“……!”

Misha’s mouth hung open, frozen in disbelief. She could not trust her ears that such words had come from Kalin’s gentle face.

With great effort, Misha collected herself and spoke firmly.

“Thank you very much for improving my grades, Mr. Ankart. But I’ll stop playing the role of your servant now. I am the proud daughter of the third lion. I can’t bring shame to my family with my shortcomings.”

“…….”

“I have received a lot from you, but I have endured all the abuse you have given and served you, so I feel like I have paid for my mistakes.”

“Do you know the word ‘ingratitude,’ Misha?”

He had asked her to call him by his title formally, but Kalin was demeaning her entirely. She had repaid her debt, so she deserved respect again, but Kalin had no intention of doing so.

Misha did not know what to do in a situation where her authority was not recognized. Even the fierce Lorisha had backed down when she mentioned her father!

Kalin rose from his desk and approached Misha.

Pouring ink on Misha’s chest, he spoke as if singing.

“What would the third lion think if he knew about his daughter’s behavior, Misha? It will surely be in the newspaper…….”

“Hah……!”

Misha could only tremble in shock until the ink bottle was emptied; she could not move.

Kalin put the ink bottle back on the desk and returned to his seat.

“Oh my! Misha, you spilled the ink. What a mess. Hurry back and change your clothes. I’ll contact you separately about my tea party date.”

“Ugh…….”

Misha was so horrified by the ink dripping from her chest to the floor that she couldn’t make a sound. She headed for the door without knowing how she was walking.

Kalin spoke behind her.

“Don’t forget that the reason you haven’t been expelled from the Academy and the imperial social circle is thanks to my mercy. Without it, the disgrace you would suffer would be much darker and stickier than that ink.”

And so, vacation came to the Academy.

Shining Days

Greyen felt an immense sense of liberation as his body healed. He picked up his sword again and trained his body. The injury was now only a scar and a memory.

He often turned pale and attacked when Rocard used the word ‘parasite’. He couldn’t admit that he, the crown prince of the empire, had suffered so much from such an insignificant bug.

“I’ll take a break for a while.”

Rocard, having reached the vacation, finally relaxed. He too had accumulated fatigue from going back and forth between the palace and the Academy.

“The palace is stifling, Rocard.”

Greyen stood up and changed into casual clothes as soon as Rocard mentioned the vacation, leaving the palace.

Beyond the city center, there was a forest with a lake nearby. The area was quiet, as it was not yet boating season.

Greyen stood on the deck installed by the lake, boldly threw off his clothes, and ran into the water. Rocard was astonished.

For someone born as the emperor’s son, to be so excited about merely coming to a lakeside.

Rocard cupped his hands and shouted.

“If you undress so carelessly, you may catch something again, parasite…….”

“Shut up and come in!”

Rocard laughed and carefully folded Greyen’s clothes, then took off his own and jumped into the water.

His tidiness was not only due to his innate nature. Living in the Caidel Duke’s house, which was no different from a barracks, made him extremely neat.

The water they jumped into was still cold, but it was no problem for them. The cursed river of Tunbar was still frozen at this time.

(This is a time separator.)

“Wow!”

I quickly closed my mouth and ducked my head. I looked around, but there was no one else on the mat in the quiet grassy field except me.

I heard a noise and looked up to see those young men on the deck across the lake…….

“No, that’s……. that is……. oh dear…….”

I was so startled by the sight of the two naked men that I didn’t even notice the peanut I had been about to eat fall.

They appeared almost like dots from this distance, but a man was still a man, and nudity was nudity.

I was temporarily taking refuge from the count’s house.
Vacation had come, and Misha who returned home had even changed her eyes. From the one who used to wander around aimlessly, now she harbored a fierce look in her eyes, easily becoming irritated as she wandered around the house.

But the Countess was preoccupied with consoling Misha, whose grades had soared, asking how hard she had studied.

If studying hard is enough to ruin one’s personality, wouldn’t all scholars be sentenced to death?

I noticed Misha casting a murderous glance at me as she passed by, so I decided to leave the house for now. From the way she was behaving, it was obvious that she would pick a fight with me, who is quite meek.

Damn, study as if it’s a lifeordeath matter, really.

So I gathered a book and a mat, and some roasted peanuts, and settled down here.

Spending just a little time by the lakeside before going to the herbalist made all the worries in the world seem like someone else’s. So I didn’t feel like getting up at all.