Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]-Chapter 42: No Regrets

Electra's Pov

As I was walking toward class with my girls, laughing at some joke Penelope had just told, the student council leader—a timid, mousy girl named Lillian—rushed over to intercept me.

I didn't even bother masking my irritation as she skidded to a stop in front of us, clutching her folder as if it were some sort of shield. It was far too early for whatever petty complaint or tedious announcement she was bringing me, but then she mentioned the principal wanted to see me urgently.

"Principal Astor?" I repeated, arching a brow, immediately feeling a sour taste settle in my mouth.

I knew Astor well enough to understand that her idea of "urgent" and my idea of "urgent" hardly ever aligned. Half the time, her "urgent" matters were just veiled attempts to lecture me on school rules or remind me, yet again, to "uphold the dignity of my title."

Ridiculous woman.

But even so, skipping out on her summons would undoubtedly mean an annoying flurry of calls to my father's office, and if there was one thing I despised, it was someone dragging him into matters he had no interest in handling.

He might be the King of Elmeria, but I wasn't some disturbed teenager who needed to be scolded by her father. I also wasn't about to let Astor bother him with trivialities.

I sighed, rolling my eyes as I turned to my friends. "Looks like I'm in for a thrilling lecture on 'proper conduct.' Don't start any real fun without me."

Roxana snickered, while Irina gave me a sympathetic look that said she knew all too well what I was about to endure.

With an exaggerated sigh, I made my way to the office building, my wheels in my head turning as I rehearsed in my mind what sarcastic responses I'd give Astor if she dared to waste my time.

As I walked into the reception area outside the principal's office, I saw Hawthorne, Astor's assistant, rise immediately to her feet. She greeted me with a polite bow, addressing me by my royal title, and I allowed myself a slight smirk.

It was easy to forget, among the students, that I held this authority over the staff—something I rarely bothered to enforce with anyone who wasn't a member of the faculty.

I brushed her greeting aside with a dismissive wave. "Yes, yes. Is she waiting?"

Hawthorne nodded, glancing nervously at the door, and I pushed past her, my irritation deepening. I was prepared for an irate, insufferable lecture, but what I wasn't prepared for was the sight that greeted me as I walked through the door.

There, seated across from Principal Astor, were Yuna and Yura.

My stomach twisted in disgust, even though I refused to let any reaction show on my face. Instead, I narrowed my eyes, glaring at them with a mixture of contempt and amusement. They looked utterly furious, and I could practically feel the hatred radiating from their stares.

Astor stood up immediately, inclining her head with the kind of stiff, formal bow I expected from staff. "Your Highness," she greeted, her tone respectful.

I crossed my arms, leaning against the doorframe. "What's going on here?" I demanded, allowing my voice to drip with boredom.

My gaze drifted dismissively between Yuna and Yura, and I sneered, pointing at them in disgust. "And why, exactly, are these two lowlifes in your office?"

Astor's expression was unchanging, her gaze calm as she looked back at me, though I could tell this was going to be one of her more serious conversations.

She sighed, motioning for me to take a seat. "Please, have a seat, Your Highness. We need to discuss some... serious accusations that have been brought against you."

My irritation morphed into genuine curiosity, but I made sure it didn't show. I walked over, lowering myself into the leather chair across from her, fixing her with a cold, expectant stare.

"And what accusations would those be?" I asked, forcing my voice to remain cool and detached. I already had a feeling what it was, but until I confirmed, I wasn't going to jump to any conclusions.

Astor's gaze flickered momentarily toward Yuna, then Yura, before settling back on me. "I think it would be best if Yura explained it herself."

Oh, wonderful. A personal account. This was starting to feel like some dreadful, scripted scene from a second-rate drama, and I could hardly suppress my smirk as I looked at Yura, raising an eyebrow in mock curiosity. "By all means, enlighten me, Yura."

Yura shot me a look filled with a mixture of fear and anger before she took a deep breath. "You know exactly what you did, Electra," she said, her voice shaking slightly but her tone surprisingly stern. "You're the reason I almost drowned."

I raised an eyebrow as I leaned back in the leather chair, an amused smirk pulling at my lips as I looked over at Yura.

Yura sat stiff and furious, while Yuna kept glaring at me, but their rage barely registered to me. I'd anticipated that the reason they were here had something to do with the little incident at the pool, and I'd even guessed that they might suspect me, but I hadn't expected them to try confronting me like this.

Astor's gaze flicked between the three of us, her face lined with a mix of concern and frustration. She was clearly trying to assess if there was any truth in Yura's accusation, and I could see her weighing her options, no doubt calculating how to handle the situation delicately since I was, after all, the princess.

"You nearly killed me, Electra," Yura spat, her hands clenched into fists on her lap. "I almost drowned because of you!"

I couldn't help but scoff at her dramatic choice of words. Killed her? Please. If I had intended to kill her, she wouldn't be sitting here, ranting about it.

Astor cleared her throat, bringing my attention back to the room. She looked at me with a questioning gaze, her expression carefully controlled.

"Your Highness," she began, "I must ask you to respond to Yura's accusation. Are you aware of what Yura is referring to, or is there some misunderstanding?"

I held back a laugh, though I couldn't hide the amusement dancing in my eyes. "And so what if I am?" I responded, my voice light, almost teasing.

I leaned forward slightly, relishing the way Yura and Yuna stiffened, their eyes widening in disbelief.

Astor's face flashed with surprise, but she quickly recovered, maintaining her professional composure. "Your Highness," she said, a hint of warning creeping into her tone. "Are you admitting to orchestrating an incident where Yura was—" she hesitated, likely searching for a word that wouldn't escalate the situation "—where Yura was in danger?"

I let out an amused chuckle, loving the tension in the room. I didn't feel any urge to play nice, not with them, and certainly not with someone like Astor, who would never have the nerve to truly challenge me.

Finally, I let out a sigh, tilting my head slightly as I met Astor's gaze, my expression unbothered. "Yes," I said casually, as if admitting to a minor inconvenience, "I drowned the idiot, and before you ask, no, I don't regret it. Not for a second."