Volume 2: Chapter 21 - Yumina's Doubts (Part ll)

For practical classes at school, one could freely choose to study swordsmanship or magic.

When others asked me how I would choose, I considered that if Robert truly knew swordsmanship, he would likely choose swordsmanship class.

So, I replied that this time I wanted to learn swordsmanship from Teacher Klaus, which would give me an opportunity to interact with him at close quarters.

It turned out that Robert went to study magic.

He must be deliberately avoiding me. How irritating?

Then I found another opportunity: at noon, while having lunch with my classmates in the cafeteria, I coincidentally saw Robert and… a student named Toke eating together. Were they close enough to eat together? Shinika's hypothesis gained a few more points of possibility.

However, no matter how much courage I had, I didn't dare sit directly next to them. So I deliberately found a seat not far from them and sat down, wanting to hear what they were talking about.

Robert seemed to be focused on talking to Toke and didn't notice me sitting diagonally opposite them.

Because the cafeteria was noisy, and I also had to chime in with the conversations of the girls around me, I couldn't fully hear the content of their discussion.

I could only vaguely hear words like "two-dimensional" and "tsundere," which I had no idea what they meant. And I seemed to hear Shinika's name too.

Could they be talking about girls they liked...? I was a bit curious.

At this moment, several tables of people got up and left after finishing lunch, and the noise consequently lessened a bit.

And then...

"Robert, who do you like?"

I heard that sentence clearly. Sure enough, two boys together just liked to talk about these topics.

If someone asked me if I had a boy I liked, the answer would definitely be no.

One reason was that I had just entered school and didn't have a high recognition of all the boys; without recognition, naturally, there's no talk of liking.

But the most important thing was that as a royal, my requirements for the opposite sex would be very high, and I wouldn't and couldn't easily fall for someone.

To be frank, even if I truly had someone I liked, I wouldn't honestly answer, otherwise, it would cause a huge sensation in noble society, and it wouldn't be something that could be dismissed as a joke.

Despite this, I myself didn't particularly dislike talking about this topic. I was quite interested in gossips like who liked whom, as long as it didn't involve me.

However, the girls around me would absolutely never discuss this with me, because due to the difference in status, they subconsciously hadn't treated me as a close friend.

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Shinika, that blockhead, was clearly immune to this topic; if I asked her what kind of boy she liked, she'd probably answer, 'someone stronger than her.'

The only person I could think of who might discuss this with me was Cresset, but she would definitely tease me, so I refuse to talk with her on this topic.

Anyway, I was now focusing all my attention on Robert.

Who Robert liked had nothing to do with me, but his answer might help me understand his character. That was my inner thought.

"I personally don't have anyone I like. But if I have to choose then I would prefer someone like Princess Yumina. She's beautiful and has a good personality. As a boy, it's hard not to be moved."

I covered my mouth, almost choking on the food I was eating.

Thankfully, I wasn't drinking soup, or I would have definitely spat it out.

"Yu... Yumina, are you okay?"

The girls beside me looked at me with concern.

"N-no, I'm fine, I just almost choked. I'm good now."

"You should be careful."

"Mm, thank you."

I glanced at Robert and Toke out of the corner of my eye. Good, they were still focused on chatting and eating. They probably hadn't noticed that I had overheard their conversation. I let out a sigh of relief.

Calm down. I can't lose my composure over something like this. I am the First Imperial Princess.

"Yumina, your hand seems to be trembling. Are you really okay?"

"Eh? Is that so?"

...

"Robert is really interesting."

That evening, Shinika brought up Robert in our conversation.

"Have you already interacted with him?"

"I chatted with him for a while during practical class. I could clearly feel that he's different from other noble children his age."

"More importantly, I reconfirmed that he definitely knows swordsmanship, and his foundation isn't weak. I really want to have a serious match with him someday."

"You didn't confirm that by touching his body, did you?"

"Yes, is there a problem?"

This blockhead. When others told me that Shinika from Class B and Robert from Class A were allegedly openly flirting on the sports field, I didn't believe it at all. So that's what happened.

"Next time, you are not allowed to do that again. That's an order."

"Hm? Although I don't know why, since your highness says so, I will certainly obey."

"Eh~"

What a sinful woman. How could a normal boy not misunderstand such an action...? Huh? But Robert, even so, still said the person he liked was...

"Princess Yumina? Why does your face seem a little red?"

"It's not red! You're mistaken!"

"Is... that so?"

The black tea in my hand suddenly lost its flavor.

"Speaking of which, Princess Yumina, have you already interacted with Robert?"

"...Not yet."

"Today, I saw him and Toke from D Class walking together after school. They really seem to have a good relationship."

"That's just a superficial phenomenon. Generally speaking, how could a child from a Marquis Family become friends with a child from a Baron's family? I've seen examples of people keeping those of lower status around as servants, just for show. Those are only superficial friends."

"True, it's too early to draw conclusions now. It's better to observe a bit more."

"Exactly."

If Robert really is that kind of insidious person, then I will definitely not let him off.

For that, I need to observe his actions and words in daily life more closely.

No matter how much one hides their true nature, there will always be a day when they reveal their true colors.

Unless that truly is his nature, though the possibility is very low, I still find it hard to believe.

However, I vaguely feel that he seems to be deliberately avoiding me lately.

Why?

Generally speaking, isn't it natural for someone from a Marquis Family to build a good relationship with me, a member of the royal family?

Yet, he has never actively approached me. Even if he held a grudge because of the entrance exam, he hasn't even made an effort to explain himself to me.

—It has to be Princess Yumina, I suppose. She's beautiful and has a good personality. As a boy, it's hard not to be moved.

Could it be for this reason? He doesn't dare approach the girl he likes easily... No, no, no, he couldn't be that pure, could he?

After all, given my status, I naturally know how many boys like me, but no boy has ever been too shy to approach me or anything like that...

So, it's impossible. Absolutely impossible.

"Princess Yumina, your face is still a bit red after all. Are you perhaps running a fever?"

"I told you it's not red at all!"

...