The room was dimly lit.

The room was half dark, except for the flickering candles in the four corners of the magic circle to aid vision.

There was no moon in the night sky, and the light of the few shining stars didn’t reach the room due to the thick curtains that were covering all the windows.

The shadow of the flame, changing its shape every moment, snaked across the pale cheek of a man like a snake’s tongue. A man with jet-black eyes and hair that blended into the darkness stared at the magic circle with a worn out look.

A thin voice spilled from his cracked lips.

“The ancient king, the Lord of the demon tribe, manifest yourself to me here and now. I offer myself as a sacrifice.”

As the chanting continued, a black goo-like thing spewed out from the magic circle, making a gurgling sound. It filled the room and surrounded the man’s body.

Soon, the man’s skin, which was enveloped in darkness, began to turn black as well. The magic that had invaded his skin reached the inside of his bones.

The man groaned from the intense pain, but his thin lips twisted into a smile that was filled with obsession.

“Wait for me.... Elizabeth ....”

Maddened eyes caught the smiling face of the portrait hanging on the wall.

In the next moment, the man was gone.

****

I confessed to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth stared at me after hearing my confession, then turned red, before fainting in my arms. I hurriedly called for a maid of honor. Citing her sudden illness, Elizabeth had to return to the ducal residence.

She left with her .... response to my confession on hold.

That was a week ago, on the last day of the Royal Academy’s spring break.

From that day on, I couldn’t get a word in edgewise with Elizabeth.

In the hallways between classes, or in the cafeteria during lunch break. I have many chances to pass by Elizabeth, but what saddened me is that she avoids me everytime.

If I make eye contact with her, she turns away.

If I try to get closer, she runs away.

If I tried to talk to her, the ladies who are on duty to escort her stop me softly. I heard that Miss Margaret was lectured by Harold for an hour afterwards for hiding Elizabeth behind her back while giving a thumbs-up to me. My father and I were the ones who ordered the escort, but the other ladies were behaving like Miss Margaret. As if they are more loyal to her than me, the Crown Prince and my father, the King.

I would have called it disrespectful, but I can understand how they feel.

In short, Elizabeth is someone worth protecting. She looks so cute when she is embarrassed because she is conscious of me and my feelings.

When Elizabeth runs away with an apologetic but unbearable expression on her face, her white round ears peeking from her shaking golden curls turn red while her eyes fills with mist. Oh my god, she is cute, cute, cute.

Seeing her like that, I have no desire to force Elizabeth to stop running. Because she’s cute.

Although I’m impatient for her response, I can’t seem to break the deadlock. So, all I can do is smile and laugh at her cute reaction.

As a result, I have been avoided by her for a week.

I thought she would adapt to the situation quickly and finally respond to me. But a week has passed and Elizabeth’s still dainty gesture of shame is starting to burn into my retinas.

When I close my eyes, a series of actions replays behind my eyelids.

Recently, I have been sitting in a chair meditating in my spare time, so Harold, who is standing by my side, seems to have nothing to do.

I wonder if this memory of mine could be copied by a royal painter. I wish I could do something with magic to portray her expression. Or should I learn to paint now? If I learn painting, I have to restrain myself from painting Elizabeth’s portrait every day, because if I do, people will start to doubt my sanity. But I couldn’t turn my back on it either. In a series of about ten or so paintings, I can clearly depict Elizabeth with her red cheeks, Elizabeth with her eyes downcast, Elizabeth pursing her lips, Elizabeth walking away quickly, and so on. ....

“Your Highness, it is time for you to meet with the Second Prince of Orion, Leohard Berlioz.”

Harold’s cold voice interrupts my thoughts as I was looking around at Elizabeth’s gem paintings hanging in the gallery at the exhibition in my brain.

“I know...I, I was planning to meet him.”

“There was a week’s delay in his itinerary so he arrived this morning.”

I raise myself from the chair and open my eyes. The lovely face of Elizabeth enteres my eyes the moment I opened them.

While Harold was putting on my jacket, I thought of Leohardt, whom I had not seen in a long time.

Leohard, who is one year younger than me, is a boy with spring blue turquoise hair and deep green eyes. He has a bit of a personality problem, but I’m the same way, so I don’t want to criticize him too much.

The Kingdom of Orion is located to the northern side of our country. The two countries are about the same size and have a good relationship, expressing a mutual intention of non-aggression and showing friendship by sending their people to and fro each other from time to time.

I used to often visit the Kingdom of Orion, and Leohardt used to do the same in his capacity as the second prince, so he is closer to me than his brother the first prince, Sir Marius.

However, this visit is not the usual visiting to a friend’s country.

Leohardt is scheduled to study at the Royal Academies for a year, and that year happened to be this year.

During the spring vacation, he was suddenly asked by the King of Orion to study there, and so he departed from his country for here. But his arrival is delayed for a week because he could not prepare for his departure in time.

“It seems that the Orion Kingdom is fighting factions over the succession to the throne. I hope something strange doesn’t happen again at the Royal Academia where Eli-chan is..”

I look at my father, who looked 80% excited and 20% worried.

Well, I guess the outside world is just making a fuss because of those two loggerheads’* doing. But I think as long as father doesn’t do anything, Elizabeth won’t be in danger, let alone me.

[T/N: Ulysses and Lars.]

I left my father with his thoughts and walk towards the reception room. But as soon as I started to walk away, something falls in front of me with a resounding thud.

Caught in the carpet was a button, broken in two. It had been snapped off in the middle of the speckled pattern.

“....”

“I’ll get you a replacement.”

Harold put his hand on his jacket without changing color. He managed to fix his face into a smile as he removed it, almost pulling it off.

I hope nothing .... weird happens to him.

****

Leohart enters the hall where my father, mother, and I are all present, guided by his servants orderly.

No, it was not only Leohardt. A strange girl also follows behind him, a little timidly. I can sense her will to behave with dignity. However, although she is looking forward with her face up, her eyes are swimming around and her tightened mouth is trembling.

It is a sight that make me feel pity for her.

Her flowing black hair is deep and beautiful with a bluish tinge, and her wide-open eyes are shining like black gem.

And with this attitude, it seems that she is not originally supposed to be in the presence of royalty. The followers of Orion, who are lined up behind her, are also looking at her quizzically – as if to ask why she is here.

Hmm?　I have a bad feeling about this.

“I apologize for the delay in your itinerary. I’m the second pricnce of Orion kingdom, Leohard Berlioz.”

Leohart pulls his left leg, put his hand on his chest, and bows. At the same time, his followers also kneels down. The only one who is left alone is the girl, now looking around in a panic before following the rest of her people and bowing in the same manner as Leohart.

I couldn’t help but think who could the girl be to be able to stand beside Leohart but still isn’t aware of royal courtesy.

It seems I have to do some diggings.

“No problem. You’re a first-year transfer. You just skipped the entrance party and orientation. I’ll have one of our guys explain it to you.”

Father nods his head in understanding and looks at the girl beside him.

“And what about this young lady over here?”

“Sorry for the late introduction. She is Lisha Valoir ...., daughter of a Baron. She is a very talented person, so I brought her here with me in the hope that she will be admitted to the Academia.”

“Oh, yes. If Leohardt says so, then yes, I approve of her admission. Miss Risha, I will tell the butler to prepare a room for you as well.”

Leohardt looks at her and Miss Risha bows her head with nervousness.

“I’m so honored! I’m so honored! I, uh, I will do my best at ....!”

Leohardt watched with a smile as she put the pieces of a courtesy together in a messy manner, apparently at a loss for words. Her way of courtesy was so messy that it can’t be called a courtesy anymore. There are plenty of things that are not right. But still we have to be generous to the people of our neighboring country and have to keep up with them.

Father is making a kind face, but I’m sure he’s thinking about what’s going on behind the scenes.

The second prince would go to the trouble of accompanying the daughter of a mere Baron to her study abroad, which can only be thought of as an act of love. A..no..Leohart isn’t that kind of guy ....?　I think he may have had a change of heart during his adolescent years.

Mother is .... ah, her eyes are glistening and burning. Mother seems to be trying to figure out where to begin.

She is an educated lady, though she has been quiet since she had met Elizabeth and put on the skin of a perfect person with an outward appearance of a perfect noble lady. But she is good teacher considering she has been ruling this country beside my father for so many years.

“If you have any questions, Leohart and Miss Lisha, please ask me. Feel free to ask me anything about the royal palace and the academy.”

I have to somehow keep the conversation from turning into a distraction and igniting my mother’s educated mom spirit, before she could do something to the guests.

As if in response to our wish, or should I say, in response to my wish, Leohardt added an unexpected power to the conversation.

“I am grateful for that. I’m hoping to find a companion for this study abroad program. .... I prefer golden hair and purple eyes.”

“If you know someone like that, please introduce me to them.”

Leohardt said, with a beaming, infectious smile on his face.

T/N: Hello everyone! I’m the translator of this novel. I’m currently translating two more novels on this website. One is ‘The hope you gave me’, this novel is a psychological with bits of angst. Another one is ‘The silver hamster’s daily life in the rebirth book’. This novel is a transmigration novel where MC was a silver hamster in her previous life before being reborn in the novel. Both the novels are unique in their own way. So I hope you like them.

And also, please don’t forget to support me on ko-fi. Your support is desperately needed.