- I know you don't accept such things... but just in case...
Tilia, looking at her small notes, turned her head towards the voice coming from around the corner of the wall. The area on the fourth floor of the academic building was a place rarely visited by people. There, in the cold air typical of a stone building, stood a girl with a youthful face and a guy with his back turned.
Tilia watched the girl, who seemed to be no older than a freshman, and then looked away. The man's blond hair shone brightly in the hazy light coming through the north-facing window.
- Open it. I included the key in the letter!
Another common confession.
Deciding that she had chosen the wrong place to study, she was about to turn around when the girl's desperate voice was heard again.
- This is the key to my dorm room. I thought that even if you are not interested in my confession, you might like this...
What was it about this man that made her go this far? Tilia tilted her head slightly, curious to see the man's face.
As expected.
Tilia realized who he was without realizing it even before she saw his familiar face.
Этим мужчиной был не кто иной, как Айлекс Дэвенпорт, которого она очень хорошо знала. Second son of the famous Davenport family.
Well, of course he'll take the key. He is, after all, the Academy's notorious playboy.
With a wry smile, Tilia turned and walked down the stairs, leaving them behind.
- I'm telling you, Tilia Ambrose is perfect for this.
She didn't even have time to go down to the second floor, where the lecture halls were located, when her own name made her stop.
Is today the day to eavesdrop on something?
With an impassive face, Tilia looked at the whispering group gathered in front of the men's room. Once again, she already knew the faces of the participants. These were the ones who luckily managed to get into the Academy, but were unable to pass their final exams and were now stuck in academic extension limbo.
- Я говорю тебе, она та самая. You can take her away and just do whatever you want with her without any consequences.
The moment Tilia stepped forward, intent on spitting in Gregory Myers' face for passionately explaining what a slut she was...
- Look who's here! Isn't this the young lord who received another recognition?
Myers happily greeted Ilex, who appeared to have descended the opposite staircase.
- Man, how many times has this happened already? She gave you the key again, huh?
Just a few minutes ago, Gregory Myers had been strutting around like the leader of the pack, but now he was wagging his tail like a dog that had just found its owner, enthusiastically running up to Ilex.
- Жизнь так несправедлива. Girls just throw themselves at you, and I have to spend money... oh!
Tili paused, watching as Ilex Davenport lazily tossed a red box at the smarmy Myers. It was the same box that the freshman girl had shyly handed to him earlier.
- Is this for me?
Seeing how Gregory's face lit up with joy from the unexpected gift, Tilia could not help but laugh bitterly.
Certainly. Men always exceeded her expectations. She thought that while they might neglect the senses, they at least valued the physical side. But convey it like this? What a bunch of scum, eager to turn into even dirtier dogs.
Her laughter must have been louder than she thought, because a group of men joking in front of the toilet turned and looked in her direction.
- Oh... uh, Tilia...
Gregory Myers's face immediately turned pale, probably remembering what he had just said.
- Hello, Gregory Myers.
- H-hello, Tilia...
- But Gregory...
As if the polite greeting convinced him that she had not overheard the previous conversation, Gregory's face relaxed, but then Tilia spoke again in a soft tone.
- I would never sleep with you.
- …What?
“Even if I slept with every man in the world, I would never sleep with you.”
Tilia smiled sweetly at Gregory Myers, whose face was now a deep shade of red.
“I’d rather dig through a trash can than sleep with a toilet.”
Leaving Gregory, who now looked like an angry toad, behind, Tilia walked down the corridor. As she passed Ilex Davenport's impassive face, she thought she might have caught him looking in her direction, but it was probably just her imagination. Tilia never looked back at the trash.
***
In front of the white lecture hall, where compulsory humanities classes were held, stood a bronze fountain depicting three men holding a giant globe. Surrounded by round cypress trees, the fountain gave way to an alley lined with ancient larches.
Walking along the long path leading to the central library, Tilia turned her head at a sudden noise coming from the large training ground, where sunlight poured mercilessly through the tall tree trunks.
The two men were busy dueling.
- This is Ilex Davenport.
Judy Wells, walking next to her, adjusted her thick glasses and began chatting.
- Let's see... hmm, he's pretty good. He moves like he's lazy, but his fundamentals are strong. He swings his sword without unnecessary movements.
Judy, the youngest daughter of the Wells family, which has given the world many outstanding knights, continued to comment without pause.
-Who is his opponent? Judging by his physique, it must be...
- You have too much free time. Exams are coming soon.
Unlike Judy, who stood on her tiptoes to get a better view, Tilia's face showed no interest.
- Now that everyone has come here to look, there are enough free places in the library.
“You’re always so indifferent to such things,” Judy laughed, turning her head to Tilia. - But you can’t deny that he’s handsome, right?
Tilia, whose jet-black hair framed piercing green eyes, quickened her steps without answering.
- Come on, you have to admit it. Ilex Davenport is definitely attractive.
Judy continued to chat, hurrying to catch up with her friend.
- This face is not ordinary at all. Plus, he's top of his class and comes from a good family. Ah, I guess the problem is that he knows it all too well.
She leaned in as if sharing a secret.
- Ilex Davenport dragged another girl into his dorm yesterday. What was her name? She's a new student, I think.
Luckily, the freshman seemed to be okay.
Without even trying to hide her contempt, Tilia answered dryly:
- He seems to have a lot of energy. It must be tedious.
- Именно так! While some of us are struggling not to fail our exams, Davenport is busy every day with girls and fencing...
Judy sighed, and Tilia, unmoved by either the praise or the gossip, continued to walk next to her with a distant expression on her face.
-…Seriously.
But there was a hint of emotion in the next words.
- The world is really unfair, isn't it?
Отброс Академии. Tilia muttered the well-known nickname as her gaze fell on the man in question - Ilex Davenport, the second son of the Davenport family, who was unmatched in wealth and fame in the kingdom.
His bright blond hair shone even on the large, dusty training ground, and his well-built, balanced body moved with ease, as if taunting his opponent. His appearance, far superior to the ordinary men around him, shone brightly against the virgin whiteness of his training uniform.
Despite this, Tilia raised one corner of her lips, a frown appearing on her face.
What's the point of studying swordsmanship at the Royal Academy?
For nobles who had no intention of becoming knights, sword fights had no meaning. But instinct often chose passion instead of reason. Behind the rapidly moving Ilex stood a group of female students, like a flock of sparrows, who pretended not to watch him, but could not take their eyes off him.
Instinctively he knew it would work.
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