Secrets of the Silent Witch - Volume 2 - Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

The Dream the Bitter Tea Showed

One week had passed since the day of the tea party—and Monica was at the end of her rope. As soon as lessons broke for lunch, she hurried out of the classroom. But simply being the first one out didn’t mean she could let her guard down. Glancing left and right, she made her way outside.

I…I should be fine now…right? she thought, only to look up and find a black-haired girl sitting on the bench next to the flower bed.

Monica gave a soft yelp. It was Claudia.

She sat there as though she were a mere ornament, hands folded and legs together. But when she noticed Monica, she turned her head and started to stare.

She’d been doing it all week—showing up wherever Monica went and watching her from a distance.

Still, watching was all she’d been doing. Claudia never approached or tried to speak to her, but that only made it all the more creepy.

Could she have found out that I’m the Silent Witch…?

Ultimately, Monica took a detour around the school building to try and shake off her pursuer, then headed back to her classroom. By the time she reentered the school, lunch break was almost over. She’d completely missed her chance to eat.

I wish I could have a nice, quiet lunch once in a while, thought Monica, sighing and holding a hand to her empty stomach. But as she approached her classroom, she found several female students standing in her way.

“Oh, do you have a moment, Lady Monica?” asked the girl with caramel-colored hair—Caroline Simmons, the daughter of Count Norn. She was the one who had caused Monica to fall down the staircase. Wary, Monica backed away.

Caroline modulated her voice into a more soothing tone. “You don’t need to be so scared. I’d like to invite you to a tea party.”

“A…a tea party?”

“Yes. Classes are ending a little early today, right? Let’s all have some tea before your student council work. Also, I wanted to talk about the time you accidentally fell down the stairs.”

Given how distinguished Caroline’s family was, Monica couldn’t refuse an invitation from her without a very good reason. I’m a student council member… So I have to be good at ballroom dancing and tea parties, she said to herself, gripping the council member badge affixed to her uniform.

Caroline probably intended to say mean, nasty things to her again. But Monica would have to endure it only until the tea party ended. Clenching her fists, she looked up.

The noble girl narrowed her eyes into a smile. “You’ll come to my tea party, won’t you?”

“A-as long as it, um, doesn’t interfere with my student council duties, then…”

“Oh, of course. I didn’t want to take that much of your time.” With a happy grin, Caroline glanced at the other girls beside her. “Right, everyone?”

Even as the others nodded and agreed with Caroline, they kept watchful eyes on Monica. She could see blatant disdain creeping across their faces. Their eyes said it all—they thought she was a wretched, unsightly girl.

It’s okay. It’ll be okay. I just have to drink the tea and nod along. Just don’t say anything unnecessary, and you’ll be fine. Perfectly fine…

Unbeknownst to Monica, as she was desperately trying to convince herself she’d be all right, a pair of lapis lazuli eyes was staring at her.

Caroline had decided on a tea table in the courtyard for the party—the same place the tea party practices were held. Many girls apparently used the space for tea parties when the weather was nice. In fact, several other tables had already been set by the time Monica arrived, and at each one, students were whiling away their time in leisure.

With this many people around, Monica probably wouldn’t suffer any physical violence or have tea splashed in her face. A tiny bit relieved, she took her seat.

Four people sat at the table, including Monica herself and Caroline, who sat directly across from her. Caroline had big, clear eyes, and despite being the same age as Monica, she seemed more mature. There was something bright and eye-catching about her.

…Huh? Her eyes… On this clear autumn day, beneath the afternoon sunlight, Monica suddenly felt like something was a little off about Caroline.

But before she could say anything, the girl gave a short chuckle. “Thank you so much for coming today, Lady Monica. I know you’re busy.”

“Th-thank…you for inviting me,” said Monica awkwardly.

Caroline nodded benevolently. “I do apologize for that whole unfortunate accident that ended with you falling down the staircase… You weren’t injured, were you?”

“N-no, I, um, I was fine.”

“Oh, thank goodness!” said Caroline, a gorgeous smile lighting up her face. Her large eyes narrowed, and her voice lowered in pitch. “Then would you mind talking to Lord Cyril and telling him it was just an accident?”

“………Huh?” Monica was at a loss for words.

Meanwhile, the other girls supported Caroline.

“That’s right—it was an accident!”

“Lady Caroline has done nothing wrong.”

Apparently, that was the goal of this tea party. They wanted Monica to testify that the incident in which she’d fallen down the staircase had been accidental.

“Lady Monica Norton, it was an accident, yes? I never raised a hand against Lana Colette… Isn’t that right?”

The other girl’s wide eyes seemed to draw her in, as if to intimidate Monica into nodding in agreement. And she wanted to—to let herself fold under the pressure, lower her head, and agree. If she did, she would probably be freed from this situation.

…But, but…!

After Monica had fallen down the stairs, Cyril had taken it upon himself to question those present. If Monica did as Caroline said and agreed that it was an accident, it would put all his efforts to waste.

Monica grasped at the front of her uniform, her lips trembling. “I…I don’t want, um, to contradict his conclusion and…cause trouble for Lord Ashley.”

She’d said it. She’d managed to get the words out.

Caroline was silent. Nervous, Monica looked at her face—and saw chillingly cold eyes staring back at her.

“…I see,” Caroline said curtly, a low, heavy anger creeping into her voice. Monica shook under the focus of Caroline’s rage. However, the caramel-haired girl soon reined herself in and plastered a friendly smile onto her face. “Oh, dear me. I was just so absorbed in the conversation. This lovely tea is going to get cold… Please have a drink.”

“A-all right…”

Once I drink this tea, I’ll leave, decided Monica, taking the cup as Caroline and the others all raised their folding fans to cover their mouths.

Oh, that’s… That’s one of the basic actions of a villainess, just like Lady Isabelle said…!

She could hear a round of tittering from behind the fans—emitted with such precision that she could only assume they’d trained for this. Neither too loud nor too soft, it had just the right balance of cruelty and derision.

I see, so this is how it looks in the wild…, thought Monica, strangely impressed, as she brought her cup of black tea to her lips.

When she took a sip, she found the liquid awfully bitter. Not astringent, as though it had been over-brewed, but bitter. Maybe it’s just that kind of tea? she wondered. The taste was strong, but not too strong to drink. Monica was used to drinking bitter coffee on a daily basis, so she continued to sip her tea, though she had a strange feeling about it.

Immediately, the expression on the others’ faces changed.

…? What’s wrong? Monica wondered.

They seemed shocked and looked at her with disgust in their eyes. Had Monica done something uncouth? To hide her anxiety, she downed the rest of the fiercely bitter tea.

“Ah—” said Caroline.

…H-huh?

Monica’s heart began to pound in her ears. She saw stars in her eyes as the world around her began to blur.

“She drank it?”

“Are you serious? But it’s so bitter.”

“No way. I thought for sure she’d just choke on it…”

Caroline and the others spoke quickly, sounding flustered. Their voices reached Monica’s ears, but she couldn’t identify the sounds they were making as words. It was all just noise to her.

What…is this?

The world began to distort, seep away, blur, melt, and sink into the reddish color of the tea.

No. This red wasn’t from the tea.

It was from the flames.

They swayed and flickered, crackling and sending out sparks. Beyond them, she saw a person.

“F-Father…?”

The sight of her father, bound to a tree, began to disappear into the fire. The odor was terrible. It was the stench of burning flesh.

The people surrounding her father all spoke at once.

“Heretic! Heretic! Sinner! Breaker of taboo!”

“…N-no, Father isn’t… It’s not his fault…”

One of them threw something into the blazing fire, causing more sparks to fly. It was all of her father’s research. Everything he had written in his lifetime. All so, so important to him…

“Stop… Stop… Don’t burn them… Don’t burn them…”

They burned and burned, all those wonderful numbers he’d built up over the years, all those records, turned to ash in mere moments.

I have to remember, I have to… The numbers he left behind, I have to remember them…

She opened her eyes as wide as she could, though they stung from the smoke, and stared directly at the documents being hurled into the flames.

Her vision wasn’t very good when it came to moving objects, so she could see only fragments. Still, she burned what numbers she could into her memory, not allowing herself to blink.

I have to memorize as many of the records he left as I can. If I don’t—

Those numbers she’d engraved into her mind were her father’s legacy. She’d never forget them. They were the proof that he’d lived.

“18473726, 385, 20985.726, 29405.84739—”

“Quit speaking in numbers! It’s disgusting! Shut your mouth!”

Along with the insult, a liquor bottle swung down toward Monica as she recited the numbers.

Crying, all she could do was curl up on the ground and cradle her head.

“I’m sorry Uncle I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry—”

“All because of my elder brother’s idiotic research, I have to suffer, too! With a criminal in the family, my business is as good as over, do you even understand that?! This is hogwash!”

“No… Father isn’t… He didn’t do anything wrong… He didn’t…”

“You better not go around telling people that crap! I’ll beat you with a fire hook!”

“I’m sorry Uncle please don’t hit me don’t hit me I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I won’t say anything to anyone I promise I’ll keep quiet don’t hit me don’t hit me I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry…”

The courtyard was in an uproar. Monica Norton had suddenly fallen out of her chair during a tea party and passed out. Her face was white, and she was wheezing unnaturally, scratching at her own throat and muttering nonsense in between each breath.

Caroline and the others who had been at her table all watched her as though she was an object of disgust. Nobody tried to help her.

Then another girl silently approached their table. She had black hair and a gloomy aura—Claudia. Without a word, she knelt down next to Monica and checked her condition.

“…What did you make her drink?”

Caroline shook her head and shouted shrilly, “I don’t know! I don’t know! I don’t know anything!”

“……” Claudia quietly stood up, then slithered over to Caroline like a snake and shoved her hand into the other girl’s pocket. Her fingertips found something. “…Eye drops?”

“Hey! Give that back! Don’t touch my things! …Eek?!”

Claudia wordlessly grabbed Caroline’s chin as she wailed. Then she brought her free hand up to lift Caroline’s makeup-covered eyelids before carefully examining her eyes. “…Dilated pupils… Belladonna, or another similar poison.”

“This—this is just a medication to make my eyes larger!”

“It’s poison.”

Claudia swiftly cut down Caroline’s excuse. Staring right into her enlarged pupils, Claudia dropped her tone and continued with emphasis. “You poisoned this girl.”

“No… I…I just wanted her to choke on the bitter tea and embarrass herself… Who could have imagined anyone would drink an entire cup of something that bitter?! It’s her own fault!”

Ignoring Caroline’s wails, Claudia knelt down beside Monica again. She lifted the girl’s upper body, then plunged a finger into her mouth. Monica spasmed, whimpering softly.

“…Uh, ugh…weh…”

“Throw it up.”

Even with Claudia’s finger at the back of her throat, Monica wasn’t able to vomit—she just continued to moan quietly. Calmly, Claudia issued an order to those standing around her watching.

“Somebody bring a weak saline solution. Also, contact the infirmary and the student council.”

Whenever Monica remembered her father, she always saw his slender back, clothed in white.

…Father? Father?

He was a scientist—the kind who sat at his desk for most of the day. Wanting him to turn toward her for even a few minutes, the young Monica would reach out for his back…before lowering her arm again.

She knew her father’s work was very important. She didn’t want to get in his way.

But on that day, he seemed to hear her thoughts. Suddenly, he stopped writing and turned around to face her. He had a big beard and wore small, round spectacles. Behind them, his eyes were calm and intellectual. He’d always been a peaceful person.

He took her lowered hand and wrapped it in both of his, squeezing it. His hands were big and warm.

She giggled. “Heh-heh…Daddy…” Her face broke into a smile at his hands’ warmth. Then, for some reason, she heard a voice from above her.

But it wasn’t her father’s voice from her memories…

“Hmm. Do I really look that old?”

“Sir, there is no need to pay any mind to this girl’s sleep-talking.”

“This is when you’d usually suggest slapping her awake, you know.”

“I, er… W-well, she’s sick, so!”

Monica gave a soft moan and lifted her heavy eyelids.

She seemed to be on a bed in the infirmary. It was a place she’d been carried to before. Next to the bed on which she’d been sleeping were two figures. The evening light filtered in through the window and lit up their hair—vivid blond and silver.

“…The prince…and…Lord Ashley…?”

Felix was holding her hand, and Cyril was next to him, peering into her face.

What were the two of them doing in a place like this? And why was Felix holding her hand? Slowly regaining consciousness, Monica idly sorted through her memories of the events that had led her here.

…There was a tea party, and I drank some bitter tea, got dizzy, and… Everything after that was hazy. But she felt like she’d just had an awfully scary dream.

“You were poisoned,” said Felix, “by Count Norn’s daughter at a tea party. It caused you to fall into a terribly distraught state.”

“…!” Monica blanched and pulled her hand away from Felix.

Then she practically rolled off the bed and, forcing her still-weary body to move, pressed her forehead to the floor.

Completely taken aback, Cyril shouted, “What are you doing?!”

Groveling, Monica spoke with difficulty through her madly shaking lips. “…I’m…I’m so, so sorry…for…for causing you…a-all this, this trouble…” Just producing the words made her want to throw up. But she’d ruined the tea party and caused a big fuss, so she had to apologize.

“I’m on the student council…but I can’t do anything right… I’m sorry.”

Dance class had gone awfully for her, so she’d wanted to at least figure out tea parties. But instead, she’d added yet another stain to the student council’s record. Sobs crept into her apology. The back of her nose stung, and the backs of her eyes grew hot. Her tear ducts were looser than usual, and her tears fell quickly, blotting the floor.

“Lady Norton, look at me,” said Felix, kneeling down beside her.

But Monica couldn’t bring her face up. Everyone must be sick of me. I’m a student council member, and yet I can’t even conduct myself properly at a tea party.

She could think of plenty more words with which to criticize herself. And she was doing just that, lining up all her failures, grinding down her own spirit, when suddenly hands dove in under her sides.

The hands lifted her like someone picking up a cat.

“Get up already! How dare you make the prince kneel!”

The one to do it had been Cyril. And now Lord Ashley is angry with me again. All because I can’t conduct myself properly…, thought Monica, still bawling. Cyril carefully pushed her back onto the bed.

Then, placing the blanket over her, he yelled, “You’re the victim here! The victim has no reason to bow and apologize!”

“B-but…”

“You look like you’re about to pass away! Keep your mouth shut! I dare you to get out of bed again without permission. I’ll tie you to it with rope!” Cyril scowled as he made this rather violent declaration.

Just then, there came another voice. “Oh, what are you making such a fuss over in the infirmary? …Dearest elder brother.”

The curtain partitioning the beds swayed, and out popped the face of a beautiful girl. Just the face, like some kind of eerie floating head. The rest of her body remained hidden behind the curtain. It was Claudia.

…Elder brother? thought Monica.

Cyril stared at her in surprise. He fell silent as his lips twisted into a frown. In contrast, Felix greeted her with a sweet smile and spoke up. “Lady Claudia Ashley, thanks to your very competent first aid, a student’s life has been saved. As student council president, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Claudia’s face fell into despair, as though she’d just witnessed the end of the world. “…You’re welcome,” she muttered bitterly.

Cyril glared at her—her behavior wasn’t exactly respectful. “The prince has just given you praise. It’s an honor. You could be a little happier about it.”

“…Oh, so you want me to wag my tail as if I’m some stupid dog, just like a certain someone?” Claudia snorted in derision while keeping all expression from her face—an impressive feat.

Her behavior would have set just about anyone off, and as expected, Cyril blew his top. “Who are you calling a dog?!”

“…Nobody said I was referring to you. Oh, why are you grimacing like that? Aren’t you the one who tried to carry Monica Norton here while she was out cold, then couldn’t make it and had to hand her off to the president, dearest elder brother?”

As she spoke, she maintained an emotionless monotone. Cyril’s face went red at first, but as she kept going, it paled until it was a ghostly white. It was a miserable sight to behold.

“…I…I’m s-sorry I’m so heavy…,” muttered Monica, doing her best to back up Cyril.

Cyril scowled and began to wordlessly grind his teeth. It was a little scary.

Wh-what do I do? Lord Ashley is mad…all because I’m so heavy…

As she panicked, Felix leaned forward and smoothly stroked her cheek. “You’re not heavy. In fact, you’re surprisingly light. I think you should eat more.”

He adjusted her blanket and turned to Cyril. “We shouldn’t stay too long—she’s sick. Let’s take our leave.”

Cyril nodded without complaint. Then he turned a glare on Monica and said, “No need to come to the council room today. Assume there’s no work for you to do even if you did.”

“B-but we’re busy with preparations for the festival…” They had to draw up documents to send to the contractors, review proposed club budgets, and a number of other things she would have liked to finish today.

But Cyril answered her firmly, “It won’t be a problem.”

When Monica tried to protest again, Felix peered into her face and smiled softly. “Go back to the dorm and get some good rest, all right?” His voice was tranquil but also firm—he wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Seeing Monica swallow her next objection, he and Cyril stepped away from her bed. Claudia took a handkerchief out of her pocket and waved it after them ostentatiously. Her face was expressionless.

Cyril looked like he was about to lose it. “Claudia,” he said, “keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn’t sneak out of here and try to go to the student council room to work.”

“…Oh, if you’re so concerned, you need only say so. You did seem awfully worried peering into Monica Norton’s face as she slept. How flustered you looked, my dearest elder brother.”

Cyril began to shake. Felix chuckled at the siblings’ exchange, then left the infirmary with Cyril.

The room grew quiet the moment they were gone. Steeling herself, Monica turned to Claudia. “U-um, thank you for…for the first aid.”

“…How much do you remember?” she asked.

“Up until I drank the tea…” Monica didn’t recall anything after that, aside from having a nightmare. When she’d come to, she’d already been in the infirmary bed.

Claudia slipped away for a moment, then came back with a cup. It had milk in it. “Drink this,” she said. “A little at a time is fine. It’s not much, but it’ll help protect your stomach’s lining.”

Monica took the cup and put it to her lips as Claudia sat down on the chair next to her bed. “…An eye medicine used for dilating pupils was mixed in with your tea.”

“E-eye medicine? …Was that why Lady Caroline’s pupils were so large, even though it was bright…?”

Monica had felt something was off about the girl from the moment they came face-to-face in the courtyard. Normally, in bright places, one’s pupils shrink to limit the amount of light that can enter. Caroline’s, however, had stayed large.

“U-um, does Lady Caroline…have an eye disease?” ventured Monica.

“…She used it as a beauty product. The idiot had a delusion that having bigger eyes makes you more beautiful, so she used it, heedless of the danger.”

The eye drops Caroline had possessed were normally used for eye examinations. They didn’t cause a problem as long as you used them as intended, but they were toxic and would cause hallucinations and poisoning symptoms when misused.

And she’d put some in Monica’s teacup.

“…The concoction is a very bitter mixture,” continued Claudia. “They probably did it to get a few laughs out of seeing you choke on it.”

That was why Caroline had held the tea party in the courtyard in front of everyone instead of in her room—she’d wanted to laugh at Monica in public for making an ugly display of choking on her tea.

But what Caroline hadn’t predicted was that Monica would drink down the whole cup without issue. “Ummm…,” she said. “Well… It was bitter, but not undrinkable, so…”

“…What do you think creatures have taste buds for? They’re not for savoring delicious food. They’re there to distinguish and avoid poisons.”

Scolded in a roundabout way for her poor risk management, Monica fell silent.

Maybe Claudia was right—maybe Monica should have been more cautious. Caroline had obviously been up to something. Monica shouldn’t have consumed just anything the other girl offered her.

According to Claudia, Monica hadn’t been able to throw up the poison on her own, so she’d fed her a weak saline solution to force it.

“…When you threw up, there was barely anything in your stomach. You seem to weigh relatively little for someone your age, and you certainly don’t seem to be taking care of yourself.”

“………Urk.” The reason she hadn’t eaten lunch today was because she’d been running away from Claudia. Nevertheless, this wasn’t the first time she’d been told her nutritional intake was less than sufficient, so it stung. She hung her head.

Claudia continued, her voice still glum. “The smaller someone is, the less poison it takes to kill them… Even a poison that wouldn’t kill an adult with a standard body type can be fatal to someone with a child’s body. You’re lucky to be alive.”

“A ch-child’s body…,” stammered Monica, unintentionally staring at Claudia. She was slender but tall, and the parts of her body that stuck out definitely stuck out. You would never guess she and Monica were the same age.

Monica had never had much of a complex regarding her body, but after becoming friends with Lana and Casey, she’d become ever so slightly more conscious of how childish she looked. She took her defeat in silence.

Claudia leaned in and peered at her face. “…Oh? What’s wrong, Child Body? You’re staring, Child Body. Also, don’t eat any solid foods for the rest of the day. You’ll just throw them up, Child Body.”

“Y-you don’t have to keep calling me ‘Child Body’ like that…”

“…I simply want to avoid you trying to thank me for saving your life.”

Monica’s eyes widened. Come to think of it, Claudia had looked sour when Felix thanked her. Monica was naturally grateful to her, and she wanted to say thank you. But Claudia truly seemed to find the notion unpleasant—she wasn’t just trying to hide her embarrassment.

“Um… Do you not want me to thank you because…you hate me? Is…is that it?” asked Monica, voice shaky.

Claudia sat up straight. Her expression remained impassive, like a doll’s. But Monica thought she caught a dark emotion—not quite malice—flicker deep in her lapis lazuli eyes.

“…I don’t hate you exactly,” she answered listlessly. “…Though I don’t like you, either.”

Monica rallied her courage and asked, “Th-then…why have you been…following me around all week?”

She had assumed that Claudia was suspicious of her being the Silent Witch. As she waited for an answer, Claudia wordlessly slithered closer and looked at her from point-blank range.

“…Because you’ve bewitched my fiancé,” she replied.

“…Huh? Wait… Huh?” Monica nearly dropped her cup of milk.

Claudia continued dryly. “…Being on the student council with him is one thing, but to practice dancing with him… I can’t tolerate that, can I? Even I’ve barely danced with him.”

Student council. Dance practice. The first people that sprang to Monica’s mind were Felix and Cyril. But Claudia and Cyril were siblings, which narrowed the answer down to one.

W-wait, Lady Claudia…is engaged to the prince?!

On the one hand, Claudia hadn’t discovered her identity, which was cause for relief. But who could have imagined that she was Felix’s fiancée, and mistakenly believed Monica had bewitched him?!

Monica thought hard, trying to come up with some way to untangle the misunderstanding.

Just then, a sound came from the door, and she heard two sets of footsteps on the other side of the curtain.

“Monicaaaaa! We’ve come to visit!”

“Shhh! Shhh! No yelling in the infirmary!”

The familiar, lively voices belonged to Glenn and Neil. Glenn pushed open the curtain without asking and took a long stride over to the bed. “Monica, you all right?! Whoa, your face is so pale! Oh, and I brought a gift. Is meat okay?”

“Glenn, you can’t give meat to someone right after they’ve been poisoned,” chided Neil before noticing Claudia at Monica’s bedside. He straightened up and offered her an awkward smile. “Oh. Um, hello, Lady Claudia.”

“……” Claudia maintained her impassive expression, but the air around her had clearly changed. Her gloomy, listless aura had disappeared entirely.

Neil looked slightly troubled by her lack of expression. “Um… Well, I… Oh, I heard from the president that it was you who performed first aid on Lady Norton.”

“……” Claudia remained as wordless and emotionless as ever. She didn’t even offer a nod in reply.

Neil started to panic, moving his arms pointlessly and continuing. “I-impressive as ever, Lady Claudia! You’re amazing!”

“…Oh.”

Just then, Monica was certain she’d seen it. Claudia’s lips as she said that one word, they had slightly—very slightly—come up at the corners.

She’d been so sour about Felix praising her, but now she actually seemed to be happy.

Wait, thought Monica. Could Lady Claudia’s fiancé actually be—?

“Um, is this your friend, Monica?” asked Glenn. “Neil, do you know her, too?”

Before Neil could reply, Claudia slipped closer to Monica, practically snuggling up to her. “We are indeed friends,” said Claudia slowly. “Isn’t that right? …Monica dearest.”

This was the first Monica was hearing of it. Hadn’t Claudia just said she didn’t hate her but she didn’t like her, either?

While Monica looked on in a daze, Claudia stared at her with those lapis lazuli eyes. Eventually, the pressure got to her. “Y-yes…,” she stammered, nodding awkwardly.

“See?” said Claudia, looking at Glenn and Neil. “I am Claudia Ashley, a second-year and Neil’s fiancée… So pleased to meet you.”

“Huh? W-wait, fiancée?! Neil’s?! You’re his fiancée?!” cried Glenn.

Neil smiled vaguely. “Well, you see, it was something our parents decided on…”

“…Oh. Would you be happier with someone else?” asked Claudia, turning her doll-like face to Neil. The intensity of her beauty made her lack of expression strangely intimidating.

Neil’s face stiffened, and he shook his head. “Um, no, I didn’t mean it like that; it’s just that I’m a terrible fit for you, and I feel guilty about it…”

His eyes flitted to the crown of Claudia’s head. That clued Monica in to what was bothering him. Neil was short compared to other boys his age—while Claudia was tall for a girl. Side by side, she’d be taller than him.

Plus, Claudia came from a marquess’s family, while Neil was the son of a baron, so their families weren’t a good match when it came to rank.

As Monica remained speechless, Claudia quickly rose, linked her arm with Neil’s, and gave a creepy smile. “…Look, Monica. Don’t you think Neil and I are a good match? …Don’t you?”

With the two of them lined up, their height difference became even more apparent. But Claudia’s final “Don’t you?” had been delivered with such force, Monica buckled, forgoing all thought and simply nodding. “Y-yesh…”

“See, Neil?” said Claudia. “Even our friend Monica has given us her blessing.” Her tone seemed to say, Look, there’s no problem at all.

Neil feigned a smile as Glenn muttered, “She’s so intimidating!”

At that very moment, the door to the infirmary burst open yet again. A girl rushed in, her ponytail swaying behind her—it was Casey.

“Monica!” she exclaimed. “I heard you were brought to the infirmary! Are you al—”

She stopped and stared at Neil and Claudia, arm in arm.

She was silent for a moment. Then she looked perplexed. “Hey, er, what’s going on here?”

“…It should be plain to see. Neil and I are about to regale you with the story of how our romance began.”

“Hold on. Sorry, I’m afraid it’s still not clear to me,” said Casey, astonished.

Monica offered her a pained grin.

Felix made his way down the hallway, his characteristic tranquil smile gone from his face. Its absence only made his clear, handsome features more conspicuous. Cyril followed meekly behind—perhaps he’d sensed the prince’s quiet irritation.

As Felix walked, he silently confronted the source of his vexation… What a bother, he thought. I’ve never been one to waste my anger like this. The rage he felt inside was reserved for when it was needed and for whom it was needed—it wasn’t supposed to come out on its own like this.

But when Monica had groveled on the floor to apologize, it had brought back a memory from his past.

“I’m on the student council…but I can’t do anything right… I’m sorry…”

She’d been shaking as she said it—and in his mind her image had overlapped with that of another— a young boy.

“I’m royalty…but I can’t do anything right… I’m sorry…”

A boy who had hung his head in the face of his own powerlessness, tears creeping into his eyes as he shook and waited to be scolded.

Yes, the resemblance is clear, he thought to himself.

“I cannot seem to suppress my anger over this incident,” he said with unusual coldness.

Cyril gave a start. His expression grew tense. “The daughter of Count Norn and the other two girls are waiting in the reception room for questioning. And…” He paused, looking around before whispering into Felix’s ear. “Lady Isabelle Norton, daughter of Count Kerbeck, has barged into the student council room demanding to speak with Count Norn’s daughter…”

“Lady Isabelle? Ah, the little squirrel’s younger sister, correct?”

“They’re not blood related. It appears she is Lady Norton’s niece.”

“Hmm,” said Felix, his lips forming a smile. “Good timing. In that case, have Lady Isabelle join us.”

A cold smile appeared on his gorgeous face as he declared, “I think this tea party will be very fun indeed.”