Chapter 169 : Chapter 169
Chapter 169. The Appearance of the Fourth Princess
“Radel! Over here!”
Inette was waiting for Radel in front of the main building together with Gusto.
Having finished touring the Summoning Magic Workshop, Radel walked over to them.
“Your Highness, how was the workshop tour?”
“Yeah, how was it? Which workshop did you like the most?”
At Inette’s and Gusto’s questions, Radel thought carefully.
Every workshop he had visited so far had its own distinct charm.
The Alchemy Workshop was appealing because it provided personal research rooms and allowed students to study alchemy late into the night.
On top of that, interaction among alchemy majors seemed very active. It looked like it would be a great help when acquiring scarce materials or sharing recipes.
The Beastology Workshop offered a great deal of useful knowledge in a world where one constantly had to fight monsters.
Living and researching alongside magical beasts had left a deep impression on Radel. Having recently tamed a griffon also made it more interesting to him.
The Summoning Magic Workshop, built with the power of the World Tree, allowed one to feel high-purity mana just by entering.
Training within the World Tree’s mana would strengthen one’s magic power and enhance the ability to summon spirits.
For Radel, who had contracted with the Library Spirit, it was a very attractive option.
“Hmm. They were all good, so it’s hard to choose just one.”
At Radel’s words, Inette frowned in disbelief.
“Who’s telling you to choose right now? I’m just asking which one you liked.”
“I really mean it. They were all good. Every one of them.”
“But there has to be one that’s better than the others!”
Impatient, Inette thumped her chest.
Seeing that, Gusto spoke up.
“You truly lack patience. Someone as thoughtful as His Highness does not make decisions lightly.”
“What, can’t he even say he liked them? You only pick one major in the end anyway.”
“There are seniors who pursue dual majors.”
“That’s insane!”
Inette snapped, then noticed the surrounding gazes and lowered her voice.
“Seriously. It’s hard enough to graduate with just one major—why would anyone take two? No matter how much he worries, he’ll end up sticking with just one anyway.”
“That is merely Your Highness’s perspective. Sometimes, people choose the more difficult path.”
“You’re saying that because you’re an apprentice holy knight of the Divine Church!”
There was no reasoning with Gusto, who was walking the path of an apprentice holy knight.
Wasn’t his life already far harsher than that of an ordinary person?
But Radel was not an ordinary person either—he was imperial royalty.
There was no need for him to deliberately choose a difficult road.
When Inette let out a frustrated sigh, Radel, who had been thinking quietly, asked,
“Then what major do you like, Inette?”
“…Me?”
In truth, Inette had not made a decision yet either.
“Hmph. Let me be clear—it’s not because everything’s fine like with you. It’s because everything feels mediocre that I can’t choose!”
Inette thought she was the normal one.
It wasn’t that she couldn’t take other subjects, but once a major was chosen, she would have to devote herself to it until graduation.
Just imagining being tied to one major for years made her feel exhausted.
“Well, there are people who are absolutely in love with their majors, I guess.”
Inette muttered, thinking of the Fifth Prince, Benus, who cared about nothing but magical beasts.
But cases like Benus were rare, and most imperial royals tended to follow paths similar to their predecessors.
“Traditionally, royals tend to choose Combat Magic. The Second Prince who attended the Academy until a few years ago did the same, and the current Third Princess as well.”
Most other imperial royals at the Academy also chose Combat Magic as their major.
Inette was running through the list of royals who had attended or were attending the Academy.
‘The Second Prince, the Third Princess, the Fifth Prince. And then…’
At that moment, the Academy suddenly grew noisy.
“Make way!”
“Our Princess is arriving!”
Students passing by looked confused as they heard the commotion near the main gate.
“What’s going on?”
“It’s noisy over by the gate. Did something happen?”
“I think someone important arrived. They were talking about a Princess.”
“There are plenty of Princesses at the Academy, though.”
A Princess?
Hearing that a Princess was arriving, Inette led Radel and Gusto toward the main gate.
There, a group of followers were bustling about, hurriedly preparing something.
As Radel drew closer, he could tell they were not followers of Inette or Leon.
“Are those Senior Shartea’s followers?”
“No. The Third Princess wouldn’t do something like this.”
Recognizing who the followers belonged to, Inette’s expression darkened.
It was the moment another imperial royal attending the Academy revealed herself.
Pwooo!
The followers blew horns, rolled out a red carpet, and took out magical fireworks.
Soon, someone slowly walked in from the main gate, stepping onto the carpet they had laid out.
Bang! Bang!
“Celebrate the return of Her Highness!”
“Princess! Welcome back to the Academy!”
“Congratulations on safely completing your monster subjugation!”
Fireworks burst as the followers cheered toward the person walking along the carpet.
Radel looked at the one receiving all the acclaim. She was a dazzling beauty with a gentle impression and warm golden eyes.
Beside him, Inette whispered,
“The Fourth Princess, Estina Mercur Cretian.”
So this was the person Senior Shartea had warned him about.
Radel tried comparing the figure before him with the vague memories from his childhood, but he had barely interacted with other imperial royals, so nothing really came to mind.
‘Be especially careful of that one. You might already know, but she’s completely insane.’
According to Senior Shartea, she was someone extraordinary.
“Oh my, everyone. There’s really no need to go this far. This welcome is far too much.”
Covering her mouth with a slender hand, the Fourth Princess looked pleasantly surprised.
Her followers immediately raised their voices even louder.
“Her Highness, out of devotion to the peace and safety of the Empire, volunteered to participate personally in monster subjugation training for half a year! Such resolve deserves praise!”
“That’s nothing. As a Princess, it was only my duty.”
“Kyaaah! As expected of Princess Estina!”
“Princess! Princess!”
Watching this, Inette’s expression twisted.
“…They’re all insane.”
Radel nodded in agreement.
Just as Senior Shartea had said.
Leon’s mage supremacist followers were similarly fanatical, but Leon himself was rather indifferent.
The Fourth Princess, however, seemed to enjoy her followers’ reactions. That was probably what rubbed Shartea the wrong way.
“Oh? And who might this be?”
Estina, smiling as she waved to her followers, stopped when she spotted Radel’s group.
More precisely, she had noticed Inette.
“Inette! It’s been so long. I heard you enrolled in the Academy. Is Empress Celiana doing well? I’d been away from the Academy, so I didn’t even know you had come.”
After warmly shaking hands with Inette, Estina then spoke to Radel.
“So you’re Radel? Nice to meet you. I’m your half-sister and your senior here at the Academy—Estina.”
“Yes. I look forward to your guidance.”
Radel bowed politely.
Estina smiled brightly and spoke in a gentle voice.
“Now that we’re fellow seniors and juniors at the Academy, let’s get along well. Oh, and I’ve heard a lot about you from Professor Lillian. I hope we’ll meet again someday as fellow Combat Magic majors.”
Of all the royals Radel had met so far, she was the kindest.
Thus, the Fourth Princess, Estina, left behind a good impression and departed.
From Radel’s perspective, aside from enjoying the attention of her followers, she seemed to have the best social skills among the imperial royals.
Compared to Leon, who charged in threatening to kill people, Inette with her fiery temper, and Benus, who cared only about beasts, she seemed relatively normal.
However, Inette kept her expression stiff until Estina disappeared into the Academy.
“Did you see that? She didn’t even shake your hand.”
Though Estina greeted Radel warmly, she had clearly avoided physical contact.
Even after all this time, the Fourth Princess was still irritating in subtle ways.
The Second Prince and the Third Princess also acted annoyingly with their talk of royal dignity, but the Fourth Princess had a special talent for being unpleasant in small, grating ways.
“Was that so? But you don’t have to shake hands every time you meet someone. Maybe her hands were sweaty.”
Radel seemed unconcerned, but Inette felt uneasy.
All she could do was offer a warning.
“Still, be careful. Got it?”
Radel had been thinking the same thing.
***
It was the morning of the day scheduled for the Combat Magic Workshop tour.
Radel woke early, completed his usual training at the practice grounds, and returned to the Black Hawk Dormitory.
Someone was loitering in front of the dormitory.
It was a familiar figure with a small build and a cute appearance.
“Professor Lillian?”
When Radel recognized her, Professor Lillian smiled brightly and waved.
“Good morning!”
“What brings you here so early?”
“We had plans to meet today, didn’t we?”
“If it’s the workshop tour, there’s still plenty of time before our appointment…”
Wondering if he had gotten the time wrong, Radel asked.
Professor Lillian nodded and replied cheerfully,
“Yes, that’s right. But I was too excited to wait. You’re finally choosing Combat Magic, Radel!”
“I never said I was choosing it.”
Radel quickly corrected her.
If he let things slide, Professor Lillian’s personality would surely lead her to steer everything subtly in her desired direction.
Though her fabrication failed, Professor Lillian immediately smiled confidently.
“Oh? Even so, you’ll be choosing your major soon anyway, right? Once you see the Combat Magic Workshop today, you’ll definitely like it!”
In the end, Radel finished preparing well before the scheduled time and set off with Professor Lillian.
They arrived at a desolate wasteland within the Academy grounds, a place rarely visited by anyone.
As they reached the barren land, a notification sounded in Radel’s ears almost simultaneously with Professor Lillian chanting a spell.
Ding.
[An unknown magic interferes with the user’s perception.]
[Status ailment nullification is activated.]
[A hidden space is revealed.]
[The Academy Combat Magic Workshop reveals itself!]
As the status-nullification message appeared, the hidden Combat Magic Workshop materialized before Radel’s eyes.
“At last, I’ve brought you here, Radel. Welcome to the Tower of Challenge, a place only Combat Magic majors may ascend!”
The workshop that stood in the middle of the wasteland was an enormous, majestic tower rising proudly into the sky.