"W-Wait!" I gasped, struggling to breathe adequately. "Sl-Slower!"
Damn it!
Take back my tears!
You rogue! To think I actually cried for you!
Can't you see I'm uncomfortable?!
I could feel my sweat soaking the back of my uniform, and it felt BEYOND disgusting.
Gosh, I must look terrible right now! How can I ever redeem myself if one of my fans sees me like this?!
And my hair!
Oh no.
My hair!
*sob.
I SPENT AN HOUR PERFECTING IT THIS MORNING! AND… and… it must be all messed up by now.
*sob x2
Where is your dignity as a princess, you Hall brat!
Why are you running with such fervor?!
And you don't even look tired!
My lips trembled as I continuously stabbed Lancera's luscious black hair swaying beautifully in waves against the wind and her accursed supernatural stamina (in my head of course).
Actually, I'm not stabbing. I'm throwing darts.
Just stabbing is too simple of punishment for an over-powered villainess like her. I gotta torture her! She's just too perfect! Too perfect!
Sigh. After years of experience in torturing (in my mind) people, I've perfected my torture (imagination) skills.
Wham!
Just as I finished lampooning, I felt myself helplessly crash into the person in front of me.
F**k!
That hurt!
Damn it. Why did she stop so suddenly?! At least give me a heads up!
I was about to reach up and smooth out my hair when I realized that my hands were still being held tightly in another's grasp.
…
I straightened my back and opened my mouth to speak, but the other party beat me to it.
"We're alone now, Asu."
Eh?
I flinched as my eyes met a pair of deep purple orbs.
Startled, I looked away.
Alone?
Looking around, I realized that we were in a small clearing surrounded by trees and shrubs.
I recognized this place at once.
It was somewhere that I used to come often, a place for me to relax after dealing with some stifling people (not gonna say who).
The clearing was by the borders of the Golden Rose Academy, and beyond it was a few miles of forestry, and beyond that would be the rest of Astoria, the city where the palace stood, the capital of Loen.
The Golden Rose Academy was secluded because it was surrounded by a thin spread of forests, even while the academy was also located in the middle of the most prosperous city of Loen.
These forests weren't typical, though.
They were comprised of unusual species of trees.
Although the tree leaves were shades of green during the day, they would glow and show a myriad of colors once night came.
Once that happens, the academy would look like something from fairy tales, a beautiful and magical place—though Loen does not possess any magic.
But even without the magical transformation, the scenery was tranquil and a beautiful place to walk in.
As such, the academy peripheries were popular scenic spots for the students, and there would almost always be people walking around within them.
So when Lancera said that they were alone, I simply ignored her words.
While they might seem to be alone, there may be people walking around the area.
Just look at what happened before!
I saw a couple's little rendezvous while innocently walking around!
Ugh.
Just thinking about it makes me angry.
"Asu?"
Ah!
I restrained myself from yelping as I woke up from my wandering thoughts.
I smiled innocently. "Yes, Princess Lancera? Oh, but before you say anything, I would prefer it if you let go of my hand, please."
Lancera pouted. "Why? I like holding your hands. They're so beautiful and slender… and your palm is so soft!"
A feeling of ecstasy rose up in my heart as I furiously nodded my head (in my mind, not actually).
Yes, yes!
I've always taken care of my hands very well! Of course, they are beautiful and slender and soft—
Wait.
Don't get swayed by her sweet talk, Asura!
I cleared my throat and began my the obvious answer to her question. "Why? Because people might m—"
The girl suddenly leaned in and brushed the side of my head with her fingers.
"W-W-What are you doing?!!" I jerked away, my face turning into a shade of crimson.
"Eh?" She chuckled, her soft laughter ringing in the air. "I thought I saw a leaf on your head… I couldn't possibly allow something like that to stay on your lovely golden hair without your permission, right? What if the leaf was poisonous?"
Bullshit! If you wanna lie, at least make it convincing!
Clearly, there was nothing there!
And the trees at this school for nobles won't have any poison!
But even as I knew, her words made my heart unwillingly skip a beat.
Lancera continued with a charming smile on her lips, "So, what was the reason I can't hold your hands? 'm'- what?"
"M-M-M-Might… Might…" Curse it!
My mind turned blank. I couldn't remember!
It's all that damned Hall brat's fault! Her and her little tricks!
Hmm…
… 15 seconds later…
Ah! I remember now!
But just then—
"You know…" The Hall brat started speaking once more.
Please.
Don't.
Don't say a word, you villainess.