The Crown Prince Thinks I'm a Guy

Strangers with Known Faces

Thankfully, at this time of the day, the public baths were pretty deserted. And although it was called "public", each shower partition was actually quite closed off. Sure, the partition walls were way lower than I would have wanted, but at least there was partial cover. I was pretty much safe, all with the steam and all.

So, I finally had a good look around it. It had a lot of spaces, probably enough to house a score of students all at once. No wonder the other students would usually go bathe at the same times. But, it worked well for me, too.

'Maybe I should just take my baths between my long breaks...' I thought, while I used the school-issued shampoo to clean off the clumps of mud.

There was a huge hot water tub a few ways away from the showers, and I was pretty sure the boys would all go to it after showering, but... I decided not to go for now. Who knows? There might be a lone figure who would prefer bathing in the late mornings as well.

I already had most of my clothes on when the door opened. Hastily pulling down my clean shirt, I turned back to find myself staring at an unexpected sight: a girl.

"Are you lost?" I found myself asking at the nervous creature.

"Ah, no," she murmured. "I came to bath..."

"At this time of the day?" I asked yet again. "And why here?"

Unexpectedly, she showed a bout of anger. "Why can't I take a bath here when you're here as well?"

'What does she mean? Does she see that I'm a girl too?!'

"Well?" she asked, stepping a foot forward, her porcelain face bright with her view of justice. "Just because you're here, I can't use the public baths?"

Finally, I muttered, "Don't you know this is the male dormitory?"

Her anger turned into confusion. She tilted her head to the side. "So?"

For a moment, we simply blinked at each other. After a while, I managed to ask, "You're not a girl?"

Her cheeks blushed redly. "Wh-Why does everyone think I'm a girl?! I'm a boy! A BOY!"

Then, she... he stormed off out of the baths. I couldn't even apologize at all. Sighing, I made my way out as well and back to my quarters. Minutes later, I found myself seated joyously at the corner of a classroom, just made it in time for my next class.

I felt bad about my mistake earlier. I mean, it would be more than just a little weird to find a student become lost in her own dormitory. The female and male dormitories were almost at opposite ends in the network of castles, so it was quite impossible to mistake them as each other...

I sighed yet again, letting my head fall onto my desk. It was a familiar scent that had woken me up from my depressed heap. My body reacted before my mind had even placed the scent. I had stood up swiftly in a blink of an eye, startling the student right in front of me. But I didn't have much time to apologize, because across the room, still walking with her back turned from me, was a familiar figure.

My heart raced, but I molded my entire being into a state of calm. Without missing too much of a beat, I turned forward to the startled classmate and apologized for my sudden movement. He took it graciously and I had to force myself to sit back down, and tried not to stare too much at her figure.

'Why is she here?' I thought, my heart still beating fast. 'I thought it was only Zepherin who had received the mission?'

But as though the world wanted to simply drive me up a wall, the professor walked in, and walked in he did with his sleazy smile. Assassin Vincentus. I haven't seen his ghostly visage since my intrusion at the ceremony. But I could never forget his face. In fact, being friends with Zepherin almost made sure that I wouldn't forget him.