Flying is not permitted on Academy grounds outside of emergencies, or in the designated track and field area. Those caught with their wings out will be given one strike.

—Alephertz Academy Student Handbook

On her first day of classes, Lycoris's nerves were just as bad as when she first appeared before the nobility. Even though she was already a known quantity—to some extent, people obviously didn't know about her hobbies or past, just that she had as little patience for bumbling as her mother—it didn't change the fact that she would have to conduct herself as befitted a princess, even during classes.

In that sense, this was like endurance training for future public appearances. Although, this

was

her making a public appearance, sort of. It was a private, sequestered academy, but it would still be her life for the foreseeable future. Rather than think about it as training, it would probably be better to think of it as the test her training had prepared her for.

Which did nothing to ease her nerves. Especially when she considered it as a day-long affair, rather than just an hour or two of enduring stares and thinking about the exact angle of her toes.

Unsure of what to bring with her, Lycoris simply walked to the lecture hall that was on her schedule with nothing but her phone and clothes.

Inside the folder Athena had taken from Rosa was a list of all her classes and windows for free time. While it was meticulously laid out with every window of time for the entire month set in stone down to the hour, the schedule itself was quite lax. There were only ever one or two classes each day, with three appearing no more than once a fortnight. The rest of the timeslots were either categorized as free time, presently-unspecified extracurricular time, dedicated study time, or lights out.

She'd made sure to leave her dorm early, as she had to follow the directions featured on her phone's map toward the classroom. Between that, Athena arriving early in the morning to check on her once more after ensuring she was sound asleep in bed, and Athena also spending an extra amount of time taking pictures of her in her school uniform for Lilianna, Lycoris's day started so early that she was far more awake than the other students as they wandered the campus.

Speaking of, the uniform she wore was the same that all Alephertz students wore, save for the tie or bow that matched the color of their representative family and shiny mythril cufflinks with their crest. It was simpler than what Lycoris wore in the palace, but the lavender blazer still lent an air of formality and rigidity, especially when fitted over the crisply ironed white undershirt, matching light purple skirt or pants, and pure white socks to match skirt length tipped by shiny brown shoes.

And because nothing for the Aphtangloa could be anything but overdone, Lycoris sported a crystalline brooch that stood out as much from the front as her hair did. The sparkling sapphire rose and silver-blue metal of the mythril wings caused everyone to turn their heads whenever it caught the light.

Or, maybe it was just because it was

her,

the Crown Princess of the Empire, walking along the "sunlit" pathways. Even though on the inside, she felt less like nobility than the children of the Seven and their vassals gawking at her and whispering to each other.

Nobody dared to approach or strike up conversation with her as she weaved her way around the rosebush-lined path, though whether that was because she kept glancing down at her phone at every intersection, or because nobody had the nerve to speak up, she wasn't sure.

Though it shouldn't have been that much of a surprise given how many dorm-houses there were, Lycoris was still caught off guard by the sheer number of students she encountered while walking. There couldn't have been

that

many children in each family… but then again, Athena qualified as an Ochros and she was fairly ancillary to the actual family.

I should ask her if she attended this school too…

Lycoris was probably the exception, with an entire tower to herself. Her mother had definitely overdone it, no doubt the other students all already knew what exactly that ominous eyesore meant. That was probably why they were mumbling to each other, rather than looking particularly surprised that Lycoris was walking among them.

Her mood kept waffling as she thought back to her mother and her internal turmoil, but at least the pleasant agricultural wonders of the campus were a comforting backdrop and distraction. Lycoris couldn't recall the last time she'd been able to literally stop and smell the flowers.

Tragically, the pastoral spring scenery was fractured once Lycoris stepped inside the building housing her classroom, as the noise of some sort of commotion reached her ears with a twitch. It was still some distance away, but she heard fine metal instruments and heavy tomes clatter to the ground, and an indistinct voice mumble in a haughty tone.

Increasing her pace, Lycoris found the source, further down the hall and directly outside of her class. A group of four stood opposite a singular girl on the ground. A few people had gathered around to gawk or look at their phones, but it was an obvious civil disturbance. And of course, they were blocking the entrance to her destination.

Even though she hadn't been noticed, it was inevitable that even if she just watched, she'd get drawn into the situation given her status. So, Lycoris pocketed her phone, put her hand to the brooch—and hidden necklace beneath her blouse—and smiled as she recalled the times Mizar had dragged her into danger.

Sharpening her vision and hearing, she eavesdropped and glanced at the people involved.

"—that garbage that you've gotten everywhere! And dispose of it before you even think of setting foot inside the classroom. You are aware that Her Highness is going to be attending our class today, no? Setting aside how humiliating your very presence is for the rest of us, the least you can do is not shame us all with your disgusting lowborn habits."

Standing at the forefront of the group as its leader was a girl with a slender figure, curly rolls of hair that seemed to melt into her blazer with how well the colors matched, and piercing red eyes as bright as the bow fastened prim and proper around her collar.

Her voice was clear and resonant, much like Lycoris's, but there was a slight accented weight to it that sounded unpleasantly familiar to the Princess. Matching it to the bow she wore, Lycoris realized that she sounded like a tiny female version of

Cedric.

With the assumed context that she was an Idra, it made perfect sense that the very first thing Lycoris would see her do is abuse someone for no reason. Though her scarlet eyes gave the princess pause, as Lycoris briefly stopped her approach.

Is… she related to Mama somehow?!

Lycoris internally panicked, recalling what she'd heard when first speaking to Emma and Seraphine. Red eyes were supposed to be a sign of Aphtangloa lineage, and were apparently not something that normally just

happened

like that.

And yet even more striking was the girl on the floor, though for an entirely different reason than the haughty Idra's bright red eyes. She was one of the only girls Lycoris saw wearing a much longer skirt for one, covering the entire length of her legs.

What drew Lycoris's attention most however, was the fiery red of her hair, like someone had soaked a sheep with blood and set it aflame. It was just as messy, too, the unkempt mane reminiscent of a wild forest-witch. Like she was going to put a hex on Lycoris for looking at her funny. And her own eyes were equally bewitching, like glittering amethysts casting a dim ethereal glow into the late-morning hallway. Her gemstone eyes gradually shifted their focus from the girl berating her to the one observing every detail as Lycoris resumed her approach, pupils dilating from their silent razor-sharp edge to surprise. The heavy crow's feet underneath twitched, and a bitter, fangy smile spread across her face as she reached out with her gloved hands to begin picking up the scattered writing implements and books that she had no doubt "dropped."

"Hohoho yes, just like that! 'Tis a shame you haven't been expelled already, but no doubt it is only a matter of days."

"Lady Dahlia…" A girl, wearing pants, stepped toward the leader shyly, tugging on the Idra's sleeve while wearing a worried look.

"

What?

You're nothing like that filth on the floor, Iris. Just because your family was cast off the stage doesn't mean you'll share the same fate. And it isn't as though

you

sponsored that thing's education here, though I admit that your family's judgment in such matters has penned quite a reasonable tale as to why it would have been torn down."

The pink-bobbed girl fretted and fidgeted with her golden tie dangling over her chest, grinding her shoes against the squeaky floor tiles. A Vanas. Or, former one.

Lycoris didn't feel much in the way of pity for her, given which side of the altercation she was on. It was an early and unpleasant reminder that her actions did in fact have widespread consequences.

She froze in the middle of her approach, a sudden shiver running down her spine as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over her head. Lycoris didn't know what was going on here, what if she intervened and only made things worse for the… the other girl on the floor

also

had a Vanas-colored piece of neckwear, though hers was a bolo. Lycoris didn't even know if that signified anything or not, she hadn't read every inch of the student handbook—not for lack of trying, there were simply too many words and she was distracted besides.

But Lycoris knew what would come from trying to intercede—nothing, or a doubling down when she wasn't around. She had her own reputation and image to worry about too, and she didn't know anyone present or how it would impact her. The tempered voice in the back of her head reminded her,

Better to wait and gather information first.

She resumed her approach, though much more meekly—casually.

"Besides, I think the name 'Iris Idra' sounds quite lovely. Wouldn't you agree~?"

"D-Dahlia! That's not what I meant… Haven't you seen who's here?"

"Mm?"

At her "subtle" gesturing with the tip of her tie, the three others—Dahlia, and a pair of blonde twins—turned to look at Lycoris. Their eyes alit with the briefest flash of surprise, before Dahlia stepped forward with a polite smile and curtsey.

Mustering up the best imitation of her mother's impassive irritation she could muster, Lycoris walked right up to the group and looked down toward the girl on the floor. She'd already finished gathering her things, but hadn't stood up yet. But it wasn't as though she was bowing or showing any signs of deference, either.

"Good morning to you, Your Highness! My utmost apologies that you had to see such a repulsive display. Truly the Vanas had no sense of what

class

of people are worthy of enrollment here, would you not agree?"

"I could have you arrested right now, if I wished," Lycoris lazily remarked. Her eyes flicked to Iris, then back to Dahlia. Using her mother's methods filled her with a deeply unpleasant feeling, knowing where they'd lead, but it was the only tool she'd learned for navigating the situation and environment she'd been thrown into. "Or has this academy not received the message yet? Considering the state of the rose bushes on the way in, I had assumed…"

"My apologies, I misspoke." Dahlia curtseyed once more. "There is no need to worry, my companion here has a perfectly clean slate, I can vouch for her. Surely you understand the amount of paperwork that needs to be done for changes to be made."

Lycoris's ears twitched in confusion. "Strange, I thought I overheard you saying something about it only being a matter of days. And, who are you? I see no reason to trust the word of a random stranger that immediately breaks the simplest of rules."

"My name is Dahlia Solus Idra, daughter of Lucretia and Percivald." She performed her most elegant curtsey yet, bowing her head and holding the pose as she waited for Lycoris's response.

Perhaps a little too eager to get under her skin as she recognized the name "Lucretia," Lycoris ignored her and turned to the girl she had been bullying instead, "And you are?"

"Ah! You needn't concern yourself with her." "She is not even worth using as a doormat for the likes of us."

The blonde boy and girl hastily replied in unison—twins, given their matching hairstyles and Drimus blue bows—as Lycoris noticed Dahlia's bent leg trembling in either anger at the slight or fatigue from holding the pose. Admittedly, she hoped it was the former.

…Does that make these two my cousins? And, why would anyone even partially, vaguely tangentially related to me side with an Idra?

Lycoris blinked the thought away and kept her gaze on the girl trying to make herself as unassuming as possible. "Everyone I've run into has been allergic to actually doing as I say or answering what I ask," she looked over at the twins, "if I wanted your opinion, I would have addressed you, not her," then back to the girl on the floor, "I want a name. I don't really care who gives it to me."

"…Raine Lynnvel, Your Highness." Her voice was tremulous and quiet, like she was speaking inside a library.

"Was that really so hard?" Lycoris masked her bewildered recognition at the name with a sigh, turning to Dahlia as she pushed the thought of the Doctor who'd quite possibly saved her life aside. A sense of guilt built up in her, but not for the girl who was still holding her trembling curtsey. Though it

was

impressive that she was still holding the same pose. "While I won't pretend to have a deeper understanding of the politics at play here, I question your choice of venue."

"Your Highness?" Dahlia raised her head, quirking an eyebrow.

"Though there is still some time before class starts,

why are you blocking the doorway?

" Rather than berate her for mocking a child she had no right to, Lycoris struck somewhere that Dahlia would have a harder time defending. Though, she worried the actual cause for her anger would be obvious.

"H…Huh? Oh! Of course, this klutz of a lowborn tripped and dropped the garbage she carries around everywhere she goes. I was in the midst of reprimanding her and demanding she clean it up and toss it out before your arrival, in fact!"

For an Idra, she was being oddly sycophantic. Lycoris was expecting her to be uncooperative and irritating, rather than agreeable. Not that she agreed with anything Dahlia was actually saying, mind. Maybe she thought she stood some kind of a chance to get into Lycoris's pocket. Or maybe, unlike the Speaker, she was genuinely afraid of stepping on Lycoris's toes.

The thought brought an involuntary snort as Lycoris suppressed her laughter. "Hmph, I see at least five sets of hands here. 'Twould have been far more efficient to simply

help

her pick it up, if you were so concerned about the state of things before my arrival."

And with the most immodest swagger and flair she could muster, Lycoris raised her chin and walked between Dahlia's entourage and Raine as the group of four stepped back. She flashed a signal with her hand to the girl on the floor in Dahlia's blind spot, but didn't stop to confirm that the fiery redhead had noticed before throwing open the door and putting the scene behind her.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

＊

Grrr… who the

hell

does that girl think she is?!

Dahlia fumed, her left hand clenched and trembling.

Well, obviously the daughter of the Exaltare. I didn't think she'd be that arrogant though. I thought she was socially naive, not completely inept! Unless that was an intentional slight?

A part of Dahlia almost thought Lycoris was going to step in and take Raine by the hand for a moment. What she'd seen of the girl from footage in Kranes and Condore had been the actions of a sheltered bleeding-heart type. Not the cold and aloof girl who looked down on

both

of them.

It was almost like she thought Dahlia and Raine were equals. Or at least, that both were equally engaged in a frivolous and stupid waste of her time when she wanted to be somewhere. That sort of arrogance infuriated Dahlia, if only because she knew exactly how it felt to be in Lycoris's position herself, and at the same time caused a deep sense of discomfort and shame to well up inside of her. She was not equal to this trash-blooded commoner.

Her eyes wheeled over to Raine, who was slowly standing up and hugging her

notebooks

to her chest. The sight was so vulgar that she almost considered kicking her over again. Being equated to something like that?!

Dahlia shook her head, forcefully releasing the tension from her body.

No, no. Don't let her rattle you. She's just a foolish mother's girl, who clings to Her Majesty's every action and demeanor. Even when throwing down the Vanas, she might as well have been play-acting as her mommy.

All she had to do was get on Her Highness's good side, make herself an indispensable friend or ally, and then humiliate, shame, and disgrace her. Or if that somehow failed, perhaps she could be a critical advisor to Lycoris once the girl became Exaltare.

That was getting ahead of herself though, for now Dahlia just needed to win her favor…

"What are you still doing here?" She looked over at Raine in disdain, as the girl stood around nonchalantly, practically begging to be subjected to further humiliation. Maybe she was the kind of freak that enjoyed that sort of thing.

Raine closed her eyes and shook her head, bowing it as she spoke. "It would be unbecoming for someone of my station to follow immediately after Her Highness, before Your Ladyship found her seat within." At least she knew how to be polite.

The fact that Iris's family had invited someone like this into the most prestigious academy on the planet, all because she was adopted into a vassal family of the Vanas, was absurd to Dahlia. What value could this girl possibly hold that one of the Seven—even disgraced—would encourage her elevation and growth?!

"Well, I don't care. I need a moment to freshen up anyways. Iris, Becky, Letham, let us quit this place for now. The professor won't be here for another twenty minutes at least anyways."

…Why was Her Highness in such a rush to get inside early? Given she wasn't escorted by anyone, I assume she arrived early in order to ensure that she found the right room in time, but… could she have detested being around us so badly…? Hmmm…

Dahlia paused for a moment as her friends nodded and walked ahead. "Wait, you. Lynnvel."

The girl remained silent, though her eyes tinged with a slightly more severe hint of exhaustion in recognition.

"Go apologize to Her Highness. She clearly was upset by your presence."

"…Very well."

"Da~ahlia, are you coming?" asked Becky.

"Yes, just a moment. Wait for me outside." Dahlia turned around to wave her friends off, before glaring at Raine as the girl hung her head and shuffled into the classroom.

＊

It was almost disappointing how identical the scene was to what she'd known in Dauwen. Not that she had really expected better from Vampires, but it was another strange bit of humanization. The fact that even their cruelty could be so uninspired and familiar…

Lycoris sighed and looked at the raised rows of seats, like a reversed layer cake, and the podium set in front of a massive black display. The room was dimly lit by sunlight filtering in through drawn curtains on the opposite wall. Walking into the center of the room, she crossed her arms and pursed her lips.

She had no idea where she was supposed to sit.

Obviously somewhere amidst the rows on her left, but was there assigned seating? Or was it based on rank, or blood purity or whatever other ridiculous stick they used to measure themselves by? Instead of tackling that particular hurdle, she instead walked toward the massive wall-covering screen and podium, looking at her reflection in the black glass.

Even though it was technically less fanciful than the dresses her mother supplied her with, it was strange seeing herself in a posh noblegirl's uniform. The little mythril cufflinks on the blazer with her family crest on them seemed almost excessive considering how much more blatant the neckwear was. And her hair.

And while she was accustomed to stockings already, the kneesocks meant her legs felt remarkably cold. The short skirt may have been cute, but she wished she could have worn pants like Iris apparently got to.

Not that Mama would ever let that happen. She shook her head with a wry smile.

The door opened behind her, interrupting her thoughts, and she turned to see the redheaded girl enter the room, her head lowered as she silently shuffled towards Lycoris.

Lycoris pursed her lips, wondering just what the girl had been put up to. That wasn't the expression of someone acting on their own volition.

…Or maybe she misinterpreted my hand signal, and thinks I'm going to go all evil tyrant on her?

Lycoris suddenly felt a small pang of guilt, even though she'd been as tactful as she could manage.

When the girl came to a stop in front of her, Lycoris looked up to meet her eyes and smiled in as approachable a manner as possible. "Raine Lynnvel, correct?"

"Ah? Yes." The girl seemed caught off guard by her reaction, her arms hugging her books across her chest reservedly. "I am here to offer my apologies for the display you saw earlier."

"Huh?" Lycoris blinked. "That wasn't your fault, was it? I assumed they were bullying you."

"That is correct," Raine replied stiffly, "they were the ones who instigated."

"Then why are

you

the one apologizing? Ugh, no, it shouldn't even be me that anyone is apologizing to. It's not like I care."

"You seemed irate."

This girl was being remarkably candid considering who she was talking to. Maybe that was why she had gotten into trouble with the Idra girl in the first place.

"Haven't you ever heard of acting?"

"…Why would you be acting?"

"Because I…" Lycoris fell silent as she pondered how exactly to answer. It wasn't like she knew Raine either, but why wouldn't she get angry seeing someone else be treated like that? But of course things couldn't just be

simple.

"I didn't want to reveal my intentions. Surely that is the norm in this sort of institute."

"Hmm," the girl nodded. "Then you were not actually upset. Implying you were satisfied? Or sought something else…"

"No, I mean— I was still

angry!

You're a very strange person, aren't you?"

"My apologies, Your Highness." Once more the girl bowed her head, but this time she thrust a limp-wristed hand forward in front of Lycoris as well.

Naturally, the Princess had no idea what she was doing that for, and raised an eyebrow. "Not at you, at

them.

For picking on you."

"That is stranger than anything I have said thus far. They are above me, it is within their right to act that way. And you are above even them. What reason could you possibly have to concern yourself with a single stranger?"

Once again, she'd presented Lycoris with a question that she couldn't answer immediately. It was the right thing to do, but something like that would sound absurd coming from the Heir-Significate. She hadn't given the most friendly public impression either.

Taking her silence as an answer, Raine shook her head and started turning away.

"Wait," Lycoris grabbed her by her still-outstretched wrist, causing the taller girl to wince and tremble. "It's just, I just… don't like seeing people suffer! Isn't that normal?"

Raine looked down at the Princess's hand wrapped around her arm, her eyes squinting anxiously. "Are you going to kill me then? Is my arm not enough?"

"What?!" Lycoris inadvertently tightened her grip, causing Raine to squirm. "Why would I ever hurt you?! You haven't even done anything! Why are you all like this?!" Her body trembled as she thought of Athena's sycophantic attitude, and of Gier's disdain for the upper class. "I know nobles have privileges and the like, but we're all

people

at the end of the day! What does Dahlia even

get

out of picking on you?!"

"Ngh… Ahh…" Instead of answering her question, Raine squirmed and whimpered, and Lycoris realized in horror that she had gotten herself too worked up and was crushing her arm.

Immediately letting go, she raised her hands and began fidgeting around and frowning sadly up at Raine. "I'm sorry! Are you okay? I can call Athena if we need to… Grrnn I wish I knew healing magic. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

Ignoring her panic, the taller girl stepped away and shook her head, a look of pain still on her face as she rushed toward the seating and placed her belongings on the counter. With a wince, she rolled up her sleeve and exposed her crushed bloody purple and blue forearm. There were several lines and patterns traced along it, like tattooed tree-branches or ritual lines. She hooked her fangs behind the wrist of her glove on the opposite hand and pulled it off even as sweat beaded on her brow, exposing an intricate pattern of magic circles engraved into her hand.

Lycoris was dumbstruck as she watched Raine mouth a chant and a faint glow flowed through the marks on her arms, the twisted and bruised flesh causing them to distort and cause

sparks

to dance around. She let out another hiss of pain, but kept going, the crests on her exposed hand glowing and projecting off of her skin like a hologram.

At the same time, she coughed out loud the final words to her chant, "restore!" and… rather than any special glow or divine light like Lycoris expected to see, Raine's arm simply un-broke itself. Like watching time flow backwards, her arm painfully untwisted and returned to normal, leaving Raine breathing heavily as the glowing lines on her arms faded and returned to being "ordinary" scars.

"How did you…" Lycoris couldn't remember exactly what Galahad had done to heal her up—if much of anything, considering her bizarre physiology—but that looked nothing like the magic that Elham used. Nor what she'd learned from her mother. "Are you… okay?" She was a little reticent of even touching Raine, like a child with a delicate baby bird or skyjelly.

After regaining her composure and fixing her clothes, Raine walked around and sat down in her seat, avoiding eye-contact with Lycoris as she replied, "Yes, fine."

Sitting down next to her, causing the girl to wince and inch along the bench away from her, Lycoris fidgeted with her fingers as she continued to fret over Raine. "I heard that you might be made to leave the school soon?" Lycoris awkwardly jumped to another topic, a polite smile on her face.

"…Yes, because the Vanas were found guilty of national treason," Raine replied in a flat monotone. Both of them clearly knew who was responsible for that. And this girl seemed to feel nothing for authority, or perhaps her own life, considering she'd quite clearly been listening while Lycoris berated Dahlia.

The Princess naturally had no interest in threatening her, after already accidentally breaking her arm and freaking out over it. Awkwardly, she pushed past the comment, "Right. Listen, if you need assistance, or a um… voucher? Or whatever it was Dahlia said, I can see what I can do for you."

"Why are you so insistent on helping me?"

"Because I… happened to meet a Galahad Llynvel while I was in Kranes—oh, I'm pretty sure he's doing just fine by the way! If you were worried."

For a moment, Raine's pupils widened in acknowledgement, before she forced herself to remain composed as she gave a non-answer, "I see. You should find a seat before class starts. The others will be back soon."

"So think of it as a favor!" Lycoris continued, barreling past the girl's clear avoidance of her. "'Cause he helped me out. I'd like to be able to pay it forward."

"Are you really the Exaltare's daughter?"

"Of course I am!" Lycoris huffed.

"Then, with all due respect," Raine turned to look at her and bowed her head, "please leave me alone."

Lycoris's heart skipped a beat as she suddenly felt a blast of cold. It wasn't the first time anyone had ever turned her down—not even remotely. But she had been certain that this child would want the sort of security that she was offering.

"Why?!"

"Because I will… you will cause problems for me. I need fewer complications in my life, not more." She turned away from Lycoris, leaving the girl sitting there with a weight in her chest that left her feeling restless.

Though it hadn't gone how she expected at all, their little conversation certainly opened Lycoris's eyes as to why she had ended up Dahlia's target. And for not wanting any complications, she certainly acted unrepentant.

It baffled Lycoris as she stood there staring past Raine, until she realized that it was the same as herself. Though her memories of her previous childhood were hazy at best, she always preferred solitude to the risk of inevitable betrayal. Something that she only outgrew after joining the military and commanding respect through martial prowess…

Slowly, she stood back up and walked down the row to the direct middle of the bench and sat there instead, giving Raine the space that she desired.

At the same time, Lycoris's head buzzed as she wondered how she could make a difference, or if she could even break through the shell that Raine had set up. It felt meddlesome, but if she could save even a single person, Vampire or otherwise, from the sort of solitude that led her to live a hollow and meaningless life, she'd use whatever power or authority she could as Heir-Significate to make it happen.

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