CH 448.1

Coming to get them.

“So your uniform is still the standard one.”

The fabric seemed to be of good quality, but the specifications seemed to be the same as those of commoners.

“Yeah, I didn’t want to fuss about it too much. Miss Cristea, you… look great in that.”

Sei blushed a little as he said that.

“Thank you. As for me, I wanted to go more modest than this, but… I apparently cannot do without putting on certain appearance because of my family status. It’s bothersome.”

“Oh my! Cristea-sama, you are a very lovely girl, so I don’t think there’s a need for you to be modest! My, oh my! How delicate and wonderful these laces are. Oh my, this embroidery is also fantastic…!”

Suzaku-sama quickly came up to me and started to check the laces and embroidery.

“Ahaha…”

The academy’s staff member? It would be nice if the person wasn’t scary.

“… Lord, it seems someone’s here to pick you up.”

Kurogane sensed a presence and turned his gaze to the door of the lounge.

“I will go take a look.”

As I watched Miria quickly make her way to the entrance hall, I fired myself up, thinking that it was finally time.

“Hey, Cristea. I came to get you. Congratulations on your enrollment.”

“Oniisama!?”

It was my smiling Oniisama.

“The headmaster said I was the most suitable to come get you. His Highness wanted to come too, but he has to lead the entrance ceremony, so I’ve asked him to go to the venue first.”

I, I’m glad~! I can be relieved knowing that Oniisama was with me.

“I was surprised because Teacher Neil didn’t say anything about you coming to get us, Oniisama. I was surprised because we weren’t told the details.”

“Ah, right… I told him to keep it secret. I wanted to surprise you.”

Oniisama smiled as if his prank was a success.

“Geez! Oniisama, you… I was certainly surprised, but above all, I feel relieved now. I was wondering what to do if someone I didn’t know came.”

“Haha, you are shy as always, Cristea. But you’ll have to get over your shyness if you want to make it through academy.”

… I don’t think I’m shy, but… for some reason, people kept a distance from me at the New Year’s party, and I just didn’t have time to make friends with other kids because I got lost in the Royal Palace.

I’m not sure if it’s because I didn’t actively try to make other friends after I became friends with Marielle-chan that my Oniisama deemed me shy.