Lasquer. Attention!
The 5th Princess of the Lasquer Kingdom, Repia, had come to the Empire for studies. Or exile, perhaps.
During the journey, there must have been any number of unpleasant incidents back home. Repia could not have escaped feeling the tension or fear those events stirred.
A few souls had shown sympathy, but the majority had taken a neutral stance toward her, refusing to side with the 2nd Princess. Some had even spoken without hesitation about how, for the stability of the kingdom, all direct-line heirs except the 2nd Princess should vanish.
From Repia’s perspective, the journey to the Empire had felt almost refreshing. At least she would no longer have to endure those piercing looks or cutting words every single day.
“Could you tell me a little more in detail, senpai?”
Yet it seemed that had been my illusion. An atmosphere heavy with something far more unsettling hung in the air.
The blonde woman, of course, but the silver-haired elf and the red-haired woman flanking her were the true terrors. Especially those two fixed their gazes on this side as though they were firing beams of light straight from their eyes.
“U-um… I don’t quite understand what you’re asking…”
“Don’t play dumb. We heard everything. That Repia-senpai was hugged by Karl.”
Karl? Ah, they meant Karl Adelheit, the young master.
Repia’s mind raced. She had been driven out by the 2nd Princess, but she was no fool who lacked situational awareness. If she had been, she would never have survived the royal intrigue.
“If you’re speaking of Karl Adelheit, the young master… when I was about to have that accident earlier, he did help me. Just for a moment, though.”
The word “moment” carried extra weight, a deliberate softening. Not intentional, of course. She wanted to make it clear that while the incident had occurred, it had not been aimed at anything—no one could deny that.
Looking at the three women standing before her, all of them seemed to share some connection with Karl.
Especially the blonde in the center. Selena, had she said? She appeared closest to the other two. That much was unmistakable.
Any gap she showed in this situation, any false high posture, would be disastrous.
Right now she was not the princess of Lasquer, but a student at the Imperial Academy. Even if something happened, unless it was a truly grave matter back home, silence was the safest bet.
“At the time I was too distracted and caused unnecessary trouble. I never properly expressed my gratitude… Now that I think about it, the three of you seem quite close to Karl Adelheit, the young master. Would any of you be willing to pass on my thanks on my behalf?”
You are close to Karl. But I am not. So there is no need for excessive caution.
Repia strained to drive that point home. Silence was impossible—the elf and the red-haired woman were glaring at her with eyes that looked ready to pounce at any second.
“I see? Is that so.”
What was fortunate for Repia was that, unlike the other two, Selena remained at least somewhat rational.
Of course she was still wary, but there was no open hostility, only caution. That was enough to be grateful for.
Repia followed the three women obediently, keeping her tension carefully maintained.
As a princess of a nation, to be treated like this… The thought briefly surfaced, but she immediately crushed it.
In truth, this was still merciful. When she had departed for the Empire, she had endured even harsher treatment than this.
“How was it?”
“…Huh?”
“How was it? The feeling of being in Karl’s arms. What was that sensation like?”
“I wonder the same thing. That you were hugged by Karl.”
“Master hugged me… Master’s arms.”
“…”
These women were strange. Not frightening—strange.
“U-um… I’m not sure what kind of answer you’re looking for…”
“Honest impression. When Karl appeared at the critical moment and hugged you! What was the feeling at that moment?”
“How was it?! It felt like the whole world was mine! Ah! Should I also try falling in front of Karl?!”
“Master’s arms. Master’s arms.”
“…”
A new topic was needed. The urge to change the subject was strong.
The thought was deep and brief. Action was fast and decisive. That was the Lasquer proverb. And Repia moved according to it, as a person of Lasquer.
“U-um! Before that. We haven’t properly introduced ourselves yet, have we?”
“Are you asking for self-introductions?”
“Self-introduction? Didn’t you hear the one the supervisor gave earlier?”
“Being hugged by Master. Master’s arms.”
“I-I know that! But it would be better to introduce ourselves properly and greet each other!”
Fortunately, Selena responded to Repia’s flailing. After a moment of thought, she gracefully performed noble etiquette first and delivered the self-introduction the others had requested.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Selena from the Ifreet family of the Marquisate of Naplio in the Empire. I’ll be entering graduate school after graduating from the Academy this spring.”
“Ah, another greeting to go through… I’m Eloise Lohengrin, a student from Heigens. First-year, soon enough. That’s fine?”
“…My name is Lavrenti. As a commoner, I have no surname. I’m also a first-year, like you.”
“Selena-senpai. And Eloise and Lavrenti. Nice to meet you. I’m Repia Archeble from the Kingdom of Lasquer! Please take care of me!”
Phew. First, exhale. Look natural, then quickly move on to the next topic!
“Then why is Selena-senpai heading to graduate school…?”
“Self-introduction’s over, right? Then again. How was it when you were hugged by Karl? Tell me in detail.”
“Don’t listen to explanations. Let’s just ask Karl to hug us too. What do you think, Selena-senpai?”
“Eloise, be quiet. And if I say ‘let’s do that’ here, it’s obvious you’ll run to Karl first.”
“Hehe. Caught!”
“…Selena-nim. This elf. I mean, we should probably get rid of Eloise first.”
Hey. Please. Why are you all acting like this?! Asking how the feeling was when I was hugged?!
I don’t know! I don’t remember properly! It’s just that the gaze that was looking after me was too warm! If I say that, they’ll really kill me, so I can’t say it!!
“…”
What was this? Why did this strange discomfort keep creeping in? I couldn’t understand it.
In any case, when I returned to the Academy, I would first track down the four of them and force them to confess what accident they had caused.
“For now, when I return.”
I was busy too. My sister was preparing for the wedding with my brother-in-law, the crown prince, in the spring, and I had been in a daze preparing to receive this Friedrich County.
“You don’t have to worry too much, Karl. It’s not like I’ll hand it over immediately, and since you have to graduate first, you can prepare properly.”
“But you should learn in advance. Even later, to suffer less.”
“That makes sense.”
Because my relationship with my sister had been excellent, the servants and vassals in the family had accepted me as the young master without issue.
Originally, when a sudden change of successor occurred, gaining their support was difficult, but I had not been in that situation.
“It’s only natural. What matters in the noble world? Reputation and honor. Karl. And you possess overwhelmingly great reputation and honor.”
Father gestured toward the medals neatly arranged in the display case and laughed heartily.
“Now that I think about it, I heard you went to receive the Order of Merit and met the 5th Princess of Lasquer.”
“More precisely, it wasn’t just meeting—I took the fall from the carriage with my body.”
“Thanks to that, no injury to the princess’s body. Good work. If it hadn’t been for you, the Foreign Affairs and National Territory departments would have been in serious trouble.”
“I forcibly rejected the offer to give another medal from those two departments.”
Medal. Yeah. I could receive more. But I should delay it a bit. Let’s receive one per month. Don’t try to hand out more than two in a month, up to three. Otherwise my heart won’t be able to take it!
“From what I heard, it seems you came to study at a level almost half-exile.”
“Yes. I heard from the Foreign Affairs Minister that it was exactly exile. The 2nd Princess set the number of attendants to less than ten.”
“Hah. Last year, even the collateral personnel who entered had dozens. The situation seems quite serious.”
Tsk, tsk. Father clicked his tongue and stroked his chin while muttering, “5th Princess. 5th Princess Repia.”
“He said he would become your senpai?”
“Yes.”
“Even if not carefully at the Academy, watch over her appropriately.”
“…Huh?”
Suddenly, what was this? My father saying such words?
Not family or relatives, not even acquaintances, let alone someone from the same Empire. She was from Lasquer!
“F-Father. Why suddenly such a request. I don’t understand.”
In his youth, my father had been the ultimate weapon against Lasquer. Without exaggeration, he had crushed them like the target hero delivering an “LPL Attention!” blow.
A person whose view of Lasquer could not be good. That was my father.
Yet that same person had suddenly said, “Take care of the princess who came from Lasquer a bit.”
“That’s it.”
To my objection, father gave an awkward smile and continued.
“The mother of the 5th Princess. That is, the maternal family of the 5th Princess is the place my father fought on the battlefield. Hmm. To be precise, it should be said that my father crushed it.”
“…”
“Ah, but he didn’t take the life either. He simply stepped on it so that it could never turn its head toward the Empire again. Anyway, the family’s power decreased a lot because of that, and it may have influenced this matter to some extent. So, I want you to be a little careful.”
Hey. Father? No, to the granddaughter of the family whose “LPL Attention!” you delivered, asking me to take care of her well.
Also, since he said “crushed it,” it seemed he had not done it moderately!
“Father. You know that there’s a slight discrepancy in what you’re saying now, right?”
“Hmph. I know. This kid. Still, think about it. Isn’t it pitiful? She’ll have a hard time coming to a foreign country, but since you said you helped her, you won’t be in a bad situation either.”
Help? Me? My father, the monster who delivered “LPL Attention!” to Lasquer, is my father?
That 5th Princess Repia—if my senpai doesn’t run away in fear when she sees me, that would be fortunate.