Knight Academy, Lecture Hall—
On this day, a joint lecture for both the Knight Division and the Squire Division was scheduled for the morning.
Since the end of their break, Inglis and her group had been heading to Illuminus, while the rest of the students were engaged in activities with the Arcane Wardens and had traveled to Alucard. As a result, this was the first time in a while that the entire first-year class had gathered for a proper lesson.
"Fwaaaah… Sometimes it's nice to just relax and sit through a lecture. We've been so busy lately."
"Rani, if that's how you feel, then you should actually listen instead of dozing off."
Rafinha was already leaning against Inglis, seemingly struggling against her drowsiness.
"But I just feel so sleepy today… I couldn't even eat as much breakfast because of it."
"No, you definitely ate a ton," Leone interjected before she could stop herself.
"At any rate, it’s wonderful that we’re all able to gather here safely. It’s been a while since things felt so calm."
"Yes, and it seems like everyone who went to Alucard didn’t run into any major trouble either."
"Ahh, I kinda wanted to see Pullum and Lahti’s faces again, though~."
As they idly chatted and waited for the lesson to begin—
"Good morning, everyone~!"
A smiling Miliera entered the classroom.
"Huh? Why is the principal here? Today isn’t one of her special lectures, is it?"
It was rare for Principal Miliera to personally conduct a lesson.
She was still young, but as the academy’s head, she had plenty of responsibilities outside of teaching. Normally, she only took direct charge in special situations—like the post-enrollment supergravity orientation, the approval test for special extracurricular lessons, or leading the protection detail for Ripple, who had become a beacon for magic stone beasts.
"So… does that mean something big happened?"
Leone might be onto something.
"Again? Where are we being sent this time?"
Liselotte let out a slightly weary sigh.
"I want to go to the Church Founder’s side of Highland next…! I also want to fight Lord Abel after he’s absorbed Vufailbane! And I’d love to have a match with their Founder too. They must be strong, right? They’re the highest authority there, after all…!"
Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte all gave Inglis a strained smile as her face lit up with excitement. Their expressions made it clear that nothing good would come of this.
"Ugh. If the principal shows up to class without warning, I just know something bad’s coming…"
At Rafinha’s words, Leone and Liselotte nodded in firm agreement. And it wasn’t just them—the entire classroom was buzzing with uneasy murmurs.
Oh no, this can’t be good…
Various groans and complaints filled the air. Principal Miliera looked around with a face that practically screamed, How rude!
"Okay~! Seems like all of you are volunteering for my Special Triple-Gravity Training Session, then?"
"Yes…! Yes! Me! Please let me do it!"
Inglis raised her hand, eyes shining with excitement. If there was a way to increase gravity pressure beyond the one she always used, she wanted to study its mana flow and structure to improve her own training.
“Not you, Miss Inglis~. I know you’d jump into it, okay?”
Principal Miliera said this with a bright smile.
"Ugh… I blundered. I should have at least pretended to be reluctant,” lamented Inglis.
"Ahem. Now then, I know you all think that my presence means trouble, but today, I’m here to prove you wrong!" Miliera cleared her throat and addressed the students with a cheerful voice.
"Huh? What is it? What do you think, Glis? Maybe the cafeteria’s menu is getting an upgrade!?"
"That’d be great, but I don’t think the principal would come all the way here just to tell us that."
The answer to their curiosity came swiftly.
"Alright, I’d like to introduce a new transfer student!"
"A transfer student!? Whoa, that actually happens? I wonder what they’re like!"
Rafinha was clearly intrigued.
"Okay, come on in! Please, step inside~!"
At Miliera’s call, a girl stepped into the classroom. She had elegantly refined features and silver hair with a faint bluish tint.
"That's Princess Meltina of Venefique!"
Indeed, though she now wore the Knight Academy uniform, there was no mistake—she was exactly as Liselotte had identified.
Back when Theodore's delegation had entered the Sarcophagus of Greyfriar, they had investigated the devices containing Eris and Princess Meltina. Theodore had determined that, while Eris could remain in her chamber until the procedure was complete, Princess Meltina needed to be removed immediately.
Inglis and the others had worked together to extract her from the device, but she had remained unconscious at the time and had been taken to the royal castle to recover. Latest content published on NoveIꜰire.net
It was good news that she had recovered so quickly, but for her to enroll in the Knight Academy—now that was unexpected.
"This is Meltina, everyone! Please make her feel welcome! Miss Inglis, Miss Rafinha, Miss Leone, Miss Liselotte—you four especially, please take care of her, alright?"
Principal Miliera beamed as she made the introduction.
"Wow! It’s the princess! A real, actual princess…!"
"Rani, maybe don’t say that so loudly?"
"See how the principal didn’t introduce her that way? If too many people find out, it could cause trouble. Remember how Lahti was kind of undercover too?"
"Oh… yeah, now that you mention it."
"Then again, Lahti was from Alucard, so it wasn’t as big of a deal."
Alucard had traditionally maintained a friendly relationship with Charalia. Though they had once seemed ready to join Venefique in a pincer attack against Charalia, that plan had never been carried out.
Later, they formally apologized and were the first to support Prince Wayne’s Order of Arcane Wardens initiative, even allowing their operations within Alucard lands. Because of this relationship, even if Lahti’s identity had become widely known among the students, it wouldn’t have caused much of a stir.