Maerie was woken up promptly by three firm knocks on her door. Her long eyelashes blinked slowly, uncertainty flashing through her mesmerizing eyes.

Today... was the second day she's awoken, almost delirious from sleep. She's no longer in purgatory, no longer awaiting her unknown fate. It seems... surreal.

"Lady Doll?" came Raijin's voice.

Maerie's eye narrowed in annoyance almost immediately.

Right, he was also proof of her rebirth.

"Enter, Raijin."

After she commanded him, she took her time to sit up and stretch. The door to her room opened, with Raijin leading a timid Ina inside. Ina slowly made her way to Maerie, who got out of bed and glanced at the small girl. Ina stiffened in fear, bowing her head even lower.

"Lady... Lady Doll, breakfast is served. It is set up... outside in the main room," Ina said, her speech unnatural and almost robotic, "Would you like... would you like this servant to assist you in dressing?"

For other students, the assigned servant would naturally dress, serve, and accompany them without fail. Even Maerie herself wouldn't be an exception to this. However, because of her temperament, those who normally would do so are reluctant, fearing that they may cross her one way or another. Ina was probably warned about this from other maids prior to her serving Maerie, otherwise she would have just done it without question.

'It seems I've been gossiped bout a lot amongst the servants,' she thought, silently observing Ina before shifting her gaze to Raijin.

'Quite a bit,' Raijin's eyes seemed to playfully convey back.

"No, go wait for me in the main room. I prefer to dress myself." Maerie's dismissive tone was enough for Ina to hurriedly bow before quickly retreating.

As Maerie undid the sleeping gown's buttons, she paused and looked at the one person who didn't retreat.

"What are you waiting for?" Maerie snapped.

Raijin stepped in further and closed the door behind him. "When a wolf wants to capture a lamb, it must first act like one."

Maerie snorted. "A wolf shouldn't be so quick to put away it's teeth."

"Then it should learn to do so, since that lamb is a crucial part of wanting to live." Raijin seemed to like talking in roundabout terms, so Maerie quickly put an end to it.

"Alright, I got it," Maerie scowled, "I know she's important."

Maerie felt her chin jerk to the side, those electrifying eyes starting to become a bit hateful as they look back at her.

"Then next time," Raijin hummed, "when I send her your way, take better care of the gifts I send."

His finger tapped the side of her cheek, causing her to really look at him with a hateful gaze.

"I'm letting you know now, because there will be more in the future," Raijin let go, allowing Maerie to now rub her sore jaw, "I will be deeply troubled if you're this passive to my good intentions all the time."

Maerie gave him a grim smile. "Good intentions that only benefit you in the end."

"Benefit the both of us, Miss Maerie," he corrected, smiling when Maerie chose to ignore him.

Maerie walked past him and into the connected bathroom, looking back. "Then allow me to first benefit myself, go wait with Ina."

"Of course, My Lady."

...

Maerie sat in front of the delectable foods that rested on the table, each one more enticing than the last. Raijin instructed Ina to place each dish one by one before Maerie, making Ina habitually dependent on him as she looked in his direction every time Maerie finished a plate.

"Raijin, schedule. Ina, water."

While Ina raced to get a pitcher of water, Raijin smoothly read out her schedule for the day.

"After breakfast, there is a weekly announcement that will be read out by the headmaster's secretary at nine-thirty. Once the announcement ends, your first morning class will begin at ten-thirty. Lunch starts at eleven forty-five. Your first afternoon class starts at two. The next one will start at three-thirty. Dinner is at five. There will be a short class from six to seven."

Raijin clears the space in front of Maerie as she wipes her lips clean with a cloth napkin.

"Although I wanted to come back, I hate the thought of going through schooling again," muttered Maerie, tossing the napkin on the table as she stood up.

"I think your previous life hardly consisted of any schooling at all. Wasn't it mainly bullying?" Raijin hid his grin, but Maerie could hear it in his voice.

"Ha. Ha." Maerie said monotone.

By the time Ina came back with the pitcher, Maerie was already prepped and dressed to start the day. She raised an eyebrow at this, passing by Ina and saying a few words,

"I told you, I don't like slow people."

Ina froze, but before she could even beg for forgiveness, Maerie turned and headed towards the dining hall for the weekly announcement.

—

"How am I supposed to get her on my side? You heard her this morning, she's so frightened she can barely stand to be in the same room as me."

Students bustled around her, everyone making their way towards the dining hall. Maerie walked confidently and boldly, with her servant following closely behind her. Her long legs that strode with refined elegance caused her especially to be eye-catching amongst the busy hallway.

On the way there, Maerie decided to chat with Raijin.

"Ina is certainly afraid of you, but I wouldn't say she's completely a lost cause. Due to the maids that work with her, rumors they heard would naturally reach her ears," Raijin's breathing was even and steady, despite the pace they were currently walking at, "However, that's the key point. She only knows the you from the rumors. What you show her in private, that's the real deal."

"So? Is she my personal training dummy to work my acting skills on?" Maerie asked, looking at the archway to the dining hall, noticing how empty the inside seemed.

Raijin nodded slightly. "She's not too complicated. She's gullible enough; that's why she bought into the rumors so easily. I'm afraid if you happen to drop a tear or two while she's in the same room, she might just drop on her hands and knees to pledge her loyalty."

Maerie made her way to the table closest to the entrance. As Raijin walked ahead to pull out a seat, she raised an eyebrow at his words.

"That easily?" She sat, flipping her hair behind her as Raijin took his spot next to her.

"The Saintess has many qualities that are far superior to you. She has empathy, a lowly background, and an overall gentle demeanor. None of which you possess," Raijin ignored Maerie's annoyed expression, "The Saintess was able to gain Ina's trust through her gentleness, and allowed her to open up due to a similar background. Finally, when she expressed her origins, the Saintess' empathy caused Ina to truly worship the ground the Saintess walked on."

Maerie's expression relaxed as she thought, though it still kept a cold indifference.

"If I'm not mistaken, today is the day where the Third Prince learns I'm in all of his classes. Originally, I constantly pestered him and that caused him to show up to my room. He coldly told me to leave him alone and that our engagement doesn't exist in the Academy. Of course, I didn't care and was only proud that I had gotten him to find me first." After relaying her thoughts, she fell silent again. Raijin simply stood quietly beside her.

...

Maerie didn't seem to notice when the crowd became loud and excited, nor did she notice the Third Prince's group emerging from the entrance and making their way to a table in the front. The Third Prince strode with purpose, either ignoring or not noticing that Maerie was sitting in an area away from the attention. However, Allen Carter noticed this oddity and looked back. It was only for a second, but his eyes met the servant beside Maerie. The silver-haired man gave him a polite smile and nod. Then, he placed his gaze back onto Maerie.

Out of the corner of his eye, Raijin saw Allen Carter look at the Third Prince before looking back at his Lady. In the end, it seemed like he decided not to say anything. Raijin gave a wolfish smile.

'I'm afraid you'll regret letting this matter go, Mister Third Prince's aide.'

—

Immediately at the end of the announcement, Maerie got up and left. She decided to go to an empty area to further talk with Raijin before her next class started.

The place she chose contained a large, white gazebo. It was made out of the finest wood and inside it held a table with four chairs around it. The Academy placed it there as a show of goodwill to their students, displaying that the donations made to the school were not used in vain. Maerie remembered that this was a place the Saintess would often drift to, where she would sit poised like a pristine rose. The Third Prince had stumbled upon this place once and saw the Saintess for the first time, back when she was still just a commoner called Nielle Warren. Although Maerie doesn't know when exactly he fell in love with her, she's willing to bet it was one of those stupid "love at first sight" moments.

She took a seat before addressing Raijin. "I told you earlier that I used to pester the Third Prince in his classes. That is what led to him cornering me in my dorm and announcing that the engagement doesn't exist when we're at the Academy."

Raijin nodded.

"I'll do the same thing this time around. I would like him to visit my dorm again," Maerie's lip curved upwards, "I need you to make sure Ina is there to witness it."

"Softhearted Ina watching Miss Maerie get scolded by her fiancé, and then when he leaves, your fragile maiden heart is shattered," concluded Raijin.

Maerie's lips twitched at the term "fragile maiden heart" but she concurred with his sentence.

"Obviously I won't be dramatic about it. In this life and the previous one, I never was into the theatrics," Maerie continued, her face thoughtful once more, "it'll only be believable if I pretend to be conflicted about his words."

Immediately, Maerie's face subtly turned into one of hurt and embarrassment. She looked at the ground, as if deeply ashamed from being scolded unfairly. Her hands in her lap clenched tightly into a fist, possibly an act of her trying to hold back her emotions.

"I just want to get along with my partner. Why does he have to act like I'm always doing something wrong? Does he really not even attempt to understand me?" Maerie whispered, her wavering voice and glossy eyes giving an impression of someone who's deeply misunderstood.

Raijin smiled, bending over to stroke Maerie's hair. "Don't shed tears. I think you would be overselling it a tad bit."

Maerie's face reverted back to her usual arrogance as she smacked his hand away.

"I don't think I can falsely cry just yet. My skills are just able to do this much," Maerie leaned back into the chair and arched an eyebrow at Raijin, "You think Ina will be swayed?"

Raijin observed Maerie for a moment, thinking back on her short act. Then, he clicked his tongue and sighed.

"You're really lucky your first target is Ina."

As Maerie's face blackened, the bell that signaled five minutes before classes with start had already rang.