As it was an event where the head of the family and the owner of the title had died at the same time, Lianon was absent for about a week. It was a school for noble children, so there was some flexibility. After all, what could be more important than matters related to titles?

And on the day Lianon returned to class for the first time, the 1st-year students marveled at her confident back.
Came on a four-horse carriage? A carriage with the family crest… A gold button engraved with the family crest… A necklace made of diamonds and pearls… Who comes to school wearing something like that? Now that I think about it, with the bracelet from last time, if she thought there was a magical practice, she should have done it herself or not come at all…

There was hardly any favorable reaction.

Children who were high-ranking nobles from the beginning didn’t like the fact that Lianon Berta, who until recently was the daughter of a marquis, was trying to pretend to be of the same status as them.

And low-ranking noble children also didn’t like the fact that Lianon Berta, who until recently was the daughter of a marquis, was now trying to pretend to be of a different status than them.

Strictly speaking, the granddaughter of a count and the daughter of a count were different. In the ‘narrow definition of nobility’ defined by imperial law, only the direct descendants of those with titles could rise. After all, people who are ‘someday not direct descendants’ and people who are ‘always direct descendants’ cannot be placed in the same category.

If the old Berta Count died, and his eldest son, Berta Duke, inherited the title in the ordinary course of inheritance, Lianon would no longer be a direct descendant.

Still, Lianon herself thought of herself as nearly a high-ranking noble, enjoying associating with friends whose fathers were counts or higher. Anyway, as long as her grandfather was alive, she was Lady Berta, and there were many high-status people among her close relatives.

Children from high-ranking noble families thought lightly of her attitude, but they didn’t make an issue of her social status before the letter incident because she was either closely related to them or had her grandfather’s dignity.

Even low-ranking noble children felt a distance from Lianon, but they didn’t express blame outwardly.

After the letter incident, when Idalia Kendall started disliking Lianon, there were no longer children who associated with Lianon. Still, unless a very courageous child showed open hostility related to status, it didn’t bother Lianon as much.

But in reality, things changed when Lianon became the heiress of a marquis.

Children felt that she had become fortunate and could now act superior to her own status. Each item she brought from home was targeted for envy, of course.

“What did you say? If you talk, I won’t listen and ignore you?”

Her partner in Common Rundear grumbled at Idalia. She could only smile awkwardly.

“What would I say…”

Then, Lianon raised her hand.

“Teacher.”

Mrs. Alexis, who teaches Common Rundear, responded kindly.

“Yes, Lianon. What is it?”

“Alecto keeps glaring at me.”
The first-year classes were inevitably noisy, even if the teacher gave strict attention. Lianon’s words brought a silence that no teacher could easily achieve. The children exchanged glances with faces that indicated something had happened.

Breaking the silence, Alecto sneered coldly.

“When did I?”

“Even now, you’re glaring at me.”

Lianon spoke resolutely without looking at Alecto.

Seeing those almost unblinking eyes filled with resentment, Mrs. Alexis wondered what to do. Of course, she was aware of the incident in the dining hall.

Alecto raised her hand, but without waiting for the teacher’s instruction, she spoke first.

“I didn’t glare.”

“Look now. You’re glaring. You always glare.”

The classroom became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

After a brief pause, Mrs. Alexis put on the most resolute expression she could muster.

“If you two have a problem, resolve it during break time. Now is the time for class when everyone is together.”

“But if a student harasses another student persistently, shouldn’t the teacher scold them?”

Lianon struggled to pronounce the word ‘persistently’ correctly but failed. Alecto, in her aggravated state, didn’t miss that fact and burst into laughter.

Although no one said it out loud, among the children, matters between them ultimately fell under Megara’s jurisdiction. Idalia looked at Megara, and Megara narrowed her eyes slightly.

Megara judged that this was not a situation she needed to step in and resolve.

After waiting for a moment and finding no one intervening, Alecto sharply retorted.

“Can’t you speak properly? Did someone write it for you? Stupid. How can you not even read properly? That’s why the kids hate you.”

Lianon’s face turned crimson. Trying to expose Alecto as the ‘bad girl’ with grace and dignity, Lianon couldn’t endure it any longer and shouted fiercely.

“Hey! Are you done talking?”

“‘Are you done talking?’”

Alecto mockingly echoed Lianon’s voice.

“You always laugh at others, but you’re the funniest.”

“That’s enough!”

Mrs. Alexis couldn’t endure it any longer and sternly intervened. The two girls glared at each other as if ready to devour each other.

The class ended in chaos. As students poured out, they whispered like thunder to each other. Did you see? Did you see? Lianon crying? So why did it start? I thought I was going to suffocate.

Alecto left the classroom in an angry state. Approaching the children who would attend the next class with her, she complained energetically.

“Ah, it’s ridiculous, really! So, who would like me? Anyone have something sweet? I’m hungry because I’m pissed off!”

Normally, anyone from Alecto’s group would have smiled and handed over what they had, saying it was inevitable.
The kids she approached for a conversation right now were generally quiet and passive in the class, so they would have behaved in a way that didn’t offend this witty kid in the class even more.

However, the response she received from them was unexpected.

“Do we really have to go that far?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

When Alecto, feeling upset, defensively asked in response to the cold reply she got to her empathetic words, the kids just shrugged.

“No, forget it.”

In the jungle-like human relationships of the first grade, there was nothing scarier than the phrase “It’s nothing.” It meant not recognizing any value in having a conversation with the other person.

Of course, Alecto, who was well aware of that fact, turned on her feigned charm.

“What’s up? Why are you acting like this? What’s bothering you?”

“Hey.”

Surprisingly, the response came not from the kids in Alecto’s group but from another passing boy of the same grade.

“What’s with the atmosphere in today’s class? It’s really loud and exhausting. Your voice echoes through the corridor during class.”

“What?”

Alecto was bewildered.

Wasn’t the incident during today’s class entirely because of Lianon, at least in her view? Why were they suddenly acting like this, when they would usually agree?

“What did I do? Nona started it.”

“You’re never quiet. Stop talking about Nona. It’s annoying.”

The boy poured out his words and left. Even the kids who had to attend the same class as Alecto hesitated for a moment, then left without saying anything.

Left behind, Alecto looked around for someone to share her frustration about this unreasonable situation.

There wasn’t a single sympathetic glance towards her.