—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Peace, no matter how brief, always seemed to breed boredom.
I was someone who thrived on excitement, traversing the continent in search of new experiences.
So naturally, the monotonous routine of daily life was unbearable.
The previous week had been eventful, to say the least, with the labyrinth exploration and Rain’s absurd paralysis – a story perfect for late-night drinking sessions.
Then there was the incident with Sola… showing her what I had been hiding…
But this week… this week was shaping up to be a complete snoozefest.
Lectures, staring blankly into space, physical training… rinse and repeat.
Of course, it wasn’t completely devoid of interesting moments.
There were times when Sola would avert her gaze, with a flicker of something unreadable in her eyes.
Or when I almost got caught by Tolman when sneaking around at dawn, bandages in hand, trying to discreetly dispose of the bloodstained bedsheets.
His casual “Where are you going with that at this hour?” sent chills down my spine.
I mumbled something about a nosebleed and slipped away.
…What?
That was the best I could come up with?
Nosebleeds happen!
It’s perfectly natural!
Anyway, aside from those minor incidents, my days were filled with nothing but peace and quiet.
Rain was her usual self, diligently conducting lectures.
Combat training was fun, but only once a week.
It was beyond boring to think I had to endure six whole days just for that one day of excitement.
I was seriously considering dropping out and going on an adventure, when a particularly juicy rumor began to circulate.
“Did you hear? Princess Mersen of the Promius Empire is coming to Hidin!”
The Promius Empire… hearing that name brought back memories of my time there… a few months ago…
“Wait, isn’t the Second Princess super famous?”
“Yeah, she’s a genius, crazy talented in magic… saved the Empire and all that… and apparently, she’s drop-dead gorgeous.”
I sighed internally, rolling my eyes at the male student emphasizing her beauty while the girls around him giggled, but I kept my mouth shut.
The rumors had spread far and wide, even to a completely different country.
Well, she was in the news all the time; it would be more strange not to know about her.
And those weren’t just baseless rumors, there were photos and everything.
“Don’t believe everything you hear” didn’t apply here; her beauty was undeniable.
How to describe it…?
My vocabulary seemed utterly insufficient.
No words could do her justice, her beauty was almost ethereal.
Even hidden behind these bandages, I could sense her radiant aura, and it made me nervous.
The Second Princess’s visit was a huge deal.
Unlike her siblings, who were busy with diplomacy and such, she rarely made public appearances, preferring to keep to herself, engaging only in the occasional social event within the Empire.
For her to travel to another country… it was an event that sent ripples throughout the continent.
It wasn’t difficult to guess why she was here.
She must have heard that Sola was now teaching at Hidin’s academy.
Princess Mersen was known to be fascinated by magic, with a bit of a whimsical streak, so it wasn’t entirely out of character.
Sola was practically a recluse, hidden away in her tower, so the princess probably couldn’t resist the opportunity to meet her face-to-face.
“When is she arriving?”
“I think… today… anytime now…?”
Just as that sentence left the student’s mouth, a wave of cheers erupted from the central courtyard.
Even without looking, I knew.
The Princess had arrived.
It was break time anyway, so I joined the throng of students rushing towards the courtyard.
The entire student body and faculty had gathered, mesmerized.
At the center of it all stood a young woman, surrounded by ten guards.
Mersen Lumien Promius, Second Princess of the Promius Empire.
She exuded the same captivating aura I remembered, greeting everyone with a bright smile and a graceful wave as she made her way towards the academy’s main building.
Despite the crowd slowing her progress, she maintained a leisurely pace, seemingly unbothered by the attention.
I had spent a considerable amount of time in the Empire, we were even acquainted to some degree.
We had enjoyed a pleasant few days together at the Imperial Palace.
But it had been a while…
As the princess of a powerful empire, she was undoubtedly busy, and it was highly unlikely she’d remember me.
I blended in with the crowd, cheering and waving like a starstruck student excited to be graced by royalty.
It didn’t occur to me that my bandaged eyes might seem strange.
They had become such a part of me that I hadn’t given them a second thought.
“…Ah.”
A beautiful voice, like a ripple across a still lake, silenced the excited chatter.
The once restless crowd fell silent, their attention laser-focused on a single point.
“Hero…”
No, it wasn’t a ripple.
It was a tidal wave.
Mersen was pushing past her guards, heading straight towards me, towards the small space I occupied within the crowd.
“Excuse me, please. Just a moment.”
She politely apologized, clearing a path through the stunned students.
I tried to step aside, to melt back into the crowd…
“Hero, it’s so good to see you again.”
Her words, honeyed and warm, were accompanied by a gentle warmth that enveloped my hand as she reached out and took it in hers.
“Huh?”
Hero?
That title… it didn’t belong anywhere near me.
And that scent… lavender?
It was intoxicating, almost dizzying.
“I’m not a Hero…”
“To me, you are.”
She spoke slowly, deliberately, her gaze unwavering.
Flustered, I tried to pull my hand away…
…Tried to…
Where did she get her strength from?
Did she even leave her room to study?
I pulled my arm back, veins bulging, but it wouldn’t budge.
I gave up before I dislocated my elbow.
An eerie silence descended, like the calm before a storm.
Everyone was frozen, afraid to move, afraid to breathe.
Then, someone approached.
“Greetings, Your Highness. I am Rain Garden, Headmaster of this academy, and it’s an honor to meet you.”
“Ah, Lady Rain Garden. A pleasure to meet you. I am Mersen Lumien Promius, Second Princess of the Promius Empire.”
Rain bowed her head in greeting, and Mersen responded in kind.
As expected of the First Hero, her reputation preceded her.
So, about letting go of my hand?
A student sandwiched between the Hero and a foreign princess… it was a bit awkward, to say the least.
“Are you acquainted with this student?” Rain asked.
“Yes, this is the Hero who saved my life, and the Empire.”
No, I’m not a Hero.
And I certainly didn’t do anything as grand as saving the entire Empire…
Of course, I wasn’t about to contradict her to her face.
Rain, sensing my discomfort, stepped closer.
“Your Highness, perhaps it would be best to… let go of the student’s hand. I’m sure you understand that… such close contact between a princess and a student could lead to… unwanted rumors.”
“Fufu, thank you for your concern. But it’s quite alright. I’m rather good at keeping secrets, you see. I doubt even Lady Rain Garden knows the full story of how the Empire was saved.”
“That may be true, but… did you have a hand in… concealing the truth?”
“I was merely honoring the Hero’s request.”
Mersen turned back to me and whispered, her voice barely audible.
“I kept my promise. Everything about your involvement… it’s been erased. And if you wish… this incident can disappear as well.”
“Ah… please do.”
“Don’t sound so distant. Talk to me like you used to.”
Easier said than done.
I wasn’t about to suddenly switch to informal speech with a princess, especially with the entire student body watching.
Besides, Mersen was as unpredictable as ever.
Just like back then, when she disguised herself as a common adventurer, claiming she was “testing out her magic” and insisted on joining our party.
“Cadet? Perhaps you could enlighten us? It’s always a pleasure to discover that a member of our esteemed academy has such a positive connection to the Empire. While my teleportation magic is still a work in progress…”
Rain would have smiled, I was sure of it.
With a final word, she cast a rather lengthy teleportation spell, whisking us away.
The world blurred around me, and the next thing I knew, I was sitting on the sofa in Rain’s office.
Beside me sat Mersen, her grip on my arm still firm.
She must have lived a life of luxury; her touch was soft, yet surprisingly strong.
It wasn’t unpleasant, but having my arm wedged between a princess’s… well, that was a recipe for disaster, so I’d really prefer it if she let go.
“Now then, what seems to be the matter? Oh, before that, may I ask the reason for your visit?” Rain asked.
“I heard that Lady Al Sola had joined this academy as a professor.” Mersen replied.
“In that case, I can call for her…”
“But it seems I’ve stumbled upon something far more interesting.”
To dismiss a meeting with the continent’s greatest mage so casually…
This princess… She was something else.
“I had no idea the Hero was enrolled here… Hero, did you know… I’ve thought about our journey together… countless times…”
You think I’m some kind of mind reader?
Just as I was about to retort, Rain appeared with a tray of cookies and tea, the aroma filling the room.
I recognized those cookies instantly – my favorite.
“Your Highness, would you mind explaining what happened?” Rain asked.
“…Is it alright with you?” Mersen asked, turning to me.
I wasn’t hiding anything, so I nodded.
Mersen finally released my arm and began to speak, her hands clasped together like a child sharing a dream
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
