But she couldn’t completely ignore him in front of other students. She decided to respond first.

“Yeah. What about you, oppa?”
Mahradi, who had been ignored by Mega several times until now, was delighted as if he thought her anger had finally subsided. He poured out words from his mind recklessly, filled with tension and happiness, hoping to catch any of Mega’s interest.

“I, I’m a senior. I have a lot to study. Today, I was studying with Joseph Caron, but he had something urgent and left first. So I came out early, and I ran into you…”

If he continued talking a little more, he seemed to be on the verge of talking about fate.

Seeing Mega’s annoyed eyes, Adalia flinched. If it was Joseph Caron, then he was Neleusian’s friend and follower. If Joseph left suddenly, could there be something wrong with Neleusian? Adalia sent Mega a pleading look, urging her to ask more details. Mega, annoyed but reluctantly, asked Mahradi.

“Why did that senior leave early? You were supposed to study together.”

Hearing Mega’s tone, Mahradi felt a surge of anger that he hadn’t felt before towards Joseph. Mega’s question was valid. How could he leave like this when they had agreed to study together!

“Right? Isn’t it too much? The flow was disrupted, and I couldn’t study properly. But it seems like something really happened. At first, he said Neleusian Elendria called him and went out briefly, then came back with a book and left.”

It was really good information for Mega, but Adalia listened attentively to every word Mahradi said. Mahradi felt a sudden surge of anger toward Joseph, who he hadn’t thought much about until now, as Mega’s question was justified. If they had agreed to study together and he left like this, what should he do!

“Isn’t it? Too much? The flow was disrupted, and I couldn’t study properly. But it seems like something really happened. At first, he said Neleusian Elendria called him and went out briefly, then came back with a book and left.”

It was really good information for Mega, but Adalia listened attentively to every word Mahradi said. Mahradi felt a sudden surge of anger toward Joseph, who he hadn’t thought much about until now, as Mega’s question was justified. If they had agreed to study together and he left like this, what should he do!

“Isn’t it? Too much? The flow was disrupted, and I couldn’t study properly. But it seems like something really happened. At first, he said Neleusian Elendria called him and went out briefly, then came back with a book and left.”

Mega, annoyed but interested, asked for more details.

“Where is this?”

As Claudewin, groaning, opened his eyes, the boy with a determined face replied.

“My room.”

Claudewin knew the boy’s name. Although not as prominent as himself, the boy with pink hair was also a well-known figure.

Len Phael, the younger brother of the Mainland Duke and a theology student.

Even though they knew each other’s names, they had never had a conversation. Claudewin, who hadn’t grasped the situation yet, frowned as the pain gradually became more intense. Another person came into his view.

It was Neris Trude, a twelve-year-old, approaching with several towels in hand.

Claudewin turned his body, and only then did he notice that Len was holding a towel stained with blood. Neris’s clothes were also soaked with blood.

Neris approached Len, handed him a clean towel, and took away the dirty one.

“It’s all wiped now. You don’t need to do more.”

Len spoke to Neris quite affectionately, a stark contrast to the resentful looks he gave Claudewin.

Claudewin had seen Len act warmly towards Neris before, but now that he witnessed it, he thought, ‘It’s more like a gentle breeze than warmth.’ Not the gentle breeze of spring but the swaying of a puppy’s tail. Moreover, quite agile.

Among the two considerably older individuals, the one who was older acting like a puppy—it felt amusing. But Claudewin thought it was natural for Neris Trude, who could handle even a leash of a formidable beast with ease, to be the master.

Hearing Len’s words, Neris responded calmly.

“Really? Then, could you leave for a moment so that we can talk?”

“Sure. I’ll be in front of the door, so if that guy does anything you don’t like, just yell.”

Even while being driven out of the room, Len’s eyes, glaring at Claudewin as if warning him, were fierce.

Claudewin felt an uncomfortable sense of spite for no reason. Could it be that Len misunderstood the situation? Isn’t this a behavior without knowing the topic? She is officially his employer, right?

Feeling uncomfortable, Claudewin’s eyes followed Len, who went out obediently and closed the door. Neris, noticing that gaze, narrowed her eyes.

“What are you doing? To the one who helped. If it weren’t for Senior Len’s sacred power, you would be dead. How’s the injury?”

Certainly, the dreadful pain and drowsiness felt before losing consciousness were now gone. Although there was still some pain, it was natural.

Claudewin narrowed his eyes, just like Neris, and asked, “Why am I here?”

“Don’t you remember?”
Neris pulled over a chair and sat down. Claudewin looked up at her face and struggled to recall his memories.

After a moment, an expressionless murmur escaped from his lips.

“…That herb, it tasted bad.”

“I told you not to swallow it. Still, thanks to that, you’re alive. Without it, you wouldn’t have been able to make it to Len-senpai’s dormitory.”

Complaining about the taste after being saved—what a trivial concern.

Neris responded with a cold voice, almost cruel, considering the person who was covered in gaping wounds.

Claudewin thought that the statement about Neris being able to handle any formidable beast applied to him as well.

People were generally afraid of him. The direction of that fear might differ, either reverence or contempt.

But she was different. This little girl spoke to him as if ordering him without any concern. He didn’t feel resentment towards her; he simply acted according to her words.

Until now, he thought she did it for amusement. Among his subordinates, there were several individuals with twisted personalities, recruited regardless of their background, as long as they exchanged the benefits they both wanted.

So he believed she was no different from them, exchanging benefits as long as they both got what they wanted.

But it wasn’t like that. Due to the confusion, his mouth, which had been saying anything due to the chaos, closed meekly in front of her. There was an inexplicable force in her presence.

Claudewin tried to rebel. In other words, he tried to mutter something like “It was inevitable earlier because I didn’t have the strength to resist,” but eventually, he fell silent.

He quietly scanned the interior of the bedroom.