Ch.73Academy Exhibition (3)

Eshtiel was freely wandering around the Academy until her appointed meeting time with Tesser. She enjoyed every moment as the previously dull atmosphere of the Academy came alive with activity.

But that didn’t last long.

She decided to take a brief rest as walking aimlessly around the vast grounds became tiring. Unfortunately, the resting place she entered happened to be the classroom used by third-year elementary students.

“No one else will be using this anyway. I’ll just lie down on the desk and take a nap.”

…This was Eshtiel’s plan—one that would have made Rahilt rush over in panic to stop her.

“What’s this?”

Eshtiel became irritated at the unexpected presence of a witness.

“Why are you here?”

“Well… it’s my choice.”

“That’s a problem.”

“…”

The student who thwarted Eshtiel’s mischief was none other than Shturn—the boy who had lost to her in arm wrestling during their previous encounter.

“There are so many fun things outside! Just hurry up and leave.”

“Nothing out there is fun.”

Shturn responded to her tyrannical confidence with cold silence. Eshtiel instinctively recognized the heavy atmosphere surrounding him.

“If everyone else is having fun but you’re not, it’s probably because you don’t have friends.”

“You…!?”

“Are you perhaps an outcast?”

“No!!!”

“With such a terrible personality, it’s possible. I can understand.”

“Ugh, I said no!”

Shturn denied it frantically, as if an old wound had been reopened. Indeed, Eshtiel’s words were like sharp needles mercilessly stabbing at his bruised spots.

“It’s… all because of someone.”

Shturn mumbled at a volume too low for anyone to hear.

‘Damn it…’

Ever since his direct defeat to Eshtiel, his relationship with his classmates had become awkward. More accurately, he was being avoided. In a way, it was inevitable that the price of defeat would be heavy for Shturn, who had maintained an arrogant attitude through sheer force.

‘Serves him right after showing off his strength all this time.’

‘Losing to a girl, isn’t that super embarrassing?’

‘She’s only 11 years old, right? And Eshtiel is just 9.’

‘Even though he’s much taller.’

The barbs that flew at him hurt as much as the accumulated days he had spent being prickly toward others. Each time, Shturn had to swallow his anger without uttering a word, suppressing his rage in silent screams.

‘Try beating her yourselves! Don’t talk big when you’ve never even tried…’

The children spreading rumors knew it too. That they had no chance of defeating that small, harmless-looking Eshtiel with strength.

Yet Shturn knew the reason they mocked him was simply because they needed provocative fuel.

A common enemy is the greatest driving force for solidarity. Though neither Shturn nor the children in the class knew this, they were instinctively following the ways of the world.

“Don’t you have a partner?”

“Why should you care?”

“So you don’t?”

Eshtiel nodded vigorously after coming to her own conclusion. Shturn frowned fiercely at her pointed observation.

“You have to live more kindly. I told you before, right? You should be nice to people you like, but if you keep bullying them, they’ll leave.”

“I don’t like Lucia!”

“I never mentioned Lucia.”

“Eek…!”

Shturn’s face boiled over. If a kettle were placed on his head, it would surely make a whistling sound.

“Why… why would I like someone with nothing special about her…!”

“Oh my, if you don’t know, you’re a fool.”

“This is really…!”

“That’s why my brother is also a fool. But at least he doesn’t bully Serin. He’s completely kind to her. So, you’re not just a fool, you’re a super fool.”

When Eshtiel lumped her brother, Grand Duke Rahilt of Elhader, into the category of fools, Shturn found it difficult to protest.

Being grouped with the Grand Duke, any objection would only insult the Duke further.

“And why shouldn’t you like Lucia? She’s pretty, smart, kind, and the same age as you.”

“…She’s not smart. If she were, she’d be in fourth or fifth grade.”

“Then you’re not smart either.”

“…Shut up.”

In truth, Shturn knew. He knew that Lucia had entered the Academy without basic knowledge due to her difficult circumstances.

The fact that Lucia was placed in the third year of elementary school was already a significant achievement.

Therefore, Shturn was aware that he was truly the inferior one. Because of this, he would bully Lucia to fill his meager self-esteem.

“Somehow you really are a super fool. Though my brother is super smart, which is annoying…”

“You’re pretty annoying yourself.”

Despite her strange pronunciation and childish behavior… Eshtiel’s academic performance was impeccable.

It was evident from the fact that Eshtiel, still only 9 years old, was placed in the third year elementary class mostly filled with 10-year-olds.

“But you know what? My brother said something. He said you’ll regret it later when it’s too late. You should do your best for the people you care about before something irreversible happens. But he said eating candy is not allowed. That’s really mean.”

From the middle of her speech, Eshtiel was carried away by her emotions and continued with a stream of consciousness. Yet somehow, she managed not to lose the main thread of her advice.

“If you do bad things to Lucia, you’ll be punished later. If you’re only remembered as a bad person, you’ll never be able to become friends with her.”

“…Do you have someone like that among your friends?”

“No?”

“What on earth…”

Originally, until her transfer to the Academy, the concept of friends was equivalent to an imaginary existence. But there were real people she didn’t want to become close with because of bad memories.

“Instead, I really hate those laundry ladies. Even if they come back and apologize, I’ll never forgive them.”

“…”

Shturn wasn’t completely unaware of Eshtiel’s past.

It was news to him that she had been mistreated at the laundry place. However, it was well-known that she had experienced a difficult childhood as part of a fallen noble family.

It seemed remarkable that despite such a past, she maintained such an innocent demeanor.

Suddenly, Shturn saw Eshtiel in a different light.

“…Even if I… apologize… Lucia might not accept it.”

“Ah, you admitted you like her.”

“You really…! Haah…”

Shturn was about to flare up again but suppressed his anger. After several trials and errors, he had finally realized that getting heated with Eshtiel would only be to his disadvantage.

So, he reset his mindset and continued speaking.

“What if Lucia doesn’t accept my apology?”

“You like her, right?”

“Ha…”

Shturn sighed so deeply he seemed about to collapse. Then what followed was a long silence.

…

……

…… …

“…… Yeah.”

“See, I was right. Why lie?”

“…Alright, enough.”

Shturn squeezed his eyes shut.

“…… Tell me. What should I do if she rejects my apology?”

Though Shturn asked seriously, Eshtiel merely tilted her head slightly.

“What do you mean? Why are you asking me about your mistake?”

“What…!”

“You bullied her all you wanted, so why should she forgive you? You should beg and cry, and if she still doesn’t forgive you, you have to give up.”

Eshtiel had realized the pain of being a victim of bullying at such a young age. Therefore, she had no intention of offering sweet words to Shturn, who was clearly the perpetrator.

Afterward, Eshtiel’s declarative statement became a dagger that pierced Shturn’s heart.

“Isn’t it strange not to be punished for bullying someone you like?”

“Ugh.”

A faint groan escaped Shturn’s lips.

At Eshtiel’s pointed remark, the past he had been trying to ignore burst into the present and clouded his vision. Truly, the stupid, angry fool that was his former self took shape vividly before him.

‘Ah…’

The trigger was trivial.

Born as the third son of a marquis family, Shturn’s position was always unstable.

The eldest son showed excellent aptitude in martial arts, and the second son had considerable talent as a sorcerer. Growing up in such an environment, Shturn was always reduced to being a subject of comparison.

At best, he was considered mediocre. He realized early on that this was his reality.

Once he became aware of his ceiling, he learned to become both lazy and brazen. When no one had expectations for him anymore, the interference disappeared, and life became easier. But he didn’t realize he had taken on the loneliness of not receiving any attention at all.

To Shturn’s eyes, Lucia seemed to shine brightly.

Born and raised as the daughter of an impoverished lower noble family, Lucia never spared any effort despite her obvious limitations.

Initially, she entered as a first-year elementary student but skipped ahead to the third-year class after just half a year.

At that time, he didn’t think much of it. No excessive fondness, no desire to bully her. Nothing.

When was it after that?

It was when he was disappointed after receiving below-expected grades.

Though no one would pay attention to him anymore, he had prepared diligently for the exam with the thought of trying hard just once.

In the empty classroom, he scattered the test papers in frustration, and Lucia, who had just returned to the classroom, picked them up as they fluttered to the floor.

Lucia had returned to find something she had forgotten. She said:

[This exam was… quite difficult, wasn’t it?]

[Would you like to study together?]

[Actually, I’ve wanted to talk to you since we’re the same age… hehe.]

The emotion Shturn felt toward the brightly smiling Lucia was explosive inferiority.

How could he, who had grown up lacking nothing, be similar to a girl who was practically a commoner?

Moreover, to receive sympathy from a girl he had started to like.

Who are you to dare?

As the daughter of a crumbling family, why are you giving me this misery?

And why am I attracted to such a girl?

He felt defeated in every aspect.

He couldn’t accept that he liked someone like her.

Knowing he was an empty shell of a person, he subconsciously realized he wasn’t worthy of standing beside Lucia, and not wanting to acknowledge that inferiority, he began to bully her.

Thinking that if he trampled her down enough, Lucia might come down to his level.

Then surely she would have no choice but him—he was captivated by such an absurd delusion.

“…I really want to die.”

“You shouldn’t die. People will be sad.”

“Who would care about someone like me?”

“I wouldn’t know?”

Of course she wouldn’t. How would Eshtiel, who had no interest in his family circumstances or even his relationships, know anything?

He felt like a fool.

He kept revealing his inner thoughts and asking questions to Eshtiel, who outwardly seemed more foolish than anyone.

“…Ha.”

After objectively reflecting on himself, he realized.

“The answer… has been decided long ago.”

Shturn moved his feet, which had been stationary for a long time. Once in motion, his steps lightly passed by Eshtiel and reached the slightly open door.

“Where are you going?”

Eshtiel asked.

Shturn answered with a bitter smile.

“To beg.”

At this simple response, Eshtiel offered her final advice with a serious face.

“As soon as you see her, you should kneel down and beg like a fly rubbing its hands. Got it? Make sure to squeeze out tears and snot too.”

“…I have the dignity of a marquis family.”

“Oh my, you’re still immature.”

“This…”

Shturn tightly clenched his fist, but only for a moment.

He bowed his head deeply enough to cast a shadow and spoke in a lowered voice.

“Thank… you.”

“I can’t hear you?”

“Ugh.”

Shturn’s face flushed at Eshtiel’s grinning expression.

Then he stomped his foot and shouted:

“I said THANK YOU!!!”

Bang!

Shturn ran out of the classroom as if sprinting at full speed. But as soon as he entered the corridor, he let out a high-pitched sound.

“Hwaah…! Ah, hello…!!!”

Patter patter patter.

Shturn left hurriedly after a quick greeting.

As the echo of his departure faded, the door that Shturn had closed opened slowly, and a familiar face greeted Eshtiel.

“I’ve come to get you, Eshtiel.”

“Brother Tesser!”

“You seem to be doing well.”

“Hmph, no. There was a fool here, so I couldn’t even take a nap.”

“…Then you should thank that fool.”

“What? Aren’t you on my side?”

Eshtiel was startled by this sudden betrayal.

Tesser declared as if it were obvious:

“I can’t always take your side.”

“But you like me, Brother Tesser?”

“Cough!”

Tesser coughed violently as if spitting blood.

“E-Eshtiel. As I’ve repeatedly said… you shouldn’t say such things carelessly.”

“I know. My lips are as heavy as the weight of a candy.”

“Hmm… that’s an extremely light weight.”

Even so, he had just confirmed that Eshtiel possessed a gravity that didn’t match her age.

Tesser, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation between Eshtiel and Shturn from the beginning, couldn’t help but be impressed.

There were aspects of what she implied that aligned with the solution to his own concerns.

‘…Yes, I shouldn’t create irreversible regrets.’

He needed to have a proper conversation with his sister.

He didn’t want to remain forever distant, like family in name only.

Tesser gently stroked Eshtiel’s head, who had unintentionally given him courage.

…Not knowing that this courage would betray him.

“Tesser, do you want to be Emperor?”

Lighter than the morning mist,

With a playful tone mixed in the invitation,

Tesser’s courage faded and withered away.