65
“Ah... Ooh...”
“…”
“Ugh… oooh…”
“…”
“Argh...”
“Enough, I'm going crazy with this noise!”
Irene finally couldn't bear it, so she kicked Luska's chair under the table lightly.
“Oh, stop it!”
“If she hadn't kept making those weird noises, I wouldn't have!”
“Then say it verbally, verbally!”
“Does it seem that whoever is behaving like this will understand the words?!”
“However, is it possible that your kick should be your first response? Who would think that such a crazy buffalo is the Princess of the South... Ah!”
As usual, Irene and Luska were quarreling fiercely.
Arcel sighed as he watched the scene, then turned to Evie and said:
"Evie, there's no need to stare. Stupidity is contagious."
“Okay, okay...”
After Arcel's words, Evie quickly turned her head away from the two of them. Arcel pointed to an equation in his notebook and continued to address Evie:
"Let's continue our study. A moment ago, you were confused about this part of Tinniton's Law, weren't you? This is where the compensation comes in…"
As Arcel explained, Evie listened with astonished concentration. At that moment, Loska wriggled out of Irene's grip by the collar and rushed towards Arcel.
"Arcel, you! You only teach Evie! How can you ignore me when I'm struggling because of the midterm?!"
“Is this what you call suffering? I thought you were imitating a monster stabbed with a knife.”
Irene added sarcastically from the side:
"Was that it? I thought he was imitating an insect that had been poisoned."
Under the weight of the two's harsh evaluation, Lusca collapsed on the table again.
“No one understands my suffering... How long has it been since classes officially started? Why do we have to take an exam now?”
Irene responded to Luska's muttering as she neatly arranged her hair:
"It's the fault of those who didn't check the academy's schedule. We knew and prepared in advance, didn't we, Evie?"
"Yes!" Evie answered enthusiastically, and Irene smiled as if she was proud of her, and extended her hand to stroke Evie's head. Lusca muttered as he watched the scene:
“That's true, but why does this bother me? Oh, I don't mean you, Evie, but that Irene.”
But when he saw Irene's sharp look, she stood up
He quickly stepped back. At that moment, a distant bell rang, signaling the end of class.
Arcel closed the book and notebook he was showing Evie.
“Let's go to lunch first. Then, I'll explain the parts you don't understand.”
"Good!" Evie answered brightly, and Arcel laughed softly.
Originally, this time was reserved for Professor Mallis' class.
But he caught a severe cold, so the class turned into self-study.
Evie, who was excited to learn a new law, was clearly disappointed. Then, Arcel suggested that he let her know himself if she agreed, and asked her to sit next to him.
Ibiyi was very happy and ran to sit next to him. Irene saw it with her own eyes, and felt sad that she couldn't explain what Eppie needed.
Meanwhile, Luska was making strange noises of distaste for the upcoming exam, making Irene even more annoyed.
—
The four left the classroom after putting it in order. On their way to the dining hall, Evie held Irene's hand and spoke to Arcel:
“By the way, the book you gave me last time, I will return it in the next class.”
“There's no need to rush him back.”
“No, I already finished reading it.”
Evie laughed cheerfully, and Irene shot a sharp look at Arcel. The last time they went out, Arcel came back with a bunch of books and presented them to Evie, saying she might like them. Evie's reaction was explosive.
"Really? For me? Can I read them all?"
“Of course, I brought it for you.”
"Thanks! Thank you very much!"
A seven-year-old girl is thus affected by a theoretical scientific book!
“But, Arcel is being too kind to Evie.”
From what I heard about his personality, he shouldn't have cared for a kid like Evie. But, strangely enough, he was showing a special interest in her.
Even a while ago, when Evie was looking at her math book in confusion, he quietly approached her, leafed through the book with her, and smoothly explained the difficult parts to her.
Irene felt angry. She wasn't bad at math, but she wasn't at Arcel's level, so she couldn't help but watch.
—
When the four entered the dining hall, the students' eyes turned to them.
But, unlike the beginning, those looks were not filled with amazement. The sight of these four gathering at the academy had become a familiar and normal thing.
While they were choosing their seats and preparing their food, two eyes were staring at them with murderous gazes from afar. It was Izerella.
“Why did it become like this?”
Ezerella unconsciously bit her thumbnail.
At first, when she faced Irene, the situation wasn't that bad.
How many female students came to her that day saying they felt relieved? They gossiped about their dissatisfaction with Irene, who was proud of the title “Princess of the South” and condescending.
Irene was not the only target of gossip.
“I hope that girl will be expelled soon. The level of the academy has become worrying because of her.”
“Exactly. I don’t understand how she doesn’t have the sense to know her place. If she quietly stepped aside and studied at a higher rural school, that would be more suitable for her.”
“Even His Majesty the Emperor doesn’t care about her. Her choice was just a hasty decision. Didn’t rumors spread? In the literature classes I take, no one talks to her.”
The speakers did not forget Iserella's flattery.
“As I expected from Miss Iserella! Who else would have restored discipline so strictly?”
“That's right. Miss Iserella is the preschool community center in the capital. We're counting on you in the future!”
They praised her nobility and said that she was the only one who understood their hearts. This increased her self-confidence.
“I'm going to fire Irene, and that little one too.”
It won't be difficult. They may look put together now walking around together, but constant neglect will tire them out sooner or later. But the appearance of Arcel and Luska completely turned the tables.
“How did Irene become close to these two? Was she actually nominated as a candidate for the Crown Prince’s consort?”
“Losca is another matter, but Monsieur Arcel hates anyone getting close to him.
I heard that the number of students who can greet him warmly is very limited. However, he is with them…
“Even that poor girl is well taken care of. I heard them talking when I was sitting nearby...”
The students who had been gathering around Izerella dispersed as the tide faded.
Then, as if they were showing off, they started greeting Irene first.
Now, the academy's atmosphere has returned to what it was in the beginning.
The female students were competing to get closer to Irene. In the midst of this, Iserella heard a conversation between female students who were pretending to be close to her.
“If I had known things would turn out like this, I would have stayed friends with Irene.”
"correct. I thought Isirella would do something useful, but she was just showing off. Her fight with Irene was just personal hatred. “If it were someone else’s business, I wouldn’t have gotten involved.”
“Hmm, I feel a little pity for Izerella.”
“Why do you pity her?”
"Why not? If she had been nice to Irene, she would be in that poor girl's place right now, right? "I wasted a golden opportunity because of that little girl."
“You say you pity her, but why are you smiling?”
Hearing the sarcastic laughter, Izerella bit her lip and turned around. From that moment, the students' words continued to echo in her mind.
If you didn't antagonize Irene. If that poor girl hadn't intruded. Now, as the daughter of a major noble family, she would be a close friend of these three.
No matter what I thought, it seemed like the right path. These are heroes of imperial society, and perhaps candidates to become Emperor and Empress one day.
Izerella felt that everything in the academy was becoming chaotic. And all this because of that orphan girl.
Upon reflection, she realizes that her confrontation with Irene started because of Evie.
“Maybe that little girl did this on purpose to separate me from Irene.” If Irene, being as noble as she was, would have preferred to get closer to Iserella.
But she still clings to that girl, which makes Izerella wonder if the cunning Evie continues to snitch on her to Irene, inciting her against her.
The students gradually left Izerella's side. The more it did, the more convinced she became: if Evie disappeared, the academy would go back to what it was in her imagination.
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