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Chapter 10
The dormitory lounge was packed with students.
They gathered in small groups, spending time among themselves.
Most quietly read books or enjoyed calm activities like checkers and Scrabble, but the most popular pastime was undoubtedly card games.
And among them, the most popular table belonged to Genevieve.
Until now, students here had spent their lives playing card games that required either strategy, like Blackjack and Poker, or pointless concentration, like building card towers. The game Genevieve introduced was something completely new.
The small wagers made it even more exciting, giving students a taste of the “adult world.”
And watching Genevieve expertly shuffle cards was enough to create a stereotype among Saint John’s College students:
“People from the Kingdom of Cardir are really good at card games.”
“A, 8, 5.”
“I think you’ve completely lost your mind. Get out.”
“Hey…! Do you know how long I’ve been waiting…?!”
Owen read her hand aloud and was immediately kicked out.
“Owen, that’s unfortunate.”
Blanca flashed a sweet smile as she pushed him away.
Owen looked at the three or four students waiting behind him and sighed.
“Genevieve, I’m honestly worried you’ll become addicted to gambling.”
Despite saying that, Owen knew perfectly well that with Genevieve’s strict moral standards, gambling addiction was the last thing he needed to worry about.
“With four luors? That’s hardly enough to get addicted.”
“Exactly. Genevieve won’t even let us bet more than one luor. Ginger, how about two luors this time—”
Blanca placed another coin on the table and spoke in a pleading voice.
“Ugh.”
“Oh my, Owen has finally gone insane.”
Straightening herself, Blanca laughed elegantly and pinched Owen’s arm.
The fake gagging noise immediately turned into a genuine groan of pain.
“No raising the stakes.”
“Tch. I knew you’d say that.”
Blanca pouted.
Since she hadn’t really expected Genevieve to agree, she didn’t try to argue further.
“Wow, that’s impossible. You’re cheating, aren’t you?”
“Cheating? Blanca, are you questioning my innocence?”
Genevieve asked in an aggrieved voice while collecting the money her friends handed over.
The wagers certainly made it easier to focus on something else.
Though she didn’t realize it herself, Genevieve often enjoyed small bets whenever there was a problem she didn’t want to face directly.
For a little while, she didn’t have to think about it.
Just as she lifted her head to enjoy her victory, the very problem she wanted to avoid came into view.
Despite saying he was going to buy new glasses, Edward was still wearing the same glasses from that morning.
Where are the new glasses?
I couldn’t buy them.
His simple answer only made her feel worse.
For some reason, Genevieve felt responsible.
* * *
“Miss Darling. Disappointed. Disappointed. And disappointed again.”
Thompson finally began venting his anger after they left the temple.
According to doctrine, he wasn’t supposed to lose his temper inside it.
Genevieve simply watched him.
Among the candidates chosen by unanimous vote when she and her friends discussed the worst people at school, Thompson had easily won.
Some random temple employee.
Saint John’s College politely described him as a temple caretaker, but the priests already handled all the temple duties.
No one knew what he actually did in the back office.
He even had an assistant.
While Genevieve criticized him endlessly in her mind, outwardly she looked properly remorseful.
She lowered her head.
Filled her eyes with regret.
Even folded her hands politely in front of her.
“To dare lie inside the temple! Are you not afraid of the Goddess Isis?!”
Veins bulged on Thompson’s forehead.
Knowing his faith bordered on fanaticism, Genevieve had expected something like this.
“I am truly disappointed. Instead of becoming humble before God, you lied inside the temple. Tsk, tsk. And you aren’t even properly reflecting on your actions. I would understand if the Goddess Isis refused to forgive you! And you call yourself a believer!”
After hearing the exact same speech in the exact same tone around twenty times, Genevieve became bored.
Thompson noticed the slight displeasure in her expression and muttered “I’m disappointed” several more times.
“Miss Darling clearly doesn’t understand what she did wrong. This won’t do. You’re beyond saving! Starting today, after classes end, report to my office every day for a week. You will copy the Holy Scriptures and cleanse the evil—and arrogance—from your heart!”
Genevieve’s jaw dropped before she could stop herself.
In Thompson’s mind, she had already become a wicked student desperately in need of repentance.
Only now did she understand why Owen had patted her shoulder sympathetically earlier.
“Why aren’t you leaving? Would you like to hear more about how terrible you were today?”
She definitely did not.
“…You need to give me the glasses first.”
Genevieve glanced at the glasses resting on Thompson’s desk.
“My eyesight is poor.”
Then she lied through her teeth.
Before the stunned man could respond, she snatched the glasses and fled.
One choice that morning had completely ruined her schedule.
“Miss Genevieve. I understand the circumstances, but students who arrive late may not attend class.”
Professor Brian, a devoted lover of rules, turned her away at the door.
Grrr…
To make matters worse, she had skipped breakfast.
Her stomach growled loudly.
I might as well return Edward’s belongings while I’m at it.
Taking the handkerchief that had remained in her room for a week, Genevieve finally met a friend two hours later.
“You’ve saved my life.”
“Considering all the assignments you’ve helped me with, this is nothing. Here, today’s lecture materials.”
James, who attended Political Philosophy with her, handed over his textbook and notes.
“Wow. So Thompson lectured you for a whole hour?”
“Forty minutes exactly. And now I have to copy scripture for a week.”
“Ah… that’s practically a tradition. You’ve finally experienced it.”
James’s face darkened instantly as unpleasant memories resurfaced.
Making disliked students copy scripture was one of Thompson’s favorite hobbies.
During his first year, James had been one of Thompson’s favorite targets alongside Owen.
“If you make even one mistake, he makes you start over. Then he adds another day. Sometimes he extends the punishment without even explaining why.”
Genevieve already had a feeling her one week sentence would somehow become two.
“Does he actually read all of it?”
“Yeah. Though if you do it perfectly, he’ll sometimes let you go after three days.”
That wisdom had been earned through James’s suffering.
“Just thinking about Thompson again gives me a headache. When is he finally going to retire?”
“Who knows? Maybe after we graduate.”
Genevieve laughed weakly.
“Probably. …Oh, right. Here.”
“What is it?”
James handed her something.
“You missed breakfast, didn’t you?”
After unwrapping it, she found a scone loaded with clotted cream and strawberry jam.
“You really are my savior.”
Genevieve took a bite.
The combination of the dry pastry and smooth cream was perfect.
“I’ve got another class. See you later.”
“Okay. Have a good class.”
After taking another bite, Genevieve wrapped the scone back up.
As she slowly chewed, she spotted Edward.
His throat moved as though he were trying to hide the fact that he’d been running.
“What about your punishment?”
“You really worry too much. Mr. Thompson already knows I don’t wear glasses.”
Though that only made him angrier.
Still, there was no need to mention that and make Edward feel guilty.
Now wearing an undamaged pair of glasses, Edward stared at her for a moment.
When Genevieve smiled awkwardly, he hurriedly began explaining.
“Oh. It’s just… this is the first time I’ve properly seen you, Senior. I mean… um…”
“You had a hard time wearing those broken glasses all week.”
The conversation that followed went surprisingly well.
Even the embroidery on the handkerchief—which she had worried might be too much—seemed to please him.
* * *
It was now the third day of her visits to Thompson’s office for scripture-copying punishment.
Her last class was History.
Genevieve sincerely hoped Professor Tide would accidentally keep everyone two hours late.
“Ginger, I love you, but that’s not happening.”
When she voiced the thought, Blanca shut it down immediately.
Unfortunately, reality was even crueler.
Rather than ending late, Professor Tide dismissed class thirty minutes early.
The students celebrated.
Only Genevieve looked miserable.
James’s claim that “Thompson usually lets you go after three days if your work is perfect” felt completely meaningless.
It was already Thursday, and she was still copying scripture.
Thompson was clearly still upset that she had run off with the glasses without permission on Monday.
“Blanca… can you go in my place? I’ll find you a wig somehow. Please!”
“What if we get caught and he adds another week? I don’t even want to look at Tommy’s ugly face for one second.”
“Tommy” was the nickname Owen had given Thompson.
He claimed Thompson behaved worse than a child, so he gave him a childish nickname.
Somehow it spread until every student at Saint John’s College called him Tommy.
Genevieve was one of the few students who refused to join in, believing basic manners should still be maintained.
But after suffering through Thompson’s lectures for the past three days…
She couldn’t help thinking that the nickname “Tommy” was far too cute for him.
