The next morning.

The bright sunlight streaming in through the window began to tickle my eyes, waking me up.

"...So sleepy."

I'm so sleepy... Half-asleep, I tried to pull the blanket over my head to sleep a bit more, but the white blanket wasn’t enough to block out the sunlight. Instead, being under the blanket made it hard to breathe, and I found myself tossing and turning. Once I was awake, my consciousness gradually became clearer, refusing to let me fall back asleep.

"Ugh, I should have closed the curtains last night."

Eventually, I gave up on getting more sleep and dragged my tired body out of bed.

"Ugh, this is the worst..."

Now that I was awake, there was no point in complaining. I lazily threw on the bathrobe provided by the hotel and stepped out of the room.

"Oh, teacher. You’re up? You slept in today."

"Well, considering how busy you were yesterday, it’s no surprise."

The students, who had gathered in the living room, greeted me as I walked in. ...These kids looked like they were on the brink of death when I arrived at the hotel last night. Even Stella, who had been so exhausted that she couldn’t maintain her usual regal appearance, seemed completely recovered after a good night’s sleep. Youth truly is remarkable... I knew it was an old man’s sentiment, but I couldn’t help but feel that way. I was still exhausted from the previous day.

"...Where’s Aileen?"

"Here..."

"Hey, just waving at the teacher? You should get up and greet properly."

"Ack! Don’t poke me! You only gave a half-hearted greeting too!"

It seemed that Aileen was still feeling the aftereffects of pushing her body to its limits and using a technique she normally couldn’t. She lay sprawled on the sofa while the other students poked her playfully, trying to tease her.

"Hey, I said stop poking!"

"I didn’t poke you."

"Don’t lie! You definitely did!"

"I really didn’t... It’s so unfair."

Stella, taking advantage of the fact that no one else could see, lightly poked Aileen in the neck. Naturally, Aileen assumed it was Orca and started bickering with her, much to Orca’s dismay, as she was truly innocent this time.

"Haha."

When our eyes met, Stella’s eyes curved into crescent moons, a playful smile on her face. She pressed her left index finger to her lips, signaling for me to pretend I hadn’t seen anything. It seemed she had grown much closer to the group, even if she tried to hide it.

"You’re all up early. ...But why are you gathered here?"

"Oh, we’re watching the news. Want to join? It’s all over the place with yesterday’s events."

"Sure."

Hmm, but there’s no place to sit. What should I do? ...I’ve got a good idea.

"Excuse me for a moment."

"Teacher, what are you...?!"

"Sorry, there’s no seat. Will this do?"

"...Oh, no. It’s fine."

If there’s no seat, you just make one. I gently lifted Aileen’s head, which was occupying the sofa, and slipped my thigh into the space. Then, I placed Aileen's head back on my lap.

"Sorry if it’s a bit uncomfortable. Please bear with it?"

"No, this is actually pretty nice... So soft..."

"Stop joking."

"I’m not joking."

I lightly patted Aileen's stomach as a signal to stop her nonsense and turned my attention to the TV. Just then, a familiar face appeared on the screen amidst a flurry of camera flashes.

"Oh, it's Anya."

"Is this a press conference? Seeing her like that makes it feel like she’s living in a different world."

"If you think about it, there’s a princess sitting right next to you. Don’t tell me you forgot that I’m a princess."

"Oh."

"You really did forget. Well, whatever. We should quiet down. Anya is about to speak."

Right after Stella said that, Anastasia on the screen began to speak. She had never done anything like a speech before. I was a bit worried.

"...There’s no need for a long explanation. Nice to meet you all. I’m here to answer any questions you may have, so feel free to ask. I promise to tell you everything I know."

"What was that massive creature that appeared at the Papal Palace yesterday?"

"It was the Pope."

"?!"

Everyone froze. The reporters on screen, as well as us outside the screen, were left with our mouths agape at her straightforward response. Could she really just say something that sensitive so openly...?

"I have no intention of hiding the truth. Our investigation revealed that the Pope had been possessed by a demon. In other words, it was the demon masquerading as the Pope."

"I see. Thank you for the clear answer. Where is this demon now?"

"Rest assured. The demon was promptly dealt with as soon as its identity was revealed. The collapse of the Papal Palace was an unfortunate accident that occurred during the battle with the demon. ...Next question, please."

"I-I’ll ask the next question!"

"No, listen to mine first!"

"Hey, follow the order!"

"Quiet. I’ll explain everything so that everyone can understand."

This press conference is going to be huge. Maybe sensing that, the reporters were all vying to get their questions in first, nearly shoving their cameras in Anastasia’s face. I was worried someone might get hurt.

"...Sigh, those people never change."

"Have you dealt with them before?"

"Yes. New or old, the reporters have always been the same."

The barrage of questions directed at Anastasia continued for quite some time. While I was initially interested in what she had to say, press conferences can’t stay exciting forever.

"...This is getting boring. Should we change the channel?"

Just as we were about to change the channel, having quickly lost interest, a new question directed at Anastasia made us all freeze.

"According to eyewitness accounts, the Guardian protected people from the demon. However, they said others were responsible for defeating the demon. Is this true?"

"Yes, it is true."

And then, a brief silence. Even through the screen, it was clear that she was hesitating, wondering if she should really say what was on her mind. How much time passed? Perhaps she decided it was okay to speak, as she softened her tone and spoke more gently.

"It was possible thanks to the help of the esteemed Second Princess of the Grand Empire, Princess Stella. I’d like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude."

"...!"

There was no need to explain how explosive that statement was. Everyone could see it.

"It was possible thanks to the help of the esteemed Second Princess of the Grand Empire, Princess Stella. I’d like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude."

"..."

The knights, dressed in armor, tried not to make a sound as they exchanged glances. This seemed like it was going to be a big problem. Instinctively, their eyes turned to the man sitting at the head of the room.

"...Sigh."

The heavy sigh that filled the room crushed the knights’ efforts to remain silent. Having long honed their instincts through years of service, the knights recognized the suppressed emotions hidden in that sigh and sighed inwardly themselves. Ah, this is really bad.

"Explain."

"As you just saw, the Pope was actually a demon-possessed person who had been overtaken by a demon..."

"That’s not what I’m asking! Did I say I cared about that dead old man?!"

"My apologies, Your Highness."

"It’s fine that the Church tripped over its own feet! I don’t care that their image is tarnished! Public opinion may favor the Guardian, but if we crush it before it gains power, that’s all that matters!"

Unable to contain his anger, the prince slammed his fist on the desk, filling the previously silent room with noise once again.

"But what was that statement?!"

"..."

How should we know? The knights wanted to say that but quickly gave up and closed their eyes. They couldn’t say anything anyway, and even if they did, they would probably get beaten and thrown out. In times like this, the best thing to do was to take advantage of the fact that their helmets hid their expressions and let the words go in one ear and out the other. This will be over eventually...

"Damn it... I was planning to have her removed quietly after sending her to the Academy..."

Is this year cursed or something? That’s how it felt, as everything the prince tried seemed to fall apart. I should have killed that pretty little sister of mine when I had the chance. On the day the Light Bringers attacked the Academy!

"Damn it, damn it..."

It was all part of his political maneuvers to stabilize the chaotic situation before ascending to the throne. If his sister had died in that terrorist attack, public sympathy would naturally shift towards the imperial family, while the Academy would face harsh criticism, thereby boosting the imperial family's political standing. After becoming Emperor, he planned to play the role of the kind brother who lost his beloved sister and declare war on terrorism, directing the nation’s anger towards the Light Bringers and gradually wiping them out. But everything had gone wrong. Unexpected variables kept popping up, turning the plan upside down. He had eliminated most of his rivals, confident that nothing could stop him from becoming Emperor. But if people who were dissatisfied with his actions saw this news, they might rally to make his sister the Empress instead. Those easily swayed might actually consider it. ...That was something he couldn’t allow. No one should exist who could challenge his power.

"Captain of the Knights."

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"Is it possible to visit the Academy now?"

"The Academy is currently on break, but if you wish, it can be arranged."

"...That’s a problem. Then summon the Empire's elite agents for the opening ceremony."

"Understood."

And so, the prince decided to eliminate his beloved sister, even if it meant using force. The justification could come later.