Lucia spoke calmly. “Since I can remember, my mother has almost never been by my side. The former Saintess, you say?”
She looked at the tea in her cup, which remained perfectly still. Her tone was flat and detached. “Her Healing Light could illuminate the entire Empire, yet it would never heal me.”
Ophelia looked at the pensive Lucia and said softly, “Perhaps there is some hidden reason. A mother loves her child, after all.”
Lucia’s expression remained calm, as if she were talking about someone else. “I didn’t say she doesn’t love me at all. It’s just that I can’t even compare to a peasant on the side of the road.”
Mahina looked at Lucia’s tightly clasped hands and wanted to offer comfort. Even though Lucia held her head high with the noble grace of the Royal Family, Mahina couldn’t help but say, “But you are the Imperial Princess.”
Lucia shook her head gently. “Mahina, I told you, I never looked down on your commoner origins. Part of that is because of my mother. Between me and a peasant, I have never won. There is nothing to be proud of. It was the Magic Power she passed down to me that brought me pain, yet she turned a blind eye to it.”
Even Mahina didn’t know what to say to that, as it was a matter of the Royal Family. Lucia sighed, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
“I don’t want to be the Emperor, nor do I want to be the Saintess. I just want to live as I please, like this. Thanks to Merlin alleviating my headaches, my days have become a bit more comfortable.”
Little Merlin pumped her small fists. Lucia looked at the little ball of energy dressed in a maid uniform, and her eyes softened. “Though Her Highness Ophelia is the one providing it for me now, it is still Little Merlin’s recipe.”
Little Merlin chuckled, her two small canines looking particularly cute under the setting sun.
Lucia turned her gaze toward a white building peeking out in the distance. It was the Church branch stationed at the Academy. Even as an exchange student, Mia, who was the Candidate Saintess, lived there and enjoyed high-specification treatment.
“I really… have nothing to say about my mother. I used to think she simply didn’t know how to treat her own child, and that she only placed the lives of ordinary people above all else.”
Lucia glanced back at the student dormitory where she lived. “In the end… she adopted Mia and keeps her by her side at all times. I can’t even figure out what she’s thinking. I thought she was just someone incapable of loving a child, but she acts like quite the Saintess toward the First Prince and her adopted daughter, Mia. Honestly.”
Orino conjured a special orange-flavored ice cream for Lucia. “Oh, thank you. By the way, who are you?”
Orino immediately stood up and bowed. “I am Orino. The Queen sent me to look after Merlin.”
“I see. Hello. I am the Third Imperial Princess of this nation—Lucia Amber.”
“Wow, I knew it! At first glance, Orino thought you had the aura of an Imperial Princess.”
Lucia took a spoonful of ice cream. The sweet and sour orange flavor exploded on her tongue. “I suppose so. But for now, Mia seems more like a princess. My reputation has never been good, and I don’t act like one. I heard Mia has already won over many people since arriving at the Academy. I wonder what President Mahina has to say about that?”
Mahina frowned. “What ‘President’? Haven’t you all been acting like I don’t exist lately?”
“But in reality, all you have to do is go back.”
Mahina shook her head self-deprecatingly. “What if I gave the position to the Imperial Princess?”
“If I could win people over, would you go back then?”
Mahina looked at Little Merlin, her gaze softening. “No… I’ve already lost interest in those empty titles.”
Lucia gave a light laugh and adjusted her posture. She naturally crossed her long legs, which were partially hidden under her Zelion uniform skirt. Her white over-the-knee socks outlined tight, graceful lines, and as she swung her leg slightly, she exuded a sense of languid sexiness.
“So little desire… Although Zelion Academy literally belongs to Zelion, it is essentially an autonomous zone nestled within the Capital. The Student Council President has significant authority within its walls.”
Mahina smiled with relief. “Since Zelion Academy belongs to Zelion, wouldn’t it be perfect to hand control of the Student Council over to the Imperial Princess? It’s not right for a peasant like me to interfere anymore.”
Lucia responded calmly, “I told you, Mahina, I have never discriminated against anyone for being a commoner. I often lose to peasants myself.”
Mahina sighed, recalling the past. “When I was the Student Council President, I spent plenty of time cleaning up after your violent outbursts. In the end, everything would just be swept under the rug because of your status.”
Lucia didn’t argue, because it was the truth. She toyed with her spoon, her tone becoming more serious. “Well… anyway, if you want to go back, I’ll help you.”
“Why is our Third Imperial Princess suddenly being so kind?”
Lucia ignored the provocation and simply adjusted her posture again. Her silk-clad legs shimmered slightly in the sunset. “Regardless, I help when I want to. I’ve always followed my own whims.”
Mahina felt something was off and narrowed her eyes slightly. Before Merlin enrolled, the two of them were nothing more than strangers who occasionally crossed paths, and they weren’t particularly close now either. It was Lucia’s style not to kick someone when they were down, but offering a helping hand was unusual. She must be after something, yet Mahina could only politely refuse.
Lucia keenly caught the wariness in Mahina’s eyes. She didn’t get angry; instead, she let out a light laugh as if she had expected it before steering the conversation back.
“Forget it, I’ve wandered off-topic. Anyway, there’s a reason I rushed back. Although none of you here except me are strictly members of the Amber Empire… since you are all still studying at Zelion, I want to warn you. Be careful of Mia and Helena.”
Lucia slowly finished her tea. She set the cup down with a crisp click and stood up briskly, patting the dust off her skirt.
The last of the sunset had faded, and night was falling, making Lucia’s silhouette appear somewhat blurred.
“What a hassle. And here I wanted to spend some relaxing days at Zelion Academy.”