The Ice Princess's Facade and the Battle for My Seat
Elena Parau—the protagonist of this world's original novel, officially recognized by the author as the empire's number one cool beauty. You might think, what cool beauty after spewing all that colorful profanity? But anyway, that's how she was portrayed in the novel I read. Cool-headed, composed, never losing her poise no matter what. Sometimes she seemed so inhuman it was eerie.
"Ah. Ah."
Elena cleared her throat just before opening the door to the banquet hall. She glanced at her reflection in the glass window, roughly fixing her smudged makeup and disheveled hair, then schooled her flushed face into calm.
"Shall we go?"
Like she'd swapped personalities, her eyes turned icy. In an instant, Elena transformed into the novel's Ice Princess.
...Yeah, that's her, the Elena from the book.
Only then did the silver-haired beauty from the novel's cover overlap with the real one. Same face, but a single expression could change the vibe this much?
She's like a completely different person.
Who the hell was the girl drinking with me just moments ago? Was she possessed or something?
"Where have you been, Lady Parau?"
"Come on in, your shoulders are all flushed."
The moment we pushed open the banquet hall doors, the eyes of every prominent noble locked onto Elena. Seizing the gap while all attention was on her, I bolted to a corner of the hall.
"Now that Lady Parau has arrived, perhaps it's time for a major announcement."
Someone ascended the podium after spotting Elena and me entering. Golden hair, blue eyes, thick brows, sturdy build. Necklaces, earrings, medals—an excessive array of jewels that his overwhelming presence somehow pulled off.
"Today, I bring unfortunate news, and my heart is heavy..."
Banquet hall. Elena Parau. Broken engagement. Those three words clicked together in my head, flashing a scene past my eyes.
"This was an arrangement by His Majesty the Emperor and the Duke from the start. Regrettably, no romantic feelings ever blossomed between us as man and woman."
Holy shit.
"I hereby announce the dissolution of our engagement."
Never thought I'd witness a scene like this front-row center in my life. Isn't this the classic rom-fantasy opener where the heroine gets dumped by the villain?
As I watched it unfold, fragments of the novel's plot—forgotten for nineteen years—flooded back into my mind.
Wounded by the one-sided breakup, Elena enters the academy, uncovers her hidden magic talent, and skyrockets to success. Then she stops a war, slays a dragon... Breaking the engagement leaves the emperor trembling, and the northern grand duke courting her as a mage. Something like that—condensing the roughly 600 chapters, anyway.
Her expression isn't even that dark, though.
A worldwide engagement breakup announcement? If it were me, I'd be red-faced with shame. Guess the empire's top cool beauty really is on another level.
*****
The entrance celebration banquet ended, and the next day, over 300 students gathered on the training grounds, eyes on the dean atop the podium.
"What was that last night? Lady Parau and the Crown Prince broke off their engagement?"
"If it wasn't the booze making me hallucinate..."
"They were the most beautiful couple around."
"...So Lady Parau's seat next to her is empty now?"
"As if."
One thing was clear: not a soul among the 300-plus students was actually listening to the dean's speech.
This schedule is insanely packed.
Entrance ceremony right after the banquet, then straight into prepping for first classes. Scarier still, the nobles of this world didn't complain once about the grueling pace. Like it was just normal life.
...Terrifying noble world!
I train daily, barely sipped last night, and I'm wiped out—how do these other nobles not yawn once?
Dopamine rush?
Yeah, from their perspective, ignorant of the backstory, the Crown Prince and lady's breakup was juicy gossip worth perking up for.
-Once again, congratulations on your enrollment!
Applause erupted toward the podium. Without it, I wouldn't have even noticed the speech was over. My ears auto-filter noble speeches into white noise.
"Hello."
A voice like cracking ice hit my ear as I headed to my class building. The academy's hottest topic: Lady Elena Parau.
"...Uh, hi."
I felt surrounding gazes zero in.
"Look, the lady's talking to Ram Artel..."
"What a combo."
"Weren't they entering the banquet together last night?"
"He's decent-looking, actually."
How many times had I heard decent-looking, actually since yesterday?
"..."
I couldn't hide my discomfort under the sudden scrutiny.
"Uncomfortable?"
"Not a fan of the stares."
Sorry to the tragic heroine (for real), but better keep some distance. Crazy shit always happens around protagonists. Dragon attacks, deranged professors massacring students. Sure, everyone's hot and pretty for eye candy—but only if I survive. Odds of living through entanglements with them? Near zero.
"First class?"
"Basics of Magic Understanding."
"Second?"
"...Economics and Liege Studies."
"...Third?"
"Lunch break."
"Fourth?"
Why so persistent?
"Understanding Magical Beasts, I think."
"Which professor?"
"...Dalton?"
"See you then."
Elena vanished like the wind after those words.
"First time seeing Lady Parau approach someone."
"She interested...? It's only been a day since the prince."
"Guy crawls out of his mansion after 19 years, first thing he does is hit on the lady?"
What did I do wrong in that chat for rumors to twist like that? Do these people all have rom-fantasy brains? How does plain chit-chat become hitting on her?
...Definitely gotta avoid the leads.
A crowd buzzed after Elena, heading the same way. Some guys eyed her empty seat like they wanted to submit a transfer slip.
...Gonna be like this all four years?
Nah, it'll worsen. Later, even dragons court her when humans aren't enough.
Thinking about it, this novel's a total trash fire.
Wonder why I stuck through 700 chapters. My sibling bailed around 200, saying this is too much.
Wanna go home...
"Pathetic sight, huh? Swarming her like she's a queen bee."
"What."
I whipped around at the voice whooshing past my ear.
"Ram Artel, right? Rehen Aura."
Rehen Aura. Standing behind me: the novel's main villainess and the Crown Prince's mistress.
I'd sworn off leads five seconds ago—why's she approaching me first?
"..."
Choppy bangs, sharp slanted eyes, snake-like smirk, decadent vibe like she carried poison.
Guess I know the prince's type now.
Her uniform disheveled, tie half-done. Textbook delinquent bad girl look.
"Oh, and I take Professor Dalton's class too?"
"Nice to meet ya."
Rehen sauntered off lightly after that.
*****
First and second periods passed without issue. Lunch too, no big deal. Whispers of that's Ram Artel everywhere, but ignorable.
Novelty factor.
A count's son emerging after 19 years of seclusion? That buzz made sense. In a week, it'd bury under protagonist drama anyway.
The problem? Yeah.
"You're here."
The damn protagonist wants to buddy up.
"Look,"
I sighed under the stares, opening my mouth. Felt like a zoo monkey. Might develop agoraphobia at this rate.
"Do you have to sit next to me...?"
"Seats aren't assigned, right?"
Elena plopped beside me casually, flipping open her notebook.
She pretended to prep for class, scribbling notes in between.
...Yeah.
I glanced around warily before replying on her notebook.
...
Just move seats myself, quicker...
Thwack!
As I started to stand, her finger jabbed my side.
"Hng...!"
Nearly yelped. Pinpoint on ribs and liver—pro-level poke, not amateur hour.
Elena flashed the heartbroken sob-fest by the pond. Hard to believe sitting next to me now—total vibe shift.
But is that that embarrassing?
Everyone rants after a breakup. Especially a fiancé—heat of the moment. No harm done, just venting solo. Why vent at me?
"What are you two whispering about?"
As I steadied my breath and gripped my pen, a familiar voice strode up again.
"...What's she doing here."
Whoa, thoughts slipping out loud from the chaos.
"Rehen. We said hi this morning?"
Rehen grabbed a chair by my other side like it was natural.
"Mind if I peek?"
She reached for our scribbled notebook like it was hers.
Whoosh!
Elena slammed it shut faster than light, glaring daggers.
"What?"
"Just curious."
"..."
Elena stared silently.
"Scary glare, Lady. Anyone'd think I stole your notebook."
Rehen paused half-syllable before stole—subtle shade only insiders would catch. Master-level passive-aggression.
...Why sit by me though?
"Give way?"
"What. Seats aren't assigned, right?"
Rehen parroted Elena's line, shoving her shoulder into my space.
Ah.
...This a catfight?
Difference from normal: one side's intentions darker than imagined. Rehen's goal? Use me to grate Elena's nerves.
"Ease up. I haven't done anything to earn her hate, have I?"
Rehen patted my shoulder with a casual grin.
Elena's finger dug into my ribs.
Why take it out on me, you psycho.
That shit hurts. Assassin's precision organ stab.
"Aw, can't our lady take a joke."
Luckily, before Elena skewered my guts, Rehen stood first, humming back to her seat.
"What... was that?"
"Aura and Lady Parau, fighting over Ram Artel..."
"Insane. Flirting with two girls in public."
You rom-fantasy skullheads. How's that me juggling two women? They ganged up on me.
No school bullying laws here? Lift my shirt—two bruises blooming by my liver for sure.
No class drops...?
First thing after class, I hit the registrar's office.
"Sorry, but once enrolled, courses can't be dropped."
"Ah."
Shitty rom-fantasy campus.
No realistic systems like course withdrawal here.