Chapter 2: The Noble Academy Entrance Ceremony

The morning of the Noble Academy entrance ceremony arrived.

I packed the necessary items into my bag and headed to the carriage waiting in front of the mansion.

There, Siana, who had been waiting, spoke to me.

“Master! It’s finally starting today, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, I’ll do my best starting today.”

…That’s right.

“If anything troublesome happens at the mansion while I’m at school, feel free to consult me anytime.”

“Thank you for your kind words!”

“No, no. Well then, I’m off.”

“Yes! Have a safe trip, Master!”

With Siana bowing to see me off behind me, I boarded the carriage.

As the carriage began to move, I waved from the window, and Siana waved back gently.

So as not to embarrass myself as Siana’s master, I’ll put in extra effort starting today!

◇

After watching Lux’s carriage until it disappeared from sight, Siana murmured with flushed cheeks.

“Lux-kun is truly kind… However,”

With her expression returning to normal, Siana continued.

“Among the nobles, there are wicked people who might take advantage of that kindness, and that’s my only concern.”

“Are you going to overlook that?”

In response to Violet’s question as she appeared, Siana replied with exasperation.

“Are you joking? If such a person exists, I’ll track them down by any means necessary and eliminate them.”

“I thought Ojou-sama would say that.”

“…Just to be safe, could you keep an eye on Lux-kun for the day?”

“Understood, but… what about handling any incidents involving Ojou-sama during the ceremony—”

“There’s no need to worry about that.”

To Siana’s confident declaration, Violet bowed slightly and said,

“Understood once again.”

◇

After about twenty minutes by carriage, I arrived at the gates of the Noble Academy.

“Amazing…”

The gate was massive and gleamed with gold.

Beyond it, the school building had large windows lined up, with a terrace on the second floor.

Above that stood a distinctive clock tower.

As expected of a school for nobles, it was truly an impressive building.

As I couldn’t help but stare, a gentle and calm voice called out to me from behind.

“It’s truly a lovely building, isn’t it? Were you also captivated by it?”

Reflexively, I turned toward the voice.

There stood a beautiful girl with blue hair and light blue eyes, her appearance strikingly refined.

Her expression was kind and serene.

She wore an expensive-looking dress, with intricate patterns sewn into the skirt.

And… the neckline was a bit revealing.

At that moment, I recalled the “things to be cautious about at school” that Siana had told me.

Fourth, avoid associating with women who wear highly revealing clothing.

…It might be best to avoid getting too involved with her.

For a moment, the thought crossed my mind, but that rule was meant for everyday situations. The entrance ceremony is a grand occasion, so it’s only natural for her to wear something fitting. I decided to make an exception.

“Yes, it’s so beautiful that I couldn’t help but stare,” I replied.

“Most people here don’t seem to pay much attention to the building,” the blue-haired girl said, her gentle smile softening her words. “But you seem different.”

…She has an aura I’ve never encountered before. Her calm demeanor and slow, deliberate speech carried a resonant quality that lingered in the air.

“I’d love to talk more, but the entrance ceremony is about to start.”

“You’re right.”

“Then, Lux Rodell-sama… I’ll take my leave.”

With a graceful bow, the girl walked toward the inner gates of the Noble Academy.

“…How did she know my name?” I muttered, but she was already gone, leaving no chance to ask.

Perhaps because I’d spoken with such a mysterious person, my tension eased… or so I thought. The realization that the Third Princess Felisiana-sama would be attending hit me, stirring a different kind of nervousness as I headed toward the auditorium.

Later, as I sat quietly observing the ceremony’s proceedings, the chairman’s voice rang out.

“Next, we will receive words directly from the Third Princess Felisiana-sama.”

…!

The Third Princess, Felisiana-sama…!

“Everyone, please welcome her with enthusiastic applause.”

Prompted by the chairman’s words, the auditorium erupted in applause. My nervousness reached its peak.

Amid the clamor, the Third Princess Felisiana-sama appeared before us.

That person… is the Third Princess Felisiana-sama.

Her lustrous silver hair cascaded around her, and her white dress exuded an air of nobility. She didn’t seem like someone my age at all, carrying a mature presence that commanded attention. I had seen her once at a party in my childhood, but back then, both she and I were young, and my memory of it was hazy.

Now, seeing Felisiana-sama at fifteen, the first thing that struck me was—she’s an incredibly beautiful woman.

As Felisiana-sama stepped onto the stage, she surveyed the new students. In that moment, our eyes met.

“…”

“…”

For some reason, it felt like our gazes locked for a few seconds. But soon, she looked away and began speaking.

“Greetings, new students of the Noble Academy. I am the Third Princess Felisiana.”

Not only was her appearance stunning, but her voice was clear and beautiful, resonating through the hall.

“At the Noble Academy, you will learn many things that are essential precisely because you are nobles.”

I could feel the emotions of everyone in the auditorium shift with her every word.

“There may be times when you face challenges that seem difficult to overcome.”

My own emotions stirred with each of Felisiana-sama’s words.

“However, I hope you will hold the awareness that each of you has the power to make this country better, hone your skills at this school, and, after graduation, contribute to the nation’s prosperity in your respective roles.”

Her speech was dignified, eloquently graceful, and carried an undeniable weight.

“That is all I have to say to you today.”

As Felisiana-sama concluded, the auditorium was once again filled with applause. In that moment, I realized anew what an extraordinary person she is.

As Felisiana-sama left amid the applause, the chairman spoke again.

“Thank you, Third Princess Felisiana-sama, for your wonderful words. With that, today’s entrance ceremony concludes. Later, we will hold a voluntary welcome party at the dance hall on the first floor of the school building. For those who wish to bond with their new classmates, please feel free to join.”

With those words, the entrance ceremony came to a close, and people began to move. Some headed toward the gates to leave, while others made their way to the welcome party. Two streams of people formed in front of the auditorium.

“Considering the future, I’d like to attend the welcome party…” I murmured, “But I’m also concerned about Siana, who was worried about me starting school.”

Maybe it’s better to head home early today. But joining the party might give me stories to share with Siana. I kept pondering this until I was the only one left around—

“The welcome party is about to start, but aren’t you joining, Lux-kun?”

A voice called out from beside me, startling me.

“Huh?”

Turning toward the familiar voice with confusion, I froze.

There stood… a beautiful woman with silver hair and striking blue eyes.

It was the Third Princess Felisiana-sama.

…Wait, what!?

“Fe-Felisiana-sama!?” I blurted out, reflexively dropping to one knee. Words tumbled out in a rush. “Your speech earlier resonated deeply with me! I can’t fully comprehend all your great deeds, but I’ve heard of some, and I think you’re truly amazing!”

“W-Well…” she replied, her tone flustered yet warm, “I’m flattered, but you don’t have to be so formal.”

“Not be formal?”

“Yes, for example… You could treat me like you would a fiancée.”

F-Fiancée!?

“There’s absolutely no way I could be Felisiana-sama’s fiancée, so I can’t do that!”

“…What?”

As I stated the utterly obvious truth, Felisiana-sama’s expression darkened suddenly.

…What’s wrong?

“Felisiana-sama…? Is something the matter…?”

After a brief pause, she responded, “…You can’t say for certain that we’ll never be engaged, can you?”

“Huh…?”

Her words left me bewildered, but before I could respond, Felisiana-sama pressed on, “No, more importantly, you’re only saying you can’t be engaged to me, not that you don’t want to, right?”

“Of course! I mean, someone like me would never dare say something arrogant like not wanting to be engaged to Felisiana-sama, nor would I even think it!”

“…That’s fine then.”

Felisiana-sama steadied her breathing, her composure returning. Up close, her beauty was even more striking than it had been from the auditorium’s distance. Every feature, every nuance of her presence, was perfectly refined.

“Lux-kun…?”

“S-Sorry! You’re so beautiful that I couldn’t help but stare…!”

“…!?”

My honest words made Felisiana-sama turn her face away, a faint flush coloring her cheeks. Oh no, I might have offended her…!

“S-Sorry for saying something strange…!”

As I scrambled to apologize, she turned back to me, her expression calm but her tone slightly flustered. “N-No need to worry… M-My lips…”

“Your lips…?”

“N-Never mind.”

After a brief pause, she added, “It’s hard to talk with you kneeling like that, so could you stand up?”

“Understood…!”

Talking face-to-face felt incredibly daunting, but ignoring her request would be worse. I quickly stood, my heart pounding.

Now standing before her, a sudden curiosity struck me, and I decided to voice it. “Felisiana-sama, I hope this isn’t rude, but may I ask you something?”

“Of course, it’s fine. Whether it’s one, two, or three questions, if Lux-kun wants to ask me something, I’ll answer as many as you like.”

“Thank you very much.” Her kindness was just as I remembered from long ago. “…Then, I’ll ask. How did you know my name?”

The name of someone like me.

Felisiana-sama smiled faintly, her eyes softening. “You may not remember, Lux-kun, but at a party long ago, you and I met once.”

“…! Of course, I remember!”

“I’m so glad…” Her voice warmed. “I remembered your name because you introduced yourself back then.”

“I see…!” That was when I got separated from Father and was in trouble, and Felisiana-sama helped me look for him. Back then, I had no idea it was her, but I still remember the sense of reassurance I felt with someone by my side. “Thank you so much for that time!”

“Don’t worry about it,” she said kindly.

…Even so, I couldn’t help but marvel. “I never imagined Felisiana-sama would remember me, so I’m really surprised.”

“Of course I’d remember… It’s stayed with me all this time.”

Her expression held a quiet fondness, as if cherishing a precious memory. To think she remembered me—someone she met only briefly as a child—and spoke of it so warmly. Just how kind is she? This is the Third Princess Felisiana-sama…!

“…By the way, is it okay for you to stay here, Lux-kun?”

“Huh?”

“The welcome party should be starting soon, shouldn’t it?”

“Oh… Actually, I’m undecided about whether to join.”

“Why’s that?”

It felt wrong to burden her with my concerns, but since she asked, I answered honestly. “For the sake of my future, I think it’s better to attend the welcome party.” I hesitated, then continued, “But I’m a bit worried about my maid back at the mansion…”

“…So that’s why you were standing here alone, lost in thought?”

“Yes… She’s really kind and wonderful!” Picturing Siana’s face, I went on. “She’s intelligent, and despite being busy with her own maid duties, she always supports me properly… She’s my pillar of strength right now, so I’m worried about how she’s feeling while I’m not there.”

Felisiana-sama fell silent for a moment, her expression unreadable. I must have talked too much and upset her…!

“S-Sorry for rambling on like that!”

Contrary to my expectations, Felisiana-sama’s expression softened with kindness. “No need to apologize… On the contrary, I was moved by how much you care for your maid, Lux-kun.”

“…!”

“But I think you should prioritize yourself right now… I’m sure your maid would feel the same.”

…She’s right. There’s no way Siana would want me to come home early just for her sake.

“You’re right… I want to do what I need to do properly and return to Siana—er, my maid—with my head held high!”

“Yes, I think that’s the way to go.”

With a gentle tone, Felisiana-sama offered me a warm smile.

“Yes! Thank you so much for talking with me!”

“I’m the one who should thank you. Let’s talk again.”

Bowing deeply, I headed to the dance hall where the welcome party was being held.

◇

After parting with Lux, Felisiana murmured to herself, her expression enraptured. “To think he was agonizing here alone over me… No, Lux-kun, you can’t do that… If you do something like that, I’ll fall for you even more.”

I already love him more than anything, though.

Keeping that thought to herself, her affection for Lux deepened. Then, Violet appeared before her.

“Ojou-sama, you did splendidly in your conversation with Rodell-sama earlier.”

Violet offered words of praise, but Felisiana, lost in her thoughts, continued her monologue as if she hadn’t heard. “Lux-kun respected me not just for being royalty but for other qualities too, even kneeling to show his respect. However, I want to get closer to him, so I need to consider how to make him less formal in the future. Also, I might have been a bit stiff from nerves myself, so maybe I should try speaking more softly.”

“…Ojou-sama. You did splendidly in your conversation with Rodell-sama earlier.”

Violet repeated herself, her tone sharper, but Felisiana pressed on, oblivious. “Talking with Lux-kun today showed me several things to improve, so I need to quickly figure out what’s necessary to get closer to him as the Third Princess Felisiana… I need to think, but Lux-kun, that Lux-kun, called me beautiful, and I can’t stop thinking about it, so I can’t focus! Ugh, what part of me did he find beautiful—”

Judging it futile to continue, Violet stood silently, her gaze sharp. Eventually, Felisiana’s monologue subsided.

“Oh, you’re here?”

“…It seems Rodell-sama’s words have been echoing in your mind, but my words of praise didn’t reach you at all.”

“It can’t be helped! Because that Lux-kun… Yes! That Lux-kun called me beautiful!”

“…That’s true.”

“Yes. …By the way, how do you think my interaction with Lux-kun went?”

“As Ojou-sama mentioned in your monologue, there were points to improve, but considering your nervous state, it went quite well.”

“I think so too! …If I had to pick the biggest point to improve, it’d be when Lux-kun called me beautiful.”

“Indeed. At that moment, the corners of Ojou-sama’s mouth lifted somewhat unnaturally.”

Felisiana hurriedly touched her face, flustered. “As I thought…!? D-Did Lux-kun think it was weird…!?”

“Rodell-sama didn’t seem to notice, so there’s no need to worry.”

“Oh… That’s a relief.”

Reassured, Felisiana lowered her hand. “So, were there any women approaching Lux-kun?”

“Yes. I confirmed one.”

“…! To think there’s already someone… I’m curious about her, but there might be more women trying to get close to Lux-kun right now, so I’ll follow him for now.”

“Is that wise? I believe you were only permitted to give a greeting.”

“Joining the party can be explained as a surprise.”

“…Understood. I’ll continue my duties.”

“Yes, please do.”

◇

Arriving at the welcome party venue, I looked around. Some nobles were enjoying food while chatting, others were dancing gracefully, and a few were listening to the soft music filling the hall. It really hit me that only nobles were here.

But I’m from an earl’s family too. I can’t afford to shrink back or look pathetic.

Heading to a table laden with food, I reached to put some on my plate.

At that moment, a familiar voice called out. “Lux Rodell-sama, it’s been a while since earlier.”

Turning toward it, I saw the blue-haired girl I met at the school gates before the ceremony.

“You’re right! Um… Sorry, may I ask your name?”

“My apologies… I am from a duke’s family—”

As the blue-haired girl began to introduce herself, another familiar voice interrupted from behind. “Lux-kun, may I have a moment?”

Turning around, I froze.

There stood Felisiana-sama.

W-Why is Felisiana-sama here…!?

In a split second, I concluded she must have come because I’d done something wrong. Bowing my head, I blurted out, “I’m sorry, Felisiana-sama! Did I do something rude…!?”

“Huh…? No, that’s not it. Could you please look up?”

Her kind tone eased my nerves, and I slowly raised my head. There was Felisiana-sama, her expression gentle and reassuring.

“I came here for a surprise at the party.”

“A surprise…! Of course! There’s no way Felisiana-sama would act just for me alone!”

“W-Well, it’s not exactly like that either,” Felisiana-sama said, her tone slightly flustered.

As I reflected on my overzealous thoughts, voices rose around us.

“Hey, Felisiana-sama is here…!”

“It’s true…! Seeing her up close, she’s so beautiful…!”

People began to gather, drawn by her presence. Judging by their reactions, the surprise seemed mostly successful, but a question lingered in my mind. “This might be rude to ask, but if it’s a surprise, why did you approach me instead of someone else?”

“I was a bit curious about what kind of friends you have, Lux-kun,” Felisiana-sama replied, glancing at the blue-haired girl beside me. “What’s your relationship with Lux-kun?”

For a moment, I thought Felisiana-sama’s eyes seemed chillingly cold, but when I looked again, they were back to their usual warmth. It must have been my imagination.

The Noble Academy entrance ceremony, worrying about Siana, talking one-on-one with Felisiana-sama—so much had happened in just one day. I might be a bit exhausted.

“Lux Rodell-sama and I don’t yet have a relationship we could name,” the blue-haired girl answered, her kind and calm expression unwavering. “Today was the first time we spoke.”

“I see,” Felisiana-sama said, her gaze lingering on the girl. “By the way, your dress looks like it might reveal your chest if it shifts even slightly.”

“This dress is designed to prevent that,” the girl replied smoothly. “So, there’s no need for the Third Princess to worry about such things.”

Felisiana-sama stared at her for a moment before turning to me. “Lux-kun, if you’d like, from now on—”

She began to speak but stopped, her eyes briefly darting away. She closed her mouth without continuing.

“…Felisiana-sama?”

“…It’s nothing. I’ll give a quick greeting to the people around us to wrap up the surprise, so I’ll be going now… Let’s meet again, Lux-kun.”

“Y-Yes!”

Felisiana-sama gave me one last smile, lightly greeted the crowd gathered around, and left the venue. Gradually, the people dispersed.

Amidst this, the blue-haired girl who remained beside me spoke. “Does Lux Rodell-sama have a close acquaintance with the Third Princess?”

“No, we’ve only spoken a little, not enough to call it a close acquaintance…”

“I see… Well then, would you like to go around the party together from now?”

“! Yes! I’d love to, please!”

After that, the two of us enjoyed delicious food and spent time together at the party.

◇

Leaving the venue, Felisiana spoke to Violet, who was standing hidden in the shadow of the building. “…Why did you stop me?”

Earlier, Felisiana had intended to invite Lux to go around the party together and, ultimately, to dance with him—a dream of hers. But Violet, catching her eye, had signaled her to stop.

“You should already understand, Ojou-sama, without needing to ask me.”

“…”

The implications of a man and woman dancing together, and what it means for the Third Princess to do so in public—it’s not something to be done thoughtlessly.

“Of course, I understand,” Felisiana said, her voice steady but tinged with reluctance. “Just thinking that Lux-kun is talking to another woman right now…”

“I understand Ojou-sama’s feelings, but acting now is unlikely to yield good results.”

“…You’re right. Sorry, I’m glad you were here.”

Taking a deep breath to regain her composure, Felisiana continued, “For today, I’ll consider it enough that I made contact with Lux-kun as Felisiana.”

“Indeed.”

“…In the future, I might ask you to take off that hood, is that alright?”

“Yes. I will complete any task flawlessly.”

“Good answer… I’ll head back first, so you keep watching Lux-kun’s surroundings.”

“Understood.”

With that, Violet vanished from Felisiana’s presence.

◇

When the party ended, the blue-haired girl and I left the venue together.

“Lux Rodell-sama, thank you for today.”

“No, thank you for spending time with me!”

“…I forgot to introduce myself earlier, so may I do so now?”

“Oh, that’s right… Please do!”

The blue-haired girl gracefully lifted the hem of her dress with both hands, her expression kind. “I am Floria Florence, of the ducal Florence family… Once again, I look forward to getting to know you.”

“Floria Florence-san, of the ducal family…”

…Huh?

“T-The ducal family!? You’re from a ducal family!?”

“Yes.”

Without any hint of boasting, Floria-san smiled at me. The ducal family is among the most prestigious noble families.

“But please don’t feel the need to be formal just because I’m from a ducal family.”

“! G-Got it…!”

“Thank you… Well then, I’ll take my leave.”

With a graceful bow, Floria-san boarded her waiting carriage and departed.

“Welcome back, Master!”

“I’m home.”

Upon returning, Siana greeted me with a bright expression. “Master! How was the entrance ceremony?”

“It was fun… More importantly, were you okay, Siana?”

“Yes! I was fine!”

She’d mentioned feeling lonely yesterday, so I was a bit worried, but she seemed alright. As we entered my room together, Siana handed me a cup and said, “Master, I’ve brewed some tea.”

“Thanks.”

I took a sip of the tea Siana prepared and set the cup on the desk.

“…What did you think of Felisiana-sama at the entrance ceremony, Master?”

“I thought she was kind, eloquent, and had a presence far beyond our age, truly befitting royalty.”

“I-Is that so…?” Siana said, looking somewhat embarrassed.

I didn’t know why Siana seemed flustered, but I continued without dwelling on it. “And, I had the chance to talk with Felisiana-sama one-on-one. She’s genuinely kind, beautiful from afar, but even more stunning up close.”

“B-Beautiful…!?”

“Yeah.”

“T-That’s…!” Siana’s cheeks flushed, and for some reason, she looked delighted. Then, with a slightly fidgety demeanor, she asked, “Master, if you had the chance to get engaged to Felisiana-sama, would you want to?”

“No, I wouldn’t.”

Answering immediately, Siana’s flush faded, and she looked flustered. “W-Why…? You said Felisiana-sama was beautiful, didn’t you…?”

“That’s exactly why.” I recalled Felisiana-sama’s beautiful and dignified presence. “Her appearance, everything else—nothing about us matches, so I can’t even think of wanting to be engaged.”

“…!”

Hearing my answer, Siana let out a small gasp, then shook her head frantically. “That’s not true! I know better than anyone how hard Master works!”

“Thanks. You’re really kind, Siana.”

“I’m not saying this out of kindness—”

“More importantly, I’m worried about you, Siana.”

“Huh…? Me?”

“Yeah… I’m not around during the day anymore, so are you really okay?”

“I’m fine… But Felisiana-sama—”

“Since we don’t usually meet Felisiana-sama, I don’t think you need to worry about her so much.”

I reassured Siana, who seemed oddly fixated on Felisiana-sama. She looked down for a moment, then raised her face with a bright smile. “You’re right! I’ll think about Felisiana-sama again if Master has more interactions with her!”

“Yeah, sounds good.”

After that, we chatted about trivial things and spent time together as usual, enjoying ourselves.

◇

After talking with Lux and returning to her room, Siana wailed in distress to Violet, who was waiting there. “Listen, Violet! Lux-kun… Lux-kun said he doesn’t want to get engaged to me!!”

“Rodell-sama doesn’t want to be engaged to Ojou-sama… Well, that makes sense.”

“What!?”

Siana was shocked that Violet accepted this so readily—or rather, she couldn’t accept it. “How can you take it so calmly!? The kind Lux-kun outright said he doesn’t want to be engaged to me! Do you realize what a crisis this is!?”

“I understand the situation, but please calm down, Ojou-sama.”

“There’s no way I can calm down!”

Siana had honed her academics, trained in swordsmanship, and contributed to the nation—all for the sake of getting engaged to Lux, and ultimately marrying him. To live a life of mutual love with Lux. That was Siana’s dream. For her, being told by Lux that he “doesn’t want to be engaged” made calming down impossible.

“Is my charm lacking? Or does he think I’m arrogant because I’m royalty…!?”

“I don’t believe either is the case.”

“Then what is it?”

“In a word… Rodell-sama is weighing his position against Ojou-sama’s.”

“Weighing…?”

“Rodell-sama currently has no notable achievements to his name,” Violet continued. “In contrast, Ojou-sama, through extraordinary effort and talent, has been given opportunities to shine since childhood and has amassed numerous accomplishments.”

“…”

“Rodell-sama is comparing himself to that and believes he could never—should never—be engaged to Felisiana-sama.”

“That’s…” —Lux-kun is a being more precious than any other creature just by existing.

“Ugh, what should I do?”

“Rodell-sama likely sees Ojou-sama as someone far out of his reach, to the point he thinks he’s not even in your consideration.”

“That’s troubling… I, on the other hand, have eyes only for Lux-kun…”

“…As a strategy, it would be reasonable for you, as the Third Princess Felisiana, to build a deeper connection with Rodell-sama.”

“I’d love to, but it’s hard not to stand out.” In the worst case, her interactions with Lux as Siana could be discovered by her father, the king. She couldn’t let her father, who staunchly opposed marriage to anyone outside royalty or ducal families, find out.

“Fortunately, the Rodell earldom is understanding, so within the mansion, you can interact with Rodell-sama without worrying about attracting attention.”

“You’re right… Let’s start planning to take action soon.”

As the conversation reached a pause, Siana raised another concern. “…By the way, how did the task go?”

The task was to monitor Lux’s surroundings.

“Yes. Rodell-sama was enjoying food and music with a blue-haired woman, Floria Florence-sama.”

“That woman…”

“Other than that, there were some who sent him glances, but no notable interactions.”

“I see… That woman, she didn’t try to seduce Lux-kun with her blatantly exposed chest, did she?”

“From what I saw, she didn’t seem to be doing anything like that.”

“…Fine then. Still, the Florence name belongs to a historic and powerful ducal family in this country.”

“Yes. I believe I can prepare the relevant documents quickly.”

“Please do. And continue monitoring Lux-kun’s surroundings at the Noble Academy.”

“Understood.”

With that, the two began planning how Siana could deepen her bond with Lux.