”

“Oh my, what a compliment~.”

Shepor’s testimony that he briefly appeared in social circles five years ago.

My face turned pale.

“… Oh, that time? ”

‘Weren’t you a kid like Louis back then? Why did you become so rough?’

Five years ago, the Kingdom of Pelcia sent a delegation to convey its friendly intentions to the Empire.

There was even a banquet held to commemorate it.

Looking closely, I noticed that the face of the boy I had met at the banquet was similar.

Since he was of similar height and build to Louis, I took care of him a bit because he seemed like a younger sibling.

… I don’t know why that delicate girl turned into a golden sun, but anyway.

My cheeks are a little deflated.

“Are you the one I fed cookies to back then? I didn’t know you were a prince.”

“I’m sorry for hiding my identity at the time. It was my father’s order.”

“Huh~.”

Me, reminiscing about when I was 15.

My guard has been lowered a little more.

‘That little boy grew up to be such a great man. He’s so different from his younger brother.’

“So? Why did someone who is like a prince hide his identity and reveal it now?”

“To find a bride. To strengthen the relationship with the empire.”

“Huh~ It’s romantic? So, did you find a good person?”

I regained my composure after realizing that Geum Tae-yang was once an innocent boy like Louis.

On the other hand, Ferrado’s face hardened with increasing tension.

Unlike Louis, his large Adam’s apple gulps up and down.

After the sound of swallowing dry saliva.

He reached out to me.

“Yes. I found my destined partner.”

-Thud.

“… Huh?”

“Since that day, my heart has been beating only for you, Princess.”

“… … … Huh?!”

No, what the hell are you talking about all of a sudden?

I blinked, not knowing English.

Meanwhile, the eyes of the other three grew wide.

“Oh my, by any chance… .”

“Princess… … ?”

“ESTI, you.”

Three people showing unusual reactions.

The doubt came out as words.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden… .”

“———I love you!! Please go out with me!!! Princess!!!”

“… … ?”

-Quiet.

However, silence soon fell over the classroom as the words followed.

The silence was so heavy that you could even hear ants crawling.

My thoughts also stopped.

…you want to go out with me?

‘Huh? Huh, huh? Wait a minute, if it’s Geum Taeyang, then Irene… no, you want me to go out with her? With this Estee?’

“Uh, Uh, that… Huh? Huh? Huh? ”

My brain’s circuitry lags like a buggy phone.

The only words I managed to spit out were a single question.

“Why me…?”

‘It wasn’t ferrado, it was pedo?’

A question that implies, “Why are you confessing to me? Are you a pedophile?”

Ferrado’s face distorted.

“… Because he is the most compassionate person. Even the gold and jewels I brought in the ship for the princess pale in comparison to the princess’s humanity. ”

“Uh, huh?”

“So, leave that trashy man who only hurts the princess and come to me. I, Ferrado, will embrace you with only passionate love.”

“… … … ?”

A look of further doubt appeared on my face.

No, throw it away and come to me. Louis?

…Do you know that I’m dating Louis?

I turned my gaze to Louis, dumbfounded.

Louis also had a dumbfounded expression.

-Hey, Louis. Are we dating?

-No. What the hell is he talking about?

-I know.

It’s so absurd that you can barely have a conversation with just eye contact.

So it wasn’t us who got angry, it was the two women who were watching.

-Taang!

“You, what kind of rude thing are you saying!?”

“Oh, that’s right… You’re going to take the princess away from Prince Louis… !!”

The curtain has risen on the worst morning drama.