Ah, of course Dad was rich too.

But isn’t it better to have as many rich connections as possible?

Grinning again, I neatly stacked my books in order.

“But... judging by what I’ve seen, it doesn’t look like this is the first or second time they’ve bullied you. Why not talk to the professor about it?”

I asked in all sincerity. But Jerdin slowly shook his head.

“I-if I do that, and a noble takes revenge on me... I-it’s okay. If I just put up with a little, then...”

“Oh dear.”

So he thought it would be better not to stand out as much as possible.

I couldn’t say I didn’t understand that feeling, so I nodded and said, “All right, I understand.”

Just then, after finishing packing her bag, Sortie tapped me.

“Let’s go eat lunch!”

“Okay! Ah, right. Titi, for lunch I—”

Before I could even finish speaking, Haben, who had been glaring passionately at me for a while now, shot up from his seat and came stomping over.

“Hey! You!”

“Yeah. Why?”

“You just wait.”

The force of his threat was impressive. I fiddled with my fingertips and looked away.

“Oh, wow... But did you really run all the way over from the far end of the classroom just to say that? Really? You really had to?”

“Damn it, for a commoner you sure—!”

“Haben, cut it out already!”

At that moment, Sortie, who had been staying quiet, finally spoke.

“Why are you being so nasty to my friend? Is that how your parents taught you?”

Well done, my Titi.

Funny enough, even though Haben hissed angrily at Sortie’s words, he couldn’t act as aggressively toward her.

So he does listen when it’s another noble talking.

He really is the worst.

“Why are you making such a fuss taking the commoners’ side?”

“Professor Yuliope said calling people commoners like that is forbidden—!”

“Ugh, you’re so loud! Come on, let’s go!”

In the end, Haben stormed out of the classroom with his little group.

For some reason, Sortie glared at his retreating back with a look of deep resentment. Then she whipped her head around toward me.

“Which do you like better, pepper or chili powder?”

“Huh...?”

“Pick one! Pepper spray or chili-powder spray! I’m bringing one starting tomorrow!”

“You even brought something like that? You’re amazing.”

“In case there’s an outdoor party on the last day. I was going to use it to drive away flying bugs!”

“But even so, spraying that at a person is...”

The moment I met Sortie’s flashing eyes, I snapped my mouth shut.

“That could definitely be one option. Make mine a mix, Titi.”

Only then did she break into a bright smile.

*****

After finishing the morning lesson, Yuliope headed toward the administration building, where the professors’ offices were.

Ugh, I’m dying.

Teaching had taken a lot more out of her than expected.

“Not that I had any strength to spend in the first place! Ha ha ha ha! Hah...”

That cracked laugh quickly turned into a deep sigh.

“Professor Yuliope?”

Just then, Odelly approached, wearing glasses shaped like red butterflies.

“Ah, Headmaster.”

“Today was the official first day. How was it? They’re all adorable, aren’t they?”

“Yes. My overtime isn’t adorable at all, though.”

Odelly shot her a light sidelong look.

“Oh ho ho ho! But thanks to that, haven’t you been pocketing quite a generous extra allowance? You do know our Academy pays better than southern Mariard, don’t you?”

“Of course, my esteemed Headmaster.”

With a perfectly solemn face, Yuliope pressed her palms together and rubbed them eagerly.

“So if you would kindly handle next year’s salary negotiation well...”

Heh heh heh. And once that happened, she would negotiate something even higher somewhere else and switch jobs.

Whether Odelly knew the dark thoughts running through the professor’s mind or not, she only laughed again.

“Oh ho ho! That will depend on the results of the camp you’re in charge of this time, won’t it?”

“Ah, I can hear the sound of my body and soul being torn apart somewhere...”

Depressing. So depressing.

Yuliope drained a dose of fatigue-recovery medicine in one gulp.

“More importantly... how was the Zebbert princess?”

“The princess?”

“Yes. It seemed the Duke was worried because she’s rather shy. Has she been adjusting well?”

Hmm. Adjusting.

Yuliope made an uncertain face.

“She’s adjusted, more or less... As for whether she’s shy or not, I honestly couldn’t tell.”

“What do you mean?”

She remembered the name tag with “Ru” scrawled across it in messy letters. And those clear eyes facing Haben without flinching.

Judging by what she had heard about the whole commoner business, the girl had apparently been mistaken for one, yet hadn’t bothered to correct anyone.

The Duke did say she dislikes attracting attention. Is that why?

The youngest child of the illustrious Zebbert family. And on top of that, their long-awaited daughter.

There was no one in the Empire who did not know the circumstances of the ducal couple, which meant the significance of their having “adopted” a daughter was obvious.

Recalling the tremendous amount of interest that had surrounded the princess even before camp had begun, Yuliope’s expression turned flat.

That doesn’t mean I can give her special treatment.

Noble or not, to her, they were all the same students.

If conflict arose between children, then she would intervene only as a professor.

In fact, what she disliked even more was seeing status create a hierarchy inside the class.

“Well, for now she seems to be doing fine. It looks like she’s made several friends too.”

At that indifferent answer, Odelly’s eyes widened as she stressed her next words.

“You must take veeeery good care of her. You do know just how much money the House of Zebbert has been pouring into our Academy, don’t you?”

“What? That has nothing to do with me. The money the Duke poured in isn’t going straight into my pay envelope, is it?”

“Hmm. Do you hear something?”

“What?”

“The sound of Professor Yuliope’s salary being cut.”

Pbbt. Yuliope clapped both hands over her ears and shook her head like mad.

The Headmaster smiled faintly and patted Yuliope on the shoulder.

“By the way... what happened on the library side?”

Only then did Yuliope lower her arms and take the old book she had tucked under her arm into her hands.

“...As you can see.”

Odelly’s expression turned grave.

“I’ve been staying up all night trying to find a solution, but I’ve got nothing.”

“Sigh... I see.”

Odelly rubbed at the tired crease between her brows.

“When camp ends, I’m scheduled for an audience, so I’ll speak to His Majesty the Emperor. We may have to request that a mage be dispatched.”

“...A mage.”

“Don’t make that face. Of course our Rare Books Archive has never once allowed mages inside, but... we have no choice, do we?”

“Sigh...”

It was an old rule of the Rare Books Archive.

A rule that had never once been broken in the Academy’s long history.

For the Academy Headmaster and professors, following it was simply a matter of course.

“This is unsettling...”

Gulp, gulp.

Yuliope chugged another fatigue-recovery medicine.

“Well, whatever happens, as long as I can just go home from work...”

At last the Headmaster snapped.

“No, that’s exactly what I’m saying! Go home and rest! Your house is right in front of the main gate, so why do you spend every night in your office?”

“Going hooome...”

“Excuse me, are you even eating properly? Hm? Professor Yuliope!”

Pretending not to hear, Yuliope sniffled dramatically and kept walking.

In one hand, she carried the old book she loved.

Staggering toward her office, Yuliope suddenly stopped.

“Professor!”

When she lifted her head, she saw a child hurrying toward her from far away.

The girl who had just come up in conversation.

Rubian.

“...Miss Rubian?”

The child, with a dainty strawberry hairpin clipped to one side of her hair, came to a stop in front of her and bowed politely.

“Hello!”

Yuliope focused her fatigue-blurred vision.

“Um, I’m sorry for causing a disturbance during class this morning.”

Those blue eyes sparkled brightly. It was her first time really speaking with her, and the child was more clear-eyed and polite than she had expected.

“Hm, it’s all right. Did you come just to say that?”

“Ah. That’s part of it, but...”

Rubian spoke shyly, tapping the floor with the tip of her foot.

“I was so deeply impressed by today’s lesson. Would it be possible for me to tour the inside of the Rare Books Archive?”

Yuliope’s eyes widened to the fullest.

“That... does that mean you’re interested in old books?”

“Yes. They feel strangely familiar, and for some reason I keep getting drawn to them... It’s the kind of field that makes a fierce scholarly passion rise inside me, like I want to read them fluently at least once.”

“Ahem, ahem! Ahem!”

The young professor’s face flushed red.

No special treatment.

But still...

“Usually there aren’t many students who take an interest in ancient languages, ahem!”

Wasn’t this different from special treatment? She would only be guiding a student who had an interest in scholarship!

She tried her best to keep a straight face, but it was hard to suppress the corners of her mouth, which kept twitching upward.

Without realizing it, Yuliope reached out and patted Rubian on the head, then froze.

No, what is this texture...

Precious. This student.

For some reason, she didn’t want to let go.