It was the right thing to say. Nerys also had no intention of wasting more time with Natasha.

Having said the intended words, Nerys gracefully greeted and turned towards the exit of the building. Behind her, Natasha’s departure could be heard.

Finally, Nerys, who arrived at the exit where the night sky full of stars spread out, thought the garden in front of her was strangely rustling.

A faint smell lingered at the tip of her nose.
The smell was very faint. However, Nerys, who had spent days confined in a prison cell, only able to smell her own blood and the stench of decay, instinctively recognized what it was.

It was the scent of blood.

Clank, clank. The sound of metal objects colliding resonated nearby. To assess the situation, Nerys first hid her body in the shadows of the building. Before long, two late teens, both wielding swords, approached from the other side of the garden.

“Found it?”

“Not yet. Didn’t you say it was this way?”

Nerys’s eyes glinted coldly.

They were people she knew well. Aspiring knights responsible for the Elendria family’s upbringing and education in exchange for growing up as playmates for the future heirs. One of them had served Nerys as a subordinate when she was the crown princess of Abelus.

“His Highness’s words, I wouldn’t know. You’re the master, Ralph.”

The voice of the other one pierced Nerys’s ears painfully. She clenched her fist.

How could she forget him?

The boy with Joseph, the one accompanying her as Nellusion’s escort, had come from her previous life, helping Valentine and suppressing her on the prison floor!

‘Even in this era, he helped with the affairs of the royal family.’

Although there were few people as familiar with the closeness between the royal family and the Elendria family as Nerys, even she had never vividly imagined how each family lived when she was twelve.

Nellusion, like a spider, brought her playmate to temporarily serve Abelus and ensure his favor. If there was a way to please Abelus through her playmate, Nellusion would never let it slip away.

But what could that way be?

Now genuinely interested, Nerys eavesdropped on their conversation.

“I don’t know. Isn’t this the only way he can come? There are all sorts of things inside the school like rabbit holes.”

“Let’s check anyway. Don’t let your guard down. She’s a cunning one; this might be a trap.”

“Hush, don’t you hear anything?”

The two boys stopped and looked around. Nerys didn’t hesitate and revealed herself in front of them, making her footsteps audible.

Thinking all the surrounding buildings were empty, the two boys were surprised and drew their swords. Nerys, seeing them about six steps away, screamed as if she were the one startled.

“Ack!”

“What’s wrong?”

Ralph, Abelus’s knight, showed a puzzled expression. Joseph, who had been about to get angry at seeing the small Nerys, stopped him.

Joseph lowered his sword slightly and pretended to recognize Nerys.

“Nerys Trude?”

“Senior Joseph?”

With a somewhat dubious expression, Nerys cautiously called Joseph. The knight, squinting his eyes, responded kindly for now.

“That’s right. You know my name?”
He and Nerys had not officially exchanged greetings in this life. Therefore, the question, ‘Do you know my name?’ had to be asked by Nerys first. However, she did not ask, just innocently smiled, as if meeting him in a place like this was a joy.

And, in fact, she was delighted. If she exchanged pleasantries, it would make it easier to trap him later.

Huh, judging by how quickly she recognized him, Nellusion must have prepared the way?

“I’ve seen you with Nell Oppa. I’m glad I remembered your name correctly. You’re Nell Oppa’s friend, right?”

“Oh, right.”

Joseph, who loosened his guard with that answer, completely lowered his sword. In fact, what did a boy several years older than a twelve-year-old girl have to be cautious about just because a small girl suddenly appeared?

Meanwhile, Nerys noticed that behind Joseph, the bushes weren’t moving at all, so much so that it seemed unnatural. It was as if something solid and fairly large was pressing down on the undergrowth.

Without looking in the direction of the bushes, she naturally diverted her gaze and continued speaking.

“Where are you going?”

“Oh, nowhere special. Where are you going?”

Joseph was never as good at acting as Nellusion. Nerys inwardly laughed at his awkwardness and discomfort, evident on his face.

But Ralph, unlike Joseph, didn’t just pass it off so easily. A distant relative from the Elendria family, a little brat, was nothing to him, and it was nothing for someone destined to serve as the prince’s retinue even at such a young age.

If there was anything suspicious, it needed to be thoroughly investigated. That way, he could make more progress. With a stern gaze, he scolded Nerys without lowering his sword.

“What are you doing here? It’s past curfew for freshmen.”

“I came to attend a class. There’s a supplementary class for exam preparation. Since other freshmen are also attending, the teacher got special permission.”

Nerys’s words had many omitted details, but the two boys couldn’t know that fact. They understood her words as meaning that all other freshmen had come ‘directly to this building,’ so they exchanged awkward glances and communication.

Ralph sheathed his sword and cleared his throat.

“Don’t stay out too late. You raised your sword as if you were facing a beast.”

It was a belated excuse, but Ralph realized the absurdity of it as soon as he spoke. However, Nerys just nodded innocently.

“Yes. I’m sorry for surprising you. I just received the same advice from Natasha, a senior in the Student Council. I’ll go back right after class. I’ll tell the others to go inside as soon as class is over.”

“Yeah.”

The boys exchanged glances once again, and both understood that they had misunderstood her words as a signal that all other freshmen were coming ‘directly to this building.’ So, they exchanged glances that suggested it would be strange if they hesitated further, deciding simultaneously to avoid giving the first-year students an odd impression.
Moreover, isn’t this kid planning to tell other freshmen that they met seniors here, just like Natasha Gruneharls did just now? Who knows if Joseph’s name will be spread like Natasha’s.

They left the spot as if they were just taking a stroll.

Nerys gave up the act of being a talkative and diligent fool. When she judged that there was enough distance between her and the two boys, she cautiously crawled into the bushes.

As expected, inside the bushes, there was a boy soaked in blood crouching down.

It was a dark night, and although the thickly grown bushes offered some disguise in the spring, if the boys from earlier had searched a bit more seriously, it would have been instantly revealed.

It was a location vulnerable to exposure, like an open field. The injuries were severe enough that the boy should have collapsed in a place like this.

Since Nerys had deliberately prolonged the conversation earlier, she thought that even if the suspicious person had died during that time, there was nothing she could do. However, as she approached, the boy opened his eyes and glared at her.

Eyes of sparkling gray, like diamonds.

Although they were human eyes that shouldn’t emit light, the boy’s gaze was as vivid as that of a nocturnal animal.

“Yes…”

Rees Trude.

The rest of the words couldn’t be pronounced and were swallowed into the dry tongue of Kledwyn Maindland.