Chapter 23

As she was swept away countless times by the waves of his meaningless words, her heart gradually wore down and became numb.

That was how it was created. The image of Judith that Axel knew.

“Sigh…”

Judith let out a long sigh while holding the list of the remedial class.

Could I really greet Riana with a calm demeanor and conduct the class without a hitch

Riana Zernias was a person who shone with a natural presence like Axel.

She was fundamentally different from someone like Judith, who had to struggle to be recognized by others.

Moreover…

She was someone who could receive Axel’s love without any effort.

If she had known it would be like this, it might have been better to endure a bit more hardship and increase the number of participants.

At least then, she would have fewer direct encounters with Cedric and Riana.

But the accounting remedial class had already been formed. It was too late to change the composition now.

Somehow, she was destined to face Riana.

Crumple. 

The list of the remedial class that Judith was holding was mercilessly crumpled.

* * *

Cedric Belluan, having seen Axel Fedelian from a young age, prided himself on knowing him quite well.

But the Axel of now was showing a face even Cedric had never seen before.

Wondering if something had happened, Cedric walked briskly towards Axel.

Axel’s face was reflected in the faint light streaming through the window. His expression wasn’t good, to say the least.

Though his face was expressionless, the redness around his eyes suggested he was on the verge of tears.

It would be better to vent his emotions by shouting, rather than having a face more unsightly than crying.

“Is something wrong? Your expression is telling.”

“Really?”

Axel raised his hand to touch his cheek, tilting his head as if even he found it unfamiliar.

Then, perhaps realizing his state, he smiled as usual. It was a perfect smile with not a single crack.

But Cedric thought Axel looked more precarious than before.

Sometimes, it would be good for him to share his troubles.

Like a kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder, Axel’s reluctance to show vulnerability was one of his chronic issues.

Even if it was in front of an old friend who had known him since they started babbling.

Whether it was because Cedric wasn’t trustworthy or because Axel Fedelian inherently couldn’t trust anyone, Cedric didn’t know.

In any case, Cedric often found this aspect of Axel very frustrating.

“I never thought I’d worry about you. It was always your job to worry about me causing trouble, but this is a new experience.”

Even when Cedric jokingly tried to lighten the mood, Axel remained silent.

He just lowered his gaze, staring somewhere in the dark hallway, as if chasing the back of someone invisible.

An awkward silence followed. Cedric had never felt such awkwardness when he was with Axel.

Axel was skilled at making others comfortable and quickly grasped their interests to facilitate smooth conversations.

Feeling unfamiliar, Cedric unconsciously shifted his eyes and swallowed hard.

At that moment, Axel’s closed lips opened.

“I don’t understand people’s hearts.”

For something that seemed quite serious, it was a common concern anyone might have. Cedric, eyes wide, responded.

“That’s only natural.”

“…I did my best, but I don’t know where it went wrong. If I knew why I’m being avoided, I’d fix it, but I don’t even know that.”

Cedric looked at Axel’s profile, mumbling as if talking to himself.

Meanwhile, Axel’s voice, lower than usual, echoed down the silent hallway.

“What should I do in times like this?”

“….”

His eyes were lost, like a child who had lost their way.

Cedric couldn’t offer any answer. He had realized what Axel was troubled about.

Cedric, with a stiff expression, finally spoke.

“Who’s avoiding you?”

Though it was a formal question, Cedric already knew the answer. If Axel was this unsettled, there could only be one cause.

It was none other than Axel’s long-time childhood friend, Judith.

Of course, Cedric had never directly interacted with that pink-haired girl.

But having often witnessed Axel with her, he was well aware of her existence.

Cedric suddenly recalled an old memory.

‘Axel, I heard you’ve been hanging out with a commoner lately?’

It was the first time Cedric mentioned Judith’s existence. Until then, he had deliberately avoided bringing her up.

Axel was the only friend Cedric acknowledged.

Yet, he couldn’t understand why Axel would associate with a child of such low status. So he tried to forget her existence.

Nonetheless, when he first asked about Judith, Axel widened his eyes in surprise.

‘How do you know Judith?’

‘My mother told me. She said you seem to be getting close with a servant.’

His mother described Axel’s behavior of mingling with a commoner as “beneath him” and added that she couldn’t understand why he would associate with such a commoner.

Young Cedric was displeased by his mother’s words.

The mere fact that his close friend was associating with a commoner seemed to tarnish his honor.

So Cedric intended to advise Axel today. To stop associating with that commoner.

But Axel unexpectedly countered.

‘Judith isn’t a servant.’

Though his voice was gentle, it had an oddly firm tone. Surprised by the unexpected reaction, Cedric blinked.

…Was the word “servant” bothersome?

But whether she was a servant or not wasn’t the issue at hand. Cedric shrugged.

‘Well, she’s still a commoner. You shouldn’t hang out with her anymore.’

‘Why?’

‘Why? Because she doesn’t suit you.’

In truth, Cedric didn’t expect Axel to ask for a reason. It was too obvious to even consider.

But for the first time, Cedric saw Axel’s hardened expression.

Axel, who always kindly echoed Cedric’s words.

Yet, Axel, with a blank face, replied for the first time, “No.”

It was incomprehensible.

Was that commoner girl really that important to him?

But even after that, Axel’s strange behavior continued.

Whenever he mentioned that girl, he referred to her as a “precious friend.”

Why on earth?

Cedric thought that expression was incorrect. 

How could someone like Judith be considered equal to me as a friend to Axel?

How could a commoner possess the same equality as us? Their blood was different from ours.

Axel Fedelian must know this, yet his effort to portray it positively was baffling.

Thus, Cedric believed that the pink-haired commoner’s presumption of closeness was partly Axel’s fault.

By continually allowing such presumptuousness, that girl misunderstands her place.

And…

Perhaps because of that misunderstanding that the girl ended up having a one-sided love for Axel.

It was evident just by looking at the girl’s face. She usually wore a dull, expressionless face.

But when she talked with Axel, her face lit up with vitality, and her eyes sparkled brightly.

Recalling that, Cedric sighed inwardly.

The emotions the girl harbored were likely far from the “friendship” Axel spoke of.

But he didn’t voice that fact.

Like planting a seed with words, he thought that speaking it aloud might deepen their relationship.

Especially since Axel was sensitive whenever the topic of Judith came up.

He didn’t want to inform Axel of unnecessary truths, leading him to pay more attention to that girl than he already did.

However, Cedric realized how heavy Axel’s feelings were for that girl when he heard about Axel’s engagement.

‘So, how on earth did you end up engaged to Riana? When did you plan this?’

There had been no signs between them. Even his mother, who was well-versed in social rumors, hadn’t known.

Yet, without his knowledge, things had progressed that far.

Cedric felt a slight sense of betrayal towards Axel. Just as he was about to press further, Axel stopped him with his words.

‘It’s nothing special. My mother was looking into a marriage prospect for Judith.’

…What does that have to do with this engagement?

Mouth agape, Cedric soon pieced together the general situation.

It seemed Madame Fedelian was worried that the girl named Judith might become an obstacle to Axel’s future marriage proposal.