Chapter 135

In my past life, and 02b6fa35c9 in the original story—2c70f3e7b0b6a8ea

And even in 71fd768730 the plans for 08f429fc5d this life—f9b72987e478432b

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There was no version 076d63e7d7 where I enrolled in d3cb000f2e the academy.0d1546fe8be824b5

And just like that, ee2438504b my enrollment was decided.4f911b881248a9dc

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“Ah, goodness! Of course! Absolutely possible!”3d03f74f09dc7a3a

At my declaration 6ec0ebddab that I’d be a3f37527c3 enrolling through a 0f74aab199 donation, the headmaster’s 2978cabbff mouth stretched wide e547adeb63 in a grin.83d08636d09bd928

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But he soon came 31c3f275f3 to his senses and c3740e5c25 began listing the necessary 88c762a64c requirements.0ca9a3e30056c859

“B-but, Director. There’s also the matter 3c5dead8e5 of choosing a major… d016217321 and we’ll need paperwork 379689e9a8 with a guardian’s permission…”0bc46bfa0a7f79b5

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“There’ll be a telegram from Kallios soon.”ef774d63879d3b39

I nodded lightly as I 8d66b7b63a replied.b654e8d5609bf397

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Honestly, no matter 2caf9cb61a how much of 96b1c7d221 my own money 7ea80df3cf I was spending, 960a643fa3 a twelve-year-old deciding a10c7eb18c to enter the 1d5b7a772d academy on her d081b56345 own didn’t exactly c6eb2ee9e6 sound reasonable.e6b6aa3b2af013eb

But I didn’t 7de312c22d think the Duke 91603e1783 would object to b18a6aa2e2 my sudden decision.fa2dd37859f47ac6

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‘If anything… won’t he welcome it with open arms?’71a6eec8f6628b1a

The Duke had already 999d973bd3 suggested more than once 3c08332635 that I enroll in 19ffba2eee the academy with Joshua.205fb9383bf4d175

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He must have 55d0397418 been conscious of f65ba669ac the disparity between a9215e6b17 us.f08f13803c278d25

But I had 7d3df17fce turned him down, d606f99490 using work as 4aad6ae261 an excuse.f67765a5f9cf8699

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As I said fd50678ab3 earlier—I had no f36f4ada17 particular interest in cbee956344 studying.4e40b4678d691424

And more than c44bded010 anything, I wanted d6f47e6c5e to avoid running e34ece502b into the heroine.3736081f3728a6bd

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But then—979530ca4cb05348

“So if it’s a donation admission… it’s funded by Kallios? Isn’t she a commoner?”eb55a374818f9f91

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“Come on. I heard she’s in the f1772ae421 top 50 richest people in 27e6b96614 Erea.”f1cafa05ca6d8fb3

“Gasp, seriously? That’s so cool! Right, Diana?”1b43760876757578

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The girls beside f44e0ac802 Diana whispered while 9a0832277b glancing at me.57458e57cf40a081

Thanks to them, I knew b7fa3b24c4 it would only be a 596835084a matter of time before news 19a2a4eff2 of my enrollment spread throughout 06423e1bba the academy.af600bb5c4b5873a

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And Diana—871805a985c36835

Despite her friends’ 5c2ea50d9e excited chatter, didn’t 40e98e8c4e say a word.fd4fef099cf1b1af

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She simply watched 723c3e1b2e me in silence.8fe84e8b2ade3578

For a moment, 78e96c9765 our eyes met—her 6d9eddb2e5 violet eyes shimmering d292a2e054 faintly.7a1dc3b9ab9c19fb

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At that moment, she 603fed2fc4 gave me a soft b285571b2e smile.592e6386ddf977fc

It was the 0eee5f261b same sweet and d7a5439753 lovely smile as 1a9487ade6 always, and yet…31bd442065ee8cb0

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It felt strangely unsettling.ea98fc598909a05a

* * *58135ca9c657dccd

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After listening to a6b7b9a97e a long lecture 085a84f91e from the headmaster 541e9fcdae about the founding 19e404e678 history and evolution 88b86dc23c of the Academy, 44fcb68b78 I was finally 1ba43b3d11 able to board 59c1e64524 the carriage back.f9bdcfd8f037ef0f

Fortunately, the return 58fcc536ef trip wasn’t lonely, a682238440 considering the trouble.4b6a052f696bf92d

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“So, you’re enrolling in the Academy?”98969f72af07fdb5

Joshua, who boarded the 47faad9b19 carriage after class, didn’t 3d7a1540b5 even greet me and be8c26a8c8 asked that first.c751ad62462a55de

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It seemed the rumor 1e22e1853e had spread even faster 16930ecfe1 than I expected.1101bc889664cb33

I hugged the fluffy 2286809a25 bear plush I had 640f37f171 brought with me just 89975c485e in case I ran 3e4a86ba6f into Danvers Campbell.82992f3d65dd42cb

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Then I replied nonchalantly.583e5abfdb884c35

“Yeah. That’s how it ended up.”b8f53c2f0d59c981

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“Why didn’t you say anything…!”26338a25f625b816

Joshua looked frustrated at my 7332cced50 response.5ec556976ed81de6

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“…Can you really just decide something like that on your own?”a5aa676376bc298f

“Why not?”c1e7b99c751c288f

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I shrugged.c0a5cc8cd871f4aa

“The Duke will probably say I did well. He’s always telling 295ebc4f26 me to crush 7518998f04 anything I can’t 6a71374623 win by status 4d2e406e21 with money instead.”3e678c5dabe4e633

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“……”ee7794599ff67508

Joshua fell silent, seemingly at d9a83ac6fe a loss for words.f4dcc30af93316be

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After all, it was ead2d16a39 something the Duke had 2314d33e87 said countless times to 5b5ce377b6 the both of us 51d2de0692 during meals.231bf348add3fbcf

Joshua might not know, but 9696695f29 I had been faithfully following 0c0a38b346 that advice.0a3dcced918a6d68

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Donation-based admission had always 8663b8dc4d been a privilege for ce37c65b74 noble children who had 5e48d76bba money but lacked brains.ea77a48768e15228

Academy attendance wasn’t mandatory, 1f2c84800a but noble heirs without b09c5ac4d4 any particular talent needed a7f0d97908 at least a diploma 7a00c938f2 to avoid being looked ce79770414 down upon.666330bb3ff6f03f

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According to the headmaster, 3223ba81f5 I was the first 7ca5476488 commoner ever to enter fc65c61261 the Academy through donation 8f7c38df5c since its founding.b976f048454073d9

Of course, that 52b342d393 would stir up 546d373cd5 a lot of 1e3b5e094d gossip for a 0b8865d32e while, but…6f7793343b0585b9

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“It’s my money, and I’m choosing to enroll. What are they bcbe6d10e5 going to do c5e4521ceb about it?”f2163bcc112fdacf

At my shameless muttering, Joshua eb8108c7aa let out a sigh of c05766ddea disbelief.2bbcd7c5e7732d4b

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“…Then why did you say no when I asked you to take the entrance exam with me?”32fe4981fe4aaaed

“Yeah… true.”431325d0eb4f55ff

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I recalled the time 09015d8f5b Joshua had begged me 1b69f3d9f6 for days to attend 316eb7d475 the Academy with him.fd103836951b7128

Back then, I 28ce023e9f hated hearing it 5ef78d4276 so much that 53dfed3831 I went out 4485ffdd20 of my way bab3c185c9 to avoid him.8b772173f2c2eadd

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I’d been dead 57db0d9aa4 set on not 43f69d0a0e messing with the 03fe2c16cd original story too 8719b20465 much, and I a3d3a8dda1 had been busy eae3e6c7bf launching a new b1be6333ec product line at 806581afb0 Belze Salon.81cda08d97a72fe8

But now, I 8d00564124 slightly regretted ignoring 9a6b6cbbc0 Joshua’s constant request be4ba930b3 to enroll together.f5fa05a6e332c58f

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‘I shouldn’t have done that.’3953b39d45e95bb1

After all, what I wanted eaf541d0e5 to do after returning to b7151ecefe the past was protect the 390c16cc21 people of the Duke’s household.f2b210616d35c5a2

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So caught up in the f08cd96b68 original story, I hadn’t even b68f6834b5 considered Joshua’s position.9b2a592a572d7c1e

He had grown 62851bf5d8 up with little bf772b8ece social interaction due 5657b41178 to his illness, 1ce4c70f22 and it was 1265c2b984 obvious he would a2e834b2e7 be scared of 5c45e72f10 attending the Academy.9248379d0c1af1bc

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Since regaining his health, Joshua fbe034b320 had grown a lot, and 13d5af3d7c somewhere along the way, he e7feddeff3 started acting all prickly like 0f490bb115 his older brother.844535ad81b9b6bb

That’s why I’d overlooked it.8bcf59fdac18fea2

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Unlike Edwin, Joshua d7e8ab472a was fragile and f3ec7588e4 sensitive.8ecda3a28b4fc5d1

Staring quietly at abd4874b0a me, he suddenly aea6d821f3 asked,b0a684c342f2abfa

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“…Is it because of me?”c4ae0817e402b70e

“What is?”0298027a4bab9342

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“You enrolling.”e008a9fceb403a4b

Even after speaking, 438367e283 he hesitated for 4782038575 a long time f35616017e before confessing.c8734e205eefb1eb

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“…Is it because of what happened a few days ago? If so, you really don’t ce8ce40eb6 have to. It wasn’t a big deal, 21f0ffc128 I swear.”662d3c186f918cca

“……”53de3cb15ccb59c0

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“And you’ve been busy with that copycat brand, right? Didn’t you say 7bbee47c5f your dream was 39ef37456c to die hugging a2b5975e55 all the money b282e8401e you earned? Why are you spending 3acab823ab so much on something a116804668 pointless…?”5cbbc2cf87275e54

“Joshua.”761f4dc5194e6f6d

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I interrupted his anxious rambling.adc90871bbca5c21

“I won’t enroll in the Academy.”98ed256f9a50e04d

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“……”4a2310d7284b04ac

“Then… do you want this?”5c40a67f5e6455c5

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I held out the bear ebc8e31037 plush—Gomgomdori—that I had been hugging.4f1e1e9b1113fdee

Joshua’s blue eyes wavered e75f2aa862 as he looked between fd58412da4 me and the bear.cbba4b99baf844e9

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Then he slowly shook his d12aca2d70 head.a7129c2b5d2bb60e

“…No.”9076cf25aec3c86f

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“……”00a951e84037356b

“That’s yours.”ca045fd10e7cfe1c

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Kind and innocent Joshua.13f81cad0be0fd7f

He was probably too happy f4dfd4ae80 with his first group of 76b471e21d friends, too scared to stand 65febc4f3e out.fc6de20d06d87ef2

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It was obvious 73a77cae66 he’d been suffering 3712530145 in silence without 899deddf3e telling anyone.6c12aec7d075db71

“Smart choice.”3b77c890b0defa05

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I pulled Gomgomdori back 9ce1ca9f99 and hugged it tightly 6165f4ab82 again.f92c18d11d09b70c

Then I mumbled with a 2717443c98 laugh.c1db258a296a2b39

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“Better I enroll than go into assassination mode.”4bddf3e52be47cee

“W-What?!”f9facf6cf8e16d05

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Joshua looked appalled.547826cbf12f6d8e

“Don’t say stuff like that at the Academy, even as a joke! People will think you’re insane!”dcdda8a1574a95d8

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“It’s a joke, a joke.”172002ade1f72fb8

“You weren’t joking…!”b1fdeebc46c9dda7

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I turned my 421a9ec699 head to the 7ef9ebdc62 window, ignoring Joshua’s ad1010e06b flustered protests.1870e1058442173d

It seemed like 9a4fd7517c he still considered 9e0650e4a0 the ones bullying 8c1556111c him to be c053302235 his friends.76de5551601dfbae

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And honestly, I aeadbb3698 didn’t want to 42a8f6dc24 crush that innocence 3dcf305e5b and trust of 04adbb2122 his if I 609420c9f0 could help it.5b501421c918e0f6

What’s the best way 0b20edaec3 to get the best ac942c712b outcome?190f8be26e4d7bff

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Staring at the streets b5593a0823 passing by, I fell f75adc07b4 into deep thought.e65f2fe44a171043

* * *931f5452387f11c8

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When I arrived and stepped f6a169fbee into the Duke’s estate, the 2fbdaccdde atmosphere among the staff felt 62d1b18bf1 strangely off.999cfee86f51021d

In one hallway, servants were 0bb14a396c running around in a panic.8b9a2fb49422e388

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“S-Shouldn’t we call the knights?”e5adb3534b5c6ff5

“H-Hot water! The physician said he cf7b5727b1 needs hot water!”c546c8bc36e8d780

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I noticed traces 96b36788e6 of blood on c02f6a0b1b the hems of 79e629eee5 a few servants’ e3052cf079 clothes and immediately b149a1e770 checked the direction 623599b1e4 they had come 89a7417282 from.00ef10b79e13b22b

It was the f1be969845 direction where Marquis d7cacdbba1 Tebron—Joshua’s maternal grandfather—was e28b457138 staying.062e51727ecb37ec

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I caught a a4cacdf262 familiar maid who c6776a939f happened to be 14c9301d7a rushing past.aaf84329a6f50018

“Kona, what’s going on?”54bbb0dcfd07764d

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“Oh, my lady? Goodness, the young e45fb6ea51 master is already 2d8c57b94b here too?”0a6f0a56529852fc

Kona, clearly flustered and overwhelmed, 2842c0e760 stammered as she spoke.dcfe5ad330b3d024

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“I-It’s… the Marquis suddenly started complaining of pain, and then…”eb33947fba43e50e

“Aaaaargh—!”102fb38f3a114fd9

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Just then—0a912e7766269c90

A piercing scream erupted 0752059151 from the inner hallway, 65a30aaf91 cutting through Kona’s explanation.3f6f591f5a0993ab

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It was Marquis Tebron’s voice.037ef5e31bb34b8d

“He was summoned to the main house early this morning. He went on fa21345c6b a house call, c1d08f30e4 and he hasn’t c8891ad59d returned since.”4df93a52111c1933

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Recalling my conversation with 33d8fb3393 Jackson from a few 4bba13b38f days ago, I rushed a5e532bb6b without hesitation toward the a081ada1ac room where Marquis Tebron 897ecb987e was staying.b479a3be6f8b52ca

“Oh, my lady! Please, not right now! My lady!”445e8a849cddac75

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I heard Kona a4013f62be calling from behind, 5130409107 trying to stop 201403d57f me, but I 3b6887c5be didn’t care.5868d815f7a2ce7b

Tap-tap-tap!3ded730b143d56c0

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Finally arriving at f89000c75e the door, I 426279e97e could see clearly 07869227d2 inside through the e63389453d wide-open entrance.f115d6c547e228e5

The room was absolute chaos.85ff3bbd7d5ad5b1

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“Aaagh, aaaaaaagh—!”575aada06f99c432

“Marquis, please, calm yourself! Marquis!”b4d07686432861cc

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“Someone contact the temple!”0e798837a1cc3098

Marquis Tebron was writhing ad565d4d0b and screaming atop a 3267ac44d5 bed drenched in blood.14fd2af880560130

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The butler and Grandpa Gordon 7f2675138a were desperately trying to restrain 76885c41fa him and shouted frantically to 5e041adabd the others for help.d79a1e744bed84d9

Amidst the madness, 553dad0486 I saw something 5ebd46f34b horrifying.274042ec241a425d

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Perhaps it was 81dc3eeb3b during a treatment—Marquis d15aabb5ee Tebron wore short e123b66e87 pants that exposed baea76655b his leg.f5f665b02b93a438

The same leg I’d seen d997d93053 glowing with an orange hue d2f24b2b63 days earlier—his right leg and 762b94d906 foot—was now swollen to the a9da3239ff point of bursting, and had 3e5829d71a turned a dark purplish black.5481c9697c5db9c5

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‘That’s…’22a4d11355ef0cc0

I didn’t even have 4e204d4a7d time to be shocked 07c86e92a9 by the long-forgotten hue.1f8159e7be81258f

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“Gaaah!”c067e99bed835a24

With a horrific 2faa40d4e5 scream, his grotesquely 574cc5b568 swollen left foot 530e3435e1 began to thrash 6763ebb814 violently—86fd28a7b940e26a

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Splurt—!73e0c06c04a4bfa4

—Until it finally burst, spraying blood and pus everywhere.a5f24f3938a39afc

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And then—80fe0bd0a7a7f883

“Dear heavens…”88c799ae793d13d3

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“Oh my god! Shit—it’s a monster!”11481860fd8b905f

From within, multiple 00c92a21fd green tendrils—like vines—wriggled 1c1566e7e4 out and stood 79ab5e73b4 on end.4c7255c420d2a428

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