A bird landed on a parasol tree branch, chirping nonstop.

The sun was already slanting, but after the gloomy rain of the past few days had finally scattered, this was the brightest stretch at the very tail end of spring.

Even the little bird was enjoying the warmth, hopping excitedly back and forth on the branch.

Suddenly, the bird sensed an icy chill that didn’t belong to this season. It cocked its head, curiously looking toward the faintly reflective ice wall not far away, where it could vaguely see its own silhouette.

The ice was a deep blue—clear and transparent. Through that thin wall of ice, you could just barely see...

“Mm!”

The little bird was startled and shot straight up into the sky.

Yet that sweet, high, wonderful moan lingered just like the bright spring light at this moment—circling and steeping and blurring for a long, long time...

...

Inside the student council office.

Celicia arched back so hard it looked like her slender neck was about to snap, her narrow waist lifting high, while her long thighs in black stockings wrapped tightly around the disrespectful person waging conquest beneath her.

A long, drawn-out moan—countless times higher than usual—spilled out along with her heavy breathing. Celicia pressed both hands down on the head tight against her, her slightly unfocused eyes staring up at the white ceiling, feeling as if in that instant she had truly flown up into the clouds.

She didn’t float in the clouds for long—maybe half a minute, maybe only ten seconds—and then what followed was the weakness and release of a fall.

The two long legs tangled around him slowly loosened, and Muen finally managed to surface from that “deep sea,” breathing fresh air again.

“Hah...”

Muen pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his face, giving a meaningful, wicked grin.

“I really almost got drowned by Your Majesty.”

“...”

Celicia, reclining in the chair, lazily shot Muen a glare, then lifted her foot and kicked at him hard.

But that kick—still soaked in the aftertaste of falling from a peak—was obviously nowhere near her usual strength, so Muen caught it easily. In one smooth motion, he took that little foot—already turned from “black stockings” into “battle-damaged black stockings”—and held it in his palm, playing with it.

The smooth, soft, tender touch instantly made heat rise in Muen’s chest. After all, he’d helped Celicia deal with things for the moment, but Celicia, who’d thrown down her armor halfway and given up the offensive, clearly hadn’t been able to help him vent at all.

The fire was at its fiercest—how could it stop?

So Muen bent down again, lightly kissing Celicia’s calf, slowly grinding upward as he explored. And one hand had already gone higher, giving a gentle tug at the already precarious tie. So wherever he kissed, clothing slid down in strips, armor dropping away, revealing skin as smooth and pale as mutton-fat jade.

Taut calf... full thigh... flat lower belly... rounded, jade rabbits... delicate collarbones... and finally, along the beautiful curve of her neck, slowly upward, until he was about to catch those warm, pink petals again...

“Mm... no.”

Celicia, who was being stirred up again by Muen’s gentle movements, twisted her waist like a water snake—then suddenly raised a hand to block his kiss.

“Mm?”

Muen lifted a brow.

“Your Majesty is actually still disgusted with yourself?”

The ice in Celicia’s eyes was temporarily unable to gather, so she simply rolled her eyes at him in a breathtakingly flirtatious way.

“Suddenly calling me ‘Your Majesty, Your Majesty’—what does that mean?”

“Heh heh. Calling you that at a time like this is more fun.”

Since he couldn’t get the kiss, Muen didn’t get annoyed. He kept playing with the wondrous places on Her Majesty the empress—no, the emperor—while casually patting the office desk beside them.

The force was so subtle it didn’t even make it quiver, yet an invisible shock spread out at once, instantly sweeping the entire desktop clean. Muen then supported Celicia, and with a turn, the two of them shifted—until the stunningly beautiful girl, clothes in disarray, lay on the desk like a big white fish on a chopping board.

“Pressing me down like this—doesn’t it feel more fun?”

Celicia hooked an arm around Muen’s neck on her own initiative and gave a contemptuous little smile.

“Ahem. Whether I press you down or not doesn’t matter. The main thing is I can’t let Your Majesty get tired.”

Muen coughed a few times, putting on an air of seriousness, but his body was honest as he pressed down anyway—yet before he could do anything more...

His vision suddenly blurred, and once again, that familiar world-flipping spin hit him.

“Doesn’t it not matter if I get tired? It’s you who can’t get tired. Tomorrow you still have to trade blows with those people from the kingdom.”

Celicia’s palm lightly stroked Muen’s solid chest as she laughed softly.

“I-Is that so? But I think my stamina should be... pretty okay.”

Muen’s mouth twitched. All of a sudden, he had a bad feeling.

“Pretty okay? In a moment it won’t be.”

Celicia leaned close to Muen’s ear. Word by word, with absolutely no emotional fluctuation, she said,

“After all, just now, someone... was very bold. If I don’t give that kind of bold person a little punishment, how can I let him know whether I really am Her Majesty the emperor?”

As she spoke, that little hand slid downward, and then... suddenly gripped.

“Hiss—Wait, wait, hold on—uh... Your Majesty, tomorrow I have to fight people, I think I should hurry back right now and rest properly like Ariel—”

“Shut up.”

Celicia barked coldly. “That’s your problem.”

“But—”

“Even if you get beaten to death tomorrow, it has nothing to do with me.”

Then, without giving him any chance to object again, she leaned in close, completely pressing down on Muen. She flicked her hair aside and bent down to kiss his lips hard of her own accord, while her other jade hand started moving.

Muen froze for a second—then instinctively responded.

So even though he regretted it to the bone, felt miserable beyond endurance, and was uneasy about tomorrow...

Under the pressure of Her Majesty the emperor, he could only bow down to her once more, kneeling beneath her and choosing submission...

...

...

“Right now, that Muen Campbell is definitely going to be anxious about tomorrow, struggling desperately like a drowning man trying to grab hold of a life-saving straw.”

That night, at the kingdom’s embassy, looking out at Belrand’s night scenery, Milne swirled his red wineglass and laughed contemptuously.

“Too bad. His struggle is doomed to be futile. He will definitely become my step upward—become my stepping-stone.”

“Cousin, you should still be a little more cautious.”

At the side, Sevier sighed.

“Muen Campbell really isn’t an opponent you can deal with easily. I’ve said this many times already, haven’t I?”

“Relax. I may look contemptuous, but I won’t slack off because of it. I’m not going to make that kind of small mistake.”

Milne took a sip of red wine, frowning slightly. The empire’s red wine was always a bit sour. No matter how many times he drank it, he still couldn’t get used to it.

But he had to get used to it in advance, sooner or later.

Milne turned to look at Sevier.

“This is a big matter. Of course I’ll go all out and won’t leave him even the slightest chance, so you can rest easy. No need to worry about me.”

“I-Is that so? I hope everything can go as you wish, Cousin.”

Sevier lowered her head and echoed Milne’s words, but her thoughts had already flown off to who knew where.

Could everything really go as wished?

She closed her eyes, and in her mind, that meeting from a few days ago surfaced again.

Neither her teacher nor her cousin understood the intentions of those “important people,” but she now understood their meaning very clearly.

It was a warning.

When lionesses were fighting over “prey,” of course they wouldn’t allow a passing wild wolf to stick its paw in.

And of course, a target fierce “lionesses” would fight to snatch away wouldn’t be some little mutt that could be bullied at will. It could only be...

So Sevier also understood: the “Muen Campbell” she knew—the one who had performed well in the Saintess Trials—might only be the tip of the iceberg of the real Muen Campbell.

Like a shadow left behind from the past, standing under the sunlight and being mocked by everyone, while a far more “complete” him had long since slipped into darkness others couldn’t clearly see.

...

...

Glancing at his younger female cousin’s wistful, complicated pretty face, Milne suddenly drained the red wine in his glass in one gulp.

“No matter what, tomorrow /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ we’ll go take a look in advance.”

He set the glass down. Those beautiful eyes often praised as turquoise looked toward the academy’s direction...

“What kind of person that Muen Campbell really is.”

...

...

The next day, “Exchange Day.”

The kingdom’s delegation arrived at Saint Maria Academy early in the morning as promised. And a mature beauty in a women’s professional suit—paired with leopard-print stockings and black-rimmed glasses—had already arrived as well, leading the academy teachers responsible for reception as they waited here.

“Long time no see, Mr. Hertz.”

“It certainly has been a long time, Headmaster Hathaway.”

Hertz walked up with a hearty chuckle, warm like an enthusiastic old man, acting familiar as he shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with Hathaway.

“Lately I haven’t heard your name much. I didn’t see you at the last education exchange conference either. With such a low sense of presence, I thought you’d stopped being headmaster.”

“For Mr. Hertz to be this concerned really does make me happy.”

Hathaway smiled as she freed her hand from Hertz’s grip. Without leaving any trace, she took out a handkerchief and wiped her palm as she spoke.

“As for a ‘sense of presence’... I really have been researching certain things during this period, and I pushed the academy’s miscellaneous affairs onto a few professors as well. Frankly, it’s embarrassing—I really am somewhat unworthy of being this headmaster. But since the kingdom’s honored guests have come, I still need to personally come out to welcome you.”

“Heh heh, what an honor.”

“Honor is too much. I heard the kingdom came this time with full sincerity—how could I possibly be discourteous?”

Hathaway lifted a hand, gesturing.

“Please follow me. I believe you’re already tired of tedious procedures, so we’ve prepared the venue directly. I’ll first take you all to have a look around.”

“Sorry to trouble you.”

“It’s what I should do.”

Hathaway waved, signaling the teachers who came to greet them to do a good job as guides, and her gaze also swept over the members of the kingdom attending this so-called “exchange meeting.”

The entire delegation obviously couldn’t all come. There were only a bit more than ten people. At the front was naturally Hertz. Behind him was his quite famous disciple, Sevier, as well as a few outstanding students from the kingdom.

Those students naturally weren’t ordinary. Many of them she had heard of before, and long ago she had obtained their information.

It was just that...

“Hm?”

After scanning once, Hathaway asked with some confusion,

“Why haven’t I seen that seventeenth prince from the rumors?” 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

“Heh heh, ‘rumors’ is too much. His Highness simply keeps a low profile in how he conducts himself.”

Hertz stroked his beard, smiling with narrowed eyes like an old fox.

“As for why His Highness isn’t here... there’s still a bit of spare time. He’s just strolling around. Headmaster Hathaway doesn’t mind, I hope?”

“...”

Hathaway’s brows lifted slightly.

Because outsiders had entered, the academy had temporarily closed the external areas of the Grand Rite, and yet she hadn’t noticed someone quietly slipping in ahead of time.

But even with the Grand Rite closed, to be able to infiltrate the academy so easily... that seventeenth prince really was no ordinary person.

Still... was this already a provocation?

“Of course I don’t mind.”

Hathaway followed with a light laugh.

“Today was originally the academy’s open day. Naturally, His Highness the seventeenth prince can go wherever he wants to look. How could I blame him? I only hope he can wipe his eyes a little cleaner—there are quite a lot of strange people in this academy who don’t match inside and out.”

“Haha, please rest assured, Headmaster Hathaway. I think His Highness may be young, but he still has quite a bit of insight.”

“That really is enviable.”

“Headmaster, saying that makes people unhappy. Your academy has plenty of outstanding students as well!”

“Hee hee... long time no see, Mr. Hertz, but you’ve become quite a bit smoother.”

An old fox and a mother fox chatted happily, the two of them walking toward the depths of the academy in warm harmony—yet no one knew when it began, but a faint smell of gunpowder had already drifted into the air.

...

...

“Mm... is it morning?”

“It’s not just morning. Looking at the time, it’s already not early.”

“Hiss... that fast? I feel like I barely slept.”

“Because you barely did. About an hour or so.”

“So that’s how it is. I stayed up all night... By the way, aren’t you going to personally show up today?”

“I am going to personally show up, but I’m the empire’s emperor. Even if I go a bit later, no one dares say anything. As for you—I remember the very first segment is drawing lots. You have to be there in person too, right?”

“...I’m getting up.”

Inside the student council office, a rustling sound rose up, now and then mixed with the kind of sharp inhale that sounded like muscle soreness after exercising too hard.

After a while.

“I’m getting up too.”

“Then get up.”

“Don’t want to move. Help me get dressed.”

“What do you mean you don’t want to move? I’m the one who got tormented last night... Fine, fine, I’ll help you. Which one first? Top or bottom? My suggestion is we start with the stockings. Nude-with-stockings or whatever, just hearing it sounds very—Hiss... that hurts, I’m wrong, I’m wrong! I won’t take advantage, let go, hurry, let go—my precious baby already got way too much training last night!”

“Hmph.”

More rustling, now and then mixed with the sound of someone being cursed by Her Majesty the emperor because his hands were clumsy.

Creak.

After a while, the door finally opened. Muen rubbed at his lower back as he poked his head out, looking at Celicia inside still dealing with the aftermath.

“Then I’m leaving first, my dear Your Majesty.”

“Get lost.”

“Tsk. The second you put your clothes on, you don’t recognize anyone. Too cruel.”

Muen cursed under his breath, but he still thoughtfully closed the student council office door.

He walked all the way to the small path lined with parasol trees. Tilting his head back, looking at the sun already climbed fairly high, he suddenly had the feeling of stepping into another lifetime.

Today was the exchange meeting, and they’d still played that hard last night... wasn’t that a little bad?

“No, no, no... how can this be my fault? It’s all that dead tsundere’s fault. She says no with her mouth, but in reality she’s more vicious than anyone!”

After muttering a few lines, Muen prepared to go back to the dorm first, take a shower while there was still time...

“Hello.”

All of a sudden, a steady greeting sounded abruptly within the shade of the trees.

“May I ask... are you Muen Campbell?”

“Mm?”

Muen turned his head, looking at the handsome man with his arms crossed, leaning against a tree not far away, and asked in confusion,

“Who are you?”

“I am...”

The man’s mouth curved as he was about to introduce himself...

“Wait, wait, wait!”

Muen suddenly cut him off. Then he rubbed his lower back again, braced himself on a tree as he went slowly, and finally found a bench to sit down on. Like an old man, he pounded at his joints a couple times before letting out a breath.

“Hah... I’m a bit weak after getting worked over by some bad woman, and after staying up all night, suddenly standing in the sun, I can barely even stand steady. Sorry you had to see that... Right, what were you saying just now?”

“...”