“Miss Meidell burned Miss Selmin’s arm?”
“Imagine doing something so violent in the middle of a test!”
“But I thought the Red Fairy had turned over a new leaf…”
The comments were flying so fast, Brigitte thought the trees might start swaying. Lisa was shaking as Ms. Naha held her. But Brigitte could see the smile on her lips.
“Hush, hush, everyone,” Ms. Naha said for the tenth time, but the students ignored her.
The students scattered through the woods must have heard the fuss, because they were arriving in a steady stream. And most were staring rudely at Brigitte. Sitting in the muddy road, she watched them detachedly.
…Just like always.
She had tried to change starting on the day Joseph ended their engagement.
From an arrogant person to a slightly down-to-earth one.
From ugly clothes to ones she liked a little more.
She had faced her problems head-on. She’d wanted to peel off her heavy makeup and try smiling one day.
Even here at the magic-stone hunt, I was trying so hard!
Despite all that, people were talking about her again. She was too overwhelmed by that reality to speak or stand up.
In the end, I—
“Brigitte.”
Suddenly, she heard a voice right next to her. She looked fearfully up…and was shocked to see someone she’d assumed had already left.
“Sir Yuri…”
There was tension on his face instead of his usual cool detachment.
“Brigitte, don’t look at the ground.”
His voice was distinctly lower than usual.
She wondered if he was angry with her for spoiling their competition. She stared harder at the ground, growing increasingly frightened. She was used to other people looking down on her. But Yuri—if Yuri did the same, well… Even the thought was enough to make her feel like she was choking.
Don’t cry…
She sniffled. Yuri shook her shoulder with a hint of frustration.
“Brigitte, can you hear me?”
“…”
“You didn’t do it, did you? Then hold your head high!”
Huh?
She couldn’t believe her ears. When she jerked her face up, he was looking straight at her. His eyes glowed with conviction and not a hint of dishonesty.
“I never doubted you, and neither did those two.”
Brigitte looked behind him. “Those two?”
“You still don’t remember our names, do you, Yuri…?”
There was a grumpy Nival and a despondent Kira.
Oh…
She finally understood.
She hadn’t seen anything in the darkness.
She had assumed that everyone hated her again. But when she finally looked around, she saw that most of her classmates were watching her anxiously. They were concerned for her, as if that was the natural response to all this. As for Yuri, he was smiling so faintly, she wasn’t sure if she was imagining it. That slightly ironic smile was so like him.
“Do you understand now? I’m saying we believe you.”
“…!”
The world blurred, and Brigitte scrubbed her eyes. This was no time to cry. She had something important to do.
“Can you stand?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Rejecting the arm he offered, she stood up slowly. She tottered slightly, but she felt much stronger than she had a few minutes ago.
Calm down. Breathe in, breathe out. You’re fine…
“Ms. Naha?”
She managed to keep her voice from shaking. Ms. Naha looked rather nonplussed with Lisa clinging to her. She gazed at Brigitte.
“Ms. Naha, I did not hurt Miss Selmin,” she said confidently. Another buzz ran through the gathered students.
Kira stepped forward. “I can testify to what I saw. Li…Miss Lisa suddenly appeared with a torch at the cave where Miss Brigitte and I were resting. Miss Brigitte told me to run for help, since something seemed very wrong!”
Kira must have been terrified to stand up in front of so many people, because her legs were shaking, and her voice broke…but for Brigitte’s sake, she stayed where she was.
Lisa stared at the two of them hatefully.
“Don’t let them fool you! They’re liars!” she screamed. “Ms. Naha, Brigitte has been harassing me because she’s jealous of my relationship with Prince Joseph! She’s trying to frame me again!”
The contradictory stories inspired another rising wave of hubbub, and Ms. Naha seemed unsure what to do. As a teacher, she could not casually take one side or the other.
If there was only some proof…
Brigitte racked her brain. She thought about showing her the hair ornament that had partially broken after being used…but that wouldn’t be decisive. Plus, although Brigitte was contracted with a tiny spirit whose type of magic she didn’t even know, she belonged to the Fire Clan. If someone accused her of breaking the hair ornament herself, she’d have no response.
Just then, as if to ease the deadlock, a gentle voice rang out overhead.
“If you please, I can solve this problem,” the familiar female voice said. Brigitte looked up in surprise.
The undine?
Yuri’s contracted spirit came floating down delicately from midair.
“Is it real…?!”
“Wow, what a beautiful spirit…”
Excitement ran through the crowd at the sudden appearance of such a lovely first-class spirit. Opportunities to glimpse the spirits that stood at the pinnacle of their countless peers were extremely rare.
Yuri, however, sighed and grimaced. “I was wondering where you went…”
“My apologies, master. This brook is very pleasant.”
She giggled seductively. Even in the dark, Brigitte could see several students blush.
That reminds me…
The forest surrounded the academy, and a brook ran alongside its edge. She had seen Yuri letting his undine play in that stream before, and now she realized the undine had probably been doing exactly as she pleased.