13
The dormitory hall was crowded with children who had descended there, exchanging conversations in a low noise. However, with just a passing glance, it was clear that more than half of the students had not arrived yet.
“Why so late? It’s almost eight-thirty!”
"Why? They're the nobles, aren't they? They'll show up before long, like they always do."
Members of wealthy, common families stood with their arms crossed, staring toward the stairs.
The nobles, as usual, were always late. They would arrive at official ceremonies later than the appointed time, and the higher the status of the lineage holder, the more late he became.
Until now, it has remained that way. People of high lineage like to appear in the end, as if delay is a crown that adorns their prestige.
“But it seems that the staff will not tolerate this.”
“Of course, that's how they are. My father told me that when he was young and studied at this academy, the rules were very strict.”
"So, will the nobles actually be punished? Penalty points, or even expulsion?"
“I think so.”
Evie heard these conversations from the children around her, and worry crept into her heart.
It is now eight twenty-eight minutes. There are only two minutes left until eight-thirty.
Fortunately, she saw Erin coming down the stairs. Behind her, there were other female students following her hurriedly, as if they were racing against time.
Evie looked at the scene, tilting her head in confusion.
“Did they… quarrel?”
No matter how you looked, it was clear that Erin was not getting along with these girls. The evidence for this is that she was walking with her face turned to the side, never looking at them.
On the contrary, the girls were desperately trying to say a word or two to Irene, as if begging for her attention.
At that moment, Evie's eyes met Eren's. Erin hesitated for a moment, then looked like she was going to take a step closer to Evie, but...
A short bell rang.
“Okay, it's eight-thirty. All the students inside the hall, please move outside.”
The staff stood like a barricade in front of the stairs, preventing any further delay, and only allowed the students who arrived at the lobby on time to exit the dormitory.
Evie walked outside with the other students. At that moment, I heard the voices of the late students coming down the stairs late.
"What is this behavior? Make way!"
"Penalty points? How dare you say that to us?"
“I got down on my feet! Do you think getting ready without a maid is easy?”
Students who were late were protesting strongly at the idea of receiving penalty points. Despite their delay, they spoke with absolute confidence.
“Who are we that anyone would dare treat us like this?”
In their entire lives, they had never had to court anyone. For everyone who met him, hearing their family name or the name of their fathers was enough for them to bow and respect.
They thought the academy wouldn't be much different.
However, after a day, that belief began to waver a little.
“I didn't expect them to actually stop us from bringing maids!”
But they thought this would not last long.
Their families, as well as the families of other students, constantly sent complaints to the academy.
Even if this was an institution affiliated with the Imperial Palace, it was, after all, subject to the management of the nobility.
She may seem solid at first, but sooner or later she will have to take nobility into account.
And more…
One of the students looked at the employee standing in front of her sharply and said:
“Do you think you will be okay after insulting the Greeden family like this?”
The Greden family, which had achieved considerable success during the War of Succession, was not as close to the Emperor as the Ragsleb family, but, thanks to its cunning and good conduct, it obtained a good fiefdom.
Maybe, if things went well, her older brother might join the next Imperial Guard.
So, outside of this academy, just mentioning Greden's family name was enough to make people bow in respect.
Of course, even here, the family name will carry some weight…
“The Greeden family?”
The employee nodded as if he understood, but his voice did not carry the respect or admiration the student had expected.
It was a sarcastic voice, as if he was mocking her.
The student took a step back, shocked.
The employee did not ask further, but turned and went elsewhere.
“What is this impudence? I won’t let it pass like that!”
But, in reality, there was nothing the students could do.
“Next student, say your name.”
In the face of the rigidity of the officials who did not budge despite mentioning the names of the families, the momentum of the nobles began to fade. They backed away with hesitant steps, while the employees recorded everyone's names.
Latecomers were not allowed to leave the dormitory until their penalty points were deducted.
* * *
Outside the dormitory, the students moved more quickly than they had before exiting. They realize that employees never slack off.
The staff led the students to the square. They were not asked to line up, so the students divided into small groups, walking with those they recognized or became friends with.
Some of them had made friends before joining the academy, but the majority were with their roommates.
Evie looked at those students with envious eyes, then looked away.
There, in the corner, Irene was surrounded by a crowd of students.
Many students were visiting her room, but outside the dormitory, the number of people courting her increased.
The supervising staff member even had to ask the students' voices around Irene to be lowered several times.
However, the girls kept trying in various ways to greet Irene or exchange a word with her, as if they did not want to give up this opportunity.
Evie looked at this scene, then looked away with some sadness.
Suddenly, a strange girl approached and stood next to Evie.
"Hello? You're Evie Alden, right? I'm Remora Issel."
The girl who introduced herself as Remura smiled brightly and extended her hand.
“Oh, hello!”
This was the first time anyone had approached Evie with such enthusiasm, and she quickly shook her hand in confusion.
Remora smiled and said:
“It may not seem obvious, but I am a commoner like you. So, although it may be difficult, I hope you will treat me simply.”
She said this while proudly running her hand over her jeweled pin, which was sparkling dazzlingly in the sunlight.
Despite her request to take it easy, the sparkle made Evie feel more cautious.
“I heard that you are from an orphanage, which one exactly? Do you want to? Maybe it is her, as it is the closest to the capital, and His Majesty the Emperor has visited it several times.”
"What?"
Evie couldn't understand Remura's words easily. Simply asking about the orphanage is acceptable, but why did you suddenly mention the name of a city near the capital? Why the emperor?
“Have you already decided which family you will move into after graduation? Or have you…”
Remora looked around warily, then whispered in a low voice:
“Are you, perhaps, an illegitimate daughter of some family?”
"What?"
Evie's eyes widened in surprise at the word
“Illegitimate.”
She knew the meaning of this word, and she knew how people usually hesitated when saying it.
But to be asked like this so suddenly?
Evie stood still, not knowing how to answer. Remora came closer, as if they were good friends, and took her arm as she continued to whisper:
“It's okay, you can tell me everything. We're friends, right? Anyway, there's no need to hide such things. If it's a good family, we might benefit from it later, right?”
Two girlfriends?
They just exchanged hellos!
It was Remora who spoke and asked the questions one-sidedly.
And now she calls her a friend? Evie felt completely confused.
And more…
“If we were friends, you wouldn’t ask such questions so rashly.”
Evie remembered her friends at the orphanage.
There were a large number of children there, and it was not easy to become friends with everyone.
There were those she knew by name only, and others with whom she did not have a good relationship.
But among all of them, there were true friends. Evie remembered very well how they treated her.
They were always considerate of each other's feelings, never saying hurtful words, or mentioning things that might make the other sad.
Therefore, they would not act like Remora was doing now, asking nosy questions and using harsh words without consideration.
After a short thought, Evie shook her head.
“No… all of this is not true. I am from the city of Elram in the east of the empire. Of course, I have never seen His Majesty the Emperor. I don’t know who my parents are, neither one nor the other.”
Evie responded firmly, and Remura dropped her arm in confusion.
“What? It can’t be... but the rumors clearly say...”
Remura muttered something to herself, then let go of Evie and headed towards the students she was with earlier.
When Evie was alone again, the noise of the students suddenly rose.
Evie looked to see what was happening, and at that moment, she saw a familiar face.
Among the students coming from the male dormitory, Arcel and Ruska were standing at the front.
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