Episode 121: Daily Life of a Female Royal Academy Student (From Lily’s Perspective)
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After finishing breakfast, Lecty and I headed to the lounge in the Royal Academy’s school building. The reason being that before breakfast, Rouge came out of the cafeteria and called me out, saying, “I have something important to talk about.”
On holidays, there are hardly any people in the school building, and only the sound of our footsteps echoes in the silent corridor. The lounge we were heading to was soundproof and valued by students and school officials alike as a place to have important conversations that couldn’t be leaked outside.
“Rouge-san said she had something important to talk about, right…? I wonder what it could be…”
“Indeed…”
A topic that could only be discussed in the Royal Academy’s lounge. And most importantly, Hugh wasn’t there.
He was currently at the Adventurers Guild with the Idiot. Both Hugh and I thought Rouge would say, “I’m going too!” but contrary to our expectations, Rouge readily sent Hugh off.
That’s probably because she wants to talk to us, right…?
A topic that couldn’t be discussed with Hugh present, and that could only be discussed with us. There were a few things that came to mind, but the main point was that both Lecty and I knew Rouge’s true identity.
Lucretia von Reese, the Seventh Princess of the Kingdom of Reese. A member of this country’s royalty, who was attending the Royal Academy while concealing her identity and gender due to the Succession War of her real older brother, Prince Lucas.
That was his… no, her true identity.
Lecty had received a direct explanation from Prince Lucas during the incident at the Grand Cathedral the other day. Aside from Hugh, we were the only students at this academy who knew Lucretia’s secret.
The fact that she called us meant that it was safe to assume she wanted to talk as Lucretia, not as Rouge. Considering that she chose a place without Hugh, and that it was a topic she could only discuss with us because we were both female and knew her secret, the answer naturally became clear.
“…I’m pregnant.”
“Eeeeeeeeh!??”
“Shh! Lecty, keep your voice down!”
“S-sorry… Well, I can’t help but raise my voice…!”
Lecty, who had started to apologize, shook her head and gave me a reproachful look. Recently, she had finally started to be less reserved with me, or rather, she had started to treat me as an equal. I really wanted her to stop using honorifics, but it seemed like that would still take some time.
“S-so, if you’re pregnant, does that mean the father is Hugh-san…?”
“No doubt about it. There’s no way that child would allow any man other than Hugh to touch her.”
“B-but, I can’t imagine Hugh doing something like that…”
“Think about it, Lecty. Hugh loves that child, doesn’t he?”
I had warned him during the announcement of the exam results, but Hugh was a boy too. Two months had passed since then. If he continued to live in the same small dormitory room with the person he loved, it wouldn’t be strange if his reason couldn’t suppress his impulses somewhere along the line.
“I’d rather praise him for enduring it so well. I would have pinned her down within a week.”
“Isn’t that just because Lily-chan is more faithful to her desires…?”
“Anyway, the mistake that has been made cannot be undone. What we should consider is what to do from now on…”
If it was discovered that she was pregnant, it would be unavoidable that it would develop into a huge uproar. It would affect the Succession War, and more importantly, Hugh and Lucretia would be in danger.
If we were to escape, it would be to the Pnosis Territory… no, pursuers would eventually be sent. It would be ideal to defect to another country or fake her death. We can’t rely on Prince Lucas or Father, so the number of collaborators is limited. It’s important to know how far Idiot’s and Rosalie’s connections can go.
After that, it would be ideal if we could somehow persuade Alissa-sensei to become our ally… or rather, wouldn’t it be better to make full use of Hugh’s Brainwashing Skill and make the Pnosis Territory independent as a country?
Pnosis Kingdom. Yes, that has a nice ring to it.
“Um, Lily-chan. We’ve arrived at the lounge…?”
“Oh, when did that happen?”
I had arrived at the lounge without realizing it while thinking about national administration. When I knocked on the door three times, it was opened from the inside. Alissa-sensei was the one who appeared.
“Oh, welcome, Lady Lily and Lady Lecty.”
“Good morning, Alissa-sensei. Is Rouge inside?”
“She’s been waiting for you. Well, I’ll be around here. If anything happens, shout loudly, okay? I’ll rush over right away.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Alissa-sensei left the room as we entered. Lucretia, who was sitting on the Sofa, greeted us as we entered the lounge.
“Sorry for calling you so suddenly, Lily, Lecty. Please, have a seat?”
Urged by Lucretia, Lecty and I sat down on the Sofa opposite her.
“Thanks for coming, both of you.”
“You’re welcome. More importantly, you said you had something important to talk about.”
“Could something have happened with Hugh-san…?”
“W-well, um… you see…”
Lucretia looked troubled, her eyes shaking with anxiety.
I knew it, she’s pregnant…!
I couldn’t help but gulp and clench my fists tightly. I searched for the words I should say to Lucretia, who seemed to have a hard time saying it, as a friend and childhood friend. The first thing that came to mind was words of blessing.
That’s right, it’s a life that we’ve been blessed with. No matter how many hardships lie ahead, we should first congratulate her.
“Congratulations, Tia.”
I deliberately used her childhood name to offer her my congratulations.
“Fueh?”
Lucretia made a silly sound and tilted her head in confusion.
“Umm… Lily, my birthday is next month…?”
“Yes, I know. You don’t have to hide it, Tia. We’ll always be on your side, no matter what happens.”
“O-okay… Thank you…? By the way, what kind of misunderstanding are you having, Lily?”
“You’re pregnant with Hugh’s child, right?”
“I’m not!?”
It seemed like she wasn’t pregnant after all. Well, yeah, I guess so. It’s Hugh after all. I felt relieved, but at the same time, I felt a little uneasy about the future…?
“Honestly,” Lucretia said, her cheeks flushed red, and sighed in exasperation.
“What do you think I am, Lily? I have that much sense.”
“Sorry, I was half-joking.”
“You were half-serious…!”
“More importantly, if you’re not pregnant, then what’s the important thing you wanted to talk about?”
Surely she didn’t call Lecty and me to the lounge just to chat. Lucretia’s expression told the story of how serious it was.
“Well, um… you see…”
Lucretia clasped her hands tightly in front of her chest as if to suppress her anxiety, and then leaned forward with a determined look and asked.
“What should I do to make Hugh think I’m attractive!?”
” “………………Huh?” “