Chapter 4: The Protagonist and the Villainess

Chapter 4:
The Protagonist and the Villainess

 

SEVERAL WEEKS PASSED after the entrance ceremony. Since I was just a background character, there were no real events of any note for me to trigger or whatever, and I started to get used to my daily life at the academy.

In terms of the game’s time line, the protagonist should have encountered all her potential love interests by now and established all the prerequisites for romancing them. She was probably actually growing close to at least one of them already. The villainess—the rival character—had probably already made her debut, telling the protagonist, “Know your place, commoner!”

I’d started skipping over the game text after my first play-through, so I didn’t really remember the details of the story all that well. Regardless, the protagonist’s actions weren’t going to impact me. And who knew? Perhaps the real protagonist was even more cunning than her game counterpart. Best to steer clear.

Anyway, I was growing accustomed to life at the dorm and enjoyed talking to Daniel and Raymond. We were all in a similar situation, after all, and had grown up in almost identical circumstances. Today, we were seated together on a bench in the school’s courtyard, discussing the tea party coming up at the beginning of May.

“I guess we should be picking who to invite, right?” Daniel asked worriedly. “What are you going to do?”

Women got to relax during the long holiday in May, but not so the men. Society expected us to take the opportunity of a break to invite a girl to an elaborate tea and get closer to her. And I’m not talking the kind of party where you indiscriminately invited every girl you knew. We were making overtures to check compatibility with potential partners.

While technically an unofficial event, we held the parties within school property. A course scheduled in advance taught men how to properly entertain a woman and behave like gentlemen. Those classes started at the beginning of our May holiday.

Raymond looked down at his lap. “My parents sent me some allowance, but there’s no way I can hold a fancy tea party. I don’t care what girl attends, as long as someone does.”

The academy sure got expensive. They required no payment for tuition, room, board, or daily expenses, but men paid a dear, dear cost.

I had savings, but I couldn’t treat those funds like a bottomless well from which I could freely pump. I didn’t especially want to use any of it, if my only aim was to get in a woman’s good graces.

On the other hand, if you didn’t hold a party, women had their own whisper network, just like we had our own group for solidarity. Everyone would know if you skipped out—even if you didn’t have anyone you particularly wanted to invite. He doesn’t even hold tea parties, they would say, or any other malicious rumor that popped into their head. It would inevitably damage your chances of getting married at all; men took a hit if they committed any faux pas.

Thus, the current problem.

My accomplishments had landed me in a position where I would be fully independent upon graduation, and everyone viewed me as relatively wealthy. Someone had told them about those mountains of gold and silver treasure. Which meant…

“I have to hold a ridiculously formal tea party,” I moaned. “At least, that’s what I was told. I’m dreading this whole thing.”

As the three of us commiserated, we spotted Prince Julius sauntering through the courtyard with his procession of female flunkies. A few men tagged proudly along behind them—heirs of earldoms. The prince was also accompanied by his foster brother and best friend, an heir to a viscount house working within the royal guard. His name was Jilk Fia Marmoria. He had long, dark, forest-green hair. I almost wanted to ask him if he dyed it. His green eyes sloped down at the edges, giving him a far more gentle appearance than the prince he served. His Highness’s eyes were sharp.

Despite Jilk’s relatively low status, being close to the prince guaranteed he’d receive an important post in the future once he graduated.

The girls had hearts in their eyes as they chattered at the two men.

“Your Highness, will you be holding a tea party in May?”

“I’d like to join.”

“M-me, too!”

The girls looked like a bunch of puppies wagging their tails in excitement. It was a cold, hard look at reality for the rest of us.

Raymond covered his face with his hands. “With the prince and the other high-ranking nobility at the academy this year, the standards are going to be insane.”

Daniel’s shoulders slumped. “They’re definitely going to compare us. Ugh, please have mercy.”

We watched in envy as the prince basked in the attention. Suddenly, a woman appeared, followed by an enormous contingent. It was immediately apparent she was of high birth.

Her name was Angelica Rapha Redgrave. Her gleaming blonde hair was pulled back in a bun, the perfect complement to her beautiful white skin. Her red eyes exuded strength, her piercing gaze said clearly that she possessed something most did not. If some people in this world really were born to be special, then she and the prince definitely numbered among them.

Cliché as it was, I found myself thinking the protagonist had to possess the same sort of extraordinary quality. I was sure that when I spotted her, she’d have an air that would set her apart from the rabble. Otherwise, it would be impossible for her to sway the feelings of the crown prince and the rest of the love interests.

“The prince’s betrothed…?”

The girls surrounding the prince and Jilk made way for Angelica. None of them were foolish enough to make advances in her presence. I just wanted to tell all of them not to bother in the first place.

Angelica’s eyes narrowed. “Your Highness, I would like to speak to you regarding your tea party in May. Would you permit me to join?”

We were warned against using our social positions or our parents’ authority to influence life at the academy. It wasn’t a realistic expectation; some things couldn’t be ignored.

Prince Julius breathed a sigh. “Angelica, drop the intimidation act. This is the academy.”

“I am aware. But this fuss and bother you trail has begun to grate.” School grounds or not, Angelica was the daughter of a duke. No one was stupid enough to defy her.

“So that’s the protagonist’s rival, huh? She does look formidable,” I muttered to myself.

Suddenly, I noticed a girl standing apart from the crowd. The moment I spotted her, my eyes narrowed. Where Angelica stunned with exquisite beauty, this blonde-haired, blue-eyed viscount’s daughter came off as dainty and cute. Marie Fou Lafan.

I just couldn’t get over my unease about this girl. Looking at her made my hackles rise. It wasn’t hate—it was something more complex. I couldn’t put it into words.

Jilk noticed Marie’s gaze and got the prince’s attention. “Your Highness…”

“Hmm? Oh. Marie, perfect timing.” The prince smiled at her. “I was looking for you. Would you join me?”

Angelica’s brows twitched, then furrowed as one of her followers whispered in her ear.

The tension hung thick in the air. Most people would have read the room and stayed back, despite the prince’s invitation. Marie stepped forward.

This standoff unfolded just a few meters from our bench. Daniel wrapped his arms around his stomach as if about to be sick. “Can…I just go home?”

Raymond slightly shook his head. “No. We’d attract attention if we tried to move. So that’s the girl from the rumors, huh?”

“You know about her, Raymond?” I asked under my breath.

“You really don’t know?” Raymond looked at me in surprise. “The story’s pretty infamous by now. Marie slapped Prince Julius across the face.”

Daniel was flabbergasted. “You’re kidding, right? That’s not what I heard. I heard she was eating lunch with a prominent nobleman, and she ordered a steak and ate it like she’d never seen a knife and fork before.”

It was Raymond’s turn to be taken aback. “Seriously? I hadn’t heard that one. But the one about her slapping the prince is definitely true. Apparently Prince Julius just laughed it off.”

Maybe the prince could shrug off being slapped in the face, but surely the rest of the nobility couldn’t dismiss it. And for a noblewoman to have such poor table manners…

Hey, wait.

“A slap…and a steak?”

That sounded familiar, somehow. Had I heard these rumors before? I couldn’t remember.

Marie’s adorable voice cut through my thoughts. “You called for me, Your Highness?”

“Boys at the school will be holding tea parties in May. I don’t want to do anything too elaborate, so I planned to just invite acquaintances. I was hoping you would join me.”

“Prince Julius,” Angelica objected, “there are regulations. I don’t mean to say that you must have an elaborate party, but it ought to be at a scale appropriate to your status.”

Then I had it—well, I had something: this was one of the main story events in the game, wasn’t it? But the protagonist didn’t seem to be present. Curious, I surveyed the area.

Raymond noticed my distraction. “What are you doing?”

“I’m just looking for someone… Is the scholarship student around?”

He glanced about, then shook his head. “Nope. Besides, she wouldn’t hang out here. Now be quiet and watch. We have to hold out until the storm passes.”

Other students had attempted to enter the courtyard, only to notice the tension in the air and turn on their heels. I envied their ability to escape.

“Enough, Angelica!” the prince snapped. “This is the academy. I’m just another student here. You may be my betrothed, but that doesn’t give you the right to interfere in my life.”

Angelica’s pinky twitched, and she inclined her head. “I overstepped my bounds.”

With those words, she stepped back, though she glowered at Marie. Then she took her leave, her entourage sneering at Marie as they followed.

“I’m sorry, Marie,” Julius said. “I hope that didn’t upset you.”

“N-no, I’m fine. But are you really sure it’s okay for me to attend your party?”

“The prince isn’t fond of formalities. He wants to hold a more casual affair. We would love for you to join us,” Jilk shrugged, then chuckled. “Plus, this is the first time I’ve seen the prince be so insistent on inviting a lady.”

Embarrassed, the prince averted his gaze. “A-anyway, I do hope you’ll come. Let’s go, Jilk.”

As the prince and Jilk began to withdraw, their little minions followed close behind. Unlike Angelica’s followers, their expressions were conflicted as they glanced at Marie.

Daniel and Raymond breathed a sigh of relief that we were finally free, but I kept my gaze trained on Marie. No one else had seen it, but for a fraction of a second, she relaxed her facade. A smirk crossed her face.

I finally peeled my eyes away, followed my two friends, and left.

***

 

On the first day of etiquette class for the tea parties, our professor looked the flawless gentleman. With his hair cleanly swept back, he stood tall and slender in his well-fitted suit.

Tables were scattered about the room with sweets and tea already prepared.

“Listen carefully,” he said. “Assume a woman pays attention to every detail when you invite her for tea. From your bearings and demeanor, she can determine your level of education and the nature of your very person. If you entertain her properly, she will leave with a favorable impression of you.”

All of the first-year boys gathered close to learn.

My big ol’ dad and his big bushy beard had also learned the meticulous etiquette necessary for tea parties, but he claimed he’d forgotten all of it after he graduated. Did women really care how a man poured tea and whatnot? I mean, these were the same women that paraded their demi-human slave lovers around just to show them off. And we were the ones who needed to class it up?

“You there, Mister Leon! You need to take this seriously. Focus!” the professor scolded.

“Y-yes, sir!”

The wealthy heirs and scions of court nobles snickered.

“What do you expect of a country bumpkin?”

“Got a big head on his shoulders just because he distinguished himself a little.”

“An uncivilized barbarian doesn’t belong here. Adventuring better suits his ilk.”

The professor straightened his spine and resumed instruction. “Above all else, you must attend to your party’s atmosphere. Simply gathering the necessary supplies and securing an empty room is no reason to be complacent! Each cup, each plate—every single piece requires your utmost consideration. The occasion must feel special. If you stop at the basics, you’re not good enough to even be considered third-rate!”

What was the point of such a meaningless class? When I graduate, I’m never going to use this stuff again.

The professor must have read my mind. “Mister Leon, it seems you still do not comprehend. Allow me to demonstrate what a true tea party looks like for you.”

He made good on his threat and called me up in front of the class. Whatever. I had no interest in tea—nor had I ever. I didn’t see the point in expensive dried weeds and so on. The cheap stuff was just as good, right? But if the professor was going to role-play hosting me, I’d just have to pretend to be impressed while I mocked him on the inside.

“Oh yay, I’m so looking forward to it,” I said with fake enthusiasm.

The professor adjusted his neck collar, eager to display his skill. “Wonderful. Please enjoy.”

Go ahead and brag to me about your fancy leaves and tooth-rotting sweets. I’ll feign interest and laugh at you all the while.

I was so sure that was how things would go…

 

***

 

As soon as class finished, I raced to flag down the instructor. “Professor! I was truly moved!”

He held his head up high, his movements graceful as he peered over his shoulder and stroked his fingers over his finely trimmed mustache.

Holy crap… Even the way he turned was gentlemanly!

“Mister Leon… So it seems you finally understand.”

Indeed, I was mortified. “Yes! I completely underestimated the wonder of tea. To be honest, I mocked it. I’m so ashamed, but I swear to do better in the future. I hope to one day hold a tea party as perfect as the one you just demonstrated, Professor!”

He smiled. “That’s wonderful, but you’re mistaken about one thing.”

“What?”

The professor turned his entire body to face me, then rested his right hand over his chest. The way he moved was so inhumanly elegant. “Above all else, you must desire to entertain. I have yet to feel satisfied with my own performance. I am still very much on my own journey to perfection.”

“N-no way,” I gasped. “You’re not perfect?”

He nodded. “Unfortunately I am not, despite my goal to entertain my guests to my utmost ability. However, I can still teach you the foundations of the art. Mister Leon, let us walk together on this path to tea mastery!”

“Yes, Prof—I mean, yes, Master!”

As my prof—master and I continued to chat, I could hear Daniel and Raymond muttering behind me.

“Did Leon hit his head or something?”

“Who knows? I mean, this stuff can only help him, so who cares, right?”

 

***

 

I sent out an invitation for the May tea party, and after receiving an affirmative response, I borrowed a room from the school and began my preparations. A number of special rooms were made available at the school, and it was common for students to borrow them to entertain guests. I might have preferred a more appropriate venue for my new art, but given the constraints of the tradition, I settled for the on-campus site.

After consulting with my master, I assembled a tea set, tea leaves, and hors d’oeuvres for the party. Then I set about cleaning the room and setting everything meticulously in place. All that remained was to wait for my guest to arrive.

Luxion floated in the middle of the room, examining my work. “You really put effort into this. Hard to believe you’re the same person who was plotting to send in a professional to handle it for you just a few weeks ago.”

“Put a cork in it. If you see anything amiss, let me know.” I ran a final check over everything before slipping out my pocket watch to check the time. The lady I had invited was the second daughter of a baron.

“I truly cannot comprehend you new humans,” Luxion said. “Couldn’t you just examine gene compatibility and pick the most appropriate partner that way?”

“Kind of hard to do when no one here can examine people’s genes.”

“Then I have nothing more to say.”

Just then, the lady walked in. “Heya.”

“Greetings, miss, welcome to…uh?”

Her attitude was so casual, but that wasn’t what threw me; two girls I hadn’t invited followed behind her, tittering.

“They’re my friends,” the baron’s daughter said breezily. “We figured we’d kill some time together. We’re invited to a huge tea party by the heir of the Field earldom, but we still have some time before we have to leave.”

The heirs of the elite families hosted tea parties that were utterly massive compared to what the rest of us were doing, complete with carriages to ferry their guests.

“O-oh, I didn’t realize. Well then, what time will you be leaving?” I asked.

“In about thirty minutes. We were bored out of our minds when I suddenly remembered I’d accepted an invitation from you.”

The two tagalongs dragged over their own chairs, then plopped down and started chowing down on the hors d’oeuvres.

“Have some tea as well,” I offered.

With the three of them crowded around the table, I had nowhere to sit. They chatted animatedly among themselves about the upcoming party. I basically acted as their servant, filling tea cups and hauling out more sweets.

In exactly half an hour, they stood up from their mess and started toward the door.

“Well, see ya,” the baron’s daughter said. “The snacks were okay, but if you can’t afford anything better than that, girls aren’t going to like you. Be more careful next time, ’kay?”

As if she’d done me some great service with this “advice,” she left with her friends, babbling as they headed for the Field heir’s party. They didn’t even thank me for my hospitality.

“I had these snacks prepared fresh today from a really good store. It cost me a mint, and they want me to spend even more?” My shoulders slumped.

I stared down at the table covered in dirty plates and cups, then gazed up at the ceiling. “Master, the path to tea mastery seems to be a long and treacherous one.”

I set about cleaning the mess, tears of frustration pricking my eyes. Suddenly, I heard voices outside…like a number of female students bickering.

“You don’t deserve to attend!”

“B-but I received an invitation—”

“That was merely courtesy. Have some sense, commoner!”

The echo of a dozen footsteps faded as one of the ladies admonished her companions, “The Field heir’s party will start without us if we don’t hurry.”

Could this “commoner” be the game’s protagonist? I peeked out my door. I anticipated a beauty with an impressive aura, not unlike Angelica, but the girl sitting on the floor in the middle of the hallway betrayed all my expectations.

Her blondish-brown hair was cropped in a mid-length bob. There was nothing charismatic or commanding about her. Her eyes were blue mixed with green, and she had soft facial features. The complete opposite of her programmed rival.

I mean, she was pretty. But she was…ordinary.

“Maybe she’s the type that needs a little work to truly shine?” I muttered to myself. “Still, she’s way more subdued than I thought she’d be.”

She was staring at a shredded invitation on the floor.

Luxion, who’d pretended to be mere decor as he watched what transpired at my tea party, hovered over my shoulder. “This is what you humans refer to as bullying, yes? A scholarship student who’s not a noble… No doubt many students are displeased to have a commoner in their midst.”

“Seems that way.”

The dejected girl started collecting the pieces of her torn-up invitation.

I glanced over my shoulder, peering back inside my room. “I guess I still have the supplies for one more guest.”

I just couldn’t leave the girl alone, you know? Not when she looked so devastated.

“Hey, you! Up for some tea?” I asked casually, like some player trying to pick up girls.

The protagonist lifted her face and stared at me in surprise.

 

***

 

This time, it actually felt like a tea party.

“Huh, so you got invited to the Field heir’s party, too.”

“Yes,” she replied. “He said it might be interesting to talk to a scholarship student and invited me along, but everyone else said I have no business showing up…since I’m a commoner.”

I popped one of the sweets into my mouth, enjoying the fragrance of the tea as we chatted. It had taken a little coaxing to get the protagonist—her name was Olivia—to try anything. But now as she ate, her face lit up and all traces of sadness vanished. My mood brightened knowing my efforts hadn’t been entirely in vain.

She hesitated when she looked at the tea. “This is really expensive, isn’t it? Are you sure it’s okay for me to drink this?”

Her modesty gave me pause. Who’s the Japanese jerkass who accused her of being calculating?!

“Eh, it’s too much for me to drink on my own. You’d be doing me a favor,” I assured her. “Anyway, it sounds like you’re having a really tough time.”

I wasn’t exactly planning on getting involved with her—the opposite, in fact—but I was curious about which love interest she was pursuing. It wouldn’t hurt to know what route the protagonist was going down. Whoever she hooked up with would have some level of impact on my life…maybe.

Yeah, actually, none whatsoever.

So what? I was curious who she was going to end up with. Sue me.

“I was really excited about being invited to the Field heir’s party but I guess there’s no hope, is there?” She looked depressed.

Brad Fou Field would inherit an earldom at the edge of the kingdom. Thanks to his long purple hair, the arrogant jerk stood out in a crowd. As one of the elite nobles, his family owned a vast spread of land with an enormous manor—suffice to say, they oozed wealth. Bartfort House couldn’t compare.

Brad did more as a strategist than a frontline soldier. An advisor, you might say, someone intelligent, with the brains to lead military forces. In the game, I thought of him as the magic-obsessed narcissistic prick with an inferiority complex.

While Brad excelled in magic, his comparative lack of skill in close combat shamed him. Regional lords loved to brag about their prowess in martial arts. They preferred brawn to brains, and they measured themselves by their skill in piloting Armor. Brad came from a regional lordship and was self-conscious about his lack of physical ability. If someone brought it up, he exploded with rage.

More simply put, he was a pain in the ass.

Actually, wait. Now that I thought about, all of the love interests were annoying douchebags.

Olivia’s face clouded over, and she gazed down at her lap. “Do you think maybe I should never have come here? I’m trying my best, really, but I’m only barely managing to keep up with everyone else. I don’t even know why I was allowed to attend.”

Oh yeah, at the beginning of the game, her stats were low and she really struggled at the academy.

Prince Julius and the rest of the love interest pricks helped cover for her in the game, but right now, Olivia seemed basically on her own. But why was she still fending for herself at this point in the timeline? Even if she hadn’t triggered anything with other love interests, Prince Julius should have been looking out for her. Were things unfolding differently here in reality?

I shared no classes with Olivia, so the two of us had never really interacted, and I had no idea what was going on. I just assumed life was running smoothly for her, as it had in the game. Even if she didn’t end up with Prince Julius for whatever reason, she would be fine as long as she got close with one of the other love interests.

But judging from what Olivia described, she’d been alone for almost a month now. Her situation was even more miserable than mine. Forget looking for a marriage partner, she didn’t even have a friend. That had to be isolating.

The men from the elite families ignored her for her common status, and guys like me, desperately hunting for brides, didn’t have time to waste associating with someone like her. The only reason the love interests bothered interacting with Olivia in the game was because they all already had fiancées (and man, I was envious). As for the other girls, they likely didn’t understand why a commoner had even been allowed to attend the academy and begrudged her for it. Olivia was in a tough spot.

But something was odd about this. Olivia really should have met all of the love interests by now. The introduction events were compulsory; you couldn’t even skip them in gameplay.

Then, for some reason, I remembered Marie…and that eerie smirk I’d glimpsed on her face.

“Uh, um…” Olivia seemed flustered at my silence. “I-I’m sorry if I spoke inappropriately!”

Honestly, I wished the other girls at the academy would learn from her example. She was a goddess. Really, who was the other-life scumbag who’d dared to accuse her of being calculating?! Who? I’d like to sock him in the pre-incarnated face.

“I was just doing a little thinking,” I assured her. “At any rate, it’s the first time we’ve ever had a scholarship student. I’m sure everyone is struggling to adjust, not just you. It’s probably best not to overthink things right now.”

It wasn’t terribly groundbreaking advice. Just because I’d been a productive member of society in my previous life didn’t mean I had earthshattering wisdom to impart.

Olivia nodded. “I guess you’re right.” She looked up at me. “Is it…really all right for me to be here?”

“Huh? Of course it is,” I blurted. You are the protagonist, after all.

“Wh-why do you say that?” Olivia stammered. “People tell me every day that I don’t belong.”

“Uh, well, you know…” I admittedly had special knowledge about her situation, so perhaps my answer had seemed odd. I reached for the first thing that popped into my head. “The palace determined your enrollment. You shouldn’t be fielding the complaints of the other students. They don’t have any right to tell you whether you deserve to be here or not.”

Olivia blinked. “B-but they all—”

“They should drop out if they can’t handle it.” I shrugged. “They can tell you to leave all they want, but the palace decided on you. Why not tell the students you’ll forward their complaints to the relevant authorities? I doubt many would have a clever retort prepared for that.”

And surely the love interests would protect her if she needed them. Everything would be fine. Probably.

Although after hearing how she’d spent her time at the academy thus far, I was a bit apprehensive. Were things really going to work out when she hadn’t met any of the guys, let alone triggered the necessary events for their routes?

“I’d like to study magic more,” Olivia mumbled. “But there’s all these unwritten rules at the academy that I don’t know about… Lately, people have been pulling pranks on me with my textbooks. It’s been miserable.”

I knew about unwritten rules. The boys at the academy had a number of them. No doubt the girls’ were even more vicious.

It was a huge handicap to attend this institution without knowing those rules. Now that I thought about it, there was a scene in the game where the villainess accused the protagonist of not following them. In the game, the protagonist had the love interests to look out for her…but Olivia had no one in her corner.

I couldn’t just abandon her. “I might know someone who’s an expert on these rules,” I said slowly. “I think I can help you out here.”

“Really?!” Olivia beamed, her delight blinding.

Wasting no time, I called in my older sister. Jenna needed to make herself useful occasionally, after all. I’d just have to wave a little money about to get her moving. Even if she was reluctant, I was sure she’d share her knowledge eventually.

 

***

 

I poured tea for Jenna. Honestly, I was tempted to use the cheapest leaves I could find or spike her drink, but then I pictured my master’s face and decided against it. It would wound me too much to ruin a tea party with petty revenge.

Jenna sat there petulantly, her cat-eared servant standing behind her, arms folded. “Color me impressed that an uncivilized brute like you thought to summon me.”

I snorted. “Color me impressed that you had enough sense to come when I called you. Now enough, hurry up and tell her about these weird rules.”

I gestured at Olivia. For her part, Olivia looked a bit sheepish, glancing between us, but I remained unruffled as I took my own seat.

Jenna covered her forehead with her hand. “Fine. But tell me, what do you expect to get out of helping the scholarship student?”

Olivia’s happiness would be the salvation of this country in the future. There was no downside to making sure she was in my debt. Besides, I’d bought Luxion to be her treasure, theoretically; this was the least I could do to compensate her.

“This is precisely why I hate people who only do things for personal benefit,” I said. “Maybe you should learn about a little something called kindness, hmm?”

Jenna clicked her tongue. Then she seemed to remember that our family’s newfound wealth was the only reason she had been able to purchase the stunning slave standing behind her. Turning her gaze to Olivia, she asked, “Did you pay the proper respects to the girls in your class? Or at least the most affluent girl?”

Olivia shook her head. “I can’t even get close to her.”

“Make sure to write her a letter. Delivering a gift and paying your respects is the first rule to which you must adhere. If her entourage is too large, then ask someone to be your intermediary. Find the girl with the most important position among her followers. Hand her the letter and ask her to deliver the gift while she’s at it. And of course, you must research the girl’s preferences before you acquire the gift.”

“That’s bribery!” I exclaimed.

“Oh, pipe down,” Jenna huffed. “Bribery runs the world—and smoothly. Oh, and don’t even think about giving her money. That’s uncouth. You’ll anger her. Your safest bets are sweets or tea leaves from a popular store. If you screw this up, you’ll only doom yourself.”

Olivia was eagerly writing down notes, but her pen suddenly stopped. “I-I don’t have that kind of money.”

Jenna shot me a look. “Have this louse buy it for you. This whole tutoring session was his idea. Paying for you is the least he can do.”

The surprise attack caught me off guard. I’d thought of myself as an unrelated bystander bearing witness to the rigors of womanhood. “Wh-what—”

Jenna continued, “If she asks to meet you directly or gives you a return gift, then you’re in the clear. After that, just don’t do anything to irritate her and you’ll be safe until graduation.”

Tears welled in Olivia’s eyes, and she turned to look at me.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll pay for you,” I said.

“Thank you. I swear I’ll pay you back!”

I wished the other academy girls knew how to express gratitude half so well. I glanced at Jenna—she was shoveling my hors d’oeuvres into her mouth.

Jenna caught me shaking my head in disgust and motioned to her servant. The cat-eared man reached toward me, but I scrambled out of the way. I was no match for a demi-human’s strength. No way was I going to mess with that.

 

***

 

A few days later, Angelica summoned Olivia to her quarters.

Angelica sipped her tea gracefully as she eyed the nervous commoner in front of her. The tea leaves were naturally of the highest quality, better than what most of the tea parties had probably served, even when their hosts had been trying to impress. Such was the norm for her.

“I have no idea who tipped you off, but I must compliment you for coming to pay your respects…eventually.” Angelica returned her cup to its saucer and narrowed her eyes at Olivia. “You should spend your time here in a way appropriate to your station. Commoners like you don’t belong at this academy. But as long as you understand that and quietly keep to yourself, I don’t mind your attendance.”

The academy insisted it was unique, cut off from the etiquette of the outside world in an effort to treat all students equally, but it had its own rules. Paying respects to Angelica was one of them. The academy didn’t recognize the visit as compulsory, yet it was functionally so for those who wished to pass their school days in peace.

Olivia, with no power of her own and no one to support her, was obliged to follow every such rule. Inside the academy, she was beneath absolutely everyone.

“Uh, um, so you’ll let me stay then?” Olivia asked with a note of concern.

What a question.

Angelica shooed her few followers out of the room, then addressed Olivia with a considerably softer tone. “You’re supposed to just drink your tea, nod, and go home. This would already be over if you’d just play your part. You’re making this complicated by asking questions.”

“Sorry…?”

Angelica sighed, exhaustion creeping over her. “It has nothing to do with me allowing you to be here. Do you really think I was the one trying to chase you out to begin with? I have no interest in the scholarship nonsense. To be honest, I have better things to do than bother with you.”

Olivia’s brows furrowed.

“You’re at least better than that woman who keeps trying to cuddle up to the prince,” Angelica muttered.

“Did you say something…?” Olivia asked.

“It’s nothing.” Angelica smiled faintly. She could be intense and had given in to her share of rage-fueled outbursts, but for now, she was simply curious about the girl in front of her. “Tell me, scholarship student, who was it who told you to come greet me? Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not asking because I begrudge them for it. It’s just that everyone seems to be keeping their distance from you.”

All of the boys were too busy hunting down marriage partners to bother with someone as pointless as Olivia, and all of the girls loathed her very presence. Angelica couldn’t help but wonder who, among all of them, would bother reaching out to help.

Olivia hesitated for a moment before finally admitting, “Leon. He introduced me to his older sister, who told me a few things.”

“The Bartfort family’s third son?” Angelica hummed thoughtfully. “He is an eccentric one. Though I don’t dislike him.”

“You know him?”

“You don’t? He’s famous, you know. One of the most promising of our generation, sure to be a knight.” Angelica smiled slightly. “In fact, I was shocked when I heard he’d managed to earn the rank of baron all on his own. As an adventurer, he accomplished what most only ever dream of. Truly impressive. His temperament doesn’t seem bad, either. Perhaps I should find an opportunity to speak with the prince about him.”

Olivia just stared at her, clearly mystified.