The Young Lady Has Disappeared

The sight of Lillian and Yulia dancing was dazzlingly beautiful. Should I say it was precious? That kind of feeling.

Lillian, with her sharp eyes softened, wore a beautiful smile as she matched steps with Yulia. Surprisingly, Lillian was also good at leading the dance as the male part.

Under the brilliantly shining chandelier. In the ball that had been composed of only men and women, two women stepped in rhythm. One, two. One, two. The imperial social circles did tolerate same-sex dancing, but usually, it was only applicable to young children.

Lillian and Yulia were... well, borderline? But, well, almost no one thought it was strange. They just expressed displeasure at Lillian holding hands and pressing bodies with Yulia, a commoner.

In this world, the difference between nobles and commoners is like heaven and earth. Especially in the current era, commoners are gradually increasing their wealth. Because of this, nobles tried even harder to suppress commoners. If not, their authority would be increasingly encroached upon.

Of course, it has nothing to do with me. I turned my gaze back to the imperial princess. The second most noble woman in the empire at present, and a woman who doesn't hide her ambition for the throne. A woman who is always confident and at the same time considers the empire as her top priority in life.

Her purple hair, characteristic of the imperial family, and her ruby-like eyes that shone as brilliantly as that purple hair, were objects of admiration for people. When her fingertips move, people's gazes follow those fingertips, and wherever her footsteps lead, people's processions follow.

As the dance of the young lady and Yulia ended, people started to gather around the imperial princess again. The imperial princess was trying to converse with all the people flocking to her with a full smile on her face.

That's when it happened.

"...Abolish it-! Abolish it!"

The voices of several people heard from outside. The music stops and people tilt their heads. The imperial princess also seemed to have heard those voices as she momentarily looked out the window.

"What's that sound?"

"Yeah, what is it?"

"F-Fire!"

"W-Wait a moment...! The building has been sealed off!"

"What?"

It was a situation I had expected, though it came faster than I thought. Although momentarily flustered, the imperial princess quickly regained her composure and started to lead the people.

"Everyone! Enter the guest rooms! Given the situation, it would be better to enter with mixed genders. Three men and three women should enter one room and take shelter."

"Y-Yes!"

The flustered nobles instantly regained their composure at the imperial princess's order and rushed out of the ballroom.

The structure of the Belestes Hall, where the ball is held, consists of the 3rd floor as the banquet hall and the 1st and 2nd floors as guest rooms. Because of this, the nobles started to rush down the stairs competitively.

"Don't get hurt! Evacuate while maintaining noble dignity! I will assess the situation!"

The nobles who were rushing around in a hurry suddenly started to walk in formation. Although their pace was still faster than usual, it didn't seem like accidents would happen like before. Yulia and Lillian also carefully moved their steps among the crowd.

After confirming that Yulia and Lillian had safely gone down, I quietly returned above the imperial princess. They did end up mixed with three strange fellows, but it should be fine. Both Lillian and Yulia didn't seem to have much interest in men.

"Y-Your Highness! Your Highness should also evacuate...!"

At the cries of the retainers who were still remaining, the imperial princess looked at them with a resolute face.

"I'll be fine, so see to your own safety first."

"Your Highness...!"

The retainers looked at the imperial princess with teary eyes as if moved. Hmm, is this what they call a blessing in disguise? Thinking this, I followed the imperial princess as she moved. The imperial princess occasionally looked up anxiously, but she boldly headed towards the sealed main entrance of the building. The fire had already spread there to some extent.

"Guards! Are the firefighting tools prepared?"

"Yes. We just had a fire inspection a few days ago."

The guards who brought lots of dry cloth, water, and sand started to throw them on the fire. Fortunately, it didn't seem to be a fire set with oil, so the fire started to gradually subside. But this can't be the end, right?

Bam-!

The door of Belestes Hall opens as if it's about to break. And then angry-looking students start to pour in.

Hmm, isn't it getting dangerous? I thought this as I looked at the imperial princess. But the imperial princess was just looking at the students with her usual confident face.

The students, overwhelmed by her appearance with her purple hair tightly tied and her ruby-like eyes shining, flinched and couldn't come in any further. Then the imperial princess slowly opened her mouth.

"What exactly are you demanding to abolish?"

"I-Is that the Imperial Princess?"

"...Mm."

"If it's the Imperial Princess, that's even better! Let's talk! The Imperial Princess is related to the student council, right?"

Voices that seem impatient spring up here and there. Then someone who looked like the representative of the students who started the uprising stepped forward.

A man wearing glasses looked at the imperial princess while pushing up his glasses. Although he had a small build, he didn't seem to be overwhelmed much by the imperial princess's intimidating presence.

"Greetings, Your Imperial Highness."

"Hmm, you're the eldest son of Viscount Harvidens. What's the matter?"

The Harvidens eldest son momentarily flinched, seemingly not at all expecting her to know him. But he soon regained his composure and opened his mouth.

"We are demanding the abolition of regular exams held at Aptem Academy."

"...Oh my. Although it's a place for socializing, Aptem Academy is a school. To demand the abolition of exams in such a place. What are you thinking to say such a thing? And not just a simple proposal, but leading such a mob."

"Uh, well."

At the imperial princess's rapid-fire attack, young lord Harvidens seemed momentarily at a loss for words and fumbled. But as if he had prepared words, he soon started to continue speaking haltingly.

"First, as, as Your Imperial Highness said, Aptem Academy... is a place for socializing. As such a place, it would be better not to have stress from academics... Um, and in the first place, what's taught at Aptem Academy isn't very practical. Things like territory management or accounting, it's better to learn these from the family... And things like national language, history, mathematics, aren't these subjects that commoners should learn in the first place?"

"Hmm. Is that what you think?"

"Yes... So we, the united students, are demanding the abolition of exams."

The imperial princess, who had been closing her eyes for a moment and repeating young lord Harvidens's words, opened her eyes after 2 minutes had passed. During those 2 minutes, young lord Harvidens had been anxiously biting his nails, but the imperial princess paid no mind to that and answered with a refreshing smile.

"Hmm, your logic is weak."

"Wh-Where?"

"It's just that Her Imperial Highness doesn't like it, so she's saying it's weak!"

"That's right!"

Perhaps because young lord Harvidens had been trying to continue speaking at the front, the crowd that had been quiet under the imperial princess's intimidation started to ignite again. But the imperial princess simply stopped them by raising her hand.

It's really amazing. Is this the power of someone who has learned the art of ruling? No, it could be innate.

"First. Although it's a place for socializing, this is an academy. An academy has the purpose of teaching students. And you might be thinking it's difficult because of the word 'exam'... But originally, exams are meant to gauge students' levels and to provide appropriate classes for those students. They're not meant to torment students."

"B-But..."

"As proof of that, exams at Aptem Academy have supplementary classes but no particular disadvantages. The supplementary classes are not to embarrass students, but to help them keep up with their studies, right?"

"..."

Oh, it suddenly became quiet. While I was blankly observing the debate between the imperial princess and the students, young lord Harvidens bit his lip slightly and rebutted.

"B-But what we learn at the academy isn't very helpful!"

"Who decides what is helpful and what isn't? Do you really think that everything you've learned so far has been of no help at all?"

"..."

"Even if it's not helpful now, can you say that it will never be helpful throughout your lives? Well. I don't think so."

"..."

The students were silent like dumb people who had eaten honey. This is a win.

Just as I was thinking that, I heard the sound of clapping from inside.

Clap, clap, clap. Along with that, the ranks of students parted like the Red Sea. As she confirmed the person slowly walking out, the imperial princess bit her lip slightly.

"...Ugh!"

What's this, I can't see well. As I was moving my body this way and that to confirm who was walking out from inside, I could understand why the imperial princess had bitten her lip.

A man wearing a monkey mask. It was that uncouth person who had talked with the imperial princess before.