“Ahem.”
“She has been exceptionally loud and rowdy lately. Lady Mia missed a lot of opportunities to take an active role because she was overshadowed by her.”
“Even though we gave her that many chances?”
“I sincerely apologize.”
Ophelia apologized, banging her head on the floor.
“The Seymours of all things… It’s troublesome.”
The people in that family were not people that one could easily interfere with.
‘I heard that Duke Seymour cherishes her in particular.’
If the young lady who became an obstacle to their plan like this was a low-ranking aristocrat, her life would already be gone.
“Seymour’s… that unpopular woman, why did she become a variable?”
“I-I don’t know either. I was sure she was a stupid villainess…”
Ophelia rambled.
“Is that what comes out of your mouth as an informant?!”
“A villainess. If the majority say it’s right, it’s right; if they say it’s wrong, it’s wrong. Ophelia, if the majority say the devil is right too, he can become an angel.”
“That… I a-apologize. This won’t happen again. Still, the young lady of the Serig family is holding her in check. She is someone with a good public opinion. At this rate, she will start talking.”
“Can you assure me?”
“Yes! Yes! She’s a woman who doesn’t know how to handle mana and discovered a formula by chance, there’s no reason for her to stand out in the future.”
Ophelia said, nodding violently.
She trusted the data she had researched carefully in the past, and thought that people didn’t change so easily.
‘It must be a coincidence. It has to be a coincidence.’
Ophelia thought, crawling down the foundation with her whimpering body.
‘She’s not reliable.’
Meanwhile, the man sitting on the left glanced at Ophelia’s back with a glance of disbelief and tapped the chair with his finger.
***
I watched the egg closely, which was getting more translucent and shinier as the days passed, and then got ready to go to the academy.
‘It’s already annoying.’
I was going to be quite busy with academic conferences and various events in the fall semester, compared to the spring semester.
Besides, I had a meeting with Bert Seymour, the Dean of the Department of Magic.
I didn’t know why he was suddenly looking for me, but I hoped it wasn’t anything bothersome.
I walked towards the Department of Magic, took a deep breath in front of the dean’s office, and waved the bell pull.
Soon the door opened, and I greeted Marquis Bert, the twin brother of Duke Seymour.
“It’s been a long time. Deborah. How have you been?”
He said, tapping the tobacco pipe on the ashtray.
A faint smell of herbs hovered around my nose, as well as the smell of tobacco smoke.
‘Why does it smell like grass?’
I opened my mouth, feeling puzzled because it didn’t seem to smell like a simple cigarette.
“Have you been well, Sir?”
“To be honest, it hasn’t been peaceful thanks to you. Things have been very chaotic.”
At his cold answer, I hesitantly shut my mouth.
‘As expected, I knew it wouldn’t be simple.’
For some reason, I was worried before I came here.
“Weren’t you able to share your plans and thoughts with me in advance, like the fact-finding session from before and the lectures you have been giving at the Wizardry Association? If you’re going to act so arbitrarily, why are you coming to the Academy?”
But unlike his cold tone, his silver eyes had a strange glow.
I didn’t know what kind of answer he expected from me, but it wasn’t like me to apologize while bowing my head and moving on.
I remembered the phrase I always saw when walking through the corridor of the Department of Magic.
“I come to the Academy because it is a place that has truth as its purpose.”
“Truth? What does that have to do with you being arbitrary and unruly?”
“Truth is a universally valid law or fact that anyone can approve at any time, and the first Dean of the Academy’s Department of Magic also wrote the famous saying ‘Know the truth and the truth shall set you free.’ on the headstone.”
“So, you mean you are free to pursue the truth?”
“… Yes. Please call it free will, and not being arbitrary.”
“Hahaha!”
Suddenly, he began to laugh like it was funny.
“Seeing your sly eloquence, I’m relieved that you don’t seem to be easily beaten. Well, considering that you made it impossible to revive the young gentleman of the Lemont family, my worries were unfounded.”
‘What does that mean?’
As I blinked at him with a puzzled face, he got up from his wooden desk and approached me.
“There are a lot of bastards who are jealous of you rightfully being the top student at the Academy. If they say nonsense, trample on them like that. So that they can’t have the slightest objection.”
“Ah, yes. I understand.”
I was a little surprised by Marquis Bert’s fiery words.
‘His character is as bad as Duke Seymour’s.’
Duke Seymour must have had a lot of trouble during the successor competition because of Marquis Bert.
“What kind of tea do you like?”
He asked in a softened voice.
I hesitated, and then said the name of the most popular tea here.
“And dessert?”
“Lately, I’ve been hearing that the cake at that place called Armand is delicious.”
I also did not forget to do a little promotion.
“Ah, I think I’ve heard it too. My assistants often go there to eat.”
‘Oh. That’s good news.’
Soon after, the servant served two cups of a black tea native to the south, and silence hung in the office.
“Why do you think I called you? I think you can guess this one too.”
“Honestly, I am not sure. I’ve had a lot of incidents in the meantime.”
Maybe it was because Deborah threw a magic stone at a gentleman and broke his forehead, which might have led to the late issue of the complaint.
I spoke frankly, as Marquis Bert seemed to have some degree of favor towards me, and he smiled, wriggling the scar on his cheek.
“Well, you’ve been very talkative and having a lot of trouble since your admission. Nowadays, I like that tumult of yours. Many people are jealous of you, but know that there are many professors like me who think you are interesting.”
Why is he suddenly complimenting me?
“…”
“The introduction has taken long. To conclude, I mean that you should give lectures at the Academy, not at the Wizardry Association. I’ll create an opportunity for you to lecture once in a while.”
This was insane.
I couldn’t believe he praised me while attacking me and concluded with a favor.
‘How do I refuse this?’
“I understand.”
In the end, I accepted his request.
I was also bothered by his words that someone was trying to undermine my achievements.
‘Who is it?’
Because I was a ruffian from the Seymour family, even though I was criticized by everyone, I was not in a position to be envied by anyone in particular.
However, things seemed to have become a little troublesome because I became the top student.
‘I’m pissed.’
Devaluing my thesis meant that my substantial fixed monthly earnings may get a blow.
‘I can’t forgive anyone who touches my money.’
I drank all the tea and left the Dean’s office.
***
‘I’m going to get even busier.’
Lecture materials, preparation for the Epsilon group academic conference, and even my business.
The gloomy work bombs that fell in front of my nose made me feel bleak.
In particular, the preparations for the Mana club academic conference with the 5th Princess took a lot of effort.
With the group academic conference ahead, the Epsilon members were busy.
I got around it in the spring semester because I became a member halfway through, but it seemed impossible to do that in the fall semester.
‘The highlight of the academy is the fall semester.’
Above all, the 5th Princess seemed to be motivated to present a wonderful thesis at the group academic conference.
No wonder, the Epsilon academic conference was so famous that it was one of the top five in the Empire.
This was because people with good reputation like Epsilon seniors, imperial officials, and famous scholars, attended it.
If the thesis got the interest of the high-ranking officials, it could be reflected in actual policies, so it was of great significance to the students.
However, it gave me an ominous feeling that there would only be difficulties in the future.
‘Something’s wrong.’
I sneaked out of the clubroom in a bitter mood, walked around the area, and entered the Epsilon main building.
The interior of the main building always maintained a moderate temperature using magic, and there were various attractions displayed such as paintings and sculptures, so it was good to cool my head.
Wandering around, I walked to the sound of a pounding piano accompaniment coming from somewhere.
‘Wasn’t Thierry the only member in the music club?’
Maybe a child came in and played the piano.
Is Thierry someone who would bring his younger sibling here?
Dang, ting! Dang!
‘What on earth is he supposed to be playing?’
Convinced that it would certainly be a child, I casually glanced at the music club window. I doubted my eyes for a moment as I saw the dignified back, and bit my lips as I realized who he was.
