After returning to the dormitory, Claudewin and Neris left Ren’s dorm. Although Ren insisted on going with them, Claudewin quickly got ready to leave, and Neris, without saying anything, followed him.

Claudewin led Neris to a path where there were no people. While Neris knew quite a few shortcuts in the wide courtyard of the Noble Academy, the path Claudewin turned into was an unfamiliar place she had never considered as a route. A place where students rarely went.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen such an empty path during school hours.”

Crossing a quiet garden of some vacant dormitory, Neris admired. With a generally calm yet slightly admiring tone, Claudewin responded.

“You can find it if you look.”

Although he acted as if everything was transparent, occasionally, she would unintentionally reveal herself like this.

Just like when she smiled at the mention of a seemingly ordinary birthday present last time.

Claudewin admitted it clearly. He wanted to treat her well.

The part she mentioned, ‘ruined by those kids,’ he didn’t know where that was, but if she thought that way, he didn’t feel the need to force her to think about her good qualities.

If Neris believed that she had ruined herself, it wasn’t a problem that could be solved by someone else saying a few words.

If she wanted revenge, she could do that. There was no need for him to evaluate the cause, justification, or value.

And if she needed anything in the process, he wanted to support her without unnecessary excuses about costs.

Just as she prioritized bringing Ren with her even though she surely had her own business since morning.

Entering a narrow and shaded gap where only one person could pass at a time, Neris suddenly spoke as if she had just remembered.

“The maid has been nosy since yesterday. Don’t send letters since there’s a risk of being discovered.”

“Got it. Until when?”
Until when are you going to let that obvious concubine wander around as she pleases? In response to this subtly-loaded question, Neris smiled slyly.

“As long as she’s useful. If you need anything, I’ll find you. Also, I plan to visit Sedona around this weekend, and I need someone to accompany me. Preferably an adult.”

Pretending to be an unknown noble adult for once, it was ironically amusing that she needed someone when she was actually just a child going to see land alone. It was better to follow along pretending to be someone’s companion.

Understanding her words, Claudewin nodded.

“I’ll send someone appropriate. At noon on Saturday at the station.”

“Got it. Thank you.”

How could this person do everything she asked like this?

Hearing Claudewin’s cool acceptance, Neris briefly worried about him. Once she admitted that she had worried about him once, there was no hesitation to go on to another worry.

The reason he treated her well was ostensibly an investment for recruiting talent. But where in the world could you find an employer who liked expenses?

Despite still being a second-year at the academy and not having helped her yet, Claudewin himself was personally searching for and punishing the betrayers, even getting injured.

After all that, he readily came for a request that could be postponed until next week, which she found amusing.

The more she looked, the more she felt like her long-forgotten fragile emotions were about to revive.

Tenderness. Blind admiration. Absolute trust.

Sincere love poured into those who weren’t worth it, even if she didn’t get anything in return.

Several principles she thought she should uphold for herself even if not reciprocated.

And what was the result she eventually faced?

Neris knew well that she wasn’t the one responsible for Claudewin’s life. So, she had no intention of giving him a lecture to make him realize.

After all, people weren’t beings that changed by listening to others’ speeches.

Isn’t it a bit much to ask a responsible person to live irresponsibly for themselves?

Dealing with guys who lived without principles and retaliating against them was something she and those who already knew their methods well, like herself, could do.

Just this much seemed okay to say.

“…Thank you very much.”

Those seemingly fragile emotions from that time could be killed again anytime. She wasn’t like a stupid dog wagging its tail, not knowing that the owner would even use her corpse.

So, at this moment, it was okay to say this kind of greeting.

Neris muttered softly.

Claudewin, who heard her words, nodded with a face that revealed nothing about what he was thinking.

Isabel was quite unfairly treated.

Coming here, working until late at night because of the stubborn Neris Trude, and not being able to inform Delma quickly enough about the failure of Valentin’s plan were not Isabel’s faults.

However, the person Delma could rant at was limited even in the mansion where the Elendria siblings lived. Half of the ten or so servants were from Nereusion, so there were restrictions.

And because she was directly related to the incident, Delma really ‘caught’ Isabel.

“You couldn’t just come out properly! How can you be so slow-witted? Do you know how scared the young lady was because of you!”

Strictly speaking, Valentin being trapped in a dark warehouse for a couple of hours was his fault. However, Delma would never admit that fact, and Isabel didn’t want to think that way either. Because there was an easier target of anger.

‘That wicked woman.’

Kneeling on the floor, Isabel must have been scolded for at least 30 minutes already.
Proud Isabel hated the fact that she was becoming the unfair target of Delma’s anger, and she even witnessed such a spectacle happening to the humiliated servant, which was miserable.

And all of this was because of the fox-like Neris Trude.

If the precious young lady wanted to play with her a bit, couldn’t she endure a bit more, being one year older? Did she really have to get out of it so venomously? While she would be fine if she were trapped for just one night, aren’t all the people in this mansion like living on thin ice?

It was an unknown circumstance how someone as kind and dignified as the Nereusion young master got entangled with such a venomous woman like that.

Isabel deliberately ignored the fact that no one knew when Valentin would bring Neris out. She also ignored the fact that there was no reason for Neris to undergo that. Because that way, she felt even more unfairly treated.