Chapter 68
‘Oh dear, how embarrassing.’
No matter how good the tea tasted, no matter how beautiful the terrace scenery was…
I simply did not have the mental capacity to appreciate any of it.
Because my face was burning far too much.
I squeezed my eyes shut and hung my head low.
“I understand. Anyone would’ve been startled.”
“Thank you… for understanding…”
How strange.
He says he understands.
So why—how—for what reason does that make me even more embarrassed?
I clenched my hands on my lap, hard enough for my nails to leave marks in my palms.
I don’t know how long I stayed like that.
Eventually, I cracked open my eyes.
And Estelle’s status window floated before me.
Elegance: 65 (+5)
Morality: 94 (+7)
Reputation: 66 (+6)
Just as Claude said, Estelle’s stats had gone up.
Her elegance and reputation must have risen because she stood up against injustice in front of many people.
Her morality likely rose because she helped her friend who was in danger.
‘When I read the letter, I was surprised then too, but…’
Hearing Claude’s explanation and then seeing the numbers actually rise made it even more astonishing.
That Estelle acted righteously on her own.
And that every little thing she did made her stats rise or fall.
‘It feels strange.’
Seeing her stats change even without my involvement—it gave me a really odd feeling.
Not a bad one, though.
More like my chest was fluttering… or maybe ticklish?
The kind of feeling that makes you smile without realizing.
‘It’s a shame I wasn’t there to see it myself.’
But I was so happy and proud of Estelle that my heart felt like it might burst.
I imagined her at the academy, standing tall as she confronted injustice—
Hands on her hips, shoulders squared confidently.
The thought was so cute and lovely that I couldn’t stop smiling.
Just then—
“Seeing you smile, I assume you’re not uncomfortable anymore.”
“…Sorry?”
What?
I blinked at the incomprehensible remark.
Claude rested his chin on his hand and spoke.
“I mean being alone with me.”
While fixing his eyes directly on me.
“A-ah… well… um…”
I wanted to say something, anything—but no words came out.
My head was a mess.
‘He knew?’
Yeah. He probably knew.
That ever since the etiquette lesson, I’d felt awkward being alone with him.
‘Well… it made sense he’d notice.’
He was perceptive—him not noticing would’ve been stranger.
But still…
‘You can’t just ask that so directly! I wasn’t prepared for that!’
People normally—don’t ask these things outright!
If it had been a question someone would normally ask, I would have prepared an answer.
But I never expected he would.
So I just sat there, my mouth opening and closing uselessly—
while screaming silently inside.
‘I’m going crazy.’
Heat surged into my face.
Far worse than earlier.
‘If earlier felt like being warm, now it feels like I’m burning alive.’
The heat rushing into my cheeks made it impossible to keep sitting there.
I couldn’t drink tea with him anymore.
I especially couldn’t sit face-to-face!
“I’ll be going now.”
I shot up from my seat.
Then bowed deeply to Claude and practically ran out of the estate.
I didn’t even meet his eyes once—just covered my red face with both hands as I fled.
✧ ✧ ✧
After leaving the Genofecia estate, it was time for dinner with Estelle.
Clink. Clink.
Only the faint sound of cutlery clattering filled the table.
Today, dinner was unusually quiet—no conversation at all.
‘Normally, I would’ve started talking first, but…’
Maybe it was because of what I heard happened at the academy.
It felt a bit awkward to start the conversation myself.
I stared miserably at my innocent spoon for a long while before rolling my eyes toward Estelle.
Because of the incident at the academy…
I wondered if her expression might show even the slightest hint of emotion.
“……”
But… perhaps I was expecting too much.
Estelle was eating as if nothing had happened.
‘This is bad…’
She clearly had no intention of bringing it up first.
‘But it’s weird if I mention it first…’
Normally, incidents inside the academy—official or personal—are never shared outside.
So as an outsider, saying, “I know what happened to you” felt inappropriate.
Especially since it wasn’t some big official event, but a personal problem.
‘But Claude asked me to warn her… I have to say something.’
When Claude told me everything, he also said—
that the families of the noble children who fought Estelle were not ordinary.
They were part of the noble faction opposed to the imperial family—
and specifically, families with strong influence.
So he asked me to warn Estelle to be careful.
‘To keep quiet and avoid drawing attention.’
And I agreed with him.
Someday, Estelle will clash with them.
She is destined to become emperor—the center of the imperial power.
And they stand on the opposite side.
But that time does not need to be now.
It should happen later—
when Estelle is stronger.
‘Our Estelle… she’s the type to tear up whenever she’s touched or moved…’
I quietly looked at her.
Maybe because I knew what happened today, Estelle looked even smaller and more fragile than usual.
‘Ah! I’ve got a good idea.’
A perfect way to bring up the topic naturally.
A sly little smile tugged at my lips.
‘First, I’ll casually ask about academy life.’
Then my sweet Estelle will start talking about this and that.
She loves talking with me.
And eventually, without meaning to, she’ll bring up the incident herself.
‘Then I’ll ask what they looked like and act surprised while warning her.’
Something like—
Oh my! Did you say their names were Marinef, Lovel, and Baritas? Those girls are from the Kalrosd, Bassenrex, and Novatiske families, you know! Very powerful families…!
And then I’d subtly warn her again.
‘Perfect. Absolutely perfect.’
It was a completely flawless plan.
With zero chance of failure.
Under the table, I clenched my fists.
Then turned toward Estelle with all the determination in my eyes.
“Estelle.”
“Yes?”
“How’s academy life these days?”
I even smiled naturally so she wouldn’t think I was being suspicious.
Estelle stared at my face.
Then—
“Nothing’s happened.”
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
She turned her head away with a quick flick.
My pupils trembled like there was an earthquake.
‘H-huh? That’s not how it’s supposed to go!’
My perfect plan…
my perfect plan to warn Estelle…!
It was ruined.
Before it even started.
‘How could it end so anticlimactically…?’
I wanted to clutch my head.
But I couldn’t—not in front of Estelle.
I bit the soft inside of my cheek and rolled my eyes around in frustration.
Then—
“Oh, right. There’s something I wanted to tell you, Rayna.”
Estelle clapped her tiny hands, as if she had just remembered something.
‘Yes! This must be it!’
It had to be the bullying incident!
I gazed at her lips with shining, expectant eyes.
Hurry—
let those small cherry-like lips move and say exactly what I want to hear—
“Did you know Claude has a younger sister?”
“…Huh?”
“Her name is Aris Genofecia. She’s around my age. I met her when I stayed at the estate.”
“O-oh… really?”
Why was she suddenly talking about Claude’s sister?
Flustered, I barely managed to stammer out a reply.
Estelle, oblivious to my inner despair, continued spreading butter on her bread.
“And I saw her at the entrance ceremony the other day. I asked why she was there, and it turns out she’s enrolled in the academy. I didn’t expect to run into her. Isn’t that interesting?”
She popped the buttered bread into her mouth and chewed happily.
