For the next two days, while unaware of the brewing trouble Iris' been sowing back at the campus, Adira spends her time helping out in Peter and Hyacinth's store—much to Owen's happiness and delight as well as Stefan's.

After all, visiting the store was the easiest way to find her.

"Your highness, what are you doing here again?" Adira asked as she delivered to him what he ordered and placed them properly in front of him.

Even when this man constantly annoys her, she knows and was raised with proper etiquette. So it will greatly shame her name should she flare on this annoying guy.

She had gradually gotten used to calling him with her sarcastic insult which later on became her nickname to him.

"What? I'm here to eat. What the heck are you asking me that for?" He shrugged and grabbed the cutlery before slowly digging in.

Adira could only sigh and asked, "Do you not have school?"

"I told you I just came back from the neighboring kingdom as an exchange student. I've been studying there for a year. I, at least, deserve a break, don't I?" He whined like a spoiled brat.

"Yeah, yeah." Adira shrugged his complaints off and only listened to the important points.

So he's an exchange student? Either he's really smart or he's someone high up in rank.

He couldn't really possibly be a prince, right? I haven't seen the second prince but I heard he was my age. I also heard he was a sophisticated sunny prince who was a stark contrast to the cold and black-hearted first prince.

Adira thought as she kept eyeing the man with raven hair but with silvery tint at the edges like a mix and bluish-green eyes. If he conducted himself better, then she might just believe his lies about being a prince.

Sigh, I wonder how Casey's faring at school right now? Well, tomorrow's the last day for this short lived break so I really need to return by then.

Sighing after staring at him, Stefan felt he was just judged by Adira and whined to her, "No matter what you're thinking, I am a hundred times better than that!"

"My, defensive aren't we, your highness? Well anyway, I won't have to see you from tomorrow onwards so I guess I should say goodbye even if you annoy me the most."

"What?! Why? Are you going away?" He asked, almost sounding sad as he nibbled on his fork looking like an abandoned dog that oddly made him quite cute.

What the heck?

"Well, contrary to some people who lounge around and forcing his so-called break, I have to return to school. I've got final exams coming up." Adira thought and glanced at the happy-go-lucky man and sighed again as he indirectly reminded her of that grueling thing.

Yes, the school year's about to end, huh? Time flies by so fast.

"School? Where do you go to school?"

"At the capital. There's only one campus there. I'm sure you know which one, right?"

"You... Are you a noble?"

The man looked shocked when he heard Adira proclaim that she goes to that nobles-only school at the capital. If she was, then he could ask his father to arrange an engagement with her!

"Of course, I am. You really must've spent a time at some neighboring kingdom if you haven't heard of me, huh?"

Adira muttered before finally leaving him and attending to the costumers that just came in, oblivious to the growing smile on Stefan's face.

How perfect is this?!

He thought and happily, but slowly, ate his cake. He decided right then and there that he will return home tomorrow and ask his father to send a proposal to her family!

No noble family will reject a royal's proposal!

...

Adira finally returned to the campus after dealing with her father's whines and tears and snots. She brought Heise with her and Lyfa back to the campus.

At first Lyfa was so shocked with Heise's presence, when she went to wake Adira up and ended up discovering the reptile sleeping on Adira's arms, that she fainted. Literally!

After that brief fainting and some explanation plus reassurance, Lyfa finally calmed down and quite quickly accepted Heise. Now, she dotes on Heise so much.

"Oh! I can be his aunt or his godmother, can't I?" She joyfully asked Adira while she fed the dragon who was resting his head on her mistress' lap.

"Sure, sure. Whatever you guys want. Fill up all the spaces left in Heise's family tree." Adira replied, not caring to argue or say otherwise anymore. She really cannot stop them anyway. So sure, become part of Heise's family tree all you want.

"You guys? Oh, I suppose the father's position is already taken up?" Lyfa teased with a smirk she tried hiding behind her hand and snickered when Adira blushed with a slightly annoyed look.

Well, Lyfa need not any more confirmation after seeing her mistress' face. His highness really did take up the spot.

"Does his grandparents know?" Lyfa, completely into this family play, asked. Probably asking about the Duke and Duchess.

"No. The only ones who know of his existence are me, you and his highness."

Adira informed Lyfa and caressed Heise's head happily nibbling on the snacks Lyfa was giving him and snuggled in his mother's hold. He had grown considerably bigger than a few days ago at the cost of much of Adira's mana but it was fine.

Now, she can't carry him as easily anymore so he walks—if she doesn't allow him to fly—beside her.

"If the mistress dotes on Heise this much, how much more the father, right?"

Adira turned to the grinning Lyfa and then turned to Heise before asking, "Do you miss your father? We're going back to see him. Are you happy?"

At Adira's words, the little animal opened it's clear sapphire eyes and seemed to scoff at the idea before nuzzling his head against her in a needy way.

"My, I think this father and son combi are competing for the mother's attention." Lyfa muttered under her breath as the smile on her face twitched at the spoiled act of the little dragon obviously trying to sway his mother's thoughts back to him.

"Mm? Did you say something Lyfa?" Adira asked as she thought she heard her say something about Heise.

"Nothing, my lady. I just thought that little Heise really loves his mother a lot."

She smiled at Lyfa's words before hugging Heise's neck and answered, "Of course! I love my baby a lot too!"

"Well, aren't you lucky Heise?" Lyfa said and eyed the triumphant and happy expression on this seemingly docile dragon's face.

After how many hours of sitting on the carriage, Adira stepped down her carriage and made sure there wasn't anyone within the vicinity of her dorm house before letting Heise down and walked inside the dorm house designated for her.

She let Lyfa help Heise settle down and unload their luggage while she made a short trip to announce to Casimir that she had returned.

It wasn't that she wanted to see him. Really!

She happily walked down the halls vaguely aware of the stares on her—since she was used to it and she learned to just roll with it—and knocked lightly on the door.

"Caseeey~! I'm—" she stopped prematurely and her beaming happy voice died down when she noticed that out-of-place pink hair in the arms of that particular silver-haired handsome man.

"Adira?" He called her name and she didn't miss the happiness overflowing in them. But what was this scene she was seeing?

Why is Iris in his arms?

"Umm.. Am I.. interrupting something?"

Notes:
Omg! Thank you guys! 🤩 Thanks a lot for the horde of votes you gave! As well as, of course, for your comments!
There's Kana_Harutine, TunaJeju, and suzshi who doesn't forget to leave me something to look forward to reading everyday!
Thank you for the encouraging words!
Thank you too save_me_save_you for the love!
And everyone who loved the story! I love you all! I am very happy!