บท 38: Ruffled Feathers
Since Brother joined their school's tournament along with his friends, Princess Ofelia had no remaining attendant.
Luckily, their school event is so popular that the other schools in the territory make it a special holiday to visit their school.
Revont Magic Research Academy, Blessed Sun Clover Academy, and my school, Grande Empyrean Branch University, are currently cooperating to broadcast the event live during the day. Any event during the evening will be a special broadcast.
And since there's no class, Brother asked me a favour to be the Princess' Aide. At first I didn't want to, but he promised that he'll pay me 10 Gold Coins for the 3 days he'll be away.
The way he assumes he'll last until the last day kind of annoys me.
So now, I am with the Princess touring their school. Even though I'm her aide, for some reason it feels like I'm being toured around by her instead? I guess that would be normal since this is their school.
"Princess, do I really need to be here?"
"What do you mean by that question?"
"I mean... you have your actual Aide with you. I feel out of place here as well since I'm the only one wearing a different uniform."
Currently, I, the Princess, and her maid are touring the stalls. Though she's enjoying the sight, her maid seems to be stiff and has been wearing a poker face the whole time. It makes me feel nervous. It may be my imagination but she might be glaring at me.
"You don't need to be so nervous, Carla."
While saying so, she casually slips her hand under my arm and grabs it.
"Just treat me like your brother does. We're friends, aren't we?"
"I... guess? But you're a Princess though."
I don't know how close Red and Princess Ofelia are, but if they have this touchy friendship, they must be really close.
"We aren't as close as you think we are."
"What?"
"Though he calls me by name, he never really tries to shorten our distance."
"But I never said anything though?"
"You're thoughts are loud just like your brother."
She lightly giggled.
As we continued to walk, I start to notice more and more students with different uniforms entering the front gate. Since I was with the princess, I got in earlier than the other outsiders.
"Come to think of it, I never got to ask. Why didn't you enrol here?"
"I figured you might ask that."
Princess Ofelia seems to be curious after looking at my uniform. Of course, unlike Oro that's focused on combining magic with weapon combat, us from Grande are specialized in Magic Only. That's why I'm outfitted like a mage.
"I'm not good with fighting in close quarters."
"Curious? Why enrol to a magic warfare school if you don't like fighting?"
It's a good question, but embarrassing to answer so I couldn't help but let out a laugh.
"Well, it doesn't necessarily mean I go to wars, right? I just thought that if a commoner like me managed to graduate from a prestigious magic institution, I might land myself some high paying job. Quite pathetic, isn't it?"
"It's not, but you know you're lying to yourself aren't you?"
The Princess looks at me with a serious look. Even though her face is emotionless most of the time, I could tell that she had already seen through me.
"Am I allowed to lie?"
"You can try, but it's useless towards me."
Only a few people knows the reason, and that few doesn't even include my brother. All for the reason that he is related to the reason why. Just thinking about it makes my face heat up from embarrassment.
"Oh my... is that who I think it is?"
Out of nowhere, we got interrupted by someone. Though it came behind us, the voice alone made me picture who it was because of how familiar it is.
We used to be friendly with each other, but after a certain incident, we grew distant from each other despite going to the same university and attend the same class.
"Elena?"
Though surprised, the princess remained silent while looking at Elena.
"It's good to see you here, Carla. I didn't expect to meet you so soon on the first day here."
"An angel?"
Out of nowhere, the princess suddenly says something while looking at Elena. Rather, she looks quite puzzled while looking at her appearance. Have they met before or something?
Rather, despite her calm looks, I feel like she's somehow agitated while looking at Elena.
"Oh, are you perhaps a Dragonoid?"
Elena commented when she noticed the princess' wings. Though her voice sounded surprised, her eyes tell otherwise. Why?
The Princess' aid tried to intervene, but was immediately stopped by the Princess by lifting two of her fingers.
"There is no need to be hostile. My transfer here was not made known to the general public so she does not know."
"My apologies, princess. I was merely curious whether a lizard could understand etiquette."
"Die!"
Before I could even react, the aide suddenly jumps in front of her with a dagger on hand. But before the blade could land, she was deflected by an invisible force which made a metallic sound when the blade hit.
As the aide took a step back, out of nowhere, she got her face planted on the ground after a feathered wing pushes her with extreme force. This wing was the Princess'.
Though she didn't show any emotions, the air around the princess was cold and heavy. Enough to make me shiver in fear.
"Apologies for my servant's rudeness. Did she perhaps damage your fragile wings?"
"Hardly, but I appreciate your concern."
While looking at Elena, all of a sudden, the light around her bent in a weird way. Like a film, a large feathered wing becomes visible and blocked the sun in front of us. When it fully unravelled, three sets of beautiful feathered white wings became visible. And as her eyes turned from green to Yellow, her hair turned white and a tri-layered halo appeared over her head.
She wasn't like this before! I could've swore she only hand one pair of wings like a regular Angel when I last met her!
If I remember correctly, not all of the Angel race could go through an ascension. There has to be a specific reason for it to happen with the intervention from the Divine Realm. Just what in the world happened to her?
It may be my imagination but, for some reason, the Princess' wings suddenly grew bigger and longer enough to rival Elena's. Not only that, she suddenly grew silver horns and her eyes turned purple while seemingly glowing.
"What's an Archangel doing here in the Mortal Realm? Do I take this as a declaration of war against Azureth?"
"It seems that the old grudge is still passed down as I have been told. But fear not, I am not here to hunt Dragons or their kin."
I have no idea what's going on here. What grudge are they talking about? What war is happening? Who is being persecuted!?
The air around them became heavy. So heavy that everyone who saw them immediately ran away and the school's staff gathered knights that carried large shields to protect the other visitors and students.
"W-wait, what is happening? Are you two some sort of old enemies? If so, can you two please not fight here? Rather, didn't you mention you're not here for her?"
I panicked and immediately ran and stood between them. I don't know what their story is, but isn't this the wrong place to settle things?
After that, both of them fell quiet. Then a few moments later, I heard a chuckle behind me. Elena was laughing.
"I'm sorry, Carla. I didn't mean to scare you."
"My apologies as well. It seems I got my temper the better of me."
As the mood returns back to normal, so does their appearance. Elena's halo and wings disappears like mirage and Princess Ofelia's horns becomes volatile and vanishes while her wings shrink down to its original size.
"So, what is a representative of the Angel race doing here?"
Princess Ofelia asked the question again, but this time it's without hostilities tied to it. And which Elena somehow looks like she found amusing.
"Nothing much. I'm just here to cheer on Carla's brother."
"Huh...? Why? Didn't you two broke up already?"
When I said that, she holds her cheek while making a sad and regretful expression. A contrast to her earlier mood that makes it a bit look comical.
"I know what I did before was wrong. I used our situation as a test of his loyalty and faith and didn't think it would end up insulting his pride. But even so, I still love him. And as your soon Sister-in-Law, I hope you forgive me."
What did she just say?
"C-could you repeat that please?"
"I still love him."
"No, the last one."
"As your soon Sister-in-law? Well, by divine intervention, it was revealed to me that what I did was wrong and was told that I must be with him. The bond I have forged with him is important. And as proof of that, I went through an Ascension. The greatest Honour granted by the Divine to us Angels! With me being an Archangel, I can become a Divine's vessel!"
I... I didn't hear it wrong. Moreover, she's even decorating it with random nonsense...
What the hell is going on? Was Elena this head over heels on Red? Last time I remember.... oh yeah... she almost never lets go of him. I just never bothered to think too deeply about their relationship because it felt too sickening to me.
"It seems that the folks in the Divine Realm are acting oddly once more. Suspicious if I am to be more precise."
Princess Ofelia says while pulling me back and wrap her arms around me.
As a side note, it seems that after getting her face planted on the ground, the Aide calmed down and backed off behind the Princess.
"Excuse me, but who are you to my Sister-in-law exactly?"
"While I ignore the latter, I'll answer your question. I am the Princess of Azureth, Ofelia. Currently she is a stand-in for her brother that is participating the event."
"A stand-in, for what?"
"I chose him to be my escort and bodyguard."
"Oh my..."
Out of nowhere, Elena shakes her head in regret and then held her cheek while making a sorrowful expression.
"It seems that my love has been unfaithful."
"Pardon?"
"Well I guess it is to be expected by his charms. No girl could resist his nature especially now as an awakened incubus. I should punish him-no, I should punish myself for giving him the chance to flirt with other girls. It pains me to see his mark on other women other than me."
"PARDON!?"
Usually, no matter what happens around her, Princess Ofelia would just remain stoic. Sometimes laugh or giggle a little, sometimes bothered or annoyed, but never once lost her cool. However, for some reason, her face is bright red and visibly flustered from the things Elena had said.
"Oh, did you not use your status as a princess to put yourself next to him?"
"What kind of shamelessness are you spouting you insolent bird!?"
"Why are you angry? Did I hit the mark?"
"I am not angry!"
She's screaming.
"In the first place, I wasn't even the one who hired him to become my escort. It was my fiancé, the Prince."
"Oh my, what a curious relationship. Or are you just being unfaithful?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I mean, you two already have kissed. I can sense the mark of a Demon on you."
"EXCUSE ME WHAT DID MY BROTHER DO!?"
Princess Ofelia was covering her beet red face with her hands while her wings were violently flapping and slapping her aide standing on her back.
Meanwhile, Elena seems to remain acting all innocent as if she didn't say anything scandalous.
[Apologies for interrupting your fun touring, but we are here and proud to announce that the Class Battle Royale has officially started!]
Out of nowhere, a broadcasting crystal was activated and projected a large screen in the sky. Several places also has it so it was possible to see it everywhere.
[As the name suggests, this is a Battle Royale between seven Classes. Although without them knowing, the games have already started even while in the carriage.]
Immediately, the projection then shows several panels of carriage interiors with the students in them.
Seeing how the carriage was so closed, it was obvious that they are being choked by the heat inside.
[Our game has a point system implemented. It keeps track of their achievements in the form of ingenuity, perseverance, creativity, and most of all, initiative. All basic aspects of a Magic Knight.]
[And within their carriages, they will be tested to see whether they have these aspects or not!]
As they have said, they are being tested and most of them have created ways to keep themselves cool.
Some poked holes in the carriage and used magic to force ventilation, some created cooling clouds, some created cold water and gave it to their classmates, and then there's my brother's group.
"Oh I can see my love!"
[O-oh my, it seems that in Class E, a different of heat has taken over!]
The camera zooms in to Red and this classmate of his. If I remember correctly, her name is Delcie. Isn't she the one who was sending glances at him back at home?
[C-can we even broadcast this?]
Delcie looks like she's out of it. Rather, why is she showing Red her neck?
"What are they doing?"
Then, out of nowhere, Red licks her neck. Ah! The broadcast was cut off!
[S-sorry about that everyone! It seems that we have technical difficulties right now. Please wait for a few moments before the broadcast resumes!]
Then, out of nowhere, despite the sky being clear and blue, a large yellow bolt of lightning strikes the broadcasting crystal and destroys it.
"What the hell was that!?"
That terrified me!
But, when I turned to my sides, something even more terrifying was occurring.
"It seems that my love has gotten a little loose. I may have to punish him later."
"I thought Red was the type to respect women. Why did he even use his Charm on her?"
I know what my brother did was immeasurably questionable. But even I could understand, that whatever his reasons are, they won't be enough to calm two forces of nature at once!
-End of Chapter-
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