The discord between Gianna and Idel spread like wildfire through the Duke’s household that very day. It would have been more unusual if it hadn’t. There was only one carriage that left, but two returned. Was that all?
“I don’t want to attend classes with Idel anymore.”
“What? Is this snack exactly the same as Gianna’s? Forget it. I don’t want to eat the same thing as her.”
The two openly avoided each other, as if broadcasting their bad relationship.
The Duke and Duchess, seeing the situation, tried to intervene, but it was useless. Idel, who had resolved to focus on her goals, and Gianna, who was just as resolute this time, both stood firm.
As the initial simple quarrel dragged on, even the servants, who had been observing, started whispering among themselves.
“Ha, I knew this day would come. Honestly, no matter how kind Miss Gianna is, how can anyone endure that temperament?”
“Exactly. I guess the young miss must have given up because she just couldn’t deal with it. I heard she even cried after returning from their outing.”
“Really? How badly did she behave for Gianna to… Well, I heard she doesn’t even acknowledge her in class anymore. Has she been completely abandoned?”
Misbehavior, discord, and isolation.
As with all rumors, Idel was transformed into a child who had been mistreated by Gianna, who had been kind to her, into one who was now neglected and poorly treated.
It didn’t take long. The crisis of someone who had always been a thorn in their side was like a pastime in the mundane routine of their lives.
Except for Diane.
One of the servants, who had been giggling with the others, cast a sidelong glance at Diane.
“Diane, haven’t you heard anything?”
“Huh?”
“You remember how we said to let us know if Miss Idel was bothering you. She must be in a bad mood these days. Is there anything?”
All eyes turned to Diane at once. She smiled awkwardly and looked around, feeling the strange atmosphere among the group.
“Sorry… As you mentioned, she’s been in a bad mood, so I’ve just been doing my work and leaving quickly.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Then again, what if it turns out to be true? Didn’t Diane hurt her hand because of Idel before?”
“Yeah.”
“How pitiful.”
Diane, wiping the sweat from her palms on her skirt, quickly gathered her protective gear. The strange atmosphere in the space was too frightening.
“Then I’ll go back now.”
“Oh, okay~”
With a harmless smile as a farewell, she quickly left through the door. Diane’s expression was deeply troubled as she climbed the stairs toward Idel’s room.
‘What should I do… The atmosphere is getting more and more unsettling.’
Yesterday, there were even jokes among the servants about what would happen if Idel were to be isolated.
Such comments arose because it was understood that Idel was neither in a position nor of an age to do anything significant.
‘If this wasn’t a coincidence, I wouldn’t have known.’
Diane only managed to blend in with the group because of her previous experiences with Idel; otherwise, she would have been ostracized long ago.
There’s no good for a servant who serves her master closely to know about this.
In the frustrating reality, Diane let out a small sigh.
“…What should we do about our Idel?”
Our young miss isn’t that kind of person!
Since Gianna’s tip, Diane had been watching her closely, and it was driving her crazy.
The conflict between Idel and Gianna was nothing more than a typical sibling fight.
Moreover, the Idel Diane had encountered was not the cruel daughter of a wicked villainess as described by the servants, but rather…
‘Rather, she’s like a cat with its fur all puffed up.’
Diane observed that Idel’s social interactions were extremely limited.
It was understandable since she hadn’t debuted in society yet and wasn’t attending the academy, but even considering that, there were too few people around her.
‘It seemed like the Duke and Madam Rowena were trying to keep their distance because Idel was feeling uncomfortable, and Melisa…’
Well, strangely, Diane felt that Melisa didn’t seem to care much about Idel.
There was no clear reason for this, just a feeling from observing her.
‘But right now, Melisa isn’t the main concern.’
What mattered was that both Idel’s small, precious social circle and the servants’ harassment were precarious.
‘Still, it seemed like Miss Gianna seemed to be drawn to Idel.’
There were moments when Gianna seemed like she had something to say, or when she lingered around the garden that Idel frequently visited…
‘The problem is Idel. She’s still being stubborn.’
With a troubled expression, Diane quietly knocked on Idel’s door.
“Come in.”
The permission was swift. Once inside, she found Idel, as usual, scribbling something.
“Miss, I’ve brought the protective gear.”
“Oh, is that it?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Diane sighed quietly to herself as she saw her mistress’s eyes shining with curiosity.
“What should I do?”
“You need to wrap the elbow guard like this. Also, put on these gloves. I’ll help you now, but remember, I can’t assist you at the training grounds.”
“Got it.”
“Oh, and starting today, Lord Dante will be joining the lessons as well.”
Seeing Idel’s puzzled expression, Diane quickly continued.
“Lord Dante is the heir of the Knightley family, who protect the Empire at the borders. He’s known for his impressive swordsmanship since he was young and is a highly regarded talent.”
“…Why is he here?”
“Uh, I’m not sure of the exact reason, but perhaps he has a connection with the Duke? I mean, Miss Idel, you…”
“Me, what?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. I just hope you have a good time.”
‘Try to avoid conflicts and leave a good impression.’
Diane kept these unspoken words to herself.
Diane hoped that Idel would receive better treatment through this opportunity rather than becoming the subject of such ridiculous rumors.
“Please have a good time…!”
“Yes.”
Regardless of Diane’s inner restlessness, Idel, once outside the room, was busy reflecting on the information Diane had given her.
‘Dante Knightley, that’s him, the male protagonist.’
Her surprise at his presence was genuine.
‘Aren’t they supposed to meet after they’re adults?’
Since she hadn’t read about the protagonists’ childhoods in her sibling’s book report, she thought that was the case.
‘Maybe there was a backstory where they knew each other when they were young.’
Such settings are common even if the main stage is after they become adults, as they effectively highlight the ‘fateful connection’ between the male and female leads.
The thought of being involved between the two protagonists made Idel feel quite relieved about her ongoing cold war with Gianna.
‘If it weren’t for that, I would have definitely gotten involved.’
Imagining herself laughing and joking with the two protagonists, she quickly shook her head.
‘It’s better to focus on swordsmanship training, even if it’s tough.’
Initially, when the Duke suggested attending lessons with Gianna, she wondered if it was necessary, but having attended, she found it wasn’t bad.
Learning to wield a sword was proving to be far more useful than she had anticipated.
‘If I train for a few more years, I probably won’t have to worry about making a living after leaving the Duke’s household.’
With swordsmanship as a skill, it seemed plausible to venture into trade-related work at the port or perhaps aim for an administrative position as an assistant to a baron or viscount in the frontier.
‘I’ll need to learn more to be sure, but becoming a mercenary isn’t a bad option either.’
Honestly, the added protection from mercenary guilds across the empire was a big plus. And the income was pretty good too.
Idel turned a corner, contemplating how to utilize the Duke Clementine’s ancestral swordsmanship for profit.
Was it because she was lost in thought that she didn’t look ahead properly?
The moment she took a step forward, she was jolted by a sudden shock, causing her body to be thrown backward.
“Ouch!”
Unable to regain her balance, Idel tumbled to the ground, sitting on her bottom and letting out a short, pained groan. Her tailbone felt sore from the impact.
As she frowned, trying to understand what had just happened, she heard a clear, unfamiliar voice.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. Are you alright?”
