Double flags

Lilith's face flushed bright red in an instant, more vivid than the rosy dawn outside her window.

She snatched the silk cloth Laila offered and hastily covered her face, trying to hide her sudden fluster and... a trace of embarrassment she could not quite explain.

"Hmph! How dare he turn his nose up at me!"

Her voice came muffled from beneath the cloth, carrying the princess's usual imperiousness, though anyone listening closely might have noticed that she sounded less confident than usual.

As the Kingdom's second princess, she had been showered with affection from the moment she was born.

As a magical prodigy seen only once in a century, she had mastered an early form of Flame Explosion at ten, making her the center of attention wherever she went.

She had always done as she pleased, a little willful and a little overbearing, but no one had ever truly dared to turn their nose up at her-at least not openly.

That Greg Sass... that man abandoned by his family, hiding in the gloomy Dungeon... what gave him the right to turn his nose up at me?

Despite those indignant thoughts, Lilith unconsciously wiped her face and neck with greater care and attention than usual.

The warm, damp silk brushed over her skin, leaving it refreshed and cooling her overheated mind a little.

"Don't get the wrong idea!"

She lowered the cloth, her face still red, and tried to explain her sudden concern for her appearance:

"It's only because the class placement exam is today! As a princess, of course I have to look my best! I-it's not because of anything else!"

Watching her princess's all-too-obvious attempt to cover up her feelings, Laila's eyes flashed with a knowing smile behind her glasses.

She did not call her out. She merely took the used cloth and offered the moisturizer she had prepared, infused with tiny magic crystals to hydrate and invigorate the skin, her tone as even as ever:

"Yes, Your Highness. Today is an important day. Naturally, you should face it at your best."

Lilith pressed her lips together, took the moisturizer, and carefully applied it.

The faintly cool sensation on her fingertips and the delicate floral fragrance gradually soothed her tangled emotions.

She quickly finished applying the moisturizer, pushed the jar back into Laila's hands, and rose to approach the ornate wardrobe. "I might as well wear a fresh outfit today."

"Of course, Your Highness."

Laila stepped back with a smile and deftly fetched her fitted Glory Kael Magic Academy uniform, along with a light-colored underlayer embroidered with the Kahn Royal Family's crest.

She changed quietly and quickly.

When Lilith stood before the full-length mirror again, the figure reflected there had been completely transformed.

Laila's nimble hands had woven her silky, gleaming red hair into a style that was elegant yet lively, adorned with a few understated but exquisite flame-patterned hair clips.

The fitted, dark Academy uniform perfectly outlined her gradually developing figure, its gold piping and buttons glimmering in the morning light.

Her shirt was crisp and snow-white, with the deep red bow of a first-year student tied at the collar.

Long stockings encased her straight, slender calves, and her leather shoes shone.

The bedraggled "Lily Carlo" who had stood beside the Dark River in the Dungeon yesterday was gone.

The girl in the mirror was now the esteemed second princess of the Kahn Kingdom, the much-anticipated prodigy among Glory Kail Academy's new students—the radiant Lilith Kahn.

She looked at herself in the mirror and drew a deep breath. She suppressed every trace of yesterday's lingering confusion and complicated emotions in her ruby-red eyes, replacing them with a proud, confident gleam.

After a nutritionally balanced breakfast that showed not a trace of extravagance, Lilith left the Royal Dormitory, bright and refreshed.

The Academy's morning air was fresh and fragrant with flowers and greenery.

In the distance, she could already hear the chatter of students heading toward the examination grounds.

Lilith, however, was unusually excited, almost impatient.

Of course she remembered how that annoying Greg had declared with absolute certainty yesterday that she, Lilith Kahn, would be tricked into using Flame Explosion by a feint from the commoner Victoria during the class placement exam-and then lose!

What a joke!

I'm Lilith Kahn!

A genius who reached the threshold of Flame Explosion at ten!

A future pillar of the Kingdom!

How could I possibly lose so easily to another new student?!

"Hmph. Just you wait, Greg Sass."

Lilith clenched her fists, tiny sparks flashing briefly at her fingertips.

"Today, I'll show you just how ridiculously wrong your prediction was!"

She was going to win.

Not only would she win, she would win beautifully, leaving no room for doubt!

Then, once the exam was over, she would visit the Dungeon again and find that man. She would let him see what a victor looked like and thoroughly enjoy the stupid, dumbfounded expression on his face!

At the thought of that scene, the corners of Lilith's mouth rose involuntarily, and her steps grew lighter and more vigorous as she headed toward the examination grounds.

Morning sunlight streamed through the gaps between Glory Kael Magic Academy's towering spires, casting dappled light and shadow across the clean stone paths.

The new students gathered in small groups, nervous or eager as they streamed toward the enormous circular Martial Arena at the center of the Academy.

Victoria and Sylvia walked side by side among the crowd.

"Victoria."

Sylvia edged a little closer to her friend, her lowered voice carrying unmistakable concern:

"Did you see the match list posted on the noticeboard this morning? Your opponent in your first official match... is actually Princess Lilith."

Victoria's gray eyes remained fixed ahead, her expression barely changing as she gave a quiet hum of acknowledgment.

Sylvia continued, "I looked into it. Her level is about the same as ours, around LV15, but she can already use Flame Explosion. You really need to be careful. Don't get hurt."

Faced with her friend's concern, Victoria stopped walking.

She turned to look at Sylvia's worried face, then suddenly reached out and ruffled her soft, long pink hair.

"Don't worry."

Victoria's lips curved into a confident smile, her gray eyes sparkling in the morning light. "There's absolutely no way I'll lose to her."

Her voice was quiet, yet it carried an unshakable certainty.

Any other new student about to face that renowned prodigy of a princess would probably have been anxious by now, perhaps even intimidated before the fight began.

But not a ripple of fear stirred in Victoria's heart.

Her confidence came from a very different past.

Unlike most noble children, who studied theory and practiced regulated matches in sheltered surroundings, Victoria had spent her childhood amid the mud and dangers of a border village.

Those experiences of struggling on the brink of death had given Victoria judgment far calmer and control over her mana far more precise than others her age, as well as a keen instinct for finding a chance to win under extreme pressure.

That combat experience, earned through countless brushes with death, could not be measured simply by her level or the number of spells she knew.

Besides, she also had the Hero's Blessing.

She firmly believed that, with those advantages, she would not lose to anyone.

Whether they were a so-called noble prodigy or a princess of the Kingdom.

And besides...

Victoria unconsciously tightened her grip on the Reflection Gem in her pocket.

The cold crystal's edges pressed into her palm, giving her a clear, tangible sensation.

This time, she had a reason she absolutely could not lose.

It was not just about securing better resources through her class placement. More importantly... she did not want to give a certain annoying man currently hiding in the Dungeon a chance to laugh at her!

Just imagining Greg Sass watching her lose to Lilith with that faint, teasing half-smile in his eyes sent a surge of inexplicable anger rising from the depths of Victoria's heart.

Though reason told her that the scoundrel was probably fighting monsters in some corner of the Dungeon right now and could not possibly see the exam, that subtle feeling of not wanting to "lose" to someone's expectations was unusually strong.

"Let's go, Sylvia."

Victoria loosened her grip and started walking again, her gaze sharpening. "This time, I'm definitely going to win."