Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Flower of the North Sea (2)
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"Unqualified."
"Hng."
Adella, who had received the rejection notice without even a second's hesitation from afar, trudged back utterly dejected.
And then, the remark she made while pointing a finger at Louis, who was clicking his tongue in disapproval, was something to behold.
"Viscount..."
'Ha, tsk...'
Erzebet tilted her head back to relax her furrowed brow.
Stress ruins the skin.
She conveyed her refusal to Adella as gently as possible, with the mindset of a mother indulging a child's tantrum.
"Adella."
"Yes?"
"Do you think that's something you should say? Just because there are a lot of nobles at the academy, do you think everyone in the world can get a title? The royal finances are already a mess because of the two wars, and where do you think a title for a guy like that would come from? He didn't even do anything remarkable—at best, he's a canteen owner! Do you want to see me summoned by the council and punished for abusing royal authority or what?"
"Hng..."
Rejected by both of them, Adella wilted even further.
On the contrary, Erzebet became even more convinced that the young lady of Roshiar was anything but normal.
It was obvious she had feelings for Louis, but would any sane person fall for a guy like that?
She acknowledged that he was hiding something about the royal family and Terra Ernisten in the past.
Everett had earnestly urged her to meet him seriously after the last class, saying Louis must have been a skilled knight or mage.
But that was separate from his appeal as a man.
From his outfit—baggy t-shirt and dragging slippers—to his messy hair, it was a disaster.
She'd even seen him sitting on a nearby bench smoking on a nice day.
At the very least, Louis didn't suit as a marriage prospect for the Roshiar family.
"Adella, let's take our time finding a marriage partner. How about we start by cultivating some general refinement and common sense? I'll help you."
"The Princess?"
She felt an urgent need to rehabilitate Adella.
Her current speech and behavior were a waste of the prestigious Roshiar name.
The Snow Duke, Lady Estelle, was the epitome of an iron-blooded mage and the kingdom's spear itself. Why was Adella the only one like this...?
"Just trust me. You haven't debuted in high society yet, right?"
"Yes."
"Don't worry. I'll make sure you're the debutante of the year."
It was all for the kingdom's future.
If even half—no, a quarter—of the Snow Duke's unique magical aptitude emerged in a mage, Penheim would surely prosper even more.
Even looking at Adella's personal relationships, it was the same.
For some reason, the bullying directed at her had stopped after Louis's bizarre class, but who knew when she'd become a target for nasty nobles again.
Erzebet, who had no plans to join a salon herself, decided to look for a suitable social gathering for Adella first.
With steady effort, step by step, she could become a fine noblewoman too.
"But Princess, I'm actually pretty smart."
"Yes, I get it, so follow me. No more silly talk."
Hoping Adella would rehabilitate quickly and erase that man from her mind, Erzebet hurried off.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness."
It fell through immediately. In less than an hour.
"Miss Adella's demeanor seems slightly at odds with the direction our salon pursues."
This made ten salons that had rejected her application.
Considering the recommender was Penheim's princess, it was an unbelievable rejection rate.
"Could I know the reason?"
"Ahem, last time at our 'Aquatic Plant Research Society,' you lit a fire in the tank because the seaweed and plants seemed cold, and..."
"...I'm sorry."
"No, it's fine."
"I'm really sorry. I'll apologize on her behalf."
It was hopeless. Erzebet had overlooked Adella's behavior.
Her antics weren't mere rudeness or breach of etiquette. It was a matter of common sense versus absurdity.
After the magic confrontation, Adella had been expelled from nearly every academy-sponsored salon at least once.
And the reasons were all hilariously airtight.
At the Aquatic Plant Research Society, she made seaweed soup out of research samples; at the Art Style Research Society, she drew Satan’s Gate, bringing high priests from the temple; she blew up every magic-related salon she entered; and in the relatively normal history or humanities groups, she collapsed unconscious like a doll with cut strings the moment she crossed the threshold.
'No wonder so many salons closed applications early this year without filling spots...'
When she insisted on membership despite the rudeness, the response was that they'd rather pay more taxes to the royal family.
Even her father, Baor III, who had remained silent no matter how much she demanded information on Louis, received a personal letter.
[Well done, daughter. Thanks.]
Erzebet tore the letter to shreds. She had unintentionally proven her political savvy, but nothing had improved.
She gazed with a mournful expression at Adella, who was staring down Piy in the seat next to her.
Was she truly useless beyond her looks?
Her one redeeming quality was the confidence that she could win staring contests with birds.
They say a beautiful woman brings three years of happiness just by looking at her face, but at this rate, debuting in high society was out of the question.
No salon would accept her, making it hard to find any connection to meet other nobles.
'Connection... No way.'
Then, a clever idea dawned on the quick-witted princess. She didn't particularly recommend it, but—
"Miss Adella, do you really want to work at the canteen?"
"Me? Yes!"
"Haa..."
"Princess?"
"Just stay put for a bit. Let me sort my thoughts."
What if Adella worked at the canteen?
The newly built canteen looked quite upscale at a glance. If anything, it was comparable to Café Gurmond at the Bayou Hotel, with a bit of exaggeration.
If Adella, neatly dressed, served customers there impeccably, wouldn't everyone be surprised by her changed demeanor?
It might seem odd for a noble lady to work as a canteen waitress, but there was already precedent.
Liv Lavre de Greenwood. During her time working there, no rumors spread about her losing dignity or shaming the nobility.
Plus, canteen work wouldn't require any tricky knowledge—
"Sir Everett. Stay with Adella for a moment."
"Pardon? Princess, where are you—"
"I'm going to meet the canteen owner. Come on, Piy."
As soon as class ended, Erzebet headed to the canteen with Piy.
She sighed in relief upon seeing the help-wanted notice still posted on the wall.
Louis was cleaning the empty cafe interior, with no customers or staff around.
Erzebet felt a twinge of annoyance at how he sighed upon seeing her.
No one dared show such blunt emotions to Penheim's princess—
No matter how great Louis was, he wasn't nobility at least.
A proper noble wouldn't make such a rude face to one's face, regardless of their true feelings.
"What now, Princess? You here to work?"
"No? Why would I?"
But conversely, she knew what Louis disliked about her.
As she innocently tilted her head along with Piy on her shoulder, his face crumpled.
Enough teasing. Time for the main point.
Erzebet pulled out a chair at an empty table and sat. Expecting an escort from that man was a luxury.
"Louis, any thought of hiring Adella?"
"You serious?"
"Yes, completely serious. I hear she wants an arranged marriage. But as you know, in her current state, it's impossible."
"Well, yeah..."
Seeing him trail off, she felt a slight sense of camaraderie.
What was the point of saying it? Louis had been dealing with the extremes Erzebet experienced these past few days since the semester began.
"I'm taking responsibility to rehabilitate her. Leaving her like this is a huge loss for the kingdom and her personally."
"You... rehabilitate her? I mean Adella? How can I trust that?"
From an employer's perspective, a poorly performing hire was a total bust.
But Erzebet had grounds for confidence.
"I'll polish her up a bit first and bring her by, then you decide. Sound good? Seems tempting for you too, right?"
"Hm..."
Louis pulled a cigarette from his pocket, deep in thought.
Erzebet, who hated the smell, stood and plucked it from his mouth.
"What are you doing?"
"Don't smoke in front of me. It stinks."
"...Fine. Bring her by first."
At least test her. With that, he walked outside.
Probably to finish his smoke. So stubborn.
Whatever. It didn't matter.
A deal was struck between the canteen owner short on help and the princess aiming to rehabilitate Adella.
Returning to the classroom immediately, Erzebet found Adella.
What she needed to work at the canteen was something very basic yet essential—something every female student at the academy did without fail every morning.
"You're back, Princess?"
"Adella. One thing I want to ask. Do you have any maids from your family?"
"There's one, but she's rather elderly."
"I see. Then I'll assign one of my attendants to you for now."
"Pardon?"
"Go take a bath first. I'll teach you makeup. Oh, we need clothes too. How long are you going to wear that frumpy cardigan?"
After a grueling three-hour beauty session, Erzebet swallowed a small gasp.
Adella, who always looked disheveled, seemed like a completely different person after washing up and light makeup.
Her frizzy blue hair now fell straight.
Instead of her baggy clothes, she wore perfectly fitted attire rushed from the city's most famous women's boutique.
Her incredible figure, hidden under loose fabric until now, was fully revealed.
She looked uncomfortable, but even like this, she'd get flooded with dance requests at a ball.
The flower of the North Sea, truly.
"Much better. When the skirt hem lifts, don't walk frivolously—step on your toes first."
"Got it, ma'am."
"No 'ma'am' either."
"Yes..."
When she shut her mouth entirely, an image several times more refined overlaid her.
Finally satisfied, Erzebet spritzed her with light perfume.
"He definitely won't refuse now. But just in case, don't open your mouth in front of him."
"..."
"You're fine now."
"Yep."
"No 'yep'... Sigh, whatever. I'll stay by your side for a while to correct any odd habits. Let's go."
"You'll be there with me, Princess?"
At Adella's rare surprise, Erzebet asked what the problem was.
"Yes. I recommended you as a waitress—if you mess up, it'd be me causing trouble for him."
"Still..."
"Something worrying you?"
"Um..."
Adella glanced at herself and the princess in the mirror, then mumbled worriedly in a small voice.
"I just don't want the Princess to fall for Teacher Louis while you're at the canteen..."
"What? Ha! W-why would I develop feelings for that man!?"
It was so absurd she was speechless.
Lehel's parting words from her sudden disappearance recently poked at her mind again.
Fiancé, fiancé, ex-fiancé, betrothed—
Denying her connection with him desperately, Erzebet raised her voice.
"Absolutely! No way that would happen!"
"Piy—."
"Quiet, Piy! You don't say a word all day, and now you pick a fight?"
"Piy—."
"Enough! Adella, you stop with the nonsense too."
Fanning her flushed cheeks, she declared.
"Me falling for Louis is impossible unless he cuts off the Demon King's head. Got it?"