ILRP 02

Chapter 2

The Royal Academy of the neutral nation of Swena was fair to everyone.

That meant anyone was given the opportunity to take the entrance exam, and as long as they passed, they could enroll. It also meant that regardless of a student’s background, they would be treated the same as any other student.

A place where one could enter solely through individual ability, without regard for status or origin.

Even so, the majority of admitted students still came from the upper class. After all, the privilege of education itself was granted only to a select few.

In any case, within the Royal Academy, even if a student were royalty or imperial blood, they were not treated any differently from others.

Princess Elizia was no exception. Unless physically unable, all students were required to live in dormitories, two to a room.

Her assigned roommate was a woman who had enrolled a year before her—a rare commoner within the academy, and the daughter of a wealthy merchant from the Empire.

Sophie Windeker. The second imperial she had met.

Unlike Lakan—her direct senior and the worst kind of imperial—Sophie was someone Elizia found quite likable.

Thanks to that, after about a week of living together, they had grown close enough to exchange light conversations.

“Elizia, have a good first class.”

“Yes! I’m really looking forward to it!”

Elizia replied with sparkling eyes as she brushed her hair.

The Royal Academy of Swena—a place everyone dreamed of entering. And today, at last, she would attend her first class.

Although she wasn’t thrilled that her first class was a general course she had to take with Lakan, she didn’t care much at the moment.

“But Elizia… your direct senior is Lakan… you said?”

“…Yes. It just kind of happened.”

“Lakan.” She didn’t even know his surname. She hadn’t bothered to ask, nor did she want to.

He was from an enemy nation, and his first impression had been terrible. She wasn’t curious about even the smallest detail about him.

If anything, she would rather have had the Empire’s crown prince, Nobilia Herbe Karund, as her senior instead.

Just thinking of Lakan made her face wrinkle in irritation. As she frowned, Sophie’s voice reached her.

“Your direct senior being Lakan… what was the headmaster thinking? Anyway, people are going to be very wary. Be careful.”

“Wary?”

Elizia looked at Sophie, confused.

Instead of answering, Sophie simply smiled as if to say, you’ll find out soon enough.

“Well, you’ll see. Anyway, have a good class.”

“Yes. See you later, senior.”

With that, Elizia gathered a few books. It was about time to head out.

—

As she walked down the pale marble corridor, Elizia found herself thinking about Lakan again—her direct senior, whom she would soon meet.

Her expression twisted unconsciously.

Even though several days had passed, she couldn’t forget him easily. It was the first time she had met someone so absurdly narcissistic.

“Stop trying anything funny.”

Funny? The one who needed to stop thinking such things wasn’t her—it was him.

Her goal was simple: to study hard for three years and become a perfect queen for the Kingdom of Ortigia.

There was no room in that plan for entertaining or engaging with some strange imperial man.

“…So that’s why.”

Elizia stared ahead with a strange expression.

At the front of the classroom, the professor, hair neatly tied back, was lecturing while moving a magical pen.

But instead of focusing on her, Elizia’s gaze kept drifting to Lakan’s back, seated two rows ahead.

Broad, sturdy shoulders. A straight posture. And…

The spectacle of dresses surrounding him.

“Hmm.”

Resting her chin on one hand, Elizia turned her attention back to the professor.

The first class was Introduction to Ancient History.

Not exactly her preference. Elizia favored modern and contemporary history over distant, obscure ancient events.

She was only attending because Lakan was taking the class.

As his direct junior, she was required to attend several general courses alongside him, and this was one of them.

And now, she finally understood—through firsthand experience—why Lakan was so narcissistic, why he had accused her of “trying something,” and what Sophie meant by people being wary.

It was before class had begun, when Elizia entered the lecture hall lined with marble desks.

She saw it immediately.

Lakan was surrounded—front, back, and sides—by an array of soft, elegant dresses.

Suddenly, his arrogance made a bit more sense. Even his absurd warning about her intentions felt somewhat understandable.

He was like a flower surrounded by other beautiful flowers.

—

Was it because she had stayed up in excitement for her first class? Or because the professor’s voice was slow and soothing?

Elizia struggled desperately to keep her eyes open.

But the more she fought it, the more she ended up glaring sharply at the professor with half-lidded eyes.

“Elizia.”

Perhaps sensing her intense gaze, the professor turned and called her name.

“Yes!”

Startled, Elizia answered loudly.

Bang!

She slammed her hands onto the desk and stood up abruptly—an entirely unnecessary reaction. The professor chuckled softly.

“You don’t need to stand. If you’re sleepy, you can go wash your face.”

“No, I’m fine! I’m sorry!”

Elizia shook her head vigorously as she sat back down. Her face flushed with embarrassment, and her heart pounded.

Falling asleep on the very first class!

Because she had been too excited to sleep properly, this was the result.

Lakan turned around slightly. A crooked smile formed on his lips as he looked at her.

“I thought you said you wouldn’t pay me any attention?” his eyes seemed to say.

Elizia felt like smashing her head into the desk in shame.

“To be looked at like this by that imperial bastard!”

Her first class couldn’t have gone worse.

—

And so, her first class ended.

Next was swordsmanship training—a class that, once again, overlapped with Lakan.

It wasn’t intentional. She had signed up simply to practice swordsmanship as she had in the palace, and it just so happened they ended up in the same class.

After gathering her things, Elizia turned around. Lakan had already left the classroom.

Though he was her direct senior, he showed no interest in her whatsoever.

But Elizia had no desire to be involved with him either, so she didn’t feel the slightest bit bothered.

She walked along the sunlit path at noon, humming lightly as her dress swayed in the breeze.

Her destination was the large domed training arena.

As she reached a path lined with long grass, she ran into someone.

A beautiful woman with red hair.

“You’re Elizia?”

The woman spoke without greeting her.

She was about the same height as Elizia, yet somehow gave off an air of looking down on others. More woman than girl, with a seductive face.

Even in her modest, high-necked dress, she exuded a faintly alluring aura.

Elizia searched her memory.

She had definitely seen her earlier—sitting beside Lakan. Judging by the badge on her dress, she was also a senior.

Elizia gave a slight nod of greeting.

Her expression remained neutral, but it was a polite gesture nonetheless.

“Yes. I’m Elizia Worder Ortigia. It seems you know me.”

“How could I not? Word’s been spreading that you’ve become Lakan’s direct junior.”

The woman smiled, but there was no warmth in it.

Then she added,

“I’m Beth. Princess of the Kingdom of Shati.”

It sounded less like an introduction and more like a declaration of challenge.

And Shati Kingdom…

An ally of the Empire.

Not directly hostile to Ortigia, but still effectively an enemy.

It wasn’t hard to understand why she was acting this way.

Ignoring Beth’s hostility, Elizia smiled calmly.

“Nice to meet you, Senior Beth. I’m a princess of the Kingdom of Ortigia. Though I suppose you already knew that.”

There was even a hint of composure in her tone.

“Hmm,” Beth smirked, scanning Elizia from head to toe.

Her neatly trimmed nails, the tightly buttoned dress, her loosely tied hair.

“I expected more from someone from a wealthy kingdom… but you look rather plain.”

The comment was far from pleasant.

What is this sudden provocation? Senior or not, should I just fight her?

Elizia seriously considered it.

This Princess Beth was openly looking down on her.