Chapter 15
After the entrance ceremony, Lucia and Herwin headed toward the classroom they’d been assigned.
“Good thing we’re in the same class, right?”
“Yeah. What are the chances?”
Luckily, they’d been placed together.
My wish for the past month came true!
Lucia cheered inwardly.
Ever since she’d heard they were entering the same academy, she’d prayed every single day that she and Herwin would end up in the same class.
It felt as though the heavens themselves had granted her wish, and she was almost giddy with delight.
“Oh? Looks like Lady Lydia is in our class too.”
As soon as they stepped into the room, Lucia spotted Lady Lydia already seated.
Just as during the ceremony, Lydia was surrounded by a crowd of people.
“Impressive that she’s handling all that attention,” Herwin said with a note of pity.
If Herwin hadn’t been so aloof himself, he might have been in the same situation as Lydia.
He’d already experienced something similar before the ceremony even began.
“Huh?”
At that moment, Lydia’s eyes met Lucia’s through the crowd, widening in surprise.
The intense gaze made Lucia stop in her tracks without realizing it.
“Lucia, why are you just standing there?”
“Ah? O-oh, coming.”
Only after Herwin called did Lucia break eye contact with Lydia.
Herwin had already chosen a seat toward the back—fitting for someone who disliked attention.
“Kyaa!”
Lucia let out a sudden cry.
Something caught her foot and she pitched forward.
Just as she flailed to keep from falling, someone grabbed her around the waist.
“You okay?”
“Th-thank you…”
“No problem. Glad that pretty face didn’t get hurt.”
Calming her pounding heart, Lucia looked up at the person who’d caught her.
He was a handsome young man with shoulder-length navy hair and striking golden eyes.
Not quite as breathtaking as Herwin, but handsome enough to make her pause.
After admiring him for a heartbeat, she spoke.
“Um… could you let go of my hand?”
He was still holding both her hand and her waist. Startled, he quickly released her.
“Oh—sorry. Didn’t realize I was still holding on. I hope that wasn’t uncomfortable.”
Oddly, it hadn’t felt unpleasant at all.
“I’m Brian Chercis. We’re in the same class—let’s get along.”
“I’m Lucia Agnes. Nice to meet you. And… thanks for catching me.”
“Of course. By the way, is that your friend behind you?”
Lucia turned to see Herwin standing there with an unreadable expression.
“Huh? Herwin, when did you come over?”
He’d been sitting far away a moment ago.
“Just now. Good thing you didn’t fall.”
“Yeah, Young Master Chercis caught me.”
With cheerful Lucia between them, the two young men’s eyes met.
A faint spark of tension flickered.
Brian narrowed his eyes briefly, then smiled and extended a hand.
“Brian Chercis. Looking forward to knowing you too.”
“…Herwin Fenewes.”
“Oh, the Fenewes family—I thought you had an impressive presence.”
Brian’s light remark made Herwin’s brow crease slightly.
“Lucia, let’s go. The professor will be here soon.”
“Okay! See you later, Young Master Chercis.”
Pushed along by Herwin’s hand, Lucia had no choice but to head for her seat.
“Honestly—try to be more careful. Are you going to keep tripping even at the academy?”
“I—hey, it’s not like I wanted to trip. My foot caught on a bag!”
As soon as they sat, Herwin started scolding.
Lucia flushed in embarrassment, but he still looked dissatisfied.
“That is being careless. Really—this is why Lucas and I can’t take our eyes off you.”
“….”
Lucia’s mood soured.
He always treated her like a kid when she wanted him to see her as a woman.
Sometimes he even treated her as if she were younger than Henry.
…Even so…
Part of her was secretly pleased he was paying such close attention.
Her feelings toward Herwin were maddeningly changeable.
Time passed and students began filling the remaining seats.
Many stole glances at the empty spots near Herwin and Lucia, hoping to sit close and perhaps befriend the famously handsome young man.
But no one dared approach.
Lucia soon realized why.
“Herwin—your face.”
His expression was set in a scowl that made him look angry.
To strangers it might seem he was upset, but Lucia knew better—sometimes he furrowed his brow for no reason at all.
“Relax your face, will you?”
At her prompting, his expression eased slightly.
“Oh, this seat’s free!”
With that cheerful voice, a boy with bright red hair and ordinary brown eyes plopped into the seat in front of Herwin.
His lively expression matched his spirited tone.
“Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?”
“Huh? No, go ahead.”
Before long, a girl approached to take the seat beside him.
She was the picture of elegance: long, pale ash-colored hair neatly draped behind her and delicate eyes that suited her refined beauty.
“Thank you. I was having trouble finding a spot.”
“No worries! I’m Ethan Belluna, heir to the Belluna viscountcy.”
“I’m Christine Diorres. Pleased to meet you, Young Master Belluna.”
“Great! Let’s all get along. You too, behind me!”
Ethan turned to address Lucia, startling her—she’d been unconsciously eavesdropping.
“M-me?”
“Yeah! You kept looking our way—I thought maybe you wanted to join the conversation.”
“Oh, um… sorry. I didn’t mean to listen in.”
“It’s fine! You caught my name, right? What’s yours?”
“I’m Lucia Agnes, and this is Herwin Fenewes.”
“Oh! You two are friends? I thought you’d just met, like Christine and me.”
“We’re childhood friends.”
“Nice! Must be great to end up in the same class.”
Ethan’s easy friendliness melted any awkwardness.
Even quiet Herwin seemed to warm to him and listened intently.
“So, Fenewes… that’s the northern ducal house, right?” Christine asked once the ice had broken.
It sounded more like genuine curiosity than an attempt to cozy up, and Herwin nodded.
“That’s right.”
“I see. I didn’t expect the young master of Fenewes to be our age.”
“And you come from quite a well-known family yourself, don’t you?”
“Me? Hardly. Compared to Fenewes, my family is nothing.”
“That can’t be. The Diorres family is famous for running a major trading company across the empire.”
“My, thank you for the compliment.” Christine smiled softly.
“Wow, so I’m surrounded by big names! Honestly, I grew up in the countryside and don’t know much about noble society,” Ethan said without a trace of self-consciousness.
Whether from ignorance or indifference to rank, he treated everyone the same, even after learning who they were.
“All right, is everyone here?”
The professor’s arrival quieted the room.
After a brief introduction and a rundown of class plans, the first day of the academy got underway smoothly.
Quite some time passed after the start of term.
The initial awkwardness soon faded as students gathered into groups that suited their personalities.
Among them, Herwin’s circle was the largest.
With looks, skill, and wealth, everyone wanted to be his friend.
Lady Lydia’s popularity rivaled his, but unlike her sociable warmth, Herwin kept people at arm’s length.
And when someone seems hard to befriend, people only want to try harder.
Many tried to join his group, but few were allowed past the invisible boundary he set.
Those who did included Ethan and Christine from the first day, Brian, and eventually Bianca Lawrence.
At first Herwin hadn’t seemed to like Brian, but they got along now.
Bianca had approached them herself, and because she, like Christine, showed no special interest in Herwin, he felt comfortable around her.
Of course, Lucia was a core member of the group—no surprise since she was closest to Herwin.
Early in the term, there had been plenty of gossip about the two of them.
Seeing them together all the time, most assumed they were dating.
Once everyone realized it was a misunderstanding, more people began approaching Lucia.
Some were drawn to her sweet looks and gentle nature, but most just wanted a connection to Herwin.
Especially after word spread that he didn’t have a girlfriend, girls often begged Lucia for an introduction.
Like now.
“Hey, Lucia. Could you introduce us to Young Master Fenewes?”
“I heard you two are super close. We’d like to befriend him, but it’s hard to start a conversation…”
“Please, we’re asking nicely!”
Lucia smiled at the girls in front of her.
This was at least the twentieth such request.
They gazed at her with bright, expectant eyes.
“Sorry, but I don’t think I can do that.”
“Aww…”
“Why not? You’re childhood friends—shouldn’t that be easy for you?”
“Even so, I don’t think it’s a good idea. Herwin doesn’t like that sort of thing.
If you really want to be friends, why not talk to him yourself?
He’s pretty approachable once you try.”
Her gentle but firm refusal made it clear she wouldn’t budge.
Realizing that, the girls’ expressions hardened.
“Tch. Acting all high and mighty just because she’s close to Young Master Fenewes,” one muttered loudly enough for Lucia to hear.
Lucia’s face stiffened before she could stop it.
“Hey, what did you just say?” Bianca snapped on her behalf.
“What? I was just talking to myself. Come on, let’s go.”
“Don’t you walk away—!”
But the girls were already gone before Bianca could stop them.
