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Chapter 103
“Ah….”
Jaeyllin froze. Lionel had noticed. He realized she was avoiding him.
Jaeyllin understood now that simply looking away from him wasn’t enough to fool him.
Determined to be more careful so he wouldn’t notice next time, she scrambled for a flimsy excuse.
“It’s… it’s not like that. It’s just… it’s been a while since I was somewhere this crowded, so I think I’m a little tired.”
“I see. That’s a relief then.”
Leaving the ribbon shop, the two walked slowly down the department store corridor. Being alone with Lionel felt unbearably awkward for Jaeyllin.
Lionel was the first to break the silence between them.
“What did you do at Stephan’s place? I don’t think I heard earlier.”
“I-I drew up blueprints. I thought it’d be good to get a head start on my graduation thesis for next semester.”
“Was it fun?”
“Yes. I-I liked it. I could just focus on magic design without worrying about anything else.”
“And?”
Lionel was unusually full of questions today.
Almost as if he wanted to know everything about what Jaeyllin had done over the break.
“Um… S-Stephan introduced me to his family. They all look like him, and they were really nice to me. Oh, and I also talked with Adrian about what I’d do after graduation.”
“What do you plan to do?”
“I… I want to work with Stephan at his company.”
“Company? What kind of company?”
“A… a company that makes magical tools and researches magical design. The magical devices Stephan made are amazing. He even used my blueprints in one of them. There are still a lot of flaws, but with a little more refining…”
As she chattered on about her future, Jaeyllin’s eyes sparkled like stars.
Those eyes again. Brimming with passion. Overwhelmed by so many things she wanted to do.
After talking at length about magical tools, Jaeyllin finally stopped.
She realized she’d gone on and on about something that could’ve been boring, but Lionel had listened attentively, even nodding.
Feeling embarrassed that she had gotten carried away, she asked carefully:
“Why?”
“It just feels like I’ve been the only one talking… What about you, senior? What do you want to do after graduation?”
“Me? Hm…”
Lionel had never thought about the future. He’d only ever lived for revenge.
His expression darkened. Could he ever truly finish his revenge? What would be left for him after his goal was achieved?
It wasn’t even clear if such a future existed for him, so he had never thought about it.
“I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about what I should do… or what I want to do.”
In truth, what he had to do was already decided: destroy the crown princess.
But beyond that, he had never once imagined a life for himself.
Even choosing swordsmanship at the Academy had only been a natural continuation of what he’d learned as a child.
There had been a reason he started learning it—he wanted his father’s approval. Maybe there had been another reason too, but he couldn’t remember anymore.
It hadn’t been because he truly wanted it, or because he was desperate for it. It just… happened.
So now, Lionel couldn’t even say what he truly wanted.
“I-I was the same. I’d never really thought about it either, but when I talked with Adrian, I realized quickly what I wanted to do. Maybe you could start thinking about it now too? There’s still plenty of time…”
“Yeah. You’re right.”
“Oh? It’s S-Sasha and Stephan.”
Just then, Jaeyllin spotted familiar faces coming toward them. Sasha and Stephan, both carrying shopping bags.
“Jaeyllin, Lionel!”
They too had seen them and waved cheerfully.
Jaeyllin almost ran toward Sasha and Stephan. She didn’t want to be left alone with Lionel again.
Lionel followed slowly behind.
But his gaze never left Jaeyllin, who was laughing and listening to Sasha and Stephan showing off their purchases.
And he didn’t even realize he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
The scorching summer quietly slipped away, and the crisp scent of autumn filled the air. It was time to return to school.
Following Stephan’s advice, Jaeyllin spoke again with Stephan’s second-oldest brother.
He told her it was fine if she didn’t want to work with him, but insisted that registering a patent should be her top priority.
Jaeyllin agreed, deciding that was best, and threw herself into preparing the required materials.
Right before leaving for the Academy, she finally handed everything over to Stephan’s brother for the patent process.
A week before the fall semester began, Jaeyllin rode the carriage back with Stephan and Adrian, just like when she first arrived.
The difference this time was that she had grown attached to Stephan’s family during her stay at the mansion.
She said her farewells to each of them one by one.
“Come visit again next time.”
“Take good care of our little Titi, even if he’s lacking.”
“This summer was fun. Do well at the Academy, and we’ll see you again.”
“Are you really sure about this?”
When it was Stephan’s brother’s turn, Jaeyllin asked with a worried face. Patent registration, aside from attorney fees, cost quite a lot.
The money Stephan had given her wasn’t nearly enough—she needed it to pay debts and cover next semester’s living expenses.
Seeing her hesitation, Stephan’s brother offered to cover all the costs himself.
“Of course. I never make a deal that leaves me at a loss.”
“Th-thank you. I’ll make sure to pay you back someday, at least the attorney and registration fees.”
“Don’t worry about it. You’re my little brother’s friend. That’s more than enough reason.”
He laughed heartily and waved it off.
The Panteago family were all cheerful and warm. They gave generously without expecting anything in return.
Perhaps their reputation and success came from that very goodwill, Jaeyllin thought.
And so, her first summer in the imperial capital of Flannel came to an end.
The fall semester began.
For fourth-year students preparing to graduate, there were no mock combat classes against monsters. She would no longer have to worry about being paired with Lionel in such sessions.
But fate was not on her side. On the very first day of liberal arts, she saw Lionel enter the classroom.
Introduction and Practice of Etiquette was a required liberal arts class for all seniors in the fall semester.
She couldn’t change it either, since she had already enrolled together with Stephan and Adrian.
Although many sections of the course were available, somehow she had ended up in the same one as Lionel.
Jaeyllin had no choice but to take the class with him.
Sitting beside her, Stephan whispered:
“Sasha wanted to take this class too, so I picked it. But don’t worry—I’m sitting with you guys!”
Sure enough, Sasha and Nathan were seated next to Lionel.
“Oh… S-Sasha is in this class too.”
“Yup!”
Unaware of Jaeyllin’s inner turmoil, Stephan answered cheerfully. Clearly, it hadn’t been pure coincidence that Lionel was here as well.
“What’s the point of learning this useless stuff?”
Adrian grumbled, arms crossed and legs shaking. He seemed the one most in need of an etiquette class.
“You definitely need it,” Stephan retorted.
“I already know all this stuff. Why should I bother?”
Jaeyllin opened her textbook and skimmed the table of contents.
Greetings and etiquette before members of the imperial family, table manners, how a man escorts a lady at a banquet, how to dance…
“You… already learned all this?” she asked.
A flicker of unease crossed Adrian’s eyes.
But it was so brief that neither Jaeyllin nor Stephan noticed.
Scratching his neck, Adrian frowned.
“I mean—not that I learned it. Just, what’s the point? Greeting someone, eating—just do it naturally, like we learned as kids. Right?”
“B-but I don’t even know how to greet His Majesty the Emperor. Not that I’d ever meet him, but still…”
Someone like her would never get close enough to bow to such a person.
“But nobles all learn this stuff when they’re kids, right? Why’s it even a required course?”
“Because not everyone here is a noble. Some might end up working in the palace after graduation. Better to know it in advance.” Adrian replied curtly.
That first class covered how to greet members of the imperial family.
The etiquette professor demonstrated the basics and then let the students practice freely.
Jaeyllin bent her knees and lifted her skirt.
“G-greetings to His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince, the small sun of the Empire.”
“Mm, yes.”
Adrian leaned on his chin, slouching as if he were the Crown Prince receiving her bow. He looked nothing like a prince—no dignity, no refinement.
Still bent in her curtsey, Jaeyllin looked up at him.
“D-did I do it right?”
“No. Everything’s wrong. You bent your knees too much. You’re supposed to bow just slightly at the waist, eyes lowered—not stare at the royal’s face while greeting them.”
“Oh, o-okay.”
“What about me?”
Stephan held out an arm awkwardly, trying to pose.
Adrian sighed.
“Don’t even bother.”
“Why not?”
“There’s no saving you.”
“That’s not fair! Come on, check mine too. You never know. Maybe Stephan & Jaeyllin Company will blow up one day, and I’ll be presenting myself before His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Yeah, right.”
