Opening day of the fall semester.
In front of the main gate of the Seymour mansion, two four-wheeled carriages with the seal of the double-headed snake were waiting.
As soon as Enrique, who was walking neatly towards the carriage, saw me, he ran quickly, his hair fluttering.
"Hi."
Enrique tapped his feet at my casual greeting and moved his lips.
"Good morning, Sister."
Enrique was still a little shy like this.
However, he did not act defensively by putting up his thorns as he did before.
Perhaps because he wasn't erecting his pricks like a hedgehog, I could feel a slight relaxation in his posture and expression.
"Enrique."
"Yes?"
"Come over in the afternoon to eat chocolate. I got it as a gift from the Imperial Princess."
Enrique's cheeks turned red, and he nodded.
As I waved my hand slightly while inside the carriage, Enrique stuck his face close to the window and waved his small hand as if to respond.
Soon the carriage set off towards the academy.
The carriage that crossed the private road for the high nobility stopped in front of the main building; and as I got off, I witnessed the miracle of the crowd splitting from side to side like the Red Sea, as I did before.
Like the first time I arrived at the academy, the ladies and gentlemen hurriedly looked away when they met my eyes.
But when I turned my gaze to somewhere else, I could feel their blatant gaze touching my cheeks.
‘For some reason, they seem to be more interested than before.'
No, rather than being interested like before, it felt like they were avoiding me because I was terrible.
And I soon found out why.
[Congratulations to Princess Deborah, the top student at the Academy. – Epsilon members]
It must be because of the banner hanging there.
‘I think I know who did it.'
The 5th Princess' excessive favor was so burdensome it made me feel nauseated, but a slight exclamation burst out from Margaret's mouth.
"Just like my father said."
"… What did he say?"
"He said that although the Princess is such a humble person that she has not revealed her abilities to everyone, she will soon be the one to bloom the most splendidly in the social world."
‘The aide had me on such a high pedestal?'
It's surprising, but it doesn't feel bad.
"It is an honor to serve a magnificent person up close."
She saluted me with a slightly moved expression.
‘Yeah, let's be positive.'
Thanks to the 5th Princess' favor, I was able to look like a competent employer to my new maid.
And there's no reason to hide being the top student when it's something to brag about.
The problem was that I wasn't very happy to receive attention, but it was fine because this face didn't show any nervousness.
‘It feels like I keep improving my self-justifications. It must be just my feeling.'
I rubbed my eyes, feeling tired already.
***
After the opening of the semester.
A big tea party was held in the living room of the Omicron frat house, amid the stir caused by the princess being the overall top student.
The tea party was actively hosted and held on a large scale by Emmanuelle Serig, the 2nd daughter of the Duke of Serig and the center of the Omicron sorority.
Since it was a lavish tea party, there was laughter from the beginning, followed by admiration for the scent of the tea and compliments about Princess Emmanuelle's discernment.
The Serig family was prestigious for their wealth and power. They frequently produced empresses and were also a representative family of the Senate.
From teacups to small teaspoons, there was nothing that wasn't luxurious, as it was prepared under the supervision of Princess Emmanuelle.
The young ladies that were sitting at the long table and exchanging stories about their situations and recent trends, expanded the topic of the conversation more and more boldly as the atmosphere reached its peak.
"Did you hear the news? Princess Deborah was the overall top student last semester."
Everyone there had an unsatisfied reaction.
Emmanuelle Serig put the teacup down lightly.
"The tea was brewed a little thicker."
As she silently expressed her mood while frowning, a young lady quickly read the atmosphere and opened her mouth.
"The wizards are in a mood to acknowledge the Princess. I don't know about being the top of the department, but I can't understand how she can be the overall top student."
"Exactly. Her thesis can't be actively used in other fields, and she also hasn't been actively engaged in external activities like Lady Mia."
"Lady Mia. I heard the Bishop acknowledged your divine power?"
"I-It's not that amazing."
"I don't think excessive humility is good at times."
"You should also think about how the lady who praised you felt."
"Ah, yes… I'm sorry."
Although she had an appearance that aroused a protective instinct, such a poor appearance was not very helpful in this place.
Because there was no one to stand up for her.
Although they accepted her in the meeting because she was the savior of the Montez family and because of the rumors that she was valued in the temple, the ladies thought that it was inappropriate for Mia Vinoche to be among the good families.
In the original work, Mia was recognized for donating her scholarship, and Emmanuelle was trying to make her own image better by sponsoring her, but the original work had already turned upside down.
"Do the wizards genuinely acknowledge the Princess' work?"
Princess Emmanuelle, who was sipping her tea in an impeccably elegant manner, suddenly asked.
"… A wizard I know said that the formula wasn't that great. He said its practicality is limited to battle wizards."
"Princess Deborah is of Seymour blood and the daughter of the Lord of the Wizardry Association, so there's no doubt that the wizards have pushed her even further."
"No wonder, she's the only daughter of the Lord of the Association, how can the wizards under him have any other choice?"
The ladies quickly grasped Emmanuelle's intentions and expressed their agreement.
"Hmm. So that's the situation."
Emmanuelle, who spoke conclusively, put a spoonful of sugar in the bitter tea, uttered a faint murmur, and then opened her mouth again.
"The result is a little disappointing. It would be nice if we could set up the criteria for evaluation from various angles."
"It's disappointing. Personality and sophistication are also important, obviously."
"Princess Deborah's personality is really… Gosh."
At that moment, Mia's hand trembled and she spilled a bit of the hot tea. Emmanuelle looked at her with strange eyes and clicked her tongue.
"Ah, Lady Mia must be a little uncomfortable because we keep talking about Princess Deborah."
Mia's shoulders shrugged weakly.
"Is it true that the Princess harassed Lady Mia last semester? I heard you even bled."
She didn't say anything.
"Oh my."
Emmanuelle picked up the teacup, muttering in pity.
As if agreeing, they all rambled over how badly Princess Deborah's personality was.
‘But it's so uncomfortable'
Though the club's public opinion about Princess Deborah was going as she intended, Emmanuelle couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.
Since Princess Deborah was not even a target to keep in check in the first place, it was unpleasant for this situation to have happened.
The Seymour's ruffian, full of vanity.
‘She had no dignity at all.'
As the person who used to be looked down on and laughed at became the topic of discussion, it began to sting and irritate her like a thorn in her neck.
‘Things have been a little strange since the Flower Festival.'
At some point, rather than laughing at and ignoring her, the ladies began to be very jealous of Princess Deborah.
Emmanuelle hinted that forcing a dress code on a partner was something unsophisticated, but no one listened to her.
Most of them were firmly determined to match outfits with their partners like Princess Deborah at the next ball.
‘I can't believe such a frivolous look is fashionable.'
Emmanuelle frowned.
She wanted a strict noblewoman to come forward and criticize her and stop the Princess' eccentricity, but most of them were just watching from a distance, perhaps because they were reluctant to engage with a bad-tempered princess.
Meanwhile, Princess Deborah entered Epsilon with the support of the 5th Princess and even became the top of the academy, climbing to a position that she couldn't ignore.
Emmanuelle and Deborah were both princesses from prestigious families, and their status was similar.
They were even the same age and were about to make their debutante at the same time, so she was even more irritated.
She bit the inside of her mouth tightly and then released it.
