~Chapter 126~
Haven’s sharp eyes were looking at my shoes.
I looked down at my brown leather shoes.
These were the first present my mom ever bought for me. They were made by a very famous shoemaker… but since I’d been running around in them from spring to summer, they were a little worn out now.
Plus, they were boys’ shoes, so they looked a bit clunky.
‘I do have dress shoes in my trunk…’
But I wanted to wear these shoes no matter what.
‘My feet keep growing!’
That meant I would soon have to say goodbye to my mom’s present.
So, maybe my old shoes really did make me look poor.
‘Oh… I see now.’
Only now did I realize how I looked to other people.
“Ah~ This Academy feels so shabby~”
Haven said in a mocking voice, turning around. The boys behind him giggled loudly.
“Haven! What are you even talking about? That’s not—”
“Titi, wait.”
I stopped Sortie from standing up for me.
Anyway, Haven quickly lost interest in me and went back to making noise with his group.
So—
‘…Do I really need to bother?’
That’s what I thought.
“She looked like a maid from a noble house.”
Khalid’s voice echoed in my head, telling me about the suspicious maid.
I looked over all the kids at camp.
‘She could be from one of their families, right?’
Parents weren’t allowed to visit during camp, but we could still exchange letters.
‘I probably looked like I didn’t come to the opening ceremony…’
Dad wasn’t nearby, and the situation felt pretty unsafe.
So maybe it was better to keep things this way.
Someone like Haven was just a harmless little bug…
“Rubian, why won’t you talk? If you don’t say anything, the kids won’t know who you are.”
Sortie leaned in and whispered.
“Oh? Uh, well…”
I didn’t know how to explain, so I just blurted out whatever came to mind.
“Actually, I’m playing hide and seek! So I’m hiding my name for now! I made a huge bet, so if I get caught, I’ll be in big trouble.”
“Huh? Hide and seek? With who?”
“Um…”
The Magic King?
I almost said it, but swallowed my words.
My mind spun.
Who could I say it was? Someone at the Academy, someone Sortie would believe, and someone who could make sense…
Oh.
I smiled brightly.
“My big brothers!”
‘This actually works.’
I was surprised at myself as I walked on.
“Now, this is the dormitory building you’ll be living in! You know you must stay in the dorms for your first three years at the Academy, right? You’ll live here then.”
The professor in charge of the tour smiled as he explained.
A group of kids followed him like baby chicks.
Sortie and I walked at the very back of the group.
‘What if the professor calls roll…?’
But there were only about fifteen kids, even with the boys.
The professors seemed to already know everyone’s faces, so they just checked the numbers and didn’t call out names.
‘I wonder how long I can keep this up.’
At least until I found out more about the curse mark.
It was more comfortable when nobody paid attention to me!
‘I just need to not run into my real brothers.’
Licht was supposed to be busy at the palace and wasn’t coming to classes this semester.
Titi said he might come after camp, so it looked like I wouldn’t bump into him.
‘So where should I start searching the Academy?’
I was deep in thought when—
“Hey, Jerdin! Say it again! What did you say?”
A familiar mean voice broke in.
‘Them again…’
I frowned and glanced back at Haven’s group, messing around as always.
“S-Stop…”
“S-Stop? Puhaha! Do all commoners stutter like that?”
Huh?
I frowned even more.
A boy with his head down was in the middle of Haven’s group.
“Ugh, his jokes just keep getting worse. I shouldn’t talk to him anymore.”
Sortie muttered quietly beside me.
‘Jokes? That’s not joking…’
It looked more like bullying.
“Hey. If a commoner can afford the Academy, you must have money, right? But why do you look so shabby? Ew, you smell!”
“Th-That’s not… n-not true…”
I scowled.
The way Haven talked was really bothering me.
Kids like that usually copied their parents.
I’d never talked to Count Abellus, but…
I felt like I already knew what he was like.
So, in Dad’s words—
‘He’s hopeless.’
He really was.
After thinking for a second, I raised my hand. I didn’t want attention, but I could at least ask a question.
“Um, Professor!”
“Hm? What is it?”
The professor, lost in his building tour, looked over at me.
“What’s that building? I’m just curious!”
Everyone’s eyes turned my way, and Haven’s bullying stopped naturally.
“Ah, that’s the Academy’s central library!”
The professor, looking excited, began to explain the building I had pointed at randomly.
“But Haven? Why are you all standing over there?”
“Uh, no reason!”
“Don’t fall behind. Come here.”
“Okay…”
Haven and his friends walked forward with sour faces.
Suddenly, Haven spun around and glared at me.
“You… You didn’t do that on purpose, did you?”
“Huh?”
I tilted my head like I didn’t understand.
He glared at me again, then kicked at the ground.
“Ugh, I just wanted to make connections here. Why does it smell like commoners everywhere?”
I stared at Haven Abellus’s back as he walked away.
‘He’s a disaster as a person, but at least he’s got some instincts.’
If only he had both brains and heart…
Oh well. Oh well.
Thanks to my question, the professor led us to the Academy library.
“Here’s the central library.”
I tilted my head up to see the white stone building.
There were thick columns carved with beautiful designs, lined up like elegant gatekeepers.
‘Central…’
I repeated the professor’s words in my head.
It looked more like a temple than a library.
The atmosphere was a little overwhelming.
‘I was worried about where to start investigating… Maybe I shouldn’t overthink it.’
We walked into the library.
The marble floor was polished and shiny. There was a beautiful central staircase right in front.
The professor spoke in the library lobby.
“This is the largest library in the empire. It’s also the exact center and heart of our Academy.”
“But the heart is on the left!”
“Haha, it’s just a figure of speech.”
The professor led us to a small reading room next to the stairs, answering the kids’ questions.
“Okay, everyone, choose a book you like in this reading room! If you have any questions, ask me, but don’t go outside this reading room. Especially, don’t go past the central staircase—those areas are restricted.”
The kids replied loudly, “Okay!”
‘Restricted area? Why does a library have one of those?’
I squinted.
‘Alright. Let’s check out this place first.’
It looked like this reading room was full of picture books and fairy tales for younger students.
I wandered between the tall shelves, looking around.
It was very big inside, and there were other first and second graders reading books here and there.
‘We’re supposed to stay here for about an hour…’
I quietly walked toward the entrance.
The professor was busy helping other kids find books, not paying attention to me.
Just as I was about to slip out of the children’s library—
“I know why you get lost all the time.”
I heard a familiar voice outside and turned my head quickly.
“Why?”
“Because you read books while you walk. Can you please close your book?”
“Void, you’re so innocent.”
“What did I do!”
“I get lost whether I read or not. So I’d rather get lost while doing something I like.”
“Wow… I’d be impressed, but I’m getting annoyed! I said let’s go find Ruby, not get lost looking for the library!”
“Wow… Void, look at this part. It says there’s a sealing stone that trapped a high-level monster, Eagleius!”
“Eagleius or Nabalious, whatever!”
Oh no.
“Aren’t those the Zebbert princes?”
Why are they here?
Quickly, I hid behind a big pillar near the entrance.
Peeking out, I saw two familiar black-haired heads coming closer through the open door.
“We already borrowed enough books! Why are we going to the picture book section?”
“Some picture books show monster claws and tentacles really well. I want to check the facts and show them to our fairy. I know she’ll love it.”
“Hmm, really? Okay, I get it.”
No! I don’t need any more claws or tentacles!
‘If they see me here, my quiet Academy life is over!’
I shrank back even more.
Looking closely, I noticed a small gap between the wall and the pillar.
Maybe I could escape through there…
Just as I started to move back—
“Ah.”
Someone made a noise behind me.
“Hey, did you just step on my foot?”
I turned around.
Haven was there, frowning deeply.
