The bell chimed sharply, snapping Lilia out of her spiraling thoughts.
She jolted upright in her seat as the classroom door creaked open once more. And the moment it did, something strange—unfamiliar, yet unmistakably real—twisted in her chest.
A man walked in.
Tall. Confident. Effortlessly charismatic.
His dark hair was tousled, like he'd just run a hand through it five seconds ago and decided that was good enough. There was an artless charm to it, as though he couldn't care less about perfection — and yet, somehow, looked better than anyone who did try.
His amber eyes scanned the classroom with a relaxed glint, as if he already knew all the academy's secrets and was quietly amused to be back among them.
He wore the standard teacher's robe over the Evermere uniform, but it was tailored too perfectly to be standard issue. His tie hung slightly loosened around his neck, lending him the exact kind of casual authority that set off yet another strange flutter in Lilia's chest.
Wait… what? she thought, blinking rapidly.
Why is my heart doing that?
She pressed her hand flat against her chest beneath the desk, hoping it wasn't as obvious as it felt.
Last I checked, I was a guy. Guys don't… get fluttery because of a smirking hot teacher. Do they?
She clenched her fists tightly in her lap.
No, no, no. You're in a girl's body now. Everything is already weird enough without your heart joining the rebellion.
Focus, Lilia. You've got a prince to avoid, a villainess to not get murdered by, and a school full of sparkly drama bombs. You do not need a teacher crush on top of everything else.
The man's voice cut through her internal rant — smooth, relaxed, warm.
"Good morning, Class 1-C."
The entire room seemed to sit up straighter, attention suddenly sharpened.
"I'm Mr. Rowan Ashford, your homeroom teacher. Yes, Ashford. And yes, before you ask — I am related to Lady Eveline."
Lilia's head snapped up.
Of course.
Because nothing in this glittering, noble-infested world could ever just be simple.
Great. Even the teacher is part of the Ice Queen's royal bloodline. Can this day get any better?
Mr. Ashford's smile widened, like he'd read her thoughts.
"I hope you're all ready for a year full of challenges, growth, and… fun." He paused dramatically. "Mostly growth. And etiquette drills. Speaking of which — next week, we'll begin lessons on how not to fall over during your first curtsy."
Some students groaned under their breath. A few nobles rolled their eyes.
Lilia leaned toward Mari and whispered, "If I survive this school, it'll be a miracle."
Mari smiled and whispered back, "We'll survive together. Probably. Unless curtsying turns out to be a blood sport."
Lilia chuckled despite herself. "You joke, but I tripped over a fountain earlier and nearly drowned in it."
"See? You're ahead of the curve already," Mari whispered. "Water hazard: complete."
As the class laughed politely at one of Mr. Ashford's quips, his gaze scanned the room.
Then it landed directly on Lilia.
"Ah, Miss Hearthwell," he said, voice low and teasing, "I hear you've already made quite the impression this morning."
Lilia's eyes widened, and her face turned three shades redder than it had ever gone before.
Impression? she echoed internally. What impression? I tripped into Prince Sparklepants and managed not to spontaneously combust in front of Eveline. That's not an impression — that's a death wish.
Mr. Ashford didn't elaborate. Just smiled with that maddening, knowing ease.
Lilia turned to stone in her seat.
Why is everyone in this world ridiculously attractive and emotionally devastating? she thought, jaw clenched. Can I not go five minutes without feeling like I've walked into a romance simulation with live explosives?
She squeezed her eyes shut for half a second, forcing her heart to settle.
Okay, Lilia. You're in a girl's body now. You're feeling things. Unwanted things. Brain chemicals are doing somersaults. Hormones are plotting against you. You don't like him. You just—respect his jacket. That's all.
But deep down, she knew.
It wasn't just the jacket.
Something about Mr. Ashford clicked into the chaotic rhythm of this new world. And her body — this treacherous new body — had decided to play along.
As Mr. Ashford launched into a long lecture about school policies, noble conduct, class rankings, magical etiquette, and the importance of proper table posture (why so much table posture?), Lilia leaned toward Mari again.
Trying to sound casual, she whispered, "So… this whole place — the kingdom, the prince, the dress code that makes me feel like a decorative cupcake — is this just… how things are here? Like, is everyone always this obsessed with titles and tea parties and whatever?"
Mari gave her a sideways glance and nodded. "Pretty much. Altheria's been like this for centuries. Nobles love their appearances. Status, family trees, engagements, seasonal galas… it's all just another way to climb the social ladder."
"That sounds exhausting," Lilia said flatly.
"It is," Mari agreed, smiling. "But some of us get by just ignoring most of it. I mean, my family runs a bakery. We're commoners, but we've been around long enough that people leave us alone."
Lilia raised a brow. "So you just… exist outside the drama?"
Mari shrugged. "I watch it from a safe distance while eating chocolate croissants. Works well enough."
Lilia snorted. "Smart."
There was a pause before Mari glanced at her again, eyes more curious this time.
"Hey… can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
Mari hesitated. "You don't really seem like you're from around here."
Lilia froze.
"What makes you say that?" she asked a little too quickly.
Mari raised an eyebrow, but her tone stayed gentle. "Just little things. You didn't know where your class was, you don't seem to care much about noble customs… and you keep looking at magical stuff like you're seeing it for the first time."
Lilia winced.
Caught.
"Uh… well," she started, fumbling for something believable. "I just moved here recently. From a really small village. It's kinda out in the sticks. Hardly any magic. Super boring."
Mari looked at her for a long moment, then nodded slowly.
"That explains it. Village life is quiet. Honestly, I kinda envy you. No noble drama, no arranged dances. Just… trees and fresh air."
Lilia laughed, relieved. "Yeah. Trees. So many trees."
"Hey," Mari said, nudging her gently with her elbow, "Don't worry about it. You'll pick things up fast. And if not, I'll keep you from accidentally declaring war by using the wrong fork."
"Is that a thing?"
"Only during official dinners. Which you will definitely get dragged into at some point."
"Great."
"But hey," Mari added with a grin, "I've got your back. Always."
Lilia blinked. She hadn't expected that. Not here. Not now.
"…Thanks," she said, quieter this time. "That means more than you know."
They exchanged a small smile — the kind that wasn't loud or dramatic, but warm. Real.
It was strange how comforting Mari's presence had become in such a short time.
In a world full of floating dialogue options, magical pop-up menus, and weaponized winks from noble boys, Mari felt like the only person who hadn't been copy-pasted from a dating sim script.
The bell rang again, signaling the end of the first lesson block.
Mr. Ashford clapped his hands once. "That's it for today's homeroom session. Next class is Magical Theory, which is either fascinating or nap-inducing depending on your attention span."
As students began to shuffle toward their next classrooms, Mr. Ashford added with a sly grin, "Oh, and Miss Hearthwell? Work on that curtsy. We wouldn't want another fountain incident."
Lilia groaned quietly and buried her face in her arms.
Mari leaned over, whispering, "You've got a teacher teasing you and a prince staring at you. You're gonna be the talk of the school by lunchtime."
"I don't want to be the talk of anything," Lilia moaned. "I want to be a minor background character. An unnamed extra."
Mari just grinned and handed her a tiny packet wrapped in brown parchment.
"What's this?"
"Cinnamon sugar bun. Emergency comfort snack."
Lilia blinked, touched. "Seriously?"
Mari winked. "I told you. Life-changing."
Lilia opened the packet and took a bite.
And immediately melted in her chair.
"Okay. Yeah. You are officially the best thing about this world."
Mari smiled brightly. "Told you."