episode_0027

“Haa…”

Christine let out a quiet sigh.

‘All that’s left are leeches trying to use my brother.’

‘I’m counting on you, Senior.’

“Aaargh!!”

She had spoken those words in an attempt to sound confident, but within minutes, she regretted them.

No—she was mortified beyond belief.

‘What kind of idiot says “I’m counting on you” like that?!’

Had she been too arrogant?

“Good to see you, Lady Chris.”

“Good morning, Lady Chris.”

“Yeah, good morning.”

The usual greetings from her classmates. But now, every single one of them grated on Christine’s nerves.

Originally, within the academy, it was understood—at least formally—that everyone was to be treated equally.

Though its primary purpose was to steadily supply the Perriel Empire with talent, an inevitable divide had formed between students from the empire and those from other nations.

There were exceptions, like Eric and a few other influential figures, but Christine herself had always respected the academy’s ideals. She wanted others to treat her without hesitation—no formalities, no distance.

Even if she was the daughter of the Grave Duke outside these walls, within the academy, she was just an ordinary student. She had even said multiple times that it was fine to call her simply “Chris,” not “Lady Chris” or “the Grave Duke’s daughter.”

She had begged them not to treat her with such stiffness.

To speak to her casually, the way they did with everyone else.

But of course, that request went unfulfilled.

“You’re as radiant as ever today, Lady Chris.”

“Absolutely stunning!”

“Just standing there, you exude an aura that feels untouchable, don’t you think?”

“That’s enough. I appreciate the compliments, but you’re making me embarrassed.”

She was sick of it.

She remembered her first life—how hard she had tried to appear perfect in their eyes, to seem like the flawless heir.

How much effort she had wasted, bending over backward to accommodate their meaningless chatter.

“Lady Chris, our family has recently developed a new magic legalization plan—”

“Our company has come up with a new business idea—”

“Please, just hear our proposal once—”

Back then, she had thought maintaining relationships with these people was important.

But now, after losing everything, Christine understood.

They were exactly what she had warned Eric about—leeches clinging to her.

I wonder how Eric is doing right now.

She had deliberately acted indifferent toward him, but inwardly, she was anything but.

If she didn’t do this much, he would stop looking at her entirely.

A crooked thing can be straightened, but a broken thing can’t be mended.

“……”

Staring blankly at the chattering students, Christine pictured Eric’s face.

Not the forced smile—but the cold, expressionless one.

To her, that version of him was infinitely more honest.

The more she tried to close the distance between them, the further he pulled away.

So she lied to herself: This is better.

Even if guilt and regret burned her alive, it was enough if Eric acknowledged her.

She had much to do. She had promised to be of help to him, and she would support him with everything she had.

Otherwise, she would truly become nothing more than a stranger to him.

“Ugh…!”

Remembering the hollow smile Eric had given her, Christine sucked in a sharp breath.

The thought of being cut off from him terrified her.

It wasn’t just imagination—she had lived through it before.

“Class will start soon. Shouldn’t you all return to your seats? Even if you stay by my side, I won’t show you my notes.”

Forcing a lighthearted tone, she scattered the crowd before frantically scribbling future plans into her notebook, barely listening to the lecture.

She already knew all of it anyway.

Hours passed, and Christine continued filling the margins of her notebook, so absorbed she didn’t even notice when someone called her.

“—ady Chris!”

“……”

“Lady Chris!”

“Huh? What is it?”

Snapping the notebook shut, Christine feigned nonchalance.

“What are your plans for lunch today?”

“I recently found a lovely restaurant!”

“Lady Chris! I also—”

“No! The place I picked is the best—”

In an instant, her classmates swarmed her, bickering. Christine pressed a hand to her temple.

“Lady Chris deserves nothing less than high-class dining! A restaurant with chefs who rival the Grave family’s private—”

“Don’t be ridiculous! Lady Chris isn’t some ordinary noble! A simple, humble place would suit her far better than some pretentious—”

“You fools. What Lady Chris needs right now is something to restore her energy—”

“I’ll eat at the academy cafeteria.”

“Huh?”

Normally, she would’ve just picked one of their suggestions to avoid the hassle.

But with Eric now attending the academy, her mind was too cluttered to make decisions.

“Lady Chris, eating in that shabby place? That’s absurd!”

“Please reconsider!”

“I’m eating at the cafeteria. That’s final. If you want to join me, do as you please.”

“B-But—!”

“But what?”

“The Grave Duke’s son is there right now… Surely, Lady Chris wouldn’t want to dine with someone like—”

“My brother is there?”

Christine shot to her feet.

“Are you serious?”

“Huh? Y-Yes. He didn’t come to school with you today, did he? He must’ve realized no other place would take him. I saw him standing in the hallway for a while before heading to the cafeteria.”

“Ah, that guy…”

“Honestly, he’s a little scary.”

“Why would the academy even allow him back?”

“Who knew he’d fall so far in just one semester?”

“Why would he even return? A hospital would suit him better than an academy.”

“What do you think, Lady Chris?”

Despite being fellow children of House Grave, they tore into Eric without hesitation.

Yet Christine couldn’t speak up.

The first reason: Eric had lost any right to respect after his antics last semester.

The second reason: Christine herself.

“Tch…”

Confronting her own sins again, Christine gritted her teeth.

Every word they spoke now was something she had said in the first timeline to ruin Eric’s reputation.

Back then, she had despised him for constantly warning her despite her mockery. Now, those same words stabbed into her like daggers.

Screech—!

She couldn’t take it anymore.

Christine swiftly gathered her things and stood.

“Where are you going?”

“I told you. The academy cafeteria.”

“It’s dangerous! You heard what we just said—”

“I don’t care.”

Ignoring their protests, she strode toward the cafeteria.

“You really should reconsider, Lady Chris. You don’t know why he acted like that, do you?”

“What?”

Christine froze.

Had Eric’s plan already been exposed? But if so, they should be praising him, not condemning him.

Then she realized—she knew exactly why they were saying this.

“Jealousy. They say Prince Eric confessed to all the professors—that he’s just a commoner, jealous of those younger and more talented than him. That he acted out for attention.”

“Oh my, is that true?”

“A disgrace to nobility. The Grave name must be weeping.”

“I can’t say I don’t understand his feelings, but still…”

“Pathetic. A true noble should know how to hide their ugliness. Otherwise, they’re no better than beasts.”

“Blowing up an exam hall just to be noticed? Even a child wouldn’t do that.”

“Exactly. And now he’s ‘confessing’? What was he thinking?”

“What do you think, Lady Chris?”

“Lady Chris?”

She didn’t want to hear it.

Christine focused every ounce of willpower on walking straight ahead.

If she didn’t, she might’ve killed them all on the spot.

Every single one of them walking behind her owed their place here to Eric.

And in this world too, Eric would save them.

If they had no malice, she could’ve understood.

But their relentless mockery didn’t come from ignorance—it came from superiority.

The thrill of tearing down someone above them.

Christine couldn’t stand it.

“Jus—”

She opened her mouth to tell them to stop—but then Eric’s words flashed through her mind.

‘Why now?’

“I—I just remembered something urgent. Go on ahead.”

“Lady Chris?”

“Lady Chris!”

Ignoring their frantic calls, she broke into a run, searching for somewhere no one could see her.

“Aaaargh!!”

BAM!

Christine’s fist slammed into a pillar.

A single strike—but her hand was already bleeding.

“Hah…”

Typical of the academy, where every facility was reinforced with magic. The only one hurt was her.

But the pain helped her regain her senses.

“Hah… Hah…”

Gasping, she desperately suppressed the mana threatening to explode out of her.

If she hadn’t run, the students following her might’ve been injured—or worse.

“No… No…”

Christine whispered to herself like a vow.

She had sworn to be useful to Eric. If she couldn’t control her emotions, she’d be no different from the other three heroes.

Help Eric.

That promise—to be family, not a stranger—was her only lifeline.

Even if it was built on nothing but Eric’s fleeting pity.