A Royal Tea Time and a Failed Spell
I, Ramnusia, was having tea with the Imperial Princess. Even though I had spent my entire life living under a bridge, even I had heard of Hollympia. The capital of the Empire on which the sun never sets, the land where His Majesty the Emperor resides, and a place that countless nobles desperately yearned to visit. Given that she used such a place as her family name, the identity of the sparkling, beautiful girl before my eyes, Helene Hollympia, was as good as proven.
"Haa, haa..." To top it off, Helene had introduced herself as the Imperial Princess. The lady standing next to her, who seemed to be her friend, had also addressed her as such, so there was no room for doubt. To be honest, I knew absolutely nothing about princesses. At least, not before entering Cosmos Academy. After enrolling, I had studied the "common sense" of nobility diligently with Keres's help, which was how I finally learned about them.
Imperial Princesses were terrifying existences. As members of the Imperial Royalty, they were fundamentally different from ordinary humans. I used to think that was an exaggeration, but the moment I laid eyes on Helene, I understood. Her height, which easily surpassed mine, her breathtakingly beautiful features, and her incredibly voluptuous, overflowing breasts... Every single detail, no matter how small, made it clear that Helene was an extraordinary, special being. They were pieces of evidence that were impossible to deny.
"There is no need to be so tense," Helene said. "I know what kind of rumors you might have heard, but I assure you, I do not behave in such a manner."
"M-M-My... is that really true? I heard that you didn't like some young master's confession, so you lifted him up with both hands and threw him straight into the lake near the academy..."
Clapouti suddenly covered her mouth with her right hand and burst into a giggle. "Fufu, fufufu...! It is true that Her Highness did cause such an incident, you see. But surely you must know there was an unavoidable reason behind it, yes?"
I had never, in my wildest dreams, imagined something like this would happen... After hurriedly changing into the academy uniform, I found myself having tea with the Imperial Princess in the Infirmary. As someone who knew absolutely nothing about tea leaves, I couldn't tell if Clapouti's joke about the tea in front of us being a priceless treasure that couldn't be bought for all the gold in the world was true or not! Frankly, I couldn't even tell if the tea was going into my mouth or if the cake was going up my nose.
"A-An unavoidable reason...?"
"...It happened back when I was in the elementary division," Helene explained. "The boy who confessed to me was a second-year in the high school division, so it was only natural for me to reject him."
"Yet the fellow did not know his place and kept making unwanted advances, so Her Highness simply lost her patience, hoisted him up, and threw him right in, you see."
E-Elementary division? Isn't that a literal child? You're telling me a little kid lifted a high school second-year—who was practically old enough to get married—with her bare hands and chucked him into a lake? Your Highness! I wasn't curious about the reason! The fact that you were physically capable of doing that is what terrifies me!
"...W-What about the story where you k-kicked a Countess's backside?"
"She had neglected her duties as a noble and was entirely consumed by social parties and luxury, which displeased me," Helene replied. "Of course, now that I am older, I realize how rash and thoughtless my actions were."
"You have grown far too timid lately, Your Highness. Have you already forgotten how delighted everyone was when you kicked Countess Flandre's bottom back then, indeed?"
"You know very well that the Headmaster of Cosmos Academy was put in quite a difficult position because of my antics."
Clapouti playfully nudged Helene's side with her elbow, but Helene's strangely listless expression remained unchanged. In any case, let's summarize the situation. This meant the Imperial Princess wasn't the terrifying, savage 'monster' I had imagined, right? But the fact that she was a member of the non-human Imperial Royalty remained unchanged. And seeing how she had a proper friend by her side, she probably didn't have any major personality defects like Laura did.
Huuu... Once the image of an incomprehensible, terrifying monster who might rip my head off if I made a mistake faded, Helene was, after all, just another beautiful girl I wanted to make mine using the magic of the Armonomicon.
"Ramnusia. Are you still feeling tense?" Helene asked, offering a very warm smile.
"Ah—"
"Oh, honestly, Your Highness! Please consider Ramnusia's circumstances," Clapouti chimed in. "To wake up after nearly dying, only to find the Imperial Princess—whom she has no memory of—suddenly standing right before her eyes? Her heart must be pounding, and she must be screaming inside! It is only natural that she is completely overwhelmed, you see."
Clapouti had completely talked over me, but well, she wasn't entirely wrong.
"Ha, hahaha... I-I'm so sorry. F-For failing to remember Your Highness, I deserve to d-die..."
"Do not speak of such things, Ramnusia. Even if you did not recognize me and treated me like any other student at the academy, I would have no right to be angry."
"E-Even so... ha, hahaha..." As I let out an awkward laugh, the listless, fleeting look on Helene's face instantly vanished, replaced by a bright smile. She then took my hand and gently caressed it. Ah, aaah, so warm! And so soft! I want to make her touch my pussy with this hand...!!! Can't I just lick it three times?!
"...Ah, by the way, Your Highness. Is it alright if we do not ask her about that? I believe the Headmaster of Cosmos Academy will surely ask later, indeed." At Clapouti's words, Helene slowly nodded.
"Ramnusia. Do you remember the fact that I rescued you from the classroom?" Her voice was extremely cautious, and there was a particular word that caught my attention.
"W-Well, you see... my memories are a bit c-confused..."
"It is quite alright. It is not unusual. Those who were in the classroom with you were afflicted by the magic of demons, so it is only natural that your mind is in disarray."
"D-Demons?" I swallowed hard. Terrifying beings known to slaughter or violate humans purely for amusement. Demons. Creeping up from the depths of the underworld, these horrific creatures had been humanity's enemies since ancient times. Though people in high society claimed things had changed recently, as someone who had lived under a bridge my entire life, I had no way of knowing if that was true. To me, demons were simply enemies. They were a natural disaster, no different from a rabid orc suddenly emerging from the mountains with bloodshot eyes and drool dripping from its mouth.
"D-Demons... A demon, of all things..."
"Why are you so frightened, Ramnusia?" Clapouti asked lightly, looking at me with a puzzled expression. "You are not from the Galagon Kingdom, nor did you come from the eastern lands, so why should you be so terrified, indeed? Ah, could it be—"
"Clapouti, that is enough," Helene interceded. "Have we not both learned that an instinctive fear of demons is only natural, even for nobles, and even for the flowers blooming in the garden who carry my father's blood?"
"I was merely going to ask if she was scared because she had only heard terrible rumors, you see." Clapouti offered a bright smile. "Besides, there are actually quite a few demon students from Pandemonium attending Cosmos Academy, indeed."
"D-Dem... what?" Demons... at the academy? I had never seen one before. You're telling me those monsters attend the academy like normal students?!
"Ramnusia? Is something the matter?" Helene asked gently, but my heart was pounding wildly.
"A-Ah, no... It's just... I suddenly remembered the moment I was s-struck by the demon's magic. My heart just started racing all of a sudden..."
"Do not worry. I intend to personally resolve this incident, without fail," Helene said, stroking the back of my hand as she uttered those incomprehensible words.
...Incident? What on earth was going on? Was Helene misunderstanding something? Come to think of it, she seemed to have assumed from the very beginning that I was 'attacked by a demon's magic'!
"Indeed. The exchange students from Pandemonium must abide by the treaty established long ago," Helene explained. "They must reveal their true forms so that we do not mistake their identities, and they are strictly forbidden from using Black Magic, which brings no benefit to them either."
"Yet, this incident left behind countless traces of Black Magic... and a sinister, terrifying kind of magic whose true nature we cannot even fathom, you see? Whoever did this has violated not just the academy rules, but something far greater. It is a major incident, indeed."
W-Wait, is this situation actually turning out to be highly advantageous for me?
"Therefore, to fulfill my duty of protecting the citizens of the Empire on which the sun never sets from the demons, I will track down the demon who used this wicked magic and ensure they are punished."
"T-T-Thank you, Your Highness..."
"It is only my duty. However, I cannot do everything alone. Ramnusia, though it may be painful, if you happen to recall anything, please let me know at any time." Beside the brightly smiling Helene, Clapouti also offered a lovely, beaming grin. Helene was so radiant that she drew all the attention, but looking closely, Clapouti was also a beautiful gem in her own right. If I didn't have to worry about the order, she was definitely a beautiful girl I'd love to make mine as well.
"Ha, hahaha... I-I will do my absolute best." In any case, without a shadow of a doubt, this situation was incredibly favorable to me. They didn't even suspect that I was the one who used the magic, and Helene was convinced that some non-existent 'rogue demon' was behind it. Besides, since I wasn't a demon, no matter how much they investigated that classroom, they wouldn't find anything linking back to me. And as for the most crucial piece of evidence, the Armonomicon... the Armonomicon...
"Gasp..."
"What is the matter, Ramnusia? Why are you clutching your waist?" The Armonomicon, the literal crystallization of the Demon King's wisdom, is strapped right to my waist! Isn't this basically screaming to the entire world that I was the one behind all those crazy deeds?! Wh-What do I do?! Should I hide the grimoire now? Can I even hide it?! Where would I even put it?! It's not like this thing is small enough to fit into a girl's pocket!!!
"Does your stomach hurt, indeed?"
"If you are unwell, I shall call the Sister." Wait, what? Why are they reacting like this? No, hold on a second...
"Ah, wahahaha... N-No! Not at all! I think my stomach was just startled because the sweets were so expensive and delicious!"
"Fuhuhuhu... What a peculiar joke, indeed!" Clapouti waved her hand with a laugh, and Helene's startled expression gradually softened. Yes, that's it. Neither of them is looking at the Armonomicon on my waist. In fact, they can't even perceive it at all. I don't know the exact mechanics behind it, but they can't see it! Well, of course! If they could see it, there's no way they wouldn't have noticed a massive grimoire strapped to my waist when I was completely naked with my pussy fully exposed!
"Come to think of it, Your Highness, last time... Ah, please excuse me for a moment." Clapouti, who had been speaking with a smile, suddenly looked toward the door and stood up. "It seems some underclassmen have arrived. I shall go and speak with them briefly, you see." Helene nodded with a smile. Suddenly, I was left entirely alone to have tea with the Imperial Princess.
Slide. The door opened and closed. Clapouti had definitely stepped outside, leaving only Helene in front of me. Is this what they mean when they say good fortune practically rolls into your lap?
Gulp... It wasn't completely safe, but since she said she was going to "speak" with them, she probably wouldn't return to the infirmary immediately. It felt like a gamble, but to obtain something far beyond one's reach, one must always take a great risk!
"Y-Your Highness...! C-Could you take a look at this?" Since I wasn't wearing my own uniform, I didn't have a handkerchief. Instead, I brought my finger to the snow-white table and lightly drew a single Hypnosis Sigil.
"What is it that I should look at?" "...Huh?" Helene blinked her beautiful eyes. It wasn't that she was looking elsewhere; she was definitely looking directly at the pattern I was pointing to with my finger. Could this be...
"A-Ah, it's nothing. I thought there was a smudge here." I quickly wiped away the Hypnosis Sigil. It was a flimsy excuse, but fortunately, Helene didn't suspect a thing.
"Do not worry. It is only natural to spill or smudge things during tea time," Helene said, offering a bright smile as she quietly sipped her tea. It had all happened in the blink of an eye, but my magic—or at least, my Hypnosis Rune Magic—had not worked on Helene in the slightest.