After Neris left, Cledwin approached the chair where she had been sitting until just now and infused magic into the armrest.

“Master, Neris Trude is strange.”

As if it had been waiting, a light voice came from the direction of the pillar. Cledwin let out a deflating sound.

“I already knew that.”

“If you ask me to evaluate that child, I’d say she’s an extremely ill-tempered little brat.”

“I didn’t ask you to evaluate her.”

“You didn’t say not to evaluate if you didn’t ask. Didn’t you finish your logic lessons when you were young?”

Cledwin did not respond.

Since he recruited based on skill alone, his secret organization, ‘Night Feast’, had all sorts of people. One would be hard-pressed to find someone with a good personality even if they looked high and low.

Subordinates who only meekly follow their superiors’ words would soon end up dead.

The voice in the pillar continued to prattle on.

“Do you know what Neris Trude did on her way to the library earlier? When she saw Count Islani’s daughter alone, she threw a stone. Rhiannon Berta nearby was framed as the culprit. Angarad Nine might have made enemies in her hometown. But isn’t Rhiannon Berta someone she just met at the academy? Acting a bit coldly towards her, no, it’s common for grandchildren of high nobles to act arrogantly, but going that far means she has a very strange personality.”

“So?”

Cledwin leaned the back of his head against the pillar.

“You don’t like her?”

“What are you saying?”

The voice in the pillar replied shamelessly.

“You chose her, so we will only follow.”

“That’s right.”

Cledwin closed his eyes.

“Not much time is left. I need to have many people on my side.”

And they must be people he can trust.

Trustworthy subordinates who are not associated with any other faction.

[This is the timeline separator]

Dance class was received as a relatively fun time by many children.

First of all, they didn’t have to look at books or be particular about their behavior, and they were even encouraged to converse with their partners while moving their bodies. There was also always music.

Because of these various advantages, children going to dance class usually had excited faces.

The expression ‘usually’ is of course used assuming the existence of some exceptions.

The entrance to Judith Hall, where the lower grade dance classes were held, was lively. Students were busy changing into dance shoes or chatting with friends.

The boys were glancing at popular girls, and the girls at popular boys, pondering how to dance with that person today.

Alecto Islani didn’t like dance class very much. It had been that way since she was disrespected by an annoying classmate last time.

Before entering the academy, she had―secretly―watched a splendid ball as the proud daughter of a count and had fantasized about one day captivating everyone’s attention with her skillful dancing.

The ones who would capture attention at balls were pretty and wealthy children. Like Megara.

“Al.”

Idalia Kendal, who had accompanied her all the way to Judith Hall because they had taken the previous class together, called Alecto and jerked her chin to one side.

Alecto frowned as she looked where Idalia pointed. It was Rhiannon with her head down.

“Looks like no one’s playing with her.”

Alecto said roughly.

Until very recently, the person Alecto disliked the most was Angarad Nine. That girl with bad habits and a cunning personality.

She tried to curry favor by butting in everywhere, and sure enough, she dared to steal from none other than the daughter of Count Islani. It was natural for everyone to hate such a thief.

But after yesterday’s incident, Rhiannon Berta had taken Angarad’s place.

Alecto had already been thinking that Rhiannon was too arrogant and would cause trouble someday. But even after her true colors were revealed, she occasionally accepted greetings from her out of old affection, only for her to dare harbor a grudge and throw a stone.

Rhiannon, with her head down alone amidst classmates chatting brightly in groups, was like a rock thrown into a stream. The children didn’t include Rhiannon and naturally avoided her side.

Alecto was watching this scene with satisfaction when she suddenly bent down and picked up a small stone from the ground.

“What are you going to do?”

Idalia’s eyes widened.

Pretending to be nice. Alecto inwardly sneered, knowing that Idalia had played a large role in Rhiannon becoming isolated.

However, unlike Rhiannon who was merely the child of a count’s second son, Idalia was the daughter of a marquis. She couldn’t use the expression ‘stop pretending’.

“Don’t try to stop me.”

This is just revenge for what I received. Alecto warned Idalia. Then, taking advantage of the moment when most of the children had entered the building, she threw it at Rhiannon.

It was a small stone about the size of a thumbnail and thrown with a child’s strength, so it wouldn’t cause injury, but the person hit would naturally feel pain.

“Ouch!”

Thwack! Roll roll. Rhiannon involuntarily cried out. Some children burst into malicious laughter. Did you hear? Did you hear? She said ‘ouch’. It’s really funny.

Even to Alecto, Rhiannon’s surprised look was amusing. Rhiannon looked around and noticed Alecto standing still, staring in this direction.

Rhiannon’s face turned bright red as she instantly realized what had happened.

“What’s this?”

“What?”

Alecto boldly glared. Rhiannon looked at the stone that had rolled to her feet and glared at Alecto with burning eyes.

“Hey, Alecto Islani. Did you throw this?”

“What are you talking about?”

Alecto said, shrugging her shoulders as if for everyone around, including Idalia, to hear. Rhiannon picked up the stone and held it out.

“You threw this, didn’t you?”

“No, I didn’t.”

Idalia kept her mouth shut as if she didn’t want to lie, but there was triumph in her eyes. Alecto spotted someone who hadn’t entered the building yet and asked for their opinion.

“Hey, Neris Trude. Diane McKinnon. You tell me. Do you understand what she’s saying?”

Diane usually sat in a chair during dance class but sometimes participated on days when they learned slow dances. However, regardless of participation, all students entering dance class had to change into dance shoes, so she was in the midst of receiving help from Neris at the building entrance.

Diane, who had no interest in whatever conversation Alecto and Rhiannon were having, just frowned, but Neris stared intently at Alecto. Alecto bristled at the gaze that seemed to pierce through people.

“What? Why are you glaring?”

“I’m not glaring.”

Alecto was surprised that the response was more docile than expected, having already witnessed Neris Trude’s temper several times.

She suddenly became at a loss for words and hesitated before continuing. Um, so.

“You saw what she did to me, right?”

Rhiannon spoke up before Alecto.

Rhiannon’s appearance was gloomy, to put it kindly. Negative emotions dripped from her upturned eyes. Alecto snorted. She knew that none of her classmates would take Rhiannon’s side.

…Wait, should Neris Trude even be counted as a classmate? Would she have that kind of awareness?

Neris’s expression was strange. Her slightly upturned lips formed an ambiguous curve that could be either an awkward smile or a sneer at the situation, and those famous purple eyes were cold.

Alecto looked at Neris unfamiliarly. Always neat without even a single servant, Neris was different from her peers. So she might act differently from her peers, without social awareness.

“I wonder?”

Fortunately, Neris answered in an innocent voice after a moment. However, since no one among the first-years would actually think she was innocent, that tone angered Rhiannon.

Alecto let out a laugh. Right, Neris wasn’t a fool.

She had been planning to treat her the same way if she sided with the ostracized idiot.

“You were watching!”

Rhiannon was about to explode.

She had briefly made eye contact with Neris right after being hit by the stone earlier. Considering the timing, it made sense that Neris had been looking at Rhiannon because she witnessed Alecto’s crime. But she says ‘I wonder’?

Neris spoke in a sing-song voice.

“What was I watching?”

“We made eye contact earlier!”

“I just glanced over because you yelled. Everyone did.”

“You wicked girl!”

Rhiannon hurled insults at Neris. Words she didn’t dare say to Alecto. The momentum was quite fierce, but Neris smiled slightly, seemingly unaffected.

“Why me? Weren’t you just claiming that Alecto threw a stone at you? Are you just getting angry at anyone? That’s funny.”

Alecto burst into loud laughter, and Idalia also smiled carefully. Children watching the situation around them complained. What’s wrong with her? I don’t know. She always ruins the mood like this. Why doesn’t she just disappear from school?

Tears welled up in Rhiannon’s eyes.

Alecto said arrogantly. It was the confident attitude of someone certain that everyone was on her side.

“Do you have proof? I said, do you have proof! If not, get lost, idiot.”

Idalia tugged on Alecto’s sleeve.

Pretending to be nice again. Alecto had the exact same thought as before, but she obediently turned away.

She had been hit once and retaliated once. She was the type to return ten blows for one received, but there was no reason she had to deliver all nine remaining blows today.

[This is the timeline separator]

Today was a good show. That’s how Neris summarized it as she entered her room.

Alecto was the type who wouldn’t stay still if wronged. And due to her severe inferiority complex, she would react excessively if she felt she was being looked down upon.

That’s why she completely turned things around at Angarad’s party, and why she deliberately humiliated Rhiannon publicly when she judged that Rhiannon had attacked her.

When Alecto was hit by a stone yesterday, Rhiannon passing by wasn’t a spontaneously created event. Neris had been waiting for an opportunity since the letter incident. If it didn’t work out in one go, she was prepared to try two or three more times.

As Cledwin said, it was a precarious plan, but when it succeeded, sufficient results followed.

However, from now on, she would be able to make more comfortable and feasible plans.

Thinking that, a mischievous satisfaction and self-contempt followed.

Today, Neris had of course seen Alecto throw the stone at Rhiannon. Because she had been watching for when Alecto would make her move.

Since Alecto and Rhiannon had many different classes, she expected that if something happened, it would be during dance class.

“Don’t be ridiculous! Do you have proof?”

It was a detestable thing to say.

Watching until the end without missing anything was because she thought it was the blood price she would receive, not because it was actually funny. It also made her nauseous to see other children condoning the situation.

Neris cynically hoped that Rhiannon would find even a little comfort when Alecto soon received her due.

‘Huh?’

As she was putting her bag down next to the bed, Neris suddenly frowned upon seeing a white envelope placed right in front of the door.

The dormitory manager was a young man who, to put it nicely, maintained boundaries, and to put it badly, did his work sloppily. He wasn’t the type to personally slide letters into each student’s room.

Who could have visited the dormitory? There was nothing to steal, and it didn’t seem like anyone had entered the room, but it bothered her.

Neris approached the door and opened the envelope. There was no writing on the envelope, but inside was a single white paper folded in half.

Judging by the consistent texture and even color of both the envelope and paper, they seemed to be expensive items.

[Congratulations.]

That single word was all that was written on the paper. Neris guessed the sender from the combination of the terse writing style that bluntly said only what needed to be said and the beautiful handwriting.

What was she supposed to do? After pondering for a moment, she took out a pen and ink from her bag and added three short sentences below Cledwin’s letter.

This was probably his own way of instructing how to communicate from now on, but why couldn’t he tell her in a more normal way?

[Were we in a relationship to congratulate and be congratulated?

P.S. Please buy Halograss seeds from Rantville. Deduct the cost from my wages later.]

Neris blew on the paper to dry the ink. When the paper had dried sufficiently, she folded the letter back up, put it in the envelope, and tucked it very slightly into the door crack.

The next morning when she woke up, the envelope was gone.