Muyoku no Seijo Prologue________________________________________________________________
On that day, it was a noisy early morning for the Weizsäcker imperial academy.
One of the continent’s hegemonies, the Weiz Empire. Therein lies the academy, a luxurious white building filled with decorations that were the embodiment of the empire’s dignity, in which gathered sons and daughters of the kingdom’s n.o.bles, as well as a place of convening for talented commoners both in and out of the empire.
At the chime of the juxtaposed church’s bell, the students crowded into the academy corridor that was cleanly maintained by the servants; their eyes filled with uncontrollable curiosity. In the midst of this, an eye-catching blond girl who seems to have very good future prospects, stepped forward from the corner of the corridor. Once they recognized her appearance, the surrounding students all simultaneously bowed their heads.
「Good morning, Bianca-sama」
「Good morning.」
Wearing a full body dress that exudes superiority from just one look, the blond girl’s name was Bianca. A beautiful maiden called many things, president of the student council, the younger sister of the first imperial prince, Albert, or perhaps the 15-year-old flower of the empire. The girl had a determined expression that still had traces of her young age when one of her followers came up and greeted her.
「How do you do, Margaret. Have you also come to see the daughter of the Harkenberg marquis family」
「Why of course! Bianca-sama. As an attendee of this academy, there is none who doesn’t know the ‘Disaster of Flora.’ Claudia-sama’s orphan — A young daughter discovered after 12 years, as expected I’m curious as to what kind of person she is.」
「That’s true. Although she was discovered in the slums, she shares the blood of Harkenberg. I am sure that she certainly has innate elegance. Isn’t that right?」
While doubting what was said, in the shadow of her spread out folding fan, her lips seem to motion 「That’s not possible.」 Her pupils moved to the corner of her eyes, flickering with a light that was like a cat searching for its prey. Bianca faced towards the gate from the corridor and dialed in her ice-blue pupils.
「The first day of school was delayed one day…I heard oniisama’s welcoming party that he was holding was also delayed; Isn’t it just to meet this girl? Examining the newcomer who captures the interests of the entire academy is my naturally my duty as a senior of the primary cla.s.s and as the first imperial princess.」
「Of course!」
The academy accepts students from the age of 12 and till the age of 15, these four years are considered the primary cla.s.s, from there the three years from 16 to 18 are the upper cla.s.s. Bianca is a fourth year student — meaning she is a senior of the primary cla.s.s, it can also be said that she is at the top of the primary academy chain of command.
「Ah…」
Suddenly, one of the followers raised their voice.
「Over there, in the inner part of the corridor, Natalia-sama is also here.」
In the direction she pointed, silently stood a young girl with flaxen hair among several people. Even from a distance, her elegant bearings could be understood with half of her gentle face hidden behind a folding fan. Once she recognized her lovely standing posture, she pouted with some immaturity.
「Well now. For Natalia oneesama, she shouldn’t have any interest in this kind of gossip; although, since she’s appearing here, she must be curious after all. For her to purposely come to the primary school building…」
「That’s certainly true, Bianca-sama. Natalia-sama
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is Prince Albert’s cousin and was the original head consort candidate. Now that someone whose rank may exceed hers has appeared, she must be deeply troubled.」
「Well.」
Bianca elevated the gossip with malicious intent.
「She needn’t be so worried, I personally would gladly get rid of any unworthy women for Oniisama.」
From the tone of her voice, it was obvious that Natalia was included in this 「unworthy women」 category. With a cramped smile, the surrounding followers all did their best to comply.
It could be said that Princess Bianca was a frank person with lots of determination and gorgeous features. On the other side, being a duke’s daughter, Natalia was often praised as being one of the empire’s talented young women with brilliant intellect, delicate features, and attentive manners all at the age of 16; she was a model for high society personage. On one hand, there is the head of the primary cla.s.s; on the other, a talented distinguis.h.i.+ng member of the upper cla.s.s, controlling roughly half of the influence among the female students. For young n.o.ble girls, which group to be afflicted to, was the most important consideration subject. The possibility of an introduction of a third-party to stir up trouble was a hidden fear for many of the young women.
「She’s arrived.」
In response to Bianca’s sharp murmur, the surroundings simultaneously started to stir up. Several tens of gazes persisted as they turned towards the Iron Gate behind by stone paved walkway. Each possessing their own various piercing stares. There was those who were anxious, those who were genuinely curious, and those who contained some sort of antic.i.p.ation —
Once in the past, the marquis young daughter Claudia Fon Harkenberg was driven out of the academy on false charges. Being reduced to a commoner, she exchanged her life to give birth to a daughter and now, after 12 years, finally discovered. Covered with various rumors and circ.u.mstances, now, pa.s.sing through the door to the academy.
Creeeeak……
A sound was made at the moment of the opening of the creaky iron door. Everyone gasped in surprise.
What appeared was something straight out of a church story, a spirit of light.
No, you wouldn’t be able to see the existence of something like a spirit without being a high-order official monk. Even having understood that, before their eyes was such a n.o.ble existence that it made them believe; an unrealistically beautiful young maiden.
Pa.s.sing through the door, what first stepped into the academy interior was a glossy shoe wrapped around her tiny feet. Almost as if she was the young daughter of some country’s high ranking official, she walked forward with a graceful pace. Covering her slim and slender body from head to toe was simple black full body dress that seemed to emphasize her delicate physique. From her collar you could see her white skin and spilling out from there, a transparent veil. Her black glossy black hair covers her back and sways just the tiniest amounts each time she walks.
Above all what captured the onlooker’s attention the most was her small white face that was covered with the dark veil. She looked suitable for her 12 years of age, possessing innocent and soft cheeks, and a faint reddening in her lips. Her long eyelashes almost seemed to ring each time she blinked, she carried the signature Harkenberg bluish-purple pupils that s.h.i.+ned with the moisture in her eyes. A glint of sorrow hid in her eyes which appeared to be gazing to a faraway place. With her chin up and gaze directly straight forward, she showed a dignified manner for all to see.
「My…」
A whispered leaked out but no one knew who it was. That was the extent to her perfect beauty.
Leonora Fon Harkenberg.
With a mysterious past, the lower city bred young girl in an instant stole the hearts of all the n.o.ble born students.
Forgetting to hide her expression with her fan, Bianca was entranced while watching the girl while letting her façade slip.It was only after the girl had pa.s.sed through right in front of her that she narrowly returned to her senses.
「My, my…!」
While trying to think of what to say, that was all that escaped her lips. For someone who always thought first before speaking, this was very rare for Bianca.
(What to say. What do I say to turn her around.)
Growing impatient, as she faced her and…
「Oh my, only one attendant? Such a lonely arrangement for the daughter of the Harkenberg marquis family!」
After quickly declaring that she immediately regretted her words. Can’t such a statement be taken only negatively? As the surrounding students thought, as expect, ‘Princess Bianca sees her as an enemy,’ they started to badmouth her.
「Oh dear, look at that plain dress! No matter how modest you want to be, please keep in mind that there are standards for a lady in this academy. How long it’ll take you to understand this, I wonder」
「It can’t be helped, you are where you are raised. Her personal endeavors must have been quite different」
「Right, surely that rat-like grey color is a popular fas.h.i.+on choice in the lower city, don’t you agree?」
Various spiteful words were said as the single boy attending the young girl — who if you look closely is actually quite a handsome youth — tightly held his fist. With a flushed face, he sent a glare at my direction. But his unpleasant action only served to further their spiteful words, now targeting the boy as well.
This is bad.
As Bianca didn’t want to corner the young girl to this extent, she rushed to restrain her followers.
At that moment.
The calmly walking girl who held an unchanging expression suddenly halted. And then, turning to Bianca’s entourage, she gave a tender smile.
Even for the same-s.e.x, they unconsciously let out a sigh at her lovely smile. To that authoritative figure, Bianca’s entourage lost their words.
While they were in a daze, the girl returned to her march like nothing at all has happened after sending them short glance. Seemingly losing all their spirit, Bianca’s entourage could do nothing but watch her retreating figure.
「…Whoa, what a pretty girl.」
As if forgetting all her spiteful words, Margaret empathetic muttered. Taken aback by this, she says
「No, I can tell that the stink of the slums is still left over on her…yeah, like her dress!」
Panicked, she swiftly sent Bianca an excuse, but the person in question only loosely shook her head.
「No.」
Already leaving the corridor, the party of two headed down the path towards the dormitory, as Bianca’s entourage blankly stared at them.
「That dress, although the design was simple, the quality of the fabric was first cla.s.s — no doubt a product of Savarin.」
「Oh…!」
Savarin was located in the northern region of the Weiz Empire, producing prosperous amounts of textiles, clothing made from their yields are Imperial Household grade items. Just by attaching the ‘Savarin’ name to a piece of commodity, with their dignified, hard-earned, and perfected manufacture quality, its worth becomes not a small amount, it can be said that just one piece of cloth could be traded for 10 horse-drawn carriages.
「Speaking of Savarin products, they have a peculiar trait of having a sticky texture, it is difficult to handle the skirt because they cling to your legs. But to leisurely walk like that…」
As someone who learned how to wear Savarin once before, she understood the difficulty to such a feat and narrowed her eyes. Her walking manner resembled a swan gliding on the water’s surface, with exquisite skirt control as they gently fluttered about.
「A mere girl from the slums wouldn’t be able to obtain such mastery of etiquette in just a brief period of time.」
Did she repeatedly trained a large amount somewhere, or perhaps — she naturally possessed it from the blood in her veins.
Leonora Fon Harkenberg
A girl unfazed by attention, or so Bianca thought.
「Seriously, to cause such a ruckus from entering a dorm…! ‘Modest and silent students,’ what a laugh! That was just like a crowd of mother-in-laws doing their group gossip!」
Shaking his quirky blond hair, the slim flushed young boy couldn’t resist letting out his thoughts to Leonora now that they were alone.
「The male students stood around gawking like idiots, well it’s not like I can’t understand but — and those girls, what’s with that sneering and rude remarks! Just who do they think Leonora-sama is?!」
「Kai, calm yourself.」
Once he heard the sweet voice of the young girl, the young boy named Kai quickly calmed himself down.
「I apologize for my display」
He uncomfortable recalled what happened while peeking at his master but, she continued to advance forward, her eyes focused on some faraway place with a dignified face that didn’t seem to show that anything was wrong. Seeing her form that was, although young, but overflowing with elegance, Kai felt ashamed at his own lack of virtue.
(Leonora-sama is such a kind n.o.blewomen, enduring the stern treatment she received. She decided that she wouldn’t let her heart waver from that level of backbiting.)
There as a great difference compared to me who got swiftly enraged. She splendidly handled the situation by only peacefully smiling. This caused Kai, who was a.s.signed to serve this beautiful young girl just the day before, to watch over her back in adoration.
Leonora Fon Harkenberg.
Holding one of the precious strand of blood among the Empire, concealed in the lower city for 12 years before finally coming under safeguarding yesterday, the tragic young girl. Even after accompanying her for only a short period of a few hours, Kai believed that this girl wasn’t just blessed with beautiful looks from G.o.d, but a wonderful master with a kind temperament, and once again he swore in his heart that he would follow her through thick and thin from now on.
(My life from now on, will be devoted to helping Leonora-sama achieve all the happiness in the world.)
Behind the walking young girl, Kai became heated in his thoughts while silently advancing forward. Straightening his back in a dignified manner, Kai gallantly looked forward.
(Even though she’s younger than I am, she walks straight forward without letting pettiness or fear into her heart. I wonder what Leonora-sama is thinking about right now…)
After thinking that, Kai suddenly shook his head. Figuring out what his precious master is will be what he needed to learn from here on, but there is no place for a servant to inquire into the thoughts of their master. Besides there’s no way someone illiterate like me could comprehend the thoughts of someone as wise as her, he thought.
Now, for the girl who was basked in the innocent gaze of her servant…
(One, two…while trying to sc.r.a.p the horse dung that was stuck to the sole of her shoe, she stepped forward. Right, left…)
For a while now this first-rate dress has made it really difficult to walk.
(Shaking of the persistent feces, she raised the tips of her shoes…mmph!)
Seen from the side, her small leg that was gently lifted was cutting through the hem in a highly elegant fas.h.i.+on. That’s right, the girl was barely coping with her d.a.m.ned annoying dress which made her legs p.r.o.ne to twine themselves and stumbled her over solely by mental visualization. Describing it poorly, it was like she was tottering.
(Ah, small copper coin discovered at 10 o’clock! Let’s go collect it later along with the earring that was rolling around in the corridor.)
Keeping her eyes peeled like a hawk, she eyed for small coins and precious metals. As expected of the empire’s prestigious academy filled with young aristocrats, even the lost properties are extravagant, the young girl’s heart fluttered as she thought this. Some time ago when she noticed that a jewel earring rolled by a blond girl’s feet, she unconsciously leaked a broad smile.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that she’s reached the limits of awareness since her life-work was pickpocketing, but since she had to grow accustom to handling the dress, it took her a lot of effort to find some prey. Good grief, it’s troublesome to be peerless.
(Once I arrive at the room I need to change my clothes and go collect all the treasure I found. Man, women’s clothes are so long with so much fabric but comparatively there’s no pockets at all.)
While thinking to herself in a boyish tone, she almost clicked her tongue and her shoulders started to quiver for just an instant.
(d.a.m.n it! Annoying! Just clicking my tongue should be allowed, right? that bloke Leena. Once I get back to the town this’ll cost you.)
Looking down with a sorrowful look, the girl who was badmouthing a certain forceful young maiden, was until just the day before yesterday, called Leo — and a young boy.
That’s right.
Later on, in the empire he would be known as the「Altruistic Saintess」, Leonora Fon Harkenberg — Leo’s suffering had begun two days ago.