Third Princess Felisiana-sama
That person… she’s Her Highness, the Third Princess, Felisiana-sama…
I had seen Felisiana-sama once before, at a party when we were both children. But she’d been so small then, and I too was just a boy. My memory of it was little more than a blur. ——And yet now, seeing Felisiana-sama at fifteen, the very first thought that struck me was how breathtakingly beautiful she was.
“…”
Her shimmering silver hair—so pale it was nearly white—fluttered in the air. Her dress, pure white and elegantly cut, radiated nobility itself. There was simply no way someone like her could be my age. I’d met many people in my life, but never—not once—had I seen someone my age carry such presence.
Felisiana-sama stepped forward and stood at the very center before the auditorium. Her gaze swept across the sea of first-year students at the noble academy. ——Our eyes met, just for an instant. And for some reason, it felt as though her eyes lingered on me—only me—for several seconds. But before I could be sure, she continued scanning the room and began to speak.
“Greetings, new students of the noble academy. I am Felisiana, the Third Princess.”
Her voice was as beautiful as her appearance—clear, delicate, and ringing with crystalline purity.
“Here at the noble academy, I believe we’ll all have the opportunity to learn many things that even we of the royal family have never been taught.”
Just a single word from her stirred the emotions of everyone gathered in that hall—I could feel it on my skin, like a shift in the air.
“There may be times ahead when you find yourselves facing challenges that seem insurmountable…”
I too felt my heart sway with every word Felisiana-sama spoke.
“But it is precisely in those moments that I hope you’ll remember—you possess the power to help shape this country’s future. Believe in that potential, nurture it, and lend your strength to our nation’s prosperity.”
Her words flowed with conviction—graceful, yet powerful. And it wasn’t just her delivery. It was clear in every syllable that she truly loved this country.
“That is the message I wished to share with all of you today. Thank you very much for listening.”
When Felisiana-sama finished, the auditorium erupted in applause once more.
——So this is Felisiana-sama, the Third Princess… She really is someone extraordinary.
I had been so captivated by Felisiana-sama that I didn’t even realize how long I’d been watching her. As the applause continued to ripple through the hall, she quietly turned and walked away from the stage.
“Her Highness Felisiana-sama, your words were truly inspiring—thank you. With this, today’s entrance ceremony comes to a close. However, we will now be holding a celebration party on the first floor of the noble academy building. Participation is voluntary, but we encourage those who wish to build friendships with their fellow students to attend.”
With those final words from the director, the ceremony ended, and the crowd began to move.
Most people seemed to fall into two groups: those heading toward the gates to return home, and those making their way to the celebration party. I remained standing in front of the auditorium, unsure of which way to go.
…Thinking ahead, part of me wanted to attend the party and start making connections. But unlike going to the library or doing something solitary, today I was more concerned about Siana. I wasn’t sure why she’d ended up alone, but I felt like I wanted to head home early—just to check on her.
Still, if I went, maybe I’d come back with a story to tell her. That thought lingered. And so, caught in indecision, I stayed frozen where I stood, long after everyone else had gone—until a voice called out from beside me.
“It looks like the celebration party is about to begin. Lux-kun, aren’t you going to join us?”
“Huh?”
That clear, beautiful voice I had just heard not long ago reached me again—this time, from right beside me. I turned to face the speaker——and there she was. Silver-haired, with vivid blue eyes, refined features, tall and poised—Felisiana-sama, just as I’d seen her earlier at the front of the hall.
“F-Felisiana-sama!?”
Instinctively, I dropped to one knee. Her words from earlier still echoed in my mind as I spoke.
“Felisiana-sama, your speech moved me deeply! I can’t claim to understand the full extent of your great accomplishments, but I’ve heard of them—at least in part—and I truly believe you are remarkable!”
“…You don’t need to be so formal, you know? You can speak to me casually—like you would to your fiancée, for example.”
“That’s absolutely impossible! Someone like me could never be Felisiana-sama’s fiancé! I could never speak to you that way!”
“Eh…”
The moment I said it, Felisiana-sama’s expression dimmed as she looked at me… What just happened?