Mrs. Hoffman, the head of Aine One’s general department, used a residence that included two reception rooms, one guest bedroom, and a terrace with a good view of the lake.

The residence did not look much different from other luxurious dormitories on the outside, but unlike student dormitories, the first floor was used for official purposes.

Neris entered Mrs. Hoffman’s residence, colloquially known as the ‘Hawk’s Nest’, without any sign of fear. And until she entered the counseling room, the place most disliked by senior students in the ‘Hawk’s Nest’, there was no change in her confident expression and calm footsteps.

In the counseling room decorated with rather expensive furniture, two adults and two children were already seated. Mrs. Hoffman was sitting with Alecto, while Baron Nine was sitting with Angarad, facing each other across the table.

Mrs. Hoffman, who had a stern expression, perhaps due to Baron Nine’s clearly angry face, spoke coldly to Neris.

“Come and sit down.”

Neris closed the door behind her and sat next to Alecto. Baron Nine stared at Neris’s face and asked suspiciously.

“Neris?”

“Yes, Baron Nine.”

“You remember me. It’s the first time since you were little.”

In fact, Neris had often seen Baron Nine in social circles since becoming an adult, but he had no way of knowing that. Angarad’s face was full of tears, but she didn’t hide her triumphant look. A hate-filled gaze was briefly directed at Neris.

“See, you remembered me!”

It was the first time Angarad had spoken so excitedly at school. Alecto snorted, and Neris raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

“Are you going to pretend? You said you didn’t remember me!”

“If you’re talking about when we first met, I didn’t remember.”

“Then how did you know he was my father!”

“You have the same nose. And he’s sitting with you. Is that so hard to guess?”

Angarad was at a loss for words. Baron Nine narrowed his eyes and wrinkled his nose.

“Well, Neris. You were smart since you were little, and you still are.”

That meant the young one was precocious. Everyone in the counseling room understood the meaning. Neris calmly replied.

“Thank you, Baron. Mrs. Hoffman, I was called here while in class. If it’s alright, could I know what this is about?”

Mrs. Hoffman, known as ‘Hawkman’ among students for her sharp eyes, looked down at Neris.

Sunlight entered through the window overlooking the garden, and a fire was burning in the fireplace, but Mrs. Hoffman looked as cold and hard as a stone statue in the light.

“Always diligent. I’ve heard that you study well. Lord Voltaire praises you a lot.”

“Thank you.”

Neris didn’t make the mistake of taking her words as goodwill.

The only people important to Mrs. Hoffman were wealthy nobles who could make large donations. If news of Diane fighting with Neris were to reach her ears, Mrs. Hoffman was the type of person who could punish Neris immediately.

“I have a question for you, Neris.”

“Yes, Baron.”

Neris’s gaze shifted from Mrs. Hoffman to Baron Nine. The Baron, with his nose wrinkled and chin slightly raised, asked deliberately.

“I heard that you were leading a planned ostracism of our Angarad. Is that true?”

Pfft. Alecto couldn’t help but snicker. Mrs. Hoffman cautioned in a much softer voice than when she had spoken to Neris.

“Alecto, an adult is speaking.”

“I’m sorry. But who would listen to what ‘Neris Trude’ says and ostracize others?”

Alecto added that if someone wanted to ostracize others, Neris herself would have to do better first. Neris was inwardly satisfied.

Alecto hated being looked down upon and wanted to show off her sparkling wit at every opportunity.

Of course, everyone is like that at this age, but Alecto’s trait was more prominent, perhaps due to her inferiority complex from having sisters who were much more praised than her both above and below.

She was the type of person who couldn’t bear not to deny it with all her might if suspected of being instigated by others.

Baron Nine exchanged glances with Angarad. Angarad, having her accusation denied, spoke in the most vicious voice she could muster.

“She, she’s really mean and cunning! Pretending to be nice! Pretending she didn’t do anything! While framing me!”

Alecto snorted again, then quieted down, shrugging her shoulders after receiving Mrs. Hoffman’s icy glare. Baron Nine looked at Neris intently and asked.

“Did you do that, Neris?”

That voice was smooth and seemingly gentle, but firm with unwavering belief. It was an attitude that suggested the answer was already decided regardless of what Neris said.

Having experienced this a few times during her time as the Crown Princess, Neris knew Baron Nine’s character well. He was a man who had his own sense of fairness, but he was very stubborn and loved his daughter dearly.

His beloved daughter must have been instigating him all winter break, crying her eyes out, so once this confrontation with Neris was over, he would take whatever revenge he could.

No matter what Neris answered here, it would only be used to reinforce the biased truth already set in his mind.

That was precisely why Neris didn’t go down to Rohez this winter break.

If she had foolishly gone down to Rohez during winter break, Baron Nine would have immediately summoned her to his neighboring territory for an interrogation—disguised as criticism—and punished both mother and daughter on the spot.

Would Earl Wilmot, the lord of Rohez, quarrel with the lord of the neighboring territory for the sake of a deceased subordinate’s wife?

But meeting like this at school, Baron Nine couldn’t punish Neris beyond what the school rules allowed, no matter what he wanted.

At least after going through a procedurally fair interrogation process at school once, it would be difficult to take secondary private revenge on her mother in Rohez.

Within the school rules, the maximum punishment for anything short of a violent crime like murder was at most being kept from classes and writing reflection papers.

It was fortunate that Baron Nine had at least a hypocritical sense of fairness. Otherwise, she would have had to find a way to evacuate her mother from the winter break. Thinking this, Neris shook her head.

“I’ve never done such a thing.”

As expected, Baron Nine’s eyes were cold. He didn’t believe Neris’s words.

“Anyway, Angarad has been greatly hurt by your actions. I hear you too, Alecto? You haven’t shown any signs of remorse from the start.”

Alecto’s face was heated. Count Islani was higher than Baron Nine both in title and wealth, so being criticized by Angarad’s father, the ‘thief girl’, was quite a blow to her pride.

Mrs. Hoffman sighed as if greatly regretful.

“We’ll need to investigate further, but if it’s clear that you two have acted wrongly, the school will teach you a stern lesson.”

“You should.”

Baron Nine nodded. Neris felt Mrs. Hoffman’s piercing gaze.

Despite talks of investigation, there was no way the result would be more favorable to Neris than to Alecto. Although the children didn’t see the game Neris had set up behind the scenes, Alecto had a family backing her, while Neris didn’t.

“For now, since it’s clear there was bullying, Alecto Islani will come to the reflection room after classes end, and Neris will for a week…”

Knock knock.

Before the clearly biased—and as Neris had anticipated—verdict could be pronounced, someone knocked on the counseling room door.

Mrs. Hoffman was not used to having her words interrupted. She looked displeased, but decided it was better to deal with the visitor first rather than finishing her inadvertently paused sentence.

At her brief ‘Come in’, the door opened.

“Mrs. Hoffman.”

Mrs. Hoffman’s expression softened slightly at the gentle smile of the person who entered. She asked softly.

“Nelrysion Elandria, what brings you here?”

Nelrysion bowed politely once.

According to school rules, all students except direct imperial family members were to speak politely and behave respectfully to teachers. However, students of noble blood often managed to show arrogant attitudes.

Only Nelrysion was different. He was always calm and courteous, earning a good reputation among teachers.

Mrs. Hoffman, who favored wealthy and high-status students, was clearly pleased with this treatment. Nelrysion quickly assessed her expression before giving Neris an eye greeting.

Neris could see all the calculations running through his head as soon as she saw his gaze, but she swallowed her disgust and returned the eye greeting.

“Ma’am, I heard that a child from our family is in the counseling room for an unfortunate incident. I came to apologize myself, worried that a grave mistake might have been made.”

Baron Nine’s face twisted slightly. Alecto and Angarad’s faces contorted even more miserably.

They thought it unfair that little Neris Trude received special treatment from the son of Duke Elandria just because she was a distant relative. What’s this ‘child from our family’! They don’t even share the same surname.

Mrs. Hoffman fell into thought for a moment, understanding Nelrysion’s purpose from his talk of apologizing. Neris could clearly see the calculations running through her head as well.

If she could only please one side between the Nine barony and the Elandria duchy, the choice was obvious.

“Yes, it might be better for you to apologize together rather than Neris being alone.”

“Oh? Has our Neris really made such a big mistake?”

Nelrysion spoke with a pretend-ignorant face, not surprised at all, and casually sat down next to Neris. Baron Nine cleared his throat, and Mrs. Hoffman spoke kindly.

“No. It hasn’t been confirmed yet.”

Alecto muttered the worst curse circulating among first-year students at the suddenly changed attitude. For a week until just now?

Angarad’s face turned pale, and Baron Nine protested with a stiff face.

“Listen here, Mrs. Hoffman. What do you mean it hasn’t been confirmed? Are you saying my daughter is lying?”

“Baron, how could you say such a thing.”

Mrs. Hoffman looked straight ahead.

“If there’s a problem, of course the children and I will apologize together. But we need to know the extent of what actually happened to make a decision. As a teacher, I’m in a position where I always need to be careful, as I have the authority to punish students according to school rules. I believe Angarad has told her father all the truth she knows, but adults can see things that children might not because they’re biased towards their own perspective. That’s something I’ve learned over many years as a teacher.”

The mood of all the ‘real’ children present effectively soured. And that of one adult as well. Only Neris and Nelrysion kept their eyes lowered quietly with the same expressions as before.