“The blue-haired girl leading the way is so beautiful and elegant!”
Kayla couldn't help but whisper in admiration.
“And she looks kind of familiar.”
“That's the First Princess of the kingdom!” Adele explained in a lowered voice. “Did you forget? She participated in the exchange last year as well, and her performance was outstanding.”
“No wonder she looked familiar... But if she's the First Princess, does that mean there's at least a Second Princess too?”
Adele nodded.
“Yeah, and apparently she's also participating in the exchange this time. But I've never seen her in person, so I don't know what she looks like.”
As the representatives from Glory Cael stepped off the airship one after another, more and more gazes from the plaza converged on them.
“There really are a lot of completely unfamiliar faces...”
Kayla scanned the crowd, her gaze suddenly locking onto a certain spot.
“Wait... why are there two kids mixed into their group?”
Adele followed her gaze. “And one of them is wearing a robe that's way too big for her. She looks so cute!”
“Speaking of cute, the Five Great Academies are really on another level. Aside from the First Princess, they have so many good-looking girls.”
Kayla couldn't help but sigh.
“Especially those three girls in the middle with gray, pink, and red hair. I feel like if I stood right in front of them, I'd lose all my confidence as a woman.”
“Whoa! Look there!”
Adele suddenly tugged her companion's sleeve in excitement.
“Look at that blonde guy behind them! He's so handsome! I've never seen a guy that good-looking in my entire life!”
Kayla looked in the direction she pointed and was also momentarily dazed. “And he's proactively helping the girls carry their luggage. What a gentleman!”
“I wonder where that scratch on his face came from, though.”
Adele tilted her head, her tone carrying a hint of pity.
“But it probably wasn't done by a person. No one could possibly have the heart to harm a face that looks like a work of art.”
Behind them, Melina glanced up upon hearing their conversation.
But the moment her eyes met the boy's, the first thing she felt was an inexplicable... disgust.
...
“Hey, don't think I'll easily forgive you just because you're helping me carry my things. I haven't fully let off steam about that scratch yet!”
Victoria said to Greg, who had taken her luggage as soon as they stepped off the airship.
Feeling the burning gazes of the girls from the other magic academies, Greg replied calmly,
“Junior classmate, you misunderstand. I'm not doing this to make amends. I simply want to be a good person.”
He was telling the truth—at least, part of it.
Ever since the airship landed, Greg's plan had been in motion.
During the Hundred Academy Exchange, the public persona he wanted to project was that of an outstanding, mysterious gentleman.
Only by doing so could he systematically pique the curiosity of the current Saintess of the Holy Church of Light, thereby creating opportunities to make contact.
To this end, he was more than happy to help with whatever small tasks he could to build a gentlemanly and reliable first impression.
The gazes of the girls from the other academies were the best proof that his strategy was already bearing fruit.
“Do I look like I believe you?”
Victoria snorted.
“You must be plotting something again!”
Too lazy to press further, she turned to Silvia, who was walking on the other side, and said,
“Silvia, give your suitcase to Greg too. I feel like carrying just mine is way too easy for him.”
Silvia quickly shook her head.
“N-No, it's fine. I can carry it myself. There's no need to trouble Senior Greg!”
However, Greg had already reached out and taken the suitcase from Silvia's hand.
“It's fine, leave it to me. This really is nothing to me.”
Silvia opened her mouth, but ultimately didn't refuse. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she whispered, “Thank you.”
Victoria scanned the plaza and noticed Lilith standing not far away, her gaze drifting over in their direction from time to time.
Her lips curved into a playful smirk as she walked over and said in a teasing tone,
“What's this? Is Her Highness jealous? Wishing someone would carry your luggage for you?”
Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Lilith whipped her head around, her voice rising an octave:
“Hmph! I don't want him to carry my luggage at all! So I'm not jealous in the slightest!”
Greg, of course, wasn't about to let this opportunity to show off his gentlemanly manners slip away.
He stepped in front of Lilith and said in a warm, sincere tone,
“But I would like to ease your burden, Princess Lilith. May I?”
“?”
Victoria looked at Greg suspiciously.
Lilith's face flushed red at a speed visible to the naked eye, the blush spreading all the way to her ears.
She lowered her head, her fingers twisting anxiously around the suitcase handle. Finally, she handed it over. Her voice was as quiet as a mosquito's buzz, yet it still carried her stubborn pride:
“I-If you insist... I suppose I can let you.”
Greg took the suitcase and glanced around out of the corner of his eye. Sure enough, the girls from the other magic academies were looking at him with even more admiration now.
He nodded inwardly. The strategy was working even better than he had anticipated.
Compared to the benefits, the slight weight in his hands was absolutely nothing.
After all, after his high-intensity battles in the dungeon lately, his physical strength far surpassed that of an ordinary person. A few suitcases were child's play.
Just as he was thinking this, an aqua-blue figure suddenly stepped in front of him.
Vivian stood before him, expressionlessly offering her suitcase.
Greg: “...”
For some reason, though there was no threat or coercion in those ice-blue eyes, they radiated a silent pressure that made it impossible for him to refuse.
He fell silent for a moment before quietly reaching out to take her suitcase.
The moment he took it, Vivian's cold eyes softened slightly, like spring water quietly thawing beneath the ice.
She didn't say much, silently stepping aside.
And right at that moment—
“Um... G-Greg... could I trouble you with my luggage too?”
“Junior Greg...”
Two voices rang out almost simultaneously.
Instructor Alice, clutching a suitcase larger than herself, struggled to waddle over to Greg, her ice-purple eyes filled with pleading and expectation.
And Senior Yelena dragged a heavy trunk over as well, fine beads of sweat already forming on her forehead, clearly exhausted from hauling it all this way.
Greg barely managed to maintain the smile on his face, his tone remaining warm and gentlemanly. “It is my honor to resolve the troubles of beautiful ladies.”
Victoria was finally able to confirm her suspicions.
“When exactly did your brain break?”
Rate on N.U.
