ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇᴅᴇᴍᴘᴛɪᴏɴ ❅ 𝕽𝖔𝖞𝖆𝖑 𝕮𝖍𝖗𝖔𝖓𝖎𝖈𝖑𝖊𝖘

❝𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 5❞

"Child?" Maria protested, sending the princess a glare. "How old are you?"

"I'm turning eighteen this spring," said Princess Marioara cheerily, as if oblivious to Maria's failed attempt to attack her. "Why do you ask?"

"Nothing," said Maria under her breath, turning away. She slowed her steps to walk beside the silent Princess Neelam. The Russian girl was reminded that being a senior in her own school does not make her one in an old school like this one.

Princess Marioara beamed at them, much to Princess Han's annoyance.

She wondered if the older girl knew anything else other than smiling and being nice to her awful 'team members'. She could not believe the school could still be so peaceful and uneventful with such a weak-looking and mild person as the leader. She thought of how she had to be stern to all the students in Poposi Academy and be very stern when giving out punishments to the wrong-doers. Seeing the Romanian princess's ever-present smile, she believed that the princess could not even pass proper judgment or be stern.

So much for being fair and pragmatic like Themis, Princess Han thought of the statue at the entrance.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Finally, they reached the third floor-level consisting of meeting rooms of various sizes and the Council Chamber reserved for the student council. Princess Han and Maria wasted no time to point out the unobvious peeling paint on the walls and the old tables used in the meeting rooms, advising Princess Marioara that they should at least look like a prestigious school and not a relic of history.

"Back at Poposi Academy," Maria said, glancing around in disgust at the old secretary desks in the Council Chamber. "We have the newest tables and chairs, of course. Anything old or rotting is thrown away and immediately replaced with newer items. And you say that important meetings are held here? How is there just one air-conditioner for a room this big? And I could barely feel the thermostat working." Scorn and contempt marring her features of Russian beauty at the remains of tradition.

Tradition.

Of beliefs and customs passed down by older generations.

A word of her ire. The very word that stood between her and the ever after of her dreams.

Maria Blavatsky sneered. Tradition and culture are ancient history, useless to their modern way of life. No matter how much they reject it, the students of ERA are of noble and royal blood. Their comforts come first and Maria knows that best. They will come to their senses and when they do, they will thank her for her benevolence and sharp eye.

However, the President neither swayed nor lost sight of her role.

Princess Marioara merely smiled. "I doubt our tables need replacing since they're all very sturdy and it won't help the environment if too much air-conditioner is used," she said. "Our venerable headmaster wishes to integrate zero-wastage and go-green amongst our students. It's no surprise that things will be different here compared to your newly established school."

Maria's mouth twisted, destestation filled her chest.

A voice was heard at the doorway before she could speak, "I wasn't informed that we would have guests over."

The four glanced over to see a girl dressed casually in contrast to Princess Marioara's neat trimmed suit and pencil skirt.

Maria rolled her eyes. Another nasty 'team member', she thought to herself.

A girl with ice-blue eyes of the coldest winter days and distinguishable pale golden hair, a shade of hair unique to the royal family of Norway, stared down at them from her dominant height. Even without the need of introductions, the trio from Poposi knew her as one of the most influential and successful youths of their time. Princess Han, in particular, heard her from the praises Prince Gion of Italy would shower the Norwegian princess. She wondered if she was even half as what the tales say of her abilities, as the South Korean princess took note of the slight shadows under her eyes.