The Iceberg Mask

After Anna left with the tray, I was once again alone in the vast study.

Her parting words about the rumors weighed heavily on my chest, like a massive boulder.

I finally understood.

On the stage of this story, I, Lilliana von Eckhart, was myself a colossal plot trigger.

No matter what I did—whether acting arrogantly or retreating in silence—it would be endlessly magnified, interpreted, and ultimately twisted away from everything I desired.

Hiding was no longer an option.

So, what was I to do?

I sat motionless in the cold study for a long time, until the last sliver of light outside the window was swallowed by the encroaching night. A dark red moon then ascended into the sky.

Its color was eerily similar to the solitary moon I had witnessed during my meditation.

Suddenly, clarity dawned upon me.

If I couldn’t be an inconspicuous passerby, then I would have to do the exact opposite.

I had to create a brand new ‘Lilliana’—for myself, and for everyone else.

She could not be the simple-minded, thorny villainess of the past.

That path led only to the guillotine.

Nor could she be me—a gentle, weak, ordinary person who merely wished to escape.

Such a person would be devoured by the jackals of this world, leaving not even bones behind.

She had to be…

Cold, aloof, unfathomable…

She would use absolute indifference to repel all attempts at probing, and unpredictable actions to disrupt everyone’s rhythm.

Only when no one could see through her would they, out of awe, hesitate to approach.

This might be a more exhausting path than hiding, yet it was currently the only viable way to protect myself.

I donned a mask for myself, one named ‘Iceberg.’

****

The next morning, as I awoke once more in the absurdly large velvet bed, a significant calm had settled within me.

Anna brought me hot water for washing.

Her movements remained cautious, yet her eyes held less fear, replaced by an ineffable, complex blend of curiosity and reverence.

As she combed my long hair, her fingers no longer trembled as they had yesterday.

“Young Lady, today’s dress…”

She asked softly, seemingly awaiting yet another unusual choice from me.

“The same as usual.”

I stated flatly, gazing at my expressionless face in the mirror.

A flicker of surprise crossed Anna’s eyes, but she quickly bowed in assent, retrieving the most opulent white uniform of Class S from the wardrobe.

I had forsaken simplicity.

For starting today, I would no longer evade the identity of Lilliana; instead, I would embody her!

An evolved Lilliana, one beyond anyone’s comprehension.

As I stepped out of the dormitory and walked once more along the tree-lined path leading to the academy building, I immediately sensed an atmosphere starkly different from yesterday’s.

It was no longer mere reverence and avoidance.

Countless gazes, like festering parasites, clung to me from all directions.

Those stares were filled with whispered curiosity and probing scrutiny.

Rumors had been brewing within the academy throughout the night.

Just then, two noble young ladies, clad in identical Class S uniforms, hurried up from behind and blocked my path.

The one leading them, with chestnut curly hair, was named Sophia—one of Lilliana’s most loyal followers in the game.

“Good morning, Lady Lilliana!”

Sophia’s face was plastered with a fawning smile, yet beneath that obsequious grin, a subtle hint of probing lay hidden.

“It seemed you were… unwell yesterday, and missed the afternoon practical lesson. We were all quite worried about you.”

“I am perfectly well.”

My reply was brief and icy.

“That’s good, that’s good!”

Sophia let out a dry laugh, seemingly choked by my demeanor, but she quickly found a new topic, speaking with a tone of schadenfreude.

“Speaking of which, have you heard? That commoner named Ella made a complete fool of herself during yesterday’s magic manipulation class! She couldn’t even manage the most basic mana condensation, nearly blowing up the training crystal! It was utterly laughable; how did such a useless person even get into Class S?”

Here it came.

This was a typical daily conversation among the villainess’s clique.

They were using this method to gauge my attitude, to see if I was still the queen they knew, the one who delighted in bullying the weak.

If I followed her lead, I would revert to being that foolish villainess.

If I defended Ella, my abnormality would once again be confirmed.

I raised my ruby-like eyes and simply gazed at her, remaining silent.

My silence caused the smile on Sophia’s face to gradually stiffen.

The other girl behind her even instinctively took half a step back.

Only when they began to grow restless, almost unable to bear the pressure, did I finally speak, slowly and distinctly.

“Sophia.”

“Yes, Lady Lilliana!”

“Your family is known for producing magical gemstones, is that correct?”

I inquired, my voice devoid of any discernible emotion.

“Ah… yes, yes! Our Winston family’s gemstones are second to none in the entire kingdom!”

Sophia didn’t understand why I suddenly brought this up, but she puffed out her chest and replied proudly nonetheless.

“Very good.”

I nodded, then spoke in a nonchalant tone, as if commenting on the weather.

“If you still have time to discuss such trivial, boring matters about others, instead of pondering how to increase your family’s gemstone magic conductivity by even a single percentage point… then I believe the royal procurement list next year might consider a change of supplier.”

With that, I ceased looking at her face, which had instantly turned ashen, and stepped past her rigid form.

Behind me, no sound followed.

I knew that from today onward, those who had once followed me would no longer dare to casually speculate on my thoughts.

As I entered the Class S classroom, almost everyone looked up.

A flicker of deep thought crossed Prince Alexis’s eyes.

Sir Kaiden’s brow furrowed even deeper.

Ella, seated by the window, straightened her back instantly, like a startled rabbit.

I ignored it all.

With steady, elegant steps, I walked to my seat…

The one at the eye of the storm, right beside Ella.

I pulled out the chair and sat down.

“G-good morning, Miss Eckhart.”

From beside me, Ella’s voice came, a trembling greeting imbued with mustered courage.

“…”

I did not evade her as I had yesterday, nor did I reply.

Instead, I slowly turned my head, my emotionless red eyes silently fixated on her for a moment.

Then, just as her breath seemed to catch, I let out a soft, almost imperceptible “Mm,” before turning back to retrieve today’s textbook.

Ella remained frozen in her seat, her heart pounding.

She had no idea how many layers of incomprehensible meaning were contained within that single glance and that soft “Mm.”

And that, precisely, was the effect I desired.