The girl sang the military school’s anthem and bounced upstairs, followed by Hans Borg, who carried her bag with a wry smile.
Anna Bel rarely attends school now. During the Emperor’s illness, few cared about the heir’s absence from class. If the Emperor were to die, Anna Bel may never need to attend university again.
“Are you still getting used to school?” Anna Bel asked kindly. “I’m not at school, but if you encounter any difficulties, I’m sure Albert would help you.”
Wilhelmina said nothing, while Kerns glanced at her, well aware of the past issues between her and Albert. He couldn’t help but sneer at Anna Bel’s suggestion.
“How could we possibly disturb the future prince, right?”
“Watch your mouth, Kerns!” Anna Bel replied, embarrassed and annoyed but not truly angry.
Kerns laughed carelessly. Over the past two years, he had grown taller and slimmer, revealing his handsome features.
He inherited his father’s tall stature and straight nose and gained the royal family’s unique azure eyes and soft, full lips from Princess Catherine. Now a young nobleman, he was still naive but attractive, drawing attention from girls competing for his affection.
Wilhelmina missed the chubby boy from before.
She was enduring a challenging developmental period. Her body was thin, her back slightly hunched from studying, her eyes nearsighted, and acne was starting to appear on her face.
When her first menstruation came, she was mentally prepared but still terrified.
Waking up one morning to find blood had stained her nightgown, Wilhelmina screamed in the bathroom. Hans Borg and the nanny rushed in. The secretary’s face turned pale at the sight of the blood, a reaction Wilhelmina always remembered.
Ultimately, the amused nanny told Hans Borg to leave the bathroom and brought clean clothes for Wilhelmina to change into. When she emerged, the secretary had realized what happened, and his face had turned unusually red.
Later, she reflected that he was just a twenty-four-year-old young man at the time, with no girlfriend and no rumors surrounding him. She had never seen him, usually so elegant and composed, look so panicked over a little bleeding.
