1.1: Ugly Witch, Moon Fairy
The glittering chandelier illuminated the spacious hall of the academy. Elegant music flowed, to which the girls in colorful dresses danced while being held by the boys.
āPhew…ā
Watching the glorious spectacle, Lithiaābracing herself against a pillarāsighed.
How long do I have to stay here? Has it been long enough to be considered as having attended the dance party?
From the perspective of a bystander, it felt like eternity, but for those who came with their partners, it was just the beginning, having danced only a few songs.
At the entrance, she wrote her name on the attendance list. However, if she left too early, it wouldnāt be valid. At the magic academy Lithia attendedāForrent Academyādance was a compulsory activity.
āExcuse me, beautiful lady. Might I ask your hand for a danceāuwaah!ā
While Lithia had her gaze cast downward, a male student approached. He was probably a senior. However, the moment she lifted her head, the boy staggered back in surprise.
After he fled, several of his friends could be seen consoling him, clasping their hands on his shoulders. So far, he wasnāt the only one who had asked her for a dance.
āHmph, yet another youngling has fled from the millennium-aged witch, it seems.ā
At that moment, from the opposite direction the senior had escaped, another male student emerged. A pair of beautiful ladies could be seen adorning his sides.
āWhat a pity! She came down to the human village all dressed up in vain!ā
ā…ā
Despite her words, the ladyās blue eyes were ice-cold, making her genuine lack of sympathy towards Lithia apparent.
āDonāt mind her. Itās her just deserts. On top of forgetting her own position, this ugly scheming witch dares try and deceive humans.ā
āRight, right!?ā
Lithiaās cramped expression only served to broaden the grins of the women who swooned at the man.
Regardless, Lithia couldnāt utter a single complaint.
After all, they were more than just upperclassmen to her.
ā…Good day to you, Your Highness, First Prince Lafizard. Also, Lady Drese and Lady Hitchcock.ā
Andrew Lafizard.
The crown prince of the Kingdom of Lafizard.
As for the two ladies beside him, they were Adoraāthe second daughter of the Duke of Drese; and Orienneāthe eldest daughter of the Marquis of Hitchcock. The two were well known for being the crown princeās most eligible fiancĆ©e candidates.
From the standpoint of Lithiaāa daughter of a nouveau riche viscount whose ancestor had bought his peerage with money two generations agoāthe three were above the clouds.
āHmph, what was he even saying? You? Beautiful? Youāre so repulsive, Iām nauseated by the mere sight of you. Spare me.ā
ā…Forgive me.ā
For such people, Lithia was akin to an insect. A girl with an upstart family and an appearance so sickening she scare away everyone on their first meeting. She had to be an unwelcome sight for the crown prince and the othersāand she was fully aware of that.
…But still, is there a need to point it out?
Lithia clutched the hem of her dress firmly.
ā…Well, itās also my duty as a prince to look after the lower class. Leaving you be petrified at such a glamorous dance party, youād only dampen the mood. Despite my abject refusal, I shall be your dance partner.ā
āWhat, Your Highness!? Thereās no need for you to go to such lengths! If anything, why donāt we just drive her out? She has no reason to be here!ā
āHey, be ashamed of yourself. How dare you take advantage of His Highnessā kindness!ā
…Like I saidā
āShe just wanted to go home.
ā…Thank you for your concern. Of course, Iām fully aware that I canāt bother His Highness. Therefore, to not cause further disturbance for everyone, I shall take my cue and leave.ā
She didnāt even want to attend the party. It was mandatoryāpart of the classes! She had to attendāalbeit unwillinglyāfor the sake of her credit!
But as always, she had no one to escort her. In the venue, no one invited her. In the end, Prince Andrew and the others even told her to leave in such a roundabout way!
āIāll excuse myself.ā
āāWha! I, I see… Well, Iām glad to hear youāre self-aware. Witch, your somber hair and eyes are bothering everyone.ā
āI understand. Thank you very much for your advice.ā
The crown prince himself dismissed her. With that, the teachers wouldnāt be able to complain.
Lithia bowed deeply to the prince and exited the venue.
āāā
ā…ā
On the way home from academy to the dormitory…
She yanked the ribbon that adorned her updo. The pain mustāve stung her eyes. She wasnāt crying. She had long come to terms with her own unsightliness.
āWhy, even I…!ā
Her untied, pure white, hair cascaded down her shoulders, flowing down her back.
Yes, it was white.
Despite only turning 16, Lithiaās hair was as white as an old womanās.
āāEven I know Iām hidious, Iām all dressed up for nothing!ā
Thankfully, there were no reflective surfaces nearby. Otherwise, sheād have to see her vulgar golden eyes, too.
āThereās no way thatās true.ā
āHuh?ā
āLying isnāt good. Ugly is the opposite word to describe you. Although, I do agree that your dressing up is useless. As in, you canāt possibly be more beautiful than you already are.ā
With a rustle, a man emerged from the shadows. His black hair was slightly long while his eyes were of the same color. Even though Lithia was wearing heels, he was still somehow taller than her. Moreover, he looked to be around the same age as her…
āRegardless, he was still a total stranger.
āEh, uhm, who… are you?ā
āIām Geo Wales. Just the other day, I transferred to the fourth grade of this academy. What about you? Are you the Moon Fairy, perhaps?ā
āEh, eeeeeeeehā!?ā
The fourth grade. He was basically in the same grade as Lithia. Yet as a transfer student, it was no wonder she didnāt recognize him.
ā…W-wait, could it be!? Youāre the scholarship student with the rare light attribute!? The one that got admitted as a special case…!?ā
āThatās correct. Unfortunately, as a commoner, I still havenāt fully grasped the basic etiquette of this place. If I say something rude, I apologize.ā
The magical Forrent Academy was mostly attended by the children of royalty and nobility. While commoners could enroll, the requirement for admission was that they had to be able to use magic above a certain threshold.
However, just recently, in a shop at the castle town, an orphan was discovered to possess light-attribute magic, something very useful for the kingdom.
Apparently, he was transferred to that academy with his identity being confidential and his tuition fee exempted.
Apparently, said chosen light-attribute user was also the man in front of her.
āWell, Iāve introduced myself. What about your name? Or, is there a rule that forbids fairies from revealing their true names to humans? Then, I wonāt push you, Iāll just call you the Moon Fairy.ā
āW-wait! Iām not a fairy, Iām Lithia Album! Iām the eldest daughter of Viscount Album! Weāre in the same grade!ā
A man had called her the āMoon Fairyā to her face. Was it some sort of cruel joke? She was used to being called a hag or a witch, but this…?
āIf itās a joke, itās in bad taste, and if itās sarcasm, itās terrible, so stop. I know best that Iām ugly.ā
āA joke? Sarcasm? I donāt understand. Donāt you have a mirror in your room? Thereās a pond in the courtyard over thereāletās go! You should see your own reflection, itās really beautiful.ā
āHuh? Hey! Wait a minuteāā
The boy named Geo suddenly took Lithiaās hand. As it was, he steadily advanced towards the courtyard.
āI-I mean! My hair is ashen, just like an old womanās!ā
āActually, itās pure white and beautiful, just like snow.ā
āMy eyes, my eyes are of the same color as money, theyāre crude!ā
āIām sorry, itās dark, so I canāt tell the color of your eyes. But they are round and pretty. Or rather, is there an elegant or crude eye color?ā
She truly didnāt understandā
āit was as if he truly thought that she was beautiful!
…Also, he was correct in assuming that there wasnāt a single mirror in Lithiaās room.
āI, Iāve checked the mirrors many times!ā
āHm?ā
Geo suddenly came to an abrupt halt and incredulously stared at her.
…Why is he surprised at the mere notion of me having seen a mirror?
āNo way…ā
As if he suddenly realized something, Geo covered his own mouth with the hand that wasnāt occupied with Lithiaās.
ā…I see, because youāre a fairy, you canāt see your own reflection?ā
āWait, I already told you that wasnāt the case!ā
Lithiaās suspicions had completely left her. Her current expression utterly child-like; full of innocence and awe.
***T/N: Lafizard? I only read bastard!
As for those who’re worried that bastard might be the ML, this is the same story from THAT author, you guys, THAT author:
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Passerby knows what’s up.
We gotta rank em! There’s a scale, obviously. How stupid are they, how much do they sleep around, do they try to get back with the lead. In this ranking list we will rate all the shitty princes of American Faux! (I’m kidding, we don’t have that kinda time on our hands)
Alright! I will compile it at the cost of a week’s worth of translations!
…Passerby, not you too!?
Shitty prince tiers š
But indeed this shitty prince ranks up high in there š
So the prince wasn’t just insulting her, he was trying to neg her.
Oh THAT story, yea that guy has no chance of being ML. Cheers.
Come on it’s not American Faux if there’s not a good chance of at least one supremely shitty prince ;3
Ty for chapter
So there is even a supremely shitty prince tier now…