64. A Row of Cherry Trees

Geez, sorry for the huge delay on this one. Back to back to back business trips seriously sucks, and I thought I’d be done before Thanksgiving but then nope, one last “Hey actually can you fly out for the client” flight. Fortunately I should be done with them for the rest of the year and Chapter 65 won’t take so long.

---

TN: Toasty
ED: Toasty

---

Stephanie was a commoner.
That was until a nobleman came to visit her when she was a child.
One afternoon when she was five years old, there was a knock on the front door, and when she opened it, a man stood there wearing the finest clothes she had ever seen. Even the young Stephanie knew he was a nobleman.
Because of the height difference between a five-year-old girl and an adult man, Stephanie was inevitably looked down upon by the nobleman, and she trembled. Noticing this, the man knelt down on one knee to match Stephanie’s eye level.

「Hello. Are you Stephanie?」

When their eyes met, the nobleman smiled.
Looking at his face from the same perspective, he seemed a kind gentleman, and did not look like the type to resort to intimidation or violence. His gentle smile made Stephanie breathe a sigh of relief and relax.

But that didn’t change the fact that he was a stranger. Although Stephanie was wary, she nodded in affirmation.

「I’m Herman. I’ve come to talk to you and your mother. Is your mother here?」

「My mother is at work right now.」

「I see. You’re amazing, being able to stay home alone.」

Stephanie was dumbfounded to be praised by a nobleman whom she had never met before.
He didn’t say it must be hard.
Stephanie’s family is a single-parent household. Her father died early, so her mother Nadia works to make a living. That’s why the people in the neighborhood take care of her and help her out.
But there was one thing Stephanie couldn’t accept. The more people take care of her, the more they pity her, saying she’s having a hard time and that it’s pitiful, as if she’s unfortunate.
It was natural for Stephanie to stay home alone and prioritize helping out around the house over playing, because she wanted to help her mother. Although her life may not be easy, she spends her days with her mother, with smiles never ceasing. Even though she knew that the words were spoken out of kindness, she found it hard to accept being told as if she was pitiful, and at that moment she swallowed her rebuttal.
But the gentleman, Herman, in front of her did not look at her with sympathy. He must know her situation, since he had come to see her and her mother.
Herman, not knowing why Stephanie was surprised, lowered his eyebrows without losing his smile, wondering if she was still wary. Stephanie felt that his weak smile made him look unreliable.

「When will your mother come home?」

「In the evening…」

「I see.」

Herman was worried about what to do. He could wait here, but if a stranger suddenly appeared in a house where his daughter was waiting alone, she would not be able to listen to what he had to say. After a few seconds of deliberation, Herman made a decision.

「Is there a place nearby where I can have a meal or tea?」

「Huh?」

「I missed lunch. I’m hungry.」

He complained of his hunger, and Stephanie thought of a place where he could eat. Her mother had taught her that food was important. She didn’t realize that this was a way for Stephanie to eat without feeling shy, even though they were poor.

「Well, the sandwiches at the food stall are already sold out… but Ingrid’s Tavern has delicious food!」

「Even though it’s a tavern, is it open for lunch?」

Stephanie nodded and gave Herman simple directions, and Herman stood up with a gentle smile.

「Thank you for letting me know. I’ll come again when your mother comes home. See you later.」

「S-see you later.」

He raised his hand and greeted her, and Stephanie reflexively returned the same greeting.
As she closed the door, she sent him off quietly. Two men were waiting a little further ahead, but it was unclear whether they were servants or guards. It seemed that Herman had not come alone. Seeing his back as he joined them and left, Stephanie thought that he might have come alone so that she would not be afraid.
When dusk came and her mother Nadia returned, Stephanie reported what had happened.

「A nobleman came.」

「A nobleman?」

「He said he had something to tell my mother and me.」

「Something to tell us…? I don’t know any nobles, so I wonder what it could be.」

Not being able to think of a reason, Nadia tilted her head repeatedly.

「I don’t think Herman is a bad person.」

They only talked a little. Still, he didn’t seem like a bad person at all. Remembering his unreliable smile, Stephanie told Nadia what she had thought.
Nadia was surprised and her eyes widened at the unusual impression she had of a nobleman she was meeting for the first time.

「You call him Herman?」

「Yeah. He said he’ll come back later.」

「Okay. Well, I guess I’ll just have a listen.」

Almost at the same time Nadia muttered this, there was a knock at the front door.
When she answered and opened the front door, there was a man dressed in fine clothing, sure enough, a nobleman. In the twilight, he was carrying a basket that didn’t match his attire. The strange sight lessened Nadia’s guard somewhat.

「Good evening. I’m Herman von Witting. Are you Nadia Abott?」

「Yes.」

「Have you had dinner yet?」

「Hm? No.」

「Perfect! Your daughter told me about a great place to eat, so I brought some of the food as a thank you.」

When Herman realized that the Abotts hadn’t eaten yet, he said cheerfully and handed her the basket he was holding.
He lifted the cloth covering the basket and the fragrant aroma of herb-roasted chicken wafted out. There was also coleslaw made of salted and shredded cabbage, and rye bread. It looked like it was well-balanced. Judging from the heat coming from the basket, it was freshly made and still warm.
Feeling someone’s gaze, Nadia looked down to see Stephanie standing right next to her, her eyes shining as she looked up longingly. The smell of chicken seemed to have stimulated her hunger. Nadia thought that if she waited any longer, she might have to swallow the saliva that was about to overflow, and gave a forced smile at her daughter’s state.

「Well, I’ll take you up on that offer. To be honest, it’s a relief that I was able to avoid the trouble of preparing.」

Nadia welcomed him inside, saying that she could only provide a cheap cup of tea, and Herman smiled with relief, and said, “Excuse me,” and stepped into the Abott house.
While the mother and daughter of the Abott family were eating, Herman smiled as he slowly drank the tea that was brewed.
Stephanie, who couldn’t wait for the chicken to be cut up and jumped up and down on her chair, was scolded by Nadia for saying that the chair was meant to be sat on, and she sat down again and waited nervously. Her eyes lit up as she ate the chicken on her plate, and her cheeks flushed with joy as she took a bite of coleslaw with a spoon. Her daughter happily declared that it was delicious, and Nadia agreed, smiling. Seeing the mother and daughter like that, Herman was filled with a warm feeling.
Halfway through, Stephanie, who had been engrossed in eating, realized something that had only just come to mind. Even though lunch had been delayed, Herman hadn’t had dinner yet. When she asked him about it, he replied that the chef at the mansion was preparing dinner, so it was fine. “I see,” Stephanie said, relieved, and resumed eating.
By the time Herman had his second cup of tea, Abott and her mother had also had their after-meal tea, and they had a breather.

「Now, I have something to tell you two.」

Nadia straightened up when he started talking. Stephanie took a sip of tea, looking confused.

「First, I’d like to ask Stephanie if she would like to be adopted by me. Second, if that goes along with it, would you like to marry me, Nadia?」

「Okay?」

Not understanding what he meant, Stephanie tilted her head. Realizing the magnitude of the request that was casually stated, Nadia had to ask something first.

「Why would you adopt Fanny as a nobleman?」

Her own needs were secondary. The daughter she had with her late husband was really just an ordinary child. She doesn’t understand why a nobleman would want to adopt her.

「Because there is a possibility that her magical powers are strong.」

「I can’t use magic, you know?」

「That’s right. Fanny doesn’t have any attributes.」

Herman says something different. Although Stephanie is five years old and it’s about time for her attributes to be manifested, she doesn’t seem to be able to activate any magic of any attribute. Therefore, Nadia and those around her concluded that Stephanie’s magic was extremely weak.

「It’s the hydrangea.」

「Eh?」

「Stephanie’s hydrangea seems to be white.」

「Yes. But it’s just that variety, isn’t it?」

「It’s a very common variety.」

Herman said that, like other hydrangeas, they should be light blue with water properties or orange with earth properties.
The hydrangea that Stephanie takes care of was bought for her by her husband when she was three years old and was sad that she couldn’t go outside during the rainy season, so that she could cheer up a little. Nadia thought for sure that he had just bought a variety that had no pigment.

「White does not correspond to any attribute. This is a hypothesis of the Ministry of Potions where I work, but she is undifferentiated—her magical powers are too strong to become any attribute.」

「If that’s the case, then she can’t use any magic of any attribute, so it’s the same as having no magical power. There’s no reason for a noble to want her.」

Even though it was the first time she’d heard this theory, Nadia understood it and immediately refuted it, which left Herman astonished. In Nadia’s strong gaze, he felt the will of a mother to protect her daughter. He felt the strength of her feelings and smiled softly.

「That’s right. If things continue like this, Stephanie will grow up without knowing how to use magic, and if at some point she has an attribute, there is a risk that her magic will go out of control.」

When that happens, it is unknown at this stage what will happen to her and how much of an impact it will have on those around her.

「Also, this is still in the research stage, so please don’t mention it, but… the Ministry of Magic is researching a method to measure magical power regardless of attributes, and even if we start using it nationwide, it will be in operation by the time she takes the test.」

「… Even if I refuse now, Fanny will be taken by the academy when she turns fifteen.」

Herman gave a wry smile at Nadia’s motherly interpretation.
If it becomes possible to measure pure magical power instead of attributes, the strength of Stephanie’s magical power without attributes will become clear. Whether she likes it or not, the daughter will attract the attention of nobles, and in some cases, she may be proposed to for her magical power.

「The advantage of this proposal from the country’s perspective is that we can observe Stephanie’s progress and that she will learn to control her magical power, which is a safety factor. And the main benefit is that we can increase the opportunities for contact with people with strong magical powers to promote the manifestation of her attributes, and after the manifestation, we can hire her as an excellent magician.」

It is said that the determination of suitable attributes is more influenced by acquired environmental factors than innate talent.
Although there are rare cases where people are born with strong magical powers, generally, a combination of factors such as the people around them, the region, and the individual’s personality causes the magical properties to be biased towards one attribute as they grow up. This is why the aptitude for an attribute is not checked immediately after birth, but around the age of five, when the individual’s sense of self is roughly established.

「Currently, there is no environment in which commoners can be taught magic. Even if it were possible, it would be a long time from now.」

In order to create a place of learning where all citizens can receive an equal education, it is first necessary to narrow the literacy gap. Printing technology must be developed and books must become more widely available. Once each of these steps become commonplace, they can finally provide equal education in the specialized field of magic.

「Is it okay to call you Herman?」

「Yes, that’s fine.」

Nadia wonders whether she should add “sama” as a title, but she asks Herman for permission to address him as an equal.

「What’s in it for you, Herman?」

Nobles would not adopt a commoner child, even if they have strong magical powers, if there was no benefit to it. Nadia thinks that the idea that nobles are subjects of royalty and dedicated to their country is just a nice-sounding lie. Humans cannot live on nice-sounding things alone.
When asked about the benefits, Herman lowers his eyebrows in a weak manner and smiles.

「I don’t want to remarry.」

「Huh?」

Nadia, who was proposed to, even though it was only after her daughter, was surprised at the sudden contradiction.

「It’s important for aristocrats to carry on the family name, or rather, it’s natural. But I love my late wife, so I refuse to take a new wife and have children for the sake of the family. Naturally, my family is pushing me to remarry, so it’s difficult to refuse…」

「…you’re still young.」

「Yes.」

「You’re lonely being single, aren’t you?」

「That’s what they say.」

「If you keep mourning, the deceased won’t rest in peace, or something like that.」

「Yes, yes.」

「I understand! They say the same about my husband!」 [T/N: This one was really weird, and originally I had it as “I won’t tell you about my husband” at first but with the flow of the conversation that did not seem right.]

「That’s really it. I’m just unable to love anyone other than my wife, so I’m hurt that I’m treated like an unfortunate person.」

As the two of them nodded in agreement, Stephanie drank her tea. The conversation turned complicated midway through, and as she continued, her mother’s tone became harsher, so she worried they might get into an argument, but instead they seemed to open up to each other.
Hearing the conversation between the two, she learned that her mother had the same complaints as her. “I see, no one wants to be pitied”, Stephanie agreed. She felt relieved inside, knowing that her complaints had been confirmed.

「Well, that’s why I’m so grateful to you two for coming, so if you can help me, I’ll do everything I can.」

After a period of mutual sympathy, Herman smiled gently. He seemed unreliable, but he was a nobleman. He seemed surprisingly determined, Nadia thought, lifting the corners of her mouth.

「That’s much better than being told that it’s unbearable to separate Fanny from her mother.」

「I won’t say that I don’t have any qualms, but… it’s true that I’m troubled.」

It was typical of an aristocrat to propose for the sake of profit, but conversely, it could be said that it was un-aristocratic that the profit he seeks is to remain true to his love.

「Where are we going?」

Stephanie, who had finished her tea while listening to the story, asked back, picking up only the parts she understood. Herman answered the question with a smile, getting to the point.

「I came to invite you and Stephanie to live with me.」

「Herman’s house?」

「Yes. You probably won’t be able to see your friends and neighbors, and you’ll have to study a lot, so I think it will be very difficult. So I want you to think it over carefully and make a decision.」

「What’s the benefit to me?」

Stephanie had been listening to the exchange about what the benefit was, and asked him in the same way, so Herman narrowed his eyes in amusement.

「Hmm, what’s the benefit? I wonder. I guess it’s a benefit to wear a pretty dress, never have to worry about food, and be able to eat sweets.」

「That’s a benefit.」

“I see”, Herman laughs at the cheerful reply. He had talked about what kind of child he and his late wife would have had if they had a child, but he couldn’t imagine a girl as lively as her. Children are so lively and expressive. If that’s the case, he and his wife would have had a hard time if they had a child.
Looking at Stephanie, Herman thought that they both wanted to get into trouble.

「Well, I’ll be off now, Stephanie…」

「You can call me Fanny. Everyone calls me that.」

Herman opened his eyes wide when she replied that he could call her by her abbreviation. He was happy that she had given him permission to call him by his abbreviation, even though he had only just met her today, and he expressed his gratitude with a soft expression.

「Thank you. Fanny, you’ll have to talk it over with your mother and decide.」

「Okay.」

She promised, and Stephanie held out her little pinky, so Herman knelt down and intertwined his own pinky with hers.
Herman and Nadia decided to meet regularly, thinking that there would be some questions later.
A month later, Stephanie and her mother had a discussion and decided to accept Herman’s proposal. And so Stephanie Abott became Stephanie von Witting.

---

As she walked along the cherry blossom-lined street, Stephanie recalled the time when she became a noble.
If she hadn’t accepted Herman’s offer back then, how would she have felt walking along the cherry blossom-lined street?
She put on her uniform and walked along the cherry blossom-lined street leading to the Royal Magic Academy for the first time. Today was the entrance ceremony. If she had remained a commoner, she might have been more nervous.
Stephanie would have been happy even if she had remained a commoner. However, when she saw her mother’s expression as she spoke with Herman, a comrade, she realized that it was easier for her mother to breathe with him. If it was just a matter of changing the type of hardship, it would be better if it was easier for her mother.

That’s what she thought at first, but she think it’s cunning that her mother, Nadia, works energetically as a maid while only doing her duties as a countess half-heartedly. Soon after coming to the Witting household, Nadia complained to Herman that it was hard for her not to be able to work. Herman laughed at her and allowed her to work as a maid in the mansion, but only in the house.
At the time, she was busy acquiring the skills necessary to be a count’s daughter, so she found it unfair that only her mother was able to retain her commoner ways. Stephanie never expected that the day would come when her mother seemed to be having more fun and would complain. Living with Herman turned out to be more worrisome than she had expected, so Stephanie became firm in her belief that she should not be reserved.
Stephanie had always imagined that aristocratic ladies were more pure and elegant, but now that she was a count’s daughter, she couldn’t help but feel that she had become more robust than she had been as a commoner.
But she didn’t dislike the person she was now.
She could no longer casually meet with her friends from her days as a commoner, but instead she had made friends who were aristocratic ladies. She had worked hard to be on par with these beautiful, lovely girls who had the core of a young lady.
Hoping to be in the same class as them, she walked through the rows of cherry blossom trees and headed to the bulletin board where the class allocations were posted. Since last year, the criteria for class allocations were no longer based on attributes, so there was a chance that she could be in the same class as her friends.
The bulletin board next to the school map was probably usually used to announce events and such, but today it was occupied by a large piece of paper with a list of names for each class.
There was already a crowd in front of the class allocations. Some people, like her, had come to see in person, while others were waiting leisurely on the benches nearby, perhaps having their attendants check them for them. Either way, it was difficult for Stephanie, who was the average height for a woman, to see from behind.
Although she didn’t jump, she tried to see if she could somehow see for herself by standing on her tiptoes, but she could only see the top part. They seemed to be arranged alphabetically by surname, so Witting must be at the bottom.
Just as she was about to groan, a voice suddenly rang out.

「Should I look for you?」

「Oh, thanks for the help…」

She turned around to hear the voice, but she couldn’t meet his eyes. She looked up because it was a man’s voice.
She raised my eyes from around the man’s tie and finally met his bronze-red eyes. With his height, he should have been able to see it easily from behind.

「What should I look for?」

「Um… Witting.」

The young man nodded and looked, clearly older than Stephanie. Why would a senior student come to look at the notice of the first-year class placements?

「…There it is. We’re in the same class.」

「Huh?」

Stephanie tilted her head at the young man’s comment. Perhaps sensing Stephanie’s puzzled gaze as she thanked him for letting her know which class she was in, the young man gave a bitter smile.

「I was so distracted by work that I missed the test and enrolled late.」

So he says that even though he’s older, he’s in the same year. Stephanie nodded, thinking that that’s possible. The age at which a commoner is required to take a magic test is when they’re an apprentice or a servant. She didn’t know that they could take the test even later.
It was unusual for someone to be older than her, despite being tall and in the same year, so Stephanie couldn’t help but stare at him. She felt like she’d seen him before, but it might have been because of his common hair and eye color. After a while, she noticed that he was also staring at her.

「Um… what is it?」

「…could you be the girl with the white hydrangea?」

The young man muttered after saying that there was no way he could remember. But Stephanie did remember. No, to be precise, she just remembered.

「The big brother who brought along the angel!」

「Huh?」

The young man froze, unable to understand the meaning of the words. While the young man was pondering how to interpret this, Stephanie looked around him.

「Is your guardian angel gone today? Maybe you can’t see him anymore because I’ve grown up.」

If that’s the case, it would be a shame, Stephanie thought dejectedly.
She can still remember that day vividly. She was at home as usual when she saw something sparkling on the windowsill. Intrigued, she opened the door. There was a boy with a beautiful angel looking at the hydrangeas she had grown.
The angel with him had the most sparkling blonde hair she’d ever seen and eyes like melted honey. His skin was clear and his hands were smooth. It didn’t seem like they were the same person.
The other day, when she went to church, she had just heard a sermon about guardian angels watching over those who do good deeds, so Stephanie concluded that it was the boy’s guardian angel.
It was amazing that a boy who was protected by such a beautiful guardian angel could praise the hydrangea. That evening, she of course reported it to her mother who had just returned home. Nadia, her mother, said that she should take good care of the hydrangea, and Stephanie nodded vigorously.

「Or maybe the hydrangea you praised has withered and I can’t see him…」

「Ah… no.」

She had taken good care of it, but after a few years it died of its lifespan. Seeing Stephanie dejected, wondering if that was the cause, the young man covered the upper half of his face with one hand and groaned, wondering what to do. A huge misunderstanding had occurred.

「Hello, Isaac. It’s rare to see you alone.」

A voice was heard from behind the young man, and the crowd all moved away at once. Thanks to this, even Stephanie could see the class distribution notice. Stephanie looked around, wondering what had happened to the area around her that had suddenly become distant. While looking around, she saw a class chart and confirmed that she was in the same class as her friend, the Duke’s daughter, Lydia.

「I thought I’d check your class first, too. Leo, this is perfect timing.」

「What’s the matter?」

「You weren’t thought of as a human.」

「Huh?」

The young man was tall, and his shoulders and physique were solid, so Stephanie couldn’t see the person behind him and could only hear his voice.
To see who the voice was, Stephanie leaned her body to the side to avoid the young man.
When she finally saw the owner of the voice, Stephanie was stunned.

「Angel?」

「See?」

Stephanie cried out in shock, and the young man urged the angel to understand, but the angel froze, unable to keep up.
After a few seconds, the angel let out words of anguish.

「……How did it come to this?」

「It’s hard being a good-looking guy.」

The young man spoke his honest opinion as the surrounding students were out of earshot. He was genuinely surprised that even the most beautiful person can be perceived as inhuman.

「I regret that I wasn’t able to have a proper conversation with her then.」

「Huh? Why is an angel wearing a school uniform…?」

「This guy is not an angel, he’s a prince.」

「Huh?」

「And I’m a second-time first year.」

「What!?」

She never thought the blonde boy she thought was an angel was actually human. And the prince of this country. That means he must be her friend Lydia’s fiance. Until now, even though they were in the same space at tea parties, she had only seen him from afar, so she only knew he was dazzling and couldn’t see his face properly.
Not knowing how to save face and behaving suspiciously, Stephanie frantically smiled at him, and Abendroth’s first prince, Roy, smiled at her with such love that she could be mistaken for an angel.

「Countess Witting, you may have heard the name before, but I am Roy. I am the prince of this country. I would be happy if you recognized me as a human being.」[T/N: It’s a little rough here, but Roy literally calls her “Daughter of Count Witting” but that is very clunky. It’s not quite on the level of “Miss” like he calls Lydia, so I had to compromise.]

That smile made Stephanie’s conscience wrack her with such pangs that she wanted to kneel on the ground and apologize. However, as she was a young lady, she couldn’t do that. She curtseyed, greeted him, and apologized.

「Oh, my name is Stephanie von Witting. I’m very sorry for the rude misunderstanding…」

「I was surprised, but I don’t mind it because it’s a compliment. So, Countess Witting.」

「Yes?」

「Do you have time after the entrance ceremony? I have something to talk to you about.」

She knew she’d get scolded.
Yes, Stephanie thought. It’s rude to become a nobleman and not even remember the face of your own country’s prince. And it’s not good to think he’s not human. “I’m definitely going to get a scolding”, Stephanie thought, as she deeply regretted her own mistake.

「Isaac, please accompany Miss Lydia later. That way I can avoid explaining things to her.」

「I don’t know what you have planned, but I get it.」

Stephanie was in the middle of a deep reflection and hadn’t heard their conversation, so she didn’t realize that it was definitely different from what she had assumed. Afterwards, Stephanie saw Roy standing on the stage to give his speech as the student council president, and endured the awkward entrance ceremony alone.
After the ceremony ended and she was given various explanations in the classroom, such as how to select classes, Stephanie was guided by her homeroom teacher to the student council room.
She knew that the prince she had met this morning, Roy, was the student council president during the entrance ceremony speech. She understood that she was being guided to the student council room. She had just enrolled and was not familiar with the layout of the school building, so she was grateful that her homeroom teacher was showing her around, but Stephanie, who thought she would be scolded, felt that she could not escape.
When the homeroom teacher knocked on the door, a voice from inside allowed her to enter, and the homeroom teacher opened the door and guided her inside.

「Excuse me…」

Stephanie stepped nervously into the student council room, and an unexpected sight met her eyes.

「Nicholas-sama! Please get away from Zack already.」

「No way, it’s tiring to stand all the time.」

「Then why don’t you just sit down!?」

「Because Zack is standing.」

「Well, Bell and the others are standing, so I’m not going to sit down…」

「…Dia-sama, Nico-chan-sama?」[T/N: Why yes indeed, she chains these suffixes together.]

Stephanie’s eyes widened at the person she didn’t expect to be there. Lydia is Roy’s fiance, so it’s not strange or weird for them to be together, but she didn’t expect Nicholas, who sometimes joins them at tea parties, to be there. And for some reason, he’s leaning on the young man Stephanie met this morning. What on earth is going on?
Looking more closely, there were more people there than she expected besides Lydia and the others. Behind Roy, who was sitting at a desk that seemed to be for the student council president, were two boys with blue and red hair, and when she shifted her gaze, a silver-haired student was drinking tea on a sofa that seemed to be for a short break.

「Hey, thank you for coming.」

「Fanny-sama, welcome.」

When Roy stood up to greet Stephanie, Lydia, who had noticed her arrival and had turned around while still sitting on the sofa, felt embarrassed and straightened her posture and cleared her throat.
Lydia urged her to sit on the opposite sofa, and as she did so the maid placed the tea on the table in front of her and stepped back. The girl with the dignified eyes was definitely one of Lydia’s maids. Roy sat down next to Lydia, and tea was similarly prepared for him.
There were currently ten people in the student council room, including the homeroom teacher and maid who had shown them around, but more than half were standing. Stephanie felt a little uncomfortable and wondered if it was okay for her to be sitting. The fact that it didn’t feel cramped even with so many people there must mean that it was spacious. In addition to the desks for each position, there was also a rest area that was currently occupied by a silver-haired male student alone, separate from the conference sofa where Stephanie and the others were sitting. It could be said that this was the kind of design you would expect from an academy with a large number of aristocrats among its students.

「Now, about the matter I called you out for…」

「Y-Yes.」

「It’s about your magical power.」

「Huh?」

Stephanie was prepared to be scolded in front of such a large group of people, but was taken aback by the unexpected content.
Roy tilted his head at Stephanie’s reaction, but continued speaking.

「What color is the star flower now?」

「It’s white.」

The star flower is a new type of hydrangea given to Stephanie by the Ministry of Pharmacy. It has been bred to be a perennial plant that blooms all year round, and he received it through his adoptive father Herman so that he would be able to tell when Stephanie’s attributes were manifested. She is currently taking care of it in her room at the dormitory. Apparently it’s called a star flower because the petals resemble stars.
She checked it this morning before leaving the room, but it was still white.

「In other words, your magic is so strong that it is not affected by Miss Lydia, who has strong magic even among the nobles.」

「Is that so…?」

「Yes, according to the results of the magic tests, there are only a few people who have more magic than you.」

When she was told that her magic is strong, Stephanie didn’t get it. She hadn’t mastered any of the attributes, so no matter how much she practiced, she couldn’t use magic. Even so, when she was told that she had magic, she had no idea.
So, to be honest, she couldn’t believe it when she was told that she had more magic than her close friends.

「If it’s not possible with Miss Lydia, then if you’re around someone with stronger magic than you, then you should be able to manifest your magic, that’s the theory the Ministry of Magic and the Ministry of Potions came up with.」

「Ah.」

She was just getting along with her friends, but she didn’t know that she was being monitored. Stephanie nodded vaguely after hearing the story that was based on the premise that she had magical powers that she was unaware of.

「So, the people here have stronger magical powers than you.」

「Huh?」

「For fire, it’s Jeremias. For water, it’s Bernard. For wind, it’s Nicholas. For light, it’s me. For dark attributes, Professor Reiss is stronger than me. For earth attributes, it’s… Prince Sternensee, who is studying abroad, but I can’t let him go to another country.」

「Um… does that mean I can choose which attribute I’ll be?」

「In a way.」

「In a way?」

When asked if there was a choice, Roy replied ambiguously yes, even though he was introduced to someone who seemed to have a higher magical power than me. Stephanie tilted her head, implying that there was no choice.

「As a country, it’s better to have even one more person with a valuable light attribute. I’d like you to act with me as much as possible.」

「But that’s…」

Hearing the country’s intentions, Stephanie hesitated. Stephanie understands the desire for the rare light attribute. However, the way to achieve that is to be with Roy. That’s bad in many ways.
Stephanie looks at the person who is her biggest problem and a worry. Noticing her gaze, the other person tilts her head slightly and looks back at her friend.
Confirming where Stephanie is looking, Roy smiles.

「You know that Miss Lydia and I are not in a romantic relationship, right?」

Stephanie is astonished by the question, or rather the assertion. She knows. In fact, she knows that Lydia has someone else in her heart.
She hesitates about whether it’s okay to reveal this in front of so many people, but seeing Lydia calmly sipping tea, she nods yes.

「My engagement with Miss Lydia was made possible because of her strong magical powers and the fact that her family rank is comparable. You have acquired a higher education than her family rank, so if you become a light attribute, you can offer her more benefits than her. If that happens, it will be easy to break off my engagement with Miss Lydia.」

「Roy-sama, it’s not that easy…」

「I’ve already settled things with my father, His Majesty, the King, so it’s fine. The rest is up to her.」

When Lydia tried to point out that it wouldn’t be that easy, Roy simply replied that he had already done the groundwork. Lydia was stunned by the fact that he was fully prepared for the negotiations. What had he read, to what extent, and when had he started preparing?
Stephanie was also confused and couldn’t keep up with the situation. She felt like she had been given an outrageous proposal.

「… Wait a minute. Even if His Highness and Dia-sama break off their engagement, become light attribute, and become comfortable with being by His Highness’s side, that doesn’t that mean I’ll get engaged next?」

「If you have the light attribute, it will be easier to protect you if you become a member of the royal family, so that’s what will happen.」

「What will His Highness want!?」

Isn’t Roy being too naive? She’s worried that he’s neglecting himself too much by breaking off his engagement so easily for the sake of the country and getting engaged to someone else right away. Even though she understands that it’s rare for members of the royal family to marry for love, there are some parts that Stephanie can’t fully accept as a former commoner.
She worries about him before herself, and Roy opens his honey-colored eyes. Then he bursts out laughing. His eyes were not crazy after all.

「Hahaha, it’s okay. It’s my will.」

「Eh, but…」

「I like you, so it’s fine.」

Stephanie freezes at the declaration made with a big smile. Behind her, his younger brother Klaus spat out his tea and choked. Everyone else could only be silent.
Ignoring the turmoil around him, Roy presented his plan with a smile.

「What I want from you is, first, for you to come to like me. And second, for you to prove that you are worthy of being engaged to me. If you can’t meet those expectations, you can choose someone else without worrying about the national interest. I don’t have much time, but please think carefully and give me an answer.」

Stephanie was taken aback by the last words. It was similar to what Herman had told her when she was a child. He had told her to think carefully then. It was because he wanted to respect Stephanie’s own will.

「I understand.」

I’ll think about it, Stephanie thought as she nodded.
She was still confused, but she had to give a proper answer. Stephanie clenched her fists and prepared herself.

—

Hey, what do you know, I think I called it all the way back when they first met that we had stumbled onto the heroine in Chapter 9 (incidentally I had to comb through like 15 chapters to remember which one they met). Definitely explains why Leo might have been stunned all that time ago hahaha. End of the chapter definitely caught me off guard, but it seems everything is starting to come together.

Again, sorry for the huge delay on this, but unfortunately this is ultimately a side thing I do, my actual job comes first because it means I can pay the bills and have the time to actually do this when I do, haha. Fingers crossed there’s no December surprises that suddenly offline me.

Until next time!

---