The semester had come to an end. The grades for the second semester final examinations were released, and the current students who showed talent in the Academic Festival, Art Festival, and Sword Festival were selected for various fields. Also, the fourth year students would leave the academy after the graduation ceremony. Unlike the academy of the Royer Empire, which held their graduation ceremonies after the vacations, the academies of the Empire held their graduation ceremonies immediately after the end of classes. However, despite being an annual event, this year's graduation ceremony is expected to be bigger than usual.
Crown Prince Sian, who wrote the story of his miraculous victory in the Swordsmanship Festival. Raphael, the painter of the work Belladonna, whose work has been vibrating the empire. Even the prosecutor Ren Bastasche, who was defeated by Sian in the Sword Art Festival but is commissioned to be called a Sword of the Empire. The graduation ceremony of the academy, which had lasted for hundreds of years combined, had rarely produced so many outstanding individuals at once as this year.
A day before graduation Elena went to Raphael's studio after dressing up. Raphael was carefully wrapping the artwork, and Cecilia was helping with the work. Elena felt a deep sense of regret when she saw the two tidying up.
"The seniors are graduating. I think time flies."
"I know."
"It's empty here. I think it'll be very lonely."
She felt a sense of emptiness in the studio.
"How about my junior when we all leave? How about having a lover?"
"I'm not in the mood."
"Really? That's weird. You seem to have a lot on your mind."
Cecilia, who said something meaningful, smiled her eyes and teased Elena.
'… You never know. I didn't expect her to be in this relationship with me.'
Compared to her past life, everything was new and unfamiliar. The relationships that had taken root in her mind were uniformly distorted and developed into something completely different. Cecilia was one of them.
"What should I do with this picture, Miss Lucia?"
Elena's picture was placed in front of Raphal. In the past, it would have hurt his heart just to think of Ian, but now Elena's eyes were filled with warmth. As much as she wanted to take it with her, she was not in a position to do so right now.
"Can you keep it for a while?"
"Yes, tell me whenever you can take it."
Raphael nodded and wrapped the painting in layers of paper. By the time all the stuff in the studio was sorted out, the porters sent by Khalif arrived. They carefully moved their luggage to a carriage outside the annex. Raphael, who sent his luggage first, also felt new when he saw the empty studio.
"I'll go to the dormitory and finish packing."
"You're coming to graduation tomorrow, aren't you?"
Elena nodded.
"I'll be there. I'll congratulate you and say goodbye."
"Goodbye feels like we're breaking up forever. Just congratulate me."
After Cecilia's joking words, Raphael and Elena parted ways. Elena moved to the next meeting place. At the entrance of the academy, she received an outing card and visited a restaurant that Emilio purchased and operated.
"Welcome, miss."
Like the last visit, the employee greeted her with a bright smile. The restaurant was quiet because it was closed today.
"This way."
When Elena entered the terrace room on the second floor, Khalif greeted her warmly. Emilio replaced Khalif with a light bow.
"Congratulations, senior. On getting a diploma safely."
"I honestly didn't expect to graduate… but I was lucky. My professors tolerated me."
Khalif looked genuinely happy.
"Will you come to my graduation ceremony tomorrow?"
"I have to go."
"Of course. I'll be disappointed if you don't come."
Elena smiled silently and looked at Khalif. The first meeting started with a deal, but now there was a strong bond that could be called trust. He felt like a strong business partner.
"Why are you looking at me like that? In a bad way."
Elena smiled and turned her head to meet Emilio's eyes. In Elena's eyes, the impression of an ironclad playing a father-daughter relationship disappeared, and there was a calmness left in the place.
"I got my progress report. Without Emilio, I wouldn't have been able to get this much rent to avoid the checks of the Grand Duke. Thank you."
"It's nothing compared to the grace received from the benefactor."
Emilio was polite and respectful. Khalif blinked at the sudden change in the title.
"What's that awkward title? And Emilio, why do you respect her? What's with the benefactor?"
"Senior."
Khalif put on a strange expression. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't understand the conversation they were having now.
"You know what? I don't understand this situation. Can you explain it so I can understand?"
"I'd rather do that. I think it's time to be honest."
"What are you trying to say? I'm anxious."
Elena took off her black horn-rimmed glasses. Although it was a makeup product that controls the image, Elena's original face line was revealed even though only her glasses were taken off.
"Why are you taking off your glasses… Uh? Oh!"
Leaving the confused Khalif behind, Elena put her hand inside her head and untied the pin of her wig, which she had held tightly. When Elena removed her hand from the back of her head, she had a short brown wig. At the same time, Elena shook her head, and the long blond hair that had been rolled down flowed like a waterfall. At that moment, Khalif uttered a shocking remark.
"P-Princess Veronica?"
"…!"
Emilio, who was standing next to her, also seemed surprised as well. Inwardly, he had guessed that Elena's true identity was a grand nobleman or a member of the royal family, but he could not have imagined that she was Princess Veronica of the Grand Duchy.
"We've seen each other a lot, senior."
Elena put her long hair behind her shoulders and smiled a playful smile. It was fun to see the response of Khalif, who was so surprised that he couldn't keep his mouth shut.
"You… Oh, no. Your Highness, then why… W-what about Lucia?"
"Will Emilio explain it to you? Where's the real Lucia?"
Emilio, who was asked by Elena, answered instead.
"My daughter, Lucia, is now in the capital of the Belkan Kingdom, a member of the Trilateral Union."
"If it's Belkan, it's in the north! T-Then has Her Highness impersonated Lucia until now? The double role I've heard so much about?"
"That's what it is."
"T-this is a dream. No way. No way!"
Khalif couldn't believe it even when he saw the current situation. He couldn't accept the fact that the woman he believed was Lucia was actually Princess Veronica. Elena wiped the smile off her lips as she watched Khalif who couldn't stop doubting her. She spoke in noble language with a noble look.
"I don't bargain over that artwork. It's an insult to art."
"T-that means…"
Elena rephrased what she had said in the first transaction in the same way, without omitting a single particle. Khalif grabbed his head and almost tore it off. He had no choice but to accept that Elena was Lucia and Princess Veronica.
"I'm sorry I lied to you. But I couldn't help it. The name Lucia was breathtaking to me. I wasn't free to leave because of the surveillance of the Grand Duke."
"H-hold on. I don't understand why you… No, Your Highness is being watched by the Grand Duke?"
As soon as Elena admitted that she was Veronica, he remembered his question. Looking back at what Elena had done so far, many of her plans were aimed at the Grand Duke. The purchase of the art works brought by Khalif for an additional price, the purchase of the land in the slums, and the monopoly contract for the natural marble mines were all, strictly speaking, a grab for the concessions of the Grand Duke's unfolding business. He couldn't understand why Veronica, who was as good as an heiress to the Grand Duke, would scrape and eat her own flesh against the Grand Duke.
Elena took a short breath and alternated between Khalif and Emilio. Even though she came here after packing, she was hesitant.
'It takes a lot of courage to reveal the truth, but it's important.'
The two were the only people who could be trusted and relied on for Elena, who staged a lonely revenge against the Great House. Nevertheless, it required a big resolution as it was to reveal secrets that had never been revealed in both her previous and present lives.
"I am not Princess Veronica."
"You're kidding, right? If you're not Princess Veronica, then who is?"
Looking at Khalif, who was confused, Elena confessed the truth.
"My name is Elena. I'm a substitute for Princess Veronica."
"…!"
Not only Khalif but also Emilio, who never loses his composure, was confused.
'Should I have told you over time?'
There was a moment of regret, but Elena shook her head and shook off her thoughts.
'No, I have to show my sincerity first to win the hearts of others. I really need these two people.'
Elena did many things with these two people. Without Khalif and Emilio, she would never have dreamed of this success against Leabrick. Knowing that, she decided to tell the truth that she was Veronica's substitute.
There was a silence. Elena didn't rush and calmly waited until they understood and were convinced. Khalif was the one who found a long-running silence.
"I'm so confused right now that you said…. That you said were a substitute. Then where's the real Princess Veronica?"
"I don't know. But I know it won't be long before she gets back to where she was. That's when they won't need a substitute. I'll be thrown away."
"T-thrown away?"
Elena nodded. The miserable death of being deceived to death passed like a flashlight.
"I'm just a doll to the Grand Duke. A doll to be disposed of when it's out of use."
"…"
Khalif lost his words and didn't speak. He couldn't say anything to Elena's expression as if she knew her miserable ending.
"Benefactor."
Elena turned her head and stared at Emilio.
"All you've prepared so far is for the return of Princess Veronica?"
"It's similar, but technically it's not a backup. All I want is the downfall of the Grand House."
"I see, the downfall. It's not easy at all."
Emilio's expression became complicated. The opponent is Grand Duke Friedrich, who is called the pillar of the empire. So far, the deal has caused a lot of damage to the Great House, but it was not a great deal to that extent.
"It's not easy, but I believe I can do it. We've been doing well."
Elena, who took her breath, continued solemnly.
"But I'm not going to stand by anymore. The Grand Duke's aid Leabrick is a cruel woman. You two could be exposed to danger."
Elena bowed her head in a more polite manner than ever.
"Nevertheless, I'm ashamed of it, but please. Can you help me like you've done?"
"Benefactor."
"… Lucia."
Elena was more desperate than ever. She knew she couldn't have come this far without the help of these two. Even though she knew it was dangerous enough to give up her life, she had no choice but to hold hands and beg for it. Khalif was the first to respond to Elena's sincere confession.
"There's no way I can't help you."
Elena looked up and saw Khalif talking loudly.
"Did you say shame? I have a thing called shame. If it wasn't for you, did you know I'd be trying to seduce an immovable young woman and get into the position of being a son-in-law? You've made such a worthless bastard like this."
"Senior."
"And you asked me to help you. You're going to die if I leave you alone. How can I pretend I don't know?"
Khalif tapped his chest and offered a show to believe in himself. It wasn't very reliable, but it was enough to make Elena smile.