Before getting caught in their unnecessary speculation, getting out of sight was the priority. I had no choice but to take Sezan along a longer route to the secluded path behind the library. Even now, facing each other alone, I’m not sure what to say first.

Sezan, seemingly still thinking I was angry, waited quietly without speaking first. But what could a commoner possibly do to a noble in a back alley? After much deliberation, I finally managed to utter a word.

“Lord Sezan.”

“Yes.”

Sezan nodded promptly, appearing to have been waiting. He had no need to be so mindful of my mood at all. With a long sigh, I abruptly knelt before him. Quite startled by my sudden action, Sezan instinctively lowered himself as well.

“What are you doing?”

“Please forgive my previous rudeness.”

“…Pardon?”

“Unlike Lord Sezan, I am a commoner. Though I’m now humbly attending Angelus University thanks to Professor Asrein, I was previously a servant. I sincerely apologize for failing to recognize the precious son of the renowned Duke Piart. This unfortunate incident occurred entirely due to my carelessness.”

My time working as a servant taught me that when a count was displeased, one had to apologize and claim fault regardless of what was unfair. Thanks to that experience, kneeling wasn’t such a big deal. When I spoke smoothly, like reciting a prepared apology, Sezan appeared quite shocked. While I bit my lower lip firmly and quietly waited for his response, I heard his voice mixed with a sigh.

“Please stand up.”

“Are you forgiving me?”

“There was nothing to forgive in the first place.”

Sezan kindly extended his hand to help me up, but I maintained my kneeling position, deliberately avoiding his gaze. Even after hearing his clear answer, my unease revealed how deeply that month at the count’s mansion had affected me. Though I felt sorry toward him for being so generous with forgiveness, I wanted to draw a clear line.

“Then, if I may make one more shameless request.”

“What…”

“Please consider everything from the herb garden to the greenhouse like it never happened. Let’s say Lord Sezan and I first met during the expedition.”

I wish I could turn back time to yesterday. Had I known from the start that he was a noble, I wouldn’t have made that absurd proposal about calling each other hyung. Though I couldn’t know what Sezan thought, I didn’t want to become the subject of others’ gossip because of this incident. Compared to asking forgiveness for rudeness, this seemed like a minor request, and I thought Sezan would surely understand. But contrary to my expectations, he maintained a firm attitude.

“I don’t want that.”

“What?”

“Is it because of social status?”

I neither nodded nor shook my head. A meaningful silence was enough to be interpreted as affirmation. Sezan, biting his lower lip hesitantly, spoke with the tone of venting his grievances.

“The Duke is my father, not me.”

“Of course I know that. But you are his son, Lord Sezan.”

“Although most people call me Lord Sezan because of my father, I’m not someone special apart from my family.”

I should have noticed they were an important family when Asrein addressed Sezan as ‘Lord,’ but I was too careless.

“In this school where only ability matters, I didn’t want to be bound by family ties.”

“I understand how you feel.”

“Isn’t it ridiculous that students who study and learn the same things grow distant just because of different social status?”

This was an unusual ideology in a class-based society. While it deserved applause for being admirable, I wished he would consider our different positions. Commoners living in thatched houses evacuate early to avoid getting caught in what the nobles casually call a breeze but is actually a typhoon.

“I understand that too. But will everyone be like you, Lord Sezan?”

The answer remains unknown to all. Even if Sezan had a more open mind than other nobles, there was no guarantee that the group that just surrounded him shared the same ideology. When I’m alone, some form of retaliation might come, or Sezan might get caught up in unnecessary rumors because of me.

Count Ameli behaved similarly. He treated servants roughly but acted incredibly kind in front of Asrein, who was close to the emperor. I no longer want to face unfair threats to my life because of nobles. Various unpleasant memories surfaced, making me hold my throbbing head as I said.

“Lord Sezan. I…”

“Hyung.”

“Whoa!”

“…Yes?”

“No, no.”

I unconsciously made a strange sound when he suddenly called me hyung without warning. His expression resembled a dejected Doberman, but it wouldn’t work. I’d decided to limit my stress to magical creatures only, even if they caused trouble. I raised both hands, showing my palms while keeping distance.

“I appreciate that you want to think of me comfortably, but I’m the one who’s uncomfortable.”

When I spoke with desperation, his trembling lips firmly closed. Meeting his unstable navy blue eyes directly made me feel a twinge of guilt in a corner of my heart. Just when thoughts of wanting to end this conversation were washing over me like a tide, Sezan carefully opened his mouth.

“I’m sorry for pressuring you. I got carried away thinking I might have a friend for the first time.”

“No, I’m the one who’s sorry.”

Seeing his resigned expression wasn’t particularly pleasant. Especially since it came from pushing away someone who had just been welcoming me like an eager puppy. While guilt made me want to wrap things up and leave, a quiet voice caught my ankle.

“But what if… when no one’s watching, could we talk comfortably?”

“…Pardon?”

“Outside the university, hardly anyone knows about me.”

“No, Lord Sezan.”

Why are you doing this? I have no mana to take, no knowledge, no money, no family name, no honor – so why are you obsessing over being ‘friends’? Is it some kind of desire to have an ordinary person around? He’s acting like I’m his only option at this school. Sezan tried to force a smile to deny reality, but his awkwardly raised corners of his mouth trembled. Sending him home like this, he might curl up under his blanket and cry quietly for a while.

“If even that makes you uncomfortable…”

Unfortunately, I’m quite weak to people like this.

“Ah, fine.”

“Pardon?”

“Let’s be friends. Us.”

“…! Really?”

Life suddenly returned to his consistently gloomy face. The damp gloominess that seemed ready to sprout mushrooms disappeared, creating a vision of spring flowers blooming one by one. I quickly set conditions for him who had instantly regained his spirit.

“However, as you said, please be casual only when we’re alone.”

“Yes. That’s fine.”

Sezan nodded promptly. His joy matched that of a child making their first friend in elementary school – how could I add anything more? My mistake in failing to recognize the Piart ducal family was significant too.

I decided to put aside worries about what might happen and instead rejoice in gaining a good friend. Just as I was about to grab Sezan’s extended hand to stand up, a voice that shouldn’t have been heard came from behind.

“Tae-oh.”

Cold sweat instantly ran down my spine. When I hurriedly turned my head, there stood Asrein, arms crossed, looking down at us.

“What are you doing there?”

“…Professor!”

“You were taking so long, I thought you might have gotten lost from the library…”

I immediately stood up and dusted off my dirty knees without thinking. I worried whether I seemed too careless with these clothes that Asrein had bought for me. While I clasped my hands respectfully and watched his expression, his sharp eyes had already narrowed.

“What’s the reason for kneeling in a place like this?”

“Well… there was a reason…”

How could I explain that I saved a young man who was about to eat a Sarracenia raw in the herb garden, gave him medicine, and unintentionally comforted him… only to find out he was the son of a duke! The situation that was about to be resolved nicely just got awkward after being caught.

Not knowing where to start explaining, I glanced at Sezan while opening and closing my mouth. Then Asrein, who had been quietly observing the situation, stepped forward and smoothly inserted himself between Sezan and me.

“Did this person make you uncomfortable?”

After that, Asrein naturally separated me from Sezan and hid me behind his broad back. The series of actions suggested he was trying to protect me. He seemed to have seriously misunderstood after seeing me kneeling. Unlike my flustered state, the relatively calm Sezan spoke first.

“No. This happened because of my stubbornness. Hyu… I mean, Tae-oh didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Tae-oh?”

Something about his manner must have displeased him. One of his neat eyebrows slightly raised.

“So you know each other.”

The gentle tone of his voice carried an unusual pressure – or perhaps that was my imagination. In the alley where heavy silence lingered, I just rolled my eyes around, not knowing how to react. Speaking hastily to lighten the mood would likely backfire. While briefly considering how to explain from where, Asrein first cut the tense string.

“Well… if it’s nothing serious, I suppose it’s fine.”

Really… is it fine? Your expression resembles the calm before a storm that could burst at any wrong move. Even the gesture of pushing back hair that had fallen forward over his shoulder carried tension. His gaze, which had touched me once and moved away, soon fixed on Sezan’s face.

“However, I hope you won’t put my student in such an awkward position.”

His narrowed eyes carried a warning that was by no means light. While I was just watching, trying to figure out when to intervene, my hair stood on end when my name was called.

“Tae-oh.”

“Yes, yes?”

“Is everything settled between you two now?”

“Ah… Yes! Professor.”

“Then let’s head back.”

With those words, Asrein turned around. As I hurried to follow him, I stopped abruptly and looked back to see Sezan still standing in the same spot. He looked like his soul had departed his body, seemingly as shocked by Asrein’s sudden appearance as I was. I waved my hand slightly at Sezan with a bright smile, indicating that I would handle things well. That’s when Asrein, walking ahead, asked.

“Are you sure nothing happened?”

“Yes. That’s right. There was just a misunderstanding with Lord Sezan. Rather, Lord Sezan apologized to me.”

When I caught up to walk beside him at a quick pace, his calm eyes slowly dropped downward. Following his gaze as I lowered my head, I saw my knees dirty with soil. The marks remained no matter how much I dusted them off with my hands, and I didn’t know what to do. Asrein let out a deep sigh.

“Don’t kneel just anywhere.”

“I… I’m sorry, Professor.”

I knew I had to be especially careful with my behavior since there were many eyes in the school. I needed to be even more mindful of my conduct when with famous Sezan or Asrein, whom everyone knew. While I reflected deeply and pressed my lips tightly together, he firmly shook his head.

“No, I’m not blaming you.”

“Pardon? Then…”

When I looked up with a puzzled expression, Asrein spoke in a serious voice.

“I’m telling you not to lower yourself too much.”