Chapter 9

Judith recalled memories from four years ago.

At that time, Axel did not want to part with Judith when he entered the Academy.

So he pleaded with the elders of his family to allow Judith to attend the Academy with him.

Of course, Judith was taken aback and waved her hands in refusal, but Madame Fedelian generously offered her support.

From then on, Judith became an official beneficiary of the Fedelian family. Honestly, it was a very fortunate thing for her.

Because the tuition for the Academy that Axel would attend was extremely expensive. It was something a commoner couldn’t even dream of affording.

But thanks to Madame Fedelian’s generosity, she had the opportunity to receive education there for free.

However, this was nothing compared to the fact that she could spend more time with Axel.

She had thought that once he entered the Academy, they would only be able to meet during vacations.

More than the pretty uniform she wore for the first time, more than the envious glances from the maids her age, Judith was delighted and thrilled about that fact.

‘Even if I make new friends, the fact that you are the most important won’t change.’

Just before entering the Academy, Axel held Judith’s hand tightly and said so. Thus, even during the entrance ceremony in the auditorium, they stayed close together.

But soon, they were separated into different classes. Judith’s major was accounting, and Axel’s was history, so it was inevitable.

When Axel first heard that classes were divided based on majors, he said he would choose accounting. But Judith dissuaded him.

Of course, Axel would do well whether he chose accounting or history, but Judith liked watching him read history books.

So she supported his choice to pursue the major he wanted.

Although she was a bit disappointed to be in a different class from Axel, she remained optimistic at that time.

Perhaps she would soon make other new friends as well.

However, Judith’s life at the Academy was not as beautiful as she had expected.

Instead of friends, her books were filled with mocking scribbles, making it hard to read the text, and sometimes her desk would disappear entirely.

She even got doused with cold water in the restroom. Wherever she went, mocking giggles followed her.

‘Why? Are you going to tell Axel?’

That phrase angered Judith more than any insult.

They treated her as if she was nothing without Axel and even considered her a burden to him.

Judith wanted to change their perception, so she began to immerse herself in her studies.

Fearing that she might be accused of being a burden if she received Axel’s help, she tried to overcome everything on her own.

After that, she skipped meals and locked herself in the library, studying relentlessly. She didn’t stop even under Axel’s worried gaze.

That’s how she achieved the top rank.

Once she achieved excellent results, the professors’ attitudes changed first.

They had thought she was a commoner student who got in through the influence of the Fedelian family.

Seeing her efforts and good grades, the professors began to praise her.

Instead of the unpleasant rumor that Axel Fedelian had brought her to the Academy because he was infatuated with some girl, a new rumor spread that he had recognized her potential and decided to support her.

People changed their attitudes as if flipping a hand. They were busy admiring the excellent insight that discovered a rough diamond buried in the mud.

The classmates, after hesitating, began to ask Judith questions about things they didn’t know. Judith explained them calmly without showing any signs of annoyance.

The dissatisfaction, jealousy, and envious glances surrounding Judith quickly turned into goodwill.

In this way, Judith succeeded in creating her own allies.

What Judith could do was limited, but she did her best to overcome her difficulties.

It was a peaceful academy life she had barely managed to create through painstaking effort.

Helping Chase recklessly could make those efforts go to waste again.

But after much deliberation, Judith decided to help him and said to Chase,

‘Try to like sweet things.’

The reason for saying this was relatively simple.

For Judith, Axel was the only person who disliked sweet things.

Similarly, seeing Chase avoid sweet things made her think of Axel unintentionally.

She feared she might never be able to forget Axel because of that.

Of course, she knew how meaningless this was.

But for Judith at that moment, blocking everything that reminded her of Axel was the best she could do.

That was also why she proposed having lunch together. Lunch was the only time Axel, who was always busy with studies or student council work, could make time.

If he happened to ask her to have lunch together, she planned to refuse, saying she had a prior engagement.

Even if he persistently asked, she expected Axel would hesitate if he knew the prior engagement was with Chase.

In retrospect, it was a really trivial request.

But even if it was trivial, she wanted to sever ties with Axel from such small parts.

Like clothes getting wet in a drizzle, she wanted to naturally and gradually erase Axel’s presence.

So that eventually, it would be as if he never existed, so she wouldn’t even feel a sense of loss.

She hoped Axel would be erased from her daily life without a trace.

However, Chase ultimately did not respond to Judith’s request. Instead, he only said strange things, like not to love him.

Was he refusing? 

She felt a little bitter about missing a good excuse to distance herself from Axel.

* * *

The next class was Ancient History.

Since the Ancient History class was located in the west building, she had to move quickly to avoid being late.

“Judith, Professor Karel wants you to come to his office immediately.”

Judith, who was quickly packing her textbooks, tilted her head at the class leader’s words.

“Why?”

“I’m not sure either.”

The class leader shrugged. Looking at Judith with a somewhat sympathetic gaze, the class leader lowered his voice.

“I’ll inform the history professor for you. I think it’s best if you go quickly. If you’re late, you might get on his bad side. You know Professor Karel’s personality…”

The class leader carefully chose his words and conveyed many meanings to Judith with his gaze.

The class leader patted Judith’s shoulder a few times as if to encourage her.

Thus, Judith found herself knocking on the door of Professor Karel’s office.

Some professors kept senior students as assistants to conduct joint research, but Professor Karel was not one of them.

He claimed he would rather write another word of his thesis than manage useless fledglings.

It was likely that Judith was the first student to enter Professor Karel’s office.

Why had he called for me? 

She was worried because she didn’t know the reason, but she also felt somewhat relieved.

The Ancient History class coincided with Axel’s schedule.

Recently, she seemed to be having many new experiences. Visiting a training ground she had never been to, and now visiting Professor Karel’s office.

“Is this your doing?”

The first thing Professor Karel said when he saw Judith was that.

He lightly stopped Judith from bowing to greet him with one hand.

Then he showed her something as if to make a point. In his hand was a very familiar notebook.

<Advanced Accounting Practice Problems>

It was the very notebook Judith had used as bait to drive away the students spying on Chase yesterday.

How did that notebook end up in the professor’s hands?

While Judith was thinking, Professor Karel flipped through the notebook with a look of disbelief and said,

“Ha… really. It’s astonishing no matter how many times I see it. In my 14 years as a professor at Prussian Academy, I’ve never seen a student like you.”

Professor Karel rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache. Judith wondered if she had made some mistake.

But there wasn’t really anything that could be considered a mistake. She had just created and shared expected problems within the exam scope.

Professor Karel clicked his tongue at Judith, who was blinking her eyes.

“Because of you, I have to redo all the questions. How do you understand the examiner’s intentions so well? You don’t have some ability to read minds, do you?”

“Ah…”

Professor Karel was frowning fiercely and speaking as if scolding Judith.

But upon listening, it was all praise. His deep gray eyes were filled with admiration and surprise. Judith bowed her head slightly.

“Thank you.”

Professor Karel quietly looked down at Judith and then spoke softly.

“What will you do after graduation?”

“I plan to—”

She was about to say she planned to get married, but Professor Karel interrupted her.

“Have you thought about becoming an assistant professor?”

“……Pardon?”

“How about learning under me for about five years and then teaching advanced accounting to students?”

Judith was at a loss for words at the sudden proposal.

Why was the professor saying this?