The Gloomy and Timid Princess Heads to the Academy

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Since it was my mother’s choice, I don’t doubt it.

She explained the party in detail, and she even recommended the outfit after checking all the clothes herself.

…Still, I couldn’t help but wonder if this was really the right choice.

Compared to the dress tucked away in my closet, this one was quite modest, but relatively speaking, it was still somewhat revealing.

No matter how I thought about it, that dress I first showed to my mother seemed to suit me best…

But since this is the one she said fits me the most, there’s nothing I can do.

Before stepping out, I stood in front of the mirror to check my appearance.

My hair was a stark contrast to the black background with white patterns, showing a hint of cleavage, and my back was slightly exposed.

So, is this what happens when you make everything in the closet more modest?

At least I could take comfort in the fact that my back wasn’t entirely exposed; it would be confusing whether it was a dress or a piece of cloth.

I carefully checked for any loose strands or dust on me, confirmed that there were no issues, and grabbed the invitation.

Since it seemed to serve as both the invitation and entry ticket, I held it tightly. It would be embarrassing to be denied entry after getting all dressed up.

Just signing was all it takes… I really didn’t get what that meant, but I could just ask Dokan.

Taking a deep breath, I knocked on Dokan’s door.

“Just a moment…”

It seemed like he had just woken up, as there were rustling sounds from inside the room, and it felt like opening the door would reveal a messy scene.

I thought I should remind him to clean up sometime. It was chaotic last time he was taught about friends, too.

Well, all I could do was be patient and wait.

Listening lazily to whatever he was doing inside, Dokan soon opened the door.

“Sorry for making you wait…”

Dokan paused mid-sentence and stared at me for a moment before continuing.

For just a second, I caught a glimpse of his flushed face, causing a small sense of unease to rise up. What if it doesn’t suit me… that kind of impure suspicion.

“…Does it not suit me?”

I struck a pose and asked while showing off the front and back.

Since my mother saw the world differently, perhaps she recommended something we wouldn’t understand with our sense of style… I couldn’t say for sure.

It did look good to me, but since that was just my opinion, it wasn’t very reliable.

So, asking Dokan was my only option.

I felt Anya would just thoughtlessly say it looked perfect.

“…Ah. No, it’s just too pretty. Don’t worry, Ho-yeon. It suits you very well.”

“Really? You think so too?”

Doubting my mother for a moment was a mistake. She really did have a deep understanding of fashion.

Speaking of which, Dokan was also dressed neatly. Unlike the dazzling golden attire of fantasy royalty, he wore a decent black suit like mine.

At least other women wouldn’t come up to speak first. There are plenty of characters here who look quite outgoing.

“Is that so? I appreciate you saying that. Did you grab the invitation?”

Dokan seemed genuinely pleased by my compliment. When he asked if I had my invitation, I responded by taking it out.

“Here. But what does it mean when it says just to sign?”

“Hmm… I’m not sure about that either.”

That was what I was about to ask him! But Dokan didn’t know either. Guess I had no choice but to find out myself.

“Then let’s sign.”

“No… okay. There’s no way they would set up something shady in a place like this…”

It seemed Dokan was quite uneasy about something Stephanie gave him. He had been alert ever since yesterday, showing his wariness about her.

But come on, it’s not like this party invitation would turn into a body release waiver; that seemed excessive.

“Don’t worry, what could possibly happen?”

Seriously. If anything did happen, it would be like ruining his face; there’s no reason for anyone to do something strange.

“Okay… then let’s go for it.”

Dokan casually took out a pen and handed one to me as he paused while writing his name on the invitation.

“…For the companion.”

It seemed like there was a section in the invitation Stephanie gave that was meant for companions.

I felt a bit angry about what they would do if you didn’t have one, but I realized that noble families usually had at least one companion.

I became a bit deflated for no good reason. But then I remembered, I had Dokan.

“Here, I have a companion.”

I poked him in the side with the pen, and Dokan looked at me with a dazed expression. What’s up with that look?

Could it be that he’s still hung up on what happened yesterday?

It seems like he was still hesitant about publicly acknowledging me as his friend. Though he seemed to be considering me, it led me to think that later when I had my harem, he would be the one to ask who I was and push me away.

Exactly. If everyone knew, they wouldn’t do that.

I wrote Dokan’s name in the companion section of my invitation. Seeing that, he had no choice and wrote my name in his.

That’s how it should be.

“…So, what happens now?”

The moment Dokan placed the flag, mana similar to what surrounded us during the mid-terms began to envelop us.

Could it be another teleportation? Wouldn’t I suddenly end up in some bizarre place again?

Fear suddenly washed over me, and I gripped Dokan’s hand tightly.

Even when engulfed by the mana storm and feeling dizzy, I didn’t let go of Dokan’s hand. Maybe that’s why, when I opened my eyes, Dokan was right next to me.

“Welcome, guests. I am Angelo, the steward. You are White Royal Family’s Eldest Daughter and her companion, Han Dogon, correct?”

“Yes.”

“That’s correct.”

“Please, come inside. I hope you enjoy your time here.”

He seemed to treat Dokan as a mere accessory, but I figured that’s how it goes. After all, social hierarchy does exist in this fantasy world.

As I stepped beyond the door, scents of perfume and sounds of music wafted in, so it seemed the party had already begun.

But since it was a party hosted by students, I figured it would be modest as he said—so when I opened the door, an unexpected scene unfolded.

A brilliantly decorated hall with a band playing in the corner, and students gathering around tables, drinking something.

It felt too intense.

And above all, there were too many people; it was a bit suffocating.

Even without directing anyone’s gaze, the massive crowd made me feel a bit intimidated.

“…Hah… ha.”

“Oh right. You said it was your first party, didn’t you? Don’t be too nervous. It seems Stephanie prepared this one with genuine care, without any devious schemes.”

Seeing me catching my breath, Dokan advised me to relax.

Yeah, relax…eat. Surely there wouldn’t be crazy folks hitting on couples walking hand in hand.

In truth, one of the reasons I had chosen a modest outfit was that I was scared someone would approach me.

“So… uh, Ho-yeon. How long do you plan on holding my hand?”

Though it seemed Dokan wanted me to let go.

“Are you trying to say let go?”

Thinking about it, while dressing modestly would keep people from approaching me, it didn’t stop Dokan from causing trouble.

I didn’t realize such an easy solution existed. We could just make it known to everyone that we were friends and wander around.

“I’d like to experience the so-called escort. What do you think?”

So I tossed the idea back at Dokan. No thoughts of letting go, meaning he should just give up.

Having unknowingly fallen back to speaking in his style again, I thought I should pretend to be a princess a little.

“…Yes.”

With a bitter smile, Dokan led me through the crowd, still holding my hand.

As I had worried, male gazes poured upon us, but looking at Dokan, they mostly clicked their tongues or looked away.

If Dokan hadn’t been there, I might have panicked, surrounded by potential suitors.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

Fortunately, nothing of the sort happened.

For a moment, I felt quite proud of my good thinking, but one persistent gaze still remained pinned on us.

Was it the very ‘crazy guy’ I had worried about? When I glanced to see who it was, it turned out to be Golden Sun.

Hmm. A crazy guy indeed. Suddenly dousing someone with divine power.

But he seemed a bit strangely different from when I saw him before. He was wearing an eye patch, and a few of his fingers were missing on his left hand.

Looks like he got hurt during mid-terms.

However, he merely looked at us. Since he showed no signs of hostility, I ignored him and followed Dokan’s lead.

“…By the way, where are we going?”

“Aren’t we supposed to have breakfast? I believe there’s a dining area, so how about we grab a bite?”

I can’t resist food. I thought I was wandering without a destination.

“Lead the way.”

I was feeling a bit hungry, and I was also curious about party food. I didn’t hold high expectations for the taste… but it should be enough just to gain some experience.

When I followed him to the dining area, I unexpectedly came across a familiar face.

“Dokan, and Ho-yeon! What a surprise to see you here!”

It was Anya and her friends, who were sitting at a table piled high with food. Exipri and a girl glaring at me for some reason were there as well, along with several other unfamiliar people.

“Wanna eat with us?”

Anya was trying to pull us into the crowd at the table filled with strangers.