Ramielli Academy Entrance Ceremony (3)
“Zeke? Did you just say Zeke?”
Selena turned her head at the voice coming from behind her.
Her eyes trembled as she confirmed the owner of the voice.
Blood-red hair and red eyes.
A skinny body with no visible chest, as if embodying a cliff.
The corners of her eyes were wickedly raised like a goblin's.
Another ducal family had a long-standing feud with the Yohaiden Dukedom.
The eldest daughter of the Eustia family, Iriel Eustia.
“That woman with the uselessly large fat, stupid-looking silver hair, and crazy flowers on her head….”
As Selena turned her head to look at her, Iriel also seemed to recognize her and raised her eyebrows.
“You are…. Selena… Yohaiden. Why are you here….? Weren’t you unable to come to the academy?”
“Iriel.”
Selena's thoughts stopped for a moment at Iriel's sudden appearance, and then she recalled her words.
“Iriel, how do you know about Instructor Zeke?”
“No, I mean, how did you get here….? Hmm? Instructor Zeke? Swordsmanship instructor Zeke….?”
Iriel frowned and repeated the words, and then her expression changed.
Then she glared at Selena with sharp eyes.
“Selena, you…. What’s your relationship with Zeke?”
“That’s my line.”
“Ha, I knew Zeke was there. They said they couldn't tell me even if they died at the academy…. I thought it was the Imperial family…. So it was Yohaiden.”
“…”
“Tsk. How dare they not tell me because they were pushed back by the likes of Yohaiden. I should complain directly to Ramielli about this….”
Iriel scoffed as if she was devastated.
Selena, who was exchanging words with her, suddenly felt strange.
For some reason, Iriel was talking as if she knew Instructor Zeke well.
It was as if she already knew that he was a swordsmanship instructor at Ramielli Academy.
Her bright mind could deduce one assumption that she never wanted to believe.
‘D-Don’t tell me…. Did Instructor Zeke send me to Iriel Eustia?!’
*Thump.*
Selena felt her heart sink.
Iriel, that wicked woman, was capable of doing that.
The Yohaiden and Eustia Dukedoms were facing each other in close proximity, with a declining earldom between them.
Because of that, there was no option to invite one and not the other when they were summoned to the Imperial Palace or received an invitation to a social gathering somewhere.
Geographically and in terms of competition for interests, the two overlapped a lot, so they ran on parallel lines that could not be conceded.
Since the two ducal families were on such bad terms, it would have been fine if the Imperial family had mediated, however.
Rather, the cunning Emperor of the Empire,
in order to maintain the central authority of the Imperial family and check the two powers,
made them compete politically.
So, there was no way they would have good feelings for each other.
The same was true of the relationship between the heads of the ducal families, their fathers,
but Iriel and Selena had been compared and competed with each other since they were very young.
While Selena tried to compete with her in a fair way,
Iriel used cunning methods.
For example, she would take over the dress shops and accessory stores that Selena frequented and prevent them from selling to her.
Or, at a party where they were invited together, she would bring her followers and insult Selena in front of her.
She would send people behind her back to spread ridiculous rumors.
She used every means and method to harass Selena.
Because it was Iriel,
In Selena’s eyes, it seemed as if she was pretending not to know and was still trying to humiliate her even though she knew everything.
‘Instructor, why…. Why that woman of all people?!’
Selena could have understood if the person involved in his past was another woman.
But not Iriel.
At least, not this woman.
“Ha. Zeke Clayman. He should have come straight to me. Why was he wasting his time in such a shabby place?”
***
Seeing Selena’s resentful expression, Iriel smirked a hypocritical smile as if she had guessed something.
“Oh my? Why the long face, Selena?”
“You, are you close with Instructor Zeke?”
“Hmm. Maybe? Maybe not?”
Iriel smirked annoyingly.
‘No, Instructor can’t be like that, he can’t be like that!!!’
Selena tried to be positive, believing in Zeke,
but the fact that she knew nothing about him watered the seeds of doubt.
‘Come to think of it…. From the first time I met Instructor….’
The things Zeke had shown her came to mind one by one.
From the beginning, the strange atmosphere of refusing to help her even though he saved her.
Then, suddenly looking through her and
changing his attitude and readily accepting the invitation to the mansion.
Getting involved in the punishment of the servants, increasing the debt.
Showing his sword and leading her.
Now that she thought about it, Zeke had blended into Selena's surroundings so naturally.
A Northern noble who was not associated with the Empire or the aristocracy, so no one thought it strange.
A man who, despite having such a clever mind, knew nothing about the Yohaiden family.
A man who had a cold expression as if he had no emotions.
And a face that looked so young it was strange.
On top of that, he had incredibly strong swordsmanship skills.
‘Could such a person really have no affiliation or fame?’
All Selena knew was that he had served as an ordinary soldier on the front lines before retiring and being appointed as an academy instructor.
But he was too young to retire.
Despite possessing such swordsmanship, he had not built any reputation and was appointed as an instructor at Ramielli Academy.
What if he was a spy raised with the support of the Eustia family and deliberately approached me?
What if he was following me even when the carriage was attacked by goblins and dramatically appeared when I was in danger?
When she looked back on everything she had believed without a single doubt, there was nothing strange about it.
‘….All that was an act…? A-And then he pretended not to know Iriel Eustia…!’
Selena felt dizzy and her heart ached as if it were being torn apart.
It had only been a month. Although it had only been a month,
she realized how much she had relied on and expected from him.
‘All this time…. How pathetic he must have thought I was, smiling foolishly in front of him….’
Tears welled up in her eyes from the betrayal, and her body trembled.
She had been betrayed once by someone she never thought would do such a thing,
and this was the second time.
The first was Siera. The second was Zeke.
‘Stupid Selena. Foolish Selena. You were so easily fooled…. And you were giggling while thinking about him….’
Iriel, who was disgusting to look at, muttered to herself.
“He’s so selfish. He hasn’t changed at all since then.”
“…”
She wanted to rip out her heart that had been pounding at his every look, his every word just a while ago.
No, even now, her heart continued to flutter at the thought of him.
As if there was no way he could be that kind of person.
As if there must be some reason.
As if she had definitely misunderstood.
‘I have to make sure. I have to make sure.’
Selena glared at Iriel with venomous eyes.
“Iriel…. What is your relationship with Zeke Clayman?”
“Didn’t I ask first? What’s your relationship with Zeke?”
“Tell me now!”
“You’re being loud, flowerpot head.”
“Y-You!”
Just as they were about to lunge at each other, a middle-aged man behind them spoke.
“My lady, the entrance ceremony will begin soon.”
At those words, Iriel frowned and glared at Selena before turning around.
“You, see you later.”
However, Selena couldn’t let Iriel go just like that, having heard nothing yet.
“Wait! Where are you going?! I’m not done talking!”
“It’s the entrance ceremony. You know what will happen if we don’t go, right? Aren’t you from a ducal family too?”
“…”
“Ha, right. I should have known from the moment you were wearing flowers on your head. Your intelligence level is really low.”
Selena froze.
This woman was right. If she didn’t attend the entrance ceremony, rumors would definitely spread among the nobles.
The rumor that the Yohaidens didn’t respect Ramielli Academy would definitely have an impact.
Considering how many children of noble families were inside, it was definitely right to go.
It was right to go…. But….
Selena closed her eyes and tried to calm her emotions.
No matter how sharp and painful the situation was, she had to attend the entrance ceremony.
Yes, she would meet Zeke and Iriel face-to-face at the entrance ceremony a little later and get confirmation.
In her current emotional state, she felt like she would make ridiculous mistakes like crying pathetically or screaming.
‘At least as a noble who stands above others, you shouldn’t be swayed by emotions. Always think about your priorities.’
Selena recalled her father’s words and held back the tears that were about to burst out.
However, she couldn’t control the trembling of her fingertips.
Iriel, who was watching this, also pretended to be calm on the outside, but she had mixed feelings.
‘How on earth did that man get involved with Selena for her to be acting like this?’
Iriel and Selena glared at each other.
Then they turned their heads,
but they ended up walking the same path.
“Don’t follow me! Flowerpot head.”
“You’re one to talk! Cliff face!”
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wow they are just acquaintance and she already attached to the instructor that she started comparing him to her formal maid. rushed character development.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chapter
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