Chapter 38: Whispers in the Shadows

Lucy held her breath quietly.

Angelica stood beyond the bathroom door.

Soon, she knocked and asked, “Is anyone in there?”

Lucy did not answer.

Angelica smirked mischievously and turned to the female student beside her. “Miss Amel, go into the next stall and look over.”

“Me… Me? But if someone’s in there…”

“Do I have to ask twice, Miss Amel?” Angelica’s cold smile made Amel flinch.

Realizing it was not a request, Amel hesitated before complying. Lucy soon heard a groaning sound as Amel struggled to climb up.

Lucy crouched, stroking her chin.

What should she do?

She had plenty of ways to escape. Teleportation, for example. However, she decided to observe a little longer.

Soon, Amel, after much effort, peeked over Lucy’s stall.

“Eww… Huh?”

“Is someone there?”

“No, there’s no one.”

“The door is locked… Maybe it’s just broken. Come down.”

Lucy had quickly used ‘Invisibility’ to hide. Unaware, Angelica and her group dismissed it and moved on.

Lucy listened closely.

“For this plan to work, I need to convince everyone that I’ve reconciled with Miss Abet. Your role is important in that, understood?”

Amel and Beichel nodded. They had once been friends with Abet before the fall of the Lichberg family and had been swayed by Angelica’s promise: “If this goes well, you’ll be in my faction.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll handle it.”

“Good. I’ll be counting on you.”

Angelica concluded her scheme and left the bathroom.

Lucy, who had been eavesdropping, smirked. “As expected, that Angelica girl is more cunning than I thought.”

Angelica planned to frame Abet. Her goal was to ruin Lucy and Abet’s bond while feigning reconciliation to lessen suspicion.

But Lucy had overheard it all.

She was not someone easily swayed by such nonsense.

Stretching lightly, she exited the bathroom. “I should at least give Abet a heads-up.”

As she descended the central staircase, she ran into Noah coming up. He eyed the tracksuit she was carrying.

“The women’s locker room is downstairs. Why are you coming from above?”

A direct hit. Lucy hesitated before replying coldly, “What does that have to do with you?”

Noah scratched the back of his head, smiling awkwardly. “Sorry if I offended you.”

“I’ll let it pass.”

As she walked past, she suddenly recalled something.

“You… Did you intentionally put Abet and me together?”

Thinking back, she realized Noah had first asked her in the library if she bore any ill will toward Abet.

After confirming she didn’t, he had likely orchestrated their meeting, hoping to end Abet’s bullying. After all, Noah and Abet had been childhood friends.

But why hadn’t Noah helped Abet himself?

Curiosity gnawed at her. However, Noah merely smiled, feigning ignorance.

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

Feeling annoyed, Lucy turned away. Regardless, she had chosen to help Abet on her own.

Class A Classroom

Upon entering, she was greeted by the fresh scent of shampoo. Most students had showered after physical education.

Lucy quietly took her seat. Abet, sitting next to her, looked puzzled.

“Lucy? I was waiting to shower with you.”

“…I had errands to run.”

Checking her sleeves, she noted her clothes still carried the faint scent of fresh laundry.

Should I request a private shower room? She dismissed the thought. Why waste her status as a princess on something so trivial?

“But the classroom seems empty.”

“The teacher declared today a free day.”

“I see. What about you, Miss Abet?”

“I was about to leave.”

“Miss Abet,” Lucy hesitated. “Do you want to go home together?”

She needed to inform Abet about Angelica’s plot, but too many ears lurked in the classroom. Moving elsewhere was necessary.

To her surprise, Abet’s face brightened. “Really? You mean it!?”

“…Yes?”

Golden Carriage

The two rode together in the royal carriage.

Abet gazed outside, more excited than usual.

“Is something amusing?” asked Lucy.

“Well… It’s my first time riding in a carriage with a friend.”

Embarrassed, she fidgeted. Lucy cleared her throat. “Ahem! Miss Abet.”

“Yes?”

Lucy relayed everything from the bathroom incident.

After hearing the story, Abet fell into deep thought.

“Angelica… I suspected as much.”

She had likely anticipated it.

“Don’t overthink it. Even if she tries to frame me, as long as you deny it, the plan fails.”

She was right. No matter how hard Angelica schemed, Lucy had the upper hand. She could stop her with either force or power.

“Thanks for telling me.”

“I’ll handle Angelica. Just focus on yourself.”

“No need to worry. Thanks to your training, I can protect myself.”

Abet clenched her fists, confidence shining in her eyes.

Just then, the carriage stopped.

They had arrived at Lichberg.

“We’re here. That’s the end of the story. You can go.”

“Yes… um.”

Abet hesitated.

“Would you like to have tea before leaving?”

Just as she had enjoyed their ride together, she now wished to extend their time.

However, Lucy had no time.

“Sorry, I must return to the palace.”

“Oh… Of course. You must be busy as a princess. Well then, safe travels, Lady Lucy.”

She bowed politely before heading inside.

Satan Castle

Back at the palace, Lucy removed her coat and strolled down the central hallway, planning to take a bath.

Rubia, as usual, greeted her with a scolding.

“Lady Lucy! You’re undressing so shamelessly?”

“It’s just a coat.”

“Even so, you must conduct yourself properly as a princess!”

“But it’s unusually noisy today.”

Lucy skillfully changed the topic. The palace bustled more than usual. Maids hurried about, and guards were stationed in higher numbers.

“Oh, this? Some nobles have returned today.”

“Nobles?”

“Yes. I was just about to take you to them.”

At that moment, four demons appeared.

“No need for the arrogant one to come to us. We’ve come to see the monarch’s child.”

A man in silver armor with long gray hair.

A red-haired woman with scars across her face.

A man in white robes, his eyes squinted.

A purple-haired woman in light leather armor.

Lucy crossed her arms, trying to recall where she had seen them before.

Then, it clicked.

The academy entrance ceremony.

They were the four demons who had sat high above, looking down on her that day.