HTNSA 10

Chapter 10

“The noble circles are in chaos because of this. The Magic Tower is flooded with nobles demanding paternity tests.”

“But how is Eila still attending the academy?”

“How shameless.”

Eila listened to the whispers and laughed inwardly.

The situation was unfolding exactly as in the original story.

‘Word for word. How amusing.’

The nobles of the Magic Department spoke loudly, unconcerned about being overheard. They knew Eila, now a commoner, held no influence.

Eila feigned sadness and spoke softly.

“Of course it’s hard. But what choice do I have? I’m just accepting reality.”

Freya frowned, dissatisfied with Eila’s calm tone. The reaction wasn’t as entertaining as she’d hoped.

The Eila she knew was secretly fragile beneath her composed exterior—and fiercely proud.

‘I thought a little provocation would make her lose her temper and humiliate herself…’

Instead, Eila seemed utterly deflated.

“I’m just… waiting to grow accustomed to my new place. Adapting isn’t easy.”

Freya faltered when her taunts drew no reaction. She’d expected Eila, freshly stripped of nobility, to lash out at the insult.

But Eila only looked sorrowful, giving no opening for further ridicule.

Other students began noticing.

“This feels excessive.”

“Weren’t you two friends?”

“Freya’s being harsher than I expected.”

Freya gritted her teeth at the murmurs.

‘Now I look like the villain.’

Though nobles prized bloodline above all, some pitied Eila’s sudden fall. A few were already glaring at Freya.

With no other choice, Freya shifted tactics.

“Do you realize how many people you’ve hurt? Kadin, for starters.”

Eila’s shoulders tensed, her gaze dropping as if struck.

But Freya sensed something off.

Though Eila bowed her head meekly, her eyes were strangely… composed.

As if she were pretending to be pitiful.

Before Freya could react, Eila spoke in a trembling voice.

“I… I was so sorry that I asked Kadin to annul the engagement myself. What good would it do to deceive him, now that I’m a commoner?”

Tears welled in her eyes as she finished.

Freya was speechless. Pushing further would only damage her reputation.

Meanwhile, the surrounding students buzzed with excitement.

“Wait, I heard Eila was the one who broke it off!”

“Kadin got dumped by a commoner? Hilarious.”

“His pride’s in tatters.”

“At least Eila knows her place. She understands she can’t stay engaged to a noble.”

While Kadin wielded absolute authority in the Swordsmanship Department, the Magic Department held no such loyalty. The two faculties had always been rivals.

And Kadin’s reputation had suffered from the public rejection.

Freya opened her mouth but clamped it shut. Her family had close ties to the Marquis—she couldn’t risk further embarrassing Kadin.

Defeated, she shot icy glares at the murmuring students until they fell silent.

Then, a voice cut through the quiet.

“Why so tense?”

A man strode into the lecture hall: Cedric Blanche, a celebrity of the Swordsmanship Department.

All eyes turned to him—then widened as they noticed the unfamiliar girl beside him.

Spotting Eila, Cedric froze.

‘She’s already here.’

His chest ached at her red-rimmed eyes.

‘Did someone say something cruel?’

The once-proud Eila now looked so… diminished.

He nearly stepped toward her when Roshia suddenly clung to his arm.

Smiling sweetly under the curious gazes, she said:

“Thank you, Oppa. I’d have been lost without you. The academy’s so overwhelming for a newcomer.”

“You’ll adapt quickly, Roshia. You’re brilliant.”

“Tch, you always flatter me.”

“Passing the academy’s transfer exam is impressive. The family’s proud.”

Students gasped. The transfer exam was notoriously harder than the entrance test—proof of Roshia’s exceptional magical talent.

“Proud? Blanche daughters are expected to excel in magic. It’s only natural.”

Eila nearly applauded.

‘Oh? She’s shading me and raising the bar.’

By implying Blanche women should master magic effortlessly, Roshia redirected attention to Eila’s past inadequacies.

The students’ eyes flicked between the two, realizing:

This was the true Blanche heir.

The atmosphere turned frosty.

As hostile stares zeroed in on Eila, Cedric flinched.

Had Roshia not been clinging to him, he might’ve asked Eila if she was okay.

“Oppa, what are you staring at?”

“N-Nothing. I’ll go ahead. See you after class, Roshia.”

After a hesitant pause, Cedric turned and strode back to the Swordsmanship Department.

The moment he left, students swarmed Roshia.

“Roshia! So glad to meet you!”

“Passing the transfer exam is incredible!”

Eila watched wryly. These were the same people who’d once clamored for her friendship.

‘When I was Eila Blanche, they couldn’t get enough of me.’

Now that she was a commoner, they acted as if she didn’t exist.

“Thank you! Let’s get along.”

But Eila knew the truth:

They were pretending to accept Roshia. True recognition would take time.

‘Typical high-nosed nobles. In the original, Roshia struggled for their approval too.’