The Master of the Villains Has Disappeared

At Primus, whether noble or commoner, everyone is a student.

Therefore, there should be no discrimination or differentiation based on status or title.

This statement is half right and half wrong.

While both noble and commoner students attend the same lectures in the same auditorium, it was absolutely not true that there was no difference in treatment based on status.

"Don't just stand there, sit next to the professor. I'll make you some tea."

"I-I'll make the tea, Your Highness!"

"But it's the assistant's job to serve guests."

"L-Leta. Please stop the princess...!"

Just looking at Isabel trembling at every word of Princess Irina shows how powerful status is.

Even though Isabel herself is of high status as a count's daughter, she can't even make proper eye contact in front of the celestial blood of the Divine Beast.

'The family tree has gotten properly tangled.'

Currently, Princess Irina is positioned as my class assistant.

From what I've observed, it seems Princess Irina herself prefers to fulfill her duties as an assistant rather than being treated as a princess.

On the other hand, Isabel came to see me just as a sister or friend.

Of course, in the auditorium she calls me Professor and uses polite speech, but when we're alone, she treats me comfortably like at the Yurt family mansion.

And thus, a strange scene was born.

Isabel, who usually treats me comfortably, treats Princess Irina as a senior or princess, while Princess Irina treats Isabel not as her junior but as a friend of the professor she's assisting.

'I wonder what would be the best way to handle this.'

Seeing Isabel receive the tea brought by Princess Irina with trembling hands a moment later, I strongly felt the need to come up with some countermeasure.

After all, both Princess Irina and Isabel were people I couldn't keep away from my side.

The first thing that came to mind was trying to narrow the distance between the two.

If Isabel and Princess Irina became friends with each other, it seemed like we wouldn't have to feel this stifling and uncomfortable atmosphere anymore.

Eventually, the reason I asked Isabel why she came to see me was for this reason.

Seeing that she brought a textbook, I thought it might be a question about the Mana Design subject.

I planned to open up a dialogue between the two by asking Princess Irina to give some advice as a senior.

"Isabel. Was there anything from today's class that you didn't understand?"

"Y-Yes. Actually, here on page 17..."

Isabel, glancing at Princess Irina from time to time, asked me in a very cautious voice.

It says that to improve the accuracy of magic, you need to control the flow of mana, but what does it mean to control the flow of mana?

As I examined the part Isabel's index finger was pointing to, I slightly raised my head and made eye contact with Princess Irina.

Then, I lightly tossed the question with the words, "What does Your Highness think?"

"I think I need to finish looking over these documents. If it's alright, would Your Highness answer instead?"

"...Yes!"

Princess Irina's eyes filled with enthusiasm and determination at my request, heard for the first time since becoming an assistant.

In complete contrast, Isabel's eyes trembled as if asking me why I was doing this.

'You can't be scared forever, you know.'

I inwardly replied thus to Isabel, who was making a betrayed expression at me, as I reached for the still mountain-like pile of application forms.

After all, becoming friends with Princess Irina would ultimately be good for Isabel too.

For Isabel, a freshman who has just entered Primus, there's no stronger backing than Princess Irina.

Although rumors that Isabel and I are close have been spreading among the students, still, a princess is better than a new professor, isn't it?

Therefore, I smiled with satisfaction as I watched Princess Irina diligently explaining to the shrinking Isabel.

It doesn't seem like Princess Irina dislikes Isabel, so it should be fine if Isabel just opens her heart.

By the time I was reviewing about the 20th application form.

It seemed Princess Irina's explanation was over, as Isabel's voice, ending in a question, was heard once again.

"Um, Leta... No, I mean Professor Leta."

"?"

"Well... Do you know about the 'Stage of Advancement'? Professor Ber told us first-years to prepare because we'll be participating too..."

I'm sorry to Isabel, but I don't know much about this Stage of Advancement either.

Thanks to the memory of the original work in my head, I'm not completely ignorant, but I only know that it's like a school festival version for Primus Academy.

So I tossed the right to speak to Princess Irina once again.

Among the people currently in the faculty office, Princess Irina was the only one who had directly experienced the Stage of Advancement.

"Ah, the Stage of Advancement is a magic competition. Students solve tasks set by the professors using the knowledge they've learned so far─"

The gist of the explanation that continued for about 10 minutes was simple.

In a word, a preliminary practical exercise.

The main content was reproducing various unexpected situations that occur in places like the front lines against demons or dungeons, and then evaluating the students' responses.

According to Princess Irina, one feature is that outsiders like high-ranking officials of the empire also observe.

'They want to mark talented kids in advance, huh.'

It seems to be a competition for the empire to secure talented individuals from Primus in advance.

After all, from the empire's standpoint, they wouldn't want other forces to take away Primus's talented individuals.

On the other hand, from the students' perspective, it's also an opportunity to make an impression on the so-called 'important people'.

Especially if you win the one-on-one confrontation, which is the last order of the Stage of Advancement, your success is guaranteed right away, so they'll try their best to win.

'But what happens if a princess comes out as an opponent?'

An existence outside the norm where even a small scratch is not tolerated.

In other words, I asked Princess Irina, who was using an invincible cheat just by her status, if she had any experience participating in the confrontation.

The answer that came back was unexpectedly affirmative.

"Unfortunately, I didn't win. But both my opponent and I did our best. So I have no regrets."

It seems I've underestimated Primus's talented individuals too much.

I didn't think there would be a brave soul who would give their all and even win against a princess.

As I was thinking this and inwardly praising that brave student whose name and face I didn't know.

For some reason, Isabel directly addressed the princess.

"Um, Your Highness..."

"Call me Senior comfortably. Everyone is equal at Primus."

"Th-Then... Senior Irina."

Is it possible for parents to come to the Stage of Advancement too?

With an expressYurtion half cautious and half expectant, Isabel asked if her biological father, Dven Yurt, could come to the Stage of Advancement.

The answer that came back was affirmative.

It was also added that the majority of outsiders observing the Stage of Advancement are relatives of the students.

"Isabel's parents would want to see how much Isabel has grown too. Work hard to prepare during the remaining time."

"Y-Yes!"

It seemed Isabel was looking forward to Dven's attendance a lot.

Although I wondered if someone who parted with his own daughter at one word from Orphion would really come to the Stage of Advancement.

There was no particular reason to crush Isabel's expectations.

Therefore, I shifted my gaze to Princess Irina and was about to ask about the observers coming to watch the princess.

That is, about the Ardenia imperial family, but I realized my mistake and quickly shut my mouth.

'...It's better not to ask uncomfortable questions unnecessarily.'

The emperor is an existence that can't leave his position, and the crown prince's relationship with his siblings was bad if anything, not good.

It seems Lilian was on good terms with Princess Irina, but...

It doesn't seem like she would walk all the way to a distant place like Primus to see Princess Irina, so it was better to say nothing at all.

By the way, a one-on-one confrontation with no hard feelings afterwards.

If Atar heard about this, he'd come running with his eyes rolled back.

'Come to think of it, I think Atar secretly snuck in in the original work too.'

As I was briefly recalling the appearance of my disciples in the original work, I belatedly remembered that it was still a few years until the original work and ended my meaningless delusion.

One way or another, right now, dealing with the application forms in front of me is the priority.

...Who should I choose to avoid the most trouble?

○

"What's wrong with a sister going to see her younger sister?"

"B-But Your Highness. If you make a royal visit, it will surely draw attention. Princess Irina will be nervous too."

"Then, is she not nervous on the battlefield? Don't say strange things, just contact Primus."

I, Lilian Ardenia, will go to observe the Stage of Advancement.

The woman overflowing with nobility said this and smiled slightly at the troubled expression in front of her.

"The Divine Beast said there would be a long-awaited meeting. We shouldn't ignore the Divine Beast's message."