Future Prospects
The sudden and far too heavy burden—that Lux might become engaged to someone at the noble academy—left Siana grappling with a rising tide of panic.
“…Hey, this noble academy——”
Before she could finish, a tall girl in a black hood spoke, cutting in as if reading her mind.
“Ojou-sama is not permitted to attend, I’m afraid.”
For a moment, Siana looked as though the truth had struck her dead-on. Then she responded, her voice sharp.
“I know that! Honestly… I just can’t understand why royalty is banned from attending… Even if we tried to change the rule, Lux-kun starts in six days—there’s no way we’d make it in time… But if I want to be engaged to Lux-kun in that time frame—without resorting to something drastic, it’s impossible.”
“Forgive me, but… are you considering enforcing an engagement by invoking your royal authority?”
“…That’s the last thing I want. If I have to force it, then being engaged to Lux-kun would mean nothing.”
Siana longed to become engaged to Lux only through love—genuine, earned love. A forced engagement, to her, would be completely hollow.
“…Then might I suggest that you give up on Rodwell-sama altogether?”
“I’ve gone as far as to work here, undercover as a maid, in the Rodwell estate—making sure no one but you knows who I am—all to get closer to Lux-kun and be engaged to him. How could I possibly give up now? No—even if I hadn’t done all that, the idea of giving up on Lux-kun is simply unthinkable.”
To Siana, Lux was the only person in this world she could ever love. The thought of loving any other man was beyond impossible.
“Then… if I may ask, what do you intend to do?”
Siana took a breath, wearing the expression of someone deep in thought. She quieted the urgency within her and forced herself to think with clarity.
Then, in a solemn, measured tone, she began to speak.
“…The noble academy that Lux-kun will attend has deep ties with the royal family. There are regular events that give us a chance to interact.”
“And how does Ojou-sama intend to make use of that? Surely you understand that revealing your identity would be…”
“I know. At the very least, I won’t reveal who I am until after we’re engaged… So, as a maid, I’ll stay close to Lux-kun and build a relationship from that position. And at school, I’ll keep an eye on him—as a princess—watching to make sure no other girls get too close.”
“…You intend to monitor him, then?”
At Siana’s declaration, the tall girl in the black hood gave her a look of such unmistakable doubt it couldn’t have been more plainly written on her face.
“What is it?”
“…Nothing at all. As neither your conduct as a maid nor as a princess is overtly improper, I see no need to object.”
“Then what was that suspicious look for? Speak honestly.”
There was a moment of silence. Then, the girl in the black hood opened her mouth to speak.
“…In that case, I shall be frank—I do not believe Ojou-sama is capable of simply watching him.”
“And why not?”
“If I may, let me pose a simple question in return: should Ojou-sama see Rodwell-sama conversing warmly with another young lady, would you truly be able to remain silent—doing nothing but observing?”
“…Of course I could. I’ll carry myself with the grace and dignity expected of Felisiana, Third Princess of this kingdom.”
“…”
The girl in the black hood gave a small, polite cough—then, in a voice so unnaturally high-pitched and saccharine it was nearly absurd, she cried out,
“Lux-sama~! You’re so handsome~! Would you please, please marry me!?”
“…What on earth do you think you’re doing?”
Though Siana remained composed and stepped back with elegance, the girl in the black hood coughed again and, entirely unfazed by her mistress’s reaction, replied.
“I thought a demonstration might help Ojou-sama better envision the situation.”
“…Haa. That’s enough. Just vanish already.”
“As you command, Ojou-sama.”
With that, the tall girl in the black hood vanished, just as Siana had instructed.
After briefly tending to the garden, Siana returned to the mansion and drafted a document titled [Matters Master Should Be Mindful Of Upon Entering the Noble Academy]—a list she intended to hand to Lux the following day. Incidentally, eighty percent of it was shaped by Siana’s personal feelings.