“Eh, Princess Elisa, the Third Royal Princess!?”
“Huh!?”
“!? “
When Elisa and Sophia entered my research lab, the three students inside were so startled that they stood up from their chairs.
It seemed that even though the three of them were from different classes, they all knew who Elisa was.
“My name is Elisa von Baunce,” she introduced herself politely.
“I am Sophia Creda, the princess’s guard and maid,” added Sophia.
The two of them bowed slightly to the three students.
“We wish to join Professor Geek’s study group starting today. Please take care of us,” Elisa said with a composed demeanor.
“Looking forward to it,” Sophia added.
Hmm, it seemed that neither of them intended to act haughtily toward the commoner scholarship students, Melia and Bern. I was slightly concerned about Sophia’s attitude, but she seemed fine so far.
“My name is Cyril Luxiel. Um… pardon me, but why has Princess Elisa, the Third Princess of our kingdom, come to such a small research lab?” Cyril asked, his voice trembling slightly.
Well, I could understand why Cyril would feel compelled to ask that, though calling it “small” was unnecessary.
“Nice to meet you, Cyril,” Elisa replied with a smile. “I attended Professor Geek’s defensive magic lecture today and was deeply impressed. I wanted to learn more from him, so I decided to join this study group. Also, Cyril, there’s no need to address me so formally.”
“Y-Yes!” Cyril replied, standing stiffly.
Even Cyril, usually composed, was nervous in front of Elisa.
“Let me say this upfront,” I interjected, “at least in this space, rank and status don’t matter. Everyone here is treated equally.”
“Of course, Professor Geek,” Elisa responded graciously. “So, everyone, please think of me as just another student learning magic alongside you. In fact, you’re all senior members of this study group, so I hope you can teach me many things.”
“… Understood. Pleased to meet you,” the others responded hesitantly.
Hmm, Elisa didn’t seem to have a problem with this arrangement. She had even allowed me to address her by name from the start. She didn’t seem overly attached to her royal status.
Sophia, on the other hand, worried me slightly. But she appeared genuinely remorseful about her earlier arrogance toward me, so I hoped she wouldn’t repeat it here.
“M-My name is Melia! P-Pleased to meet you!” stammered Melia.
“I’m Bern! Pleased to meet you!” said Bern stiffly.
“Melia, Bern, thank you. I look forward to learning with you,” Elisa replied warmly.
The three students still seemed unable to process why Princess Elisa was here, especially Melia, who looked utterly overwhelmed. Since the kidnapping incident was a secret, we would stick to the explanation that Elisa was inspired by the magic demonstration in class and wanted to join the group.
“Alright, everyone, please take a seat. Elisa, Sophia, you can use the empty seats over there,” I instructed.
“Understood,” they replied and seated themselves.
After the initial shock of Elisa’s appearance, everyone sat down again.
“Let me explain this study group briefly,” I began. “It’s very freeform—there are no assignments, and participating won’t boost your grades. Everyone studies independently, and I answer questions as they arise. Feel free to ask about anything, not just defensive magic. Basic magic or magical pharmacology are fair game too.”
“Professor Geek, you’re knowledgeable about topics beyond defensive magic?” Elisa asked with genuine curiosity.
“Elisa… um, Elisa,” Cyril corrected himself nervously. “Professor Geek has knowledge that even specialized instructors might lack.”
“Is that so? As expected of Professor Geek. Thank you for explaining, Cyril,” Elisa said.
“N-Not at all! You’re too kind,” Cyril replied, flustered.
It would take time for everyone to treat Elisa as an equal classmate. After all, she was a princess of this kingdom. But with time, I hoped they could grow closer.
“Professor Geek, is it possible to conduct practical training in defensive magic here?” Bern asked.
“Hmm, we’ve never done that before because using the training grounds requires prior approval. But since Bern and others have expressed interest in practical exercises like the ones in class, I’ll consider it. Maybe we can hold sessions there once a week.”
“Thank you! I’d really appreciate it!” Bern exclaimed.
“M-Me too!” Melia added.
Since Bern aimed to become a knight for the kingdom, he wanted combat training. Sophia, being a guard, also needed to hone her skills. Incorporating practical exercises sounded like a good idea.
“Lastly, this study group runs until 5 p.m. Feel free to learn at your own pace. If you have questions, just ask.”
“Understood. Once again, I look forward to studying with you,” Elisa said with a bow.
“Likewise,” Sophia added.
“Ah, same here,” I replied.
“”Y-Yes, pleased to meet you!”” the others echoed nervously.
Formalities like these were important, after all.
“By the way, were there no other students from the S-Class who wanted to join this group with you, Elisa?” I asked, curious. I had asked her not to bring too many people, but I thought at least a few might have followed her.
