#11.
“…ca.”
“……”
“Ve…ca.”
“…ung.”
“Veronica!”
‘Hah!’
Her eyes snapped open, flashing to life like a pot of oil suddenly catching fire.
Still soft and fuzzy from just waking up, her blurry vision gradually cleared along with the light.
And what she saw was—
“…hansumee (handsome)…”
“…What? I can’t hear you.”
‘Gasp!’
With Sion’s voice, her vision sharpened completely.
Veronica quickly came to her senses and shook her head.
“Ah, it’s nothing!”
“……”
“Heh… hehehe…”
“All right, that’s enough. Get ready.”
“O-okay.”
“Now then—your Highness the Princess, arms up!”
Leaving behind that flat remark, Sion turned and sat on the sofa.
In his place was Mary, standing with a bundle of clothes in hand and a warm, friendly smile.
Veronica’s body swayed slightly as Mary wiped her down with a warm, damp towel.
But her gaze stayed fixed entirely on Sion.
‘…Did I fall asleep?’
Her last memory was lying in the cradle, staring at Sion.
Probably because she’d been so nervous she couldn’t sleep the night before, she had tossed and turned until suddenly she drifted off.
Which was understandable, since today was—
“Your Highness, isn’t it exciting? I’m going to dress you up to be the cutest ever today!”
—since today was the day they were visiting Sloran Public School.
But unlike the excited Mary, Sion narrowed his eyes with displeasure.
“Just put her in something normal.”
“Oh, but since we’re going anyway…”
“Do as I say.”
He glanced at Veronica and muttered,
“There’s no benefit to drawing attention there. And there’s no reason to make a good impression on lots of people. Just…”
“Just?”
“…Just do as you’re told.”
Sion trailed off and quickly turned his head away with the book in his hand.
Veronica tilted her head.
‘What was he about to say?’
“Now, Your Highness? How about this one?”
‘…Not important, I guess.’
“Yoo crayzee? (Are you crazy?)”
“Pardon? I’m sorry, but I couldn’t hear that…”
“Mm-mm. No, it’s fine.”
‘I said it so she wouldn’t hear me anyway.’
Veronica shook her head and lightly pushed away the outfit in Mary’s hands—
a one-piece pajama suit with huge rabbit ears.
‘To think of sending me to school in that… Even if it’s just a field trip, has she lost her mind?’
“Oh my.”
But unfortunately, Mary wasn’t the only one whose mind was questionable.
With a swirl of mysterious violet mist, the Empress appeared in Veronica’s bedroom, clapping her hands and smiling brightly.
“Cute.”
“Right?”
“Mm. It doesn’t match the school rules, but… then again, Veronica’s an exception. And for a field trip, are there even rules?”
“Exactly! Then we’ll go with this outfit—”
“How about you don’t overdo it?”
Sion cut Mary off as he stood.
He barely gave the pajamas a glance before heading straight to the Empress, his tone far gentler than it had been with Mary.
“Mother, Veronica is going to school with me. With me.”
“…That’s true.”
The Empress calmed her excitement and ruffled Sion’s hair with a proud expression.
“Yes, you should consider the person you’re going with. That’s the right thing.”
“Thank you.”
“My Sion’s grown into such a reliable older brother.”
“……”
“Even more mature than Mary.”
“Eh—?”
“That’s… obvious, Your Majesty.”
“Y-your Highness?”
“Righ.”
“Y-your Highness too…!”
Well, she couldn’t help it. It was true.
“But Your Majesty, surely you’re busy at this time of day… I’d hate to be a bother.”
“Mm… I’m not exactly free…”
The Empress, still ruffling Sion’s hair, made a wry face.
“But this is a special day—my son and daughter going to school together. As their mother, I thought I should be here.”
“…If Your Majesty says so.”
“Am I in the way?”
“N-no, of course not.”
“Nope!”
Veronica jumped in at once.
The Empress smiled brightly.
“Good. In any case, I also have something to give you.”
From her arms, she took out a small, elegant envelope.
“This is Veronica’s field trip application. It’d be best if Sion held on to it.”
“Yes.”
“All you have to do is give it to the principal. They’ll probably approve it.”
“Does it require approval?”
“Normally, visiting a public school is nearly impossible for individuals, and even groups must meet certain experience or age requirements. So yes, it’s required.”
“Then for Veronica…”
“It doesn’t matter,” the Empress said with a shrug.
“Because I’m her mother.”
“…Pardon?”
“Public schools belong to the Empire. The one who rules the Empire is the Emperor. That’s me.”
She rested her hands on both their heads.
“I am the Emperor and your mother.”
“Ah…”
“I know the principal well enough. They’ll probably approve it. And if they don’t—well, what could they do about it?”
‘Mm… In moments like this, it’s clear—different fathers or not, we came from the same womb.’
The Empress and Sion both knew exactly how capable they were. The difference was that the Empress could control when and where she showed her pride.
Privately, her demeanor was surprisingly similar to Sion’s—just like Helios sometimes whispered about the days when she was the “Nightmare of the Battlefield,” long before she was Empress.
“Half-joking, but anyway.”
The Empress’s voice broke Veronica’s thoughts.
Before her, she laid out a beautiful, soft school uniform—made to match the one Sion wore.
It looked like it had been custom-made.
“It’s pretty!”
“Right?”
It was truly beautiful and adorable.
Veronica couldn’t help but gasp as she picked it up and turned it over in her hands.
It looked like something a doll would wear.
“W-why make it the same as mine…?”
“You dun liek?”
‘When it’s this pretty?’
Veronica squinted at Sion.
He faltered and mumbled,
“I-it’s not that, just… then we’ll look too much like siblings.”
‘Uh, we are siblings.’
Or did he want to look like the father of a nine-year-old instead?
Would he tarnish the Sloran royal name so boldly?
“My son seems embarrassed.”
“……”
“Unfortunately, Sion, even if you don’t wear matching clothes, people will still see you as siblings.”
The Empress smiled and kissed them both.
“Because you look alike.”
“…Huh?”
“You’ll see when you get to school.”
Just then, the chime of the palace clock struck eight.
“Have a good day.”
It was time to head to school.
Knock, knock.
‘Hm.’
In a neatly arranged room, two polite knocks echoed.
A middle-aged man with white hair took off his gold-rimmed glasses and set them down.
He rose from his chair and went to stand before a mirror tucked among the many books on a dark brown shelf.
After tidying his attire and sweeping back his fine white hair, he spoke.
“Come in.”
As he straightened his jacket, he turned toward the sound of the door opening.
Even if it was a student, a guest was a guest, and even between principal and student, proper etiquette was important.
“…Hm?”
Something was off.
The door had opened, but no one was in sight.
‘…Is this a prank?’
Surely not.
He smiled wryly—there was no way such a thing would happen here.
This was the most prestigious of the four public schools in the Sloran Empire, a symbol of dignity and propriety.
‘There must be some unavoidable reason.’
Still, it was best to check.
He put his glasses back on and stepped forward—
“…Hm?”
Something soft pressed against his knee.
Looking down, he saw an unmistakably refined little baby floating in the air, clinging to his trouser leg.
No—on closer inspection, someone was holding her.
It was that prince, Sion.
“Y-y-your Highness?”
“…Would you mind stepping aside? I can’t see, it’s annoying.”
“O-of course!”
The man bowed deeply enough to muss his well-groomed hair and stepped aside.
Naturally, his pale gray eyes turned toward Sion.
The Empire’s trademark platinum hair, and though their colors differed, calm blue eyes carrying the same composure as the current Emperor.
And most of all, even as a baby, she radiated a powerful magical flow.
‘Then this must be…’
“Princess Veronica?”
“Yes.”
“M-may I ask what brings you here, at such a young—”
“It’s nothing much. Would you hold her for a moment?”
“A-ah, yes! Yes, of course!”
En, principal of Sloran Public School and one of the few great mages honored as a “Sage,” received Veronica with the utmost care.
Worried he might have ink on his hands from earlier paperwork, he wiped them with the cleanest towel he had saved.
Sion took a letter from the Empress out of his pocket and handed it to En.
“Her Majesty wishes for Veronica to visit here.”
“A-ah, I see…”
“Veronica, stop that.”
Sion scolded as Veronica tugged on En’s thick beard.
“I know it’s against the rules, but Her Majesty insists.”
“Oh… it’s fine. There’s no problem.”
‘If it’s about the Princess and Prince, even if it were illegal, Her Majesty would rewrite the law.’
En swallowed the thought and read over the letter.
“By the way, Your Highness, as I’ve said many times before, you don’t have to treat me so formally.”
“And as I’ve answered many times, I’ll decide that for myself. Rules exist to be followed.”
Taking Veronica back, Sion curtly ended the topic.
“Is she approved?”
“There’s nothing to it. Just a stamp and… ah, how do you plan to conduct the visit?”
“She’ll attend classes with me for the day.”
“…Ah.”
En stroked his beard.
Truthfully, he had been hoping Sion might ask him to accompany them.
‘I may be the principal and a sage, but I’m still known as a genius in my own right…’
But Sion seemed to want nothing more than approval.
‘Shame, real shame.’
He had wanted to see firsthand just how remarkable the second child of the Emperor and High Priestess might be.
Suppressing his disappointment, En took out a sheet of parchment.
“I’m sorry, but the approval form requires the Princess’s seal, so if I could just…”
“Go ahead. Veronica.”
“Mm!”
“Excuse me, then…”
En brought out thick, sticky red ink and carefully dabbed it onto Veronica’s fingertip.
As he pressed her hand onto the parchment, he marveled inwardly.
‘So soft…’
“All done?”
“Eh? Ah—yes! Yes, of course!”
Snapping himself out of it, En shook the parchment a few times before tucking it away.
“Normally this would require the Empress’s further confirmation, but… I’ll process it as is, since it’s her request.”
“I’ll explain it to Her Majesty.”
“Y-yes, then…”
“Thank you.”
“Thank yooo!”
Veronica waved brightly from Sion’s arms, and En nearly waved back before catching himself.
‘That was close. My dignity as principal…’
Ahem.
Trying to appear as solemn as possible, En bowed to them both.
Meeting Veronica’s wide blue eyes, his voice trembled slightly.
“Um… Your Highness.”
“Mm?”
“If you’re willing, please visit often. You’ll likely attend here one day…”
“Mm. Okay.”
“Thank you. Then please—”
Before he could finish, Sion had already turned away.
The click of the door left the room quiet once more.
“…Phew.”
After they left, En tried to sit and work, but couldn’t focus.
He stood again, hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the door.
Thinking of Veronica’s appearance, he murmured,
“Perhaps I should ask Her Majesty to make the Princess the next uniform model…”
Surely then, not a single student would neglect to wear their uniform properly.
