CH 28

[Melissa’s POV]

Melissa was from the village of Fiante, close to the capital of the Empire.

Melissa’s family was not very poor, as can be seen in the village of Fiante, which boasts a house price equivalent to the capital’s.

On the contrary, her life was on the side of abundance.

Melissa’s dream was to get a decent job and get a decent salary.

The reason was her family history.

The year Melissa was born was about a year after the war between humans and demons ended.

Melissa’s parents abandoned her shortly after the war ended, unable to withstand their barren environment.

Fortunately, however, Melissa was found by Amelia, her guardian, who took care of her, so she did not starve to death.

However, her guardian was the problem.

Her guardian did nothing to make money. Yet she poured money all over Melissa.

Thanks to her, Melissa lived a rich life. However, the richer she felt, the greater the sense of debt she felt towards her guardian.

As she matured, there was a sense of duty that grew in her to make money for her guardian.

Melissa’s ultimate goal was to have a decent job and earn enough money to support Amelia, who has raised her so far.

To do so, Melissa entered the academy.

Of course, Melissa, who entered the school with great aspirations, never dreamed that she would meet a classmate who swung her arms hard for her at the academy.

Lucy was about the same age as Melissa, but she was smaller than her, threatening men in her class who were bigger than her.

“…… Lucy, they’re not scared at all.”

Lucy didn’t look intimidating even if she lied. If she had to define it, it was more of a trifle.

Perhaps it wasn’t just Melissa who thought so, but also Flinch Rosento and Martin Simoe, who threw dirt on her, were also looking at Lucy with the same expression.

Melissa stared at Lucy like that.

An immature noble lady

If Lucy was as arrogant as any other noble, Melissa would have defined her as ‘an immature, arrogant aristocratic lady.’

“Get out of the way. Isn’t it unfair that you’re being pushed back by a commoner?”

Soon, Flinch, who crumpled his forehead violently, burst into a temper.

As the second son of a count, he had to study desperately to take over the family on behalf of his brother.

He tried to win the top spot at the academy and be recognized by his parents, but his goal collapsed as soon as he entered the school.

He lost from a humble commoner who is not even noble nor likely to have had a proper education.

“What?”

Lucy answered in a sour voice.

She replied not to get over this situation, but in a calm tone as if she really didn’t know.

“You are second place in our year? That’s why you told Melissa, the top student, to leave?”

Not just because Melissa’s a commoner?

Lucy, who just found out the truth, asked questions one after another.

“So what?”

Filince affirmed brazenly.

“I understand how you feel, sorry. Honestly, I don’t know.”

Lucy carefully spoke and shook her head, perhaps trying to persuade her classmates.

Lucy secretly switched her book to another hand. Seeing that she was no longer swinging the book, her other arm must already be exhausted.

“Because my ranking won’t change even if Melissa leaves.”

I don’t think that’s something to brag about.

Melissa thought as she looked at Lucy who spoke proudly.

“Are you bragging about it?”

Melissa swallowed her words, but Flinch uttered them out of his mouth without hesitation.

“Of course, I’m proud. I mean, at least I don’t bother my friends because I care about rankings.”

“Friends? What friends? How can you be friends with a commoner?”

If they have no money, commoners and rats must be the same in Flinch’s eyes. And he preyed on a commoner as if they were of the same species.

“This…! Melissa doesn’t want to be friends with me because you guys keep talking about commoners this and that!”

On the contrary, Lucy didn’t care about that at all.

Her reincarnation may have played a part in her reason, but it was also thanks to Marquis Anis, who had a commoner as her son-in-law, blocking her negative perceptions of commoners.

‘Did you really follow me around because you wanted to be friends with me?’

Melissa murmured to herself again as she watched Lucy gasp as if she was dying of injustice.

When she discovered that all the one-sided and blind attention she had received except from her guardian was genuine, Melissa’s cheeks flushed pale.

“I don’t care!”

Flinch burst into a rage. Martin, who was watching him, began to feel uneasy.

Martin was a bit more rational than Flinch, so he had just decided that it was better to just step down now that Lucy knew all the facts.

The problem was that his friend, who was becoming more emotional, didn’t seem to want to listen to him.

“Flinch, why don’t you step down first…….”

“Let go!”

Martin held Flinch by the shoulder and dissuaded him, but, as expected, he did not seem inclined to back out easily.

Flinch shook Martin’s hand and took a step forward.

“Friends or whatever……! You’re from the Seywint family, so you can live in peace while singing friends with commoners!”

“Hey, hey, Flinch.”

Martin grabbed Flinch by the arm in a hurry.

As he said, Lucy was the next successor to the Marquis of Seywint. So Martin didn’t want to lose Lucy as a connection over this.

No matter how small Lucy is in front of them or whether the head of Seywint has withdrawn from politics.

After all, a Marquis is still a Marquis.

Moreover, since last year, Marquis Anis, the current head and Lucy’s grandmother, has been visiting the imperial palace from time to time.

The four-year-old princess followed her very closely and took care of her at the request of the emperor.

Flinch was not unaware of that either.

That’s why he called Melissa out when Lucy wasn’t around.

‘But I didn’t know she liked Melissa so much that she came to find her herself!’

At this moment, Martin had a lot of regrets as he realized that he was in the wrong.

Lucy was so fond of Marquis Anis that she was rumored to live in her arms without being seen in society.

It was unexpected that Lucy, who is so loved, entered the academy, but anyway, she must be aware of the twisted situation that is unraveling in front of her.

“Unlike you, rank is important to me. Not only me, but also my brother……!”

Filince continued, crying.

“I have to prove my skills at the academy so that my brother can step down from his post and become a knight, so I can inherit the count’s title!”

Suddenly, Lucy looked at Flinch, who was complaining, with embarrassed eyes.

Lucy’s emotions in her eyes were not those of sympathy and empathy.

After listening to Flinch’s complaints, Lucy had only one thought in her head.

“Flinch, that’s…….”

Lucy opened her mouth with a troubled expression.

“……shouldn’t it be up to your parents, not me…”

At Lucy’s words, Melissa and Martin hurriedly turned their heads. The two closed their eyes at the same time as if they had planned it, and tightened their chins.

“You…”

As if Lucy’s words had made them speechless, Flinch blurred the end of his words. Flinch could not refute Lucy’s words.

Because what Lucy said wasn’t exactly wrong.

Only then did Flinch realize that he had complained to Lucy and blushed.

“You’re embarrassed too, right?”

Lucy clicked her tongue and approached Melissa’s side. Then she began to brush off her dirty clothes.

“D, don’t do it!”

Melissa, who was perplexed by Lucy’s behavior, stepped back, surprised. Lucy looked at Melissa as if she was asking why.

“I’m just getting dirt on you, too…….”

Conscious of Lucy, Melissa lowered her voice again. Her little consideration was evident in Lucy’s eyes.

“Melissa…”

Lucy, who covered her mouth with her hands, called Melissa’s name and expressed her emotions. Then Melissa’s face heated up.

“D, don’t pretend to be grossly moved!”

The usual push and pull began between Lucy and Melissa, but Lucy did not give in this time.

“I’m not pretending to be touched, I’m touched!”

With that said, Lucy pulled her arm tightly toward her. This time Melissa was dragged along without a word.

Lucy looked at Flinch and Martin with a satisfied smile.

She was about to say that she would let them go if they apologized to Melissa.

Sabak—

The sound of someone’s steps walking on grass came from behind Lucy.

Consequently, Flinch and Martin’s faces turned white in front of Lucy.

Seeing it, Lucy finally realized that the person she had been waiting for had arrived.

Before coming here, Lucy had asked her classmates to bring Professor Bendic to prepare for the worst.

He is also a professor that is a commoner, so it was clear that he would not ignore the situation.

Lucy opened her mouth in a welcoming voice.

“Why are you here now? Not…!”

Lucy, who turned to the sound of the wind, soon blurred out the end of her words.

“…… not the professor, but the Liel……?”

But when she looked back, Liel stood, instead of Professor Bendic, whom Lucy had been waiting for.

After making eye contact with Lucy, Liel folded his eyes and smiled.

“Is this what you’re talking about?”