The Princess and The Devil - Karma Akabane x OC

F O R T Y : THE LADY IN WAITING

Hime's POV

When he brings me out of the class, I see a lot of different students wearing different coloured uniforms. Nicholas told me that the colour is an indication whether the particular student is an upperclassman or an underclassman. For an example, my batch's uniform colour is dark blue while the batch below us has purple instead. The batch below has green and the one below it has yellow. While we walk, Nicholas mainly tells me about the school and all I could summarise from it is the school doesn't discriminate the royals from the Earls and the ladies in waiting any further than separating their classes. Although the school has a good reason for doing so like for an instance, since the royals and their respective aristocrats are learning different things, the royals cant possibly have their aristocrat to complete their school assignment.

Even so, Nicholas is still not very fond of the Royal Aristocracy system or in short, RA. His best friend Elvin Wong, the son of the Republic of Singapore's president. They have known each other ever since they were in kindergarten. Apparently, everyone in this school has been spending their time with each other since they're babies. "Higanbana, I believe you're returning to Japan as soon as you're finished with your studies here, am I correct?" Nicholas asks. I nod happily at him as my mind immediately went to Haru's smiling face before it changes to my friends in class E, the 5 Virtuosos, the maid and butlers in the chateau and.. Dad.

Nicholas's smile falters a little as his eyes project his sadness. "Your sense of belonging is definitely in Japan, yes?"

"Yes." I answer with less enthusiasm. I definitely don't want him to feel sad.

"Well.. Our sense of belonging is here – in this school. I have been here all my life, as of my cousins, Catrin and Cristyn. My elder sister goes here too but she is in high school now. It's honestly 50 meters from here. Our university will be somewhere nearer towards the high school. My little brother is here as well. Although all my siblings are here, my mother and father doesn't come to visit that much." Nicholas smiles sadly at the ground before he immediately looks at me. "Ah! But they come occasionally." He quickly said, probably worried that I'd get the wrong idea. "I always felt bad to all the royals and aristocrats that are sent here. It honestly feels like an orphanage since all we have are the teachers and our friends." He said. "Everyone from around the world send their children here and I remember that one day Chen told us that we have all prince and princesses from all over the world but Japan. We prayed every day so you weren't thrown here like all of us. We honestly wanted you to be the different one of us but at the same time we wanted you to join us. But meeting you now.." Nicholas trails, looking down at his feet. "I cant help but feel extremely envious towards you. You're too different from us as you have a place where you belong. A place where you belong means that there are people who will wait for you, a place where you love someone and that someone reciprocates your love." Nicholas rants out. It feels rather awkward for me to just walk beside him and listen but I believe that he has the right to do so.

"Ah!" He said, snapping his head up. An evident blush slowly makes it way to his cheeks to his neck as he lets out nervous chuckles. "I'm sorry for talking too much. You must think that I'm a puss for ranting."

"Please don't feel that way." I said, offering him a kind smile. "Why are you a puss, again?"

"I'm a guy and soon to be king, Higanbana. I am not supposed to do stuff like this. It's not befitting as a king." Nicholas says, smiling sadly as his eyes turn dull. It seems that he's having a pained flashback. Not befitting as a king? Who uttered those words to him? It's rather sad and lonely. Even when he is currently trapped in his own hell, he still smiles at the juniors and teachers alike who walk past us. He would occasionally give a friendly wave here and there when the juniors wave at him.