SPO 7

Chapter 7

Leaving behind the baroness’s desperate voice calling my name, I ran toward Lady Stea’s mansion.

No matter what happens from now on, I feel like I can handle anything.

Even though it was a road I walked every day, the world looked different.

Being Lena’s guide? Playing matchmaker?

That’s easy!

For about three weeks, until dormitory move-in was allowed, I stayed under Lady Stea’s care.

I was sick and tired of the baron’s family constantly pressuring me to get married.

“A Yudea scholarship student! Do you know how much your value will skyrocket in the marriage market? We should start looking for a groom right away. A mere viscount? Don’t be ridiculous. We need to aim higher!”

When I went back to pack my things, the baroness greeted me with a bright smile I’d never seen before.

Thanks to that, I was able to leave without regrets, but I couldn’t suppress the bitterness rising deep inside my chest.

In contrast, Lady Stea and Hail were as happy about my acceptance as if it were their own achievement.

When we hugged each other and cried together, I realized that they were my true family.

Does family really have to be connected by blood?

No.

The people who had shared my life with me were my real family.

I let out a small sigh and looked down at the number ticket in my hand.

The words Reuters Bank, Yudea Branch printed beneath the number stood out to me.

“Customer number five.”

“Yes!”

I quickly raised my head, handed over my ticket, and sat down.

“What brings you here today?”

“I’d like to inquire about a loan.”

I placed my ID and Yudea admission letter into the small tray.

Even if my tuition is covered by a scholarship, I still need living expenses in the capital.

In the Tersen Empire, you can apply for loans from the age of sixteen. Of course, the procedures were complicated, and the amount wasn’t large.

Please, let it be enough to last until I find a part-time job.

As I desperately prayed while watching the banker’s swift movements, a gentle voice reached my ears.

“Archel, you are eligible for a loan of up to 300 gold after the entrance ceremony.”

“…Pardon?”

Did I eat something wrong? Am I hallucinating?

My lips began to twitch.

But the kind banker showed no mercy.

She only added even more shocking information.

“There is no interest, and the repayment period is ten years.”

They’ll lend that much money interest-free? For ten years?

My head started spinning.

Seeing that I wasn’t responding, she patiently explained again.

“Normally, the maximum loan is 100 gold, but since you are a scholarship student, a higher amount has been approved.”

“Excuse me!”

I raised one hand in panic, and the banker smiled brightly.

“Three hundred gold? Isn’t there some mistake?”

Reuters was the largest bank in the empire.

It had branches all over Tersen, so even small towns like Medina had one.

But I was certain no one in town had ever received such an offer.

Especially not a student like me with no stable income.

Isn’t something wrong here?

When I stared at her seriously, she knit her eyebrows innocently.

“Oh, there’s something I haven’t mentioned yet.”

“Right?”

So there was a mistake.

“Three hundred gold is the maximum annual loan. Since you’ll be enrolled for three years, you can borrow up to 900 gold in total.”

“……”

She delivered the final blow.

“Because this is Yudea.”

Her capitalistic smile sparkled brightly.

The auditorium was extremely noisy.

I arrived just in time after visiting the bank and lined up behind the students who were already gathered.

While waiting for the entrance ceremony to begin, I kept smoothing down my uniform skirt, still unable to process the shock.

What had Lady Stea said when she first saw me in uniform?

“Oh my, Archel. It’s made just for you. How can you look so elegant and pretty?”

As she said, Yudea’s uniform was beautiful enough to steal any girl’s heart.

And I look pretty too.

Feeling embarrassed, I rolled my eyes and saw students greeting each other happily.

Watching them made me miss Lena.

I have friends too, you know.

Ever since I sent her the letter about my acceptance, she hadn’t replied.

Did something happen?

As I worried and lightly tapped the floor with my shoe, I felt someone’s gaze and looked up.

My eyes met a pair of purple ones.

Izael.

He widened his eyes in surprise, then curled his lips into a smile.

He waved at me in greeting, and I unconsciously waved back.

Even if you greet me like that, I’m not letting you date Lena.

As I repeated this firmly in my mind, the surroundings suddenly fell quiet.

An elderly man with white hair had appeared on the stage.

“Welcome, future leaders of the Tersen Empire. I am Herisen Park, principal of Yudea Academy.”

Telling us to call him Principal Herisen, he smiled warmly.

Then, with sharp and cool eyes, he began discussing the empire’s current situation.

The criticism of the world hidden beneath his gentle face left me dazed.

And his endlessly long speech gradually drained the students’ minds as well.

“Lastly…”

That’s the fourth ‘lastly’ already.

If he said it a fifth time, I wouldn’t forgive him in the name of justice.

Fortunately, just as the students’ sparkling eyes were turning into lifeless fish eyes, he noticed the professors gesturing at him and smiled awkwardly.

“Ahem, I got a bit carried away.”

He wiped his mouth and leaned on the podium.

“Now, truly for the last time, I will announce the student council president who will lead Yudea into a bright future. I’m very excited to see who will become the face of our academy.”

Finally!

My admission letter only said I was a scholarship candidate—it didn’t mention my ranking.

Feeling my hands grow cold, I clasped them together.

“Obviously, it’ll be the Crown Prince.”

“No, I heard the next Tower Master is here too.”

“I thought it might be the marquis’s son, but there are so many strong candidates.”

Listening to their confident murmurs, I pulled up my lips boldly.

You’re all wrong.

The president is me.

It has to be me.

“Yudea’s student council president is…”

The principal deliberately dragged it out, enjoying everyone’s attention.

After slowly scanning the hall and pushing everyone’s patience to its limit, he finally spoke.

“Rihart Cabandia.”

Thunderous applause and cheers erupted.

…No way.

Amid the excited crowd, I couldn’t move a single finger.

I only stared blankly at the boy walking up to the stage.

With every step, his well-groomed red hair swayed softly.

His tall, well-built figure looked even more attractive in the neat uniform.

When he finally reached the podium and looked down at us—

“As expected, it’s His Highness.”

“Of course! He’s the empire’s future.”

“Just being in the same place as Lord Rihart is an honor.”

“My mother is so proud too.”

Praise and admiration filled the auditorium.

Meanwhile, in the midst of all the excitement, only one thought dominated my mind.

I’m screwed. Completely screwed.