Me? At the Academy? (2)

“Miss Lilith, have you ever considered enrolling in the academy as a noble?”

“……Pardon?”

My mind momentarily went blank at Princess Seraphine’s unexpectedly cheerful nonsense.

Me? At the academy?

And as a noble?

Hearing this completely new route I’d never even considered since coming to this world, I could only respond with a dumbfounded exclamation before collecting myself.

As if she’d been waiting for this, Seraphine immediately latched onto my flustered response and began pressing further.

“You just said ‘yes,’ didn’t you, Miss Lilith?”

“No, that was just a reflex…”

“But you did say ‘yes,’ even if it was reflexive, correct?”

“……”

“May I take that as your agreement then? Yes, Miss Lilith?”

Seeing Seraphine grinning broadly while stubbornly clinging to my slip of the tongue, it seemed her offer to get me into the academy was indeed serious.

Moreover, it appeared she and Ethan had already made some preparations regarding my academy enrollment.

The academy…

Of course, if I could enroll as a noble as Seraphine suggested, nothing could be better.

Unlike enrolling as a commoner, noble status would allow me to join the Magic Department – Lilith’s true specialty.

This was undoubtedly a much better proposal than entering through other departments as previously discussed.

However, I couldn’t simply accept Seraphine’s offer at face value.

…Because I still couldn’t clearly discern her true intentions for wanting me at the academy.

“Princess Seraphine.”

“Yes, Miss Lilith?”

“If I may ask without being rude, could I pose one question about the academy enrollment?”

“By all means, Miss Lilith.”

“What exactly do you want from me after I enroll in the academy?”

“……”

Seraphine fell silent momentarily, as if my question had struck an unexpected chord.

Judging by this reaction, it seemed she had left various possibilities open regarding how to utilize me after enrollment.

“Most people usually ask me ‘how’ I can make it possible when I make such offers.”

“Pardon?”

“Yet here you are, Miss Lilith, asking what I would want from you after your enrollment.”

“……”

“Almost as if you already know getting you into the academy is well within my capabilities.”

…Well, of course I know.

This was the same Seraphine who had created an entire fictional viscount family just to send letters discreetly.

Making a baronet family under the radar would be barely more difficult than flipping her palm for her.

There were countless other methods too – creating special admission exams, transferring departments after enrollment using personal influence.

Frankly, as long as I could enter the Magic Department, I didn’t care which method was used.

“Luminor Academy” was fundamentally an academy-based game after all.

Like most academy-themed games, certain skills and magic could only be learned through classes, so I naturally wanted to enroll in the Magic Department if possible.

I’d only given up temporarily due to unfavorable circumstances.

If enrolling was possible, I was fully prepared to accept Princess Seraphine’s deal.

Even if the price was somewhat steep.

“If it weren’t possible, you wouldn’t have made the offer in the first place, Your Highness.”

“……”

“Is the reason difficult to explain, Princess Seraphine?”

“…No. I was just thinking I’ve chosen my person well.”

“Pardon?”

Seraphine nodded calmly at my question, then answered with a meaningful smile.

“What I would ask of you, Miss Lilith, once you enroll in the academy as a noble…”

“……”

“At present, nothing in particular.”

“……Pardon?”

“I simply wish for as many talented new students as possible to enroll in Luminor Academy next year. That includes you, Miss Lilith, and Prince Ethan.”

“……!”

“That’s the investment I’m making, Miss Lilith.”

…Right, this was always Seraphine’s character.

Someone who would charge forward without hesitation toward any possibility of saving more lives.

I felt almost ashamed for doubting such an absolute paragon of virtue. Everything Seraphine did had meaning.

With reasons presented this thoroughly, refusing would be rude. Though given Seraphine and Ethan’s preparations, refusal might not be easily accepted anyway.

“I understand, Princess Seraphine. Since you’ve offered to grant me noble status and assist my enrollment, I shall gladly accept your proposal.”

“No take-backs later.”

“I’m not foolish enough to lie before Her Highness.”

“I’ll send details by letter later – about your noble status, academy exam dates, and such.”

“Your thorough consideration leaves me nothing but grateful.”

“Nonsense. Compared to the lives you’ve saved, this is truly nothing.”

…That much was true.

Knowing the future where Agnes played my role made her words resonate deeper.

“For now, you’ll likely become the daughter of a baronet. With more time, we might have arranged a barony, but this was the most discreet option available.”

“For a commoner like me to gain even baronet status is more than I could ever repay.”

“Your family name will be Blackwood. Details will follow by letter.”

“Understood.”

“I must take my leave now. Don’t forget to check the letters from Viscount Peshinal to Prince Ethan, Miss Lilith.”

“I’ll be sure to.”

“This was delightful, Prince Ethan, Miss Lilith.”

“I-I feel the same!”

“Meeting Your Highness has been a true honor.”

“No need to see me out. I must depart immediately.”

As Ethan and I rose to escort her, Seraphine waved us back down insistently.

Only after confirming we’d reseated ourselves did she depart, leaving us no choice but to remain as she left.

The parlor now stood empty save for Ethan and myself.

“Young Master Ethan.”

“…Yes, maid?”

“Was granting me baronet status for academy enrollment… your idea?”

“Well… was it troublesome?”

“Not at all. For you to show such consideration to a mere maid… no amount of thanks would suffice.”

For once, I bowed sincerely as I expressed my gratitude.

Accepting my thanks, Ethan quietly explained how my enrollment came about.

“…I said it’d be a waste of your talent, so we’d make you from a Blackwood branch family to enroll in the Magic Department. As a commoner, that would’ve been impossible without Her Highness’s help.”

“I see.”

“If people learned a commoner maid could use magic, it might cause problems later. I also thought about you-oops.”

“…Is something wrong, Young Master? Did you almost say something you shouldn’t have…?”

“…No, I just realized I shouldn’t call you ‘maid’ anymore. Though you’re still my personal maid, soon your debts will be cleared as you join a Blackwood branch family. Then you won’t be my personal maid anymore.”

“Ah.”

…Right. Becoming a baronet’s daughter would mean resigning as Ethan’s maid.

No matter how minor the noble house, having a noble daughter serve as a young lord’s personal maid would raise numerous issues.

While minor nobles sometimes sent family members to serve higher houses to demonstrate loyalty, certain positions like a male noble’s personal maid were unofficially off-limits.

Such intimate service would inevitably involve seeing private moments – sleeping, changing clothes, bathing.

For noble daughters especially, this could jeopardize marriage prospects.

Moreover, sending a branch family daughter as a main family heir’s personal maid could be misconstrued as political maneuvering.

…Wait a minute.

This might be problematic.

If I resign as Ethan’s maid to become some nonexistent baronet’s daughter at the academy…

What happens then?

A baronet in name only, with no power, connections, or social presence as I’d never participated in noble circles.

Entering the academy alone in such state would undoubtedly…

‘I’m fucked.’

Only now did I fully grasp my predicament.

Simply receiving “noble status” from Ethan and Seraphine wouldn’t guarantee survival at the academy.

And to survive, I couldn’t remain as I was.

“…I’ll miss it. My maid no longer being my maid. Though you’ll still live with us…”

“…Young Master Ethan. This may be presumptuous, but might I make one small request?”

“A request? …Go ahead.”

“Could I possibly continue as your personal maid… until we graduate from the academy?”

“……Huh?”

Though Ethan’s eyes widened at my sudden proposal, my resolve was dead serious.

To survive at the academy with mere baronet status, I would still need Ethan’s support.