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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Ramieli Academy Entrance Ceremony (3)
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"Zeke? Did you just say Zeke?"
Serena turned her head at the voice from behind her.
Her eyes trembled as she identified the owner of the voice.
Blood-red hair and crimson eyes.
A scrawny figure, her chest as flat as a cliff.
The corners of her eyes were tilted up maliciously, like a goblin's.
Another ducal family, one that had long shared a bitter history with the Johaiden Duchy.
The eldest daughter of the Justia family, Iriel Justia.
"Those unnecessarily large lumps of fat, that stupid-looking silver hair, and that crazy flower in your hair…"
As Serena turned to look at her, Iriel's eyebrow twitched, a sign she recognized her too.
"You are… Serena… Johaiden. Why are you here…? Weren't you unable to attend the academy?"
"Iriel."
Serena's thoughts froze for a moment at Iriel's sudden appearance, but she soon recalled her words.
"Iriel, how do you know Instructor Zeke?"
"No, I asked how you got here… Hmm? Instructor Zeke? Swordsmanship Instructor Zeke…?"
Iriel furrowed her brow, mulling over the words, and her expression changed.
Then, she glared at Serena with sharp eyes.
"Serena… what is your relationship with Zeke?"
"That's what I should be asking."
"Ha, so that's where Zeke was. The academy refused to tell me, no matter what… I thought he might be with the imperial family… but it was Johaiden?"
"…"
"Tsk. To think they kept it from me because of the likes of Johaiden. Should I file a direct complaint with Ramieli…?"
Iriel scoffed, as if in disbelief.
As they spoke, Serena suddenly felt something was off.
It seemed as if Iriel knew Instructor Zeke quite well.
In fact, didn't it sound like she already knew he was a swordsmanship instructor at Ramieli Academy?
Her brilliant mind deduced a single possibility she desperately didn't want to believe.
*'N-No way... Was the instructor sent to me by Iriel Justia?!'*
*Thump.*
Serena felt her heart sink.
It was entirely possible for a woman as vicious as Iriel.
The Johaiden and Justia duchies were situated close to one another, with a failing county lying between them.
Because of this, whenever they were summoned to the imperial palace or received invitations to social gatherings…
…there was no option to invite one and not the other.
With significant overlap in both territory and business interests, the two were on parallel tracks, unable to yield to one another.
If the imperial family had mediated between the two feuding duchies, things might have been different.
Instead, the cunning emperor of the empire…
…in order to maintain the central authority of the imperial family and keep the two powers in check…
…made them compete even on a political level.
It was only natural that their feelings for each other were far from amicable.
This was true not only for their fathers, the heads of the duchies…
…but Iriel and Serena had also been compared to each other since they were very young, fueling their rivalry.
While Serena tried to compete with her in a fair manner…
…Iriel resorted to cunning tactics.
She would buy out the dress shops or accessory stores Serena frequented, just to prevent them from selling to her.
Or she would bring her followers to parties they both attended and insult Serena to her face.
She even had people spread ridiculous, baseless rumors behind her back.
She tormented Serena by any means necessary.
Because Iriel was that kind of person…
…in Serena's eyes, it seemed as though Iriel knew everything and was only pretending not to, just to humiliate her now.
*'Instructor, why of all people... why her? Why!!!'*
If the woman from his past had been anyone else, Serena could have understood.
But not Iriel.
At least, not this woman. Never.
"Ha. Zeke Kleiman. I told him to come straight to me. Why was he wasting time in such a shabby place?"
*
Seeing Serena's resentful expression, Iriel seemed to guess something and flashed a sly, artificial smile.
"Oh my? What's with that look, Serena?"
"You, are you close with the instructor?"
"Hmm. Maybe I am? Maybe I'm not?"
Iriel sneered hatefully.
*'No, the instructor wouldn't, he couldn't!!!'*
Serena tried to trust Zeke and deny the situation, but…
…the fact that she knew nothing about him watered the seeds of doubt.
*'Come to think of it... from my very first meeting with the instructor...'*
One by one, the images of Zeke she had seen so far flashed through Serena's mind.
The strange way he seemed to refuse her after saving her life.
Then suddenly looking at her as if piercing through her…
…before changing his attitude and readily accepting her invitation to the mansion.
Getting involved in the punishment of the servants, adding to her debt to him.
Leading her on by showing her his swordsmanship.
Looking back now, Zeke had blended into her surroundings all too naturally.
A Northern Noble, whom no one would find strange even if he had no connections to the empire or other aristocrats.
Someone so intelligent, yet who acted as if he knew nothing about the Johaiden family.
Someone with a cold expression, as if devoid of all emotion.
A face so young he could be mistaken for her peer.
And on top of that, swordsmanship skills that were bizarrely strong.
*'Could such a person really have no affiliation or reputation?'*
Serena only knew that he had served as an ordinary soldier on the front lines before retiring and being appointed as an academy instructor.
But he was far too young to have retired.
To possess such swordsmanship, yet have no reputation, and then be appointed as an instructor at Ramieli Academy.
What if he was a spy, raised with the support of the Justia family, who had approached her as part of a plan?
What if he had been tailing her all along, and only made his dramatic appearance when her carriage was attacked by goblins and she was in danger?
As she began to view all the things she had believed without a shred of doubt with suspicion, everything seemed questionable.
*'…Was it all an act…? A-And after all that, he acted as if he'd n-never even heard of Iriel Justia…!'*
Serena felt a sharp pang, as if she'd been blindsided, her heart tearing apart.
It had only been a month. Their relationship was barely a month old, but…
…she realized just how much she had come to rely on and depend on him.
*'All this time... how pathetic must he have thought I was, smiling so foolishly in front of him...'*
Tears of betrayal welled in her eyes, and her body trembled.
Being betrayed by someone she thought never would was painful enough the first time…
…but this was already the second.
The first was Ciella. The second was Zeke.
*'Stupid Serena. Foolish Serena. Even after being deceived... you just giggled to yourself whenever you thought of him...'*
The detestable Iriel in front of her muttered to herself.
"He's so selfish. Hasn't changed a bit since the old days. That man."
"…"
She wanted to rip out the heart that had just been pounding over his every look, his every word.
No, even now, her heart still fluttered when she thought of him.
As if insisting that he could never do such a thing.
As if there had to be some reason.
That this was all clearly a misunderstanding.
*'I have to confirm it. I just have to confirm it.'*
Serena glared at Iriel with a look full of resentment.
"Iriel… what is your relationship with Zeke Kleiman."
"I've been asking you first, haven't I? What is your relationship with Zeke?"
"Just tell me!"
"Shut up, you flower-head."
"Eek!"
Just as they were about to lunge at each other, a middle-aged man spoke from behind them.
"My lady, the entrance ceremony is about to begin."
At those words, Iriel scowled, shot Serena a final glare, and turned away.
"You. We'll talk later."
But Serena, who still hadn't heard anything, couldn't let Iriel just leave.
"Wait! Where are you going! I'm not finished with you!"
"To the entrance ceremony. You know what happens if you don't go, don't you? Aren't you from a duchy too?"
"…"
"Ha, honestly. I should have known from the flower in your hair. Your intelligence really is lacking."
Serena's body froze.
The woman was right. If she missed the entrance ceremony, rumors would surely spread among the nobles.
A rumor that the Johaidens disrespected Ramieli Academy would certainly be damaging.
Considering how many children of noble families were there, she definitely had to go.
She had to go… But…
Serena closed her eyes and struggled to calm her emotions.
No matter how sharply the situation stabbed at her heart, she, too, had to attend the entrance ceremony.
Yes, in a little while, at the ceremony, she could confront Zeke and Iriel together and get the truth.
In her current emotional state, she was more likely to make a fool of herself by crying pathetically or shouting.
*'A noble who stands above others must not be swayed by emotion. Always consider your priorities.'*
Serena recalled her father's words and forced back the tears that threatened to spill.
But she couldn't stop the trembling in her fingertips.
Watching her, Iriel also pretended to be composed, but her own feelings were complicated.
*'Just how did that man get involved with Serena for her to be acting like this?'*
Iriel and Serena glared at each other.
Then they whipped their heads away,
but in the end, they were heading the same way.
"Stop following me, flower-head!"
"That's my line! You cliff!"
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