The Princess's Negotiation Proposal
About three weeks had passed since the entrance ceremony, and I was gradually getting used to life at the academy. The campus, which had seemed so confusing and unnecessarily vast at first that I struggled to find my way, was now navigable without a map—I could pretty much reach any destination I wanted.
These past few weeks, I'd seriously wondered if I was starting to resemble Lady Tiabel.
"Aren, there's something weird about the way you're looking at me?"
The lady walking beside me glanced up with cold, piercing eyes.
She always noticed the strangest things. But I wasn't about to confess that easily.
"What do you mean? I'd never think anything bad about you, my lady."
"Heh... yeah, right! You're not the type, Aren."
Her unwavering trust gave me a slight pang of guilt, but there was also a thrill in fooling her that made it kind of fun.
"Oh, that spot looks perfect. Aren, could you spread out the mat?"
"Sure thing."
I approached the cherry tree she pointed to and laid out the picnic mat. It got great sunlight, and the blossoms were in full, lush bloom—practically prime real estate.
- Kyauuuh!
- Ni-hi-hit!
Then, the wind spirit Selphin and the water spirit Rirua, who had been flitting around her shoulders, each carried over a basket.
Even compared to other first-year spirit mages, who typically handled just one at a time, she managed two without batting an eye. Using them as lunchbox shuttles, no less.
Thud—
"Ahh, this is the life. Our free periods lining up perfectly today—talk about good luck."
"Tell me about it. And now we've got a full picnic spread."
Lady Tiabel flopped straight onto the mat in a big X and rolled around with a blissful smile.
Normally, the day would have followed the usual hamster-wheel routine: classes, then back to the dorm. But yesterday, out of nowhere, she'd asked, "Aren! You've got no class tomorrow at this time, right?!"
It was true, so I nodded, and she immediately declared, "Then picnic tomorrow!"—unilaterally scheduling it.
When the lady wants a picnic, who am I to say no? And so, here we were in the academy's spring-scented back garden, complete with her homemade lunchboxes.
"But my lady, how did you know I had a free period then? Even Theo didn't know."
"Hee-hee! I've got my ways. It's a secret from you, Aren."
"Aw, that's not fair. Keeping secrets from me too?"
"It's a secret because it's you!"
What kind of logic was that? Well, I had a pretty good idea who was behind it anyway. Selphin, no doubt.
Back at the Roze Tail mansion, whenever guests visited to discuss important matters with Lady Camilla, Lady Tiabel couldn't contain her curiosity and would always send Selphin to eavesdrop.
Did she really think I, her accomplice back then, wouldn't know?
"Anyway, let's eat!"
"You got it. Man, I'm looking forward to this—your homemade lunchboxes."
"We'll open them on three? One, two, three...!"
Click—
As the countdown ended, she popped open the boxes, revealing neatly arranged, adorable contents.
Oh, there was a ton of love packed in here.
"Thanks for the meal, my lady."
"Yeah, dig in!"
I thanked her and started eating. She watched me intently, asking a few times how it tasted, then giggled and gave a thumbs-up when I just raised mine silently before joining in.
The flavor? Top-notch, no question.
"So get this—the prof wakes him up, and he goes, 'Dad!' Everyone lost it laughing."
"Whoa, that'd be mortifying."
Even while eating, her mouth never stopped, regaling me with fun classroom anecdotes.
Some were pretty hilarious, so I reacted appropriately and kept munching.
"Haaah, so full! Time to lie down."
"You'll turn into a cow, my lady."
"Eek! You're lying down too, Aren!"
"I'm already a cow, so it's fine."
"You've given up on being human?!"
Right after finishing, we both sprawled out on the mat without a word—neither of us first.
Plop. Just then, a cherry blossom petal drifted down onto her forehead.
Watching the scene, I felt a profound peace.
"So peaceful, right, Aren?"
"...Yeah."
Yeah, peace was great. But what was this nagging feeling?
It wasn't unpleasant, but I kept thinking, Is this okay?
What kind of place was an academy, really? Every few days, you'd get rebels or demon lord minions dropping by like, "Hey, we're here!"
And the students would be all, "Oh, hey?"—welcoming enemies like old bros.
Yet three weeks with nothing? Or was I just too steeped in web novel clichés?
Was an academy supposed to be this peaceful?
No way. Fat chance. Probably biding their time until we let our guard down, then bam—incident.
Like that spy infiltration last time. This world definitely followed academy story tropes to some extent.
So, to prevent it, I needed info. Lots of it.
Problem was, I had no way to learn about academy events on my own.
"...Hmm."
"Aren, what's up? Lie back down—the breeze feels amazing."
I sat up, and she looked at me curiously from her spot beside me.
Ignoring her, I thought a bit more, then nodded.
Someone who could give me the info I wanted, fast and reliably, had come to mind.
"My lady, sorry, but I need to go meet someone real quick."
"Who? If it won't take long, I can wait."
"No, it's okay. Might drag on."
I had time—classes done for the day—but she had another one soon, no room to wait.
So I turned her down, and she puffed her cheeks like a sulky kid.
"That girl from before, right?"
"...Pardon?"
Suddenly, she glared at me like a wife catching her husband cheating.
"You know, the blue-haired girl in our class. I saw you two chatting happily last time. You're going to see her, aren't you?!"
"What are you talking about?"
Blue hair? Trici? We were friendly enough, but why bring her up now? I was baffled.
It took a solid twenty minutes of explaining to finally escape her grasp.
She never fully dropped the suspicious glare.
＊
"Why build this thing so damn far out...?"
I grumbled under my breath as the central clock tower came into view.
The academy had many buildings, but this tower was the iconic one.
Accessible via the floating corridor from any third-floor building—a place I'd have no reason to visit otherwise.
But desperate times.
"Here we are."
The corridor docked, and I crossed the tower hallway straight to the door labeled Student Council Room.
Knock knock.
- Yes, who is it?
I heard Pernova-senpai, the secretary, from inside.
Not who I wanted, but worth asking.
"It's Aren. Is Siel-senpai...?"
Bam—!
Before I finished, the door flew open with a bang, no warning.
If my reflexes had been slower, my head would've smashed right into it.
"Junior! You came all this way—finally decided to be our treasurer?!"
"Nope."
I shot back curtly at Siel-senpai, who beamed at me.
Ugh, this was why I didn't want to come.
This princess had been pitching "Wanna be student council treasurer?" since the baking club first met.
Now, every hallway encounter, it's her greeting instead of hello.
I almost thought that was Ruendel Kingdom etiquette.
"Come on in anyway. Seeking me out means urgent business, right?"
"...You're weirdly perceptive. It's annoying."
"Student council president perks."
Someone so sharp couldn't tell I hated the treasurer idea? Or did she know and push anyway?
Damn.
"Lens, tea for two?"
"Yes."
"No thanks for me. I don't like tea much anyway."
"Aw, you sure? No need to hold back."
She thought I was being polite. But I had bigger priorities than tea.
"Siel-senpai. The academy events—you guys handle all of them, right?"
"Pretty much. Not everything, but we keep tabs on the schedule."
Oh ho, just what I wanted to hear. Good call coming here.
Now for the pivot.
"So, there must be unannounced stuff—internal schedules only you execs know?"
"Sure, but we can't share with students."
"Tch."
Her quick line-drawing made me click my tongue.
Hate perceptive princesses.
"Can't you slip me some? Fellow club members and all."
I tried a lame excuse to pry info, and she smirked.
"Take treasurer, and I'll tell you..."
"Pass."
Knew it.
"Why? You need the info, don't you?"
"I do, but I'm not dying without it. Treasurer's worse than death."
"Ouch, that hurts. It's an honorary position, you know."
Honorary or not, I don't want it. Even Pyongyang auditors quit if they hated it—what's a treasurer gig?
"Fine, how about a different favor?"
"Different favor?"
"Yeah. No tricks. Just do this one thing I ask, and you get your info. Fair?"
Realizing my resolve, she offered a compromise—surprisingly reasonable.
"Depends on the favor. Can I hear it first?"
"Of course. Truth is, I'd like you to come with me on a private site inspection."
"...Site inspection?"
Her unexpected proposal left me utterly dumbfounded.