CH 7

Her Royal Highness, the Princess, is the School’s Idol

After arriving at school with Mize.

I took my seat near the window, occasionally looking outside before classes started.

The assailants targeting Mize never entered the school grounds.

There are probably two reasons for this. One is the high level of security. Like the dormitories, there are knights on constant patrol around the school. Since this is the Royal Academy, it is managed by the kingdom.

It would be risky to provoke the kingdom’s elite knights.

The other reason would be that there are many strong people at this school.

Rumour has it that Farnese Evans, our sword fighting instructor, was a member of the Royal Guards in the past. I’ve also heard a rumour that our homeroom teacher, Sylphia Machina, was a publicly acknowledged authority on magical studies.

The truth behind these rumours is not clear, but as their student, I know that they are both genuinely strong.

In order to avoid confronting these women, the assailants would hesitate to enter school grounds.

Lunch break.

I stood up and tried to go to the courtyard, along with Gran, Mize, and Elysia, but…Mize didn’t wait for us, and quickly left the classroom.

She didn’t have a lunchbox on hand, but instead she held a book on magical studies for her next class.

“Where did Mize go?”

I ask Elysia, who was approaching.

“She’s probably going to the staff room to ask the teacher about a problem that she couldn’t understand in class, or maybe in her homework. She’s been doing that for quite some time.”

Heeh, I say.

Mize is sometimes late to the courtyard, but I didn’t know that was the reason.

“I just remembered that I had to do some errand, so you two go ahead to the courtyard.”

“An errand? Well, fine. Then Gran, let’s go ahead.”

“Okay. Ah, Tweight, do you want me to buy some bread for you?”

“I want Yakisoba bread.”

“Aye…Tweight, you really like B-class food, huh.”

I like that kind of junk food since it makes me feel like a human being.

It was a refreshing change from the food at the Organization, which had nutrition as the highest priority.

I left the two of them and followed Mize.

As I passed by students in the cafeteria, I thought about Mize.

It seems that I didn’t know her as well as I thought I did.

I knew that she had a lot of energy, but it seems that she had a lot more than I expected.

…as a runaway, it seems possible.

Different from Mize, another princess I’m acquainted with…comes to mind.

The Princess of the Kingdom of Terraria, Sophia Terraria, spent most of her days inside the castle, until she joined the Hero’s party. I’ve heard that because of this, after joining the party, she behaved unreasonably and caused some trouble.

Those with high authority often tend to be bound.

Mize didn’t want to be bound, that’s why she ran away from her home…if I think about it like this, it unfortunately seems to be the case.

— Found her.

I discreetly looked through the window of the staff room and saw Mize talking with Sylphia-sensei. She had her magic studies textbook open and was pointing at a diagram on one of the pages.

After talking with Sylphia-sensei for a while, Mize’s eyes lit up in understanding and she thanked Sylphia-sensei. Apparently, the problem had been solved. With a happy expression on her face, Mize left the staff room, bowed politely, then closed the door.

I silently watched Mize’s back as she walked down the hallway.

“You.”

At that moment, someone called out to me from behind.

When I turned around, there was an odd male student standing there.

A white school uniform– a student of the Hero Course. However, none of the ridicule against the Normal Course could be seen in his eyes. Rather, they were looking as if it was a fated encounter, posing as a reliable senior.

“It seems that you too, have been charmed by Mize.”

“Huh?”

At those incomprehensible words, I tilt my head.

“Welcome to the Guards of Mize-chan. I welcome you with open arms. By the way, are you a paternalist, or a purist?”

“No, I don’t understand what you are talking about–“

“Ha ha ha, I apologize. You don’t have to answer that. The way that you were looking at Mize, was like a father watching over his beloved daughter. In other words, like me, you are a paternalist.”

I really don’t understand what you’re talking about.

What should I do? Should I call a doctor?

“Oi! The paternalist guy is trying to recruit someone!”

“What!? Stop him! We can’t have any more paternalists among us!”

Across the hallway, two boys appear.

“Kuh, these purist lolicons! You come to me if you need anything! We, the paternalists will welcome you with open arms!”

After leaving those words, the boy from the Hero Course left me.

“…what was that, just now?”

I tilted my head in confusion, before heading to the courtyard.

◆

“Ah, those were the Guards of Mize-chan.”

“The Guards of Mize-chan?”

Hearing what Gran said, I reflexively ask.

When I arrived at the courtyard, I relayed the events earlier to Elysia and the others.

Of course, I hid the fact that I was following Mize. I only explained the part about how I inexplicably got tangled with a student from the Hero Course that I couldn’t understand.

“In other words, it’s Mize’s fan club. Though she doesn’t admit it.”

“…I see.”

I can understand how a fan club works.

During the Great War, I remember visiting a country as part of a mission. In that country, there was a woman known as the “Songstress”. So then, the men and women, the young and old, who surrounded her proclaimed themselves the Songstress’ fan club…in this case, Mize would have the position of the Songstress.

“S-sorry. I know that there some people like that, but…I-I apologize for any trouble they have caused you!”

“…No, it wasn’t much trouble at all, and it certainly isn’t Mize’s fault.”

It seems like she doesn’t like the idea of having an unauthorized fan club.

I saw the bitter expression on Mize’s face, and somehow understood what she was going through.

“They said something about paternalists and purists. What does that mean?”

“The Guard isn’t monolithic. On one hand, you have the paternalists who woke up their paternal instincts when looking at Mize, and on the other, the purists who want to be Mize’s lover, if they can…In the beginning, they were united as one, both factions admiring Mize, but it seems that recently, they have split up.”

“…so, they’re having a civil war.”

Ironically, it seems that Mize is still being treated like a princess despite hiding her true identity.

The two factions around her are hostile to each other, and they are currently in the middle of a civil war.

The person in question had a red face and was embarrassed.

“But honestly, Mize is the type of girl that looks good. She has beautiful hair, and her skin is so smooth…Honestly, even as someone of the same sex, I find you attractive…Why don’t you try singing and dancing? I think that Mize has the potential to be an idol, then you’ll win the hearts of all the boys.”

“Tha-that’s…too embarrassing, I couldn’t do such a thing!”

Mize says while hiding her face.

She is usually very cheerful and energetic, but it seems as if she’s uncomfortable with being the centre of attention.

— When I think about it calmly, I find it odd.

The Holy Kingdom of Arcadia is as powerful as the Kingdom of Terraria.

But when it comes to the Second Princess, no student at this school knows how she looks like. Not even the teachers are aware of her appearance.

From the looks of it, Mize does not seem to wear any disguise. This means that she has been going to school with her real face all along.

Are there any circumstances keeping Mize’s existence a secret?

Then it makes sense that she isn’t used to being the centre of attention.

“Ah, sorry. I have to return a book to the library, so I’ll have to excuse myself first.”

With those words, Mize packed her lunchbox in her bag and stood up.

The three of us watched her back as she left.

“Mize is such a hard worker, isn’t she?”

“That’s true. That is also how the paternalists see her.”

“That does make some sense…Come to think of it, Gran hasn’t joined the Guard.”

“You can’t join the Guard of a person you’re always with…I tried to join once, but they were so envious of me that they almost beat me up.”

“…Are the boys in this school all idiots?”

Elysia gives Gran a disgusted glance.

As I listen to the exchange of the two in silence, I slowly stood up.

“I’m going to the toilet.”

After saying something appropriate, I try to follow after Mize again.

She didn’t have the book that she borrowed from the library on her in the courtyard. So, she must have passed by the classroom at least once.

“…Hm?”

On my way to the classroom, I unexpectedly saw Mize.

For some reason, Mize was staring at her reflection on the window of the school building, some distance away from the corridors.

It’s a quiet place, people don’t usually stop by here.

I wonder, what is she doing in a place like this?

As I thought about it, I wondered if she was fixing her hair—.

“Hm, Hhmhmhm~n. I am~ an idol~” (Fu, funfufu~n. Watashi wa~ Aidoru~)

Mize suddenly started singing.

Moreover, she suddenly started dancing with an improvised choreography.

“Your idol~, It’s Mize Howence~. Yes~ it is~” (Aidoru no~, Mize Howence desu~. Desudesu~)

Oi, oi. Your Royal Highness, the Princess.

It seems that she was happy inside when Elysia said “You have the potential to be an idol”.

She seems to have some knowledge on dancing, so her performance didn’t look very improvised.

But what is with “Yes~ it is~”? (Desudesu~)

“…”

“…Ah.”

I was thinking about my impressions of her song and dance, and before I knew it, Mize had noticed me.

“T-Tweight-san…?”

Mize’s cheeks were flushed red.

What should I say in this situation?

For the time being, I’ll give my honest opinion.

“I think it was good, except for the lyrics.”

“—!?!!?!!!!”

Mize ran away, leaving me alone.

Author’s Note:

{Regarding Updates from Now On}

Since I’ve become a bit busy in real life and I would like to update “Shonen ha Kakine wo Koeru” (The Boy Who Broke Barriers), which is being serialized at the same time, I will update it every other day for a while. I hope to update alternately with “Shounen ha Kakine wo Koeru” (The Boy Who Broke Barriers).

Translator’s Note:

“Shounen ha Kakine wo Koeru” (The Boy Who Broke the Barriers) probably refers to the author’s other series, which can be read here in Japanese.