"How have you been, Prince Antonio?" I greeted smoothly, inserting myself into the conversation between Mezlena and Antonio.

"Lilith?" Antonio blinked in surprise.

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"It’s been a while since we met in the Witch's Forest. Congratulations on your entrance to the academy, albeit belatedly," I said with a polite smile.

"Ah, thank you," Antonio replied, nodding at my courteous words.

Ordinarily, someone of my status—a mere maid of a junior baron—would not dare to speak so casually to a prince. But I had a solid reason for doing so: I was one of Agnes’s closest friends. Given that anything Antonio did toward me would directly affect his standing with Agnes, he had little choice but to respond. Although, considering the current version of Antonio, he probably wouldn’t have ignored me even without that connection.

"Is this the Fourth Imperial Princess, Mezlena Emilia Valtoria?" I asked, shifting the focus to the red-haired princess beside him.

"You know Mezlena as well?" Antonio asked, somewhat puzzled.

"No, not personally. I’ve only heard rumors. They say that the youngest daughter of the emperor, a beautiful and charming girl with striking red hair, resides in the imperial palace."

"...What?"

Antonio’s face twisted in disbelief at my transparent flattery, and it seemed he was about to say something more when Mezlena leaned forward, her eyes lighting up.

"Wait...! So, it’s true! The people of Luminar Academy are truly enlightened! To meet someone with such clear, discerning eyes the moment I pass through the academy’s gates...!"

"Mezlena, anyone can tell she’s just flattering you. Don’t get so excited..."

"No...! Brother Antonio, it’s time you opened your eyes! I am the most beautiful, lovely, and noble younger sister in the entire world, with the purest imperial blood!"

As if she had been waiting to burst, Mezlena proudly proclaimed her self-praise in a confident voice, while her older brother sighed deeply, clearly exasperated by her antics.

To be fair, there was a reason the Fourth Princess had developed such a personality. Mezlena was indeed a very pretty girl—at least enough to not be embarrassed by her appearance. This was purely in terms of facial features, though, not necessarily her body or personality.

Normally, she would have grown up basking in compliments for being a beautiful child. But her life had been complicated by the unfortunate fact that her older sister, Seraphine, was only two years ahead of her.

While Mezlena’s looks could be described as "cute and pretty," Seraphine’s beauty was unparalleled in the Luminar Academy universe—so much so that it was almost beyond dispute. Not only did Seraphine have an outstanding face, but her personality and character were also more highly regarded. On top of that, as a martial artist, Seraphine’s slender waist made her appear even more well-endowed than Mezlena, who was constantly being compared to her.

In short, no matter how cute or pretty Mezlena was, she could never surpass the sheer radiance of Seraphine’s natural beauty. Even Mezlena’s admirers would often shift their attention to Seraphine the moment she appeared at social gatherings, which slowly turned Mezlena’s personality toward inflated self-esteem.

Her constant need to affirm "I’m the prettiest" became an ingrained habit, not only forced upon others but also repeated to herself. Overcoming this mindset was the key to navigating Mezlena’s character in the game.

"Oh, I’m so glad I enrolled at the academy. To think I would meet someone so insightful on the first day..." Mezlena sighed contentedly.

"The honor is mine, Princess Mezlena Emilia Valtoria," I replied smoothly.

"I’ll allow you to call me Princess Mezlena... What’s your name?" she asked.

"Lilith Blackwood Rosewood, Princess Mezlena."

"Lilith... I’ll remember that... You should consider it an honor that I’ll remember your name, Iris."

"It’s Lilith."

"Yes, yes, that’s what I meant to say..."

Well, I hadn’t expected much to begin with. Mezlena rarely paid attention to anyone besides herself.

Antonio, however, seemed to be growing increasingly suspicious of me. He clearly wasn’t used to people gaining Mezlena’s favor so quickly.

"Lilith," Antonio said cautiously, "I hope you don’t harbor any ill intentions in approaching my sister."

"You need not worry, Prince Antonio. I merely wished to greet the beautiful princess once and perhaps speak to her, for her renowned beauty precedes her," I replied calmly.

"Brother Antonio... Why are you always so defensive of me? How childish of you, for someone of royal blood..." Mezlena sighed dramatically.

"...Enough. Let’s go to the guest quarters; we’re taking too long," Antonio said, his voice carrying an air of exasperation.

Antonio, seemingly fed up with our conversation, frowned and began walking toward the guest quarters, but he didn’t get far before Mezlena stopped him.

"Kate, my legs hurt. Carry me," she whined.

"Of course, Princess Mezlena. I’ll drop off the luggage first and return for you..."

"Stop whining, Mezlena. You won’t be able to bring your maid into class, and you can’t expect her to carry you everywhere."

"But classes haven’t even started yet. Why are you always worrying about things that haven’t happened?" Mezlena huffed, sitting down heavily on a nearby bench in protest.

It wasn’t that she was genuinely tired. She was simply sulking because Antonio had scolded her. To her, Antonio had gone from being a "beloved older brother" to an "annoying one" in just a few minutes.

‘At this point, this is probably where the original story would’ve led to her getting lost,’ I thought.

In the original event, Mezlena would have wandered off while Kate delivered the luggage to the guest quarters. She would have thrown a fit about being bored and vanished by the time Kate returned. It was the classic "princess gets lost" trope.

Though she barely played a role in the main story, Mezlena’s personality was likely the most troublesome among the heroines. Her childish antics made her a headache to deal with.

However, dealing with Mezlena was surprisingly simple. At her core, she just wanted attention and love, and her actions were always motivated by that desire. She didn’t throw tantrums to cause trouble—she did it to feel adored.

The easiest way to handle her was to show her that her current behavior wouldn’t get her what she wanted.

"Since Princess Mezlena’s maid is occupied, would it be alright if I carried you instead?" I asked, stepping forward with a calm smile.

"...What?"

"Does the idea displease you? As the personal maid to Ethan, the heir of the Blackwood family, I assure you that I am fully qualified."

"Personal maid of the Blackwood heir... Is the Blackwood family famous, Brother?" Mezlena asked, tilting her head toward Antonio.

"They’re one of the few families in the empire with a Sword Master as the head. You should remember that much, Mezlena."

"...Hmm."

Mezlena paused, clearly weighing her options. She could either let me carry her or sit alone on the bench until Kate returned. After a brief moment of hesitation, she finally made her decision.

"Very well... I shall allow you, Lilith of the Black-something family, to carry me," Mezlena said with a regal wave.

"Lilith Blackwood, at your service," I corrected gently.

"Yes, that’s what I said..."

Of course, she had gotten it wrong again.

Rather than simply lifting her onto my back, which would only encourage her spoiled behavior, I slid my arm under her knees and around her back, lifting her in a "princess carry."

"...W-What?!"

"Please, make yourself comfortable, Princess Mezlena," I said, carrying her steadily.

"You... You’re quite strong, La...Lara?" Mezlena stammered, clearly flustered by the sudden shift.

"Princess Mezlena, you’re just very light," I replied smoothly.

"Ah, of course... You and I seem to be getting along rather well, Lil...Lilla?"

Matching her was exhausting, but at least she wasn’t fighting it. With Mezlena in my arms, Antonio, Kate, and I made our way to the guest quarters, a strange entourage of royalty, maids, and misunderstandings.