After changing out of our military uniforms, Sylvia and I immediately returned to our classroom. The next subject was Medicine, led by one of the greatest physicians in the empire. Our room was permanent, and so was the seating arrangement.
When we walked in, there were already a few commoners and some nobles seated, quietly waiting. I settled into my seat. I had assumed that Prince Ashen wouldn't bother with a medical subject; it seemed far removed from his heavy governmental and military duties.
But then, the door opened.
It was Ashen.
My face instinctively pulled into a "meh" expression. Again? Really? I stared as he strode toward the back row. Did he actually take this subject? I thought, thoroughly exhausted by his constant, unavoidable presence. Just when I hoped for a single hour of reprieve, he showed up.
To my another surprise, my brother Zein also takes this subject. What the hell is going on here? It felt less like a medical class and more like a secret meeting of the Imperial Cabinet.
I turned to the right, glancing toward Zein's usual seat, and found myself staring at a girl who was already looking straight at me. Our eyes locked.
She had an incredibly cold aura. Not even a hint of a smile touched her lips. She simply held my gaze, her expression perfectly flat, controlled, and utterly unreadable. It was like staring into a mirror. For a moment, I forgot about Ashen and Zein, chilled by the sudden presence of this strange, formidable girl.
The moment I looked away from her, she moved. She immediately stood up and glided over to the seat right next to mine—the very seat Prince Ashen was clearly approaching.
"Oh—Your Highness, please use my seat for a sec," a mysterious noble girl said smoothly to the Prince. To the Prince! PRINCE!
Ashen offered no comment. He simply turned and took the seat the noble girl had indicated, which placed him right next to Zein instead of me.
I was still reeling from the sudden seating change when the girl beside me leaned in, her voice low and utterly devoid of warmth.
"I wonder how good you are at hiding your identity."
I was completely stunned. My breath caught in my throat.
She didn't wait for me to react, her cold gaze never leaving mine. "Don't worry, I'm not a snitch. Our Princess."
What the hell is going on?
Before I could even process the words or formulate a reply, the professor arrived.
"Young lady up there on the left. Please go back to your seat according to the seat plan," called out the renowned physician.
The girl gave me one last, piercing look. "Talk to you later, Seina of House Delian?" she asked, making her statement sound like a dangerous question.
Since I was utterly drained and in no mood to engage further, I let her go. She returned to her original spot.
However, the chair beside me didn't stay empty for long. Prince Ashen quietly slid into the seat next to mine, the one he had ceded to Zein moments before. He said nothing.
I looked straight at him, and he immediately met my gaze, but his usual princely composure was gone. He looked incredibly pale and profoundly nervous.
I wonder why. Was he reacting to the duel, the live blade, or the chaotic exit? I searched his eyes, but his nervousness was too thick to decipher.
"Come on, say something, Ashen," I called him out, my voice low. Yep, I didn't call him 'Prince.' I wasn't in the mood, and frankly, I wasn't sure why.
The professor was still writing on the board, preparing the lesson before discussing it.
"This probably will take about thirty minutes," she informed the class.
Ashen leaned closer, his voice laced with nervousness. "I—I just feel like... you are mad at me."
I laughed so hard. It was a loud, sharp burst of sound, but I managed to keep it just loud enough for only Zein, the noble girl, Sylvia, and Kalix to hear. All four snapped their attention toward us.
I quickly shielded my face with my fan, trying to contain the sound, thoroughly amused by his ridiculous reason. "That cold aura of yours—you're scared of me? Are you joking?" I asked, still shaking with laughter. I couldn't breathe; this was the funniest thing I had ever heard.
I lowered my fan, forcing myself to compose my face. "Your Highness, seriously, are you joking?" I asked formally, dropping the laughter and the sarcasm.
"No. Seriously, I am not," he answered.
The change was instant. His initial nervousness vanished, replaced by the deep, cutting coldness of his usual demeanor. That fierce Kaein Ashen coldness was back, making his earlier admission all the more serious.
"Good Afternoon, Ladies, Nobles, and of course to our Prince."
Everyone—nobles and commoners alike—looked toward Ashen. I truly had no energy left to care. Perhaps... perhaps it's my red days.
The realization was a punch to the gut. My face must have shown the rapid change in my mood; my exhaustion suddenly made sense. I rubbed my heavy stomach. That's why I've been so quick to anger.
As the professor—the doctor—began her lecture on various medicines we could take for common ailments, Prince Ashen quietly took my hand again.
I didn't flinch. I wasn't even surprised; I just let him. His touch was immediately warm and calming. I leaned back against my seat, suddenly feeling his familiar clinginess and sweetness.
It was in this moment of quiet comfort that I realized we had an audience. I looked up and saw that both Zein and the cold noble girl next to him had turned their heads. They saw us—saw our hands clasped together—and their eyes went wide with shock.
Ashen noticed them looking, too. He saw that Zein and the noble girl had spotted our joined hands. Yet, he made no move to pull away. He listened to the lecture with one hand supporting his chin, completely composed, while his other hand remained firmly holding mine.
It was the start of my red day week, and I felt like everything—my composure, my focus, my very body—was about to fall apart. The physical exhaustion was immense. I couldn't afford this right now.
My mind was already heavy with the need to secretly investigate the King's death alongside Sylvia and Kalix. Now, the natural process of my body releasing blood made concentration a brutal struggle. I knew it affected my mind; the mental fog and the sheer effort required just to hold my posture felt like moving through water.
My body felt heavy, slow, and achingly difficult to control. I pressed my palm against my lower abdomen, wishing for a quick return of strength. Between managing this medical class, dealing with Lady Flavian's plotting, keeping my identity safe, and the relentless, cramping exhaustion, I didn't even know where to begin sorting out my problems. I just needed to survive the next few days.
I was completely out of it for the whole class. Even a strong girl like me felt ready to topple over when dealing with this feeling.
An hour passed. Prince Ashen was still holding my hand, his thumb gently massaging my palm. I was slowly growing accustomed to this level of intimacy from him.
I knew I would be utterly furious if he ever did this for anyone else. But the thought was absurd. Given his cold energy, it was impossible he would ever entertain the advances of his countless admirers.
Except... except maybe that Lady Flavian.
The thought flashed through my mind, raw and unpleasant. Abruptly, I pulled my hand free from his.
He looked genuinely surprised. "Why?" he asked, his cold aura momentarily mixed with confusion.
I didn't answer him, settling only for a deep frown.
He chuckled—a soft, low sound that only I was meant to hear. He seemed to understand my mood, though I couldn't imagine how.
I forced myself to ignore his amusement and turned back to the lecture.
Our professor, the Physician, was now explaining the various plants, teaching us which herbs could be processed into medicine and which could act as a cure for the ailments we might experience. I strained to concentrate, knowing this knowledge could be vital, even if my body felt heavy and my mind felt dull.
Minutes passed, and the class finally ended. I stayed seated, waiting for everyone else to leave before I attempted to stand up. Ashen remained exactly where he was, right beside me.
Before the nobles and commoners left, they all flocked to Prince Ashen first, vying for his attention. After managing to speak their piece, they bowed and gradually filed out of the classroom one by one.
Even if I had wanted to stand, the throng of people made it impossible. Sylvia and Kalix eventually gave up, excusing themselves to wait just outside the classroom door.
When I looked around, my heart gave a sudden, hard thump. It was just the two of us left. Kalix, Sylvia, and Zein were waiting outside, but within the confines of the room, Ashen and I were finally, completely alone.
I stood up and executed a quick, polite bow. "Then, excuse me. Take care on your way home," I said, ready to escape.
He remained seated, simply looking up at me without a word.
Before I could take my first step, he suddenly pulled me back, and I stumbled, falling back down onto the chair next to him.
"Can you give me a few seconds to stare at you closer like this?" he murmured, his eyes serious.
I sighed, utterly worn out. I waited less than five seconds. "Done," I declared.
"That's too fast," he retorted.
"You told me only seconds?" I countered, slightly annoyed.
He ignored my retort, instead abruptly pulling me forward and wrapping me in a tight embrace.
I was stunned and unable to move from the shock. I couldn't fathom what had just possessed him to act this way, as if we might never see each other again. Yet, I found the hug incredibly warm and soft. My body instantly sank into it, craving the feeling of security. This was the first time I had ever felt so utterly protected.
But the anxiety snapped me back to reality. What if someone sees us like this?
"Stop, that's enough," I demanded softly.
"If someone sees us, I swear I'll make you regret it," I threatened in a low voice.
He only chuckled against my shoulder, then released me and gently kissed the back of my hand. "Then, shall we go?"
Just as we stood, Sylvia knocked softly and entered the room.
"My Lady, the carriage is ready," Sylvia informed me, her eyes neatly avoiding our faces. "Madam Chancellor is excited to hear about your day."
I stood up and quickly exited the room, leaving Prince Ashen alone inside. Just past the threshold, standing with Zein, was the noble girl. I was instantly shocked—she was still here.
"Hey!" she greeted me, reaching out and casually taking my hand, as though we were already close friends.
"I assume you don't know me yet," she continued, not waiting for a reply. "I'm Beatrix Hanel Morosini, and I'm the cousin of Vesperianth. You can call me Beatrix and you are the only one who can call me that. Okay?" She gave a flourish of her hand as she introduced herself. "I am the most kind, lovable, and prettiest cousin of them. Right, My Majesty Kaein?"
She called out the question, seeking agreement. I glanced behind me. Sure enough, the Prince was right there, following just a few steps behind us.
"Anyways," she continued, not waiting to see if Ashen would agree with her self-assessment. "Do you know what? I begged the Emperor to let me enroll here! Cause I really, really wanted to see you since your debut."
She squeezed my hand dramatically. "And ugh. I didn't even get a chance to introduce myself to you at the evening party since you just disappeared so suddenly."
Beatrix tightened her grip on my hand, leaning close enough for me to feel her breath.
"Don't worry, your secrets are safe with me. Right? Seina Dravina of House Elyndralis?" she whispered, her voice laced with amusement as she let out a low, knowing chuckle.
"It sounds like a threat," I replied instantly, my voice flat and cold.
At that, they all laughed, including Zein. The Prince, who had been listening silently, even let a faint smile touch his lips.
We were the only people visible on the campus grounds. Or maybe... someone is hiding and spying on us, I thought. But anyway. The game had just changed. My identity wasn't a secret to my brother, my guards, and my fiancé—but now, a highly-connected, cold-eyed cousin of the Prince knew too, and she was clearly ready to play.
"Lady Hanel, it's time to head home now," her handmaiden called out, approaching Beatrix.
"Aw," Beatrix whined, dragging the word out. "I just want to spend a longer time with Seina."
She turned to me, squeezing my hand once more. "Anyways, see you next time! I love you, My Seina!" she called out brightly. Then, she winked, stuck her tongue out playfully at Prince Ashen, and finally followed her maid, leaving the silence ringing in her wake.
We finally reached the carriage.
As I stepped up, my body still heavy with fatigue and cramps, Kalix held my hand, guiding me securely so I wouldn't lose my balance.
Zein stood by the door, his usual guarded expression softening slightly. "Take care, Princess," he said, his voice low, the formal title a quiet reminder of the world we were leaving behind.
Our carriage rolled along, followed closely by the carriage carrying Zein and Prince Ashen. We had the same route for now. However, when we reached the main crossway, their carriage would turn to the right, heading toward the grand Vesperianth mansion. Our carriage, meanwhile, would continue straight, taking me home to my own family estate.