Chapter 57: Is this letter genuine?

Even so, I don’t feel as dark as before because I have allies.

I think it’s because I might have gotten a disease that makes people hate me.

After all, if I can just get through this, I can quietly live in some remote place or live a life unrelated to Duke Augren’s daughter, Elena, as a commoner.

“It’s just that I only have to get through this.”

I seem to have muttered to myself.

“Is something wrong?”

She heard that I said something, so Miss Brenda asks.

“Oh, no, it’s nothing. I just said something to myself.”

“That happens to everyone.”

One of Miss Brenda’s friends, a person with a soft atmosphere, nodded. It’s nice to be able to talk to them without feeling too guarded.

“You must not let your guard down, Linea-sama. You never know what might be taken from you.”

The other one is a bit of a worrier. I used to think she was a little strict, but now I understand that it’s because she is a little squinty-eyed and worries too much.

“That’s really true. I’ve been blamed for that before.”

I nod. Because Duke Augren’s daughter always tries to take all of my words negatively, I have to be careful not to slip my mouth carelessly when I’m nearby.

Then Miss Brenda pressed her finger to her jaw and narrowed her eyebrows.

“Even I don’t understand why she is so obsessed with Linea-sama…it’s natural to look down on Count’s daughter.”

She said this because there was no one around us except us.

Even though we were walking to the entrance, we were walking in a place where there were fewer people. Probably after bringing my friends and me together, we were planning to have a conversation that we didn’t want to be heard by others.

“…is there any personal grudge?”

“There is no contact in the first place. My real father never took me to parties, so I haven’t seen much of the other side. Because of that, I haven’t had many opportunities to get to know people of the same age.”

When I cocked my head, the soft-hearted miss folded her arms.

“Uh-uh. It really is a mystery.”

“Is there a grudge against the previous house?”

The anxious miss said that, but quickly shook her head.

“No, but she’s acting like she has too much of a grudge against Linea-sama herself…”

At that, the anxious lady opened her eyes wide.

“For example, Linea-sama always excels at violin playing, even though Duke Augren’s daughter boasted about having hired a famous performer as a teacher.”

“Is that what it is?”

Miss Brenda shrugged her head, but couldn’t think of anything else.

“It seems difficult to do anything about a grudge in reverse…”

We could only sigh together.

It was then that we approached the entrance.

“Um.”

The woman who quietly approached was the Academy’s servant.

She was an older woman, who seemed somewhat tired of living, compared to me.

“I have received this for you, Count Radin’s daughter.”

I take the white envelope that was handed to me.

When I turn it over, I see Lars-sama’s name written in a rushed, handwriting-like style.

“Lars-sama …?”

When I look inside, it says he wants to meet at the Academy’s lotus pond. It seems like there is something to talk about there.

I would rather talk to him when we meet face to face at the Duke’s house later…

I tilt my head at the clearly unusual content.

“What’s the matter?”

Miss Brenda asked, so I showed her the letter. She should have seen Lars-sama’s writing many times, so I thought she could judge if it was really from him.

“It does look a bit like Lars-sama’s writing … but it’s strange to write in a hurry within the Academy.”

Then she laughed and said, “Shall we go together, Linea-sama? And who knows, we might find something while we’re at it.”

At that time, Miss Brenda showed a wicked smile.

Without any reason to decline, I decided to go to the place specified in the letter with Miss Brenda. The two Miss Brenda’s friends are sent home just in case.

If the person who made this letter was someone of high status… it would be a bit of a hassle.

(If it were me or Miss Brenda, there is a way to immediately ask Lars-sama, but they don’t have direct interaction with Lars-sama)

For their own safety, there’s no other choice but to do it this way.

And so I came to the Academy’s lotus pond.

It was a corner of the Academy’s garden that looked out at the building.

But the pond was surrounded by tall trees and felt a little cut off from the surroundings.

It’s not easy to see who is there until you get closer.

“Ah… it looks like the first guess was correct,” Miss Brenda mutters.

What we saw was the young lady with platinum hair and her usual entourage.

Elena, Duke Augren’s daughter and her group.