Endless Silver Machine

Lan Ming has been resting in bed in the ward after receiving care from the pharmacy department.

When she used to live in August, as a royal, even if she was unwell, she would only receive special care in her dormitory.

Nowadays, there are only two people waiting in this pure white room, and the independent hospital bed also looks very empty. In Xia Luo's perception, this is incompatible with Lan Ming's identity.

In the evening when the sky gradually darkened, Lan Ming, who had always been breathing shallowly, finally woke up, and his face was no longer as pale as before.

"It seems that you have recovered a lot, Her Royal Highness the Princess of the Bis Empire."

Lan Ming, who still didn't know where he was now, had just learned what happened after leaving the prison from Charlotte's explanation, and Principal Felice returned to the ward.

If Teacher Tara used the "Book of Omniscient" to predict the time when Lan Ming would wake up, Principal Felice's appearance at this time would not seem sudden.

"Excuse me for taking care of you, Principal Phyllis. I'm sorry, I can only sit here and thank you."

Although most of the consumed physical strength and sealed magic power have been restored, Lan Ming is still unable to get out of bed and move around freely.

Principal Felice just waved her hand to Lan Ming, indicating that she didn't have to force herself to sit up.

"This is not a castle for the royal family, and Shuoyue Academy does not have so many restrictive requirements for students."

"I have already heard from Charlotte the reason why you are willing to take us in. However, I don't remember when I left my student status at Shuoyue Academy..."

When Xia Luo, who had always been worried about Principal Felice's words, told Lan Ming, she had no idea at all.

What he said in that situation didn't sound like a joke.

The only reason Lan Ming could think of was that the calculating God woman in front of him had played a word game with him a long time ago.

"This is the condition for me to agree to send you a signed letter."

"Sure enough, you took advantage of the conditions at that time."

Because he had considered this possibility before, Lan Ming was not very surprised. He just lamented that he had not noticed this word game that could not be called a "conspiracy" earlier.

——If everything on your side is resolved, then put down your identity as a princess and come to Shigezuki Academy.

When Frost Moon Academy agreed to help Lan Ming suppress the Senate's radical faction's exploration of overseas ruins, they proposed the above exchange conditions.

The "after the event" in the condition does not refer to a specific event. Successfully preventing the exploration of overseas ruins can also be regarded as an event.

Although it was only a verbal exchange of conditions and no paper or recording materials were left behind, Lan Ming must fulfill the responsibilities of the party who accepted the agreement.

"So, now you are no longer the princess, you just have the same status as those little guys who are messing around."

Charlotte and Anjie on the side listened to the cryptic exchange between Lan Ming and Principal Felice, but they still didn't understand what conditions Lan Ming had agreed to.

But the meaning of this silver-haired woman who represents Shuoyue Academy is very clear. Shuoyue Academy is very happy to provide Lan Ming with shelter.

After Tara Karu left the empire and entered Frost Moon Academy, the Senate discussed for a long time whether to recover the "Omniscience", but in the end they had to give it up for the sake of Frost Moon Academy's status.

With the protection of absolute neutrality, at least there is no need to worry about the pursuers from the Bis Empire continuing to threaten Lan Ming's life.

"Charlotte and Anjie, right? You guys can come together too. As long as classmate Lan Ming nods, you will agree, right?"

From the moment Lan Ming saw through Principal Felice's word game with a wry smile, her identity changed involuntarily.

There is no need to ask Charlotte and Anjie questions, but Principal Phyllis likes to get answers from each other in person.

"I will only stay with Her Royal Highness the Princess from beginning to end, no matter in what capacity."

Charlotte's purpose is very clear. In order to achieve this purpose, she has come here by herself.

Anjie is different from Charlotte. She only wants to serve Her Royal Highness the Fourth Princess and there is no need for her to stay here.

Anjie did not directly participate in the prison robbery, so she would not attract attention if she returned to Rosenberg after avoiding the limelight.

However, she responded to Principal Phyllis's question with two gentle nods.

After receiving affirmative answers from the two of them, Principal Phyllis nodded with satisfaction.

"You two should go wait outside the ward first."

She sat down in front of Lan Ming's hospital bed and said to Charlotte and Anjie at the same time.

It was probably a discussion that did not require their presence, but Charlotte failed to comply with Principal Phyllis's request.

Although he has become a student of Shimoyue Academy in name only, and Principal Felice is his boss, Lan Ming always occupies the first place in Charlotte's heart.

She looked at Lan Ming hesitantly, and Lan Ming, who was leaning against the bed, smiled in agreement.

…………

Charlotte and Anjie were sitting on a bench in the corridor outside the ward, with a seat separated by one person.

Having temporarily left the center of the incident, Charlotte didn't know how to talk to Anjie.

The relationship between them can only be said to be that of companions in the same boat, and they are not yet familiar with each other.

"Miss Anjie, um..." Unable to bear this awkward atmosphere, Charlotte racked her brains to find a possible topic that the two of them had in common, "Actually, before I left Augustus, I was placed next to Her Royal Highness the Fourth Princess. of."

Of course Anjie, who was sent back to her hometown in Rosenberg early, didn't know about August's situation, and Charlotte didn't find a chance to talk to her about it on the airship.

It was hard to tell from Anjie's expression what she was thinking. After a while, she nodded slightly to indicate that she understood.

On the surface, she didn't seem to care about the current situation of Her Royal Highness the Fourth Princess, but Charlotte, who had the same status, could faintly feel that her loyalty to the people she served was no less than her own.

"I'm sorry, I didn't fulfill my duty to the end and escaped. When I was still in the castle, Her Royal Highness the Fourth Princess did not receive much coercion from the Senate..."

Now it seemed that there was not much meaning in talking to Anjie, so Charlotte continued talking alone.

"Her Royal Highness the Fourth Princess has never told me anything related to you, and I also realize that I cannot take your place..."

Put yourself in someone else’s shoes for a moment. If Lan Ming is under house arrest in August, and Anjie talks to her about Lan Ming that she doesn't know about, is it okay to be angry?

"This is just my own speculation. In such a short period of time, I can't understand her like you do, so you can just treat it as my own talk."

"Why do you say these things to Anjie, Miss Charlotte?"

After listening quietly to Charlotte talking to herself for such a long time, Anjie, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.

During the whole day together, Charlotte already knew that Anjie's somewhat cold tone was not malicious.

She treats everyone in the same tone, and the only person she might treat differently is Her Royal Highness the Fourth Princess.

"Although I don't know what you think, I think you should know this."

"...Miss Charlotte asked just now if she didn't understand why Anjie didn't go back?"

"Well, I have thought about this issue..."

"Anjie doesn't know how to fight, and she doesn't have any skills other than daily tasks."

"I have heard of these before..."

Regarding Anjie's information, Charlotte only occasionally heard it from Lan Ming, who talked about Her Royal Highness the Fourth Princess.

It's normal for maids not to know how to fight. That's the job of knights, and their division of labor is different.

If Anjie was as good at fighting as Charlotte, she would have been regarded as the same threat as the Knights of the Purple Rose by the radical faction of the Senate.

"However, Anjie promised Her Highness the Princess that one day she would be able to see the world outside August again, but she left her before this promise was fulfilled."

Anjie and Charlotte have many similarities, and may be described as the same.

Listening to Anjie's plain narration, although there was no intense emotion in her tone, Charlotte could feel the same.

"So Anjie wants to take advantage of this opportunity."

Without beating around the bush or pretending to be pretentious, Anjie ended her confused answer to Charlotte with a few simple words.

After Anjie closed her mouth again, Charlotte didn't know what kind of reaction she should make.

After the answer, I thought this topic would come to an end, but Anjie had a follow-up request.

She only needs the permission of Principal Felice to stay here, and does not need to seek the opinions of Lan Ming and Xia Luo.

After being deported from Augustus, she gained relative freedom.

…………

"What are you going to do next, 'Your Highness'?"

After Charlotte and Anjie left the ward, the remaining two people temporarily returned to equal status.

The supreme leader of the neutral region and the royal family of the Bis Empire were not communicating for the first time.

"With your personality, you shouldn't have to settle in this small academy forever, right?"

"In that case, there would be no point in them risking their lives to rescue me..."

Lan Ming knew this truth very well, but she could not directly answer Principal Felice's question.

"Those little guys may have naively thought that bringing you here was relying on the power of Frost Moon Academy, but without the agreement between us, the current relationship would not be established."

"I know the stakes. If I don't enter Frost Moon Academy for a legitimate reason, the Senate can use diplomatic means to demand that I be handed over to a neutral area."

The inviolability of Frost Moon Academy is relative. This does not mean that other countries and races in the continent cannot shake its existence. Diplomacy is one of the cards in hand.

The role of Frost Moon Academy in the mainland is that of an absolutely neutral balancer and arbiter.

Once it gives up this identity, the balance of the continent will be immediately disrupted, and a second cross-border war may even break out.

"Before Aika took me out of the prison, he accused me without any mercy at all of just being locked up there like a doll. He said that he would use his own power to save the country, but in fact he couldn't do anything... …”

"Oh... I didn't expect that Aika-san has such a tough side."

Lan Ming had no special feeling when she said it from her own mouth, but Principal Felice's statement made the memory of that time clearly appear in her mind.

Lan Ming, who had always been regarded as the jewel in the eye of the Bisi Empire, had never been criticized so harshly by anyone except the emperor, who was his father.

"Maybe I'm over-describing it. At that time, Aika-san wasn't too tough..."

Lan Ming hurriedly explained to the joking Principal Felice.

But at that time, I was so wronged by Aika that I wanted to cry. Isn’t this considered tough?

She only spoke half of her defense before she looked away because her cheeks were getting hot.

"Your attendants are not here now, so it doesn't matter if you don't need to be so nervous."

"In short, everything now is what they have won for me. So, before they wake up, I can't make the decision without authorization..."

Principal Felice held back a smile and observed the rich expression changes on Lan Ming's face.

"Okay, let's do this for now." She stood up from the chair, "I understand what you are thinking, so I will leave you fully in charge of Aika."

"Eh? What are you responsible for..."

"Of course we will arrange your future life. The class and dormitory you will transfer to will be arranged by us. All other matters can be dealt with by those little guys."

"But, would such a decision be too hasty..."

"In your mind, are they still just ordinary students?"

"That's not what I meant..."

Lan Ming could no longer say that he couldn't continue to burden them.

At this point, Lan Ming just couldn't let go of his pride and asked them to help him unconditionally.

"Don't worry, there are more students than you can count on two hands every school year at Frost Moon Academy who fail to pass the graduation test. If they perform well, I can consider giving them the opportunity to graduate without taking the exam."

Principal Felice downplayed the conditions offered, leaving Lan Ming, who was struggling in his heart, dumbfounded.

Whether you can graduate successfully is too insignificant compared to the national war. This condition is just a step back for yourself.

Even so, Lan Ming, who has a clear inner goal but no way to rely on, has been able to untie a knot in his heart.

…………