kscans

Chapter 48 - The Little One's New Daily Life, Part Two

"Amazing..."

"It’s so big, and the buildings are so tall."

After exiting the transfer gate, the two were guided by Fatima and the others to the main hall. There, they received badges with fresh flowers attached and pinned them to their chests. The gold, six-pointed star badge was proof of their affiliation with the nobles’ academy and was apparently a magic tool.

"You’ll use this for shopping in the academy and the surrounding city, so don’t lose it. We’ll register your magic to it later. That way, only you can use it, so you can rest easy."

It's like a guild card, I guess.

That, too, registered the magic contained in one's blood, so no one but the owner could use it. Nodding at Fatima’s explanation, the twins entered the main hall. The inside was spacious, with a stage at the far front. In front of it were six round tables. Long tables were arranged around the round ones, where the upperclassmen were seated by grade.

"The new students are at the round tables. There are cards with your names on them. Please sit there."

With that, the three royals went up onto the stage. It seemed that they, as royalty, had special seats. Seeing them off, the twins searched for their names among the empty seats.

"Here we are."

Gold letters on folded red paper. The twins each took the seat with their name on it.

After a while, His Majesty the King and His Highness the Crown Prince ascended the stage and celebrated the enrollment of the newly baptized children.

"I expect you to learn much, train hard, and grow as nobles who will support Frontier."

Glancing over the new students with the eyes of a kindly old man, the King’s gaze happened to meet Chihiro’s. His smile deepened, and he quietly made his way to his prepared seat. For a moment, the curious gazes of the students focused on the Little One, and Chihiro was inwardly drenched in a cold sweat. What is he doing! I was already the center of attention because I came with Fatima and the others!

While maintaining a graceful smile, the Little One unconsciously clenched her fists in her lap. The ceremony proceeded, oblivious to her agitation, and moved from the formal proceedings to a social gathering for recreation. It was a tea party to get to know each other and learn names and faces.

Ah, so very noble. How elegant.

Sweets and light meals were set out. Tea and various fruit juices. A situation that would be unthinkable in a Japanese school. As everyone stood up, drawn by the delicious smells, the royals on the stage called the twins to their table. Being summoned to the royal table, the Little One and her brother exchanged weary glances.

"This already, on the first day, kanyo."

"What a pain."

But they could neither ignore nor refuse. The two steeled themselves and went up onto the stage. Feeling the murmuring buzz of the surrounding students at their backs, they gave a wry smile at the barrage of openly piercing glares.

So young.

At the mix of jealousy and envy, the Little One, who should have been the youngest in the room, held a perspective that belied her appearance. It seemed that being newly reincarnated had endowed her with an even stronger old lady disposition. Arriving on stage, the two gracefully greeted the royal family members lined up at the table.

"Welcome. Come, have a seat."

The Little One felt a surge of murderous intent towards the gleeful King. However, Chihaya, sensing this, stepped forward and responded with an apologetic look on his face.

"Thank you very much. But we must limit our greetings for now. We have not yet even met our classmates."

At Chihaya’s words, which gently refused to join them, Wilfe’s eyebrows shot up, and he snapped at him.

"I was not speaking to you. As long as Chii-Hiiro is here, that is enough."

"Brother!"

Glancing at Theodore, who hurriedly admonished him, Wilfe snorted and turned his face away. Sighing at this, Miltisia glared at the childish Crown Prince with narrowed eyes. Even with a look of exasperation, a cute girl is still cute.

"How exasperating. You truly are hopeless. After being warned so much by our uncle, this is how you behave."

At his own sister’s sharp words, Wilfe’s eyes widened. Next, Fatima also sighed elegantly.

"Brother Wilfe, you do not understand what it means to be a twin. If Brother Theodore were to say the same thing, I would never want to speak to you again, Brother Wilfe."

As his two sisters shook their heads in exasperation, Wilfe looked flustered, as if seeing something unbelievable.

"No, but, this person tried to refuse an invitation from the King, you know?"

"Shall I speak for her then?"

At the familiar, coldly piercing voice, a chill ran down Wilfe’s spine. It was the smooth voice of the person who must not be angered, second only to Romel.

"We came to the academy to learn as nobles. We did not come to curry favor with the royal family."

As she spun her words elegantly, the royal family members’ faces froze at the implied meaning that was grating away at their spirits.

Translation. ‘We’re busy. We don’t have time to deal with you.’

A parting shot delivered with a bright smile. No matter where she was, the Little One was the Little One. Her eyes, which smirked as if to say, ‘Do you understand?’ held no emotion. But Wilfe, who was already used to having his spirit ground down, was persistent.

"A cup of tea should be fine! There are people I want to introduce you to!"

"Introduce?"

As the Little One blinked in surprise, Wilfe shifted his gaze to the left. There was another round table there, separate from the royal family’s seats. Seated there were two male students. They were watching the exchange between the Crown Prince and the Little One with surprised expressions. Glancing at the two of them, who were gaping, His Majesty the King cleared his throat lightly.

"Ah, these two gentlemen are exchange students from Flowers. They will be joining the middle school division this year."

Snapping back to reality at the King’s introduction, the two boys hurriedly stood up.

"I am Ismail. This is my younger brother, Pacesta. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

The two, said to be the first prince’s children, were twelve and ten years old. Apparently, they had been waiting for the younger brother to turn ten so they could study abroad together. Since they would overlap with Fatima and the others for a year, they wanted to learn the basics of Frontier in the same class for a year, focusing mainly on acquiring magic.

"Watching my uncle use magic, I have always admired it. My dream has come true."

The two boys smiled, their faces blooming.

He had heard from Romel that Prince Marcello had mastered a range of daily life magic during his time at the academy. He also knew that since the border forest was revived, the return of magic was gradually being confirmed. In the Flowers royal family, starting with the Crown Prince who had studied abroad and mastered magic, it seemed that the royal children and high-ranking nobles had been frequently studying abroad. This year, these two and several other nobles had come to study abroad.

"My, my. Welcome, you have come a long way. I am Chihiro, daughter of Count Jourje. A pleasure to meet you."

"I am her brother, Chihaya. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Seeing the twins give an elegant bow, Ismail and his brother looked back at the King and the others with a look of, "Eh?" ...It’s to be expected. Normally, a middle-ranking noble wouldn’t speak to members of the royal family as equals.

The King and Crown Prince gave a wry smile at the directed gaze.

"Well, there are circumstances. Chii-Hiiro is like a sibling to us. It is as if my little sister is being mischievous."

With a face like he had swallowed a bitter bug, Wilfe sighed.

"Is that so. In that case, please be friendly with us as well, Chihiro-sama."

As expected of royalty, even if small. They didn’t pry unnecessarily and seemed to accept things as they were. He was much more mature than Wilfe was ten years ago.

"Thank you very much. I hope you will get along well with my brother and me for a long time to come."

With that, the Little One smoothly linked her arm through Chihaya’s elbow. The heartwarming smiles of the twins and the special feeling exuded by their modest gesture. I see. The brother and sister are on very good terms. As Ismail nodded with understanding, a sudden blast of cold air erupted from his side.

Eh? Before he could think, a frigid blizzard swirled around the table where the royals were seated. A trio of men with cold, narrowed eyes, and two princesses sipping tea with oblivious faces. Can they not feel this atmosphere?

It seemed that the jealousy peculiar to men was something women could not detect. Glancing at the three men around whom dark clouds were gathering gogogotto, Chihaya looked down, and a victorious look flashed in his eyes as he placed a kiss on the Little One’s hair. Beneath his lowered eyelashes, his jet-black eyes flickered sideways. At that look of superiority, the jealousy of the King and the others transformed from a blizzard into a raging storm with crashing thunder.

At the sight of the four with their dark smiles on full display, the two from Flowers hugged each other, a chill running down their spines.

Is this... a matter to be avoided?

Having just said to be friends, he felt bad, but he would have to keep his interactions with Chihiro-sama to a minimum.

In a conversation that lasted only a few minutes, the two from Flowers became convinced of the existence of a landmine that must not be stepped on.

Thunder, hail, and rain. Oblivious to the background where natural disasters were raging, the Little One stared curiously at the two brothers from Flowers, who were trembling gatagata, having made a firm vow in their hearts.

Only the Little One was in the dark.

And so, the twins’ new daily life began.