The Adored Daughter of the Disliked Duke's House: My Magic Power Increases Every Time I'm Praised, So I've Been Perfecting Cuteness Since Infancy! - Episode 22

“You really stood out from the first day!”

The day after the entrance ceremony.

While I was having lunch in the cafeteria, Leo, smiling brightly, and Al, looking grumpy, came over.

Since we ended up in different classes, this was the first time we were talking at school.

The cafeteria had free seating, so they sat on either side of me and started eating. Today’s lunch was bread and sautéed chicken. Compared to the meals at a duke’s house or the royal family, it was simple, but the taste was excellent.

“Did you really need to go that far?”

Al asked, and I smiled at him.

“Thanks to that, everyone’s attention is on me, right?”

The cafeteria was full of students during the lunch break. Many of them couldn’t help but glance in our direction.

The reason they kept their distance was probably because the Rosenford Dukedom was still disliked.

“Even if you didn’t try to stand out, a prince and the duke’s children sitting together would naturally draw attention.”

That was true.

“But the more attention I get, the easier it is to do my job, right?”

“That’s true, but…”

Al didn’t sound convinced.

“What’s wrong?”

“Al is worried,” Leo said.

“Worried?”

“Until a few days ago, you were ‘our Lily,’ but now he’s afraid you’ll quickly become ‘everyone’s Lilietta.'”

“What do you mean?”

I tilted my head, confused.

“Lilietta!”

A voice called me from afar.

“Kai! Over here!”

I answered, and my classmate, Kai Elden, ran up to me.

He was the one who challenged me to a duel at the entrance ceremony yesterday.

“You promised we’d train together during lunch break!”

“Sorry, but I have to eat first.”

“You’re too slow.”

“Did you already eat, Kai?”

“Yeah, at the dormitory cafeteria.”

“I see.”

Al and I commuted from home, but Kai, who came from the countryside, stayed in the dormitory.

Apparently, dormitory students had to eat their meals there, even during lunch breaks. Since there were fewer people, he finished his meal earlier than I did.

While we were talking, Kai finally noticed Al and Leo.

“Who are they?”

“My friends. Prince Leonard the Third and Alverio Forsten.”

“Hmm.”

Even after hearing “prince,” Kai didn’t seem impressed. He gave a small nod, uninterested, and then turned back to me.

“I’m Kai Elden. Nice to meet you.”

After a quick greeting, he immediately refocused on me.

“Hurry up and eat. Lunch break will be over soon.”

“Just a moment.”

“I found a perfect spot in the courtyard.”

“Was it for training earth magic?”

“Yeah. I think speed is really important.”

“True. If you can gather magic quickly, even simple spells can catch an enemy off guard.”

“Right?”

I ate in a hurry as we talked.

Like Kai said, the lunch break wasn’t very long. If I didn’t eat quickly, I’d have less time for training.

“…Go ahead first.”

Al gave Kai a sweet smile, like fluffy cotton candy.

“We’ll bring Lily to the courtyard.”

“Yeah, it’ll take her a little longer, so it’s more efficient if you start first.”

With Leo agreeing, Kai hesitated for a moment before nodding.

“Alright! I’ll go ahead!”

He quickly left the cafeteria.

“What was that?”

Al’s sharp voice made me smile.

So that’s what he was worried about.

“Don’t worry. He did challenge me to a duel, but he’s pure-hearted. He doesn’t seem to have any bad intentions.”

“…That’s not the point.”

Oh, I was wrong.

“Al, what exactly are you talking about?”

“Nothing.”

“Ugh!”

He dodged the question again, making me frown in frustration. Leo chuckled at our exchange.

“If you keep playing around with him, will you be able to focus on work?”

“Playing around…?”

I sighed. It wasn’t nice to call a school friend “that guy.”

“We have to find the traitor hiding in this school as soon as possible.”

“I know.”

The three of us originally had no plans to enroll in this school.

Each of our families had private tutors who taught magic and combat skills.

But circumstances forced us to enter the academy.

Leo nodded and lowered his voice.

“The royal investigation managed to eliminate the monsters that had infiltrated the royal palace, government offices, and major magic schools…”

Over the past two years, royal family members with light magic had traveled between institutions, exposing and eliminating monsters.

They successfully eradicated over ten monsters in secret.

However, this confirmed something else—the existence of human traitors.

“Monsters had infiltrated areas where they couldn’t have entered without human help.”

Then, six months ago, an incident occurred.

“The serial disappearance of students from Arkanaris Elementary Magic School. We have to solve this case.”

Seven students vanished without a trace.

Investigation revealed traces of monster magic. It was concluded that they were kidnapped by the Demon King’s forces.

And again—

There must have been human traitors aiding them.

Arkanaris Elementary Magic School had many skilled magic professors, and since the Demon King’s revival, knights and mages were assigned as guards.

If the security was breached, it was more natural to assume there was inside help rather than an external invasion.

However, this information was not made public.

To avoid panic, students were told that the missing ones had withdrawn and returned home.

“There’s a traitor among the students or professors.”

“And our job is to find them.”

That was why Lilietta acted so boldly from day one.

“I was surprised to be challenged to a duel on the first day, but it was lucky.”

Lilietta was known as the trump card of the anti-magic forces.

If she stood out, the traitor would likely take action.

The more she attracted attention, the more careless the enemy would become. It was a strategy devised by the king.

And yesterday’s commotion had set a small trap.

For the next few days, they would just have to watch and wait.

“But do you really need to get along with him?”

Al pouted. I sighed again.

“The seven kidnapped students were all dormitory residents.”

“So, since he’s a dorm student too—!”

“Yes. If I get close to Kai, I might learn about the dormitory, and I can even visit as an excuse.”

I poked Al’s forehead lightly with my finger.

It would be annoying if they thought I was acting without a plan.

“So, you two should be friendly with him too.”

“…If it’s for work, I guess.”

Although he looked reluctant, Al nodded.

I popped the last bite of chicken into my mouth.

Even as a duke’s daughter, I ate a little playfully while maintaining proper table manners.

“It’s delicious!”

Satisfied with my first school meal, I smiled at my friends.

Some nearby students blushed at the sight.

I heard someone whisper, “She’s so cute,” and my magic power surged.

(I’ll be the cutest in this school too!)

Determined, I walked to the courtyard with Al and Leo.

* * *

The training in the courtyard ended in no time.

“Maybe trying to eat and train during lunch break was a bit too much.”

As Kai and I chatted on our way back to class—

—Rustle.

Our classmates and Professor Forselis turned to us with pale faces.

Something had already happened.

But this situation was unexpected.

“What is the meaning of this, Lilietta Rosenford?”

Professor Forselis glared at me.

In front of her, a girl was crying, clutching a completely torn-up textbook.

(Hmm. They’re using a classic trick, huh…)

This was typical school drama.

(Now, how should I handle this?)