Well, this is impressive. I never thought so many insults could be carved into on desk. Words like "Bully", "Oppressor", and other such words are written all over my desk in big red letters. It is fascinating that someone would spend the time to do something so pointless. As I did yesterday, I cleaned away the words before sitting down. I wonder if there will be more tomorrow.
"You shouldn't just take this," Marshal says, staring at the rest of the class.
Everyone is keeping their distance from me, glancing at me and from time to time, I hear my name being whispered. I can't believe such high-class young men and women would act so childish. I grab hold of Marshal's arm, stopping him from confronting a group of girls that says something harsh about me. Unfortunately, Zeno is out of arms reach, but surprisingly it isn't him I needed to be worried about.
"Stop spreading lies about my sister," Noah says, sounding unusually cruel.
I had seen Marshal yell at the servants around the castle when they bullied his beloved Arial. I have overheard Zeno getting mad whenever his race was insulted. Never before have I heard Noah sound so cruel or with such a look in his eyes. The girls who spoke badly about me instantly shiver and bow their heads saying they are sorry in terrified voices. I don't remember Noah acting like this during the game. Not even when he protected the heroine from me when I tried to kill her.
"Unless you have proof about what happened that day, I would advise you to stop spreading false rumours," When Noah is finished, the entire room is silent.
"Noah, you don't have to say anything," I say, standing up to stop him. "I don't care what people think of me. If they want to believe lies, then it doesn't bother me. The people close to me matter more."
"Angelina, he is right to speak out about this," Marshal tells me, taking his side. "You are going to be the future queen. I think people should remember that before they start spreading false information about you."
"But I don't care what they say," I reply. "When I first started working at the Adventurers Guild, I had to endure far worse comments than this. This is nothing compared to being told how much money I could earn at the brothels and what people would do to me."
"They said what about you?"
"Sister, you never mentioned that,"
"You shouldn't waste your time with humans when I can show you the world-famous elven love techniques,"
I probably shouldn't have said that. It's not like it only happened to me. I saw multiple female adventurers go through the same treatment. I even saw one guy getting kicked between the legs so hard by a lizardfolk girl that he went from the bottom floor to the third. I made a point to not get on the bad side of that girl. She wore crimson red metal armour and wielded a black spear. I have no idea who she is, but I heard her mutter about being loyal to her master, whoever that is.
"It's fine. They only made a few jokes about me," I assure them. "Besides, I got my payback by making them look weak and pathetic at the end of every single day I went to the guild."
"Everyone, please take your seats. We have a lot to go over today," I feel relieved when miss Erlis walks into the room. Finally, the attention is off me. "Today, we'll cover the basics of alchemy, so please take out your textbooks and turn to page five."
I have been looking forward to this lesson the most. I had never had the opportunity to learn alchemy before, and I really wanted to learn it. Still, it would have been difficult to hide my studies from my parents. The equipment is large and fragile, the smells are strong and hard to hide, and I am pretty sure I wouldn't be able to hide my absence if I left the house to study alchemy and visit the guild.
"I will start with the basics of alchemy," Miss Erlis begins using her wand to draw six symbols on the board behind her. "You need five things to perform the very basic of alchemy. You need six to provide heat, water and three ingredients. Depending on the ingredients and the amount of magic you pour into the process will affect the item you make and its quality. Can anyone tell me the three ingredients that make up a basic healing potion?"
Several hands go up, but Daniella Allencourt gets the honour of answering.
"You need Red Herbs, Monster Cores of at least grade two, and the standard final ingredient is Light Weed," Daniella answers. "However people have also found ordinary weeds can be used if you double the amount of the final ingredient."
"Correct," Miss Erils smiles. "Now, who can tell me what goes into…."
It's strange. Daniella was an idiot in the game with a short temper. She used to cheat off in class and nearly got caught on a few occasions. It is starting to give me a headache wondering why things are changing from the game, so it is probably for the best I stop worrying about it. As long as it doesn't lead to my death, I will turn a blind eye to whatever change in the game's plot I encounter from now on.
<0>
It really is peaceful under my tree. I could spend all day under this tree by myself. The sun is warm, the branches provide just the right amount of cooling shade, and the bushes stop people from noticing me. If I didn't have classes this afternoon, I would be tempted to take a nap here. Bozzair is off by himself, and I hope he will keep his promise and not kill anyone spreading rumours about me. I am probably worrying for nothing, and he will be back any time now with some dead bird or rat in his mouth.
"Excuss me, lady Lamonia,"
Well, I wasn't expecting to see her here. Standing covered with the sun causing her hair to shine is the heroine herself, miss Ellis Lockridge. This is playing out like a scene from the game. The heroine standing over while being bathed in sunlight. The only thing missing is the smile on her lips. Those boys better not have tried to get revenge on her. They are in her class, so if they did something to her, I will track them down and make sure they never do whatever it is they did again.
"I'm so sorry," I wasn't expecting to see her bowing her head to me either. "It is all my fault. If I hadn't tried to interfere with those guys, you might have been able to get out of that situation without being labelled a bully."
"It's fine. You don't need to apologise," I assure her picking myself up. "It wasn't your fault. You tried to stop those guys from hurting me. I should be thanking you for that instead of being upset."
"But because of me, everyone thinks you are a bully,"
"It's no big deal," I tell her. "You shouldn't blame yourself for that anyway. You aren't the one spreading those rumours about me."
"But I know reputation is everything to a noble," The heroine lowers her head. "If the rumours keep spreading, they will affect your future."
"Don't worry about that," I smirk. "I have done more damage to my own reputation than these rumours could ever do."
"But… I…"
"It's fine," I assure her with a smile. "Nothing terrible is going to happen to me over this. Now that that is settled, how would you like to eat lunch with me, lady Lockridge."
"I would love to,"
Now it is my turn to look down. As soon as I offered to eat with her mood did a one-eighty. She smiled brightly, using that deadly weapon to stop my heart for a second and steal her breath. I swear that smile gets deadly every time I see it. I am really surprised one of the love interests hasn't fallen for her yet. I'm sure it is only a matter of time before one of them gets a happy ever after end while I am fighting my doom flag. We quickly sit down to eat but before we can even take the first bite of our meals….
"So it's true,"
Great, we are surrounded. Boys and girls from both our year and the second year box us in. there's got to be at least twenty people here, and their timing makes me think if they were waiting for this moment. Even the guys I beat up the other day are here, along with Daniella and her friends. I doubt we could leave even if we wanted to with so many people around us.
"We heard you have been bullying lady Lockridge," A boy from the second year steps forward. He has short black hair and sharp grey eyes. I don't remember someone like him being in the game. "And now you are forcing her to give up her lunch."
Really? How did they come to that conclusion when we were just eating lunch together?
"Lady Lockridge, you don't have to stay here no matter what threats she has made," The boy extends a hand with a friendly smile.
"Does it look like I am being bullied?" Without any hesitation, Ellis slaps his hand away. "If you want to make up stories, then at least make them more believable. Angelina has only ever been kind to me, so please stop spreading such spiteful lies about her."
"But… but people saw her attacking you and some of your classmates," The boy is quick to recover, but he really should quit. "You shouldn't be anywhere near her. She should have been thrown out of this school for what she did!"
"What she did?"Ellis stands up, and I follow her, afraid she might do something. "What about them? What about what they did?!" She points to the boys covered in bruises and healing cuts. "Why are you defending them when they attacked me?! I would be bedridden right now if Angelina hadn't healed me! Those guys you clam defended me were the ones that attacked me and tried to attack her! Why should I leave the person who defended me and join those that assaulted me?"
Well, I wasn't expecting that. In the game, the heroine was always cheerful and happy and only raised her voice once during the game when she was condemning me. I put a hand on her shoulder, making her jump.
"It's fine," I tell her. "You don't need to get mad." I turn to face the group stepping forward. "If you have any proof that I am guilty of the crimes you claim, I am then speak up now. If not, I would appreciate it if you let us eat our lunches in peace." The crowd slowly starts to disappear, clearly stunned by the heroine's sudden outburst. "Thank you for defending me, lady Lockridge."
"I'm sorry, lady Lamonia," But she lowers her head at my praise. "I shouldn't have yelled like that. It isn't very ladylike."
"Oh, so you are not calling me Angelina anymore?" I smile, making her blush.
"I'm sorry!" She cutely squeals, jumping back. "I didn't mean to say that. Please forget about it."
"It's fine. You can call me whatever you what. It's no big deal," I tell her, but she still is red in the face.
"Then I shall call you by your first name from now on," She sure is cute. No wonder she is the heroine. "You can call me by my first name as well."
"Okay then," I smile. "Miss Ellis, would you like to continue our lunch."
"I would love to miss Angelina,"