One might think some great protagonist had appeared, but absolutely not. She wanted to storm out right then and there.

“Have you been well, Maria?”

The person approaching as if they had some great friendship was none other than Ted, third son of House Lis.

One of the group that had tormented Maria to death in childhood.

House Clodence was high nobility that had produced mages for generations, so many nobles had emerged from House Clodence and pledged loyalty to them. House Certi had also become nobility when Maria’s great-grandfather’s abilities were recognized during his commoner days. However, a noble lineage only three generations old was still essentially commoner to other nobles.

One might think all nobles are the same nobles, but in this world at least, when one became nobility and what title one held were extremely important.

So ultimately House Certi was nobility but not recognized, and Maria couldn’t mingle with the children of House Clodence’s vassals even more. There was no reason for the bullying. Simply because House Certi was the most insignificant and powerless among House Clodence’s vassal families.

Maria bit the inside of her lip. That face sometimes appeared in her dreams too. Though the memories weren’t hers, the torment had been so terrible that even now after transmigration, she got goosebumps facing him.

She couldn’t manage her expression. She was annoyed beyond words.

When Maria scrunched up her face, Ted also frowned.

‘Wow, acting above his station.’

Like the guilty party getting angry, did he expect Maria to greet him warmly?

So Maria just tried to pass him by. As if she hadn’t received anyone’s greeting.

Nothing good would come of this anyway—ignoring him was better.

“They said you went crazy, and I guess you really did go properly insane. Does House Certi not even know shame?”

But Ted didn’t leave Maria alone.

She’d tried to avoid seeing such a disgusting sight if possible.

Maria had always been ostracized by the children of House Clodence’s vassal families, and even at the Academy.

The reason was that she was originally set as a villain and extra. She always lived as an outcast.

Maria turned and approached Ted.

“You really don’t know your place. You looked down on House Clodence and its vassals too much. To show your face after committing such an act. Do you even know that having both legs attached right now is thanks to House Clodence’s grace?”

Maria took deep breaths and approached him step by step.

“You should know shame.”

“……You.”

She thought she’d endured enough for four years.

The incidents and accidents before weren’t her fault. They were the fault of Maria, the previous owner of this body.

‘And you should apologize to Luca, not us. Just because Maria did wrong doesn’t justify people around her tormenting her like this.’

“Don’t be childish, Ted.”

“……What did you just say?”

“Whether I’m shameful or not is my business, and I’ll handle it myself. Why are you suddenly appearing and picking a fight?”

Ted stared at Maria with disbelieving eyes.

The Maria he remembered was always a grimy, intimidated girl—insignificant and worthless, a child the vassals’ children looked down on.

“I, is she crazy……”

She didn’t care about his nearly shocked reaction. She had no intention of fighting anyway.

Maria passed by Ted again as he stood there dumbfounded. Or tried to pass by. You avoid filth because it’s dirty. But Ted suddenly grabbed Maria’s arm with all his strength and yanked her.

“Ah!”

Maria cried out involuntarily at her suddenly seized arm. His grip was so strong that tears nearly sprang to her eyes.

“Ah!!”

Furious, Maria used the momentum to stomp on Ted’s foot.

‘This is going to hurt like h*ll, you b*stard.’

Ted crumpled at the sudden counterattack.

He acted dramatically over just getting his foot stepped on with a heel. He knelt down, clutching his foot and trembling.

Maria watched the scene with satisfaction.

But his scream was unexpectedly loud, drawing attention from around them.

A young man suddenly collapsed and a lady smiling. The perfect situation for gossip.

The growing attention made Maria raise her voice dramatically.

“Oh my, Sir, you stepped on my arm so hard that I staggered without realizing and stepped on your foot. Please be especially careful of such rude behavior next time. Who knows if such an accident might happen again? Oh dear, we should call a physician quickly.”

Maria smiled victoriously.

“Oh my, how unfortunate.”

She didn’t forget to add the same sarcastic interjection.

Ted’s face and neck flushed red with humiliation.

She didn’t care about his humiliation at all—she needed to escape while people’s attention prevented him from doing anything rash.

She was walking quickly away when once again a rough hand forced Maria to stop.

“Ah!!!”

Caught again, Maria lost her center of gravity and started to fall.

But a hand appeared from somewhere and gently caught her.

“……Well now.”

An unfamiliar voice she’d heard for the first time rang in her ear.

More precisely, from above her head.

“What is this, Ted?”

The low voice made Maria’s hair stand on end. She’d never heard such a voice in her entire life. And there was no way she should have.

Maria carefully raised her head.

To confirm who had saved her in this crisis.

But the person she confirmed was completely unexpected.

‘Why are you coming out from there?’

Maria was startled by the unexpected person’s appearance.

“Are you alright, Maria?”

‘What? Why is he with me?’

Various thoughts raced through her mind.

What was this situation? And why was it Luca of all people who saved her?

Most flustering was people’s gazes. The looks that had just been watching with interest now held blatant curiosity.

Maria quickly used her wits.

The way she was loosely caught by Luca must look very ridiculous.

This wasn’t the kind of embrace you’d imagine when the male lead appears with a flourish in a crisis.

With Luca supporting her armpits with both arms, she must have become a shoulder gangster in a completely awkward pose.

“Hup, Sir Clodence, thank you so much.”

Luca carefully released Maria.

Even when supporting characters get saved by leads, do they have to be saved like this…….

Maria was genuinely surprised and quickly moved away from Luca. She was grateful, but first priority was getting far away from him.

If Claude had seen Maria in Luca’s arms for even one second, it would be terrible.

Not just herself but House Certi would be destroyed, so she instinctively separated from him.

While briefly distracted, Ted greeted Luca.

“How do you do, Luca.”

“Ted.”

Luca’s reply was clean.

He ignored Ted’s greeting in one word. What Luca wanted was just one thing—an explanation of this situation. Ted seemed aware of this, as his expression turned fierce. Then he quickly composed his expression and made excuses.

“It was nothing. House Certi’s eldest daughter is still rude, which led to this situation.”

“……”

“She should know her place. She’s climbing up while forgetting the grace House Clodence and its vassals have shown.”

‘This guy, really.’

Listening and listening.

Her mind, briefly confused by Luca’s appearance, returned immediately at that b*llshit.

“Are you kidding me right now? Who picked a fight with someone minding their own business? I was quietly eating dessert when you suddenly appeared—what kind of outrage is this!”

“Are you picking a fight, Miss? I merely wished to exchange greetings.”

Every single word from Ted was truly precious.

He did greet her. Except that greeting dragged on until even her family was insulted.

Despite such perfect provocation, he was shameless.

“And I merely tried to inform you of the facts as they are. Advice not to forget House Clodence’s grace.”

“So you give advice while disparaging other families, Sir?”

“Well, given House Certi’s past actions……”

‘So we deserve to be looked down on?’

Maria let out a hollow laugh at his absurd argument.

People’s attention gathered even more as the situation heated up.

People’s interest was only one thing—why was Luca Clodence interested in these two people’s fight?

‘How can every single human be like this……’

Not one decent person existed.

“To think of entering high society looking like that…… How abhorrent.”

“Well, your appearance doesn’t look particularly decent either.”

“What?”

“I don’t know which noble lady rejected you before you came to pick a fight with me, but mind your own business.”

She’d just stabbed blindly without thinking, but it seemed to be true.

Ted’s face turned increasingly red and blue. Every sentence had been precious words, but only now did he quiet down.

Maria continued with derision.

“Do I look like a pushover because I was quiet? Like I don’t know how to be sarcastic and that’s why I stayed quiet. Have some dignity, Ted Lis. How old are you to still be childishly bickering like kids?”

“Ha…… What did you just say?”

Ted’s expression hardened increasingly at Maria’s sarcastic tone.

From his earlier angry face, he reached an expression truly on the verge of losing it.

Maria got slightly scared at that tremendous expression.

In the atmosphere where he really seemed about to hit her, Maria glared at him with all her might.

‘Go ahead and hit me, I’ll sue and charge you. Crazy b*stard.’

“Anyone would think our family had some grudge with you. The truth is there’s nothing like that—you just wanted to grab anyone, pick fights, and immerse yourself in superiority. Right, Ted?”

“If we’re talking grudges, what you did to Luca……!!”

“Enough.”

Luca cut off Ted’s words as he lunged forward in anger.

His voice was neither high nor low. A voice without any emotion. Yet it was enough to frighten Ted.

“Lu, Luca……”

“I won’t tolerate any more rudeness, Ted Lis.”

His expression held no emotion. His jewel-like blue eyes were indifferent, and his lips hadn’t changed from before.

Nevertheless, Ted backed down before Luca.

Maria was even more dumbfounded at the sight. The person Ted should apologize to wasn’t Luca but herself.

Just as Maria was about to say one more thing to him in anger—

“Sir Ted, where were you? I’ve been searching everywhere for you.”

A third party suddenly called him and draped an arm over his shoulder.

“Oh my, did I intrude without reading the room again? The gazes around seemed quite focused on one spot, so I came wondering what beautiful lady might be here, and I find Sir Ted whom I’ve been searching for and such a cute and beautiful lady……”

The third party brazenly winked at Maria.

Maria’s expression crumpled, unable to find its bearings.

“Sir, now is not the time for you to be doing this.”

The third party whispered something to him. Then Ted quickly fled the scene.

‘That b*stard? Just running away without even apologizing?’

“Wow, what the……”

Maria’s composure suddenly vanished. She clenched her fists trembling with even more rage at not receiving a proper apology.

Still fuming, Maria tried to follow him with momentum to crush him—

“Wait, Maria.”