End of the First Year
“Would you please be my partner for my graduation party?”
He wasn’t wearing his usual forced smile; instead, he looked at me with a serious expression, tinged with a hint of nervousness. I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously.
What could be his intention with this? Mikhail Melrose… grandson of the Margrave of Melrose, who is also the Prime Minister. If things proceed smoothly, he’ll inherit both positions in a few decades, making him a crucial figure for the kingdom.
As a high-ranking noble, he should have plenty of invitations, and he ought to know the implications of inviting a woman of his age to the Magic Academy’s graduation party.
“I’d prefer if you didn’t jest, Melrose-sama.”
“This isn’t a jest! I’m serious.”
“…”
Nominally, I’m the daughter of a baronial house, a mid-ranking noble. But originally, I was merely the adopted daughter of a baronet, a low-ranking noble. Whether he’s being whimsical or serious, if he makes someone like me his partner, at best, the branch families of the Melrose Family wouldn’t stay silent.
The Melrose Family itself… no, that Prime Minister might go as far as silencing those around him to bring me into his fold.
“…Could you come over here, please?”
“Understood.”
At my words, Mikhail-sama stood up, a pleased expression on his face. Although this area had little foot traffic, it was a passageway facing the royal castle’s courtyard. If someone were to cross the courtyard, seeing him kneeling before a royal palace maid wouldn’t be good for him, let alone me.
Stepping into the shadow of a pillar, hidden from the courtyard, I turned back and looked closely into the eyes of Mikhail-sama, who was half a head taller than me.
“So? What are you scheming?”
“I’m not scheming anything!?”
Mikhail-sama flustered at my question, as I had suddenly dropped my maid-like way of speaking.
“Then why me?”
“That’s…”
As I pressed closer, his face, which I now had to look up at, hurriedly turned away. …Suspicious.
“H-Hey, it’s troubling if you get that close.”
“Troubling?”
As Mikhail-sama tried to squirm away, I used my Escort Maid Martial Arts to press a hand against his chest, cornering him against the wall. For some reason, he made a strange face, a mixture of complex emotions.
Even if I am the princess’s escort, for the adopted daughter of a baronial house to corner a high-ranking noble like this is disrespectful, to say the least. But unfortunately for him, I’ve received permission from his grandfather, the head of the Shadow Unit, to be excused for a certain degree of such actions.
If we’re talking about the Shadow Unit, Mikhail-sama would technically be family, but like the traitor Grave, some people can act unpredictably based on their ideologies.
“Chigau, I’m not thinking anything strange. …It’s just that,”
Mikhail-sama averted his gaze from me again, as I glared at him from up close, and covered his face with one hand.
“Everything… I’m serious about it all. Believe me…”
“…”
From his demeanor, I judged he wasn’t lying, and I pondered the meaning of his words.
“No way, you’re serious?”
“I’ve been telling you I am!”
I truly hadn’t thought he was serious. I still don’t quite understand romantic affairs, but I know of them through my “knowledge.” That’s precisely why I didn’t understand.
Mikhail-sama hadn’t been instigated by his grandfather, nor was he trying to recruit me as a fighting force, nor was he trying to use Elena-sama. He was genuinely inviting a woman like me, an adventurer, to be his partner.
To be honest, I was happy that he acknowledged me as a person. I felt that he himself, as an individual, could be trusted. However… the Melrose Family is the very embodiment of the “nobility” I’ve been avoiding all this time in my fight against fate.
“I think you understand, but I’m at the academy as Elena-sama’s escort. And I believe you also understand the implications of making the princess’s maid your partner, don’t you?”
“That… I understand. But I also believe I understand that Elvan’s current state is not good.”
“…Mm.”
As Mikhail-sama’s focus shifted slightly, I prompted him to continue.
“I… as a friend, I hoped he would come to his senses. Rockwell and I tried to admonish him many times. But it was no use. Just like that viscount’s daughter, neither His Highness Amor nor Nasanitar would listen to us from the start.”
“…”
It’s not a matter of comprehension. People prioritize words from those they favor, and they listen to words that contradict those with initial denial, so they don’t accept them. That’s why nobles need to gather a lot of information and make their own judgments.
But… people only try to listen to words that are pleasant to hear.
“That’s when I decided. If His Highness intends to stand, then I will support him.”
“…As the Melrose Family?”
“At the very least, my thoughts and those of the family head are aligned.”
I see… So, the Melrose Family believes that if the Crown Prince recovers, it would be good for His Majesty as well. However, if Elena-sama decides to “stand,” they will follow her.
I’ve thought so since we first met, but he’s a man you can’t let your guard down around.
In short, regardless of his true intentions for inviting me, he chose me as his partner as a noble, in deciding the future factions.
Conversely, if that’s the meaning, it’s easier to understand. In that case, there’s no need to hold back.
I released my hand from him, took some distance, and put on a faint, professional smile. Mikhail-sama showed a tense expression.
“Well then, Melrose-sama. We will be heading to the knights’ training grounds now, so would you mind accompanying us for a bit?”
＊＊＊
The first month of winter, with the year’s end approaching. As usual, the Royal Magic Academy’s graduation party was held at the royal castle.
Only nobles of baronial rank or higher and their associates could attend the party held at the royal castle. The most numerous lower-ranking nobles, baronets and below, were probably having a casual time at a venue within the academy, unconstrained by their status.
Of course, lower-ranking nobles engaged to mid-ranking nobles could also enter the royal castle, but they were few in number and tended to gather in the corners of the venue.
I understood why the lower-ranking nobles stayed in the corners, as Sera-san had taught me. A single dress or formal suit for a high-ranking noble costs several large gold coins. I imagine some lower-ranking nobles might overextend themselves for this once-in-a-lifetime grand occasion, but even a dress worth a few gold coins would still look inferior here.
As I was thinking about such things, Elena-sama looked at me and smiled quietly.
“Well then, let’s go, Aria.”
“Understood.”
“And to you two as well, I’m counting on you.”
“”Yes, Ma’am!””
One reason the lower-ranking nobles felt intimidated was that the Royal Guard handled security for the venue, and not only did important figures like the Prime Minister and the Commander of the Knightly Order attend, but even His Majesty the King and Her Highness the Queen Consort made an appearance.
Other members of the royal family might also show their faces, but their attendance was mostly optional. The duties of royalty are diverse, and even now, in another location, Elena-sama’s biological mother, the Second Queen, was likely scrutinizing information from the assembled nobles, in place of the Queen Consort who could only attend ceremonies.
The Second Queen rarely appeared where the Queen Consort was present, but… right now, that was rather fortunate.
“Her Highness, the First Princess Elena, is now entering!”
As we entered through the door reserved for royalty, the venue fell silent for a moment, then immediately buzzed with excitement.
Perhaps it was a whim of the Queen Consort, or perhaps because she had entered earlier with His Majesty, but upon seeing us, the Queen Consort, who was seated, slightly lifted herself from her seat.
The reason attendance by royalty other than His Majesty the King, who offers words of praise, is optional is because, ultimately, the young people graduating from the academy are the main focus of this event. That’s why a reason is needed to participate, and the Crown Prince, who hasn’t received the “education” to find such a reason, still hasn’t left the royal palace even after returning from the Dungeon.
And the two “friend” retainers, placed by the royal family as his aides to compensate for his shortcomings, were here now.
Mikhail Melrose, grandson of the Prime Minister and of the great noble Melrose Family.
Rockwell Dandole, son of the Commander of the Knightly Order and of the great noble Dandole Family.
The two aides, who were supposed to become key figures in the era when the Crown Prince became king, were accompanying the First Princess, Elena-sama, causing confusion among the nobles in the venue.
His Majesty the King, aware of this, showed no change in expression at Elena-sama’s actions. However, the Queen Consort, the Crown Prince’s biological mother, didn’t understand what was happening and looked towards His Majesty, only to receive a gaze of slight pity in return.
“Your Majesty, Your Highness the Queen Consort, I trust you are well.”
“It is fine, Elena. This is a celebratory occasion. You should enjoy it to the fullest.”
“As you wish. Then, if you’ll excuse us.”
Her conversation with His Majesty concluded, Elena-sama ignored the Queen Consort’s inquisitive gaze, turned, and offered her hand, which I took.
Elena-sama and I were not participating as partners to Mikhail-sama and Rockwell-sama.
I participated in my maid uniform, and I was the one who had escorted Elena-sama thus far.
This time, Elena-sama was not participating as a partner to a graduate, but as a “master” for the two graduates she had newly taken on as aides.
The purpose this time was to fulfill the wishes of all of us.
Mikhail-sama and Rockwell-sama had wished for us as partners, but Elena-sama, thinking it was a bad move to decide on fiancés at this stage, first granted half of Rockwell-sama’s wish.
If he became Elena’s aide, his desire to be in a position to protect her would be fulfilled, and even if he wasn’t her fiancé, he would be seen as the closest man to her. From that point on, whether to choose the princess or the crown prince would be a matter for the Dandole Family.
Mikhail, whom I encountered on my way to the knights’ training grounds to convey this, was also brought directly to Elena’s side. Although I am participating as the princess’s lady-in-waiting, if they are both aides, there’s no problem with them being seen as close.
And so, Elena made it known to many nobles that she had welcomed the two as her aides, demonstrating ‘political power surpassing the Crown Prince’ by bringing the two influential families, pillars of the state, into her fold.
She showed the nobles that she would depose Elvan as Crown Prince and become the next queen herself.
“…To not understand the meaning of this… a queen’s education truly is important, isn’t it?”
The only ones in this place who couldn’t understand Elena’s faintly whispered words were probably the graduates from middle-ranking noble families and the Queen Consort. It is precisely because vast knowledge and culture are necessary to guide the people that a fiancée for the Crown Prince is chosen from a young age.
“Well then, shall we proceed? To our ‘battlefield.'”
“””Yes.”””
In the center, where the graduates were hesitating, Elena danced with Roakwell, and I danced with Mikhail. The stars of this occasion were the two graduates, but the higher-ranking nobles didn’t see it that way. And those two, seeing Elena declare her stance, also decided of their own volition to serve her.
And my wish… I was able to make it known to the nobles that ‘I’ was by the princess’s side.
After a while, His Majesty withdrew to the inner parts of the castle with the Queen Consort, and the nobles gathered in their respective factions, discussing something. Roakwell and Mikhail also temporarily left to speak with their family members, and at the high-ranking nobles’ seats, which everyone kept a wide berth from, Elena suddenly spoke.
“…Aria, are you alright with this?”
“Yes.”
I am the ‘bait’ to draw out those who are targeting Elena.
Any noble capable of gathering a certain amount of information should have realized about me. They will eventually learn about the Dragon Slayer as well, but for that reason, I was also wearing the magic tool I received as a reward, which obstructs appraisal.
That’s why I think Elena is worried about me, but…
“I’ll be fine.”
“…I believe you. More than anyone.”
Elena quietly nodded at my words, which were but a brief reassurance.
From now on, not only the noble faction that realized they couldn’t make Elena their puppet, but also a part of the royalist faction supporting the Crown Prince, and various foreign countries aiming to weaken the kingdom will likely target her.
I will eliminate all enemies who target Elena. Until then, I have no intention of losing to anyone ever again.
Even if this body becomes stained with the blood of my enemies—
The messy drama part is finally over!
Well, it will continue to some extent, but with this, Aria can finally make her move (if you catch my drift).
It was a graduation event that wasn’t sweet at all.
In the otome game, if you chose Mikhail or Roakwell, this would be the ending.
Starting next time, it’s the second-year student part.
Thank you for your continued support.