Chapter 68
The sudden news of Valentin’s unannounced visit irritated Megara.
She didn’t like Valentin. In fact, not many in noble society did.
Being the daughter of one of the Empire’s most prestigious families meant people catered to her whims, but who in the world liked someone both arrogant and stupid?
Still, she seemed to follow whatever her older brother told her to do, and she was still young—perhaps she might change as she matured.
But barging in like this without warning? It would’ve been nice to at least get a heads-up to mentally prepare for the meeting.
Of course, it would’ve been even better if they never had to meet at all… but that wasn’t an option in noble society.
‘She’s still useful sometimes.’
Megara wondered if impatient little Valentin was keeping up her fights with Nerys Truydd. The thought amused her as she welcomed Valentin, who had just entered the drawing room.
“Welcome, Valentin. Thank you for coming first. Have you been well?”
Megara’s reception was impeccable. Her graceful gestures and refined tone would’ve earned applause from Sir Sheridan, their etiquette instructor.
Having also received etiquette training from a young age, Valentin recognized the elegance. But Megara’s charm only served to further enrage her.
Acting all demure and delicate in front of men while dressed in pajamas—did she think other women couldn’t see through such tricks?
In truth, during the test paper incident, Megara had chosen that outfit to make it seem like she had rushed out from the dormitory, and Abelus hadn’t paid any mind to a first-year’s pajamas.
Abelus did like beautiful women, but he was a normal adolescent who preferred girls his own age.
However, to Valentin, a fellow first-year, Megara’s actions seemed like a highly seductive ploy.
With those thoughts in her head, Valentin’s gaze was anything but kind. Despite the polite greeting, Megara instinctively wore her usual pleasant smile.
‘What’s gotten into her?’
“What is it, Valentin?”
“Sister Megara.”
Valentin sat in the chair Megara had offered and sharply asked,
“I heard something interesting happened last semester.”
“Last semester?”
Megara tilted her head. There had been plenty of interesting things last semester… and the one before that too—at least from her point of view.
Valentin narrowed her eyes.
“That… the test papers! They went missing, didn’t they?”
“Oh, that interesting thing.”
Megara had wondered what she was referring to. She figured Valentin was here to scold her—‘why didn’t you use that opportunity to take Nerys down?’
Truly exhausting. She should worry about herself.
“It wasn’t a big deal. I honestly thought Nerys was the culprit, but it turns out Aidalia lied to me. I was heartbroken—Dally betrayed me.”
Megara’s explanation was carefully worded, avoiding anything incriminating, yet still clear to those in the know.
Though Valentin wasn’t enrolled yet at the time, she had heard the rumors circulating in the capital’s social circles that Megara had ousted Aidalia.
Back then, she’d dismissed it as petty squabbling between inferiors, but now it seemed Aidalia Kendall had betrayed Megara and sided with Nerys.
She could piece together what had happened. But that wasn’t why Valentin had come.
She wasn’t here to ask why Megara hadn’t crushed Nerys when she had the chance.
Valentin’s eyes flared again.
“I heard you walked around in just your pajamas?”
The delicate pink teacup in Megara’s hand paused mid-air. Her pretty violet eyes narrowed slightly, forming a faint smile.
“…Are you talking about me?”
“Yes, you, sister.”
Valentin had finally brought up her real reason for coming and now glared boldly.
“How could that happen? I was so shocked when I heard.”
That how wasn’t a genuine question about circumstances—it was a judgmental how could you?
Megara was irritated. If she thought about it, all her current troubles stemmed from House Elandria.
Why on earth had they sponsored someone like Nerys Truydd in the first place? If the ducal house hadn’t meddled, Megara would never have crossed paths with her.
Naturally, her tone took on a sharper edge.
“Honestly, it wasn’t like I wanted to. I heard about the missing test papers during breakfast. I didn’t have time to change properly.”
She had chosen the outfit to make it look like she rushed out the moment she heard the news. She hadn’t expected to be criticized for it now.
Megara’s mood soured further. Who cared if she wore pajamas or armor?
Valentin’s condescending tone answered as if it were obvious.
“Sister, you’re the daughter of a noble family. You should refrain from actions that lack propriety. I couldn’t believe it when I heard. I always thought you were so composed. How could you face someone like His Highness the Crown Prince so sloppily? That kind of behavior—it’s the sort of tactic lowborn mistresses use when they can’t compete with noblewomen like us.”
Megara nearly gaped.
Valentin might’ve used the phrase like us to sound inclusive, but everyone could hear the real message—you’re no better than a common mistress.
Did she come all the way here just to lecture her about etiquette? Was she out of her mind?
And the Crown Prince?
So this girl was actually concerned about how women dressed in front of Abelus? She thought she was monitoring the Crown Prince’s surroundings?
Everyone knew he was seeing Natasha Grünehals. And this brat thought…?
“Valentin, when you say that, it’s really—”
“Of course, a marquis’s house may raise their daughters differently than a duke’s. It must be more… free-spirited. And honestly, what can you expect from that woman who raised you? Still, I believed you’d at least know the bare minimum about dignity. Right?”
A flicker of fire lit in Megara’s eyes.
The ‘that person’ Valentin had mentioned referred to the woman the Marquis of Lykeandros—Megara’s father—had brought into the house after his wife’s death, now acting as the marchioness in all but name.
Megara detested that woman, whose background was anything but noble.
Within Megara’s heart, she had already decided on the punishment she would inflict upon Valentin. But outwardly, she maintained her usual lovely smile.
Even when angry, smiling wasn’t difficult—not when she imagined the expression Valentin would wear later.
After rambling on for a while and sipping her tea, Valentin finally left the drawing room. Megara told a footman to see her off and went to her room.
There, she called out to someone waiting inside.
“Sorry for the wait. Alecto.”
Though the room had no lights on, it was still bright from sunlight. Still, it wasn’t a space where one should leave a guest alone. Not that Megara cared.
Alecto Isalani didn’t have the right to demand proper hospitality.
Alecto had arrived just before Valentin barged in, so Megara had hidden her in the room.
Not that it would’ve been a disaster if Valentin saw her, but the fewer people who knew something, the more valuable that information became.
“I’ve thought about what you asked me.”
As expected, Alecto didn’t even raise a protest like ‘How could you leave me in here?’ She didn’t even look at Megara properly. Smiling, Megara spoke up.
Since last semester, Alecto had become withdrawn and quiet from being ostracized. Her gloomy eyes remained fixed on the floor near Megara’s feet.
Satisfied by that look, Megara continued.
“‘Take me in’—that was a bit disappointing to hear, honestly. What do I have to take you in for? We’re classmates. Of course I can help you out a little—that’s not a problem.”
Alecto had come to Megara, pleading for help just to get through the school year without being bullied, hoping to at least make it to graduation in one piece.
Even if someone had tried to kill Alecto just yesterday, Megara could quiet them down with a few words.
Looking into Alecto’s eyes, which were filled with hope, Megara spoke sweetly.
“But since we’re friends, I hope you can do me a favor too. Mmm… I just want you to help me with a little prank.”
* * *
“Kyaaah!”
Who was shrieking so shamelessly for everyone to hear? It didn’t sound like a third-year—must’ve been a first-year. Typical.
Hearing the high-pitched scream from the next classroom, the second-years shook their heads with dignified disapproval, as if they’d forgotten their own first-year days.
Megara, among them, smiled subtly. She recognized the voice—it was Valentin’s.
Nerys also smiled. She’d been waiting for a reaction.
‘Whether it’s the bag again, or if they put a spider inside, who knows.’
It didn’t matter. What mattered was that Valentin had likely struck a nerve with Megara, and Megara had returned the favor just as sharply.
At the back of the classroom, like the other attendants, Isabel waited for her mistress to stand. Of course, she recognized that voice instantly.
Her expression turned tense. She was dying to know what had happened. If something had gone wrong with Lady Valentin, it would be a perfect chance to rush over and gain her favor.
“Let’s go.”
As Nerys and Diane headed for the door, Isabel and Betty quickly followed. The second-year girls walked with exaggerated grace down the hallway, but none of them forgot to sneak glances into the next classroom. Neither did Nerys.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Miss!”
Valentin’s maid was pale and bowing to the much smaller girl, pleading.
“If you can’t even do your job properly, what are you thinking? Do you know how shocked the lady was?”
Delma stood beside Valentin, scolding the maid as if they were not in a classroom surrounded by students, but in the Elandria mansion, alone with Valentin.
The other first-year students watched the scene unfold with a mix of disbelief and awe.
The maid didn’t know what to do. Valentin stood there, face pale, with something red dripping from her hand.
Is that blood? a few observant students whispered.
Nerys gave Isabel a subtle nod.
“Go find out what happened.”
Isabel, who’d already been itching to run to her mistress, immediately darted into the first-year classroom.
When Valentin turned toward the commotion at the door and made eye contact with Nerys, she twisted her pretty face into a scowl. Nerys responded with a smile.
* * *
“My goodness, Miss. What happened? Are you hurt?”
Isabel’s tone, as if she were Valentin’s personal maid, made even Delma glance at her in disbelief. The maid who’d been bowing looked ready to explode.
Valentin glared at Isabel, who had asked the question loudly for all to hear.
“There was a packet of chicken blood in my bag. Don’t you know anything about it?”
At the word blood, the students recoiled—but quickly relaxed once they realized Valentin wasn’t injured. If the daughter of a duke had been hurt, it would’ve triggered a school-wide crisis.
“What?”
Isabel blinked in surprise. Who would dare play such a horrific prank on the only daughter of Duke Elandria? How would they survive the consequences?
There was only one person Isabel could think of who was crazy enough.
But as soon as she thought of Nerys, she realized it was impossible.
She’d been with Nerys nearly all the past few days. And Nerys didn’t have anyone else to act on her behalf.
Delma had been watching Isabel’s reaction carefully. Seeing that even Isabel was clueless, she understood Nerys wasn’t the culprit.
Then who?
In Delma’s mind, the name of one noble girl came to her—one Valentin had recently provoked with her sharp tongue.
Megara Lykeandros. She’d jabbed at the girl’s sore spot, and that girl had plenty of people to command. So really, what couldn’t she do?
Sensing the dreadful war that was bound to erupt between the two prideful young ladies, Delma pressed her fingers to her forehead.
