I had a dream.
The wind blows strongly.
And in the distance, a girl cries.
I’m running.
The corridor of the academy. This is … elementary school. Wearing a cloak, a shorter skirt that's easy-to-move in … an elementary uniform.
"Tia there! Around this turn!"
Ella's voice is behind me. Her voice is loud when she calls me, running up from behind to lead the way.
We turned the corner of the fence.
A beautiful girl with shining blonde hair. A few schoolboys surround her with a stiff look, but without crying or crouching she stands like a noble.
Behind her, a small stream flows outside the school, a low bank. Seeing her cornered so far away, my mind lost its common sense.
"Cornelia-sama!"
I screamed and squeezed through the boys, pushing Cornelia behind me.
"What’s up with you?"
A boy from the neighboring class.
I put my strength in my stomach, opened my arms, and looked up at them.
"What do you need Cornelia-sama for?"
"I was just inviting her to my birthday party, right?"
The student who answers with a grin is familiar.
After the death of the former Principality of Arita, the Imperial Army controlled the people of this area. He’s a son of the upper ranks.
While studying at the same Imperial Academy as us, he speaks and acts looking down on the former aristocrats of the Principality of Arita.
Although we are told by our parents to endure the torment, there were still many conflicts between the Imperial faction and the former Principality faction.
But now that I was 11 years old, many of them are gone.
That is, boys and girls. I won’t leave Cornelia alone in this situation.
"Cornelia-sama doesn’t visit such parties."
I said firmly.
It would be a big deal if there were rumors that Cornelia, the last princess of the Principality, was going in and out of a mansion belonging to an Imperial schoolboy.
"Let's go, Cornelia-sama."
I tried to walk away with Cornelia's hand in mine, but the leader pulled on her other hand.
"Don't you touch Cornelia-sama!!"
I aimed for the leader's chest.
"Wow, this kid !!"
Suddenly, the leader is pinned under me as I held him down with all my strength.
When your number is smaller, the leader should be the first target. It is the most basic tactic that I studied in the war play that Adele and I used to look at since we were children.
"Cornelia-sama, please call someone! Hurry!"
In response to my cry, Cornelia showed a momentary hesitation, but turned and started running.
The moment I was relieved, my grip loosened.
"This kid ..."
The boy under me spun around and I easily ended up under him.
"Hey, are you okay?"
The jeering voice of his friend indicated the hurt pride of the leader, who hid his upset by turning his face red and laughing sneakily.
"You … the precious daughter of a Count ... I'll discipline you so that you won't go against me again … !"
On top of me, he then grinned insidiously.
I guarded my face with both hands and closed my eyes tightly, but when nothing happened, I opened my eyes in terror.
A boy standing in front of us was firmly grasping the wrist of the leader leaning against me.
His breathing was wild as if he had just been sprinting.
"... Don't touch her."
He spoke in a low voice.
Then he put more strength into the hand that held the boy’s wrist.
"It hurts ...! Stop it!"
The Imperial boy stood up above me, pulled along by his wrist.
"Adele ..."
I rose halfway up and coughed.
Perhaps he’d come in immediately after sword training since Adele had dirtied trousers, a tight coat on his body, and a thin sword at his waist.
"What a friend … you cheeky … what’re the aristocrats of a dead country anyway! You’re not worth anything!"
"Our value is made by us."
Adele spoke in resolute. He stood in front of me as I managed to get back up.
"Hmm ... that girl, we'll re-educate her into a proper Imperial woman ..."
Adele's eyes shone sharply at his words, and he put his right hand on the grip of the sword.
"No Adele !!!"
If you pull out your sword in this situation, it’ll cause a huge commotion! !!
I clung to Adele's hips from behind, trying to stop him.
As I was trying to pull back Adele’s elbow, it ended up hitting me straight in the stomach.
My body tumbled and my center of gravity shifted behind me.
Behind the screaming and reaching of Adele’s hand, I saw Cornelia running with the teacher and Julius …
My body fell into the water.
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