episode_0007

After all the afternoon academic classes are over and after school.

I escorted Tirisia to the main gate of the Academy and said goodbye.

“Erto, today’s lunch box was so delicious. Thank you.”

The silver-haired, fresh beauty standing across from me smiled faintly.

“Thank goodness.”

I smiled back at her, and soon a sadness appeared in her jade eyes.

“Well… I have some business to attend to, so I have to go back first. Sorry for not being able to keep you waiting, Erto.”

“No, people might be busy.”

“I don’t think Ms. Elconza is such a bad person… but if you’re being bullied by something strange, please tell me. I’ll take care of it later.”

At her worried gaze, I shrugged my shoulders and gave a sheepish laugh.

“Hey, what’s wrong? You’re the kind of guy who always talks big.”

“But I still feel bad about asking you to come alone… ”

As Tirisia said, the message that Celdianne left for me was this.

‘You must come alone! No common comrades, no close friends who follow you around! You must come alone! Do you understand?’

I don’t know why, but it was the first time that Celdianne had called me alone.

Is it finally time for the linguistic mob lynching?

Actually, I’m not really worried, it’s just annoying.

“Don’t worry, go back. You said you had business?”

I tapped Tirisia’s arm with my palm as she stared at me with a worried expression. She nodded and took a step back out the front door.

“Okay, Erto. See you tomorrow!”

“Yeah.”

As I watched her wave at each other and turn away, I sighed deeply and rubbed the back of my neck.

“Haa… annoying, annoying… ”

The life of a commoner must be truly hard, having to waste my time listening to the nonsense of arrogant nobles.

If we ignore it, it’s obvious that Seldianne will get mad at us for keeping her promise, so let’s just go for now.

“But why the backyard…?”

Although he usually tries to make himself known in places where people would pay attention, he chose an unusually secluded and deserted place.

What on earth are you trying to say…?

I sighed again and headed towards the backyard of the Academy on the hill.

*

“You’re late!”

It was a word that struck my ears as soon as I put my head out into the backyard.

“Oh, sorry.”

I opened my palm and walked leisurely in front of the girl with golden bun hair standing blankly in the middle of the backyard.

Seldianne, who was standing in a slightly different posture than usual, with her hands clasped behind her back, emitted a fiery blast of light as I approached.

“I can’t believe it! Can’t a commoner keep a promise on time?! How dare you make the eldest daughter of this Elkonja family wait standing up! She deserves to die a thousand times!”

“No, really, I’m sorry. Did you wait long? Seeing Tirisia off to the front gate.”

I was just telling the truth, but Celdianne’s crimson eyes widened and her voice grew louder.

“Huh! How dare you prioritize impure intercourse over the promise you made! It seems like seeing her off that short distance was more precious than your life?!”

“Please spare my life… I apologize for making you wait.”

As I was scratching the back of my neck and nodding my head absentmindedly, something strange caught my eye.

“Huh… ?”

The people currently in the backyard are me and Seldianne.

In short, two people.

“But where are your friends?”

Even if I looked up and behind the bun, there was only a wall and an eerie shadow, and no sign of people.

Why can’t Miyu and Juri, who are in charge of support fire, be seen?

Seldianne frowned at my gaze as if she was looking at a disgusting insect.

“Does that matter now? Since when did commoners start caring about the procession of nobles? Huh? Did you really have your eye on those two too?! You’re being ridiculous!”

“No, that’s not it… I was just wondering why I was alone.”

Wow, you really are a villain with a very rich imagination, Young-ae.

By the way, it was strange. I thought they would definitely press down on me with their numbers and preach useless nonsense and discrimination, but when I actually got here, they only had one mouth.

If I do this, I can get my say, but what is Seldianne’s plan?

“The lady’s friends are busy and have already returned home, so don’t worry about them!”

“Yeah.”

The part where Seldianne explained with her own mouth so that no one would really be curious was the nobleman’s sincerity that she insisted on for no reason.

Or maybe I’m just stupid.

“So why did you call me here? Is there something you two want to talk about alone?”

“… … … ”

At that question, Seldianne stared at my face with her mouth tightly shut.

He looked angry, embarrassed, and a bit puzzled.

“… ?”

As I stood still, looking into her eyes, afraid of being pushed back, she took a deep breath and stretched out her hand that had been behind her back.

“Please take it!”

“Huh?”

What he held in his outstretched hands was a box wrapped in an antique white cloth.

“What is this?”

“You dare to hold a lady’s arm?! Just take it without any fuss!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Once she received the bundle, Celdianne unfolded the fan she had kept in her bosom and covered her eyes.

“Lady, even if you don’t want to hear about the common people’s business, you are in a position where you can naturally hear news from within the academy!”

“Yeah.”

Mi…rang Ju… is chattering on the side, does that mean I’m stuck in the middle?

“I heard you’ve been sick at home for the past few days, right?”

“Oh, that’s right. I was at home resting because I had a cold.”

“How pathetic! As an academy student who will become the country’s core human resources, taking care of your body is not a choice but a duty! Not to mention, the martial arts competition is just around the corner, so you really can’t find a sense of alertness even if you look hard!”

“Hey, hey… What are you talking about when you’re sick? Have you done anything to help me take care of my health?”

“Come to think of it, it wasn’t there!”

Why are you answering so shamelessly?

As I pout my lips and look into her crimson eyes beyond the fan, she clears her throat and folds the fan in her palm.

“Ahem, so that’s why! This time, I’ll be of special help to you!”

“If it’s help… Are you talking about this thing I just gave you?”

“Our proud Elconza is also expanding its business in the pharmaceutical sector! This is a special health supplement, so please take one every day with a grateful heart!”

“Oh… Ohhh?”

I looked back and forth between Celdianne’s confident face and the bundle in her hands with wide eyes.

“You? Me? A gift? Why?”

“Don’t get me wrong! This is just a nobleman’s benevolent heart looking down on the commoners! I’m just setting an example for you, and I have absolutely no personal feelings towards you!”

“Oh… Wow… Wow… Anyway, thank you, Celdianne.”

Whatever the reason, if it was a product of the Elkonza family, it would have to be quite expensive, and giving it away was an act that did not go against the decency of a noble.

Upon hearing my sincere gratitude, Seldianne lifted her fan and chin with a satisfied expression.

“One thank you is not enough! I need to bow my head more!”

“Oh my, thank you. Great noble Lady Celdianne Elconza.”

As I bent my waist 90 degrees and greeted him like a slave receiving tribute, a high-pitched, hearty laugh burst from my cherry-colored lips.

“Oh-hohohoho! That’s it! Then be at peace!”

Sasa sasa sasa.

Seldianne quickly disappeared into the dormitory, still smiling and supporting her chin with a fan.

The backyard, where there had been a commotion, became quiet, and I raised my head with a blank expression.

Considering that I gave a reasonable amount of time to the rhythm, I received a great reward.

I let my guard down because I was alone, but I think I lost more energy than I thought.

Anyway, looking at her nature of taking care of sick people, I began to think that maybe Seldianne wasn’t a fundamentally evil person.

“Should I go back?”

As I was leaving the backyard carrying the box wrapped in a cloth, a question suddenly occurred to me.

Just stay still.

Was it really necessary to meet the two of you and tell you this?

Aren’t words like “spirit of philanthropy” and “model of nobility” ultimately only meaningful when they are shown off in front of others?

At least, if you look at it from the perspective of human nature, Seldian, that was right.

He even picks a fight in front of the garden during lunch time, which is usually the center of attention for students.

Why did she, who is so thorough in managing her image among her followers, do such good deeds that only I know about?

“… ”

I stopped for a moment and thought deeply,

There was only one conclusion that came to mind.

This is a test.

If you don’t go around the academy and tell everyone that you received a precious tonic from Lady Seldian, you’ll definitely be blamed later on for being an ungrateful gift.

Hehehe.

I know your intentions, Seldianne.

As you wish, I will spread the word about your warm heart throughout the academy. Leave it to me. Hahaha.