The Princess's Impulsive Resolve

-Treat pride like gold, but do not regard pride as a treasure. This was an age-old maxim passed down among the diplomats of Dracapolis.

It meant that while pride was undoubtedly important, one must not become so obsessed with it that they end up tarnishing it instead. And this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠maxim applied just as much to Sidus, a princess of Dracapolis attending an academy in a foreign nation.

"Ughhh... Why the hell am I even doing this here...?"

A princess of a nation was, in herself, the face of that country—practically a diplomat. In other words, Sidus must not become so fixated on the word "pride" that she sullied the pride of the entire empire or her own.

"...This is all that guy's fault."

And that was the reason Sidus had been stalking Lerven for a full week now.

If someone asked whether keeping to the maxim had anything to do with stalking a person, the obvious answer would be "no." But Sidus had her own reasons.

"If I hadn't passed out just from him grabbing my wrist back then, I wouldn't have to be protected by a loser like him...!"

The first reason was the shame of blacking out from something as simple as Lerven grabbing her wrist. That had made her want to keep her distance from him.

The second was the debt of gratitude for the help he'd given her while she was unconscious. That kept her from fully shaking off her interest in him.

After all, if you'd received help, it was only proper to offer thanks and repayment befitting that—otherwise, you'd be tarnishing your pride.

"Ughhh...!"

Those two reasons created a bizarre synergy, leaving Sidus unable to approach Lerven or pull away completely.

It was a problem that could have been easily solved by yielding on just one side, but the issue was that both were tied to her pride. So Sidus, unable to easily abandon either, had spent the past week circling around him.

"Yesterday, I really thought I could apologize...!"

Of course, that didn't mean she hadn't tried to swallow her stubbornness and approach him during that week. There had been daily attempts—after psyching herself up over and over, she'd finally muster the courage to step forward.

But.

"Princess Sidus! Are you following that guy around again?"

"Please stop this; it's damaging your dignity!"

"Won't you at least tell us why you're doing this?!"

Sidus's own followers blocked her path with their bodies. While followers of other nobles served for personal gain, hers were mostly those who owed an irrepayable debt to Dracapolis or Sidus herself—they followed her with genuine loyalty.

And because they valued her pride above all else, they kept her from approaching Lerven, who had the academy's worst reputation.

"I told you all to mind your own business; I'll handle it!"

"Even if it's your order, Princess, we can't allow that!"

"Cut off our heads instead!"

Their loyalty was so fanatical it put religious zealots to shame, leaving even Sidus stunned. And since every ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠word came from pure devotion to her, she couldn't easily cast them aside.

Ponder, resolve, get blocked. Then back to pondering.

With this cycle repeating for a full week, even a dragon steeped in imperial studies and noble grace would reach the limits of her patience.

"You lot...!"

Sidus clutched her throbbing head and glared alternately at Lerven and her followers.

On one side: Lerven, who'd embarrassed her and helped her at the same time. On the other: her followers blocking her from him.

Unless she dealt with one side or the other, this situation would drag on forever.

...Do I really have to handle them separately?

As she nursed her mild headache and pondered ways to deal with both, a brilliant idea flashed through Sidus's mind.

If she couldn't handle them separately, why not handle both at once!

Of course, anyone could see that trying to tackle two problems simultaneously—when even handling them one by one would be a stretch—was neither normal nor proper.

But with her options exhausted and patience spent, Sidus decided to go for it.

Mana from her exclusively draconic dragon heart surged forth, nearly infinite, pumped from her heart and gathered in both hands.

Mana itself was the foundation and tool for creating magic, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠so Sidus began weaving magical formulas with it.

If a unique skill warped the world's common sense through miracles, magic was like paint layered atop that common sense. It could obscure it temporarily, but it would eventually fade.

That was magic.

Snap!

The moment her desired formula was complete, Sidus gripped the finished spell and dashed toward Lerven, who was strolling down the hallway.

Her near-sprinting pace drew eyes from all around, shocking her followers.

"Wha...? Huh...? Wait, why are you coming at me with such a scary look—and what's that in your hand?!"

Lerven was just as flustered. Glancing back at the commotion, he saw Sidus charging like she wanted to devour him.

Not just approaching, but with her pupils slit vertically like a reptile's, clutching some unidentified object in her hand.

Is she finally here to kill me?

With no idea what was going through Sidus's head, Lerven naturally interpreted it as hostility.

But he had no shield or weapon handy. His chosen counter to her "attack" was...

Thud!

"Don't run! Get over here now!"

"I know exactly what you're gonna do with that thing in your hand!"

To bolt at full speed.

Weaving through scattered students in the hallway by the narrowest margins, Lerven fled the encroaching terror nonstop.

Sidus, chasing him, didn't need to part the crowd like he did. With a whoosh, students parted before her like the Red Sea as she ran.

Lerven was running an obstacle course alone, while Sidus sprinted down a clear path. Added to their already vast physical gap, it was hopeless; capture was inevitable soon.

"Argh, seriously! What grudge do you have against me?!"

"That's my line! Be a good boy and get caught already!"

"You've already skipped the 'good boy' part!"

Lerven kept sprinting, glancing back. The furious dragon was still pursuing at full throttle.

Feeling an even greater threat to his life, he gritted his teeth and hurled himself toward an open hallway window.

"What was that? Did he just jump out the window?"

"This is the third floor...?"

Students buzzed in shock at his stunt.

"Tch...! That crazy human...!"

Sidus was just as thrown by his sudden move. A frail human body would surely die or be gravely injured from a third-floor drop.

That would ruin her plan entirely. With no intention of letting it play out, she unfurled her wings and dove through the same window.

Thwump!

Cold wind whipped her face as she burst outside. Spreading her wings, she hovered, scanning for Lerven.

"...Where'd he go?"

But no matter where she looked, Lerven—who'd seemingly leaped out—was nowhere.

As if he hadn't jumped at all.

"...No way!"

Her sharp draconic intellect piecing it together, Sidus whipped her head back toward the window they'd both exited.

"...Ah, busted."

"You...!"

There, clinging precariously to the window frame, was Lerven.

He'd never intended to fall. Betting on the chaos and her rashness to cloud her judgment, he'd faked the dive by grabbing the frame.

Until she exited the building.

"I still don't get why you're chasing me, but please stop! It's scary!"

The instant Sidus spotted him, Lerven pulled himself back inside. Tossing one last line at her, he bolted again.

Crack.

That remark snapped the last thread of her rationality.

His deception pushed her already frayed mind over the edge.

But this time, no stars fell from the sky above the academy. Even irrational, she retained enough sense not to unleash her unique skill in a crowded area.

Still, she couldn't let him escape. Sidus chose another path.

Halt—

"......?"

The moment Sidus uttered that single word, Lerven's fleeing body froze like a statue.

Not just his limbs—his fingers and even eyeballs locked as if gripped by an invisible force.

Flap.

Unable to budge, Lerven watched Sidus swoop in on black wings.

"...I didn't even want to use Dragon Word."

With a short sigh, she slipped ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠back through the window, folding her wings and standing before the rigid Lerven.

"You should've just let yourself get caught nicely. Then I wouldn't have needed Dragon Word."

What Sidus had unleashed on Lerven was Dragon Word. Unlike unique skills that altered the world's laws through miracles or magic that painted over them, it simply shattered those laws with overwhelming mana—a brutal, savage art possible only for dragons.

"Phew... Now I can finally get this over with."

Sidus felt exhaustion from the massive mana drain of the Dragon Word. But as a dragon, that amount wouldn't fell her. She placed mana for manifesting her still-held spell on Lerven's forehead.

"It won't hurt, so don't worry."

Grasp—

Bright light erupted from Sidus's hand on his forehead.

'Problem solved. As expected of me.'

Confirming the magic formula activate properly, Sidus inwardly sighed in relief and patted herself on the back.

But the backlash of massive mana use and relief at success briefly clouded her vision, allowing something unnecessary to happen.

Flash!

In her blind spot: a soft blue-green glow flickered from the frozen Lerven's hand.

Grasp— Flash!

And so, in the academy hallway, two lights blazed simultaneously.