A Princess's Resolve
At this rate, no matter how much Iren tried to explain herself, it would only make things worse. She decided on a strategic retreat.
The moment she stepped out of the magic class, unintelligible shouts erupted behind her. Nine times out of ten, they were curses aimed at her.
Mixed in among them was Frey's voice, trying to calm everyone down—but to the magic class students, it would only look as though a threatened Frey was being forced to defend Iren against his will.
Having fled to the Academy café, Iren sank into a chair and let out a long, heavy sigh.
Was my method wrong from the start?
In a moment like this, she found herself questioning the very approach she had chosen.
What she had wanted was for Frey to see the real Iren.
Not the disguised face of Aylin Katram, but her true self—Iren von Valencia.
She didn't want him to love her only because she was the Aylin he already adored. She wanted him to love Iren for who she was, independently.
That was why she had hidden her identity and pretended not to know Frey's secret either.
I never expected him to have a complete meltdown like that…
Iren keenly felt how shortsighted she had been. Frey's original status, after all, was that of a commoner.
As "Frey Katram," his Academy identity, a certain amount of insolence could be forgiven—it could always be brushed off as acting to protect his cover.
But a commoner-born Frey could never behave that way. As a commoner-born steward, he was not allowed to treat any noble with the slightest disrespect.
Even Kal, whom Frey currently treated as something of a plaything, was someone he would have to serve with the utmost reverence if he ever returned to his true station.
Frey himself knew this all too well. That was why realizing Iren had known his identity from the very beginning had completely unhinged him.
I never meant to hurt you like this.
Iren's heart sank. The fact that Frey was suffering because of her cut deeper than anything.
Yet there was nothing she could do right now. What could she possibly do in this state?
Reveal her true identity? Tell him that Aylin and Iren were the same person?
If I say that now, the sense of betrayal might actually kill him. What am I supposed to do in a situation like this?
Iren could navigate political relationships without breaking a sweat. As Aylin Katram she had met countless nobles, after all.
But when one person's heart was this thoroughly wrecked, she had no idea what to do. The "youth" she always talked about was something she had only ever read about in books and spoken of with longing.
Kal would know exactly how to handle this, but he's hostile toward me right now. In that case…
Iren sighed and looked upward—toward the Academy's second floor, where the second-year classrooms were.
No. I can't trust that guy.
The thought would have made Lionel faint on the spot. Iren fretted.
Among the people I know, who has the highest affinity for others? Who understands human relationships better than anyone…?
One person came to mind, and she shuddered.
What am I even thinking?! Anyone but him!
Iren hastily erased the idea from her head and searched for other candidates.
There were none. A few names occurred to her, but circumstances made it impossible for her to meet them immediately.
That left only one person—someone she never wanted to see, someone who made her skin crawl.
I have to do this? Me? I have to go meet him in person?
Iren tried to suppress the goosebumps rising all over her body. No matter how she looked at it, she hated the idea.
But then she remembered Frey, trembling so violently.
I've never seen him like that before.
The only time she had ever seen Frey cry was at their first meeting. After that, he had always been the reliable steward.
Even on "that day"—the real reason Iren had fallen for him, though Aylin herself never realized it—Frey had pretended to be calm solely to protect her, even though the situation had been far more desperate than this, a situation where no one could possibly have kept their composure. And now that same Frey was drowning in severe emotional turmoil.
I can't leave things like this.
Iren bit her lip.
Frey has done everything for me. I can't just avoid the one person who might have a solution simply because I don't want to meet him!
Yes. Frey thought of Aylin as his savior, but the truth was the opposite. Frey himself was Aylin's—Iren's—savior.
Was she supposed to leave someone like that trembling in fear? Was that the right thing to do?
Absolutely not.
The Empire's Third Princess made her decision.
I'll meet him. That damned man!
Iren knew the most capable person in the entire Empire.
She would go see him.
Pathetic.
Yes. Truly pathetic.
During lunch, the magic class had become a cauldron of chaos.
Some students insisted they had to formally protest Iren's tyranny. Others said she should be forced to take a leave of absence for a few days. Radical opinions about Iren that never normally saw the light of day were pouring out in a torrent.
This had to be stopped. Every single one of the outrages they were accusing her of was a misunderstanding.
And I was trying to stop it.
"Ah—everything about Iren is a misunderstanding…"
"Young Master Katram! It's all right. You don't have to say another word!"
The magic class students pushed me back with pitying eyes. That wasn't it at all!
But I couldn't step forward more aggressively.
My body was trembling violently against my will. Honestly, even now my breath kept catching in my throat.
If I had to describe my current state, I was a candle flame in the wind.
One careless word from Iren and a person like me would snuff out without even realizing it.
Of course I knew she wasn't that kind of person. But knowing that and being afraid were two completely different things.
Having your life held hostage by the person standing right next to you felt exactly like this. You thought you were standing on solid ground, only to realize you were teetering on the edge of a cliff.
And more than anything, while Iren had played plenty of pranks on me, I had matched her just as often with my own responses.
If word of that ever reached the ears of other members of the imperial family… and if they learned that it wasn't some branch member of House Katram but a commoner-born who had done those things…
…Maybe I should just leave early. Young Lady should be home right now. I wanted to attend to her and somehow ease this stifling feeling in my chest.
I also just wanted to go somewhere empty and rest. Maybe I really was better off alone after all.
Or should I try thinking about something else?
First—the reason Iren had come to like me. It had to be because she had been watching me at the Katram estate for the past ten-odd years. There was simply no other connection between us right now.
I had never seen her, but with a secret space like that, it wouldn't be strange if she also had tools for looking inside the mansion.
Which meant Iren had fallen for me after watching my ordinary daily life.
What possible reason could a princess have for falling for a commoner-born steward? What part of me had she seen and liked?
Does Iren just like the little things?
Come to think of it, she never indulged in luxury. Even when she dragged me out on weekends, she enjoyed the street entertainments rather than going anywhere special.
The clothes she usually wore weren't expensive either, and the words she always went on about were things like "romance" and "youth."
Could it be…
A member of the imperial family who yearns for the life of a commoner—is that it?
It made a certain amount of sense. A normal imperial would focus on Frey's magical ability and things of that nature.
But Iren paid no attention whatsoever to Frey's magical skill and instead concentrated on spending ordinary days with him, didn't she?
More than anything, she harbored a peculiar hatred for the imperial family. If that had rebounded into an even stronger yearning for commoners…
Did she start by romanticizing the status itself and then just happen to fixate on me?
Thump!
I quietly pressed a hand to my chest. For some reason my heart was pounding far too hard. It almost hurt.
It wasn't a pleasant feeling.
Whatever the case, I have to stop this situation from getting any worse…
I stood up again, intending to calm the students' excitement. But the classroom door—which had already been smashed and repaired once—shattered all over again.
"Frey!"
Iren appeared. The magic class students glared at her with furious eyes.
"Your Highness! What are you here to do this time?!"
"We'll protect Young Master Katram! If it weren't for him, most of us would have been dragged off to Department Head Alketo's research lab!"
"We refuse to stand by any longer while you torment our benefactor, Young Master Katram!"
Even if it was a misunderstanding, hearing them say that actually felt pretty good.
"Come with me for a bit!"
Iren completely ignored them and walked straight toward me. The magic class students blocked her path.
"We said you're not taking him!"
"I'm sorry. But I need Frey right now!"
"Your Highness!"
"Just move aside for a moment."
Crack.
Something shattered. It was mana flowing out from Iren.
Before anyone could even notice, her mana had enveloped the entire classroom. At the same time—
Click!
Ice thorn collars locked around the necks of every single student in the magic class. It was the first time I had seen that magic since the first day of the semester.
"Th-this is—!"
"Don't move. Unless you want those thorns to pierce you."
"We can just melt them!"
"Stop."
One student tried to cast a fire spell. I hurriedly intervened.
"Iren. I'll go with you. Please stop this."
"Young Master Katram, you mustn't!"
"E-everyone, p-please stop… I-I've been t-telling you this whole time that it's a m-misunderstanding…"
"Young Master…!"
The magic class students looked at me with tearful faces. Ah, this misunderstanding just got even deeper, didn't it?
While I was still floundering, Iren spoke calmly.
"I'm going to solve this problem. Right now it might look like I'm tormenting Frey. But that's not what's happening. I'll take him with me and prove it when we come back."
"How exactly?"
"There's an expert on human relationships. He'll be able to fix this. And magic class!"
Iren raised her voice with a solemn expression.
"No matter what situation arises, I will never oppress or threaten Frey! You probably won't believe me, but I hope you will!"
"Can't you see Young Master Katram trembling right next to you?!"
"That's what I'm saying I'm going to fix! Ugh! Frey! Let's go!"
Iren dragged me out of the classroom. The instant we were outside, she shouted.
"Your Grace!"
"Your Highness, I'm currently in the middle of official business…?"
Duke Katram appeared. He blinked when he saw me standing beside Iren.
"Why are you calling for me when you're already with Frey? And why is Frey trembling so badly—"
"To the audience chamber!"
"Pardon?"
"Take us to His Majesty's audience chamber! Right now!"
The Duke and I both stared blankly at Iren.
What on earth was she talking about?