Is This Really Going to Be Okay?
After the entrance ceremony concluded without incident, matters proceeded with remarkable smoothness. An academy official arrived at our balcony seats and escorted us directly to Cecilia's assigned classroom.
Honestly, I still questioned whether it was appropriate for a personal maid to shadow her all the way into the classroom itself, but Cecilia had explicitly commanded me to follow. Being in no position to argue, I simply obeyed, exhausting as it was.
"Looks like no one else has arrived yet."
"The other students will likely be arriving all together, Your Highness, unlike you."
"Hmm... Well, it’s nice and quiet, so I won't complain. Let’s head straight for the back."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Stepping into the classroom, Cecilia and I made our way toward the desk tucked farthest into the back corner by the window. It was the quintessential slacker's seat. Not that I ever expected her to apply herself to her studies in the first place.
"Haaah. What a bother. When do we graduate?"
"...Isn't today literally our first day?"
"I can’t help that it’s annoying. Dragging myself all the way here was a chore to begin with, and now I'm expected to study diligently every single day? I'd rather spend all day debating crusty old ministers back at the Imperial Palace."
"Even so, you must attend. It was an imperial order from His Majesty the Emperor, was it not? There is no helping it."
"True enough. No helping it at all."
Slumped in her chair, Cecilia looked like an absolute delinquent. She tipped her chair onto its back two legs, rocked forward, tilted back, and rocked forward again. Watching her teeter endlessly on the verge of toppling backward was completely absurd. Anyone looking at her would see a troublemaking delinquent rather than an incoming imperial princess.
Then again, Cecilia had never once projected an aura befitting royalty anyway, so I didn't dwell on it. To be completely honest, it wasn't as if I addressed her with the utmost deference either.
The other maids in Hwanggeum-ok treated Cecilia with staggering reverence, employing honorifics so elevated that, to someone like me with modern sensibilities, they bordered on theatrical farce. At first, I had wondered if I ought to adopt such high-flown speech, but Cecilia had never once reprimanded me for it. Besides, speaking roughly like this had caused zero issues back at the Assassins' Guild Headquarters, so I simply continued addressing her in my usual manner.
"Hmm..."
"What is it? Something else displeasing you? Don't tell me you have an issue with the way I'm sitting now."
"I was merely wondering what sort of people would be joining our class."
"...Worrying about useless nonsense. I’m bored, so knead my shoulders."
"Yeees."
"Answer properly."
"Yes, ma'am."
"...Tsk."
After about five minutes of idle chatter and waiting, more than twenty students began filing into the room. Though they kept their voices down, their palpable excitement was unmistakable. A few of them seemed to notice Cecilia already seated in the corner—realizing that an imperial princess was in their class—and deliberately began claiming desks near hers. Of course, the seat directly beside Cecilia was already occupied by me.
Regardless of her standing as the Third Imperial Princess or rumors of her foul temper, Cecilia was an imperial princess of royal blood. The advantages of winning her favor were obvious.
"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Your Imperial Highness. I am of the Count Martello family—"
"Don't bother introducing yourself. I don't care."
"...My name is Russo. It is an honor to meet you."
Naturally, someone had the gall to approach and address her directly. He was a tall, broad-shouldered young man with a reasonably handsome face. He introduced himself as Russo of Count Martello's family. A count's scion sounded impressive, but frankly, I couldn't have cared less, keeping my gaze fixed straight ahead.
"Stop."
"I have heard great praise regarding Your Highness from my household. From long ago, I was told of what a truly distinguished personage—"
"Did you not hear me tell you to be quiet? Count or baron, it makes no difference to me. Just shut your mouth."
"...Y-yes, I understand."
"......"
Honestly, if this were a setting where I was permitted to speak freely, I would have let out an appreciative whistle. Even knowing how prickly Cecilia could be, I never imagined she would dress down a count's heir so ruthlessly to his face. She actually went and did it.
"Return to your seat. Better yet, move somewhere else entirely. Do not sit in front of me."
"...Yes, Your Highness."
Whoa, whoa. Classic Cecilia. Her temper was truly something else.
I could only stare at her in silent awe as she far exceeded my expectations. With noble classmates filling the room, I swallowed my laughter and held my tongue, but that was undeniably vintage Cecilia. On one hand, I wondered if it was wise to antagonize a count's family like that, but watching such high-stakes drama unfold right before my eyes was pure entertainment.
"Tsk... Why must there be so many nuisances?"
"Your Highness."
"What? Am I wrong? Save your breath."
"Yeees."
"...Watch your tone."
The classroom steadily filled with students, and the count's heir scurried off to a distant desk, just as Cecilia had ordered. Russo, Luce, or whatever his name was. Regardless of his relocation, the desks surrounding Cecilia were promptly claimed by students who looked unmistakably like high nobility. Unlike the others, they neither made a scene nor nervously gauged the room; their pedigree was evident at a glance, reinforced by their refined, polished features.
"Haaahm..."
"Your Highness, please yawn quietly..."
"I'm going to sleep."
"...Your Highness."
Every passing moment spent with Cecilia steadily demolished whatever initial impression I had held of her. When I first saw her stunning appearance, I assumed she might be quiet, reserved, or possess some cool, dignified mystique. Yet the reality was far from dignified.
"What?"
"Nothing at all..."
Sigh. Regardless of my physical age in this body, I was mentally the adult here. It was on me to be understanding. Right.
Shortly after, the homeroom professor arrived, and the academy's official day commenced. It began with the instructor introducing himself, followed by each student standing up to give an introduction. Grandiose name aside, the atmosphere felt remarkably like the first day of middle or high school, evoking a strange sense of nostalgia from my past life.
One by one, the introductions made their way around the room until Cecilia's turn arrived.
"Cecilia de Aria. Third Imperial Princess. Do not speak to me."
"......?"
"Uh... Shall we, er, give a round of applause to Student Cecilia for her... introduction...?"
......Uhh.
Uh.
Um.
"...Your Highness, that was, well..."
"What? Is there a problem?"
"...Never mind."
I wanted to say something, but gave up. It wasn't as if I could lecture her in public, and pressing the matter would only invite greater trouble. I knew Cecilia frequently uttered absurdities, and I had just witnessed her brushing off a count's son moments ago, but I never imagined she would introduce herself like that to the entire class.
She was behaving like an irredeemable problem child. Was this really going to be all right just because she was an imperial princess? I had no idea. Well, Cecilia would manage on her own, surely.
"...Sigh."
What was I supposed to do with this girl? Sitting quietly beside Cecilia, I was completely at a loss.
Cecilia's assigned class was Academy Class 1-1. From what I overheard when other students attempted to approach her, Class 1-1 was the premier classroom of the year. Its roster was largely composed of high-ranking nobility whose status and talents far surpassed the rest.
Naturally, as someone whose sole purpose was to sit quietly at Cecilia's side and serve as her conversational partner during recess, it hardly concerned me. The bottom line was that Cecilia had landed in the academy's top class without sitting for a single entrance exam. Witnessing such blatant favoritism firsthand proved that high status truly reigned supreme. Unlike the other students anxiously comparing exam results, Cecilia had simply been placed here by imperial decree.
"Here at the academy, we will conduct lectures across diverse fields," the professor announced. "You will learn to wield magic and handle weapons, but you will also study essential disciplines such as etiquette and literature."
The lesson that followed was fairly light, as expected of the first day. Even so, being their first official class, the students listened with rapt attention and diligence.
"Yaaawn..."
"......."
Except for... exactly one person.
"Your Highness, class is in session. Please... quiet down a bit."
"So what? It wasn't even loud. Am I supposed to hold back my yawns now?"
"Yes, you are..."
Before the other students arrived, I had genuinely worried that I lacked etiquette and spoke too casually with Cecilia. But watching the Third Imperial Princess right now, I started to feel like a paragon of decorum by comparison.
"Once you advance to your second year, you will delve much deeper into the fields introduced in your first year," the professor continued. "You will also select a major, taking specialized courses suited to your ambitions, which will help solidify your future paths. To achieve that, you must apply yourselves earnestly throughout your first year and reflect on what you wish to pursue."
"...Could you go fetch me a pastry in a little bit?"
"......."
Could Cecilia truly survive academy life? No matter how I looked at it... forget a whole year, or even a single semester. I was honestly starting to doubt she would last a month, and that wasn't me being cynical. If she carried on like this, wouldn't she genuinely receive academic probation?
No matter how high-ranking a princess she was, and no matter how heavily the academy depended on imperial patronage...
...Wait. She was granted special exemption and enrolled without taking an exam in the first place. Maybe it wouldn't even matter.
"Your Highness... please, I beg of you, maintain some dignity..."
I meant it from the bottom of my heart.
Seriously, please...