Chapter 22

“Yeah. If it’s been just a few years of unrequited love, I wouldn’t say anything. It’s only been a few months at most, so it’s too early to give up.”

Hannah thought that saying this would lift Judith’s spirits a little. However, Judith spoke with an even more pale face.

“Isn’t it right to give up after a few years?”

“Exactly. So it’s still way too early for you to give up.”

Judith showed little reaction to Hannah’s comforting pats. She pressed her lips tightly together, rolled her golden eyes around a few times, and suddenly asked.

“Hannah, do you know what I’m worried about?”

“Of course.

Hannah placed her hands on her hips and gave a triumphant smile.

“You actually like Chase, don’t you? Do you think I wouldn’t notice? Despite how I look, I have more indirect experience than anyone else.”

“…”

“You’re surprised at how perceptive I am, aren’t you?”

Judith was speechless. Seeing Judith blinking with a blank expression, Hannah mischievously added.

“But there’s a rumor going around the academy that you and Chase are actually in love, not in an arranged engagement.”

“Is such nonsense really spreading?”

Judith’s golden eyes widened in surprise.

“It doesn’t seem entirely unfounded. There are many reports of you and Chase being friendly in the cafeteria and dessert café. And they say Chase, who never attended classes, started attending just to meet you.”

“…That’s a misunderstanding. We weren’t alone, and Chase only attended classes to fulfill his attendance requirements.”

Judith shook her head as if it was nonsense. However, Hannah held Judith’s hands tightly with both of hers.

“There’s potential. Judith, trust me.”

“…There’s no potential.”

Judith lowered her head as if dejected. Her eyes, visible through her pink hair, looked as if she was about to cry.

Hannah’s heart sank at seeing Judith look so vulnerable for the first time.

Even when Judith was bullied as a freshman, she didn’t seem this troubled. It seemed she had given her heart to Chase more deeply than expected.

Then Judith lifted her head and spoke firmly.

“Hannah. I need to make it clear since you seem to be misunderstanding. I really don’t like Chase.”

“Okay, okay.”

Hannah hugged the gloomy Judith tightly and patted her. Judith, caught in Hannah’s embrace, muttered.

“I really don’t like him. I’m just worried you might do something strange because of a misunderstanding…”

“Don’t worry. I won’t do anything. I won’t tell anyone. I’ll take it to my grave.”

“…I’m serious.”

How shy.

Hannah found Judith, floundering in her belated first love, endearing.

“I’ll help you. So your love can come true.”

At Hannah’s determined whisper, Judith let out a deep sigh.

“…You’re not even listening to me, are you?”

“No, I heard everything. I know you don’t like Chase at all.”

Hannah wore the gentle smile of an understanding adult.

* * *

Judith thought it was fortunate to be busy. Although her body was tired, at least it kept her mind off other thoughts.

Judith worked herself to the bone as if addicted to work.

There were far more applicants for the accounting remedial class than expected.

She intended to select about ten people, but the criteria were ambiguous, and selecting the wrong ones could lead to issues of fairness.

Seeing Judith in distress, Professor Karel spoke.

“Then it would be best to form the class with those whose grades fall short of graduation requirements.”

“…But we’ve already received applications. Won’t there be complaints from the students?”

“Well, there might be complaints.”

Professor Karel simply replied to Judith, who was visibly worried.

“But what can they do even if they complain? I’m the one making the decision.”

“…”

“Tell them to come to me if they have any issues.”

With the formidable shield that was Professor Karel, Judith was fortunately able to avoid being pestered by students.

Since Professor Karel was known for his unpredictability, the students merely looked dumbfounded at the sudden change in decision without voicing further complaints.

Perhaps it was because they knew too well that they couldn’t win against Professor Karel even if they confronted him.

Thus, the accounting remedial class was formed.

Despite over a hundred people applying, the final class size was reduced to six.

However, the reduction in numbers didn’t lessen Judith’s worries. Because half of them were not easy people.

Chase Cardandy, Riana Zernias, Cedric Belluan.

All were famous figures at the academy. Judith murmured as she looked at the paper with the list of names.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have agreed to this.”

First, Chase seemed to be following her instructions well, as he promised to try.

Whenever Judith instructed him to do something, he would grumble with a frown but still did as told.

However, the remaining two were the problem.

Cedric Belluan.

Known as the rogue of the Belluan Earl family. Among professors, he was known as an uncontrollable troublemaker.

Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, he had quite a talent for magic and gained fame for his mischievous magical pranks since his freshman year.

His most famous incident was creating a gust of wind during class that completely blew off the wig of the hardworking herbology professor.

When the professor, furious about the audacious prank, ranted, Cedric responded with a bright smile.

‘It was fun, wasn’t it? You looked hot. Isn’t it cooler now?’

It was only natural that the herbology professor’s face became even grimmer at those words.

Cedric, staring at the professor, who was red with anger, smiled brightly again and used magic to place the wig back on.

‘All better now? Calm down. You’ll get wrinkles.’

Interestingly, Cedric was friends with the model student Axel. This was because Madame Fedelian and the Belluan Countess had been friends for a long time.

Thanks to this, the two also occasionally met at the ladies’ gatherings.

One intriguing thing was that Cedric behaved relatively well in front of Axel. Perhaps Axel had a particularly good knack for coaxing and placating him.

However, there was no Axel in the accounting remedial class. In other words, there was no one to control Cedric.

Just thinking about it made her head throb.

She shifted her gaze to the next line on the list. The next person was no less challenging.

Riana Zernias. The cherished Lady of the Zernias Ducal family.

Naturally, there was no connection between Riana and Judith. The two were just too different.

From Riana’s perspective, she probably didn’t pay any attention to Judith. She might not even be aware of her existence.

Of course, Judith didn’t know much about Riana either.

Though they often passed each other when Judith went to her accounting classes, they never had a proper conversation.

All Judith knew was that Riana was Axel’s precious fiancée.

* * *

Judith tried to recall when Axel had informed her about his engagement.

What did Axel say while explaining about his fiancée? Did he even explain it to me?

As Judith carefully retraced her memories, she recalled something and gaped.

Come to think of it, I refused to listen first.

Well, it was only natural. She couldn’t pretend it didn’t bother her, and it would only burn her insides for no reason.

‘Riana is…’

‘Enough.’

Back then, Judith quickly raised her hand to stop Axel from speaking further.

Riana.

Just the fact that Axel called her name so familiarly made Judith feel a throbbing pain spreading in her chest.

She couldn’t bear to hear Axel’s continued explanations, knowing the pain it would bring.

When did they become so close without her knowing?

She had heard they had been friends for years, but seeing how things had progressed, it seemed they had grown very close.

To a degree unimaginable for mere childhood friends.

Ignoring the sensation of a thorn lodged in her throat like a blade, she spoke.

‘I don’t need to know every detail about your love life.’

Judith avoided Axel’s gaze, and Axel quietly looked down at Judith, who was avoiding his eyes.

Soon, he murmured as if puzzled.

‘Sometimes, it seems like you’re overly disinterested in me.’

The weak breath escaping Axel’s lips tickled Judith’s cheek, giving her goosebumps.

Of course, that was entirely untrue.

Judith couldn’t possibly be uninterested in Axel. If anything, she was overly interested.

Whenever Axel was far away, she was always busy glancing at him, and when he talked with others, she would eavesdrop to hear what they were discussing.

She was just pretending not to be interested, skillfully masking her true feelings.