The Avelino Imperial Academy
I buried last night's corpses in the communal graveyard of the Stupido Barony for the time being.
Originally, I had intended to dispose of them deep in the mountains or by a riverbank, but the graveyard proved remarkably convenient, so I simply buried them in the loose soil nearby. The blood spattered across the path and bedroom, along with every other trace of the skirmish, had been completely scoured clean as well.
Cecilia had drifted off to sleep at nine. The men who hardly deserved the title of assassins had crept in at ten. And by the time I finished setting everything back to rights, the clock was already ticking past midnight.
"Huaaah..."
"Didn't you go to bed early last night? Why on earth are you yawning like that? It's irritating."
"Heheh... beats me. I'm unusually exhausted today. Maybe it's because I've been sleeping on the sofa?"
I had only managed to lie down past midnight, and my eyes snapped open at eight in the morning, well before Cecilia stirred. On paper, it might have looked like an eight-hour rest, but... having committed my very first killings—and having snuffed out two lives with my own hands—I had gotten closer to six hours, if that. Even then, deep sleep had eluded me entirely. While they weren't full-blown nightmares, the dreams hadn't been pleasant, and the hours were simply too few.
Consequently, I was reduced to slumping across from Cecilia in the carriage, utterly drained.
"...You're the one who insisted on sleeping on the couch in the first place."
"Heheh, that's true. But the sofa was surprisingly comfortable, honestly. When I stretched my legs all the way out, there was still plenty of room to spare."
"...You dare say that when you haven't stopped yawning once?"
"Still, the cushions were soft and cozy. Much better than the bed I used to sleep in back then."
"...Fine, then."
I couldn't tell if my ceaseless yawning was genuinely grating on her nerves, but Cecilia had been picking at me for a while now. Of course, after spending an entire week in her company, I was thoroughly accustomed to this treatment, so it didn't sting in the slightest.
If anything, I was still more annoyed with the bastard from last night who had the audacity to keep talking even with a blade sunk into his heart. I had intended to silence them as quietly and cleanly as possible so Cecilia wouldn't notice, yet that fool had insisted on opening his mouth, giving me a moment of genuine panic. Granted, I had cast Silence immediately afterward, so no harm was done.
"If you're really that tired, just sleep. Stop bothering me by yawning right in my face."
"Heheh, is that really all right?"
"We'll reach the Academy in a few hours anyway. Just stop yawning directly in front of me—it's distracting."
Did my yawning really bother her that much? She kept complaining from across the carriage. Honestly, it wasn't as though I had been loud. I may have opened my mouth wide, but I was fairly sure I hadn't made much noise. She was surprisingly delicate about such things.
Not that I actually intended to sleep, of course. Some unforeseen threat might target Cecilia just like last night, and remaining vigilant was the only way to intercept it.
"Your Highness, did you experience any discomfort last night?"
"Last night? I slept normally, I think. I didn't wake up any earlier than usual, either—I got up around nine in the morning, didn't I?"
"I'm glad to hear that."
There was nothing else to do until our arrival, and I wanted to glean a little feedback on last night's ordeal, so I floated the question. The dull thud of a grown man collapsing and the rasping words he spat out before dying had sounded fairly loud to my ears, leaving me slightly anxious. Fortunately, just as Cecilia had declared the evening before, she was indeed a remarkably heavy sleeper.
Even so, the cleanup had fallen short of absolute perfection. Had she been even slightly more sensitive, or had I delayed casting Silence, she might have bolted awake. I took it as a firm lesson: next time, I needed to deploy Silence sooner, or sever their breath before they could even draw air to speak. I had to guarantee her surroundings remained completely soundproofed.
"Your Highness, what is our schedule once we arrive at the Academy?"
"Aren't you my maid? Why are you asking me that?"
"I've only been on the job for a week, so I never received a proper briefing and don't know much yet. But you always keep your schedule straight, don't you, Your Highness? Heheh."
"...Be that as it may, make sure you memorize my itinerary properly from now on."
"Yes, I will."
While Cecilia let it slide without further rebuke, keeping track of her schedule was technically my duty. But since nobody had ever informed me, asking the princess herself was my only recourse. Her answer proved remarkably simple.
Once we reached the Avelino Imperial Academy, we would present our identification papers to verify our status, proceed directly to the dormitory, and then rest until the entrance ceremony. That was truly all there was to it.
"...That sounds surprisingly uneventful."
"Would it not be far stranger if an incoming student had a mountain of tasks before the Academy even began?"
"You have a point, Your Highness."
It seemed anticlimactic, but she was entirely right. Having incoming freshmen swamped with duties before classes even started would have been bizarre. Lounging around until the entrance ceremony was only natural.
After several more hours of steady trotting, our carriage finally crossed into a breathtaking city. It might have paled slightly in comparison to the imperial capital where the Imperial Palace and Detached Palace stood, but it was magnificent nonetheless.
The city housing the Avelino Imperial Academy, Ardea, was renowned as the empire's second jewel, and it certainly lived up to its reputation. To someone like me, who had spent a previous life as an ordinary modern citizen, rolling down these cobblestones felt like embarking on an overseas holiday in Europe. Naturally...
"Woooow..."
"Is it really that fascinating to you?"
"Of course! Back in the capital, I was cooped up in the Detached Palace the whole time, so I never got to see anything properly."
"I hardly think it warrants making such a fuss."
"Does looking at this city really stir nothing inside you, Your Highness?"
I pressed my face against the glass, gazing out at the picturesque streets with wonder in my eyes. In stark contrast, Cecilia remained perfectly poised in her seat, utterly unmoved by the view. Still, the beauty of the town was undeniable.
"The streets are so lovely, though!"
"The capital, Avelino, is far more exquisite."
"Be that as it may... Your Highness, you hardly ever go outside, do you? Are you really just going to sit there like that?"
"Be quiet."
"...Okay."
It felt a bit disappointing that Cecilia was being so subdued. This was new territory for both of us—me, of course, but likely for her as well, having lived secluded in her detached estate. From what the Guild Master had told me, she was a princess who virtually never engaged in public outings, so I assumed this was undoubtedly her first visit to such a city.
"Never mind that. Once we arrive at the dormitory, prepare to unpack our luggage."
"...Yes, Your Highness."
"And brew me a cup of coffee the moment we step inside."
"Would you like a cappuccino?"
"Since it's the afternoon, that would be better than an espresso. No sugar."
"Yes, Your Highness."
...What an utterly unromantic princess.
It was almost pitiful how a girl of nineteen, barely an adult, could lack even a shred of romance or sentimentality. How could someone who had just come of age stare at such a charming cityscape without feeling a single flutter of excitement? Granted, from the brief glimpses I had caught, the imperial capital did seem far grander than Ardea. Even so, watching her sit there so coolly and quietly left me feeling a little deflated.
"Ah, once my classes begin at the Academy, you will be accompanying me."
"Yes, understood."
"You are not an enrolled student, but you will attend every lecture I take—whether inside the classroom or anywhere else on campus."
"Should I stand quietly in the back of the classroom?"
"No. Sitting right beside me is fine. You don't need an Academy uniform—the maid outfit you're wearing right now will suffice. As I said, simply stay by my side."
Still sitting placidly in her seat, Cecilia spoke in her usual measured cadence, almost as if she were discussing something that didn't concern her in the least. Was this some kind of special admission arrangement?
While commoners were technically permitted to enroll in the Academy, I had neither sat for the entrance exams nor prepared for anything of the sort. I was merely the personal maid of the Third Imperial Princess. For someone in that position to sit in on imperial lectures and shadow her every step seemed rather irregular. Neither a genuine student nor a regular servant—yet the arrangement was extraordinarily well-suited for someone acting as her bodyguard.
Had the Emperor pulled some strings behind the scenes when he contracted the Assassins' Guild...? The thought crossed my mind unbidden.
"I'll do my best to ensure your Academy life is as comfortable as possible, Your Highness."
"That is quite enough. Just don't make a nuisance of yourself, and keep things comfortable."
"If there's any specific conduct or role you expect from me, please let me know. Serving someone of your standing and attending an institution like the Academy are both entirely new to me."
Unlike the quiet confines of the Detached Palace or the deserted roads we had traveled, the Academy was bound to be crawling with people. And not just commoners, but individuals of formidable status—even if they fell short of royalty. Marquesses, counts, dukes... The heirs of high nobility were guaranteed to populate the campus. A single misstep could easily spiral into a massive scandal.
"Hmm... Well, it's nothing complicated. If anyone other than me speaks to you, simply refrain from answering under almost all circumstances."
"Will that really be enough?"
"Your master is me, after all. When your master is an imperial princess, what could mere noble scions possibly do to you? It is far better than needlessly chatting and stirring up a hornet's nest."
"Understood. I will do just that."
We hadn't even met another student yet, let alone attended the entrance ceremony, but my code of conduct within the Academy was now crystal clear. Under normal circumstances, follow Cecilia's instructions and avoid engaging with other students. And unless she explicitly told me otherwise, remain glued to her side to keep watch.
After all, my true objective from the beginning was to protect Cecilia and slit the throats of anyone daring enough to come after her.
"Hmm..."
"Your Highness? Why are you staring at me?"
After giving me advice on how to carry myself, Cecilia had moved on to discussing some of the notable noble students slated to enroll this term, only to suddenly fix her gaze intently upon me. I had simply been listening in silence to her briefing on the various noble heirs. When she abruptly trailed off and continued peering at my face, I was bewildered, but she offered no explanation.
"It's nothing."
"...?"
Even after spending a whole week together, she remained an utterly baffling woman.