Aurora and Elise sat on the classroom floor, trying to act calm after yesterday's chaos on the tree and their pillow "attack."
Aurora whispered, "Do you think they suspect anything?"
Elise, holding a pillow like a weapon, whispered back, "Of course they don't. were as sneaky as a mouse. And we only want to survive that's all that matters."
Aurora nodded solemnly and popped a candy into her mouth for courage.
Just then, the classroom door opened.
Aurora and Elise froze.
In walked Prince Rovel Arden, Aurora's golden-haired fiancé, and Lord Adrian Falkreath, Elise's fiancé. Both gave the two villainesses a long, suspicious look.
Aurora's heart skipped a beat. Elise's hand instinctively went to the pillow beside her.
"Good morning, Lady Sophia," Prince Rovel said, his golden eyes scanning her from head to toe.
Aurora bowed perfectly. "Good morning, Your Highness."
Rovel raised an eyebrow. "You look… different today."
Aurora froze. Different? How? What did I do?!
Elise, trying not to laugh, whispered to Aurora, "He noticed."
Aurora whispered back, "Don't panic!"
Rovel walked closer. "And you, Lady Elise. You're… smiling more than usual."
Elise gulped and gripped her pillow. "I… I was… thinking about… a very serious noble matter."
Aurora's jaw dropped. Seriously? That's your excuse?
The princes exchanged glances. Something told them both that the girls were definitely hiding something.
Suddenly, from the back of the classroom, someone whispered loudly, "Did you hear the rumor?"
Aurora tensed.
Elise hissed, "What rumor?!"
"It's… that Lady Sophia and Lady Elise are secretly meeting outside class. EVERY day."
Aurora and Elise's eyes widened.
"…They know!" Elise whispered, dramatically throwing her pillow on the floor.
Aurora hit the floor too, softly slapping it with both hands. "This is officially the worst."
Elise groaned, pressing her forehead to the floor. "All the doom flags are everywhere, and now the rumors too!"
Five minutes later, both villainesses had recovered their composure. They stood elegantly and walked down the hallway as if nothing had happened.
"Perfect villainess mode," Aurora muttered, brushing crumbs off her uniform.
Elise grinned. "Until the next prince shows up."
And sure enough, as they rounded the corner, there was Lucian Valmere, the duke's son from Sophia's bad ending route, and Prince Rovel, looking suspiciously like they were ready to catch the girls in the act.
Aurora froze. "Elise…"
Elise grabbed her arm. "…We hide. NOW."
The two of them dove behind a large potted plant, nearly knocking it over, while trying not to giggle.
From behind the plant, Aurora whispered, "Do they know we were on the roof yesterday?"
Elise whispered back, "Of course they do. Every prince in this kingdom notices when enemies act weird."
Aurora sighed. "Why is being a villainess so stressful?"
Elise lightly punched her pillow beside her. "Because we're too beautiful and too clever. It's exhausting."
After a moment of dramatic floor-slapping and pillow punching, the coast seemed clear.
They slowly peeked out.
Rovel and Lucian had moved on… for now.
Aurora dusted herself off and picked up a candy she had dropped. "We survive. We thrive. And we eat sweets."
Elise nodded. "And maybe… we already need to start a plan."
Aurora grinned. "And this time… no doom ends."
Elise smirked. "Obviously."
Sophia and Elise walked through the academy hallway like proper noble ladies.
Elegant posture.
Calm expressions.
Perfect manners.
Inside their heads--
Total panic.
Sophia whispered without moving her lips, "Do you think the rumors got worse?"
Elise whispered back, "Definitely."
Sophia sighed.
"Next time we climb a tree we should make sure no one sees us."
Elise nodded.
"Agreed."
They turned the corner--
"Lady Sophia."
Sophia jumped.
Actually jumped.
She spun around so fast her ribbon almost fell out.
Prince Rovel stood behind her, looking mildly surprised.
Sophia grabbed her chest.
"Y-Your Highness!"
Rovel raised an eyebrow.
"…Did I scare you?"
Sophia forced a noble smile.
"Not at all."
Behind her, Elise whispered,
"You literally jumped."
Sophia whispered back,
"Shhhh." she said a little embarassed.
They entered the classroom and sat down.
Everything seemed normal.
Sophia relaxed slightly.
Then suddenly--
"Lady Elise."
Elise yelped quietly and nearly fell off her chair.
Standing beside her desk was Lucian Valmere.
Elise stared at him.
Then at Sophia.
Then back at Lucian.
"…When did you get here?"
Lucian looked confused.
"I walked through the door."
Elise slowly nodded.
"Of course you did."
Sophia leaned closer and whispered,
"Jump scare number two."
Elise whispered back,
"I almost died."
Class began.
Sophia tried to focus.
She really tried.
But every few minutes she noticed Prince Rovel looking at her.
She glanced back.
Their eyes met.
Sophia quickly looked away.
Wait.
Her brain suddenly paused.
Why does he look so…
She stared again.
Golden hair.
Bright eyes.
Calm expression.
Sophia's brain made a dangerous realization.
…He's actually really handsome.
Sophia immediately hid behind her book.
Elise noticed.
"What?"
Sophia whispered,
"Problem."
"What problem?"
Sophia pointed slightly.
Elise glanced toward Prince Rovel.
Then toward Lucian.
Then toward Adrian across the room.
She blinked slowly.
"…Oh."
Sophia whispered,
"They're all handsome."
Elise nodded very seriously.
"This is a serious problem."
A few minutes later Sophia quietly slid a candy across the desk.
Elise caught it.
But just as Elise was about to eat it--
"Lady Elise."
She jumped again.
The candy flew out of her hand.
Lucian caught it mid-air.
There was silence.
Lucian looked at the candy.
"…Were you throwing this?"
Elise panicked.
"No!"
Sophia whispered,
"It was a test."
Lucian looked at her.
"…A test."
Sophia nodded confidently.
"Yes. A reflex test."
Elise added,
"Very noble."
After class ended, Sophia grabbed Elise's sleeve.
"Emergency meeting."
"Tree?"
"Tree."
Five minutes later they were sitting in their usual tree behind the academy.
Sophia sighed happily.
"This place is peaceful."
Elise opened a small box.
Inside were strawberry pastries.
Sophia gasped.
"You brought pastries again?!"
"Emergency supplies."
Sophia grabbed one immediately.
"You're the best."
Then a branch cracked below them.
Both girls froze.
Very slowly they looked down.
Standing under the tree were three familiar figures.
Prince Rovel.
Lucian Valmere.
And Adrian Falkreath.
Looking up at them.
There was a long silence.
Sophia slowly lowered the pastry in her hand.
"…We were studying." sophia added.
Lucian looked at the pastry box.
"…Studying."
Elise nodded seriously.
"Very advanced studying."
Prince Rovel sighed.
"You two are sitting in a tree."
Sophia quickly answered, "Fresh air helps concentration."
Adrian crossed his arms.
"With pastries?"
Elise lifted the box proudly.
"Energy."
There was a long silence.
Then Sophia leaned toward Elise and whispered,
"…New rule."
Elise whispered back,
"New rule."
"Never use this tree again."
"Agreed."
A few minutes later they climbed down and walked back toward the academy.
Elegant posture.
Calm expressions.
Perfect noble ladies.
Sophia whispered without moving her lips,
"They're still watching."
Elise whispered back,
"Of course they are."
Sophia sighed dramatically.
"This academy is full of handsome problems."
Elise nodded.
"Too many."
Sophia paused.
"…They really are handsome though."
Elise sighed.
"Yes. Unfortunately."
They turned the corner of the hallway--
--and almost ran straight into someone.
THUD.
Both girls gasped.
A boy with soft brown hair and bright green eyes stepped back quickly.
"Oh! I'm sorry!"
Sophia blinked.
Elise blinked.
Sophia whispered,
"Who is that?"
Elise whispered back,
"That's Lord Cedric Ashford. Count Ashford's son."
Cedric looked at them curiously.
"…Were you two just climbing a tree?"
Sophia and Elise froze.
Sophia slowly grabbed Cedric's sleeve.
"You saw nothing."
Cedric blinked.
"…What?"
Elise grabbed his other arm.
"Nothing at all."
Cedric looked extremely confused now.
"You're both very close suddenly."
Sophia whispered urgently,
"This is very important."
Cedric tried not to laugh.
"I don't even know what secret I'm keeping."
Footsteps echoed down the hallway.
Sophia turned pale.
"Elise."
"What?"
"They're coming."
Elise looked down the hallway.
Prince Rovel.
Lucian.
Adrian.
Walking toward them.
Elise panicked.
"CEDRIC."
Sophia panicked.
"HELP."
Without thinking--
Both girls grabbed Cedric and stood very close beside him.
Sophia holding his arm.
Elise holding his sleeve.
Cedric stood awkwardly between them.
"…I feel like I'm in danger."
The three boys stopped walking.
Prince Rovel looked at Sophia holding Cedric's arm.
Lucian looked at Elise standing close beside him.
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
The air suddenly became very tense.
Cedric leaned slightly toward Sophia.
"…Why are they looking at me like that?"
Sophia whispered,
"I think they're angry."
Elise whispered,
"Very angry."
Cedric looked back at the three boys.
"…I think they're angry at me."
Sophia gasped softly.
"No! It must be me!"
Elise shook her head.
"No, it's definitely me!"
Cedric sighed.
"This is the strangest conversation I've ever had."
Prince Rovel finally spoke.
"Lady Sophia."
Sophia immediately let go of Cedric's arm.
Lucian looked at Elise.
"Lady Elise."
Elise also stepped away quickly.
Cedric was finally free again.
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"…I'm going to leave before something terrible happens."
Sophia grabbed his sleeve one more time.
"Wait."
Cedric looked at her.
"Yes?"
Sophia whispered dramatically,
"You really saw nothing."
Elise nodded.
"Nothing."
Cedric laughed softly.
"Alright. I'll keep your secret."
Then he walked away.
The moment he disappeared around the corner--
Sophia sighed in relief.
Elise also sighed in relief.
Then they slowly turned back.
Prince Rovel, Lucian, and Adrian were still watching them.
Very seriously.
Sophia whispered,
"…Why do they look even scarier now?"
Elise whispered back,
"…Maybe they think we're suspicious."
Sophia sighed.
"This academy is terrifying."
Elise nodded.
"Too many rumors."
Sophia grabbed Elise's sleeve.
"…Run."
Elise nodded.
"…Run."
And the two most elegant ladies in the Royal Academy quickly walked away.
Definitely not running.
Absolutely not running.
Behind them Lucian crossed his arms.
"…Interesting."
Adrian nodded slowly.
"Very interesting."
Prince Rovel watched Sophia disappear down the hallway.
"…Something is definitely going on."