Chapter 67: A Needlessly Annoying Day
Live for now and think later?
Things will work out if I stay positive?
“…Bullshit.”
It had been a little over eight months since she had arrived in this world.
And what had she accomplished?
She had been played with by Enzhe like a toy and had failed to make a single friend.
…Well, there was one thing.
There might have been some changes in the past eight months. ‘Sue’ was getting better grades, her knowledge of magic had increased, she had learned to ignore Hanjee’s taunts, and her temper had improved. It was a remarkable improvement, personally.
“Haha…”
But Sue clutched her head.
But what was the point?
“They’re all so useless…”
“Useless? What do you mean?”
Her hand, raised to her head, froze. She lifted her head at the sound of that familiar, annoying voice.
“Good afternoon, Master Fritz.”
She forced a smile, her usual mask. A handsome figure with sparkling golden eyes. The person she didn’t want to see right now.
“Sue Byron Chiqmefriar. What are you doing here? Classes are over.”
Fritz, holding a long, wooden staff that reached past his waist, greeted her casually.
“Haha… I was just about to leave. I was sitting here, having some juice.”
“On these secluded steps?”
“Yes. Are you heading back now, Master Fritz?”
It was unusual for a young lady to be sitting on the stone steps behind the academy building, drinking juice. Sue quickly changed the subject, seeing his puzzled expression.
“It’s representative meeting day. The Imperial Family visit is coming up soon.”
“Ah, right. Acrea is the escort this year, right? I’m looking forward to it.”
“It was a given that Woo would be the escort once we reached our sixth year, considering his family’s position.”
He shrugged, his chin held high. Fritz didn’t seem jealous or envious, he seemed genuinely proud of his friend for being chosen as the Crown Prince’s escort for the Imperial Family visit.
Sue responded vaguely, her legs and hands neatly folded together, waiting for him to leave.
But contrary to her expectations, the annoyingly handsome boy didn’t budge. He leaned on his wooden staff, his name engraved on it, and kept staring at her.
“Are you sleepy?”
Sue finally remembered her dark circles, which had reached her chin. She touched her eyes and laughed awkwardly.
“Haha… I haven’t been sleeping well lately. Do I look that bad?”
The light makeup can’t conceal it, huh? Sue chuckled, unable to hide her embarrassment. Fritz’s expression hardened for some reason.
“Right… Come to think of it, you said you were weak.”
“What?”
Her voice trembled. Fortunately, Fritz didn’t notice and continued,
“Woo told me.”
“Ah… I see.”
That’s right, that was the excuse.
It was the excuse she had blurted out to Acrea at Michaela’s birth celebration, when she was suffering from the curse mark.
But why did he tell Fritz?
And Fritz actually remembered.
It wasn’t a bad thing, but it made her feel strangely uneasy.
“…You’ve been alright since then, right?”
Fritz asked another strange question. His face was filled with concern. It was a vague question, but Sue understood what he meant. The only ‘that day’ related to her that he could be referring to was the September Festival temporary committee incident.
“Yes, I’m fine. It’s been a month already. The autumn evaluation is just around the corner. I haven’t been sleeping well because I’ve been studying.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
Fritz’s face finally brightened after she reassured him. It seemed like he had been feeling guilty, even though she had already accepted his apology. He was strangely sensitive about certain things.
‘You’re not the one who hasn’t been sleeping well, it’s your precious, beautiful fiancée.’
Anyway, the important thing was that Sue was sitting on the stone steps, desperately waiting for Shina Fritz to leave.
But in the end, it was Sue Byron, not the handsome protagonist, who left first.
The bell announcing the end of the school day rang loudly. Clang, clang, clang. The large bell in the clock tower echoed. It was also the signal for dinner.
It was dark and chilly. Sue, who wasn’t wearing her winter jacket, rubbed her arms and stood up.
“It’s already winter…”
She listened silently to Fritz’s mumbling. The sky, covered in dark clouds, offered no glimpse of the red sunset or the twinkling moonlight, and the wind was no longer the refreshing autumn breeze.
“It’s getting late. I should be going. Thank you for talking to me, Master Fritz. And thank you for your concern. Blessings upon the empire.”
Sue curtsied, as always.
“Yes.”
She had only taken a few steps when she heard her name being called from behind. “Byron.”
A strong wind started to blow. Ignoring it, she turned around and saw the handsome grand duke’s son standing there, facing the wind. He was leaning on his staff, his posture crooked, his gaze averted, as he spoke.
“Go home and get some rest.”
Strangely, she was actually touched by his casual concern.
Sue looked at the deserted corner behind the building, her eyebrows furrowed.
“I can’t.”
The juice bottle in her hand felt heavy.
***
They were already sitting on the sofa, enjoying refreshments when she arrived at the glass garden.
“Lady Enzhe, I’m here.”
Enzhe acknowledged her with a sideways glance and went back to her tea.
There were two faces there. One looked at Sue Byron with pity, and the other was a chilling face that had never cared about her.
Her black eyes were still vacant, yet they were also fixed on Sue.
‘It can’t be helped. It’s your responsibility.’
“Ah, Lady Enzhe! Lady Melaine!”
Another person entered the glass garden shortly after Sue. It was Giona Vercia, as expected.
Enzhe, Sue, and Melaine had invited her to the glass garden under the pretense of a “tea party to celebrate becoming a Skia”. Even if she didn’t like Sue, Vercia couldn’t refuse an invitation from Enzhe and Melaine, whom she admired.
Enzhe Lopetrefer was the perfect bait.
Vercia stood in the center of the garden, in front of a wooden statue. She couldn’t hide her excitement, her eyes darting around the glass garden.
“Lady Vercia.”
Sue was the one who went to greet her. She was the lowest in the hierarchy, so Vercia didn’t suspect anything.
“Lady Byron. Ahem, ahem. Let’s enjoy this tea party as fellow Skias.”
Vercia, finally swallowing her pride, extended her hand.
“…Yes, let’s. From now on. I’ll lead you to Lady Enzhe. Follow me.”
Sue led the girl to a place other than the tea party. Vercia, completely fooled by her words, looked like she was about to fly with happiness, as if she was about to become best friends with Sue Byron.
‘It can’t be helped. You didn’t nip it in the bud back then. And you even defended Vercia in front of Lady Enzhe.’
A flash of lightning and a deafening clap of thunder suddenly engulfed them. Vercia flinched and placed her hand on Sue’s shoulder, her voice trembling. Sue froze.
‘Lady Enzhe noticed that you’re acting strange lately. This is a loyalty test. If you want to stay as Lopetrefer’s dog, you have to do this. And it’s something you’re good at. That’s good. Just do what you always do.’
Sue searched through her memories. And she asked, and then she regretted it.
“…Huh? We’re going down here?”
There was only a trapdoor hidden under the bushes. Vercia tilted her head, puzzled, but she didn’t doubt Enzhe or Sue.
Sue smiled.
“Yes, there’s a basement in the glass garden. Lady Enzhe usually rests here. It’s quite a lovely place.”
Did I really defend Vercia?
“Oh, I see? Then let’s go in!”
What should I have done?
What am I even doing?
What am I trying to do?
But Sue realized that she didn’t need any grand justifications or excuses.
‘…Right.’
It was just…
Finally, with her own hands, in this small fortress called the glass garden…
‘Just like always!’
On a needlessly annoying day, a needlessly annoying girl was about to do a needlessly annoying thing.