Chapter 24: The taste of Orange (I).

It was early in the morning and a few students were already packed into the halls of the academy. Many girls of lower noble ranking stared at Lady Evelyn both in awe and envy.

The title of future Queen was clear. Undeniable grace, elegance and coldness she possessed.

Trained from young she was engaged, the crown prince merely saw her as an acquaintance who was ill-tempered and immature for scolding him several times about the responsibilities of their engagement.

"Good morning, Lady Evelyn."

"Good morning."

"Lady Evelyn! Good morning."

"Good morning to you as well."

"L-Lady Evelyn! G-Good morning!"

The noblemen would do the same; mostly they were just looking, never approaching. Rumor has it that she's far too loyal to her mission that no amount of seduction would sway her away to another side. The title of Queen is her sworn duty.

A group of noblemen were talking about her as she passed by just now, all in whispers. "Lady Evelyn is really pretty... too bad she's already engaged to Crown Prince Dereck." one started out.

"Please you're lucky you're not engaged to a woman like her, I heard from the crown prince personally that she's one woman you don't want to be tied down in marriage."

"Ah... I heard about that. She's too controlling right?"

"Too whiny as well, when you look at her though she doesn't seem to be the whiney type."

"She's more of a cold type right?"

They all discussed the girl's personality but they were all wrong.

Lady Evelyn who finally found her classroom and sat down into her seat was having a small problem because she can't seem to keep something out of her mind. Her mind was elsewhere with only one question.

With her hand holding her chin she muttered to herself the question. "She doesn't like bitter medicine... will there be a way to turn the taste of it into a citrus fruit?"

The blonde girl's figure came to mind and remembered some of the things she yelled while she was in her tantrum fever yesterday.

"Your medicine sucks! Too bitter! I don't want it! I want the orange flavored one!" she yells with her crying eyes and pouty lips Analissa would hide herself under the blankets as Liara tried offering her a spoon filled with medicine.

"Pfft..." (Lady Evelyn) smiled to herself thinking what an amusing girl. She hasn't laughed like this in a while and her mind seemed to be at peace. "Orange flavored medicine..."

Orange, a citrus fruit only grown in the rich parts of the elven kingdom. It was a little rare since that kind of fruit is rarely traded inside the kingdom.

It was well known for its really sour taste when its unripe but it can be enjoyed when its fully ripe in orange color, when it is time for the picking its citrusy smell is relaxing to the nose.

What was abundant in trade for this season was apples, lemon and dragon fruits.

Where can she find some oranges... in this time? Are oranges Miss Blanchet's favorite fruit? Maybe the elven market would be opening to a trade and of course she would pay most handsomely-

"Ah... was I... honestly thinking of buying oranges for Miss Blanchet?" (Lady Evelyn) stopped to take a second thought.

She has been rather spoiling towards the girl, making her a bit confused as to why she's doing it again.

"No... I don't want you to leave me, please?"

She covered half of her face, recalling back to Analissa's request to stay with her in her bedroom before looking at the empty chair beside her where Analissa Blanchet would usually sit and scribble on weird cute drawings when they were in class.

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"Hahhh..."

Right!

She's only doing this to help her get well soon!

The sooner she gets well the sooner she gets out of her room!

Yes! So that she won't be responsible for anything that happens to her after- but I mean- it's not like it was her fault that Miss Analissa got sick so why is she doing this-

"Missing her now, are you?" a blue haired student walked over and asked.

"..."

Lord Ein notices the girl looking a bit flustered at first but then she pulls out her usual cold stare when he tells her of his little comment about missing a little blonde girl that's out sick today. "How is she, Miss Analissa I mean." (Lord Ein)

Lady Evelyn fixes her posture turning back to her serious self. "Under my maid's care. She's recovering really well and fast. Her fever is half gone and would be well by tomorrow."

"So she'll be missing today's class?" (Lord Ein) looked a little bored, she was hoping that the blonde girl would be fine after just one night of resting.

"Yes she will be missing class." (Lady Evelyn) nods.

"What a shame, I was getting bored talking to no one fun these days." (Lord Ein)

Once she was well he was going to ask how her progress with protecting the Villainess is going. He was going to make fun of Analissa that the future Queen doesn't need much protection from a little frail blonde girl like her who gets sick.

After all... this particular girl doesn't need anyone to protect her.

A talent for horse-riding, experience in archery, the use of a spear and sword. Duchess Evelyn Alarie was utmost skilled at fighting because her family has a military background and the women there can take on duties at war.

Having the best instructors, she's also well adverse towards magic.

"And I have her letter of absence with me so instead of being marked absent for yesterday she will be excused. I made it for her stead, her state is still a bit... distracted so I did it for her." (Lady Evelyn) takes out the letter with the magic seal before showing it to Lord Ein.

Lord Ein laughs, not believing how prepared this woman is. "What do you think of the commoners that locked her up in the first place? I believe that the matter should be disclosed at the moment but..."

Lady Evelyn looks down on her seat forgetting the matter of the perpetrators. She has told them that she won't take a blind eye for what they did, first Miss Blanchet's uniform and now- getting locked in a bathroom.

Truly this has to stop.

"As the future Queen, it is rather shameful that I turned a blind eye... at the first time the bullying matter regarding Miss Blanchet happened. I am ready to correct my mistakes and set a punishment for those girls." (Lady Evelyn) sighs rubbing the side of her temples feeling disgusted with herself.

Right... Why didn't she do anything the first time she heard such a thing was happening to Miss Blanchet?

Ah... right, because she was afraid of that blonde girl.

She was afraid that she'll be a huge thorn on her back if she dares manages to take the crown prince away and divorces her engagement making her a useless pawn to her family.

Lord Ein smirked, getting pumped for something like this... He couldn't wait to see more of this side of Lady Evelyn. It was almost impossible to see her care to this extent!

Ahhh... He was getting excited to know what kind of punishment it would be. He has only heard some of the best torture the villainess does...

"I can't wait to hear all about it, Lady Evelyn." (Lord Ein) smiles going back to his seat with his own egg sitting beside him. It has been a while since the idea of getting hurt for the excitement of pleasure went through his head.

It seems not everyone brought their egg project today and most likely have it settling in their home.

Lady Evelyn got onto the class a bit early. Almost half of the class were not there yet but Lady Serene with her fiery red hair patted her shoulder and gave her a disappointed look on her face.

"Evelyn."

"Serene."

They briefly exchanged. Lady Serene has been worried since she heard from Lord Ein that her friend was carrying a commoner girl in her arms in public with no decorum!

"I cannot believe you carried her to your dorms- your sacred place to which you only invite people with class. Are commoners part of that now too?"

She tells her friend, supposedly in the story Lady Serene Sinclair was the Villainess's lackey.

Every time the Villainess has her plan being successful in making the Heroine (In this case the player) fail in completing the love route of the crown prince and other love interests, her respect and loyalty rises.

The amount of bullying will also increase from the lackey.

However, since the Villainess is not making anything like that- because Analissa has proposed and promised that she won't do anything to the crown prince. She has lost reason to torment the Heroine and soon the plot changed.

The lackey seemed to have found herself trapped, she wasn't able to do anything to the commoner girl.

To Lady Serene Sinclair, this girl in front of her is a changed person and she was losing all respect for her as a noble. "What do you think- if the others found out about it?"

"I believe there is nothing wrong with helping a commoner subject of mine, Serene. Miss Blanchet was in need and I merely gave aid. I would like to leave what the other people think of me this morning." (Lady Evelyn) tells her brushing the red head girl to drop it but it seems that Lady Serene Sinclair has a lot more to say.

"But-" she wanted to tell her of how impetuous she's doing! Everything was too fast of her personality change- it must be because of that commoner girl poisoning Evelyn's mind that she's gone this soft! "Evelyn she's clearly using you-"

"End. Of. Discussion."

The Villainess didn't spare a single more glance at her for trying to convince that Miss Blanchet was using her, if the blonde girl was deceiving her in any way Evelyn would've known.

She recalls the girl's blue eyes from when they met, when she told all those things... no matter how ludicrous it was she could feel that she was not lying. That is the reason why she was taking Analissa with her confusing words.

A skill that she has picked up on since she was a little child, was to know who was telling the truth and who's not.

This is why in the game she was considered a big obstacle to fight, you cannot lie your way into getting a favor with the Villainess you actually have to tell the truth and work your way around her.

In the end none of that matters because once her route is done-

She'll be dead anyways.

.-.-.-.-.

Once everyone was settled into their seats. The mood of the classroom was a little down especially for the boys who noticed their goddess Miss Analissa Blanchet was nowhere to be found.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

An Elf professor came in holding a clipboard smiling while she looked at her students. "Good morning everyone~" she walks forward into the classroom and takes a chalkboard in hand.

"I am Professor Fraeya Abeline." She writes her name into the board and faces the class. "Your Potion Brewing class professor and Incantation 101, who will be teaching you nothing today because we're still in orientation."

The elf professor was tall, had beautiful long silver hair and a beautiful pair of emerald eyes.

"I'm a bite late so I couldn't introduce myself last week... fortunately because I just came back from the Elven Kingdom but enough of that- how about we take some attendance?" she snaps her fingers and the wind danced around the clipboard she was carrying before and her quill that dipped itself in ink.

Every noble was not surprised at all by the simple Elven Wind magic portrayed.

Lady Evelyn and Lord Ein were looking toward the empty seat of Analissa Blanchet.

If the blonde girl was here... she would definitely make that cute expression of her blue eyes sparkling like she has never seen such magic before.

Certainly the two missed her the most in that room.