"Once more, my deepest thanks for your support and provisions, Prince Ludwin," Count Shadowstep intoned, bowing gracefully before the prince. "Our fortunes shifted when our covert operative managed to locate and neutralize the enemy's jamming device. Our nds are now secure, thanks to your aid." His gratitude was palpable, yet I couldn't help but mask my cynicism with a forced smile. In my mind's eye, I rolled my eyes. Had Prince Ludwin truly contributed anything of substance? It seemed to me he had merely pyed the role of a glorified messenger, participating in a skirmish here and there before returning home. Yet, why did John Sark and the rest of the royal guard ud him as if he were a savior? I had felled more foes than he during the goblin raids!

  As we made our way back to the capital by carriage, the city was abuzz with festivities celebrating the royal prince's triumphant return alongside the main heroine. Upon our arrival in the noble district and the academy, all anyone could talk about were Prince Heracles and Cire, a Level 8 Light Mage.

  "Hmm? Wasn't Cire supposed to join us in the academy's higher education program? Why is she already here?" I pondered aloud to my companions in the cafeteria.

  "Oh, you're aware of my brother and his fiancée?" Prince Ludwin interjected, breaking into our conversation with a familiarity that bordered on intrusion. Royals, it seemed, recognized no boundaries when it came to inserting themselves into others' discussions.

  "Ah, yes, of course," I replied, maintaining politeness.

  "They've indeed arrived a bit early. As you mentioned, they'll be joining us as cssmates in the higher education program once we've completed our accelerated course. Cire was eager to get acquainted with the academy and forge bonds with us as fellow mages. By the way," he added, extending an invitation with a flourish, "this is for you, Alicia, Safira, and yourself. I'd be honored if you attended our tea party."

  "...Yes, Your Highness," I responded, albeit with a hint of reluctance.

  Trapped by circumstances, I found myself at the tea party, where she was inevitably present. Despite having never seen her face—as the web novel offered no illustrations—her unique mana signature was unmistakable. I intended to keep my distance, yet it was she who sought me out. Could she possibly have something to discuss with me?

  "Good day. Might you be Princess Cire?" I inquired, with a polite nod.

  "Indeed. And you must be the much-talked-about Lady Elidranthia. Rumors suggest you're quite close to my fiancé's brother, Ludwin. Have you aspired to become my sister-in-w, Lady Elidranthia?" she replied, her tone ced with curiosity.

  "Far from it, Princess Cire," I assured her, my smile tight and polite. At that moment, Charlotte, Prince Ludwin's sister, approached with warm greetings.

  "She may not admit to being close, but Lady Eli is certainly a leading figure in that regard. Please, join us," Charlotte encouraged, her presence as the protagonist of "The Assassinated Princess: Returning Back in Time to Live a Happy Life" making her both approachable and humble. Her welcome stood in stark contrast to the cold reception from other nobles, who seemed to deliberately avoid her.

  "Why would you extend such a warm welcome to a heretic? Despite her status as a mage, she's nothing but a demon's puppet, one who has turned her back on the teachings of mana," another noble hissed to me, accusing Cire of being the heretic. Their words echoed the silent agreement of many in the room.

  I watched the unfolding scene with a puzzled tilt of my head. In the novels, the prejudice and accusations against Cire were directly led by Ludwin, making this undercurrent of gossip unexpected. The novels depicted snder as overt and confrontational, often escating to dramatic confrontations and even rebellion. They were not known for resolving conflicts through dialogue but rather through intrigue, counterplots, and the inevitable fall of those in power.

  "I see," I murmured softly. Ludwin's change of heart meant he no longer served as a tool for the theocracy's discrimination. In his absence, they resorted to spreading snder to tarnish the reputations of Heracles and Cire.

  Suddenly, a striking figure entered the room. His blonde hair and blue eyes, hallmarks of royal lineage, left no doubt of his identity. He must be Heracles, the eldest prince of the Althemer Empire.

  "Greetings, Brother Heracles. It's been five years since we st met."

  "Yeah, never thought you'd be starting school next year. Shame Ludwin couldn't wait for you. He had to move ahead to the advanced csses, leaving his sister behind."

  "Indeed, Ludwin is special. Even in the accelerated css, he stood out as one of the top students," Charlotte responded with a hint of mencholy. "I, on the other hand, am just a manaless nobody."

  "Come now! You're my sister, a royal! We don't abide by the discriminatory doctrines of those churches. They care for only a fraction of their flock."

  "Brother, the truth remains that without mages, our capabilities are limited."

  "Mages are the progeny of deities, entrusted with enriching the nd and nurturing those beneath them," Heracles procimed. His outlook was reminiscent of the Western Ideologies I'd heard of, yet strikingly simir to our own theocratic beliefs surrounding mana.

  "Indeed, brother. But isn't it also taught that those without mana must heed the mages' guidance?" Ludwin interjected smoothly, joining our—now clearly our—conversation. I had to remind myself not to be lulled into the illusion of being merely an observer to their familial discourse. The moment for my inclusion was imminent, as evidenced by Cire's smiling gnce in my direction.

  "That doesn't mean we must become their inferiors," Heracles added,

  "Nobody was a sv— Agh!" Cire, wanting to support her fiance, suddenly clutched her throat, her eyes widening in shock as she began to cough violently.

  "Hmm? What's wrong, Lady Cire?" Charlotte and Ludwin inquired with concern. Cire gnced around, her gaze nding on me with an expression of astonishment.

  "Erm. No, nothing. Just swallowed my tea wrong. Hehe," she managed a strained smile before excusing herself to pick flowers.

  "Alright, as I was saying, Brother, nobody is a sve here. Our country values meritocracy: those who contribute more, receive more. It's as simple as that. Even the West follows a simir principle, right? Unless, of course, they intentionally suppress mages' wages and restrict their movement to other countries by force."

  "It's reassuring to hear that, despite being mages, you stand apart from those corrupt priests in the theocracies," Heracles continued, warming to his theme. "However, I must tell you about the Lustria Kingdom, where Princess Cire hails from. It truly embodies the ideals that the theocracy of mana preaches but falls short of implementing. Lustria stands as a beacon of what they aspire to achieve, demonstrating how mages and civilians can coexist harmoniously."

  Heracles went on to extol the virtues of a nation not governed solely by mages or monarchs but by a senate representing both mages and the common people. He preached about democracy, where every voice is heard, and the people live in harmony.

  "Elidranthia, what do you think?" Ludwin asked, stroking his chin thoughtfully. Charlotte seemed agitated by the conversation and looked at me, her eyes pleading, 'You're our only hope! Counter him with your intellect!' But I'm merely a count's daughter.

  "So, are you suggesting you'd renounce your royal title? If the Senate governs everything, why does Princess Cire remain a princess?" I posed the question. Charlotte tensed, her fists clenching as if she were about to celebrate a victory, but she restrained herself, mindful of proper etiquette. Ludwin, seizing on the opening in Prince Heracles's argument, quickly interjected.

  "Yes! What purpose does a princess serve if the Senate governs everything?" Ludwin almost shouted in excitement. Heracles fell silent, his gaze shifting thoughtfully towards Cire, who had just returned from picking flowers.

  "Long ago, the king and queen endorsed and supported this vision. And since the transition occurred without any bloodshed, the roles of king, queen, princes, and princesses were preserved. However, they are merely titles now," Cire added, providing crity.

  "I see," Ludwin murmured, his expression turning to a frown, while Charlotte seemed to find encouragement in Heracles's vision, her smile a silent nod of support. It appeared that the notion of retaining a princess's title was particurly appealing to her. I wanted to express that such a transformation was unfeasible here, but the words eluded me. With three dukes in power, and presumably only the merchant faction endorsing these ideologies, backing Heracles would mean pitting the royal family against the Sne and Bron factions. A civil conflict of that magnitude would be devastating. Even if, by some chance, we managed to sway Duke Bron to our cause, the Sne faction, with the theocracy's support, would inevitably decre war on us.

  "So, does the problem then shift to the dukes? Are you suggesting we demote Duke Bron, Duke Sne, and Duke Luca to commoners?" I inquired, turning the spotlight on Prince Heracles and Cire, who were momentarily taken aback by the question.

  "Well, I don't expect such changes to occur overnight. It will take time, but I'm confident they will come around in the end. All I ask is for my sister and brother's support," Heracles reasoned with a hopeful tone.

  "Well…" Charlotte began, exchanging a gnce with Ludwin. Her smile faded as she noticed Ludwin's stern gaze fixed on Heracles.

  "No," Ludwin stated unequivocally. "Ousting the nobility would only invite chaos. A king is made to rule. His Majesty exists to make decisions. It is not merely a fancy title."

  "I see. Well, today's gathering was meant for tea, not deep political discourse. Let's enjoy ourselves," Heracles conceded with a smile, eager to lighten the mood. He proceeded to serve the new tea leaves and cookies made with Lustria's kingdom's recipe to everyone, steering the conversation back to more pleasant topics.

  "Sorry," Ludwin said with a stern gaze, taking a bite from the cookies Heracles had offered.

  "Likewise. The mere fact that you didn't outright reject us is already a huge boon to me. I half-expected you'd try to have us killed the moment we set foot in this country."

  "I share your sentiment. However, I'm not ready to dismantle our nobility system just yet."

  "I understand. It would be nice if we could end this in peace."

  Our conversation drifted into more casual topics, mingling with other guests until the sunset, and it was time for Safira, Alicia, and me to head home.

  "Ugh! Why do the royals always bring trouble wherever they go? Politics are such a headache!" I vented, more to the air than anyone in particur. Yet, R25B chuckled at this, while Alicia and Safira could only offer wry smiles in response.