The First Day of Academy and a Troublesome Encounter
“I didn’t think you were the type. Are you perhaps a sentimental person?”
I turned my head slowly at the sudden, familiar yet unfamiliar voice from behind, confirming the identity of the speaker. It was a voice I knew all too well. Standing there, silhouetted against the sunset, was Soleia, staring at me with burning, scarlet eyes that felt utterly burdensome.
“It’s been a while.”
Seeing her as I turned around, I offered my own greeting. “It has been a while, Your Highness.”
I bowed my head and thought, ‘Did she come looking for me? Or was she just out for a stroll and ended up here?’ Soleia’s actions were difficult to predict. However, it was highly unlikely she would be walking near the men’s dormitory at this late hour, so it was safe to assume she had come specifically for me. The question was, why?
The Tears of the Sea Dragon were in my possession. Surely, she couldn’t have known about that. Only Kalia, who had helped me find it, knew. Therefore, it was only natural that Soleia would be in the dark.
‘Then what is it?’ I couldn’t fathom why she would seek me out. As I pondered this, Soleia laughed.
“You’re still just as uncomfortable around me as you used to be, aren’t you?”
Did she know even back then? That I felt uneasy in her presence? And yet, she still appeared before me so casually. Perhaps she really was just cruel by nature.
“That is not the case. I was simply surprised that you had already arrived at the academy, Your Highness.”
“Oh? So you’re saying I’m lazy, wicked, and ugly? That’s treason against the Imperial family.”
Was she deliberately misinterpreting my words? Her personality seemed even worse than when we were children. While her appearance had become even more stunning, her temperament remained unchanged.
“I said no such thing. I had no hidden meaning. I was merely surprised and asked because you arrived at the academy so quickly despite your busy schedule.”
Soleia waved off my explanation and took a step toward me.
“I know, I was just teasing.”
That was a terrifying way to tease. Treason against the Imperial family was a grave crime in the Empire; it was frightening, truly. Soleia took another step forward. We were so close that our noses were nearly touching. At such a proximity that her breath brushed against my skin, she stood on her tiptoes. She leaned in close to my ear and whispered secretively. Her hot, yet chilling breath, contrasting with the cold night air, tickled my ear.
“We’re engaged, aren’t we? It’s only natural to tease one’s fiancé.”
Her voice melted into my ear, but the content was far from sweet. Knowing her capricious nature, I knew it was a joke, but from my perspective—desperate for an annulment—it wasn’t exactly welcome news. I had no choice but to probe a little.
“I had assumed you despised the very idea of an engagement, Your Highness.”
Soleia pulled her lips away from my ear and stepped back. As the dizzying distance widened, I finally let out the breath I had been holding. She seemed to contemplate my question for a moment, as if savoring it, before answering calmly.
“I do hate it, yes.”
I felt a surge of relief at her answer. According to the original story, she should have been extremely averse to political alliances or constraints. Just as I was about to lower my guard, thinking, ‘So she hasn’t changed her mind,’ her smile caught my attention. It was too strange and relaxed for someone who simply claimed to hate it.
‘What is this? Is it just my imagination?’ I was overcome by an inexplicable sense of unease. But with the mind of an ordinary person like me, I could never hope to understand the thoughts of someone like Soleia. Looking at the mask covering half her face, it felt as though she always kept half of her inner self hidden, just like her exterior.
“I do not dislike you, Your Highness, but if you find me unsatisfactory, would it not be better to annul our engagement? I will take on all the risks associated with it.”
As I spoke carefully, my words became long-winded. I had tried to convey my sincere longing for a peaceful retirement without offending her, and the result was a cluttered sentence. But this was the best consideration and escape route I could offer. It was a declaration that I would shoulder all the blame and political fallout, as I could not allow such a noble figure as an Imperial Princess to bear the stain of an annulment.
Soleia’s eyes flickered strangely at my words. Instead of answering, she took another step back. The half of her lips not hidden by the mask curved into a sharp arc.
“You are always trying to be considerate of me. I don’t dislike that.”
Her voice was low, settling into my ears. Realizing it suddenly, her attitude toward me had subtly shifted. How should I put it—it felt a bit lighter. The sharp tension or the rigid walls of formality I felt when we first met seemed to be crumbling away. It was an alien comfort, like a cat letting down its guard and tentatively extending a paw. But she was an Imperial Princess. I decided to brush it off lightly, thinking it was just her being capricious, or that she was simply in a mood because she was a Princess. There was no way someone like me could understand someone like Soleia, no matter how deeply I dug.
“It’s not so much consideration as it is seeking the path with the least harm to both of us,” I replied with feigned indifference. Soleia laughed, her eyes crinkling as if she found it amusing.
She looked up at the sky without answering.
“I should be heading back.”
At her sudden words, I looked up as well. The sun was setting. In other words, it was getting dark. I asked, if only out of formality.
“Do you require an escort?”
It was a purely formal question, thrown out because of her status as a Princess and the dangers of the night. But as soon as I finished, Soleia burst into loud laughter.
“Pfft, Cassian, really… that doesn’t suit you at all.”
Since when did she start calling me by my name so freely? No, that aside, wasn’t she laughing a bit too much? As if I wanted to ask that. It was a business-like line I had squeezed out while struggling between my knowledge and social standing.
I didn’t show it, but inside, a wave of embarrassment washed over me. I wanted to scratch the back of my head, but since I was in front of a Princess, I managed my expression with great effort. I had never seen her laugh like that before. Whether in the webtoon or here, I had always thought her smiles were somehow artificial. It was a novel sight, but I hadn’t expected to be the material for her amusement.
Whether she knew my heart or not, Soleia chuckled for a long time before finally catching her breath and staring straight at me.
“An escort with that deadpan expression. You look more like you’re about to challenge someone to a duel.”
I was left speechless by her joke. The Cassian in the mirror was always just a handsome man with a chillingly serious look, but it seemed that was how it appeared to her. I suppressed my bitter feelings and managed to open my mouth.
“It is an honor to have you laugh like that, Your Highness.”
My voice sounded stiff even to my own ears. Every time her laughter—which I couldn’t tell was a compliment or a mockery—broke the silence of the garden, my embarrassment doubled. Yet, Soleia stared at me for a while, as if my awkward expression were an enjoyable spectacle. Then, satisfied, she turned around without a hint of regret.
Her voluminous blonde hair, catching the soft light of the streetlamp, radiated a dazzling golden hue under the night sky. Just as I was taking in that surreal splendor, her low voice drifted to me on the wind.
“Today’s meeting wasn’t bad.”
I replied politely to her retreating back.
“It was an honor for me as well.”
To be honest, I was so drained I felt like I might collapse. There were so many things I had to be careful about. But naturally, I couldn’t show that in front of a Princess, so I swallowed a sigh of relief while uttering the most conventional of pleasantries.
‘Not bad, indeed.’ It was a bit ambiguous, but she wasn’t called a villainess for nothing. A villainess who drains the life out of you. Once Soleia had completely dissolved into the darkness and was no longer visible, the tension in my shoulders finally unraveled. I made a resolution. I would definitely annul this engagement. I had hunted the witch and brought back the Tears of the Sea Dragon for that very purpose, but even though I had considered bringing it up today, I decided against it. It wasn’t the place for a serious conversation, and it was already too late to arrange a separate meeting. So, I decided to save it for another time.
I slumped onto an old bench by the streetlamp and looked up at the night sky.
‘This is a bit much for the first day of academy.’ Watching the sky turn black as the sunset faded, I let out a hollow laugh, as if it were a preview of my own future.