Youngest 133
by CristaeEpisode 133
Ah, of course, my father is wealthy too.
But isn’t it always better to have more connections among the rich?
Smiling again, I began stacking my books neatly.
“But… it doesn’t look like this is the first time they’ve bothered you. Why don’t you talk to the professor about it?”
I spoke sincerely, but Zerdin shook his head gently.
“If… if a noble retaliates because of that… I-I’ll be fine. I can put up with it a little longer.”
“Oh dear.”
He must think it’s best to draw as little attention to himself as possible.
I couldn’t say I didn’t understand how he felt, so I simply nodded. “Alright, I understand.”
At that moment, Sortie, having packed her bag, tapped me on the shoulder.
“Let’s go eat lunch!”
“Yeah! Oh, right. Titi, about lunch—”
I hadn’t even finished speaking when Haben, who had been glaring at me the entire time, suddenly jumped up and rushed over.
“Hey! You!”
“Yeah. What is it?”
“You’ll pay for this, just wait and see.”
He certainly sounded intimidating. I fiddled with my fingers and looked away.
“Uh, right… But did you really have to run here all the way from the other end of the classroom just to say that? Was it really necessary?”
“Ugh, you commoner, always so brazen!”
“Haben, that’s enough!”
Just then, Sortie, who’d been sitting quietly, spoke up.
“Why do you keep being mean to your friend? Is that what your parents taught you?”
Well done, our Titi.
Amusingly, while Haben was fuming, he didn’t dare act aggressive in response to Sortie’s words.
‘Must have heard enough lectures from fellow nobles.’
He really is the worst.
“Oh, and why are you siding with the commoners?”
“Professor Yuliophe said we’re not supposed to keep saying ‘commoner’…!”
“Ugh, you’re so noisy! Let’s go, everyone!”
In the end, Haben stormed out of the classroom with his group.
Sortie looked after Haben’s retreating figure, frustration plainly on her face. Then she abruptly turned to me.
“Do you prefer pepper spray or chili powder spray?”
“Uh…?”
“Pick! Pepper spray, chili powder spray! Starting tomorrow, I’m carrying one!”
“You brought that too? You’re incredible.”
“I wasn’t sure if there’d be an outdoor party on the last day, so I brought it in case of bugs!”
“But… using it on people is…”
Meeting Sortie’s sparkling eyes, I quickly clamped my mouth shut.
“It’s one way to handle things. I’d like a mix, Titi!”
At last, she gave me a bright smile.
After the morning classes, Yuliophe headed for the administration building where the faculty offices were.
Ugh, I’m dying.
Teaching had taken a lot more energy than expected.
“Though, honestly, I have no energy left to use! Hahahaha! Ha…”
Her hysterical laughter quickly faded into a heavy sigh.
“Professor Yuliophe?”
Just then, Odelia, wearing butterfly-shaped red glasses, approached her.
“Ah, Headmistress.”
“It’s the official first day. How was it? Aren’t they all adorable?”
“Yes. My overtime work is anything but adorable, though.”
Odelia gave a light sidelong glance.
“Ohohoho! But didn’t you receive a hefty bonus because of it? You do know our academy pays more than South Mariard, right?”
“Of course, most esteemed Headmistress.”
Yuliophe clasped her hands together in mock reverence, her expression deadly serious.
“So please, negotiate my salary well for next year…”
Heh heh heh. And then, I’ll negotiate even higher and transfer elsewhere.
Odelia, oblivious or indifferent to her professor’s inner schemes, laughed once again, “Ohoho!”
“That depends on the outcome of this camp you’re in charge of, Professor Yuliophe.”
“Ah, I can hear the sound of my body and soul being wrung out from somewhere…”
It’s depressing. Depressing.
Yuliophe downed a bottle of restorative tonic in one gulp.
“More importantly… How was the Lady Zevert?”
“The young lady?”
“Yes. The Duke seemed concerned, mentioning she’s very shy—Is she adapting well?”
Hmm. Adapting…
Yuliophe made a vague expression.
“She seems to be adjusting well enough… As for being shy, it’s hard to say.”
“What do you mean?”
He recalled the nametag, haphazardly scrawled with ‘Ru’, and the determined look in her eyes as she’d faced off with Haben.
Hearing the whole “commoner” fuss, it seemed she’d allowed herself to be mistaken for a commoner and deliberately didn’t correct them.
‘She said she didn’t like being the center of attention—maybe that’s why?’
The youngest of the distinguished Zevert family. The rare, precious daughter, no less.
Inside the Empire, there was no one unaware of the Duke and Duchess’s circumstances, so the significance of them adopting a “daughter” was clear to all.
Recalling the wave of interest in the Lady even before the camp had begun, Yuliophe’s face grew somewhat indifferent.
‘Still, I can’t give her special treatment.’
Noble or not, to Yuliophe they were all simply students.
If conflicts arose among the children, she would intervene only as a professor.
In fact, she disliked status creating hierarchy within the class even more.
“Well, she’s getting along fine so far. Seems to have made a few friends as well.”
At this noncommittal reply, Odelia’s eyes widened as she pressed her point.
“You must, must take proper care of her. Do you realize how much the Zevert Ducal House has invested in our academy?”
“Excuse me? That’s hardly my concern, is it? It’s not as if the Duke’s money goes straight into my paycheck, does it?”
“Hmm. Don’t you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“The sound of your salary being reduced, Professor Yuliophe.”
Oh, no. Yuliophe covered her ears with both hands and shook her head madly.
With a wry smile, the headmistress gently patted Yuliophe’s shoulder.
“By the way… what’s the situation with the library?”
Only then did Yuliophe lower her arms and take the old tome she’d been carrying under her arm into her hands.
“…As you see.”
Odelia’s expression grew notably grave.
“I’ve been wracking my brain all night for a solution, but I’ve come up empty.”
“Sigh… I see.”
Odelia rubbed her tired brow.
“There’ll be an audience with His Majesty after camp ends— I’ll bring it up then. I may have to request that mages be sent.”
“…Mages, you say.”
“Don’t look at me like that. Of course, our archive has never once permitted mages to enter, but… we have no choice, do we?”
“Sigh…”
That was an old rule of the library.
Throughout the long history of the academy, it had never once been broken.
For the headmistress and professors, it was natural to uphold it.
“This is troubling…”
Gulp. Gulp.
Yuliophe drank another energy restorative.
“Well, anyway, as long as I can go home…”
At that, the headmistress finally lost her patience.
“I told you to go home and rest, didn’t I? Why do you spend every night in your office when your house is right outside the front gate?”
“Going hooome…”
“Are you even eating properly? Are you? Professor Yuliophe!”
Pretending not to hear, Yuliophe shuffled away, sniffling.
In one hand, she held the book she loved so dearly.
As she staggered toward her office, Yuliophe suddenly stopped in her tracks.
“Professor!”
When she looked up, she saw a child running toward her from afar.
The very girl they’d just been discussing.
It was Rubian.
“…Miss Rubian?”
The girl, a cute strawberry clip pinned to one side of her hair, came up and bowed deeply.
“Hello!”
Yuliophe struggled to focus her vision, blurred by fatigue.
“I… I’m sorry for causing such a commotion earlier this morning.”
Her blue eyes shone brightly. It was their first actual conversation, and she seemed a sharper, more well-mannered child than Yuliophe had expected.
“Hm, no need. Is that why you came?”
“Oh. That’s part of it.”
Rubian shifted on her feet, speaking bashfully.
“It’s just, today’s class moved me so much. I was wondering… would it be possible to tour the archive?”
Yuliophe’s eyes grew wide.
“That is… You mean, you’re interested in the old tomes?”
“Yes! For some reason, they feel strangely familiar, and I can’t help but keep glancing at them… It’s a field that just ignites my academic passion, making me want to be able to read them fluently, even just once.”
“Ahem, ahem! Ahem!”
The young professor’s face flushed bright red.
‘No special treatment.’
But still…
“Not many students take an interest in ancient languages, ahem! Not many at all!”
This isn’t special treatment, is it? Surely, all I’m doing is guiding a student showing academic enthusiasm!
Try as he might to maintain composure, it was hard to suppress the delight twitching at the corners of his mouth.
Unbidden, Yuliophe reached out and fondly patted Rubian’s head, before hesitating.
‘Wait, what softness…’
She’s precious. This student.
Somehow, I just don’t want to let her go.