Chapter 31: Chapter 31 - Royal Academy ( Part 1)
Morning rays illuminated the Royal Palace of Seraiya.
Usually quiet and organized, the palace was unusually excited.
Servants ran through the polished corridors with suitcases and ceremonial robes.
Knight guards in gleaming armor were lining up in front of the main entrance.
Carriages adorned with the crest of House KingHeart were parked outside.
It wasn’t an ordinary day.
This day marked the start of a new life for the kingdom’s nobility youngsters.
Their entry into the Royal Academy.
The best educational institution of the whole Seraiya.
Founded centuries ago by heroes blessed by Goddess Miasa, the academy was the place, where future kings, queens, generals, mages, scholars and knights honed their skills.
The honor of becoming its student was considered the highest one in the kingdom.
And this year...
Princess Lilia KingHeart was about to attend her very first lesson.
But inside the palace...
The future of the kingdom was sitting on the floor.
Crossing her arms.
Mouthing.
"I refuse."
Every servant in the room seemed to be about to burst into tears.
Queen Celestine gave a gentle smile.
"My dear..."
"I said no."
King Aldric sighed.
"All your luggage is packed."
"I don’t care."
"The carriage is waiting."
"I don’t care."
"Headmaster personally came to meet you."
"I don’t care."
King Aldric rubbed his temples.
Being a king was hard.
But being a father for Lilia...
That was even harder.
Next to him, Martha Morius stood up absolutely straight.
Observing this sight with complete indifference.
After serving three generations of royalty...
She saw everything.
Well...
Except this.
Exactly at this moment, Jennie Queens entered the room with a silver tray with fresh tea and warm pastries.
Simple morning service.
Five years under Martha had turned her into something close to art.
Every step, every gesture was graceful and precise.
Her long white hair, neatly gathered in the back, shined in the morning light.
Fifteen-year-old Jennie turned into beautiful young woman with calm crimson eyes, full of knowledge and experience. Her maid outfit fitted her perfectly, elegantly but not excessively.
A lot of visiting nobles used to mistake her for a princess.
Until she politely served them tea.
"Princess," said Jennie and bowed slightly. "Your morning tea."
Lilia immediately cheered up.
"Jennie!"
She jumped from her place and rushed over.
Instead of taking the tea...
She caught Jennie by the hand.
"I’m not going."
Jennie blinked.
"I can see that."
"But you should go with me."
"...No."
The answer came so quick that Lilia froze.
"What?"
"No."
"You didn’t even think about it!"
"I did."
"When?"
"During the word ’come’."
King Aldric silently took sip of his tea.
He felt strange premonition that today was going to be entertaining.
Lilia puffed her cheeks.
"Why not?"
Jennie gave her honest answer.
"Because I have work."
"I’ll tell father to give you a holiday."
"I still have work."
"I’ll promote you."
"I still have work."
"I’ll buy you sweets."
Jennie gave her a polite smile.
"I still have work."
Lilia stared at her.
This was unbelievable.
People normally accepted any bribes with sweets.
Jennie quietly put the tray on a table.
"The academy is a great place."
"So go."
"No."
"But why?"
Jennie looked out of the window at palace gardens.
A soft breeze gently moved flowers there.
"I like my current life."
Lilia blinked.
Jennie continued.
"I wake up."
"I make tea."
"I clean."
"I train myself with a sword."
"I read."
"And I sleep."
"It’s peaceful."
But in her thoughts...
It all sounded different.
An academy has a lot of talented nobility.
Talented nobility creates troubles.
Troubles lead to even bigger troubles.
I escaped one kingdom already.
I am not going to volunteer for another battlefield.
Lilia crossed her arms.
"You’ll be bored."
Jennie smiled.
"I like polishing silver."
"..."
Lilia turned to Martha.
"Is she brainwashed?"
Martha answered instantly.
"No."
Jennie nodded.
"Unfortunately."
Queen Celestine hid her face with hands, trying not to laugh.
Arthur, who was coming here to see the princess off together with Elena and Lucas, shook his head quietly.
Lucas whispered,
"This seems familiar."
Arthur sighed.
"Your sister always created interesting situations."
"I mean Princess Lilia."
"So do I."
Lilia wasn’t planning to surrender.
She dragged Jennie to the hallway.
"Go with me."
"No."
They entered another corridor.
"Pleeeaaase?"
"No."
They entered the palace kitchen.
"I’ll owe you a favor."
"No."
They entered the library.
"I’ll carry your cleaning supplies."
Jennie stopped moving.
"You’ll... what?"
"I’ll carry them."
Jennie thoughtfully.
Exactly two seconds.
Then...
"No."
Lilia made a dramatic gesture.
"You really were thinking about it!"
"I was curious."
By lunch time...
Everyone in the palace knew.
Wherever Jennie went...
There was a princess.
Like an extremely elegant duckling.
Jennie dusted shelves.
Lilia observed.
Jennie watered flowers.
Lilia observed.
Jennie sorted out books.
Lilia observed.
Jennie cleaned windows.
Lilia observed.
Finally Jennie sighed.
"Aren’t you tired?"
"No."
"Hungry?"
"No."
"Bored?"
"No."
"Determined?"
"Yes."
Even Martha stopped working for a second to watch.
She quietly turned to another maid.
"How long it lasts?"
"Four hours."
Martha nodded.
"Princess Lilia is growing."
The maid looked confused.
"Growing?"
"In her persistence."
By evening...
Lilia escalated.
She refused to have dinner.
"I’ll have it when Jennie agrees."
Queen Celestine sighed.
"My dear..."
"No."
King Aldric frowned.
"Lilia."
"No."
Arthur whispered to Elena,
"She got this stubbornness from somebody."
King Aldric didn’t seem to hear anything.
Jennie looked at untouched plate of food.
Then she looked at Lilia.
And made soft sigh.
"You know that refusing food won’t change my answer."
"I know."
"Then why?"
Lilia lowered her head.
Her usual arrogance disappeared.
Her voice became soft.
"I don’t know anyone there."
Jennie remained silent.
"I’ll have teachers."
"I’ll have classmates."
"But..."
She hesitated.
"...you aren’t there."
The room fell in silence.
Even Martha’s expression softened.
Lilia continued,
"You’ve been with me always."
"When I was happy."
"When I was scared."
"When everybody expected me to be a perfect princess..."
"You treated me like... just Lilia."
A small smile appeared.
"I don’t want to go somewhere without you."
Jennie’s heart tightened.
For a moment...
Leonis seemed to disappear.
There was only Jennie now.
She put her hand on Lilia’s head.
"You’ll make friends."
"What if I won’t?"
"You will."
"What if they’ll annoy me?"
Jennie smiled.
"Then you’ll survive."
Lilia pouted.
"I don’t want to survive."
"I want you."
King Aldric silently put down his teacup.
Slow smile appeared on his face.
He just remembered something.
Something which was lying in the most ancient laws of the Royal Academy.
Forgotten clause.
Something which almost nobody remembered anymore.
He looked at Martha.
Martha met his eyes.
Without saying a single word...
They both understood.
Jennie Queens...
Was about to lose this argument.
