“No, that won’t be necessary. I’m sure we’ll meet once the semester starts.”

‘She?’

Caeron raised his eyebrows slightly at Lainian’s refusal. He was trying to identify which family’s male it was, and it turned out to be a woman.

‘Interesting, considering I’ve heard he doesn’t keep women close.’

Caeron was aware that Lisandro’s third prince, much like himself, didn’t keep women near.

Even at the last diplomatic visit party, he had been openly mocked by the second prince for only carrying books, but he had smiled indifferently.

“I hope you meet her soon.”

If she was a woman entering the Imperial College, she wasn’t likely to be from a noble family; no need to be concerned.

Caeron shifted his focus towards the stage as the entrance ceremony was about to begin. Soon, the lights in the theater dimmed.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we sincerely thank you for attending the 132nd entrance ceremony of the Eupiter Imperial College. We heartily welcome all new students, and will now hear from our freshman representative.”

Following Dean Jefferson’s welcoming speech, the freshman representative’s oration began. A small silhouette began to walk out from behind the stage.

Except for the spotlight illuminating the podium, the stage was dark, so the face was indiscernible. With a composed stride, the freshman representative crossed the stage, capturing the audience’s curious and questioning gazes.

Finally, as they stepped into the spotlight, the audience unknowingly held their breaths.

‘Good heavens…!’

‘That face must be a woman, right…?’

‘If it’s a woman, could it be… her?’

Bathed in the spotlight, their porcelainlike face glowed even brighter. Dressed in a tailored jacket, a gentle beauty who could not possibly be mistaken for a man captured everyone’s attention.

“Nice to meet you. I am the freshman representative, Idel.”

At the sound of the woman’s voice, announcing her name, those who already knew the name of the Duchess were once again shocked.

‘Isn’t Idel the name of the Duchess?’

‘So she is the Duchess!’

Those who had only read articles without pictures about the Duchess couldn’t close their mouths in surprise.

Not just her beauty, but more was astonishing to the people.

Wearing not a dress but a tailored suit, the Duchess looked unfamiliar yet distinctly striking. The welltailored suit added an ambitious and refreshing elegance to her slender frame.

“At this Imperial College, we are all equal, exploring truth for the prosperity and peace of Eupiter. The pursuit of truth is the aim of our scholarly work that we must earnestly undertake.”

The Duchess’ calm yet unwavering voice resonated not only throughout the theater but also gradually in people’s hearts.

At first captivated by the Duchess’ appearance, people slowly began to focus on her speech.

“The form of the truth we will seek here will be diverse and individual. However, as intellectuals in a rapidly changing society, we must never forget how we understand and apply the truths we find.”
The atmosphere intensified among the freshmen who had just enrolled, captivated by Idel’s speech invoking a sense of mission under the name ‘we’.

“As students and intellectuals in search of truth, as imperial citizens devoted to Euphiter, we all share the same purpose. Let’s unite, irrespective of age, gender, or social status, to achieve our goals.”

The words came from the Duchess who, as a noblewoman, had enrolled in a university for the first time. Her words, emphasizing unity irrespective of inherent constraints or conditions, deeply resonated in the hearts of the people.

“The path of truth we seek and walk together begins now. May this path shine as brilliantly as the future of Euphiter. Thank you.”

As Idel bowed her head to conclude her speech, a tremendous applause and cheer erupted from the audience. Flashes from the reporters’ cameras simultaneously filled the room.

Duchess of Elyos’s first official speech was a success.

‘I managed to do it well.’

A satisfied smile crossed Caeron’s face as he clapped. He felt a unique pride, as if watching a newly hatched bird. The woman who had been oppressed by her family was breaking out of her shell to shine brightly.

That woman would soon spread her wings to the world. And three years later… after the term of their agreement ended, she would soar freely.

As he entertained this thought, his facial expression subtly hardened.

His deepset eyes followed Idel as she left the podium. Reinyun, who was sitting next to him, quickly stood up.

“I have urgent business, I will leave first.”

“…Understood.”

Caeron turned his head at the sudden farewell.

Reinyun’s face, usually calm, was flushed as he bid goodbye and stood up.

He seemed to have found the woman he had been wanting to see.

The man rushing out looked unmistakably in love. Watching him, Caeron sighed lightly.

His temporary concern for the third prince of Lysandro who came to Euphiter felt utterly pointless.

‘Love is…’

Yes, it was something that rendered people futile.

Before long, Caeron’s face was enveloped in coldness. His complex eyes reverted to their usual icy, hardened state.

At that moment, an attendant hurriedly approached to deliver news.

“Your Highness, you must go immediately.”

“What’s the matter?”

“A trading ship under the Duke of Elyos has encountered a storm in the Ferman Sea. An emergency response meeting has been convened.”

Frowning at the sudden news, Caeron had planned to personally congratulate the Duchess after the entrance ceremony.

Caeron’s gaze briefly lingered on Idel’s retreating figure before he stood up.

“Let’s go. Send separate congratulations to the Duchess.”

He had purposefully fragmented his schedule to attend the Duchess’s entrance ceremony.

The reporters surrounding them would have seen that he came to watch the Duchess’s entrance ceremony… more than enough to elevate her prestige.

Yes, this was sufficient.

As if to shake off the lingering hesitation, Caeron’s steps exiting the theater were unusually firm.