"Truly, I apologize. Even though only the upper half was visible because of the window, mistaking a woman for a man..."
Regalus bows his head around the flowerbed outside the school building.
"Things got a bit, well, quite noisy, so we moved to another location, and here we are."
"Well... I'm not very feminine either, so it's okay. Don't worry about it. Besides... it was amusing, as the rumors suggested."
Smiling, Kaera responds in a manner not typical of an underclassman's speech. It seems she's not good at formal expressions.
"Brother, Lady Kaera here is the younger sister of Lady Amara whom you introduced yesterday."
With a chuckle at her rare premature conclusion, Althea continues, "But, Lady Kaera, it might be rude to say this, but I also initially thought you were a man. ...Because you looked so slender and splendid."
"Oh, really? I want to become a warrior, so I'm glad to be called splendid by someone as cute as you."
"Well, a warrior? Can you fight?"
"Of course."
For a moment, Regalus felt Althea's eyes spark... and he interjected into the conversation.
"So, you wish to become a warrior... Does that mean you intend to participate in the martial arts tournament as well?"
"Yes, I've heard that women can participate once they're in their third year. By the way, you're Regalus Monclair, right? Last year's champion?"
"Oh, yes, that's me."
"Wow~. I'm so glad I could meet you so soon. I asked my sister to introduce me, but I never expected to meet you first... Um, can I shake your hand?"
As Althea watches her own brother shake hands with a classmate she just met, the afternoon bell for class rings.
"Well... I'll head back to class, but Althea... You're done for today, right?"
"Yes. After having lunch now, we'll explore the school building."
"Oh, then can I come too? I might be able to be a sort of bodyguard."
When Kaera says this, Laila, who had been silently standing behind, interjects unexpectedly, "I am sufficient as the sole bodyguard."
Noticing Laila's presence for the first time, Kaera, glaring lightly at her, asks, "I've never paid attention to you before, but who are you? Why are you following her?"
"Come to think of it, I didn't introduce myself. I am Laila, Althea's exclusive attendant. I am honored to learn alongside Lady Althea at the academy."
"Oh... an exclusive attendant, huh. Then, I'd prefer if you didn't intrude too much... Oh, right, it's rude not to introduce myself after you did. I'm Uryan Kaera or Kaera Uryan. I'm technically a distant relative of the chief of the Uranus tribe."
Caught off guard by her status being pointed out, Laila remains bowed. Ignoring Laila's demeanor, Kaera turns to Althea, who seems deeply bowed.
"Huh... Althea? What's wrong?"
Surprised by the sudden change, Kaera stammers as she speaks, but Althea remains bowed, giving a calm reply.
"I have committed a grave discourtesy by not realizing you were connected to the tribe's chief. I deeply apologize."
"Huh? What?"
The soft smile from earlier, obscured by the bowed head, is no longer visible. Even Laila, standing a step behind, remains bowed.
If there's something to recall, it would be Regalus' parting words: "If you truly want to be friends with Althea, it's better to refrain from flaunting your status at the academy."
Come to think of it, my sister also often said, "We're just students at the academy." It seems to be a catchphrase of the person my sister secretly admires, but my sister herself would never say it unless she truly believed it.
After scratching her head, Kaera bowed to Althea and Laila.
"I'm sorry, Laila. It was my fault. Both you and I, as well as Miss Althea, were told by my sister that we're just ordinary students at the academy... I spoke disrespectfully, assuming you were a lady's maid. I'm truly sorry. And... Miss Althea, would you forgive my disparaging remarks about your attendant?"
Upon hearing this, Althea and Laila, of course, exchanged surprised looks.
Those who make pompous remarks rarely apologize to the actual person, the lady's maid, even when called out. The one they apologize to is usually someone of equal standing or above, typically the master. Yet, Kaera properly apologized to Laila first, not to Althea, the mistress.
Perceiving this as a sincere apology, Althea whispered to Laila, "If you accept, then so do I."
Laila nodded at Althea and, lowering herself to the level of Kaera's bowed head, addressed her, "Please, raise your head, Lady Kaera... I gratefully accept your heartfelt apology."
As Kaera lifted her head upon Laila's words, Althea continued, "Lady Kaera, I also sensed that your earlier words did not reflect your true feelings... In my domain, I've been treated very well by the people, and I love them dearly. ...Of course, I understand the difference in our positions. But I don't want to give orders just because of that."
Kaera listened silently to Althea's words.
"They call me a 'spoiled brat,' but I love and cherish everyone. ...Lady Kaera, even though I'm such a 'spoiled brat,' would you become friends with both me and Laila?"
Smiling gently, Althea didn't exude the same pompousness as before.
Kaera nodded along, saying, "Yes, I want to be friends with you. And with Laila too," as she hugged Althea and Laila.
Althea reached back with a smile, and though initially surprised, Laila hesitantly extended her hand to Kaera, just as Althea did.
While hugging, Althea spoke again, "I'm glad to have new friends. Both you and Laila, let's get along from now on, Lady Kaera."
Kaera nodded to Althea's words and released her embrace.
Looking at Kaera again, Althea noticed her eyes were moist. Kaera wiped her slightly teary eyes and said, "I'm really happy. Thank you for forgiving me... By the way, Lady Althea, could you speak like you did at first?"
"Fufu, understood. ...Well then. Now that we're friends, shall we go to lunch together? Since the upperclassmen's classes have started, the cafeteria should be empty."
Upon Althea's suggestion, both Kaera and Laila nodded, and at that moment, Laila exclaimed, "Ah!" as if she remembered something.
"Lady Althea, I left Lady Juliabehind... Is she going to be okay?"
Althea froze in her tracks.
"Oh no. Since it got so noisy earlier, I left her alone in the classroom... She must be waiting there alone. Let's hurry back to the classroom."
As they hurried back to the classroom, Kaera, still unable to grasp the situation, asked as they moved, "Who's Lady Julia?"
"Lady Kaera, aren't we in the same class, Class A? She's our classmate, right? ...Lady Julia Trinton is a young lady with magical abilities from the same major country as us. Since there are particularly few people with magical abilities this year, we've been friends since the magical aptitude test. She's very quiet, so I'm a bit worried... It would be reassuring if you could also be friends with her."
"...Is that so? Laila."
"Yes."
"Alright, got it. I'll do my best to become friends."
As they continued their conversation, they reached the classroom and hurriedly entered, but Julia was nowhere to be seen. Worried that she might have gone home, they searched the classroom just in case, and found Julia crouched behind the chair in the farthest corner, covering her ears and trembling.
"Lady Julia...?"
When Althea gently touched her shoulder, Julia flinched, then turned around, recognizing it was Althea, and clung to her while crying.
"Lady Althea... Lady Althea...! I'm sorry...!!"
Althea almost lost her balance due to her forceful embrace, but Laila, who was behind, supported her.
"...Lady Julia, what happened?"
As Althea comforted the crying Julia and listened, she calmed down a bit and began to tell them, in a small voice, about the frightening things that had happened.
Apparently, after Althea left the classroom, Alicia's entourage started badmouthing Althea, saying things like "she's just a country bumpkin" or "Our family doesn't recognize their ascension" or "At marquess level" or "The impoverish archducal family"... They probably said even worse things. Julia seemed hesitant to repeat the words they used. Unable to muster the courage to respond to such unbearable verbal abuse, she simply covered her ears and cowered in the corner.
And when they left, unable to stand up for herself without friends by her side, she felt self-loathing for her weakness.
"Lady Julia, I'm sorry for leaving you alone. It must have been tough for you to endure it alone."
Althea held both of Julia's hands to calm her down and made eye contact as she said, "That's right. It's best to just ignore those who can't say anything but hurtful words. They can't do anything significant anyway. It's a waste of time to regret about such people.
Agreeing with Althea's words, Kaera said, "Shouldn't you be blaming me, Lady Althea? ...For not protecting you, for not standing up for you."
"But you weren't the one badmouthing, were you?"
"Well, no, but..."
"I'd rather have a friend who feels hurt hearing bad things than someone who joins in saying them."
With a smile, Althea's kindness made Julia shed tears again.
Watching over them from behind, Laila thought, Lady Althea's smile makes her look like an angel or a goddess... This is bad. If she keeps smiling so innocently, the "bad bugs" that Lord Regalus mentioned might come swarming in. I need to stay vigilant...!! and repeated the "Regalus cautionary notes" she had been thinking were exaggerated as she made her way from her domain to the academy.
