Mahradi's lips trembled with anger.
Arthur Pendleton slowly clapped his hands, and the rhythmic applause spread throughout the class. Arthur soon began to chant Neris's name.
"Truede! Truede!"
"Truede! Truede!"
The other students followed, albeit somewhat solemnly. Neris's cheeks turned slightly red.
This was the first time she had been the target of a favorable commotion. As a member of the Elantria family, she had mostly engaged in secret activities that couldn't be shared with others, and as the crown princess, her colleagues couldn't treat her casually.
As the applause died down, Bolter raised his baton. He seemed to have ignored the commotion and spoke nonchalantly.
"Mahradi En, Neris Truede. As punishment for using inappropriate language in school, come to the classroom after dinner tonight."
"Yes, sir."
Arthur raised his hand.
"That's not fair. Mahradi started the argument."
Mahradi felt betrayed by Arthur's words, as they had never had a bad relationship before. Bolter glared at Arthur.
"When engaging in diplomacy, it's not just about who started the conflict, but also how you respond. If the other party breaks the rules, you gain legitimacy by staying within the rules. Remember that the other party's rule-breaking doesn't justify your own."
Ren looked dissatisfied. Bolter's decision didn't sit well with him, and he had been about to raise his hand, but Arthur had beaten him to it. However, Neris seemed unfazed.
Bolter's words were right in one sense, but wrong in another. Legitimacy only becomes a powerful tool when the parties involved have similar power.
The fact that Neris was a legitimate heir of the Elantria family was something that the royal family and the Elantria family could utilize well. However, it didn't bring happiness to Neris herself.
In the noble society, even if one had power, they needed a legitimate reason to gain others' support. In diplomacy, legitimacy was even more crucial.
So, Bolter's lesson would be helpful to the students in the class. It was a teaching moment, not a punishment, and Mahradi was also being punished, so Neris didn't complain.
***
After dinner, when Neris arrived at Bolter's classroom, she sensed the presence of people talking quietly inside.
Thinking that Mahradi had arrived early, Neris was about to open the door nonchalantly, but she hesitated when she heard the voices inside.
"Thank you for your understanding, sir."
"There's no need to thank me, as it's not a rule-breaking."
"If it were a rule-breaking, I wouldn't have asked in the first place. But thanks to you, I have the opportunity to take care of my relatives."
"Don't say things that might be misunderstood, Nellucian Elantria."
Neris's hand on the doorknob felt cold. A gentle laugh came from inside, followed by footsteps.
Before Neris could react, the door opened. The handsome face was as charming as she had seen at the beginning of the semester.
His clear blue eyes blinked once, and then he smiled kindly at Neris.
"Hello?"
Hello?
Her mind was filled with countless thoughts and emotions. Her heart ached, pounding rapidly.
Nellucian.
The name was like a sharp knife. Just thinking about it cut her heart, and thinking about saying it out loud made her tongue tremble. This had happened several times already in school.
But she couldn't stay like this. Neris replied blankly.
"...Hello."
Nellucian had his silver hair tied to one side, and his eyes, which were round when open but usually crescent-shaped when smiling, had captivated the hearts of many young women even before he became an adult.
In the past, when Neris didn't know Nellucian's true nature, she had always thought he was handsome. She had been proud to be his relative.
However, after meeting many people, Neris could see that Nellucian's expression couldn't hide his true nature - his selfish and cunning personality.
His eyes, which seemed to gaze blankly, actually scrutinized his opponent's face, and his smile, which seemed friendly, deepened whenever he did so.
Although Nellucian's facial expressions changed subtly, almost imperceptibly to ordinary students, Neris's body was trained to deal with cunning people professionally.
The long years she spent with Nellucian in the same household were a given.
If only she had known his true nature beforehand. If only she had known that he saw people as mere tools and didn't even acknowledge them once he was done using them.
"Neris Truede, you're blocking the door and letting in the wind. Your punishment has been decided to be community service at the student council. Follow Nellucian Elantria."
Bolter approached the classroom door. When Neris didn't respond immediately, Nellucian's eyes flickered with a hint of unease. He soon smiled kindly and whispered to Neris.
"As Bolter said, don't worry, I'll take you back to the dorm after we're done. You're still young, and it's not good for a new student to be out late for punishment."
Neris had already guessed this from their previous conversation, but hearing it from Nellucian's mouth made her stomach turn.
She took a step back, distancing herself from Nellucian, and looked up at Bolter with a question.
"I don't want special treatment. If I'm doing community service, what about Mahradi?"
Bolter looked down at Neris with an unreadable expression. Neris felt a strange sense of satisfaction from his demeanor, which reminded her of Kledwin's face.
A refined and cunning face, a face with its own philosophy, was the kind of person she found worthy of interacting with.
On the other hand, Nellucian was not worth her attention. He was only interested in using and deceiving others.
If only she had known this before getting hurt. Why did she have to feel this sense of disillusionment and regret now?
"Don't misunderstand, Nellucian taking you doesn't mean your punishment will be easier. You'll be doing activities that fit the name 'community service,' and Mahradi will also be doing something suitable for him."
The words sounded fair. Even Mahradi couldn't complain. Neris's eyebrows twitched for a moment, but she quietly nodded.
"...Yes, I understand, sir."
"Go. I have work to do."
Bolter closed the door as soon as Nellucian stepped back. Nellucian laughed at Bolter's chilly attitude.
"He's always like that. He can't even be kind to young and cute new students."
"He's a good person."
Nellucian was taken aback by Neris's dry tone, but he didn't show it.
Bolter was feared by young students due to his cold and strict demeanor.
Students who were used to being loved at home would naturally be intimidated by their peers and strict teachers. They longed for someone to say something kind to them.
Nellucian was popular due to his handsome appearance and friendly attitude. Lianon Vertha's embarrassment was also a result of her misplaced feelings.
Nellucian, who had recently been in a bad mood due to his secret drawer being discovered by Abellus, had come here expecting a pleasant conversation with Neris. However, things didn't go as planned from the start.
"How strange," Nellucian thought. Neris didn't seem to fear Bolter, and her gaze didn't show any admiration for him.
He was concerned. Neris's attitude and refined posture were completely different from what he had expected before the semester started.
However, after meeting many people, Neris could see that Nellucian's expression couldn't hide his true nature - his selfish and cunning personality.
His eyes, which seemed to gaze blankly, actually scrutinized his opponent's face, and his smile, which seemed friendly, deepened whenever he did so.
Although Nellucian's facial expressions changed subtly, almost imperceptibly to ordinary students, Neris's body was trained to deal with cunning people professionally.
The long years she spent with Nellucian in the same household were a given.
If only she had known his true nature beforehand. If only she had known that he saw people as mere tools and didn't even acknowledge them once he was done using them.
"Neris Truede, you're blocking the door and letting in the wind. Your punishment has been decided to be community service at the student council. Follow Nellucian Elantria."
Bolter approached the classroom door. When Neris didn't respond immediately, Nellucian's eyes flickered with a hint of unease. He soon smiled kindly and whispered to Neris.
"As Bolter said, don't worry, I'll take you back to the dorm after we're done. You're still young, and it's not good for a new student to be out late for punishment."
Neris had already guessed this from their previous conversation, but hearing it from Nellucian's mouth made her stomach turn.
She took a step back, distancing herself from Nellucian, and looked up at Bolter with a question.
"I don't want special treatment. If I'm doing community service, what about Mahradi?"
Bolter looked down at Neris with an unreadable expression. Neris felt a strange sense of satisfaction from his demeanor, which reminded her of Kledwin's face.
A refined and cunning face, a face with its own philosophy, was the kind of person she found worthy of interacting with.
On the other hand, Nellucian was not worth her attention. He was only interested in using and deceiving others.
If only she had known this before getting hurt. Why did she have to feel this sense of disillusionment and regret now?
"Don't misunderstand, Nellucian taking you doesn't mean your punishment will be easier. You'll be doing activities that fit the name 'community service,' and Mahradi will also be doing something suitable for him."
The words sounded fair. Even Mahradi couldn't complain. Neris's eyebrows twitched for a moment, but she quietly nodded.
"...Yes, I understand, sir."
"Go. I have work to do."
Bolter closed the door as soon as Nellucian stepped back. Nellucian laughed at Bolter's chilly attitude.
"He's always like that. He can't even be kind to young and cute new students."
"He's a good person."
Nellucian was taken aback by Neris's dry tone, but he didn't show it.
Bolter was feared by young students due to his cold and strict demeanor.
Students who were used to being loved at home would naturally be intimidated by their peers and strict teachers. They longed for someone to say something kind to them.
Nellucian was popular due to his handsome appearance and friendly attitude. Lianon Vertha's embarrassment was also a result of her misplaced feelings.
Nellucian, who had recently been in a bad mood due to his secret drawer being discovered by Abellus, had come here expecting a pleasant conversation with Neris. However, things didn't go as planned from the start.
"How strange," Nellucian thought. Neris didn't seem to fear Bolter, and her gaze didn't show any admiration for him.
He was concerned. Neris's attitude and refined posture were completely different from what he had expected before the semester started.