(3 years ago)

After that, it was disastrous.

Lene and Alex’s words weren’t a threat or anything.

The teachers at the school, especially those around the principal, including Marcella's teacher, were dismissed on the day.

Although it was never treated as a formal case, the national agency that operated the school ordered the replacement of the teachers. Both the headmaster and Marcella's mentor, Bellocchio, were forced to leave their jobs.

But, Marcella still believed.

That it’s impossible for her teacher to be involved in such a dishonestly justice.

In fact, the students were in awe of Father Bellocchio as he was a stern but fair man.

Rather, he was resented by those who considered taking bribes as a matter of course.

But now, the outcome was already decided.

In the aristocratic society, the only way to treat a penalty for injustice, no matter how dubious it was, was to treat it as if the injustice happened.

And such was a danger to Marcella's position as well.

"…Hmph, you disgraced our house."

Marcella's father, Count Greymann Doni summoned Marcella to his study.

Not for discussion.

"Wrong! I was…!"

"You have two choices"

Count Doni didn’t even listen to his children’s side of the story.

After all, everything are tools for politics.

There are plenty of half-brothers and sisters out there.

It didn’t matter if you are a little skilled in magic, or if your face was well-built, he was a man who, if it was to his detriment, would not hesitate to cut something off.

"The first, is to become Marquis Cardia’s concubine."

"B-But that’s… Too much…!"

"The other choice, to get out of this house."

"Whichever you choose, I’ll provide you with a dowry and money for your expenses."

"It seems that you have some attachment to Alex, but give it up."

Marcella was angry at the peremptory tone of Count Doni.

"But, I didn’t do it!"

"I assumed so. You don’t have that cunning on you"

"…Eh?"

At Marcella's absent-minded face, Count Doni sighed in disappointment.

"If you had the cunning to deceive anyone, you would not have fallen for it. Idiot!"

"H-How I would be able to do such a perverted thing!"

"If you can’t, you must defend yourself in another way. But you’re the idiot for not noticing the other person’s plot and falling for it. It would be different if he were an old fox high-ranked noble, but your opponent was just a kid your age. I won’t listen to your excuses."

"Kuu…!"

"I could have managed it if you had realized it a little sooner… Seriously."

Count Doni was not lamenting the incompetence of his own children.

He didn’t love them excessively and he didn’t hate them more than he needs to.

Now that it had come to this, he just knew that it would be a disgrace for him to let his daughter go unpunished.

Already some of the teachers in the aristocratic school had been demoted or been forced to retire.

There was absolutely no benefit in continuing to shelter Marcella amid this situation.

Marcella was well aware of her father’s calmness.

Even if she were to become the concubine of the marquis Cardia, he wouldn’t be able to save her.

"Being the concubine of that marquis… No, I don’t like it."

The Marquis Cardia was indeed a vulgar person worthy of the name of a corrupt noble.

He treated women like slaves and didn’t even consider commoners as trash.

It’s not a rumor at all.

Marcella had seen the Marquis Cardia on several occasions, including at the royal palace banquets.

The way he conducted himself there was awful.

Drunk and in high spirits, he even tried to take away a married woman.

Many noblewomen had to flee from the banquet hall in fear.

There were many complaints to the royal palace asking why the man was not being punished.

But the Marquis Cardia was the brother in law of the previous king and a man who held the secrets of many noble families.

The soon to be replaced king had no power to punish the marquis of Cardia.

"I assumed so."

"A-At least another house…"

"I’ve heard that the Marquis of Cardia has his eye on you.

If I marry you into another house, that house will be glared by the Marquis of Cardia."

"Such a thing…!"

Help me, Alex.

Marcella couldn’t help but feel that her inner voice was about to leak out.

But even Alex was part of the conspiracy to bring Marcella down.

That vixen must have fooled him.

But on the other hand, Marcella had come to understand.

That the inferiority complex that Alex feels is real.

That he would enjoy watching her fall.

"If you really don’t want to, you can leave this house before the Marquis officially comes in. That way, the surroundings will also follow."

There was no one to help her.

So, she have no choice but to live on her own.

With a sad determination, Marcella resigned herself from being a noble.

◆

It’s been over a month since she boarded this swaying carriage from the royal capital.

Marcella's destination was the Pond Town.

"I-I’m finally here…"

While rubbing her aching hip from the swaying of the carriage, Marcella walked through the streets of Pond town.

Although it was her first time traveling and living alone, but Marcella was by no means a pampered rich young lady. Rather, due to the laissez-faire nature of her parents, she learned various things from his tutors and servants according to her curiosity. When she was a kid, she used to leave home and blend within the bustling streets.

To begin with, Marcella was a clever person. Rather than living as a proper lady, it could be said that it was in her nature to live with empty pockets. It could be said that because of the excitement of traveling alone, she was able to escape her life of grieving and mourning and head for the Pond town. After deciding for a long time in which inn to stay, she was finally able to take a break after unloading her things.

Everything started here, Marcella said and renewed her determination.

"I need to find a job somehow"

A fallen noble or a fallen magician was bound to arrive at a wilderness.

This is one of the most liveliness cities in the country and had a lot of jobs waiting for you.

There was a job called mercenaries for poor people who couldn’t eat their fill.

And for the learned person who just got out of school, workplaces such as commercial guilds and mage workshops were posting jobs. For Marcella, who was skilled in magic, calculating, and knew the law, work was more important than anything else.

…Or so it should have been.

"Ahー, sorry, we’re full already."

"Our Institute of Magic will not hire anyone without a letter of introduction. Go home."

"There is no place for a noble daughter in a place like mine."

"We pray for your future endeavors, Mistress Marcella"

Her job hunting was… a total disaster.

In fact, at present, there were too many mage job seekers.

 Marcella's fortune was too miserable.

"Haa…"

The money she was given from her home was plentiful.

It would last for a while.

However, her fiancé had dumped her, her parents had disowned her, and even when she was looking for a job, she was told the words “we don’t need you”, so even for Marcella, she was at her limit.

She bought bread at a cheap bakery, ate at a park, and looked for a job.

No matter how much she lowered and lowered the range of her requirements, she couldn't get a job at all.

All she could do was sigh.

It was such a time.

"Hi, beautiful young lady, are you perhaps a sorceress?"

"If it’s for a pick-up, I refuse."

Saying this, Marcella tilted her wand at the young man who had suddenly spoken to her.

"Whoa, that’s dangerous! Well, if you use magic in the city, it’s a crime, you know!?"

"Then don’t talk to me."

Marcella knew that, of course.

It was just a threat.

But the man’s good looks and well-made face reminded of her fiancé, Alex, so she was only mildly annoyed.

"No, no, I’m not trying to pick you up. All I wanted to do was give you a flyer"

"A flyer…?"

"Pond town specialty, Mercenaries Guild! Look at it!"

"Mercenaries guild…?"

"Yes. You register as a mercenary and took jobs from people especially business establishments?"

Marcella stared at the flyer the man had handed her.

In the royal city where Marcella lived, the operation of brothels and gambling houses was forbidden and there was no guild. She has never been to mercenaries guild even once. She’s only seen knights doing part time jobs with commercial establishments, but all she could think was, "They’re doing something stupid."

"There’s a free admission ticket with it, stop by anytime you want. You’re more than welcome."

"Hmm"

"I’m not interested at all."

Perhaps the man had given up too.

He soon went away from Marcella.

But on a spur of the moment, Marcella decided to go see the mercenaries guild.

Marcella remembered the story that in the place where they make the mercenaries guild, they employed many magicians.

It was said that there were various jobs, such as cracking down on people who bring in magic tools to interfere with the race or putting up a barrier that prevents them from using magic. For example, if it was a city-recognized public gambling den, they would have to check people’s identities before hiring them. She might have been kicked out of her home, but she was still the daughter of a noble. She should be more trustworthy than those foreign magicians who came to seek asylum.

"…I should try going."