Princess Seraphine’s appearance was enough to instantly capture the attention of others in many ways.

Recently, Princess Seraphine had been interacting with various students as a Martial Arts Department student for a month, and in many ways, she had become a somewhat ‘familiar celebrity’ within the academy. 

However, she was still the Third Princess of the Argentian Empire, so her status was second only to the Fourth Prince in the Spearmanship Department among the students currently enrolled at the academy.

Therefore, Lizzy and I automatically rose from our seats and showed proper etiquette towards royalty when we faced her.

 

“Greetings, Princess Seraphine. I’m truly honored that you remember my name.”

“It would be more difficult not to know the name of the capable Lizzy, who is second in the Pharmacy Department. Is this the first time we’ve met since the entrance ceremony?”

“It’s been a while, Princess Seraphine.”

“It’s been a while, Lilith… Blackwood Rosewood. I’m indebted to you from the masquerade ball.”

“…I’m the one who’s indebted to you, Princess Seraphine.”

 

Strictly speaking, our last meeting was when she met Ethan and me in the Blackwood Estate, but that was an unofficial meeting for my identity change.

As it wasn’t something to discuss in front of Lizzy, I also nodded and responded to her words.

…But why did she suddenly appear here?

She wouldn’t have come to see me, who didn’t stand out much in the Magic Department Entrance Exam, and she probably appeared because she had personal business with Lizzy, who was second in the Pharmacy Department.

To be honest, that was the only plausible reason I could think of.

If something happened that would make someone of Seraphine’s caliber act differently from the original game, it would only be when a character who didn’t appear at this point in the original game appeared.

 

“Princess Seraphine, did you perhaps visit to enjoy our store’s refreshments as well?”

“No, rather, I just came in because I saw Lilith sitting outside as I was passing by.”

“…Me?”

“Yes, you, Lilith.”

 

I, who was suddenly singled out by the princess, pointed at myself and asked again, but Seraphine nodded without denial and answered.

Suddenly left with only questions about why Seraphine had approached me, I quietly tilted my head and asked.

 

“What… what business do you have with me…?”

“Well. First, if it’s not rude to you two, may I join you at the table?”

“I-I don’t mind, but we should also get Lady August’s permission…”

“I’m fine with it too, Princess Seraphine. Then, including a share for your bodyguard behind you, shall I order two more teacups…”

“Luke.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“I’m planning to have a conversation just among us *1 ‘noble young ladies’ for a while, so would you mind taking a walk nearby for about 30 minutes?”

“…Understood.”

 

Luke looked at me with slightly resentful eyes and hesitated for a moment but soon nodded and left the café.

I turned my head away from Luke’s gaze, feeling like a guilty person for no reason.

Luke knew me even when I wasn’t yet an honorary viscount’s daughter, so he might feel wronged by Seraphine’s statement about talking among noble young ladies.

Still, it was fortunate that he was a person who could keep secrets.

 

“One more teacup should be enough.”

“…Yes, I think so.”

 

Actually, there wasn’t really a need to dismiss Luke, the guard. As I just said, Luke was a character who could keep secrets, so he wouldn’t have disclosed anything he overheard here to outsiders.

Yet, the fact that she deliberately dismissed her guard could be interpreted as Princess Seraphine showing her trust in Lizzy and me. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]

Whether the intended audience for this display was Lizzy and me or the other students witnessing this situation, dismissing a guard was tantamount to showing trust in the people in front of you.

 

‘Coldly speaking, she can do this because even if Lizzy and I attacked her simultaneously, we wouldn’t be a match for her.’

 

The Moonlight Shadow Princess wasn’t only strong on nights with a full moon. Of course, she tended to get stronger when there was a full moon, but her basic skills were enough to easily take the top spot in the academy’s Martial Arts Department.

Still, just by temporarily separating from her shadow, Luke, she had definitely conveyed a certain message to Lizzy and me.

Princess Seraphine, who sat down at the table between Lizzy and me, made eye contact with me once and then opened the conversation.

 

“How is your academy life these days, Lilith?”

“I’m doing quite well thanks to your concern, Your Highness.”

“…Is that so? Are there no people bullying you within the same department, or perhaps male students bothering you?”

“…No. It seems that due to the incident I caused on the first day, male students are rather reluctant to approach me.”

“Indeed, that incident was quite a commotion. I didn’t expect Young Master Ethan to draw his sword without hesitation in that situation either.”

“Ha, hahaha…”

 

…Well, Seraphine’s future vision couldn’t always be used. It was natural that she couldn’t predict the entrance ceremony incident between Ethan and me if she didn’t see it in her once-a-month future vision.

Even if she had seen it, she probably saw one of the protagonist’s recent main stories. The main narrative of Luminor Academy and the protagonist would have been more important than Ethan’s and my academy life.

 

“Lilith, I couldn’t imagine that you would enter the academy as Young Master Ethan’s exclusive maid…”

“…I, I see.”

“Yes. Actually, I had left my exclusive maid position open to hire you, Lilith. Even for royalty, there’s only one position for an exclusive maid that can be hired at Luminor Academy, so I needed to leave it open just in case.”

“……”

“But, Lilith is already Young Master Ethan’s exclusive maid, so it would be difficult for you to accept my offer, right?”

“Yes, that’s…”

“Is it really impossible, no matter what?”

“……”

 

…What is this subtle pressure I’m feeling from Seraphine?

While her words seem to resignedly accept that I would naturally keep my position as Ethan’s exclusive maid, her atmosphere subtly urges me to waver.

I should have been suspicious from the moment she approached me instead of Lizzy, who has a higher status and better grades than me.

I was about to give an answer to Princess Seraphine’s proposal first, but it was Lizzy who spoke up before me.

 

“I…”

“…Just a moment, Princess Seraphine.”

“What is it, Lizzy?”

“I’m sorry, but isn’t this a bit sudden? I was talking to Lilith first, you know?”

“Yes, I’m aware of that.”

“…Then, why…”

“That’s why I waited for three weeks out of courtesy. I gave you plenty of opportunity to speak first to keep faith with the August family, but isn’t it you, Lizzy, who didn’t say anything for three whole weeks?”

“……”

“How long are you going to monopolize the negotiation with Lilith, Lizzy?”

 

……Huh?

Wait, what on earth are you two talking about?

I felt momentarily dumbfounded watching Seraphine and Lizzy suddenly start talking among themselves, ignoring me, who was right in front of them.

Regardless, the two were engaged in a somewhat unsettling conversation.

 

“…I was going to talk about it today, actually.”

“Is that so, Lizzy? But haven’t I already started speaking to Lilith first?”

“Yes. I know that. But that doesn’t mean you have the right to stop me from saying what I was going to say to Lilith, does it, Your Highness?”

“…Well, that’s true.”

 

They turned their heads away from each other, looking as if they had just had some kind of emotional battle without my knowledge. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]

And before I could finish giving my answer to Princess Seraphine, this time, Lizzy made a rather direct proposal to me.

 

“I’ll speak clearly without beating around the bush like Princess Seraphine.”

“Pardon? What are you going to say?”

“Lilith, would you consider working with me as my secretary at the August Company?”

“…Pardon?”

“I know you’re volunteering as Young Master Blackwood’s exclusive maid, but since you’re engaged, that title of an exclusive maid is just a formality, right? The August Company seriously needs talent like you, Lilith.”

“Ah, no… To begin with, I’m not in an engaged relationship with Young Master Ethan or anything…”

“…I’ll add one gold coin per month to the amount the August Company says they’ll give you, Lilith.”

“…Pardon?”

“That’s if you’ll take the position of my exclusive maid that’s currently vacant. Of course, if you do that, it would be difficult to maintain your position as Young Master Ethan’s exclusive maid.”

“Wait a moment, Your Highness. How much do you think I’m offering Lilith that you confidently say you’ll add one gold coin?”

“I can at least predict the cost of hiring a personal secretary for you, Lizzy. I can easily manage a budget that adds one more gold coin to that.”

“…I’ll add two more gold coins to the amount Princess Seraphine is offering, Lilith.”

“Aren’t you overextending yourself? I don’t think you can manage that kind of budget from your position, Lizzy.”

“…Don’t worry about it, Your Highness.”

 

…No, why are you two suddenly acting like this?

I was momentarily dumbfounded watching Lizzy and Seraphine, who had suddenly entered into competition with each other before I had even gotten a word in.

They continued their strange female power struggle and started urging me to answer.

 

“So, Lilith. Have you made up your mind?”

“What?!”

“Which offer do you prefer, mine or Princess Seraphine’s, Lilith?”

“You want me to choose now?!”

“Yes. Choose, Lilith.”

“Is it me, or is it Her Highness, Lilith?”

“If you think about the future, it would be better to come with me rather than Lizzy, Lilith.”

 

In a situation where it felt like choices would pop up if I were playing Luminor Academy, I hesitated for a moment.

But soon, after composing my surprised emotions, I conveyed my thoughts to the two of them.

When I thought about it rationally, the answer I could give to these two in the current situation was actually predetermined from the start.