The Radiant Golden Princess's Conspiracy
There was once a radiant girl cloaked in glorious golden light. Her name was Ersa Portia.
The youngest of the Portia Empire's three princes and four princesses, the Fourth Imperial Princess. The reason she'd enrolled in the academy—far removed from the line of succession—was simple.
"You think I'm crazy enough to marry someone I don't even want?"
That was it.
Free from the pressures of the throne, she'd fallen headlong into the romances of novels. But when she learned her future held an unwanted betrothal, she'd fled straight to the academy.
One thing she'd overlooked, however, was that she was still imperial royalty.
"Princess Ersa~ You're as beautiful as ever today~"
"Princess Ersa~ Is that outfit from Master Pripa's workshop?"
"Princess Ersa~"
"Princess Ersa~"
Countless nobles swarmed her, desperate for even a crumb of favor despite her fate of being pawned off to some foreign prince without a say in the matter.
Most who approached were children of lesser barons or viscounts with little power, or honorary nobles from border marches elevated by some minor feat.
No matter how distant from succession, Ersa was still a princess. She could see right through their obvious intentions.
Pathetic.
Yet her title as princess meant she couldn't brush them off carelessly.
Then, the buzz of the lecture hall shifted as the rookie professor of the hour took the podium.
Miriel.
Rumor had it she was the secret disciple of Rodis Bern, hailed as the greatest mage since Lao Medea.
After his first disciple, Jania Pieris, he hadn't taken a new apprentice in decades—not even after abandoning his post as head of the Imperial Court Mage Corps. He'd sought her out personally and raised her himself.
Jania herself had hounded him relentlessly for ten years, picking up magic from sidelong glances before earning official recognition.
For a man so selective, to present her as a prodigy with archmage potential...
Her presence at the academy rivaled even that of Princess Ersa.
But there was one tiny snag: she was too tiny.
From the podium, only her head was visible—her whole body hidden behind it.
Pfft.
Ersa burst out laughing before she could stop herself.
"Pwaaaah!!!"
In that instant, Professor Miriel's clear, delicate voice echoed through the auditorium, silencing the murmurs in a heartbeat.
"Truly impressive," Ersa thought, inwardly awed by how the petite girl had seized the crowd's attention so swiftly.
Could she do the same before all these people? As royalty, she was expected to command with charisma, but Ersa knew it wasn't her strength.
Had she wanted that, she'd have taken Imperial Studies. She hadn't.
"A moment, please... Due to Professor Miriel's petite stature, we'll adjust the podium height."
As the announcer finished, the podium resized to fit her. Probably the first time they'd seen such a tiny professor; even he seemed flustered.
And then, from Professor Miriel's lips came...
"☆.★○.●◎◇.◆□■.△▲▽.▼"
⟨ Ancient Blessing ⟩
An incomprehensible tongue.
Not just Ersa—the entire hall erupted in confusion.
But Professor Miriel, serene as ever, surveyed the room with a satisfied nod.
What did that mean?
Ersa wondered, but the ever-kind professor followed up clearly in Imperial tongue, even explaining the mystery phrase.
"What I said before was an ancient blessing~ Now, let's begin~"
Ancient language.
What was that?
It referred to a lost empire predating the Portia Empire's founding.
To explain fully would take ages, but simply: three empires preceded Portia, all fallen to unknown causes—those weren't the ancient ones. The true ancient empire came before them.
They wielded magic far beyond today's, with all modern automata as their legacy. Scholars and mages toiled endlessly to unravel it.
And here was Professor Miriel, claiming she'd just spoken it herself.
Small wonder the mage towers and rival kingdoms would covet her.
After the lavish entrance ceremony doubling as opening day, Professor Miriel's inaugural class finally arrived.
But she didn't show. Even after waiting awhile.
Something wrong?
"She ran away, right?"
"I mean, she's a total kid."
"Yeah, how's she even smaller than us?"
Thirty minutes passed with no sign. Commoners grumbled outright; noble heirs sniped indirectly.
Even the young lords and ladies beside Ersa joined in.
"Oh dear? The professor's late? How could she keep a princess waiting?"
"Indeed. Rumors say she's some abandoned orphan. Giving a post at Medeia Academy to a rootless waif just 'cause she's got some magic talent? Mistake from the start."
"Exactly. Making Princess Ersa wait? I'll tell Father the moment class ends—demand action."
Ersa swallowed her retort.
Pathetic. Barons and viscounts thinking their whispers matter here? All to score points in this one moment...
Another thirty minutes ticked by before the door opened. Professor Miriel entered, looking somewhat haggard, and apologized immediately.
"Sorry I'm late. Got caught up in an experiment. Now, what do you all think of magic?"
What followed were rote opinions—until her one line.
"It's different. The subject is different."
The room's mood shifted.
"Consider this: how do you boost a spell's power?"
"Two ways. Raise attribute affinity or input more mana. The former's far easier."
Basic knowledge; all nodded. She agreed and pressed on.
"So, methods to raise mana or affinity?"
"Mana grows slowly with heavy use. Affinity rises faster just casting attribute spells."
Obvious. But Ersa's next question stumped her.
"Why is that?"
Why? No one questioned it—not even the mage towers.
"That's..."
Even Perdita faltered.
All eyes locked on Miriel.
The class was titled Understanding Attribute-less Magic. Surely she saw beyond it. Ersa thought so.
Then...
"Eat fire or dive into flames, and your fire affinity skyrockets."
Professor Miriel dropped a bombshell.
"Live a thousand meters undersea, water affinity surges."
"Devour dirt or bury yourself a kilometer deep, earth affinity explodes."
"Get struck by lightning, lightning affinity soars."
"Face winds at forty meters per second, wind affinity leaps."
All suicidal feats.
Hence the stunned stares.
Ersa and debating Perdita included.
Was she serious?
Her earnest face said yes.
Someone challenged it.
"Professor Miriel, are you serious?"
She nodded.
But glancing at the ceiling, she cleared her throat.
"Ahem, just kidding. Now, your assignment! What is attribute-less mana, and how exactly do you increase it?"
"Affinity questions okay if that's too tough!"
With that, she breezed out.
"That's a professor?"
"Princess, we must act firmly. Assignments can't endanger lives."
"If Your Highness won't, I'll tell the president myself—Ermil Portrisa."
"Drop the class now. No, cancel it entirely."
Outrage erupted.
Ersa agreed it was extreme.
But inwardly:
The assignment's just 'What is attribute-less mana, and how to raise it?' No danger at all.
Reviewing it, she scanned the room.
Most were bailing. Medeia Academy overflowed with better classes.
They'd signed up for novelty: Rodis Bern's disciple, exotic attribute-less topic—not true devotion.
Guess it'll get axed.
No penalties for cancellation here.
Students trickled out. Sycophants lingered around Ersa.
Exhausting.
As their fawning grated, Perdita approached.
"What do you think of Professor Miriel, Your Highness?"
"Know your place, commoner!"
"Thinks she's hot stuff 'cause she's a genius? This ain't your spot! Scram!"
Perdita's gaze held firm.
Ersa decided.
"Everyone? Could you leave me be? I'm tired. And Perdita? A word?"
The heirs grumbled, but she ignored them.
In a quiet garden, Ersa and Perdita sat alone.
"So, what's your angle?"
"Professor Miriel's claims. They're not wrong."
"Pardon?"
Ersa blinked. Perdita meant the offhand remark was truth.
"A mage tower friend told me: dying mages' final spells sometimes erupt with massive power. They've researched it for years."
Slurp—
Perdita sipped her tea.
"They found prolonged exposure to a close affinity boosts it."
"Professor Miriel figured it solo."
Ersa tilted her head.
"No announcements from the towers yet?"
"Research just wrapped. Announcement next year, probably."
"I see."
Slurp—
Tea sounds echoed.
"What now, Perdita?"
"I say keep the class."
"Why tell me?"
Perdita paused, then steeled herself.
"I need your help, Your Highness. Or it'll be canceled."
"My gain?"
"I'll arrange a meeting with white mage Period Winbayzer."
Ersa pondered, then nodded.
"...Deal."
The next day, in that same garden, Ersa and Perdita sat side by side. Opposite them: a brown bob-cut girl and an emerald-twin-tailed one.
"I'm Belviti, yep! This quiet one's Imir Ainber—forgive her few words, yep!"
Ersa rose politely at Belviti's words.
"Fourth Princess of the Portia Empire, Ersa Portia. Pleased to meet you."
"Perdita. Commoner—no family name."
Brief greetings led to perfunctory chat, then the point.
"Got it, yep? You want us to enroll in Professor Miriel's Understanding Attribute-less Magic, yep?"
Belviti turned to Imir.
"Perfect, yep! Imir wanted that class, yep!"
Imir bowed shyly.
"No need to blush, yep! Great, yep! What do we do, yep?"
"Professor Miriel won't care about cancellation. We stop Understanding Attribute-less Magic from axing."
"Right, yep! Heard a rumor, yep. Here it is."
All leaned in.
"Professor Miriel hasn't left her lab once since arriving, yep!"
"Yesterday she was late from research."
"Dove right in upon arrival."
They hung on her next words.
"And she seems clueless on academy rules, yep! So invent a reason it can't cancel, yep!"
"Possible?"
"Opponent's a professor—one unveiling new truths."
Belviti flashed a victorious V.
"Won't fly with her, yep? Kid genius lacks common sense, yep! So..."
Whisper whisper—
Thus began Ersa and her crew's secret plot to aid Miriel unbeknownst to her.