Chapter 3

It's a bit long.

"Co... inu..."

Aini's round eyes widened even more as she murmured, but she quickly turned bright red.

"H, how terrible! Calling me a dog...!"

"Terrible? Why? Isn't it cute, a puppy? Would you have preferred a baby rabbit? What do you think, Your Highness?"

Aini, who felt like she was being treated like a dog, looked at Eirik with teary eyes, but he smoothly slipped his hand out of hers.

"... Well, I thought I looked like a river otter."

A river otter is an otter that lives by the river. It has a round face, big eyes, and fluffy fur, making it very popular for its cuteness.

"Eh...? What do you mean, Master Eirik?"

"There's nothing to mean. The prince only thought of you as a curiosity. Why should I be jealous of such a person?"

Serafina genuinely wondered why Aini was making a face as if she were a rival. Aini and Serafina were different in terms of birth, lineage, knowledge, and resolve.

"Lady Serafina, isn't that a bit rude?"

Sauri, who couldn't find words to say on Aini's behalf, spoke up. However, her words were not those of a noble's son, and Serafina sighed, hiding her face behind a fan.

"Rude? Don't you think it's more impolite to treat me and her as equals?"

Upon hearing this, Sauri finally bit her lip and fell silent. But perhaps feeling that she had an ally, Aini spoke up again.

"But in the academy, status doesn't matter...!"

"Where did you get that information, Aini?"

Serafina had been wondering about this since she heard it earlier. She also knew that Aini had said the same thing when she was reprimanded for being friendly with the prince and other high-ranking nobles.

"Eh... Where? I heard it before I transferred... from home."

"Home, you mean the Merikant family?"

"No, the Mikora family. And in the school guidebook..."

Serafina sighed in relief upon hearing this.

"Good, the Merikant family won't be punished for lack of education."

At this, Sauri shuddered, and Bernadetta bowed her head in apology.

"No, it's our fault for not correcting it. We are very sorry..."

"Eh? Eh? Why is Berna apologizing? In the academy, status doesn't matter, right?"

"Of course, that's only until the elementary level."

Aini, who couldn't grasp the situation, looked around anxiously, and Sandra, not Serafina, bluntly interjected.

"Eh?"

"Being friendly regardless of status is only until the elementary level. Once you enter society, you can't ignore such things. Especially in the upper school, you're about to graduate and enter society officially. Learning social skills is also part of the school's purpose."

Of course, the school wants to foster each individual's talents and create new connections regardless of status, which is why the slogan "status doesn't matter in the academy" was adopted. This also serves to curb the exercise of power by students.

However, as students progress, they naturally learn social skills and understand their family's status and position.

After graduation, when they become adults and enter the world, it's natural to learn social skills during their student years when they can still be indulged.

The school also often gives special treatment to royal and high-ranking noble students for security reasons.

One example is the salon in the cafeteria, where Aini, despite being invited, seemed to have noticed nothing.

"But I'm going to become a saint in the church, so I'll be equal to high-ranking nobles..."

"High-ranking nobles, not the royal family."

Serafina, too, would become part of the royal family.

Sandra, as if to drive the point home, pointed her fan, which had a different golden frame with red gems, at Aini.

"Besides, your manners and behavior are far from those of a high-ranking noble. If you want to be considered equal, you should at least learn the basic etiquette."

"Aini has always been treated like a servant, and she's only been learning manners for a year?"

Aini was a bastard child born to a baron's family, though in the countryside. She was recognized but treated as a "servant's daughter," learning only the minimum manners and studies. From around the age of eight, she mainly worked as a servant.

Orva, who sympathetically pleaded on Aini's behalf, and Sauri, who comforted the tearful Aini, didn't change the expressions of Sandra and Serafina.

"To not learn even the minimum manners in a year at that age, you must be quite slow. How were you taught, Lady Bernadetta?"

Bernadetta, addressed by Sandra, hesitantly spoke, glancing around at Aini and the others.

"She had some basic knowledge, so I thought it would take about half a year... but Aini often went out to the town..."

"Sister, that's irrelevant now. Don't blame Aini for your shortcomings."

Serafina took over from her brother, who had silenced his sister.

"I don't think it's entirely irrelevant, but let's leave that for now. Please discuss Aini's education with the Merikant family again. Anyway, Aini—"

Called by a clear, pleasant voice, Aini straightened her back. She felt an intimidating presence from Serafina's beauty and demeanor.

"You still have a lot to learn to become a saint. And you should realize that you have no right to comment on my engagement to the prince."

No one could argue with Serafina's stern words—except Aini.

"But you two aren't in love, right!?"

Sandra's eyes widened, but she restrained herself with a glance, and Serafina calmly replied.

"This is an engagement decided by the king for the future king and queen."

"Then... but... Master Eirik called me 'cute'!"

Silence fell in the salon. Murmurs of "Oh, really?" and "I knew it" came from the other girls' table, and all eyes turned to Eirik.

Eirik, who had remained silent, looked up and said, "You asked if your new ribbon was cute, and I said it was."

"What does that mean...? Not the ribbon, but me."

Aini stood up, perhaps encouraged by Sandra's reaction.

"Then why did you go shopping with me in town? Not with Lady Serafina! You said you wanted to hear more of my stories!"

Indeed, since Aini's transfer, Eirik had often been seen with her, having meals and tea together. Given that Eirik hadn't refused, it's likely he had approached her to some extent.

The girls' gazes turned to Serafina, who remained silent with her usual smile.

"Yes, Aini's stories were very interesting. I rarely get to hear about remote areas or the lives of servants. It was very educational. Thank you."

Eirik, the diligent prince, had simply broadened his knowledge.

"I asked her to accompany me to the town because she knew it well. It was a valuable opportunity to see the lower town."

Aini, desperate to counter the rumors, argued, "If you just wanted to see the town, you could have gone with Lady Serafina! Why did you invite me specifically?"

"Going with Serafina would have been an inspection."

"Then you could have gone in disguise, secretly!"

"I can't do that. As the future king, and Serafina as the future queen, we have responsibilities. It would be too late if something happened. Besides, it would be unfair to the guards."

He was serious.

Just a serious, diligent prince.

Aini, upon seeing Eirik, the golden-haired, blue-eyed prince who looked like a character from a story, had been captivated.

She was called a saint and would be on par with high-ranking nobles, wearing beautiful dresses she had never imagined before, and thought she could get closer to her idol.

Eirik's actions might have been misunderstood by Aini.

But Eirik was simply diligent and didn't consider the possibility of such misunderstandings.

Why?

Because he was the prince, with a prearranged fiancée, and no one would pursue him knowing that.

Serafina felt the same.

"Seems like there was a misunderstanding, but you understand now, right?"

Aini, who had been pressing her fists on the table, trembled.

"I never thought the rumors would spread so much in the academy."

"Rumors spread? Even though I have a fiancée?"

"Yes, unfortunately."

It was truly unfortunate.

To suggest another woman for a royal heir with a formal fiancée was almost treason.

"I need to reconsider my relationships with those who spread rumors out of curiosity."

Appropriate action would be taken against those who spread royal scandals for fun.

Several girls at the neighboring table stiffened.

It was too late to cover up. Serafina remembered who said what.

"I've also identified the pro-church families who deliberately spread the rumors. We can discuss it at the next tea party, Your Highness."

"Efficient as always, Serafina."

The people who knew the content of their bi-weekly tea parties shuddered.

At the same time, the girl raised her head, as if it were her last hope.

"Such... a loveless marriage, just working all the time... Master Eirik is so pitiful. With the pressure of being a king, such a life without comfort..."

"Hmm, hmm, hmm."

While Orva and Sauri looked moved, Serafina smiled beautifully.

"You really underestimate me and Prince Eirik."

With a snap, she closed her fan, still smiling, and narrowed her eyes like the night sky.

"Such... underestimating...?"

Serafina wasn't listening to Aini's protests anymore.

"Prince Eirik and I are bound by a strong bond, with the mission and responsibility to support, protect, and improve this country.

Comparing this to a shallow emotion like love is unpleasant."

Their engagement was decided seven years ago.

They first met ten years ago.

Since then, they have been educated to lead the country.

A ten-year trust relationship cannot be inferior to romantic feelings.

"Besides, if you talk about love, I love this country. A queen is the mother of the country.

What more is needed?"

Serafina's firm words left no room for argument.

Everyone was overwhelmed by the noble future queen.

Only the future king, who would be her counterpart, smiled contentedly.

"Yes, let's love and nurture this country together."

---

Decades later.

The new king and queen, blessed with two sons and three daughters, never took a concubine, and greatly developed the country, becoming renowned in history as wise rulers.

This concludes the Serafina chapter.

I wanted to include more about what a saint is, but I'll save that for other stories.

I just wanted to write about a serious, diligent, and not evil prince.

Next, we'll have the story of the tsundere, straight-haired villainess Sandra.

Unlike Serafina, who crushes her enemies with cunning and power, Sandra will give a satisfying punch, so stay tuned!