“House Nogdeid is of the noble faction, and a branch family fairly close to the House Bilbroza main family. Given that he’s a son of Nogdeid, I can understand Reswell’s attitude. Granted, I can’t wrap my head around suddenly saying, ‘Be my underling.’”
“Truly awful,” Colny commented.
She had that right. If there hadn’t been people watching, I would’ve blown him away.
Ignoring our indignation, Loks continued thinking, muttering to himself. “The issue is Zodian’s behavior. Unlike Reswell, he’s a smart one. There has to be a reason for what he did.”
He really wasn’t mincing words. But after meeting both of them in person, I agreed the younger was the more competent of the two.
Still not convinced, Colny furrowed her brow. “Could it not simply be that he apologized because of the trouble his brother caused?”
“I think he’s using that as a pretext to get close to Lera; I just don’t know what his motivation is. Maybe he simply wants to put his brother at a disadvantage, or maybe he has some other reason. Knowing Zodian, both seem perfectly possible.”
Ooh.
Seeing the very underhanded Loks this concerned was all I needed to tell me that I should stay away from Zodian too.
“Whatever their reasons,” Loks said, turning to me, “be sure not to get involved with those two. Even if they approach you, stay away, all right?”
“All riiight.”
Since they were members of the noble faction, I didn’t have any need to get along with them in the first place.
That evening, I had some free time before dinner. Colny was visiting my attic room, and the two of us didn’t have much to talk about.
“Take a seat,” I said. “I’ll put on some coffee.”
“Thanks.”
Since it was just before dinner, I didn’t think we needed snacks.
Sitting in her usual spot, Colny was enjoying the feel of the rug. “This has a nice texture.”
“That’s because it’s made from forest sheep wool.”
“That makes sense.”
The materials, of course, had been obtained by yours truly a while back. However, weaving a rug by hand is a lot of work, so I had to wait two years for it.
Just as the wonderful scent of coffee began to fill the room, there was a knocking at the door. Okay, it was more apt to call it slamming.
“Do you suppose it’s her?” Colny asked.
“Think so? Last time she knocked properly.”
“Hey! Open this door right now!”
That voice was painfully familiar, however, and the two of us couldn’t help but look at each other.
“That was...”
“Ribbons?”
I had a security camera built into the door, so I checked the monitor. Yep, it was Ribbons and her flunkies. What were they doing here?
I wagered she didn’t like that I hadn’t yet opened the door, because she started kicking it. Those were some pretty bad manners. Those minions really should’ve done something to stop her from acting so unladylike. She was an earl’s daughter.
Maybe that’s asking for too much. Those girls look like they’re scared of Ribbons.
“Ahh, ahh. You there, the girl kicking my door, if you don’t stop, I’ll call the dorm manager.”
“Do you think this is a goddamn joke?! Open this door and apologize immediately!”
Apologize? Again, Colny and I exchanged glances.
“Lera, did you do anything to that girl that would warrant an apology?”
“Nope. Nothing comes to mind.”
Tilting our heads, we soon got our answer.
“Say something already! I went all the way to that backwater domain of yours, only for you to kick me out! Thanks to you, I missed the opportunity to watch Fezgahn hunt!”
Ohh, she meant the hunting festival. Despite showing up uninvited, she’d made a bunch of noise in the stands. That resulted in her being banned from Peylon. But that wasn’t my fault; she and Miss Cucumis were the ones who made all that racket.
“Hurry! And open! This! Door—”
“Who’s making all that noise?!”
Oh, another voice.
Through the monitor, I saw the flunkies all panicking. Up the stairs came the source of their distress—the dorm manager. I was pretty sure that was Miss Ruta Shenoa, now promoted from assistant to manager. She also taught embroidery classes.
Heels clicking, she marched up to Ribbons. “Causing a commotion outside someone’s room is very unbefitting of a lady.”
“B-But, she’s the one not opening her—”
“I don’t need any excuses! All of you, come with me!”
Facing Miss Shenoa’s wrath, Ribbons and her gang all disappeared from the monitor.
I turned from the monitor to Colny and muttered, “What the heck was that?”
She shrugged. “It sounded like she had a complaint for you. As always, it appears she wasn’t thinking things through.”
What a way to bother your neighbors. But more importantly...
“It looks like even Ribbons has friends.”
“Yes, those girls are all daughters of barons. Since that girl is technically an earl’s daughter, perhaps they think it a good idea to earn her favor?”
“Perhaps it’s a birds of a feather sort of thing.”
Bad personalities attract just that.
With the beginning of a new school year, we had to sign up for elective classes. However, barring any special circumstances, most people took the same subjects as the previous year. Therefore, I would be taking general magic, magic tools, alchemy, mystic-jockeying, and archery. Today was my first day of general magic. I thought I’d see just the usual faces, but in fact, I saw more.
I was looking around the room when I heard someone suddenly speak from behind.
“It seems general magic is a popular subject this year.”
You scared me.
Coming up behind me was the third prince. Apparently, he would be continuing with general magic as well, and so would Ribbons. Feeling a sharp gaze, I turned and saw it coming from...who else but her.
Can you at least pick whether it’s him or the black knight you’re after?
“Though it’s a new subject,” the third prince continued, “it has far more practical value than the other magic classes, don’t you think? I hear that’s earned it some interest among the older students.”
“You’re very well informed regarding the older students.”
“It’s because I’ve got my brother.”
That’s right, the second prince is still attending the academy. He’s in the same year as Loks.
Hmm. So Bear’s class is a popular one, huh?
Bear was a bear capable of human langua— I mean, he was the chief of Peylon’s research institute. He looked like a bear, so the institute members also called him that. Lately, even people at the academy have started calling him Bear. The point is, said chief was the instructor of general magic.
When I really thought about it, Peylon’s institute was famous across Ozeria; anyone with an interest in magic knew about it. There was nothing strange about people taking an interest in general magic when they learned that it was being taught by the chief of that very institute. So then why did last year only have people from our grade attend?
“It’s my understanding that many people didn’t believe it was actually the chief teaching the lessons,” the third prince said, answering my question.
“Oh?”
“I believe they all thought he was letting his name be used while someone else ran the classes.”
That was a funny idea. Bear was thorough about these sorts of things. He would never let someone borrow his name. That said, I myself had been pretty startled when I learned he would be teaching, so I guess I can’t blame anyone else for not believing.
Once our first day of general magic was over, Bear called me into his prep room.
“Oh man, another year with Bear...”
“Who you calling a bear?! What’s the matter? We can conduct research here just as well as we can at the institute.”
“You’re the only one satisfied with that, Bear.”
“Again! Quit calling me Bear!”
What an obnoxious bear, I groaned internally.
“Oh, that’s right,” he said with an abrupt shift in his tone, “I heard some brat from the noble faction is giving you trouble?”
I guess the “brat from the noble faction” was that one older student.
“Did you hear from Loks?”
“No, from a colleague.”
So a teacher snitched to him? Well, maybe it wouldn’t be snitching, just gossiping? To be fair, there were lots of watchful eyes in the cafeteria, so plenty of people knew who got in my face and how it went down. Even if another instructor hadn’t said something, Bear might’ve learned eventually.
“He’s not giving me trouble or anything like that,” I said with a sigh. “He just caused a scene in the cafeteria.”
“Ah, in the cafeteria. If someone from Nogdeid was being a twerp, I’m guessing it was the older brother?”
“I thought another teacher told you about it?”
“All I heard was that some little shit from House Nogdeid went at you.”
I was still wondering how Bear knew it was the older son when he grinned at me. “I can’t see the upstanding younger brother stirring something up where so many people could see it. Only that dimwit older brother would be willing to pull something like that.”
Oh my, so even Bear knew of the discrepancy between the two. Before I could get over that surprise, the door was suddenly flung open. I looked over and saw the Nogdeid dimwit—I mean, Reswell—standing there.
“I was looking for you!” he said. “You think you can hide in a place like—”
“Hey!” Bear roared, cutting him off. “Don’t come in here without permission!”
He recoiled. “Wh-Wha?”
Yeah, most people would tremble if they were hollered at by what appeared to be a bear.