Lilith's face flushed deep crimson in an instant, even brighter than the morning glow outside the window.
She snatched the silk cloth from Layla's hand and hurriedly covered her face with it, trying to hide her sudden panic and a lingering... inexplicable embarrassment.
“Hmph! How dare he dislike me!”
Her voice filtered out muffled from under the cloth, carrying the Princess's habitual arrogance, though a closer listen revealed a distinct lack of confidence.
As the kingdom's Second Princess, she had been showered with love and adoration since birth.
As a once-in-a-century magic prodigy who had mastered the rudiments of Flame Burst by age ten, she was the center of attention wherever she went.
She had always done as she pleased, being slightly willful and domineering, but no one had ever dared to express dislike toward her—at least not to her face.
That Greg Sass... that guy who had been abandoned by his family and was hiding out in a dark dungeon... what right did he have to look down on her?
Despite her indignant thoughts, Lilith wiped her face and neck far more thoroughly and meticulously than usual without even realizing it.
The warm, moist silk wiped against her skin, bringing a refreshing sensation that cooled her flushed mind slightly.
“Don't misunderstand!”
She pulled down the cloth and, face blushing, attempted to come up with an excuse for her sudden attention to her appearance:
“It's only because today is the important Placement Exam! As a princess, I naturally have to attend in peak condition! I-It's definitely not because of anything else!”
Watching her highness try to cover up her true feelings, Layla's eyes behind her glasses flickered with a knowing smile.
Without exposing her, she simply took the used silk cloth and handed over a face cream embedded with tiny magic crystals designed for moisturizing and refreshing the skin, her tone remaining steady as ever:
“Of course, Your Highness. Today is an important day, so it is only fitting to face it at your best.”
Lilith pursed her lips, took the cream, and applied it carefully.
The cool sensation against her fingertips and the subtle floral scent gradually calmed her chaotic thoughts.
Quickly finishing with the cream, she stuffed the jar back into Layla's hands, stood up, and walked over to her ornate wardrobe. “I'll change into a new outfit today while I'm at it.”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
Smiling, Layla stepped back slightly and adeptly fetched the tailored Glory Cael Magic Academy uniform along with a light-colored undershirt embroidered with the Kahn royal crest.
The dressing process was quiet and swift.
When Lilith stood before the full-length mirror once more, the person reflected within looked entirely transformed.
Her smooth, radiant red hair was woven by Layla's dexterous hands into an elegant yet lively style, adorned with several subtle yet exquisite fire-patterned hairpins.
The dark, well-fitted academy uniform perfectly outlined the young girl's developing silhouette, its gold piping and buttons shimmering gently in the morning light.
Her shirt was crisp white, with a deep red bow tie tied neatly at the collar to denote her first-year status.
Stockings wrapped around her long, straight calves, while her leather shoes shone with a brilliant polish.
The battered “Lily Carlo” who had stood by the underground river in the dungeon yesterday was nowhere to be seen.
Reflected in the glass now was the esteemed Second Princess of the Kingdom of Kahn, the highly anticipated genius freshman of Glory Cael Academy, the brilliant Lilith Kahn.
She stared at her reflection, taking a deep breath. The faint traces of confusion and complex emotions left over from yesterday were suppressed completely within her ruby eyes, replaced by a radiant light of pride and self-assurance.
After enjoying a nutritionally balanced yet unpretentious breakfast, a spirited Lilith walked out of the royal dormitory.
The morning air at the academy was crisp and fragrant with the scent of flowers and grass.
From a distance came the noisy chatter of students heading toward the examination grounds.
Lilith, however, felt exceptionally excited, almost eager.
She naturally remembered how that annoying Greg had stated with utmost conviction yesterday that she, Lilith Kahn, would be baited into casting Flame Burst by a feint from the commoner Victoria during the Placement Exam, resulting in her defeat!
What a joke!
She was Lilith Kahn!
A prodigy who had mastered the rudiments of Flame Burst at age ten!
A future pillar of the kingdom!
How could she possibly lose so easily to another freshman?!
“Hmph, just you wait, Greg Sass.”
Lilith clenched her fists, tiny sparks flickering briefly across her fingertips.
“Today, I'm going to use cold, hard facts to show you just how ridiculously wrong your prophecy was!”
She was going to win.
Not only win, but win brilliantly and decisively!
Then, once the exam was over, she would make another trip to the dungeon to find that guy, let him behold the posture of a true victor, and savor the stupid look of shock on his face!
At the thought of that scene, the corners of Lilith's mouth curled up unconsciously. Her steps grew lighter and more confident as she made her way toward the examination grounds.
...
The morning sunlight filtered through the gaps between the soaring towers of Glory Cael Magic Academy, casting dappled shadows across the clean stone paths.
Freshmen moved in groups of three and five, carrying nervous or expectant moods as they surged toward the massive circular Arena in the center of the academy.
Victoria and Silvia walked side by side through the crowd.
“Victoria.”
Silvia leaned in slightly toward her friend, her lowered voice carrying obvious concern:
“Did you check the match lineup posted on the bulletin board this morning? Your first official opponent... is actually Her Highness Lilith.”
Victoria stared straight ahead with her gray eyes, her expression unchanging as she merely hummed a soft response.
Silvia continued, “I looked into it. Although her level is about the same as ours, around LV15, she's already capable of using Flame Burst. You must be extra careful and try not to get hurt.”
Facing her friend's worry, Victoria stopped in her tracks.
She turned around, looked at Silvia's face filled with concern, and suddenly reached out to ruffle her soft pink hair.
“Don't worry.”
The corner of Victoria's mouth curled into a confident arc, her gray eyes sparkling bright in the morning light. “There is absolutely no way I'm losing to her.”
Her voice wasn't loud, yet it possessed an unquestionable certainty.
Facing the famed prodigy princess in combat would have left almost any other freshman filled with anxiety, or even timid before the fight even started.
Yet inside Victoria's heart, not a single ripple of fear stirred.
Her confidence stemmed from her unique past.
Unlike most noble children who learned theory in a greenhouse environment and practiced standardized combat, Victoria's childhood had been spent amid the mud and danger of a border village.
Those experiences of struggling on the brink of life and death granted Victoria calm judgment and precise mana control far beyond her peers, as well as a sharp intuition for finding victory under extreme pressure.
That was combat experience forged through countless brushes with death, something that could not be simply measured by level or the number of spells mastered.
What was more, she possessed the Hero's Protection.
She firmly believed that with these, she would not lose to anyone.
Be it a so-called noble genius or a princess of the kingdom.
Besides...
Victoria unconsciously tightened her grip on the Reflection Gem inside her pocket.
The cool edges of the crystal pressed against her palm, conveying a sharp, tactile sensation.
This time, she had a reason she absolutely could not lose.
Not just to secure better placement resources, but more importantly... because she refused to let a certain annoying guy currently hiding in the dungeon make fun of her!
Just imagining Greg Sass looking at her with that half-smiling, playful gaze as she was defeated by Lilith made an unnamable fire surge from the depths of her chest.
Although logic told her that the scoundrel was probably fighting monsters in some corner of the dungeon right now and couldn't possibly watch the exam, her subtle urge not to "lose" to his expectations burned remarkably strong.
“Let's go, Silvia.”
Victoria released her hand and resumed her stride, her gaze sharpening. “This time, I'm definitely going to win.”
Rate on N.U.
