The Radiant Young Lady of the Dark Family - Chapter 30
Hasa had a fleeting thought of changing the terms of the bet even now, but her pride wouldn’t allow it.
However, if things continued like this, she might really have to see Count Daimon’s greasy face again. That was worse than death.
Hasa slapped her own cheek and decided to tackle the memorization subjects first. Looking at the Empire’s history and Southern culture sections, she worriedly asked Tar who was standing nearby.
“Tar, could you teach me about Southern lifestyle and culture?”
“Of course! Please use me as much as you need if it helps you, my lady.”
“Right, let’s do our best until Dayan comes!”
“Yes!”
***
Four days later, Dayan returned from the academy, left his luggage with Salam, and headed straight to Hartbisa’s room.
These days, he was growing noticeably taller by the day. Thinking of showing off to Hasa, he lightly knocked and opened the door right away.
“Sister…!”
As he started to speak, the door hit a pile of books on the floor with a thud and only opened halfway. Despite it being daytime inside, it was as gloomy as Chelsea’s cloudy sky.
Hasa was sprawled like a corpse on the desk, her usual radiance replaced by a disheveled appearance.
When she finally noticed Dayan, her lifeless eyes lit up.
“Dayan, you’re here?”
“…Looks like there was a war in this room.”
Dayan muttered while looking around the messy room. At that moment, with a “Puhah!” Tar suddenly rose from a tall stack of books beside him. Dayan flinched in surprise.
“What’s this, why is there a person in this book cemetery?”
“Ah, young master! I’m Tar, the lady’s dedicated maid.”
Dayan put his hand to his forehead, seeing both his sister and the maid with dark circles under their eyes and their unkempt appearance that suggested they hadn’t washed for days.
“I don’t even need to ask what’s going on here. Show me what you’ve studied so far.”
Dayan rolled up his sleeves and said gravely.
“Sister, you’re not as smart as I thought.”
After studying with Hasa for two days, Dayan reached this conclusion. Hasa’s shoulders slumped at his words. Looking at the tear-stained practice problems, Dayan added curiously.
“How are you so good at ancient language when your comprehension of everything else is so poor?”
“That just… wasn’t difficult since I was young…”
Hasa mumbled awkwardly. Dayan narrowed his eyes as he watched her.
It was a dejected expression he’d never seen when she was teaching him ancient language or speaking up at the academy, though it was still worlds apart from when she used to act like a ghost under Helena’s supervision.
Come to think of it, she had made a bet with Helena over the academy entrance exam. Dayan smiled slightly at his sister’s competitive spirit, but quickly hid it and said firmly.
“Sigh, even spending the entire summer in this room wouldn’t be enough to fix everything from here.”
Hasa’s ears perked up at those words.
“You’ll help me?”
“I told you in my letter. I’d look after you.”
Dayan asked Tar to bring his lunch to the room as well and urged Hasa to sit in the chair. Overjoyed, Hasa hugged Dayan tightly.
“Thank you, Dayan.”
“Ugh, get off!”
Dayan’s face quickly turned red as he shouted in embarrassment.
***
“Dayan is helping her study?”
Helena was getting her nails done by a maid while receiving the report. She had placed people around Hartbisa’s room to monitor her movements since that impudent bet.
“Of course.”
So that’s why she had been holed up in her room these past few days – she had called for her recently returned brother. That explained her confidence.
The academy’s entrance exam was notorious for its high difficulty and tricky questions. Unlike the capital’s academy where you could enter just by having a title and paying money, this was different. Because of this distinction, many people came from beyond the empire to take the exam.
There was no way the stupid Hartbisa could get into such a place. Helena knew Hartbisa better than anyone, having observed her up close for so long.
That worthless child might have changed somewhat, but all she could do was be stubborn in front of her. She didn’t know her place just because she had talked back a few times recently.
If she failed the exam, she could be sent to Count Daimon as planned. Then, as he said, all preparations would be complete.
When the maid finished Helena’s nail care, she handed over a pipe with cigarettes as if by habit. Helena took a deep drag. Her black pupils contracted as she smiled slightly.
‘Go back to where you belong, dear aunt. The one you should be looking after is there.’
Though she was ill-mannered like her mother, she was perceptive. Tilting her head back with a pleased smile, Helena asked as if talking to herself.
“What about the reply from Sabrina.”
At Helena’s question, the maids exchanged glances nervously before answering.
“Well… there isn’t one.”
At that response, Helena’s body tensed up for a moment before she raised her head to look down at the maid. Under that oppressive gaze, the maid lowered her eyes, unable to do anything.
Her back instinctively curved, fearing she might be struck with the hot pipe. Helena lifted one corner of her mouth.
“Taking money without sending a single letter – is that her father’s influence? Well, such defiance won’t last long. Send another letter. Tell her we may soon invite her to the Duke’s residence.”
Helena cackled, then as if struck by a thought, tapped her pipe to shake off the cigarette ash.
That Hartbisa girl couldn’t pose any threat to her. But there are always exceptions. Helena pondered for a moment, then smiled slightly when she spotted someone in the list of Ancient Language department professors she had received from her subordinate.
[Professor Jual Mandro]
Mandro was from an eastern Viscount family, poor and powerless, yet persistently trying to enter the central social circles. Helena smiled as if she’d had a good idea.
“Is this the last of the cigarettes?”
“Yes.”
“Right, I haven’t visited much lately.”
She had been staying away too long, being careful to avoid Vanwilhelm’s gaze.
“I should go out after a while.”
“Are you going to the association?”
“Yes, ah, I’m thinking of taking a partner this time. Send a letter to Jual Mandro. Tell him Helena Winblad wants to meet.”
Helena’s lips curved up almost to the point of splitting as she took a drag of her cigarette and filled the room with smoke.
***
“Really, how many times do I have to explain the same thing?”
Dayan explained again with a face that seemed to ask why she couldn’t understand this.
“Look, gather it at your fingertips like this, with a feeling of embedding it.”
“……”
What Dayan was teaching was ability studies – she had asked after encountering something she didn’t understand while solving theoretical problems. Among various subjects, Dayan was particularly talented in ability studies and swordsmanship, even receiving extra points as a special student.
So she had some expectations, but this is why geniuses don’t work. His explanation relied solely on sensation. Hasa and Dayan simultaneously sighed deeply, as if unable to understand each other.
It had already been four days. Dayan rubbed his face and stood up.
“I give up. I’d rather be caught by my classmates again than teach sister.”
“Dayan, how can you leave like this?”
Hasa desperately grabbed Dayan’s trouser leg as Count Daimon’s face flashed in her mind. Dayan frowned troubledly and said.
“If it really doesn’t work, we could ask Father… but he’d probably explain it the same way I do.”
She agreed. It felt like she had chosen the wrong teacher. What’s the use of realizing this now? Hasa felt like crying her eyes out.
As Dayan watched Hasa’s darkening expression and pondered, something caught his eye.
Upon closer inspection, all the books Hasa had been studying were advanced texts. While he had recommended them based on her proficiency in ancient languages, it dawned on him that these materials might be too challenging for her other subjects.
Dayan spoke as if he’d had a good idea.
“Sister, let’s find you a different teacher than me.”
“Who?”
“We’ll have to go look for one now.”
“Huh?”
Dayan pulled Hasa up by her arm.
“Let’s go to Preju Academy.”
***
The place Dayan led her to was the grand library, located at the innermost part of the academy, close to the dormitory building. It was as large as the main building.
Dayan submitted his student ID and entered with Hasa.
Inside the library, there were not only densely packed bookshelves but also several tables. True to its reputation as a school with high academic enthusiasm, there were quite a few people in the library despite it being summer vacation.
Dayan explained in a low voice.
