Chapter : 158
Sadina, who had been discussing the reassignment of dormitory rooms with an administrator, turned her head.
Someone had suddenly grabbed her arm tightly.
When she saw who it was, Sadina’s eyes narrowed.
“What are you supposed to be?”
“Why was I eliminated?”
Sadina lifted one eyebrow slightly.
“What did you say?”
“I—I think there’s been some kind of mistake, Vice Chancellor. The list… the list is wrong.”
Anita smiled awkwardly.
Her lips curved upward, but her eyes weren’t smiling at all—a bizarre expression.
Like a malfunctioning machine, she continued rambling.
“Please check it again. My name is Anita Solv, I was in the same group as Hanod, the royal descendant of Sorad, and everyone else in the group passed. But I… I mean, I don’t understand why I’m on the failed list…”
“Oh. Right. You.”
Sadina smiled, then slowly turned to face her.
“I watched you take the exam. Your ability isn’t bad, but you’re not very bright. You also seem rather self-centered.”
“…What did you say?”
“Still, guardian-type abilities are rare, so at first I thought I’d be lenient. I’m a fairly compassionate person, you see. I agonized over it!”
Sadina tapped the file she was holding with her index finger.
“You’re wondering why you were the only one who failed?”
Then, in a very gentle voice, she said,
“That’s because you—and only you—produced that score despite knowing the exam questions in advance.”
Sadina smiled faintly.
“There is no error in the announcement. You have failed, Anita Solv.”
Knock. Knock.
The sound of knocking came softly.
Anita sat blankly on the bed, unmoving.
Knock, knock, knock—
The knocking grew louder.
When there was still no response, a short curse came from outside the door.
Then—click—the latch was forcibly unlocked, and bright light poured into the dark room.
Anita reflexively frowned and lifted her unfocused gaze.
Standing there was Norman Solv, holding a key. He was dressed in a jet-black bonnet and coat.
“You still haven’t come to your senses.”
Muttering lowly, Norman frowned deeply and quickly scanned the room.
He spotted Anita’s luggage half pulled out of the wardrobe.
Beside it, a few general-interest books and an ink bottle were scattered across the floor.
“That damn habit of yours.”
Norman pressed his fingers to his forehead.
He let out a short sigh and walked to the center of the room.
Then he quickly began stuffing Anita’s belongings into the bag.
“Get up, pull yourself together, and put on your coat. There’s a carriage waiting behind the tower.”
Anita’s unfocused eyes flinched toward him.
“…A carriage?”
“Yes. We’re leaving for the estate.”
Anita staggered to her feet, then blankly scanned Norman’s attire.
“You’re coming too, brother?”
Norman let out an irritated sigh.
“Did you think I’d keep working here after getting caught leaking exam questions?”
Anita froze.
“I was fired. Because of you. The only saving grace is that the Chancellor handled it quietly out of past goodwill.”
“….”
“If not for that, you and I—and our entire family—would have been utterly disgraced. Do you understand?”
Growling the words, Norman walked over to the wardrobe.
He pulled out the foremost coat hanging there and threw it at Anita.
“Stop dawdling and come out. Now.”
Reflexively catching the coat, Anita stared blankly as Norman strode out with the luggage.
What she held was a thick robe lined with wool.
‘Isn’t this too gloomy? I think I’ll pack something prettier.’
‘Wake up, Anita. It’ll be freezing by the time you’re active at the academy. Are you planning to catch a cold and bother me again?’
Her teeth clenched, and her eyes ached.
This was the robe she had packed the day before leaving for the academy, after listening to Hanod.
‘I brought it because it might be cold… so I wouldn’t catch a cold.’
She had never imagined she’d be wearing it on the way home after failing the exam.
Anita inhaled sharply, holding her breath.
But before she could dwell on her sorrow, an irritated voice came from outside.
“Please—can you hurry up already?!”
With trembling hands, Anita wrapped the robe around herself and began to walk.
Hanod’s room was on a different floor.
But if she was leaving, she might be able to see him briefly.
‘I need to warn him about that woman.’
Without her, there was no telling how Selenia Tigeris might manipulate Hanod again.
“Brother, I just need to go upstairs for a moment—”
“If you’re thinking of seeing the royal descendant, don’t even dream about it.”
Anita hesitantly looked up at Norman.
“We’re leaving immediately.”
“But—”
“If you have even the slightest desire to make up for your damn mistake, stop talking and follow me. I won’t say it twice.”
Norman tightened his grip on Anita’s shoulder.
It didn’t hurt much—but it was humiliating.
Anita bit her lip and lowered her gaze.
Normally, she would have stood up to her brother.
But not now.
She didn’t have the strength—and this wasn’t the situation.
Even now, a few new students at the end of the corridor were glancing at them.
They whispered among themselves while staring at Anita.
“This way.”
Leaving them behind, Anita followed Norman.
As a former administrator of Lishion, Norman knew the tower’s hidden passages well.
At the end of the third-floor corridor, he opened a rusted iron door, revealing a narrow staircase leading outside.
There was no railing, and the steps were steep.
Anita unconsciously looked down—and froze.
Just as Norman said, a carriage bearing the Solv family crest was waiting below.
Norman went down first and loaded Anita’s bag into the carriage.
Then he opened the rear door and gestured.
Expressionless, Anita descended the stairs and boarded the carriage.
Norman followed immediately after.
The moment the door shut with a thud—
“Is this the girl?”
Anita flinched and looked up.
Someone else was already inside the dim carriage.
“Yes. I apologize for having to introduce her in such circumstances.”
Stiff with tension, Anita alternated her gaze between the unfamiliar woman and Norman.
“She’s still inexperienced, but she possesses everything you asked for. She’s clever and quick with calculations—she’ll be useful.”
“I see. I trust Marquis Solv and your judgment. I hear she even ruined her own exam on purpose to help me? What a clever young lady.”
The woman smiled warmly, her curious eyes gleaming.
On her wrist was a bracelet of pure gold, set with a radiant violet sapphire at its center.
She extended a flawless white hand toward Anita.
“It’s a pleasure, Lady Solv. I hear you’ll be helping me quite a lot from now on.”
“…Pardon?”
The woman blinked, then laughed softly.
“Oh—right. I forgot to introduce myself. I’m like this sometimes—when I’m in a hurry, I forget formalities.”
Norman immediately interjected.
“What do you mean? There are no procedures that Her Majesty the Queen must observe.”
Anita stiffened, then slowly parted her lips.
Her Majesty… the Queen?
She turned sharply to stare at Norman.
The woman smiled elegantly.
“Queen? My, you’re hasty.”
Norman replied with a perfectly practiced smile.
“Then what else should I call the woman who is destined to become queen?”
The woman didn’t answer.
But a deeply satisfied smile curved her lips.
Looking calmly at Norman and Anita, she spoke.
“Still, I’m only a Crown Princess—for now. Whether I become queen or not depends on how you and Lady Solv perform, doesn’t it?”
Only then did Anita finally manage to open her tightly closed lips.
“S-Sorad’s…”
“Oh? Looks like it’s finally coming back to you.”
At the woman’s smile, Anita’s mind went completely blank.
“Yoje—no, the Second Prince’s consort… why would you…”
The current Second Prince of Sorad, Yojeph.
He had taken a Crown Princess nearly twenty years younger than himself at a relatively late age.
Anettrisha Fail.
The woman before her could be no one else.
“I’ve already finished speaking with Marquis Solv—but I still have matters to discuss with you.”
Anettrisha smiled.
“I hear you’re very close with my husband’s adorable nephew?”
* * *
The exams were completely over.
Lishion reassigned dormitories for the successful candidates.
The entrance ceremony was held privately.
Thanks to the earlier scheduling issues, by the time preparatory training ended, the winter winds had already died down.
The capital thawed quickly, welcoming spring.
“…I can’t get off.”
As she quietly released the carriage handle, Rosetine and Estelin widened their eyes.
“What are you talking about? You’ve been whining for months about wanting to go home!”
“Well, I mean, I did—but…”
“Get down already! Estelin and I are going to see a play this afternoon. Even if we leave now, we’ll barely make it.”
“A play? Aren’t you going to stop by your estate, Rose?”
Rosetine waved her hand dismissively.
“Another set of twins moved in recently. I don’t want to see that, so I’m not going home during this leave.”
“Oh….”
When Seleneia trailed off in surprise, Rosetine said,
“It’s fine. My parents probably don’t even know I came out. They were never that interested in me to begin with.”
“….”
“Anyway, hurry up. I might not matter, but you have someone waiting eagerly for you at home.”
Turning her gaze, Seleneia saw the guards waiting outside.
Judging by their attire, they’d been sent directly by her father.
“Since you’re seeing him after so long, you should explain everything that happened.”
“That’s right, Seleneia. You’ve had a lot on your mind. I’ll be praying the conversation goes well.”
Estelin added with a warm smile.
Seleneia nodded and reluctantly stepped out of the carriage.
It was the day she ended her long journey and set foot in the capital for the first time—as an official academy student.
