[Alterisa's POV]

"My lady!!! Please wake up!!!"

Nnnnghhh... Wha... Who... Who dares... disturb... my slumber...

"My lady...! P-Please wake up!"

"Mmmhh...? Anne... Maria-chan... It's still so early..."

I'm still super sleepy... I couldn't sleep that well last night.

After all, today would be... the Matriculation Ceremony for the freshmen who'd enter the Royal Academy.

The matriculation ceremony is simply a formality to welcome all the freshmen to the academy. It will also be the day all freshmen move to the dorms they'll be living in during their stay in the academy and acclimate to the new environment before starting school in a few days.

We were busy packing up yesterday since I, Anne, Maria-chan, and Iris would be staying in the dorm starting today.

At first, I only thought of bringing Anne as my personal maid there to help me with my daily activities and Fubuki since he's my familiar. But Maria-chan and Iris insisted on going with me, so I acquiesced and told them they could return home during weekends to be with Vincent.

After all, they're a family. But they immediately rejected me and chose to stay with me the entire time.

"It will be fine, Alterisa-sama~! Brother will be busy working with Big sis Laura as one of your proxies during your stay in the academy either way, and I want to serve you every day!!!"

"Vincent can take care of himself thanks to your graciousness, my lady. And even though I am aware that you are a powerful mage, I implore you to let me stay by your side so I can be your sword and shield."

"I-I see... I understand~ Thank you so much, Maria-chan~ Iris~ Let's have a lot of fun together~! Of course, Anne and Fubuki as well~!"

""Yes~/ Yes. / Yes, my lady. / Kyuuu~!!!""

It ended very well, but that wasn't the reason why I couldn't sleep.

The reason is because this is the day the heroine... would meet all the capture targets...

I had trouble sleeping because of that... Lily and Lu-nii had already assured me that nothing would happen and logically, I know I won't be persecuted if I just don't do anything related to her. But as expected, I still couldn't help but be nervous...

I slept very late into the night, and even then, it was a very light sleep since I kept waking up throughout the night.

So I'm seriously very sleepy right now...

"M-My lady! Please wake up!"

"Mmmh... Just five more minutes..."

"You can't, my lady! H-H-His highness the crown prince is here!!!"

Huh...? Alex...?

"His highness...? Alex? Hehehe... Are yo ustill dreaming, Anne... Why would... Alex... Be here..."

I began to doze off again, but then, a familiar voice resounded from the door that immediately blew away all my sleepiness from shock.

"A very good morning to you, my beloved Risa. I'm sorry to have woken you so early in the morning, but I simply couldn't wait to escort you to the royal academy where we'll be spending most of our time together from now on."

!!!

My eyes went wide immediately as my body sprang up and saw Alex standing by the door with a bright smile on his stupid handsome face.

"W-W-W-W-Wha-?!"

W-Why in the world is Alex here?!?!?!?!

Wait... Escort...? I-Is he really going to escort me?! Like actually?!

I-I mean, he did promise me, but I thought it's just a formality!!!

Alexus didn't escort Alterisa for her first day in the Royal Academy in "Lovely Happenings"! He said he was super busy with his student council work, which was something I thought was just a reason for him not to meet Alterisa.

But turns out, I've heard from Lu-nii that Alexus just got dumped with mountains of paperwork he needed to go through as the student council president in the royal academy because of the matriculation ceremony! That's why him promising me that he'd escort me today was just formality!!!

"W-W-Why are you here...? W-What about your work...?"

"Hm? Ah, my duties as the student council president? Don't worry, Risa. I've finished all of them as quickly as possible so I can be here to escort you and be with you on your first day."

"..."

... Was it something that could've been done that quickly...?

No, Lu-nii had also been complaining about how many things they had to do as members of the student council for the Matriculation Ceremony, so it must be true.

But... Why...?

I looked at him and saw him smiling ever so softly. It was a smile I knew very well. It was the kind of smile he'd only show when we're alone...

Suddenly, I felt my face heating up and I immediately dove back into my bed and covered myself with the duvet.

C-Could it be...?! D-Did he really do all that so that he could escort me today...?!

"I-I-I-I see! G-G-Go wait in the parlor!!!! I-I-I'll get ready as quickly as possible!!!"

"No need to rush, Risa. I only came this early so that I could see you the first thing in the morning. Take your time. I will be with Lucas in the parlor."

"U-Uhn!"

I heard his footsteps slowly fading into the distance and slowly peeked out of my duvet, looking at Anne and Maria-chan who were both smiling wryly at me.

"U-Uuuuhh... I-I'm awake now... P-Please help me change..."

"" Yes. / Yes~!""

--------------------------------X--------------------------------

[3rd Person POV]

Alexus returned to the parlor where Lucas was seated, reading a letter with the seal of the royal family.

It was a letter Lily asked her brother to pass on to Lucas when he came to the Lorya Estate to escort Alterisa.

He took a seat on the couch opposite of him, took a sip from his cup of tea, and turned to his best friend.

"...So, what did she say?"

"...I have to admit. Lily is the last person I'd want as my enemy... I had chills down my back when I read it."

Lucas let out a deep sigh and leaned back to his chair, letting his hand rest on his lap limply.

"Ahahaha... That's true. Even now, I still can't believe she had already established her own information network and an entire organization to protect Risa in the academy right under our noses."

Alex smiled wryly at the thought of his little sister. Even though she was still young, she already had the intelligence and cunningness to do such a thing without him even realizing it. He couldn't help but recall how shocked he was when she told him about this with the most innocent and bright smile.

"Well, I guess it is to be expected. There are a lot of groups already dedicated to admiring and supporting her, but all their activities are kept very secret. Unless we're a member, it'll be difficult to know what they're doing. And considering it's Lily who's pulling the strings, we might not even know that they've united under her banner after she convinced them that it'll be better for them to work together and make Risa's academy life amazing until she told us."

Alexus glanced at Lucas, who was smiling helplessly on the couch before him, and let out a smirk.

"Well, good luck with her, brother. I hope you won't be played with too much by her in the future."

"Ahahaha... I feel like she had already tied her strings on my limbs pretty tightly... So tight that I might lose them if I even try to escape..."

Hana had always been this way since even before they came to this world. People who only knew her on the surface would say that she's beautiful, graceful, kind, gentle, smart, and tender. Akari, who was her closest friend, knew that she's a teaser beneath those gentleness and gracefulness.

But he knew she was more than that. She had always been... terrifyingly intelligent and cunning. She was the underground queen who controlled the school from the shadows, all so she, Akari, and he could live a peaceful, happy school life.

But despite all the thorns she had, in his eyes, she was still the most beautiful rose. And fortunately, she reciprocated his feelings.

Lucas sighed, but his lips were curled into a genuinely happy smile.

"... You seem to not be bothered by it."

"Of course. I'm used to it, and I don't intend on struggling."

"Is that the power of love?"

Alexus smirked at his best friend, but he returned it in kind.

"You know it well too, don't you? What that feeling can make you do for the one you love deeply."

"You're right... I do. Please take care of her."

"Of course."

Lucas then began to read the second page of the letter. And this time, it was a love letter from his rose princess.

Alexus watched as Lucas read the letter with a smile he never saw him make to anyone else. It was similar to the smile his little sister had while he was writing that letter.

Just from seeing it, he knew that they're already completely in love with each other.

I must also look like this whenever I look at Risa...

After a while, Lucas finished reading Lily's letter. He put it back into the envelope and slipped it into his inner suit pocket before turning to Alexus.

"By the way, there's something I wanted to tell you. I just received news of this yesterday."

"Hm? What is it?"

"There's been a few nobles who are insinuating that Alterisa is gaining too much power and threatening your position. They're afraid that your authority as Crown Prince, and in the future, the Crown would be undermined by her wealth and still rising popularity and influence amongst both the nobility and the populace."

A heavy sigh escaped the mouth of the crown prince.

"...So what? Why are you telling me this?"

"I'm just curious about your thoughts on this. After all, it's not rare for nobles to envy and become fearful of someone who might threaten their position and authority. Even if it was someone from their family, or their spouse."

Seeing his smirk, Alexus could already guess why Lucas is saying this now. But his answer won't change.

"It's simply foolish. Why would I envy the woman I've been chasing for and love for years?"

"Why? Even though she's like that, with the money and influence she has, she could outshine you, you know?"

"Of course she can. And I would love for her to continue to shine even brighter. Her happiness is my happiness, and I will support her in everything she does."

Alexus let out another sigh and picked up his cup of tea.

"The idea that a man must control everything is outdated, Lucas. Even Father relies on Mother to control the noble lady society of the empire. One man cannot hold everything in his hands, much less control them. So why must I push away a couple of trustworthy hands, especially that belonging to my beloved?"

He took a sip and placed the cup back onto the porcelain saucer he held with his other hand and looked at Lucas in the eye.

"I believe I've said this to you, but I'll say it again. I wish to rule this kingdom WITH her. I don't plan on making her an ornament in the palace. I want her to be my wife, my queen, not a doll wearing a crown. Though of course, if she wanted to live life without the need to worry about such things, then I will give it to her."

A few moments of silence passed as the two most powerful young men in the entire kingdom stared at each other, before Lucas broke into a smile.

"I see... Well, thanks for sharing your thoughts with me. So? What should we do about them?"

"Leave them be. Even if we don't do anything, I'm sure that the Silium (Evelyn's family), Silva (Celine's family), Raeven (Noir's family), Varion (Keith's family), Magus (Valerie's family), Karion (Stella's family), Hildegard (Melissa's family), Luminum (Illya's family), Roberta (Amelia's family), and many more will silence them soon enough. We don't have to worry about them."

"That's true. They're really sensitive when it comes to Alterisa. Well, I'm glad you think that way. Because if you were to have even a thought of harming her... Let's just say Lily and I have thought of some plans to involve all of our friends' family to make you come to your senses."

"Heh, if I do ever harm her, then I'd probably deserve everything you guys will do to me. But it won't happen."

"Well, you'll be busy trying to get her to notice you, so I guess you won't have any leeway of thinking about useless stuff/"

Alexus flinched and sent a glare at Lucas before sighing.

"...You sure know where to poke to hurt me."

"Ahahaha! Don't worry, Alex. When it comes to his male admirers, I can confidently say you're number one right now."

"That doesn't comfort me... The ones I'm really concerned about are the girls!!! With their power, they could make the noble society accept same-sex marriage!!! Especially that Evelyn, I know she won't stop at anything!""

"A-Ahahaha... That's true... She has been laying down the groundwork for it using those BL stories Hana wrote...Heh, is this also another prank you're doing to your brother?"

"Hm? What did you say?"

"Ah it's nothing."



AN: I hope you guys enjoy this chapter~! Please vote and comment your thoughts~!