But that man was said to be the only son of the Shellid ducal family that occupied a large territory in the north.

Even novel characters would be called over-setting if they were given such good things, but isn’t reality even more so?

Back then she thought, suppressing her anger, ‘So there’s such an accomplished guy too. But since he’s a human in a different position from me, we probably won’t get entangled.’

Melinda also knew well the gap between a commoner and a great noble’s son, and knew her place.

But……

“Why, why, why!”

The past three years. No matter how much she thought about it, she had done little wrong.

No, it was terribly unfair!

“I wasn’t the one who started it!”

The man who always led his followers around like goldfish poop with that accomplished appearance and noble bloodline was excessively conspicuous. That was all.

Melinda, shocked by the entrance exam, immersed herself in studying. Fortunately, she was able to achieve first place in the Witchcraft Department in the first exam of her first year.

But it turned out there was also something called department ranking. Among the departments included in the Imperial Capital Faculty, Melinda was second place. And first place was…… that man. Eloise.

She was a bit frustrated, but it was okay up to that point. The world is wide and there are many excellent people. But the people around her were more of a problem than Melinda who had been staying still. Those around that accomplished human began to be conscious of Melinda.

“What is she that she’s right below Sir Eloise?”

About the level of an annoying speck attached around the dazzling human.

“That shorty had only a 2-point difference with Sir Eloise? So he’s interested…… No, she’s a stupid-looking commoner who’s being presumptuous. A gloomy witch should know her place!”

Those damn followers. Followers who should be beaten to death!

When the same grades came out through the second exam after the first, the followers who wanted to catch Eloise’s eye began pouring their misplaced anger on Melinda.

“Hey. Don’t you dare come near the Knight Department. Got it?”

“Right. Ha, now it’s obvious she’s trying to get his attention with this kind of trick. Either lower your grades right now, or don’t even come near this area next time!”

Suddenly blocking her path and picking fights was routine.

“Is this real? What is this!”

“Hey. What’s so great about having big br*asts!”

One day they called her out and cornered her, then unpleasantly poked her shoulders and hit her head with tuk, tuk sounds. They went to the trouble of coming all the way to the Witchcraft Department in the outskirts, spread false rumors, and mocked her from behind.

“Just a witch.”

“Just a commoner!”

“Can’t even follow at his feet!”

Contempt cackled above her head. It happened to be because those things were much taller than Melinda. Her head was dizzy. How could those who attend the Imperial Capital Academy where intellectuals gather be at this level? Her anger gradually reached its limit.

“Hey, lowly commoner. How many times is this? This really doesn’t get through, does it? Are we funny to you?”

“You’re not really desperately trying to catch Sir Eloise’s eye, are you? Because of you, Sir Eloise keeps…… Annoying! If you’re a gloomy Witchcraft Department student, don’t act up and just quietly attend school. Got it?”

Back when she was still suppressing her temper and attending school quietly, Melinda thought. Ah. I only studied hard, so why do I have to hear such trashy words?

‘Because I’m a witch? Or.’

Her teeth ground with a crunch.

‘Is it really that man’s doing? Why. Because I arrogantly rejected his kindness and ran away on the day we first met? Or is it really because I’m a commoner?’

Melinda knew.

That man she had encountered several times, Eloise. How cold and calculating that human’s soul was.

Though they were opponents who had never had a single conversation alone since that terrible first meeting, witches were beings who could inherently sense others’ power and its traces strongly.

Melinda, especially, possessed abilities so outstanding that she was called a genius comparable to ancient witches in that regard. So when she faced that man at close range, she knew immediately.

That chilling quality flowing through his blood. She could clearly sense it.

That man might be beautiful on the outside, but inside he would be terribly cold, calculating, and flawlessly ruthless.

His surrounding human relationships would also be a cradle he controlled as he wished and carefully cultivated.

He was a frightening human, and to that man, she was a human not even worth caring about. But if such things kept happening, how should she think about it?

‘There’s no way such a perfect human wouldn’t know who his followers are tormenting. He either knows and condones it or subtly ordered it. But really why? What did I do wrong? It’s too petty to say it’s really because of that meeting.’

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became and couldn’t calm down. Wasn’t it really a cowardly and dirty method? If he had complaints, he should say so openly, or what kind of behavior is this, using people?

‘When I graduate and become a proper high-ranking witch, I’ll definitely curse you!’

The irritation that might be a misunderstanding accumulated day by day, and eventually it led to an obsession with grades.

She harbored a desire to somehow crush that arrogant and cold bastard’s pride at least once.

But not even once. Not even a single time could she find a moment to beat that man. As time passed, Melinda felt like she was going crazy. Rage boiled up.

Why?

Why did she lose by such narrow margins? What was he that she could never beat him once? It wasn’t like she didn’t work as hard as that bastard, so why on earth!

Before she knew it, Melinda became conscious of Eloise. Just seeing the man made her feel bad, and her eyes turned unkind.

As such time accumulated, rumors even spread that the perpetual second place was envious and jealous of first place Eloise, damn it!

The followers who heard this news cackled with laughter.

“What does she think she is to be jealous of our Sir Eloise! You stared for a long time and then disappeared last time, right? What disgusting behavior is that?”

“Know your place, witch. Know your place!”

She couldn’t hear properly, so she didn’t know what reaction Eloise himself showed.

But she knew that it didn’t draw that man’s attention in the direction the followers wanted.

Because.

From the next day, she inevitably met those sparkling blue eyes at least once a day.

“Hello?”

“……”

Eloise. That damn human began greeting her in such a way, speaking sweetly. Melinda’s mind went blank.

The man who smiled beautifully with folded eyes said.

“I’m called Eloise. You’re Melinda, right? I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“……Kuk!”

“You were surprised that I suddenly spoke to you. Are you okay?”

Huh, she wondered if he was really crazy.

Melinda was just dumbfounded.

It was the end of second year. Melinda thought that the human who had been ignoring the situation all along suddenly speaking to her was itself an insult to her. The words she barely managed to spit out with a face turned bright red also made her boil with rage.

“Don’t, kuk, sp, kuk, speak to me!”

Eloise, who tilted his head as if puzzled, sighed.

Each of his movements was beautiful like a sculpture, which made her more annoyed.

“You don’t look well.”

“……Get lost, hic!”

“Strange. It seems like we’re talking for the first time today, but why do you seem so angry?”

First time? Could it be that human doesn’t even know where we first met?

She felt foolish for suffering alone all this time, wondering why the nobleman might be angry and agonizing over it. Didn’t it mean he didn’t even remember calling her little one!

And asking why she was angry. Asking because he didn’t know?

“Let’s get along well from now on.”

“……I hate it!”

“I’ll come find you often.”

“……G-get, kuk, kuk, get lost!”

Her face turned red as if it would burst. The hiccups got worse due to excessive anger.

She couldn’t control it even though she knew how foolish it made her look.

Of course, his followers who had directly hurt Melinda had fits at Eloise’s sudden interest.

“Sir Eloise, why on earth to such a thing!”

“That’s right, Sir Eloise. Don’t associate with her. What if she gets the wrong idea?”

In front of Melinda who frowned at the spreading criticism, the man disgustingly pretended to care for her.

“What are you talking about?”

“Pardon?”

He scolded his followers with a frowning face.

“What kind of attitude is this in front of a person? Apologize to Melinda right now.”

“……What?”

A cold silence fell. Even Melinda’s eyes widened. Ha, what was he saying? It was absurd. What pretense was this now? Apologizing after everything had happened and it was too late? If he was going to apologize, he should have done it a year ago!

“B-but! Sir Eloise. Please reconsider. How can we bow our heads to such a commoner……”