The Radiant Young Lady of the Dark Family - Chapter 43
Like a machine gun, Hasa raised her hand to stop her talking, but Montfort sparkled her round brown eyes and muttered softly.
“But you’re really so beautiful, Hasa. Such beauty combined with intelligence. If Mercer took less than a second to create me, He must have put all His devotion into creating you.”
Mercer was the name of the empire’s religion, the one true god. He was the deity who supposedly bestowed six blessings in the past. But what kind of excessive flattery was this?
Hasa had felt something familiar about Montfort from the start, and now she realized she resembled Tar.
She couldn’t help but smile, remembering how Tar would praise her with every adjective in existence whenever she changed clothes, and Montfort’s face brightened.
Hasa tried to change the subject and asked her.
“What’s your major, Heize?”
“Ah, I’m in the History Department.”
Hasa responded with a surprised look.
“I’m in Ancient Languages.”
Heize jumped up excitedly at that.
“How wonderful, our departments are similar!”
“Do you study ancient languages in History too?”
“Since we cover the empire’s culture in general, we’ve studied some of the ancient languages used at the beginning. Though I’m sure it’s nothing compared to your level.”
Hasa shook her head at Heize’s words.
“Actually, the vast amount of history was what I found most difficult when preparing for the entrance exam.”
She was being sincere, not just flattering. But Heize blinked as if she’d received some great consideration.
“Hasa, how can you be kind too?”
With those words, she tried to give Hasa a tight hug, but Hasa had to smoothly dodge. A small commotion continued in the dormitory before she could even unpack.
***
Classes started right from the day after moving into the dormitory. Despite being in the Ancient Languages Department, there were many joint classes with other departments.
The professors’ expectations of Hasa were high because of her perfect score on the exam, though there were some uncomfortable glances as well.
However, the perfect score was only limited to the entrance exam. Hasa completely failed the quiz papers the professors handed out for level testing, as she lacked basic knowledge.
“Haah.”
Hasa let out a deep sigh sitting on a bench in the courtyard. She had been excited after meeting the Grand Duchess.
In her previous life, she had lived confined under the surveillance of her aunt and ex-husband. That’s why she thought she would only enjoy the academy’s free life, but…
When Hasa turned her head at the occasional glances she felt, two students who had been looking her way quickly turned away.
“….”
While Heize’s clinginess was burdensome, this was even more uncomfortable. Just as she was thinking she should return to the dormitory to rest and was about to get up, a shadow fell across her.
“Miss Cellie?”
When she looked up, two male students were standing there. As Hasa responded with a “Yes?” to their awkward smiles, the blonde one continued speaking.
“I’m Bael, from the same class. From a merchant family in the west…”
Was there such a face?
As she blinked absently trying to remember during his continued introduction, the man scratched the back of his head and said.
“So, if you’d like, perhaps we could have a meal together…”
Before he could finish speaking, a clear voice interrupted from afar.
“Hasa!”
At the familiar refreshing voice, she reflexively turned her head to see Berl waving with a bright smile, wearing a pure white school uniform.
“Berl.”
He approached her in an instant with his long legs.
Though it had been a while since she’d seen him, he was still the same man with a pleasant smile even in broad daylight. She had been thinking of meeting him when she came to the academy. She had much to say.
But meeting earlier than expected, she couldn’t easily find words to greet him, though Berl continued speaking without minding.
“I was just wanting to see Hasa and to meet by chance in the courtyard. I’m lucky today.”
He was still unrestrained with such embarrassing words. But his gaze turned to the men standing beside Hasa.
“I have something to say, and I’d like to have a light conversation.”
At his words, Hasa turned to look at Bael and his companion standing beside him. Since she also had business with Berl, she was thinking of politely greeting them and sending them away, but Bael’s face had turned pale.
“Ah, that… Please don’t mind us. Right, we had something unfinished earlier. Right?”
“Yes, yes, we should go.”
“Then Miss Cellie, we’ll be going first.”
The two rattled off excuses like a comedy duo and disappeared before she could even answer.
As she stared blankly at their retreating figures in bewilderment, Berl tilted his head toward her to draw her attention back to him.
“Since the earlier guests have left, could you spare some time for me? Hasa.”
“Ah, of course.”
Hasa sat down on the bench next to Berl. Though she had only felt glad to see him at first, sitting side by side like this created an awkward atmosphere that made her clear her throat unnecessarily.
In contrast, Berl even laid out a handkerchief on Hasa’s seat. This situation didn’t seem sudden to him at all.
Soon, he naturally began speaking.
“Congratulations on your admission, Hasa.”
“It’s all thanks to Berl.”
“I hardly did anything…”
“I’m not just saying that, I really mean it. Without Berl’s help, I probably would have failed the entrance exam. If that happened…”
She almost said that if that had happened, she might have ended up in an unwanted marriage just like in her previous life, but seeing Berl’s steady gaze, she caught herself and closed her mouth.
She worried Berl might ask about the unfinished sentence, but he just smiled prettily, his eyes curving.
“If you insist, I’ll gladly accept your thanks.”
His smiling face was still beautiful. Though it might be rude to say this about a man, Berl had strong features yet possessed beauty-like looks.
When Heize had gushed over her, she thought it was just empty flattery, but looking at Berl now, she could understand her feelings.
But since she couldn’t possibly speak like Heize, Hasa swallowed dryly and changed the subject.
“Also, Berl, I want to apologize on behalf of my brother for what he said last time.”
“What Dayan said?”
“Yes. …He seems to have been a bit upset. Dayan wanted to apologize in person and say those words weren’t sincere, but it seems you haven’t met yet. Since I arranged that meeting, would you let me apologize too?”
Berl lifted his back from the bench and gazed steadily at Hasa. Then he smiled faintly with an expression that seemed to say ‘what am I going to do with you.’
“Of course. I’ve crossed swords with Dayan before too, so it’s fine. So Hasa, you don’t need to apologize to me.”
At the end of his words, Berl met her gaze intently and smiled with his eyes.
“But, I’m secretly pleased that it seems you’ve been thinking about me for so long because of that incident.”
Hasa felt her face burning up. He probably meant nothing by it, but saying such things with that face seemed unfair.
Hasa turned her head to hide her flushed face, stealing a sideways glance at him. Berl remained unconcerned, his bright smile unwavering.
Somehow feeling annoyed that she was the only one flustered, she suddenly noticed his nape. Though hidden by his shirt, when he leaned toward her, she could see what looked like a sharp cut mark.
Come to think of it, they said he had been quite ill. Though his complexion looked better than expected, had something happened to cause wounds on his body?
Hasa asked with a worried expression.
“By the way, I heard you were sick. Are you feeling better now?”
“…How did you…”
For an instant, Berl’s eyes hardened at the casual question. It was just for a moment, and his expression quickly returned to normal, but Hasa caught it.
Was this something she shouldn’t have known about? Hasa hastily added.
“Ah, the Grand Duchess visited our mansion recently.”
Berl murmured, seemingly to himself.
“Mother went all that way and troubled Hasa?”
“No, it wasn’t like that at all.”
It was actually good. Truly.
But unable to say that, she kept quiet, and Berl crossed his arms and went “hmm” as he chose his words. Then he shrugged and answered.
“It was nothing. I caught a cold and had a bit of fever from the cold weather.”
“….”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t keep our appointment without saying anything, Hasa.”
Though his tone and expression were the same as usual, somehow she strongly felt those words were a lie. Hasa smiled as naturally as she could.
“…Don’t worry about it. Thanks to you, I passed the exam.”
Berl stared at her with an odd gaze before pulling up the corners of his mouth.
“I learned a lot thanks to Hasa too.”
A small silence followed his words. Just then, the bell rang from the central tower marking the hour. Berl stood up, saying he had to go to his next class.
He waved as a farewell gesture.
“Well then, see you often, Hasa.”
Hasa could only nod in response.
