Albert withdrew his gaze, smiled faintly, and followed his father into the hall.
The Emperor crowned Anna Belle.
The young crown princess wore a golden embroidered robe and held the scepter, her spirited smile and bright, fiery eyes radiating excitement.
Though some media later mocked her for being overly excited, it was understandable for a fifteen-year-old girl ascending to the crown princess position.
After the succession ceremony, William Mina and the others returned to school, with Anna Belle joining them to add a few courses on governance.
Wilhelmina stepped into the snow, leaving a trail of light gray footprints. Intrigued, she looked back as she walked but wandered away from her path. When she realized it, she was lost.
The bare trees and snow had transformed the familiar campus. Wilhelmina estimated she was near the middle school section but was unsure which way to return to the junior section.
As she took a few more steps, she heard voices from behind the bushes and hurried over.
Several middle school boys surrounded a small boy stripped of his outer clothing, wearing only a thin shirt, his face turning blue from the cold. They pushed him to the ground, where the snow had been trampled and mixed with mud from previous scuffles.
The boy was covered in dirt but remained silent.
Chapter 16
Wilhelmina walked forward, and the others stopped, surprised.
The boys moved aside, and Georgiana stepped forward, glaring at her.
“How did you end up here?” she demanded.
“I got lost,” Wilhelmina replied, looking at the boy kneeling on the ground. “Who is he?”
Georgiana sneered, “Don’t you know him? He’s that woman’s child.”
Wilhelmina understood. This boy was the son of her uncle Heinrich and his mistress, seemingly around nine years old. She hadn’t expected them to send him to Odin Academy. This was hardly good for a child in such an awkward position, having lost his mother and with an unreliable father.
Wilhelmina looked up at Georgiana and asked, “Does Uncle know you’re doing this?”
“Mind your own business!” Georgiana said. “He has nothing to do with you, got it?”
Wilhelmina shrugged, “I understand you, Georgiana. But you’re making this look too ugly.”
Georgiana’s face reddened. “I don’t need you to lecture me!”
