Angelica's POV

Classes had ended for the day. Normally I would have left with my followers, but I had a more pressing matter to deal with today.

In the time it took me to bade off my followers, I noticed that his Highness and his friends had already entered the room and surrounded the scholarship student. It took a substantial amount of willpower to keep the scowl off of my face. I had never seen his Highness seem so eager before, and it had to be for another woman.

I need to focus for his Highness's sake. Bartfort was clear in his instructions. I needed to wait for his Highness to invite the girl first. I don't understand why Bartfort insisted on the timing though. How was depriving the girl of time with his Highness supposed to ingratiate the girl to us?

As I sat there watching the six's interaction, I noticed something peculiar. The girl seemed to only respond when addressed, and when she did, she always seemed to fidget. Perhaps being surrounded by the boys was too much for her. She was a commoner after all.

"Shall we be off?" his Highness asked with a smile.

With that, my musings were cut short. I quickly approached the group.

"My apologies, your Highness. I actually have some business with the scholarship student."

His Highness treated me with a scathing look. Despite how often he would look at me that way recently, it was still shocking and hurt me to my core. What had I done to deserve such treatment? Was I such a nuisance to his Highness?

"What business may that be, Angelica?" Julius asked with a glare while the other boys huddled closer to the scholarship student.

Schooling my features, I evenly conveyed a prepared response.

"I was notified by the staff to discuss a private matter with the scholarship student. I am not at liberty to discuss it currently. If she feels like discussing the topics with you afterward, she is free to do so."

The boys looked at me skeptically, and all of them looked ready to argue. As his Highness was about to say something, the scholarship student interjected.

"I'll go."

She had a forlorn look. It was as though she predicted that this would occur. I wonder what exactly it was she had been dreading for her to look as she did now.

Sensing her distress, his Highness worriedly asked, "Are you sure? We can come with you if you want."

I wanted to interject since Bartfort instructed that she needed to come alone, but the scholarship student shook her head before I could do anything.

"It's probably best that I go alone. The school asked her to do this, and I don't want to cause problems for Ms. Redgrave," she meekly stated.

His Highness gave a troubled look before finally acquiescing.

And with that, the scholarship student and I made our way to Bartfort.

The designated meeting spot was across the campus, and we were only halfway there before my frustration began to boil over. My frustration stemmed from a lack of understanding. The scholarship student made numerous attempts to speak up, but would always silence herself before saying anything. This was the girl that ensnared the crown prince? I just couldn't see it. She was far too timid to have initiated any conversation with his Highness. It should have been impossible for her to make an impression on his Highness.

Yet it happened. She was his highness's main focus, and it burned knowing that only she received those looks from him.

I bit my inner cheek in frustration. To think things got so complicated because a commoner girl stumbled into our lives. While I could understand the necessity to educate the girl and agreed with her enrollment, she should have been relegated to the regular classes. At least then she would be mingling with people who have had interaction with commoners. I couldn't understand the royal palace's decision to enroll her in the advanced courses regardless of her ability to utilize light magic.

Commoners and nobles intermingling as equals was asking for trouble.

Nothing else of note occurred until we made it to the room where Bartfort was waiting. It was there that the teacher for the boy's etiquette class greeted us.

"Greetings, Ms. Redgrave, Ms. Livia," the man said with a smile and bow.

"Master?"

"It certainly has been quite some time since I last saw you, Livia. I see that you have become quite proficient with your magic. I believe congratulations are in order. It is no easy feat to enter this school on merit alone."

I whipped my head in shock at the scholarship student. Did she know the teacher personally?

It was then I saw that the gloomy girl that I had been escorting exhibited pure uninhibited joy. It was when she excitedly reminisced with the teacher that it finally hit me, she never truly smiled around his Highness. The boys never called her Livia. She was not surrounded by friends or loved ones.

Everything started to fall into place in my mind. Functionally, she was nothing more than his Highness and friends' pet. While I'm certain his Highness hadn't intended for that to happen, his interest in her took precedence over her wishes. She didn't want the attention but understood that as a commoner, couldn't simply reject his Highness's invitations without potentially severe repercussions.

A bitter feeling blossomed in my chest. I wanted to hate her for catching the prince's eye. I wanted to hate her for not appreciating how much that would mean for anyone else. I wanted to hate her.

But I couldn't bring myself to do so anymore. I could only pity her. As far as I was aware, she hadn't done anything wrong. She shouldn't have to suffer for this mess that she was caught up in.

I still couldn't bring myself to forgive her though.

Olivia's POV

"Master?"

"It certainly has been quite some time since I last saw you, Ms. Livia. I see that you have become quite proficient with your magic. I believe congratulations are in order. It is no easy feat to enter this school on merit alone."

And with that, I fell into an easy conversation with him. It was as though my mouth moved without a thought, yet I did not worry about how my words would be taken. It has been so long since I've been able to talk so freely. My time at this school had been horrible. I did not belong here, something that was made clear to me on a daily basis. I had no friends other than the prince and his friends. Even then, I felt more like a pet to them than an actual friend. I couldn't work up the courage to ask them to leave me be.

"While it has been wonderful to catch up with you, Livia, I do believe that we have some business to attend to."

I felt my eyes drift down. I knew that I was about to receive my punishment.

"I understand, Master."

He opened the door and gestured for Ms. Redgrave and me to enter. As I walked through, I noticed that there was another boy preparing a table with a plate of sweets and a pot of tea. He noticed me and waved with a smile on his face. This was not what I was expecting.

Master soon entered the room and said, "In light of your background and the kingdom's interest in you, we have decided to assign you two student guides to ensure your success at Holtfort Academy. The young lady that escorted you here is Angelica Rapha Redgrave. She is the daughter of Duke Redgrave, and she will be acting as one of your guides. The young man is my apprentice, Leon Fou Bartfort, and will be acting as your other guide. He has made a name for himself through adventuring prior to his admittance to this fine institution. His exploits were of such note that the kingdom has knighted him and will confer him the title Baron once he graduates. Like you, the kingdom has high hopes for this young man."

"Ms. Redgrave and Mr. Bartfort will be helping me?"

While I was relieved that I wasn't being punished, I felt shame well up within me. Was I such a disappointment that I not only needed a student guide but two of them?

Before I could wallow too much in my self-pity, Ms. Redgrave stepped forward and introduced herself. "As previously stated, my name is Angelica Rapha Redgrave. I will primarily be instructing you in the proper etiquette of high society as well as helping you navigate through the school's unspoken rules. I may also be in charge of tutoring you in more advanced theory-based work that interest you once you have improved your grades."

Mr. Bartfort soon followed up by saying, "I'll be in charge of beginner to immediate level theory work, but my main focus will be the practicals and adventuring."

"Mr. Bartfort, why have you not seated these young ladies yet?" Master asked the boy sternly, who developed a remorseful face and hastily offered us seats. Master then addressed Ms. Redgrave and me with, "I apologize for my apprentice's lack of courtesy. Being the third son of what was once a baronetcy, he had not dedicated sufficient time to learn proper etiquette. He is earnestly learning the ways of being a gentleman, but he still has much to learn."

Ms. Redgrave gave a complicated look at Mr. Bartfort before accepting the apology.

I looked at the boy again and felt a small smile grow on my face. So I wasn't the only person with a commoner background, and yet Master seemed to hold him in high regard. Maybe Mr. Bartfort will be able to help me belong.