Uwahh I had intended to follow my own uniform guidelines of translating all p.r.o.nouns, sounds and honourifics, but then a wild Senpai comes in, and all my efforts are thrown out the window… I can only facepalm and curse why I hadn’t expected this from the start.

That aside, I just realised that I’m actually doing all this releasing during Lunar New Year. Heh, I guess if it’s Este’s thing is to bring new chapters as presents on Christmas, my chapters will arrive as your “New Year’s Money”, for those that know what that is. Happy Lunar New year, and here’s to a better one than the last. Enjoy!

—Lilia. Calmed down?

Hearing Sakura’s voice, Lilia lifted her face. Just how much time had pa.s.sed since she came in here? At the very least, cla.s.ses should have already began by this point. She really should have been rushing over, but Lilia only felt around her eyes and sighed.

—I’ve calmed down. Though, I can’t really go to cla.s.s.

—They’re bright red huh, swollen too. Quite a pitiful face after having said all that to the Prince.

—Oh be quiet, I’m fully aware.

Getting to her feet, she lightly brushed the dirt from her clothes. Gently peeking out from the doors she examined the surroundings. She could faintly hear the sounds of conversation, but at least it seemed that there was no one immediately nearby. It would be easy to return to her room back at the dorm, but doing so now would probably cause Alisa to worry.

—We’re just wasting time, so how about we go study at the Library or something?

—You’re right… Let’s do that.

Quietly leaving the cla.s.sroom, Lilia maintained vigilance towards her surroundings as she began to move. Though it wasn’t as if she would be dragged back to cla.s.s if someone reported her truancy, she certainly didn’t want anyone to witness her cried out face here. It wasn’t something she wanted to find people discussing about later on.
Maybe due to most of the students being in cla.s.s right now, she managed to arrive at the library on the second floor without running into anyone. Quietly opening the door, she slid herself inside. Immediately shutting it once in, she breathed a long sigh of relief.

The library in this academy was quite large. Naturally, due to the large number of bookshelves lined up, it’d be hard to be seen by someone if one went deep inside. Especially now in the middle of lessons, one probably wouldn’t be found by any students. Though there should definitely be a teacher here, around this time they would be running around organising the bookshelves. Since the often used books are generally gathered near the front, the back had mostly become a blind spot devoid of people.
Lilia went deep into the library. As she reached to the farthest reaches back, she took a breath. Looking at the shelves around her, placed here were a great number of books about this country’s history. If it’s here, there definitely shouldn’t be anyone coming around.

—Well then, there’s no pen or paper, but it’s study time! I wonder what I should teach.

When Sakura taught Lilia, her voice would always be full of vigour. While a joyous voice, she was also quite strict. Though there were hardships too, just hearing Sakura’s joyful tone, Lilia could feel the motivation to work even a little harder. Whenever Lilia got one of the difficult questions prepared by Sakura correct, she would become overjoyed as if it were her own success leading Lilia to the point where she was the one to start feeling embarra.s.sed.
This time too she was happily thinking away, but Lilia interrupted that.

—Sakura, before that, I’d like to get your opinion on something though.

—Nn? What would that be?

—From now on… I wonder how should I be facing Tina.

Ahh, Sakura groaned and fell silent. She was probably thinking up something regarding that. Lilia also tried to give it another thought, but still didn’t know what kind of face she should have the next time she sees Tina.
It can be a.s.sumed that the Prince likes Tina, as well as that Tina also did not particularly dislike the Prince. Tina hasn’t exactly said that she liked the Prince, but it was probably alright to think that way. At least if she didn’t think like this, she’d be losing all face in such a situation.
Lilia had completely broken off everything with the Prince. Lilia was the one rejecting here, so any reconciliation was almost certainly impossible. Tina, who had become her friend, was thrust right in the middle between Lilia and the Prince. She ended up feeling quite bad about creating such a situation.

—Worried about Tina?

At Sakura’s question, Lilia snorted.

—This has nothing to do with that girl okay. I just don’t want to feel responsible for getting someone caught in the crossfire here.

—Yup. Let’s just leave it at that then.

—What do you mean by that…

—Ahaha. Back to the real topic, it’s probably fine to not worry about that too much though. Tina will probably, to not have you two b.u.mp heads, act with a certain degree of caution in mind, that’s what I think. The Prince will most likely also avoid touching on the topic of you, so as long as you don’t stir things up, I don’t think there’s any reason to worry.

Would it be as simple as that? Lilia still didn’t really know what Tina’s temperament was like, so she couldn’t come to a solid conclusion.

—Rather, I think if you were to keep your distance, it’ll just cause Tina to mind things more. Wouldn’t it be fine to just act as usual?

—Though that would be kind of difficult.

—Yup. Do your best!

—Talking like it’s none of your business…

Though she was smiling wryly, she did not object. Lilia couldn’t come up with any other answers herself after all.

—Well, with that, now it’s studying!

Just as Sakura was exclaiming now—

“Oh…? Whom might be present here?”

—that voice was heard at the same time.

With a gulp, Lilia slowly turned around. There stood a boy she didn’t recognise. It was boy with short silver hair, and by the school uniform he was wearing, it could be seen that he was student here. Although she had no recollection of him, it was probably not so for the boy. There was hardly anyone in this academy that did not know about Lilia.
That was what she thought but.

“Umm, Senpai, is it? Is it fine to not be in cla.s.s?”

It seemed that he didn’t recognise her, but whether he really didn’t know or was just acting so, Lilia couldn’t
determine.

—Sakura. Do you know about this kid?

—Sorry, no idea. Though he doesn’t seem like a bad guy…

—That so…

In that case, let’s see how this turns out for a bit. Lilia decided so and fixed a smile to her face.

“I had something to look up so I’m here for that. What about you?”

—Such convincing innocence! It’s innocent Lilia!

—Be quiet you.

Presenting a retort to Sakura who shouted in her head, she sought for a response from the boy. The boy quickly answered.

“Well… I am studying here. I don’t really fit in with the cla.s.s… Fortunately, my grades on exams are not too bad, so they’re leaving me be.”

—Eh, is that really okay?

—It is indeed. As long as you can get results on the exams, they’ll allow it even if you’re absent from lessons. If not for that, I wouldn’t be leaving school for two whole weeks would I.

—Ahh, I see. Now that you mention it that is so.

However, thought Lilia. You can certainly study on your own, but that can’t be said to be very efficient. Even if you didn’t fit in with the cla.s.s, she felt you ought to at least attend the lessons. When she voiced some of these doubts, the boy only smiled vaguely.

—Perhaps there are some circ.u.mstances, huh.

—What’ll you do?

—It’s not as if he was seeking me for help, so let’s just ignore it.

She just happened to run into the boy after all. She didn’t have any responsibility to go help him, and Lilia herself wasn’t someone who really had the leisure to do so anyways. Not in terms of time nor, more importantly, emotionally with what she was already dealing with.

“I won’t pry any deeper then. Well do your best.”

(Author’s Note)
From here on a we’ll probably be continuing with a leisurely tone or what not.

Sakura
Lilia