“I’ve always hated you!”

The girl who sat next to Cecily, Anita Helge, stormed down the hallway while chastising her.

“That girl from the other class is your sister, isn’t she!? You always let her bully you! As a result, I—who sit next to you—am always subjected to such distasteful spectacles! So annoying!”

Hey, isn’t that too harsh?

However, the fact that those spectacles frustrated her probably meant she was concerned in her own way. Perhaps, she wasn’t a bad person at heart. I planned to go to her dorm room and learn about modern cosmetics once the day’s classes ended.

“Cecily, there you are—!”

Suddenly, a male student walked up to me. A blue ribbon… Apparently, we were in a different grade. Was he younger than Cecily? His short brown hair and blue eyes were droopy, maybe due to his disappointing intellect.

“I heard you did amazing in class today! In the spirit of that, I shall grant you the honor of doing my homework!”

“…Are you being serious?”

I reflexively answered, eliciting murmurs from passing students. Anita burst with laugher while the male student’s eyes widened from shock.

“Shouldn’t that be obvious? I’m your fiancé, you know!”

“Uh, do you get to act smug when you push your homework onto your prospective bride?”

800 years ago, men who openly enslave women in broad daylight were called ‘trash’… Hence I was confused by the shift in trends.

But Anita, who was next to me, patted me on my back.

“Well said!”

—So, I guess there was no such trend. Then, should I just continue?

“It’d have been a different story if you bowed your head and said, ‘Please teach me, this moron, how to study.’ Why should I do your homework? I don’t know what you’ll become in the future, but you go to school to study. Your parents paid for your education because they have high expectations for you. I think it’d be for the best if you tried to fix your laziness soon.”

I wanted to reprimand him nicely.

However, the boy—whose name I hadn’t yet heard—began to tremble.

Also, if he’s really Cecily’s fiancé, I should at least know his name.

“How dare you say that to your fiancé! I have to bear with your bleak existence, you know!”

“I see, then why don’t we just break it off?”

When I said that with a smile, he was rendered speechless once again. The same went for the surrounding students. Still, I didn’t think he was a good fit for Cecily.

“Oh, I’m not bluffing either. I’m annulling this engagement. We’re through. You aren’t suitable for Cecily Travasta. I mean, you get married to be happy right? With you as my partner, that may as well be a pipe dream. All right, bye.”

I was about to leave, but Anita told me to wait.

“We’re aristocrats, if you don’t consult your parents about your engagement, it won’t end well! But personally, I want to praise you. Well done!”

“Ooh, I see… By the way, do you know which of us is superior in terms of family status?”

“According to family history, I think the Marquis of Travasta is superior. His family, on the other hand, has just risen to the rank of count.”

I see.

Our engagement was just a means for him to rise in rank. His family probably used money as a bargaining tool. In other words, despite having a long history, the Travasta family had no money to spare…

If so, I only have one choice.

“My apologies. Might I retract my previous words regarding the annulment? By next year, I’ll try to find someone better. Besides, I don’t think we’ll be getting married while we’re still students, anyway. Until then, I’ll bear with you. Bye.”

It wasn’t that new aristocrats were bad, but the boy himself was bad news. He had this ‘entitled’ vibe written all over him. I hadn’t heard of Cecily’s intentions, but I was sure there were plenty of better guys out there for her. After all, we were in an aristocratic academy. There should be people with titles, money, and good personalities.

Just as I was about to turn around, a handsome man suddenly caught my eyes. Eivind Dahl, the good-looking boy with cat hair. He was waving at me so I should probably speak to him.

“Good timing. Hey, do you have any ideas for a suitable man for me?”

“What about me? I’m single and my future is more promising than Mr. Nouveau Riche from before? I’ve also taken quite a liking to you.”

“Hee. All right, I hereby consider you one of my candidates.”

Although, being honest with you? He’s a charmer, and quite sly, to boot.

A more sincere and serious man would probably take better care of Cecily. Even as I was, I had lived for 800 years. I had an eye for people.

I put my arms around Anita as I gave that casual answer. If only she were a boy. She was so adorable, folding her arms while being embarrassed like that.

“Hey, why do you fold your arms so much?”

“Nothing! S-so what!?”

When I was about to leave the hallway as it was, the boy—my provisional fiancé—spat out lines like, “How dare you! Papa will hear about this!”

By the way, what’s his name again?

Well, I don’t know, but I wonder if it’ll work out somehow.

---

***T/N: HDAUHWDUHDAUHDA I had a good laugh!!! Man, I love Nora so much!!! She’s feisty!!1

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