After Andrew closed the door of the hall with a bang, the murmurs of the students grew even louder, partly because the teacher chased after the prince while telling everyone to self-study.

No one could seriously proceed with their dance lesson anymore as the girls and the boys gossiped among each other.

“…Just how dense is that transfer student?”

“That has to be an act, right? It should be obvious by now…”

The male students gathered in circle as if discussing something, sneaking a glance at Lithia and Geo from time to time.

“She must be celebrating by now. After all, His Highness approached her.”

“Let’s hope she doesn’t get carried away and forget the fact that he loathes her.”

On the other hand, some of the female students whispered in secrets, while others spoke in a voice loud enough for Lithia to hear.

If Andrew were to stop bothering her, she would be so happy! …As if she’d get carried away. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop those girls from feeling bitter about it.

After being berated by Andrew, it wasn’t rare for her to be chastised by other girls. Each time, Lithia refrained from fighting back and only kept her head down.

“Still, that prince sure is amazing. Even from up close, he couldn’t recognize your beauty. Are his eyes just for show?”

“—Geo! You made the wrong step, again! Let’s start over!”

However, this time around, she was desperately trying thwart Geo’s blasphemy against the royal family, so she didn’t have time to be depressed.

“Huh? ah, that’s right. I’m sorry, I wasn’t concentrating. I’ve fallen in love with Lithia all over again.”

Geo looked down at his feet and mumbled, ‘But where did I go wrong, though?”

Then, he went on.

“But it can’t be helped, right? When the Moon Fairy is this close to you, what else is supposed to happen? Well, unless I were to close my eyes all the time. Unlike him, I’m not blind.”

…Should I say anything against that?

As the man stared a hole in her face, Lithia pondered until her heart hurt.

Dancing with this terrifyingly honest man isn’t good—at least not for my heart.

After all, she couldn’t escape from his straightforward gaze and words.

“Uwah—!?”

“Kyah—!?”

Just when she thought so, Geo missed his step, causing Lithia to fall only to be caught in his arms.

“Eh, w-wait, hold on…”

Now the “distance” was no longer the problem—

—because there was none!

This, this is the same as being embraced by him—!

Enveloped in warmth that was equal if not greater than her own temperature, Lithia’s heart pounded.

“…I just realized something! Even if I close my eyes, your beauty has already been seared into my memory, so it’s pointless!”

“You don’t have to actually try it out!”

At last, it dawned on her.

Apparently, Geo did close his eyes, stumbled on her foot, and she lost balance.

“I’m sorry, it’s because I’m acting cowardly…”

“No, it’s fine, let’s not overdo it…”

“It’s just, Lithia is too beautiful…”

“Is that your apology…?”

Should she have denied it instead?

But by denying it, she’d be clarifying that Geo indeed fell because of his aforementioned theory, but if she were to agree, it’d be a very high-handed way of comforting him. Akin to saying, “I’m sorry for being too beautiful.”

“Now that I think about it, your beauty was engraved into my memory the night we first met. Even if I close my eyes now, it’s unlikely it will disappear.”

“What…?”

“That’s why, it’s impossible to not be fascinated by you, Lithia. Give it up.”

Geo spoke—unwavering—as if he was telling her the result of an investigation. Was she the strange one for getting so worked up over his straightforwardness?

How can he say something so embarrassing that sincerely…?

“I, I’m not saying that you should stop…”

After all, she didn’t mind. It was just… she felt uneasy every time he did—but again, she didn’t mind. Far from disliking it, Lithia just couldn’t imagine behaving the same way as him.

“I see. Thank you, Lithia. I appreciate how openminded you are.”

“O, okay…”

Even so, what did it mean to be engraved into his memory? No, since it was Geo, he probably meant what he said.

“A-actually, I…”

“What is it?”

“I, it’s nothing! Never mind!”

…Come to think of it, she also couldn’t get Geo out of her mind since they first met. Well, it might be because it was a first for her meeting someone so peculiar…

Dismissing those thoughts, Lithia shook her head and regained her senses.

　◆◆◆

Until the end, neither the teacher nor the prince returned, and after the class concluded, it was mostly chat time for everyone except Geo and Lithia.

“Hey, Transfer Student.”

A certain male student approached Geo.

“Do you need something?”

Geo, who was walking beside Lithia, stopped to turn around.

…When the prince himself addressed him as a ‘pitiful man’ and the likes, Geo didn’t bat an eye. But for some reason, he decided to heed this call.

“Didn’t you see how angry His Highness was? I won’t go into details, but don’t get involved with that ugly, white-haired witch any further.”

“—You got the wrong person. Let’s go Lithia.”

“Hey, wait, hold on—!”

Geo put his hand on Lithia’s back and tried to move along, but Lithia stopped and clutched the hem of her clothes.

“He’s talking about me. He didn’t mistake me for someone else.”

“What did you say?”

Geo turned to look at the male student again.

Next, he confirmed the direction of the student’s index finger, and saw that he was indeed pointing at Lithia when he said, ‘Ugly, white-haired, witch.’

Geo frowned in confusion, before covering his mouth with his hand, apparently noticing something.

Then, he leaned down so that he could whisper into Lithia’s ear.

“…That man, he probably has a sixth sense, as in, he can see something that no one can. He might be dangerous, so don’t get involved with him, Lithia.”

“I see that it has come to this…”

Apparently, Geo decided that the male student was seeing an apparition where Lithia was standing, and whispered cautiously to her.

Even if everyone were to contest his claim over and over again, Geo would never admit that Lithia was ugly. At times, he’d even come up with outrageous theories—such as that the aesthetic sense of fairies and humans were reversed, or that both the prince’s vision and mind were faulty…

“W-who are you calling dangerous!? I’m merely giving you advice!”

“Now you’re just acting rude to Lithia. First, why don’t you put your finger down?”

Geo stood in front of the indignant and stomping male student as if to shield Lithia.

“I don’t know what kind of apparition you saw behind Lithia, but as we can’t see her, it’s as if you’re calling Lithia herself ugly! A bastard like that can only be considered as dangerous!”

“There’s no apparition!”

The male student roared, his shoulders heaving up and down.

“…I see. You really don’t understand anything. Listen, there’re underlying circumstances as to why His Highness acted like that. I’ll explain from scratch, so come with me.”

---

***T/N: …Is the entire friggin kingdom gaslighting her?

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