“Hey, Neris! Neris Trude!”

Abelus unknowingly stopped in his tracks. The voice, filled with rage, hurt his ears. Through the ornate columns, he could see a small girl crossing the snow-covered courtyard.

A crimson velvet coat and sleek black shoes. Blonde hair as bright as winter sunlight flowed out from under the hood attached to the coat.

It was an luxurious outfit, but nothing special by the standards of Abelus, the crown prince. However, at the very least, that attire drew out a different atmosphere from its owner compared to when she wore ‘shabby’ clothes.

The graceful movement of stopping and turning around lightly in response to the voice calling her was strangely pleasing to watch.

Abelus didn’t realize it, but that elegant and efficient movement was something that only a royal etiquette teacher could teach. It was natural for him to find it pleasing, as the closest people he had been around since childhood walked, stood, and turned that way.

‘Which family’s child was that again?’

Abelus had clearly reviewed the important figures in each grade, but as the busy crown prince, he usually half-forgot about first-years who weren’t from major noble families.

Soon, a red-haired girl approached the blonde girl, panting. The redhead was someone Abelus definitely knew. He couldn’t remember her name, but she was certainly the daughter of Count Islani.

He had also heard that the new Count Berta was pressuring Count Islani over conflicts between their children. Apparently, Count Berta was very fond of his daughter.

Count Islani probably had things he wanted to say too, but since Count Berta was wealthier and more influential, he had no choice but to back down.

“What do you want?”

Neris Trude responded without showing any signs of intimidation in front of the taller girl. Hearing that voice, Abelus also remembered who she was.

A relative of the Elandria family. The child who was reportedly taking upper-class courses with unprecedented grades. The one Nelrysion was interested in.

Now that he recalled, it was intriguing. Come to think of it, hadn’t she been alone with Nelrysion in the student council room before?

Abelus now began to consider the possibility of a conflict between the Elandria and Islani families being triggered by this trivial power struggle between two first-year girls.

Count Islani was colder to his children compared to Count Berta. And if something were to happen, Nelrysion would intervene first. Therefore, he concluded that the chances of a serious problem arising were small.

“Are you asking because you don’t know? Why did you just stand there earlier? Is it better to do it alone than to pair up with me? You don’t have any friends except Diane!”

“By earlier, do you mean during dance class?”

“Yes! I had to dance alone because of you! You lied about your ankle hurting, but now you’re walking just fine! Do you know how embarrassed I was in front of everyone?”

Ah. Having roughly understood what this was about, Abelus already felt his interest waning.

It seemed that no student wanted to pair up with the Islani girl during dance class, and even Trude, who had been her last hope, had refused with an excuse.

These first-years were really noisy. There had already been more than a few children who had complained to teachers about being ‘bullied’.

There were always outcasts in every grade, and Abelus had no interest in such matters. He only wished they would resolve things among themselves without the issue reaching the student council.

Perhaps to meet the eyes of the taller child, Neris slightly lifted her hood. Even from a distance, her delicate, porcelain-like features were visible.

Her cold and firm expression was also strangely comfortable for Abelus to see. It was familiar, like he had seen it somewhere before… Ah, that’s right!

‘It’s like Lady Keimil.’

It was a strange thing. Keimil Bisto had received the best education as the eldest princess of the imperial family and viewed everyone except the direct imperial lineage as mere tools. What common ground could there possibly be between the proud princess and the daughter of a mere knight?

Surely, he must have seen wrong. Abelus dismissed it as insignificant and passed by. Behind him, Neris’s calm voice grew fainter.

“I thought my ankle hurt then, but by the end of class, it seemed to stop hurting. Is that a problem? You’re not saying anything about the other kids in class not wanting to dance with you, but you’re coming after me like this because I’m the easiest target, right? Don’t you think kids dislike you because you’re so cowardly? Alecto, you should really think about it yourself…”

As the midterm exams for the second semester approached, the students’ topics of conversation naturally shifted to grades.

Some students had already achieved a minimum level of academic accomplishment before entering the academy, while others had not. The former group had their own dissatisfactions with the grades they received at the academy, as did the latter.

Of course, there was also a minority of students who had no complaints about their grades. Students from families where simply graduating was considered an honor for the family didn’t think much of it even if their rankings were closer to the bottom.

And the student ranked first also had no particular thoughts about their grades.

“Dali, your name is there. You were worried, but your grades are good.”

“It’s embarrassing to hear that from you, Mega. You’re first in the class.”

Idalia responded humbly to Megara’s friendly observation. Although this was just the result of a minor quiz, it was better than having poor grades.

“I was just lucky this time.”

Megara answered quietly. Idalia was impressed by that gentle and refined response. How could she maintain such a calm face? Even though everyone knew who was ranked first in the entire grade.

The academy liked to foster competition among students. According to regulations, all teachers always disclosed students’ grades and rankings.

And in the last semester, the person who ranked first not only in the required subjects for all first-years but also in overall average grades was Neris Trude.

Idalia was one of those who had received considerable education from private tutors before entering the academy. And while attending school classes, she had secretly felt confident in her already cultivated knowledge.

But while the initial evaluation test right after admission was one thing, the fact that there were still students with better grades than her afterwards somewhat deflated her spirits.

Although she couldn’t admit it to herself, such thoughts kept arising in her mind. Shouldn’t there be a distinction between herself, who had to read assigned books until the day before admission, and children who had been playing in the fields herding sheep before entering?

It was fine that Megara’s grades were better, as she was exceptionally talented. But Neris?

Though she didn’t say it, Idalia thought Megara probably had similar thoughts.

The more Idalia thought about it, the more she realized that ‘something’ was unfair. Neris herself had mentioned at the beginning of admission that she didn’t have a private tutor. Then, isn’t it strange?

There should be limits to what one could learn from a cleric in a small village, so hadn’t she actually learned tricks from someone?

If such a thing really happened, it wasn’t right. All students were paying the same tuition and attending school.

Sir Sheridan, the social etiquette instructor, openly favored Neris, and according to Megara’s testimony, it seemed that Sir Volter, a famous former diplomat turned teacher, was the same.

Well, otherwise how could such a—Idalia didn’t think deeply about what ‘such’ meant—child.

What Idalia was particularly concerned about was the relationship between Neris and Nelrysion.

She knew well that the two were relatives. But being distant relatives with different surnames was practically the same as being strangers in noble society. After all, most people were related if you traced their lineages far back enough.

Yet, Idalia often caught glimpses of Nelrysion approaching Neris and speaking to her.

To be honest, Neris wasn’t unpleasant to look at. Idalia knew that there were children who said she was quite pretty.

Those eyes and platinum blonde hair could be helpful when entering high society despite her poor background, and though her clothes were simple, they were neat. Although her personality was cold, quite a few boys who took it as forthrightness often talked about Neris.

Nelrysion, being the only legitimate son of the Duke’s family, would naturally consider conditions for marriage.

The precocious Idalia knew this well. It would be her turn only after a few select young ladies had considered and rejected marriage talks with the Elandria family. However, there were things she could do—or so she believed—to improve her ranking in that order.

Beauty, refinement, the ability to care for subordinates as the mistress of a vast duchy. What husband wouldn’t want such things in a fiancée?

Too embarrassed to tell anyone, Idalia sometimes daydreamed.

Mainly imagining herself a few years older, dazzlingly grown like the current Natasha Grunehals, being recognized by Nelrysion. Honestly, there was no reason why she couldn’t, right?

‘At least I could do better than Neris.’

No matter how smart one was, to become the mistress managing a large territory, one needed real experience. The experience of watching parents govern numerous territories, subjects, and castles from a young age.

Idalia didn’t dislike Neris. She just thought it would be unfair if she gained more than she deserved by chance.

Megara smiled at the thoughtful Idalia. That cute smile was so lovely it should have been painted and preserved. Idalia smiled back at her kind friend who had already subtly made it clear that she had no intention of competing over friends or men, and shook off her thoughts.

What does it matter who gets first place? Kind people don’t obsess over rankings.

It was the season when spring, having shed the traces of winter, was bursting with flower buds.

Sir Sheridan had decorated the social etiquette classroom brightly with spring flowers. Delicate flowers like violets, lilies of the valley, primroses, and wood anemones were tied precisely in pleasing shapes, exhaling their sweet fragrance like sighs.

“It’s not just the large flowers carefully cultivated by gardeners that can become centerpieces.”

Sir Sheridan said proudly. The first-year students looked with curiosity at the flowers they usually saw growing carelessly by the roadside now transformed into beautiful bouquets.

“In winter, we only see a few types of flowers grown in greenhouses, so at this time of year, it’s nice to add uniqueness to your table with wildflowers.”

Neris, who was listening to Sir Sheridan’s words, realized without even seeing the malicious expression of the child at the same table. Stinging gazes and sharp sneers were as familiar to her as air.

Rhiannon, who was seated at this table because other tables wouldn’t accept her, even though they knew they disliked each other, sneered.

“Did you pick them?”

Despite being an official system set up by the academy, noble students looked down on the work-study program where students helped teachers and received a small amount of money.

If one earned money through physical labor, how was that different from commoners? Nobles were supposed to live off rents and taxes by law.

And there wasn’t a single first-year who didn’t know that Neris Trude was taking tons of upper-class courses while also doing work-study jobs.

The venomous remark implying that she must have picked the flowers herself, and that if she enjoyed such menial labor, she was no different from a farmhand working in an orchard, was not even sophisticated. Neris didn’t even pretend to hear it, and Rhiannon became upset.

“Are you ignoring me? You’re really funny. Are you embarrassed?”

“They say you only see what you want to see.”

Diane, who couldn’t stand it anymore, threw in cynically.

Diane knew well that Neris had refused her family’s offer to cover all living expenses and pocket money until graduation, despite their insistence. She had even rejected the proposal to send at least one maid.

While that was disappointing, she was honestly a bit proud of Neris’s noble—in her brother’s words—character of not flaunting her own achievements.

But to spout such childish nonsense without knowing anything.

Diane’s attitude felt unbearably high-handed to Rhiannon. A girl from a family with no pedigree! As Rhiannon’s eyes flashed with anger, Alecto spoke coldly.

“Shut up, Nona. This is why even Neris Trude looks down on you.”