It was an absurd assumption.

Neris had good grades even when she was a ‘real’ first-year student. She loved books from a young age and could recite various passages from the Bible in both sacred and common languages, and knew a lot.

Although she wasn’t first in her class then because she wasn’t used to the nobles’ education methods, she was at least much higher ranked than Rhiannon.

Neris leisurely folded her arms.

Several people were captivated by her ice-clear eyes. And even those who weren’t were amazed that this perfect mannered person, despite coming from a nameless family, appeared as dignified as the upper class—perhaps even as royalty.

“My family isn’t wealthy enough to hire a tutor. My father passed away when I was very young, and I’m even relying on relatives for the tuition for this school, so how could I hire a tutor? It’s different from you, the granddaughter of a count.”

Hearing this logical answer, Rhiannon asked again with contemptuous eyes. She seemed irritated by Neris’s attitude, who wasn’t intimidated despite knowing the other’s ‘superior’ status.

“Then how did you do so well on the test? It couldn’t have been your own ability, right? According to what you said, you didn’t receive any education, did you?”

“The priest in the village where I lived had many books, and I learned simple sacred language from him.”

Since most countries on the continent, including the Empire of Vista, use languages derived from the sacred language, knowing the sacred language made it much easier to learn foreign languages. The children who knew this fact nodded in understanding.

Rhiannon had poor academic grades but was better at reading the atmosphere than that. As Rhiannon closed her mouth and retreated, Megara’s eyes narrowed.

This time, Megara made a brief assessment.

“Just with that? Then that’s even more impressive.”

Although she said that, no one present failed to notice that Megara’s pretty face had turned cold.

In fact, the children who had gathered around to flatter this famous noblewoman were well aware that Megara had disliked Neris Trude since the day of the entrance ceremony.

“Now, everyone, please return to your seats.”

Lord Sheridan, the etiquette teacher, entered the auditorium. The children obediently dispersed and sat down in groups that had already formed.

However, a considerable number of gazes remained fixed on Neris. Most of them were favorable, but some were filled with contempt.

Lord Sheridan was holding a schedule. He called out the children’s names in alphabetical order, and the named child would come forward to receive their schedule.

With a lively and neat impression, he cheerfully chatted while looking into the eyes of every student who approached him.

“Rhiannon Berta, you have good wit. Is your grandfather well? If you knew everything, there’d be no need to go to school. Among the students I’ve taught, there was one who got the lowest score on the evaluation exam but received an honorary certificate at graduation, so just work hard.”

“Alecto Islani, you write well. I read it with great interest. Your spelling is excellent, so if you study a little more, you might be able to study with older students next year. Let’s aim for that.”

“Idalia Kendal, you’re excellent overall. I received the letter of recommendation your father sent from Lord Cloder. Mr. Lilan from the Music Department really wants to have a conversation with you.”

“Megara Likeandros! The party held at your house last social season was impressive. I have no doubt that you’ll stand out in my class as well. You did really well on the test. You’ve skipped ahead in a few classes, so make sure to check your schedule carefully.”

As soon as those words were spoken, the children who had already become Megara’s followers suddenly applauded. Megara returned to her seat with a dignified smile, taking her schedule.

Neris found it pathetic that so many people in the classroom participated in that applause. Well, whether it was pathetic or not didn’t matter. After all, there wasn’t a single clean person among them.

No, maybe there was one.

Diane came to get her schedule right after Megara. Then, with a disappointed face, she said to Neris.

“It would be nice if we had a lot of classes together, but it doesn’t look like we will. I didn’t skip any grades.”

“We’ll definitely have etiquette, dance, and basic magic together. Those three subjects don’t have grade skipping.”

“Really?”

Diane’s face brightened a little. Neris added nonchalantly.

“And whether I’ve skipped grades or not, we’ll have to see when I get my schedule.”

Contrary to those words, Neris ended up skipping grades in all subjects except for the three she had mentioned.

Lord Sheridan went on at length about how perfect Neris’s answers were and said he was looking forward to how well she would do in the future. Neris felt Megara and Rhiannon’s eyes filling with more and more malice.

‘So this is why they’re angry at me.’

Because she received praise for something so trivial. Now she could understand that their words, when they used to spread rumors about her showing off during the times she was being bullied, actually came from their own sense of inferiority.

People’s hostility wasn’t directed at those who were rightfully better than them. It was aimed at those who shouldn’t be better but were. And once hostility arose, it never disappeared.

***

After the etiquette class ended, the new students moved to attend other first-year classes.

Neris had no subjects left to attend among today’s remaining first-year classes. This was because she had skipped all of them. The few subjects she had skipped ahead in had to be attended at completely different times from the lower grade classes, as was often the case with upper-grade classes, so she had a break now.

The next lecture was to be held in the center of Kartak One. Neris calculated her free time and route, then decided she had time to stop by the library.

So that’s what she did.

The academy had several historic libraries, and the Zacharia Library she visited was one of the oldest among them.

Saint Zacharia, who was said to have performed miracles and saved many lives in ancient times, had a great influence on the empire’s medicine, and many cities and buildings were named after her. The Zacharia Library of the academy, true to its name, was a medical library.

However, not many people used the Zacharia Library. This was because the study of ‘skills’ like medicine was not attractive to nobles.

At best, only senior students from the theology department or teachers with a strong sense of service visited this place. Even on the highest floor, visitors could be counted on one hand, except for the librarian.

Neris went up to the highest floor of the building. In the empty reading room, old books and scrolls in boxes quietly breathed, bearing the weight of time.

Neris counted the mahogany bookshelves in the reading room, starting from the one farthest from the entrance. One, two, three, four.

If you go around behind the pillar next to the fourth bookshelf.

‘Here it is.’

She smiled with her small lips.

There was a space between the pillar and the wall big enough for about two people to sit. Unlike behind any other pillar, only this place had such a space.

In that space, which was not visible from the outside unless one deliberately knew about it and came in, there was nothing else. Just a small square skylight and a chair that was strangely antique and didn’t quite fit the reading room.

The skylight was exactly the same as she remembered, but the chair was a little cleaner than in her memory. Probably because she had found this place earlier than in her previous life.

Neris sat comfortably in the chair and leaned back. She could see a clear blue sky in front of her eyes. Just like it was long ago.

Until graduation, this small, book-scented space was a refuge for the bullied Neris Trude. And with high probability, it was her refuge alone.

This space was not easily visible unless deliberately searched for, and even upper-grade students rarely came to, let alone explored every corner of, the top floor of the medical library.

Except for the Neris of her previous life, who was trying to find a place where other people wouldn’t come.

In the past, when children would chase her for fun, hitting her or throwing stones, she used to find secret places and hide there for a long time. And if that place was discovered, she would wander around the school looking for another.

This was a space with memories of being well-used until graduation after finding it a few years from now.

“It was here even then.”

She had never seen anyone else while using this place. However, there must have been someone who arrived before her. Someone who sat comfortably in this chair.

The fact that the chair was placed in a position where it could enjoy the view outside while slightly avoiding the sunlight was evidence of that.

Perhaps a librarian on duty had brought it here? Maybe a student buried in books on the top floor of the Zacharia Library had secretly prepared a space to sleep.

Neris gazed at the sky and slowly closed her eyes.

A comfortable feeling of being detached from the world, yet not being hostile to anyone, tickled Neris’s small chest like a ripple. It was peaceful.

It would be nice if time stopped here forever. As if nothing had ever… happened.

Suddenly, footsteps were heard. Someone seemed to have entered the reading room.

Neris was displeased at having her peace disturbed. Why now, of all times, in a place where usually no one came?

She thought about leaving, but there was no real reason to. They probably just came to look for a book, so if she stayed still, wouldn’t they pass by?

But the footsteps approached Neris more clearly and quickly than expected. When the footsteps stopped in front of her, she opened one eye and glared at the intruder.

The first thing that caught her eye was a chest positioned higher than expected. As she slid her gaze up, she saw an elegant face.

Under hair as black as the night sky, bright gray eyes that looked almost white sparkled vividly.

A small face with slender limbs, a beautiful appearance without a single flaw. Rosy lips of a shape that any portrait painter would praise as ideal.

Is this what a fairy from legends would look like?

A boy wearing light clothes with a sword at his waist was looking down at Neris, his back to the window. She opened both eyes after confirming his appearance.

A frosty question fell from the boy’s lips.

“Who are you?”

“Who are you, senior?”

Neris knew who he was, but she coldly asked back.

Cledwin Maindlant.

The sole member of the only grand ducal family in this country, he was the person who would come to rule the northern part of the empire as soon as he graduated from the academy.

Neris had heard that in the process, there was a tragedy where he massacred all the family elders who opposed his immediate succession to the grand ducal title after the death of the previous grand duke.

Since the previous grand duke died not long after Cledwin entered the academy, it meant that the rightful heir’s exercise of rights had not taken place for a long time.

Maindlant in the north of the empire was a vast territory that included diverse lands from barren tundra to coastal resorts with hot springs. As a land with a long history, it was said to have a unique culture and high pride.

In reality, Neris hadn’t had many conversations with Cledwin even when she was the crown prince’s wife. This was because he rarely left his own land.

However, she still had the impression that he was an extremely capable and beautiful man.

“You speak first.”

Cledwin slightly raised both ends of his perfect lips. Neris spoke calmly.

“I’m a new student. I was resting here when you interrupted me, senior.”

Abelus disliked Cledwin. He would disparage him, saying he was a cruel monster who didn’t know how to embrace his subordinates, that his appearance wasn’t manly enough, that his lack of sociability was due to low intelligence.

He criticized him for all sorts of reasons, but in Neris’s view, Cledwin was a hundred times more talented than Abelus.

At least after Cledwin ascended to the grand ducal title, no one dared to invade Maindlant. Abelus even mocked that, saying it was because they didn’t want to mix words with a frozen land ruled by a terrible monster.

“This isn’t a place for new students to know about.”

This was the second time she had heard such words. Neris looked up at Cledwin with a strange feeling.

To tell the truth, Neris had attended school longer than Cledwin. While Cledwin had quickly skipped grades and graduated before he came of age, Neris had attended for the same period as others.

When she didn’t answer, Cledwin’s eyes shone sternly.

“Speak.”

Before she knew it, the sharp tip of a sword was approaching Neris’s eyes. It was a swift drawing of the sword that she hadn’t even noticed.