The royal academy was a massive stone building whose entrance was adorned with a clock tower that loomed over the prospective students as they made their way across the courtyard. Similarly to the imperial palace, the outside marble walls were adorned with reliefs of famous figures who graduated from the academy that all culminated in the clock tower where a massive eye that was surrounded with an unknowable language was etched into the stone right above the entrance doors.
"It's a lot more imposing in real life," Olivia mumbled as her gaze kept getting drawn to the eye upon the wall that stared at her. "…Even the morning bell is the same."
"The same as your past life's school?" Lucina asked.
"Yeah." Olivia and Lucina were waiting in the front courtyard for Cassandra so they could all enter their first day together. While she wasn't completely comfortable with Lucina, Olivia was much more composed than before and didn't show any discomfort; if there was any. "And even if the style's different, these uniforms also make me feel nostalgic." The academy's uniform for girls consisted of a long, dark blue pleated skirt that went just past brown, laced knee-high boots. A fitted white, button-down shirt was neatly covered with a dark blue blazer that had the noble's family crest embroidered on the chest just above the heart. "They're still just as restrictive," Olivia complained as she adjusted her tie. To visibly differentiate the years, neckties of different colors were rotated around with the current freshmen receiving red ones, but with enough influence, or money, a student could get whatever color tie they wanted which was why Olivia's was a golden yellow to match the imperial family.
"At least we aren't required to wear corsets," Lucina commented as she made sure her own red tie was on right.
"Speak for yourself," Olivia complained. "As the next empress, I have to always look my best, so the maids made sure I wore one." She tried to stretch but stopped when she felt the corset beneath her clothes start to constrict her movements. "I'm already thin enough. Let me go through my second high school life comfortably."
"Tha-"
"Sorry for the wait!" Cassandra came hurriedly waltzing through the gates trying her best not to show how tired she was from rushing to not be late. Her necktie was, obviously, a rich pink. Swishing her hand through her hair drills, she glanced around excitedly before asking, "Did I miss it?"
"No," Lucina answered while also looking around at how crowded the courtyard was. "The Saintess hasn't arrived yet." The young nobles of the empire were all mingling around the front courtyard as it was announced last week that a Saintess of Alm had been found and that she would be joining the royal academy with the first years. No one had even seen her, yet the rumors were already infecting the students.
"Did you hear? Apparently, she's a commoner!"
"They're letting commoners in, now? My parents paid good money to get me in and she can just enter because she was chosen by Lady Alm?"
"They apparently gave her an entrance exam and she aced it!"
"So the church pulled strings and passed her."
"Hopefully she doesn't smell bad. Commoners know how to take bathes, right?"
Lucina hummed to herself as she listened to the whispers before saying, "No one knows what she looks like, but it seems everyone's already determined the kind of person she'll be."
"Have you met her?" Cassandra asked as she ensured her uniform was perfect despite how rushed she was.
"No," Lucina admitted, "She was in R'eldrun until now so this will also be my first time seeing her."
"…" Olivia was oddly quiet and calm despite Lucina thinking she would be panicking over the appearance of the Saintess from her prophecies.
Just then, someone cried out and drew everyone's attention to the front gates, "They're here!" An ornate carriage flanked by the Paladins of Alm made its way to the gates before coming to a halt. The closest paladin dismounted, opened the carriage door, and held out his hand for the occupant to help them down.
"That's…the Saintess?" Astonished whispers and mumblings flooded the nobles as Beatrice elegantly stepped down from the carriage with all the dignity of a noblewoman. There was no fault in her movements, her clothing, or her expression as she held a warm smile on her face while the sun caused her multi-colored eyes to shimmer in its light granting her a surreal grace.
"Breathtaking, like a true heroine…" Olivia silently muttered to herself as she instantly recognized the player character from Finding Arlexia's Light.
Cassandra took out her fan to hide her expression before noting, "They probably spent weeks before the announcement teaching her to walk like that so as not to embarrass herself."
Lucina added, "Even priests know how important first impressions are with us nobles. And judging by all the stares she's getting, I'd say it worked." While there were a few students who were looking at Beatrice with disdain, most were seemingly captivated by her beauty for being 'just' a commoner. Some of the gentlemen were staring a bit too longingly, though, causing their fiancés to start sending angry glares toward Beatrice. "Though, it might have been a bit much. What do you think, Oli-" As Lucina turned to address her friend, Olivia started walking toward the Saintess. "Olivia?"
"Oli- Your Highness!?" Cassandra caught herself and fixed how she addressed Olivia while also rushing after her with Lucina. Since they were the only students moving toward Beatrice, everyone started getting on edge.
"She's so-… Huh? Is that Her Highness?"
"Why's she approaching the Saintess? Did she find a fault?"
"Do you think they'll fight?"
"On the first day? Her Highness wouldn't do that."
"The commoner should be lucky Her Highness even notices her."
"…" Lucina was also feeling uncomfortable with how eerie the situation was becoming as Olivia still refused to say a word.
"I'll be fine, Andre. Please head ba-!?" Beatrice was talking with one of the paladins before her voice caught in her throat upon seeing Olivia approach her. There was a flash of recognition on her face that Lucina picked up on despite the Saintess never having met Olivia. "G-Greetings!" Beatrice quickly gave a respectful curtsy as she greeted, "Saintess Beatrice greets Arlexia's Little Lioness, Her Highness Olivia Ordrin." It was clear that she was caught off guard, but Beatrice quickly recovered and gave a near-perfect greeting; if only her hands weren't slightly trembling.
Andre stepped forward and put an arm in front of Beatrice as if shielding her from Olivia, "Andre of R'eldrun greets Arlexia's Little Lioness, Her Highness Olivia Ordrin. Was there something you required, Crown Princess?"
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"How rude!" Cassandra snapped her fan closed as she chastised the paladin, "Your actions imply Her Highness was planning to hurt the Saintess, Paladin."
"Such is the preciousness of her existence, my Lady," Andre didn't back down. He glanced toward Lucina for help since he knew she was the Harbinger of Zulm, but Lucina only replied with a silent glare as Andre dared to insult Olivia so openly like this.
"…" Things were already turning out badly, so Olivia put her plan into action. "You're the Saintess?" Her voice was cool and gentle, like a fluttering snowflake on a winter's day.
"Yes, Your Highness," Beatrice answered while straightening herself up but keeping her head bowed.
"Then, allow me to be the first to welcome you to the royal academy," Olivia greeted while giving a friendly smile.
"!?!" Everyone who heard Olivia was shocked by her actions. The imperial family and the temples were in a strained relationship at best with the Emperor openly mocking religion at worst. The fact that the crown princess was being so friendly with the Saintess was baffling with even Beatrice being taken aback and unsure how to respond. "Th-Thank…you?"
"I heard you got near-perfect marks on the entrance exam, you're quite the diligent student even before your first day. Please, raise your head, Saintess."
"A-Ah! Thank you, Your Highness," Beatrice was unsure what to do but didn't seem to dislike what was happening. "It was tough, but with everyone's help studying, I was able to pass and enter the academy." If anything, Lucina swore the Saintess was a bit…sad. Her apprehension was turning to a sorrow that she was hiding behind her radiant smile.
"I'm glad you can come and broaden your horizons, Saintess. Even though we've only just met, if you need any help in your studies feel free to come see me." Olivia was finding herself being pushed more and more into the direction of the game so she decided to throw the biggest wrench into the story she could think of that was within her power: she would befriend the Saintess. If her bad end was tied to her bullying Beatrice then all she had to do was be her friend and show the student body that there was nothing bad going on between them that would make Olivia do such terrible things. "You're the first commoner to enter the academy's halls, so I'd love to hear your thoughts about it."
"Y-You're too kind, Your Highness!" Beatrice was becoming more at ease with Olivia but her earlier apprehension and sorrow still hid under the surface.
"…" And that ticked Lucina off. Olivia was going out of her way to speak and be nice to her, yet the Saintess was getting distracted by some unknown thoughts that made her look at Olivia with…pity? The Saintess pitied Olivia? Lucina desperately wanted to let off some steam, but knew she had to behave herself within the academy since she didn't want to scare Olivia. So, she decided to try and separate Olivia and Beatrice, "We should get moving so we're not late for class, Your Highness." She used honorifics since she was in a bad mood.
"Ah, you're right," Olivia looked at the clock tower before turning back to Beatrice. "Have a pleasant first day, Saintess Beatrice."
"And you as well, Your Highness," Beatrice gave a bow as Olivia and her friends left.
"…" Lucina glanced one last time over her shoulder at Beatrice and saw the same expression of pity as she watched Olivia leave.
***
"Just who does she think she is?" She gets Olivia's attention and kindness but feels sad about it!? I would hang on to Olivia's every word if I were in her position! Even if she's a Saintess of Alm, there are limits to how absurd you can be! "…How annoying." Our first class ended and it was just past lunch, but I had nothing to do since Olivia had to speak with the teacher about something that she said would take a while. Now, I'm in my dorm room despite owning a mansion in the capital since it's a rule that students have to live in the campus dorms so we're practically forced to see and interact with each other. "At least they're nice." The room was a decent size and was filled with the essentials for a noble child: a large wooden desk surrounded by bookshelves, a massive bed with a fluffy mattress and plenty of pillows, multiple wardrobes for any outfits, a private bathroom, and an adjoined room for one servant we were allowed to bring. I considered taking Tress, but she's needed back in Solfin to help Jeremy run the mansion, plus I can take care of myself fine without a maid. Olivia brought Mary, and I have no clue who Cassandra brought. Surely she wouldn't have found a way to bring Kent in as her servant, right? She plays favorites with him a lot, but even that would be a bit much. "Come to think of it… The Saintess probably doesn't have anyone, either." None of the paladins joined her beyond the gate and I didn't see any priests of Lady Alm enter the academy with her. Did they send her here alone?
"It's almost like they're asking her to get bullied~." My Olivia appeared on the bed and was testing how bouncy it was. "Not a single knight to protect her~. Perhaps they think you'll come to her aid~?"
"I'll do what I can within reason." While I wouldn't outright ignore the Saintess of Lady Alm if she were in trouble, that doesn't mean I have to go out of my way for her. My first priority is and always will be Olivia. "Besides, Olivia's already protecting her," I bitterly remarked as I tossed down my school books on my desk.
"You don't sound happy~? All I'm trying to do is survive my terrible fate, you know~," my Olivia cooed from her spot on the bed.
"Just because she's the Saintess doesn't mean she's the only one Olivia should focus on." My mood was worsening so I took some marbles out of my bag I started getting in the habit of using to distract myself with by shifting their gravity so they would spin around each other. "…I'm special, too."
"It sounds like someone's jealous~."
"…Yeah," I couldn't argue with that, "I am jealous."
"Hmm~. Then doesn't that mean all you have to do is make yourself even more special than the Saintess~?" More special than the Saintess? What could be more useful than the chosen of one of the gods who's directly tied to the prophecies in such a major way? "You seem to be forgetting something very important, my dear Lucina~."
"…?" I turned toward the bed and saw my Olivia was now standing directly in front of me. She made no sounds as she moved and her cold eyes pierced through me like daggers of ice.
She pressed a cold finger to my chest and said, "You've killed a Saint before~. You defeated a Saint of Lady Muz at Toldrin~."
"Chadman?" It's true that I beat a Saint of the Bloodied Sister, but how does that…wait. "That hole in the sky… The eye…" I went through my things and pulled out a map of Arlexia.
"You ripped a hole in the sky all the way to Gorinville with your magic~. Doesn't that sound like it would be useful to someone trying to escape their fate~?" I felt her icy breath on the back of my neck as she leaned over my shoulder to look at the map with me.
"I did…but how?" I started tapping a pen against the map as I shuffled through my memories of that day. Honestly, I have no idea how I created that hole or why it formed. There was so much to do and take care of when I returned that I never really thought about what 'exactly' I did that day.
"Think~. Think~. Think~." My Olivia's words weren't helping and only caused my pen to tap harder against the map and I picked it up with my free hand to get a better look.
"…Damn it," I clicked my tongue in annoyance as I accidentally pierced the map with the pen at Toldrin. Now I have no answers and a ruined map. "Just how does my magic work…with…?" My words trailed off as a fly flew across my face and distracted me. The bug flew onto the map I haphazardly folded in my hands that I was about to put away. "Go away." I moved to flick the fly off but it sensed my movements and quickly scurried through the hole I pierced through the map to the other side. "…To the other side?" I flipped over the folded map and saw the fly cleaning itself while standing over the map label for Solfin. The fly went from Toldrin to Solfin through a hole because the map was folded. "Folded… Two sides folded…!!!" I flicked the map so the fly would go away, poked a second hole through the map's Gorinville, and folded the map in half so that the blank back side would be folded together and the holes overlapped. If a fly landed in Gorinville it could walk through the hole and be in Toldrin instantly. And the map was two sides coming together… "As if pulled by gravity?"
"Hmm~." My Olivia hummed to herself as I clarified my thoughts. Was that how it worked? Magic could do all sorts of things, so could I use gravity magic to 'pull' two points together and rip a hole in the air to connect them despite the distance? I had to test this theory! If this worked, then Olivia would have to look at me again!
"…Does size matter?" When I created the hole, I was compacting the corpses of tons of soldiers, so would I need corpses to do this? "No! No, Olivia would hate that. No corpses." Technically, I was using my magic on their armor. Was all I needed just something solid? "Marbles?" Would my marbles work? I tossed four marbles into the air and set them to compact into each other, but when they collided they shattered like glass which caused my magic to falter and dissipate. The shattered pieces fell to the floor and broke further. "…Needs metal." Metal doesn't shatter like this. Plus, there was a lot of heat being released and the air was burning because of how compact I was forcing the ball to be. I need metal! Luckily, I always carry two daggers on me at all times. "Focus on the blades…coming together!" I tossed the daggers into the air and forced them together. The blades clashed and were suspended in midair as I forced their points of gravity to be each other and intensified them. "…More." This wasn't enough. The hole I made in Toldrin felt like it was draining my magic reserves, so if I'm going to replicate that day then I need to intensify it more! "More!" I poured more magic to further intensify the gravity and the daggers began to bend and glow as they heated up. Good! I remember that happening! I'm on the right track! The air started popping and sizzling, too! The heat's rising! But…why wasn't anything happening? Was it not enough metal?
"Something's missing~." My Olivia was right. Magic is both abstract and rigid so I need to think about what else I need. As the molten daggers continued to burn in front of me I let my mind drift back to that day. The smell of blood and iron. The cries of knights being cut down left and right. What was I doing? What did I want to do? As I stared into the glow, I…
"I want to see Olivia." As soon as I spoke the words, the sound of shattering glass and fracturing ice pierced my ears as a hole in the shape of an eye that was the size of a small dinner plate ripped through the air. And beyond the hole was Olivia walking down a hallway toward a classroom. "Ol-!?!" I reached for her but the hole closed in an instant; much faster than the one I made at Toldrin. The two daggers had fused into a ball of iron that was smaller than my marbles but still had the weight of the original daggers and fell to the floor with a thud.
"Still think you're not as special~?" My Olivia's words danced through my mind as a triumphant smile overtook my face. "My Lucina~."
"…I need more metal." Two daggers made a hole the size of a small dinner plate that only lasted for a fraction of a moment while the corpse ball made a hole larger than a line of carriages and lasted a few seconds. The amount of material I used clearly influenced how big the hole was and how long it lasted, and it was activated by my desires. Even if it wasn't convenient magic to use since I would need pounds upon pounds of metal to make it useful, the fact I could rip holes across the continent just by wanting to see or go somewhere was invaluable! If it worked like that...but I could do testing to figure out what it can and can't do later! "This will surely make Olivia happy!" I have to tell her! I have to go to her and tell her I can help her no matter what happens with those prophecies! I bolted out the door with the small metal ball in my hand and rushed through the halls of the academy with such enthusiasm. If only that feeling could have lasted forever instead of being immediately trampled on when I passed the student council's meeting room and overheard James talking to one of his followers.
"How much do you think the guilds charge for the murder of a crown princess?"