kscans

Chapter 18 - Education for a Crown Princess

When the Queen informed her in an icy tone that every single tutor who had ever overseen the education of a Crown Princess had refused the position, Falty felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over her head.

The first refusal came from Cassandra. She would never again, not for any price, educate the Crown Princess of a royal family that had announced an engagement annulment and a change of Crown Princess for such selfish reasons. Her first words upon meeting Falty had been appalling. She would rather be ousted from high society, and if forced, she would take her own life. That was how vehemently she had refused—no, rejected—the offer.

Upon hearing this, the Queen had collapsed to the floor. Cassandra had been Lupia's tutor, but she had also educated the other candidates for Crown Princess. Her standards were so high that candidates dropped out one after another, but a few had remained. Among them, Lupia had been in a class of her own.

And they had cast that Lupia aside so casually, along with the other candidates who had continued their training in case something happened to her. Since those candidates' educations hadn't progressed as far as Lupia's, some had chosen to become high-ranking ladies-in-waiting at the palace, while others, like Cassandra, wished to become tutors themselves, and so they had all gone their separate ways.

The other former tutors, upon hearing Falty's trigger-like words, had also refused with a smile, saying, 'We are surely not needed.'

That a student would say, 'I'm confident I can become a Crown Princess just as good as Lupia!' was one thing, but for her to say it now was something neither the King and Queen, nor even Crown Prince Liam, had anticipated. She had apparently wanted to show how capable she was, having been acknowledged as Crown Princess over Lupia, but it was a disastrously poor move. Even the nation's elder statesmen had coolly pointed it out in a meeting, the King later recounted, saying, 'Was this not far too rash?'

"...I will handle her education myself."

There was no other way. The Queen steeled her resolve. She would have to administer the Crown Princess training she herself had received, and since they were already married, Falty's training as a future Queen would have to proceed concurrently. It wasn't a matter of whether she could or couldn't.

There is no other choice but to do it.

Falty could only nod at the conclusion the King and Queen had reached together. At the breakfast table, with the King, Queen, Liam, and Falty all present, she was informed that the Queen would be conducting her education.

Then, facing the Queen's gaze, which was sharper than when they had first met, she fought the urge to step back and opened her mouth.

"U-Um... when will it begin?"

"We are starting right now."

"Huh?"

"Are you ready? You are here as a member of the royal family. You must acquire the manners of royalty, which are different from what you have known. With your marriage, we have received numerous letters from other countries wishing to visit."

"...!"

After a brief pause, the Queen stated flatly,

"You must be aware of your position. You are no longer a student."

Hearing those words, Falty felt a chill run through her entire body.

The phrase 'no longer a student' felt somehow terrifying, incomprehensible. She had already graduated from the academy, so it should have been obvious, but it was as if the reality of it was only just now sinking in.

"...Um..."

"Ambition is a fine thing. However."

There was nothing but sheer force in the Queen's gaze and demeanor. She had been so kind to her before, and Falty wondered why she was being admonished so severely now, though she had a nagging suspicion she knew the reason.

'I'm confident I can become a Crown Princess just as good as Lupia!' Falty hadn't meant any harm by those words, but she also hadn't considered that she was being far too dismissive of Lupia, which only made it worse.

"Because of your words, all of those who would have overseen the Crown Princess's education have refused. Do you understand why?"

"What? Uh, no..."

"You trampled upon all the feelings of the daughter of the Calmond Ducal Family, who had been patiently enduring so much since she was a small child."

"I-I never meant to!"

"Having confidence in yourself is a wonderful thing. But where was the need to say it out loud?"

"That's..."

During her academy days, saying such things earned her praise like 'Amazing!' But this was no longer the academy. Falty's position, her circumstances—everything was different. Had she been an ordinary count's daughter, things might not have turned out this way, but it seemed she still hadn't grasped that she needed to change her entire way of thinking.

"Also, it will be a problem if you cannot speak five other languages in addition to your own."

"...!?"

"Why are you so surprised? The daughter of the Calmond Ducal Family could speak them. And as for reading and writing, she could manage about that many as well, as a matter of course."

Falty was stunned. She had been looking only at her academy grades, completely arrogant in her excellence as a scholarship student. Now she was being forced to realize the sheer difference in the quality and quantity of their efforts, just how extraordinary Lupia truly was. At the same time, she realized she had been incredibly rude.

"..."

A cold sweat trickled down her back.

"You won't say you cannot do it, will you? You are, after all, exceptional."

"...I will do it."

But still, she had come this far, and her skills were genuine. Judging by the numbers she could see, she was certainly not inferior to Lupia. There was no way she could say she couldn't do it. Falty looked the Queen straight in the eye and nodded.

"Very well. Then, as part of your practical etiquette lessons, all future meals and tea times will be taken with me. Liam, you will sort the documents the Crown Princess must handle. I will have Falty do them."

"As you wish, Mother."

"Your Majesty, is that acceptable?"

"...Hmph."

"In order to atone for our discourtesy toward the daughter of the Calmond Ducal Family, you must master everything at a tremendous speed. Manners, languages, history, economics, everything."

Her hands trembled unconsciously. But who had brought this on? Falty and Liam themselves. Falty understood, if only because she had checked her status screen, that this ending was the result of some failure or missed opportunity. But in her heart, she had not given up. She was determined to somehow analyze what had gone wrong and take back what she could.

Though there was nothing to take back, Falty would likely not realize this until she met Lupia in person.

Falty had failed in only one thing. Lupia herself had not introduced him to her—Lupia's twin brother. This was an event that could only occur if her friendship level with Lupia was maxed out. While Lupia had been in a state of being controlled by the system, her consciousness hazy, she hadn't thought to resist, nor did she have the luxury to.

And yet, the conditions to trigger the event had been met. It was Falty who had missed it.

Just once. But that one time was all it took.

The most difficult ending to achieve, the 'Grand Finale Ending,' could not be completed without it. Now that Falty had reached the 'Queen End,' it was an impossible wish. Unless a miracle occurred to turn back time, it was unattainable.

Falty gritted her teeth and endured the pressure that began right there at the breakfast table.

"This is... going to continue...?"

This wasn't a one-time thing. This was the beginning. The 'reality' resulting from the choices she had made had just begun.

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

≪She missed it.≫

≪Even after we gave her so many hints.≫

≪When will anyone ever reach the Grand Finale?≫

≪Come, let us 'set' the 'next' one.≫

≪We will simply do it until it is done.≫

Multiple mechanical voices echoed from all around.

They would repeat until all endings were achieved. That is what a game is. It's unbearable for those caught up in it, but once this is over, surely.

——Surely, it will all end.