Episode 135

In my past life, and in the original story—

And even in the plans for this life—

There was no version where I enrolled in the academy.

And just like that, my enrollment was decided.

“Ah, goodness! Of course! Absolutely possible!”

At my declaration that I’d be enrolling through a donation, the headmaster’s mouth stretched wide in a grin.

But he soon came to his senses and began listing the necessary requirements.

“B-but, Director. There’s also the matter of choosing a major… and we’ll need paperwork with a guardian’s permission…”

“There’ll be a telegram from Kallios soon.”

I nodded lightly as I replied.

Honestly, no matter how much of my own money I was spending, a twelve-year-old deciding to enter the academy on her own didn’t exactly sound reasonable.

But I didn’t think the Duke would object to my sudden decision.

‘If anything… won’t he welcome it with open arms?’

The Duke had already suggested more than once that I enroll in the academy with Joshua.

He must have been conscious of the disparity between us.

But I had turned him down, using work as an excuse.

As I said earlier—I had no particular interest in studying.

And more than anything, I wanted to avoid running into the heroine.

But then—

“So if it’s a donation admission… it’s funded by Kallios? Isn’t she a commoner?”

“Come on. I heard she’s in the top 50 richest people in Erea.”

“Gasp, seriously? That’s so cool! Right, Diana?”

The girls beside Diana whispered while glancing at me.

Thanks to them, I knew it would only be a matter of time before news of my enrollment spread throughout the academy.

And Diana—

Despite her friends’ excited chatter, didn’t say a word.

She simply watched me in silence.

For a moment, our eyes met—her violet eyes shimmering faintly.

At that moment, she gave me a soft smile.

It was the same sweet and lovely smile as always, and yet…

It felt strangely unsettling.

* * *

After listening to a long lecture from the headmaster about the founding history and evolution of the Academy, I was finally able to board the carriage back.

Fortunately, the return trip wasn’t lonely, considering the trouble.

“So, you’re enrolling in the Academy?”

Joshua, who boarded the carriage after class, didn’t even greet me and asked that first.

It seemed the rumor had spread even faster than I expected.

I hugged the fluffy bear plush I had brought with me just in case I ran into Danvers Campbell.

Then I replied nonchalantly.

“Yeah. That’s how it ended up.”

“Why didn’t you say anything…!”

Joshua looked frustrated at my response.

“…Can you really just decide something like that on your own?”

“Why not?”

I shrugged.

“The Duke will probably say I did well. He’s always telling me to crush anything I can’t win by status with money instead.”

“……”

Joshua fell silent, seemingly at a loss for words.

After all, it was something the Duke had said countless times to the both of us during meals.

Joshua might not know, but I had been faithfully following that advice.

Donation-based admission had always been a privilege for noble children who had money but lacked brains.

Academy attendance wasn’t mandatory, but noble heirs without any particular talent needed at least a diploma to avoid being looked down upon.

According to the headmaster, I was the first commoner ever to enter the Academy through donation since its founding.

Of course, that would stir up a lot of gossip for a while, but…

“It’s my money, and I’m choosing to enroll. What are they going to do about it?”

At my shameless muttering, Joshua let out a sigh of disbelief.

“…Then why did you say no when I asked you to take the entrance exam with me?”

“Yeah… true.”

I recalled the time Joshua had begged me for days to attend the Academy with him.

Back then, I hated hearing it so much that I went out of my way to avoid him.

I’d been dead set on not messing with the original story too much, and I had been busy launching a new product line at Belze Salon.

But now, I slightly regretted ignoring Joshua’s constant request to enroll together.

‘I shouldn’t have done that.’

After all, what I wanted to do after returning to the past was protect the people of the Duke’s household.

So caught up in the original story, I hadn’t even considered Joshua’s position.

He had grown up with little social interaction due to his illness, and it was obvious he would be scared of attending the Academy.

Since regaining his health, Joshua had grown a lot, and somewhere along the way, he started acting all prickly like his older brother.

That’s why I’d overlooked it.

Unlike Edwin, Joshua was fragile and sensitive.

Staring quietly at me, he suddenly asked,

“…Is it because of me?”

“What is?”

“You enrolling.”

Even after speaking, he hesitated for a long time before confessing.

“…Is it because of what happened a few days ago? If so, you really don’t have to. It wasn’t a big deal, I swear.”

“……”

“And you’ve been busy with that copycat brand, right? Didn’t you say your dream was to die hugging all the money you earned? Why are you spending so much on something pointless…?”

“Joshua.”

I interrupted his anxious rambling.

“I won’t enroll in the Academy.”

“……”

“Then… do you want this?”

I held out the bear plush—Gomgomdori—that I had been hugging.

Joshua’s blue eyes wavered as he looked between me and the bear.

Then he slowly shook his head.

“…No.”

“……”

“That’s yours.”

Kind and innocent Joshua.

He was probably too happy with his first group of friends, too scared to stand out.

It was obvious he’d been suffering in silence without telling anyone.

“Smart choice.”

I pulled Gomgomdori back and hugged it tightly again.

Then I mumbled with a laugh.

“Better I enroll than go into assassination mode.”

“W-What?!”

Joshua looked appalled.

“Don’t say stuff like that at the Academy, even as a joke! People will think you’re insane!”

“It’s a joke, a joke.”

“You weren’t joking…!”

I turned my head to the window, ignoring Joshua’s flustered protests.

It seemed like he still considered the ones bullying him to be his friends.

And honestly, I didn’t want to crush that innocence and trust of his if I could help it.

What’s the best way to get the best outcome?

Staring at the streets passing by, I fell into deep thought.

* * *

When I arrived and stepped into the Duke’s estate, the atmosphere among the staff felt strangely off.

In one hallway, servants were running around in a panic.

“S-Shouldn’t we call the knights?”

“H-Hot water! The physician said he needs hot water!”

I noticed traces of blood on the hems of a few servants’ clothes and immediately checked the direction they had come from.

It was the direction where Marquis Tebron—Joshua’s maternal grandfather—was staying.

I caught a familiar maid who happened to be rushing past.

“Kona, what’s going on?”

“Oh, my lady? Goodness, the young master is already here too?”

Kona, clearly flustered and overwhelmed, stammered as she spoke.

“I-It’s… the Marquis suddenly started complaining of pain, and then…”

“Aaaaargh—!”

Just then—

A piercing scream erupted from the inner hallway, cutting through Kona’s explanation.

It was Marquis Tebron’s voice.

“He was summoned to the main house early this morning. He went on a house call, and he hasn’t returned since.”

Recalling my conversation with Jackson from a few days ago, I rushed without hesitation toward the room where Marquis Tebron was staying.

“Oh, my lady! Please, not right now! My lady!”

I heard Kona calling from behind, trying to stop me, but I didn’t care.

Tap-tap-tap!

Finally arriving at the door, I could see clearly inside through the wide-open entrance.

The room was absolute chaos.

“Aaagh, aaaaaaagh—!”

“Marquis, please, calm yourself! Marquis!”

“Someone contact the temple!”

Marquis Tebron was writhing and screaming atop a bed drenched in blood.

The butler and Grandpa Gordon were desperately trying to restrain him and shouted frantically to the others for help.

Amidst the madness, I saw something horrifying.

Perhaps it was during a treatment—Marquis Tebron wore short pants that exposed his leg.

The same leg I’d seen glowing with an orange hue days earlier—his right leg and foot—was now swollen to the point of bursting, and had turned a dark purplish black.

‘That’s…’

I didn’t even have time to be shocked by the long-forgotten hue.

“Gaaah!”

With a horrific scream, his grotesquely swollen left foot began to thrash violently—

Splurt—!

—Until it finally burst, spraying blood and pus everywhere.

And then—

“Dear heavens…”
“Oh my god! Shit—it’s a monster!”

From within, multiple green tendrils—like vines—wriggled out and stood on end.