Chapter 4: Her Highness the Princess Is Very Angry

Selitia actually didn’t mean anything by it.

That ominous force had come too suddenly, and too strangely.

Selitia was worried that if this unfamiliar girl tried to touch her rashly, she might also get corrupted.

That would be a problem.

But because she was in such poor condition, Selitia’s instinctive reaction came off a bit too harsh and inconsiderate.

Sure enough, the blonde girl who had kindly tried to help her suddenly darkened, fury burning in her sapphire-blue eyes.

“You think I want to touch you? Looking like that, if you give me some weird disease, I wouldn’t be able to live it down even if I killed you!”

Selitia didn’t bother explaining, her face cold and indifferent.

“Then I kindly ask that you keep your distance, young miss.”

She hadn’t always been like this.

After the fusion, while she was influenced somewhat by the body’s original personality, more than that—it was a change that came from deep within.

Gentle, refined, polite, patient, thoughtful—people used to describe Sersis with such glowing praise.

But the girl now was a complete stranger compared to the man before—gloomy and distant, as if she’d crawled up from the depths of the earth, uncaring about anything.

Selitia remembered the blonde girl’s kindness in helping her.

But she had no desire to get involved with her.

Keeping distance from others—the farther, the better.

That way, there was no need to give, no need to expect, no need to repay.

And no one could ever hurt her again.

Hearing Selitia’s words, the blonde girl’s cheeks flushed with anger at her ungrateful attitude.

“What kind of maid are you, to be this rude? Acting like this, you’ll probably get tossed out by your masters one day and die sick in some gutter!”

By now Selitia had more or less recovered.

Seeing that the blonde girl hadn’t moved, she considerately took a large step back to widen the distance between them.

“No need for you to worry about that, young miss,” she said coolly.

“You—”

Seeing Selitia act like she couldn’t get away fast enough, the girl’s eyes bulged with fury, and she blurted out without thinking.

“I never should’ve helped you! Hmph, a filthy little maid like you—dying right here wouldn’t be any loss!”

Just as the blonde girl grew angrier and angrier, a cheerful voice suddenly cut in from the side, slipping neatly between their argument.

“Princess Sophia, I do have to correct you—this young lady isn’t a maid.”

“She’s the eldest daughter of Viscount Herbert, Miss Selitia Herbert.”

Another figure lightly hopped over the fence and landed beside the girl named Sophia.

It was a young man with light brown curls and gold-rimmed glasses, his demeanor gentle and refined.

Selitia’s brows furrowed slightly as she quickly recognized him.

Colton Smith—a former adventurer whose name had once echoed across the entire continent.

After retiring, he’d become a professor at Saint Cassia Academy in the Kingdom of Lanska.

Despite looking like he was in his thirties, he was actually over sixty.

As for the “Princess Sophia” Colton addressed—there was no doubt.

She was Her Royal Highness Princess Sophia Clarence, first in line to the throne of the Kingdom of Lanska.

This place really was the capital of Lanska.

Even sweeping the street in the morning, she could bump into two major figures.

If Selitia were still the former commander of the Holy Knights, she’d probably already be secretly planning how to assassinate the princess before her.

But as Colton had said—now she was Selitia Herbert.

Sophia’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Eldest daughter of the Herbert family? I did hear of her… some sickly recluse who barely ever leaves the house…”

She looked Selitia up and down, her eyes full of confusion.

What kind of noble lady wore rough linen clothes and got up at dawn to sweep the streets?

Selitia silently lowered her gaze.

This pampered princess, spoiled since birth, probably couldn’t even begin to imagine the hell Selitia had been through.

“Hmph, well, I suppose it makes sense…”

Sophia sneered, throwing out a jab without even thinking, “I heard Viscount Herbert lost his wife early on, and remarried later.”

“No wonder you turned out so rude—you grew up without your real mother’s guidance!”

The moment the words left her mouth and she met the misty violet-gray eyes of the girl before her, Sophia instantly regretted it.

The girl might’ve been a little impolite, but insulting her for not having a mother—maybe that had gone too far…

Still, there was no way Sophia could bring herself to apologize.

Her expression froze awkwardly, flushing and paling by turns.

In truth, Selitia didn’t take it to heart.

She just felt tired and wanted to rest.

Right now, all she wanted was to get rid of this difficult princess as soon as possible.

“Thank you for your help today, Your Highness Sophia. I’m fine now. As for that unknown individual, I’ll hand her over to the patrol later.”

Selitia spoke calmly, her voice flat and even.

“If Your Highness has other matters to attend to, you may leave now.”

Sophia didn’t hear the first half at all. The second half of Selitia’s words made what little guilt she felt vanish instantly.

“You’re kicking me out? Listen well—even if your father were here, he’d have to respectfully invite me in as a guest!”

Selitia rubbed her temple, looking at that delicate, furious face, feeling an oncoming headache.

“In that case, may I invite Your Highness into the parlor for a cup of morning tea before you go?”

“You think I can’t tell you’re just brushing me off?”

Sophia snapped, “What morning tea? I’m busy—I don’t have time for that!”

Selitia: “……”

Won’t leave, won’t drink tea—what exactly does this young lady want?

“All right, all right, my noble Princess Sophia,”

It was Colton who stepped in with a smiling face, smoothing things over for Selitia and trying to calm Sophia down.

“You promised me we’d inspect the new academy today. Let’s not waste time arguing here.”

Before Sophia could reply, Colton suddenly gave a curious “Oh?” and walked over to the unconscious Kathy, who had been kicked aside.

“Hm? This is an elf? Sick, or injured?”

Sophia’s attention was immediately diverted.

“An elf?”

In her rush to help Selitia earlier, Sophia hadn’t even noticed what Kathy looked like.

“Yes, her condition is quite strange. Truly fascinating.”

A glint of white flashed across Colton’s gold-rimmed glasses as he turned to Selitia.

“Miss Herbert, you don’t mind if I take this elf with me, do you?”

Selitia was silent for a moment.

Professor Colton’s obsession with research was infamous.

If Kathy fell into his hands, she was bound to suffer.

Then again—it had nothing to do with her anymore.

Selitia opened her palm and made a gesture to Colton.

“Go ahead.”

Without the slightest hint of mercy, Colton grabbed Kathy by the collar and lifted the elf up.

“Well then, let’s be off, Your Highness Sophia.”

Sophia shot Selitia a venomous glare.

“You just wait!”

“Now, now, no need to get upset, Your Highness. Look—we even got an unexpected bonus today…”