Aer had become famous within the academy. Of course, she was already well-known in a negative sense, but now it was different.

Having secured first place in the final evaluation of the first semester, she became popular among the commoners.

This was because there had never been a precedent for a non awakened to rank first in the academy’s history.

It was possible because she had received perfect scores in all subjects except for practical classes.

The news of her first place ranking was also conveyed to Declen and James.

“Wow, our student Aer. She’s truly amazing!”

“James.”

“Yes?”

“Is this the time to just be in awe?”

“…What do you mean?”

James looked at Declen with a tense expression. He was worried about what absurd thing he might nitpick this time.

Declen was also known as a math genius, but as everyone knew, geniuses were eccentric.

James, who worked as his assistant, had received many absurd and ridiculous instructions over time.

What on earth was he going to say this time, looking at him with those strange eyes again?

As James swallowed hard, Declen spoke.

“I was planning to wait until the second year, but that won’t do.”

“…Are you talking about student Aer?”

“Yes. I thought she was only good at math, but it’s troublesome if she excels in all other subjects too.”

“Then, how…”

“What do you mean how! First, we need to invite her to our club. Then, provide her with everything she needs. Make sure that when she graduates, she only thinks of you and me.”

“…Oh, that’s a great idea.”

James, who had been tense, straightened his shoulders and nodded vigorously with a smile on his face.

If she was the only candidate that caught the eye of this picky professor, he had to bring Aer in no matter what.

“Then, I’ll recommend club activities this week. I should talk to the club president in advance.”

“Good. Tell them Aer is a math genius. Wouldn’t it be a waste of the empire’s talent if such a student ends up employed in a different major?”

“You’re right, Professor.”

The two continued their plotting to bring Aer in.

***

At that time, Aer was with Louis in their hideout.

“You seem to have grown taller?”

“Do I?”

“Stand up.”

Louis obediently stood up, guided by her hand.

“Look at this. Before, our eye levels were similar, but now you’re higher.”

“Really?”

“Yes! It’s somehow fascinating.”

“What is?”

He tried to hide his smile. In fact, he had made great efforts to grow this much.

He ate everything that was said to help with height growth, regardless of what it was.

Astin enthusiastically collected information and brought it, and Louis ate everything without refusing, even if it was hard to eat.

Unaware of this fact, Aer just kept expressing her amazement.

“It feels strange. It’s like my little brother has grown up.”

“…Little brother?”

“Yes. At the beginning of the semester, you were similar to me, but how can you grow so much on your own?”

“…”

Although he didn’t like the term ‘little brother’, Louis was just happy to see Aer after a long time.

They communicated daily through the communication orb, but he wanted to meet her in person.

He wanted to talk face to face, play chess, and go out to eat delicious food together.

He didn’t let go of Aer’s hand. During their time apart, he had managed his energy with healing stones, but now he couldn’t do without her.

Meanwhile, one question arose in his mind.

Had Aer realized that she had become a healer?

If she announced that she was a healer, she wouldn’t be able to stay in the same class as him. He was anxious but couldn’t ask.

He couldn’t say anything because he was hiding not only the fact that he was an awakened one but also his identity.

When they communicated through the communication orb, there were several moments when he wanted to open up about himself.

But how could he tell the truth?

The moment he tells Aer to unburden himself, she might also become a target of the Empress.

Aer was also in a position where she couldn’t receive proper protection from her family, so he couldn’t put her in more difficult circumstances.

‘I have to protect her.’

Louis, who only knew how to protect himself, now wanted to protect Aer as well.

He wanted to help her achieve her dreams and obtain what she desired.

“Your voice has changed too, it’s even stranger.”

Aer said to Louis, who was quietly gazing into her pink eyes.

It felt unfamiliar when she heard it through the communication orb, but now it seemed like only his voice had changed while his face remained the same, making him feel strange to her.

“Really? I like it.”

“Hmm… I know it’s a natural change, but…”

She felt a bit regretful, as if his cute appearance was disappearing.

He kept fidgeting with Aer’s hand. Just touching her made the world feel quiet and filled him with a deep sense of fullness.

“Your hands have grown too?”

Aer spread her palm and matched it against Louis’. She was curious about how much more he would grow, as his hands, which used to be similar to hers, had already become bigger.

***

The second semester also passed smoothly. One thing that changed was that Aer joined the math club.

The math club was the one that Pamela, the protagonist of the original story’s side story, had joined. Originally, students could only join the math club from their second year.

The scene where first-year Pamela joins the math club is meant to show that Pamela, a healer, was actually intelligent and skilled at creating magical tools.

Those who could create magical tools were either awakened ones with that ability or people who were good at math. The spatial mathematics they would learn later becomes the foundation for creating magical tools.

And what remained unchanged from the first semester was people’s attitudes.

While Aer became famous in a positive way among the regular class, she was still looked down upon in the healer and awakened classes, which were mostly filled with noble children.

Especially after what happened at the end-of-semester ceremony in the first semester, distorted rumors spread among the nobles.

Among them, the one person who remained as consistent as Louis was Kai.

“Aer! Are you moving between classes?”

Aer, who met Kai in the hallway, nodded indifferently. She still couldn’t understand Kai’s thoughts.

Why would he greet her so enthusiastically when they had only met a few times as children?

“I heard you’re good at math?”

“I guess.”

Having already learned these lessons in her previous life, it would be strange if she wasn’t good at it. Moreover, the math taught to first-years was equivalent to elementary school level in modern society.

“Come on, I’ve heard all the rumors!”

“Really?”

Kai burst into hearty laughter at Aer’s curt response.

“Now you’re answering informally?”

“Well, you keep talking to me informally, so…”

“It’s not bad between friends, right?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never thought of you as a friend.”

“What? Hahaha!”

Aer couldn’t understand why Kai was laughing.

But she didn’t ask. To her, Louis was her only friend.

“Haha, I’m a bit hurt. I thought we were friends.”

His sky-blue eyes gazed at her intently. Aer found this aspect of Kai burdensome and suspicious.

“Well, I’ll be going now.”

Aer flashed a smile at those glaring at her near Kai and moved on.

At times like this, she found it hard to trust Kai.

“It feels like he’s doing it on purpose.”

For some reason, Kai’s behavior felt very unsettling. In that sense, he was even worse than Ian.

She entered the club room. As soon as she did, the seniors approached her as if they had been waiting.

“Our junior is here?”

“Here, we’ve prepared some refreshments. Sit over here.”

“Hey, you haven’t forgotten about the lottery we just did, right?”

“Ah, I know. I know.”

Aer wasn’t unaware of what the second-year seniors were asking for. It wasn’t difficult for her to explain math problems they didn’t understand.

But shouldn’t there be some give and take?

Aer put on a full smile. Like a salesman greeting a customer.

“Seniors, there’s no need to rush. I’ll explain everything step by step.”

“Thank you, Aer.”

“Really, thank you, Junior. If I don’t pass this semester, I’m dead at home.”

Although it was called a math club, it wasn’t a place where you could enter based on math grades alone.

At first, she was skeptical when James recommended it, but she immediately agreed after learning it was the club that appeared in the original story’s side story.

The people who supported Pamela before she became the Crown Princess were right here.

Of course, Pamela, being a duke’s daughter, wasn’t powerless, but public opinion couldn’t be ignored.

Especially if a lady as popular as Pamela became a candidate for the Crown Princess.

Before examining the test papers they were putting down, Aer ostentatiously took out a hair tie from her bag.

She slowly and carefully tied her hair with the signature scrunchie from Kaylee’s product line, which she took out from an equally signature pouch, also from Kaylee.

After lightly twisting and securing it with the scrunchie, the so-called “poop hair” was complete.

“…Aer, where did you buy that?”

Asked a female senior who had relatively good math grades among the math club seniors.

Looking closely at the scrunchie tied in Aer’s hair, she added:

“It’s uncomfortable when hair gets in the way while studying, but this kind of hair tie seems easy to tie by yourself.”

“Right? I was also bothered by my long hair every time I studied.”

Noble ladies usually never styled their own hair. That’s why Kaylee said it would be well-received by academy students too.

As she said, the senior showed great interest.

“So where did you buy it?”

To this repeated question, Aer answered as if she had been waiting for it.

“I bought it at Madam Kaylee’s.”

Having become famous among commoners, it was now time to become famous in the academy.