Ian wanted to avoid the noisy group around Anna, but he didn’t show it outwardly. It was partly because Anna was a healer, but also because all the families of those in Anna’s group were central nobility.

Once they graduated from the Academy, these noble classmates would inherit their respective family titles. Their future interactions would be governed by different rules. Even now, it was crucial to maintain an appropriate relationship.

“Oh my? Isn’t that Lord Kai?” At that moment, one of Anna’s group muttered, and Anna immediately turned her gaze and frowned while murmuring.

“The shameless Bestia is with him too?” “But why is she with Lord Kai?” “Could it be that she’s switched to Lord Kai since it didn’t work out with Lord Ian?” “Huh! I didn’t know she could be this shameless.”

Anna was too dumbfounded to continue speaking. She clearly remembered Aer harboring shy expectations towards Ian.

If she were Aer, knowing what her father was doing to the Raymond Duke’s family, she wouldn’t have dared to confess to Ian. Yet Aer had shamelessly confessed to Ian. To Anna, who had long harbored a crush on Ian, Aer was a very irritating presence.

Look even now. Ian is looking at her. Anna glanced at Ian, who was looking at Aer with an insensitive gaze, and said loudly enough for others to hear.

“Oh my, it’s the Bestia who doesn’t know her place or limits.” At her words, the surrounding female students also burst into small laughs, and Dylan, who was with Ian, laughed loudly.

“Haha! Miss Anna, you’re truly amusing.” “Hmph, I didn’t say it to make you laugh… But I’m glad if you all find it enjoyable.”

As she said this, Anna glanced at Ian. Confirming his slightly relaxed expression, Anna gained confidence.

“The other day, I saw that Bestia who doesn’t know dignity.”

“Ah! Come to think of it, she was kicked out of a cafe after coming with a commoner, right?”

“That’s right, I ran into her at the cafe then.”

“No matter if it’s the Academy, how could a noble mingle with commoners? It’s just a superficial rule, could she be so tactless?”

“Hoho, not only shameless but also tactless… She truly has nothing going for her.”

At that moment, Kai approached the group whispering among themselves and asked cheerfully.

“If it’s just a superficial rule, does that mean we don’t have to follow it?” Then, tilting his head, he continued.

“Then, why attend the Academy? If it’s just superficial, there’s no need to come to this boring Academy.”

Anna’s group couldn’t say anything in response to his words. After all, the reason they came to the Academy in the first place was because of the first Emperor’s decree. While rules and decrees certainly carry different weights, the meaning of established rules remains unchanged.

Aer silently observed the situation and then discreetly checked the time. The appointed time with Louis had already passed. She felt a bit irritated as it interfered with her time with Louis, which she valued most during the day.

‘Ah, I was hoping to win today…’

Aer had recently become engrossed in playing chess with Louis. Having just started learning, she still hadn’t properly beaten Louis.

Letting out a small sigh, Aer spoke to Kai first.

“Well then, I’ll be going now. It was nice to meet you.”

Her voice was so indifferent that one might wonder if she truly found it nice. She turned her gaze to Anna, who was diagonally opposite her. Her cold gaze even concealed a hint of contempt.

“Miss Anna.”

“What?”

“I think nobles who forget their duties are the most shameful.”

“…What?”

“Nobles gain rights and power the moment they take responsibility for their duties.”

“Ha, who doesn’t know that? Are you trying to show off?”

“She must be feeling high and mighty because Professor Declan has been looking for her lately.”

“Still, to live as a commoner, you need at least that level of connections, don’t you?” “How generous of you. Well, even if she’s from a noble family, a commoner would be lucky to marry into a decent family. In worse cases, they might not even inherit the noble title…”

The female students beside Anna immediately started whispering.

At that moment, Aer suddenly realized. Perhaps she had known all along, but because she had lived a life of constant denial, she had become numb to such things. They simply wanted to belittle her. Whatever the reason, they would insist that her place was below them.

Aer’s father was still part of the Sh*t Car family, and the original protagonists were still the protagonists. While feeling dejected at this unchanging truth, she also felt a sense of antipathy.

‘It’s not just Father who’s obsessed with healers as an awakened one.’ It wasn’t that she understood her father, but it was common to see awakened ones obsessing over healers. Of course, her father’s obsession was excessive. To the point of being nauseating.

Even now, she could vividly hear her father’s voice telling her mother about divorce. It’s tiresome, this obsession of awakened ones. She wanted to break free from being lumped together and criticized along with her father. No, now she wanted to reject it.

This is inside a novel, after all. Because that’s how the world setting is, Aer, who had resigned herself to thinking it couldn’t be helped until now, looked at Ian with a crooked smile.

“I told you before, didn’t I? That I no longer like Young Master Raymond.”

Ian’s eyes widened slightly at Aer’s words. To him, Aer continued speaking.

“I sincerely apologize for the great inconvenience our family has caused to Young Master Raymond. However, as you know, I am not the head of the family. If you have any complaints, please send an official letter to our family.”

“….”

Ian couldn’t respond. Her cold pink eyes looked like emotionless pink sapphires. He wanted to hide the fact that he momentarily thought they were beautiful.

“What are you doing now?”

A shrill voice hit Aer’s ears. She looked coldly at Anna standing right beside her and said.

“Can’t you see? I’m apologizing.”

“…What?”

“Is that all you can say? Why do you keep repeating ‘what’ like a parrot?”

“You!”

Aer found people like Anna rather convenient. Not in a good way, of course, but convenient as an opponent in verbal sparring. She slowly scanned not only Anna but also those whispering behind her and Dylan before continuing.

“Just now, I’ve formally apologized for the third time. Yet if you still gossip about me later regarding past events…”

Aer etched the faces of those who had insulted her into her memory, not missing a single one. She would no longer overlook this.

“Then I will also formally request an apology from both Young Master’s and Young Lady’s families. Gossiping about someone who has already apologized is unbecoming behavior. Of course, you all know this…”

The added implication was, ‘You all know that you’ve been making low-quality jokes despite knowing I’ve apologized to Ian, right?’

After Aer’s words, no one at the scene could open their mouths. Among them, Ian was particularly flustered, his lips quivering. He was confused. Her attitude of repeatedly emphasizing that she no longer liked him was subtly unpleasant. That’s what perplexed him.

“Kuhahaha!”

A sudden burst of laughter broke the chilly silence. Aer’s eyes widened as she saw Kai, still standing beside her, laughing while holding his stomach. She knew he had a cheerful personality, but she didn’t think he was this tactless…

“Ahaha!”

His face had turned bright red, and tears were even hanging from his eyes. It must have been quite funny to him, as he tried to speak but kept laughing, then tried to speak again only to laugh more.

Unable to bear it any longer, Anna spoke to Kai with an unpleasant expression.

“Please stop.”

“…Huh? Stop what?”

“Can’t you see the atmosphere right now?”

“What about the atmosphere?”

“Everyone’s feeling upset, so why are you laughing so loudly, Young Master? It’s unpleasant.”

Kai, who had been doubled over with laughter, straightened up. At his full height, he cut an imposing figure. Though his delicate features and flowing golden hair gave an initial impression of gentleness, Kai’s frame was actually quite formidable. When his expression shifted from mirth to seriousness, even Anna and Dylan felt a touch of unease.

After that moment of gravity, Kai’s lips curved into a slight smile as he asked.

“If laughing makes you feel bad, how do you think your actions just now made others feel?”

“…”

“Isn’t laughing better than openly gossiping about someone right in front of them?”

Kai turned his head slightly to stare at Ian, who couldn’t give any answer.

“It’s been a while, Ian… You’ve become quite shabby.”

“…Young Master Uz.”

“Ah, this is really fun. I was so annoyed about having to come to the Academy. But now it seems like it’s going to be interesting.”

Kai, scratching his head with his arm raised, ignored Ian’s call and spoke to Aer.

“Aer, are you busy now? Want to go to the campus cafe for a drink?”

At his words, Aer checked the time.

“I’m busy. Well then.”

She was in a hurry because she was late for her appointment with Louis. Unaware of the expressions of those left behind, she quickly descended the stairs.