The 2nd-grade magic class was held in the same classroom as last year.
Most students sat in the same seats as before, except that the seat next to Megara was now occupied by a different student, not Idalia.
When Diane discovered Neris entering, she beamed with joy and waved her hand.
"Ris!"
"Hi, Diane."
The two girls exchanged greetings with a hug. Neris sat down next to Diane and looked around the classroom.
Many students had grown taller during the summer break. Those who had enjoyed their long vacation looked healthier and happier than before, chatting lively.
Megara's appearance stood out among them. She was chatting with Albert Resheim, who sat to her left, and accidentally caught Neris's eye.
Megara flashed a fantastic smile, as if she was very pleased. Neris also smiled back at her.
"What's so funny?"
Neris's smile looked carefree. Megara had sensitively caught on to the fact that Neris had gained some weight and had a healthy glow on her cheeks during the break, which made her feel uneasy.
"How dare you?"
Yes, how dare Neris Trude have a good summer break?
Due to the incident of stealing the exam papers last semester, Megara had to sacrifice a valuable word. Although she managed to get out of it well, she herself couldn't escape without any punishment.
Although she didn't directly participate in the theft, she was accused of framing another student to cover up the real culprit, and the notification reached her home.
Duke Rikanthros was not a person who would easily tolerate his daughter's misbehavior. However, receiving a complaint from the student council was a serious matter.
The student council was not just any gathering; it was a group of noble young men and women who would lead the empire in the future. If they were evaluated as immoral, how could his daughter get married?
Compared to that, the conflict with Kendall's family was nothing. There was a clear difference in social status between the two families.
As a result, Megara had to spend a not-so-pleasant summer break. Duke Rikanthros, who wanted to show off his daughter's good upbringing, restricted her from going out for a month.
And even when he finally gave permission, it was limited to the Loiz family's estate. The numerous parties at the grand mansions in the capital's suburbs, as well as the gatherings of peers in the forest or by the river, were all off-limits.
But the fact that Neris had enjoyed a carefree holiday was just unbelievable.
Megara snorted inwardly. Of course, Neris's carefree days wouldn't last long. Valentine had already enrolled.
That foolish girl, who wasn't particularly smart, was persistent and, after all, the daughter of a duke. She had scratched Megara's pride and wouldn't let her be.
Megara looked forward to the day when she would hear rumors that Neris Trude was at a loss for what to do.
***
"Izabel, miss."
While pretending to be polite, Izabel's eyes didn't leave the shabby dorm room. Neris, who was sitting in a chair, lazily pointed out,
"What are you looking at?"
"I apologize, miss."
As someone who had worked for the duke's family for a long time, Izabel knew the etiquette for addressing her master. However, she was surprised that this little girl would point out her impoliteness.
After all, as the daughter of a low-ranking knight, Neris's social status wasn't much better than that of a commoner. At best, she belonged to the lower end of the noble class, which allowed her to get a certain type of job from employers who wanted their servants to have a somewhat respectable status.
In particular, being a maid was a popular profession, so Izabel had met many daughters of low-ranking knights like herself in the workplace. However, she could count on one hand the number of people who had received proper etiquette training.
Even... well, what could be called natural authority? That was something that even surpassed the duchess...
Izabel was startled as she unintentionally thought of a word that suited this young girl, who she would be serving from now on.
But that was impossible. This was just a country girl who had grown up in poverty.
Before coming here, Izabel had received sufficient education from Delma. She knew how lowly Neris's origins were, how shamefully she was related to a distant branch of the family, and how impudently she carried herself.
If Izabel were to scold her for her lack of manners, it would only be a pretext. If she could just suppress Neris's spirit, the girl wouldn't dare to speak out of turn.
After all, there was no comparison between Izabel, who had received years of education on serving superiors in the duke's household, and this country girl. If Izabel took a strong stance, Neris would likely become flustered.
Having thought this far, Izabel regained her confidence and lifted her head. And then, she was startled for the second time by Neris's eyes.
Although she had heard the rumors, Neris's eyes were truly striking. They were the same as those of the first duke, "Honest Ellandria," in the portrait hanging in the Ellandria family's estate.
"It seems you haven't received proper education."
Neris smiled faintly, her eyes gleaming like those in the painting.
That smile was something that Izabel could only glance at with a sidelong glance, a smile that was reminiscent of the high-born guests who were treated with great respect in the duke's household.
Izabel was so captivated by the smile that she responded a beat late, her eyes fixed on Neris.
"Yes?"
"Yes? It seems that your maid didn't teach you properly. My brother wants me to live comfortably, so he sent you, but it seems you can't fulfill your duties. Go back."
Neris turned her body as she spoke.
Izabel was taken aback by Neris's resolute attitude and sharp words. Of course, Izabel couldn't go back now. If she disappointed both Nellucia and Valentine, who knew what consequences would await her?
At the very least, she would be sent back to the estate. In the worst-case scenario, she might be dismissed without a letter of recommendation, making it impossible for her to get hired by any noble family again.
That was absolutely unacceptable. Izabel wanted to rise to a higher position than she was in now.
And wasn't this an opportunity to get on the good side of both the young lady and the young master?
"I apologize, miss! I'll correct my shortcomings immediately. Please allow me to serve you! I'll do my best to make sure you're not uncomfortable."
So Izabel began to beg, her knees bent in a humble posture.
Neris turned her body again, looking down at Izabel with a bored expression.
Even if Izabel were to bang her head on the floor, it wouldn't impress Neris. Such behavior was not even punished in the royal palace.
It was just a knee that could be bent and straightened at will.
"Get up. As you've seen, this room is very small. But that doesn't mean there's no work to be done."
Izabel quickly got up, still not breathing properly. Neris looked at her with an unreadable expression, then nodded naturally.
"I've come to the dormitory after a long time, and there's a lot of laundry to do. Bring me the bed sheets and wash them right away. We need to have clean sheets to sleep on tonight."
It was an absurd request. It was already close to evening, and washing the bed sheets now would mean they would have to sleep on damp sheets all night.
Izabel's puzzled expression prompted Neris to tilt her head.
"Don't you know how to do laundry?"
It meant that Izabel should wash and dry the sheets quickly using a drying rack. Izabel felt even more resentful than before.
Laundry and drying were both hard labor, tasks usually assigned to the newest and lowest-ranking maids in the duke's household.
"Yes, miss."
It seemed that Izabel didn't know what a maid's job was, and Neris thought to herself, "What's the point of having a servant like this?"
"Why did you call me?"
"I'm a maid of the duke's household, not a servant of a lowly family. I didn't learn how to do those kinds of tasks, and I'm not good at them. My role is to attend to you and help you live a dignified life."
Izabel's condescending tone was a far cry from her previous begging attitude.
Neris smiled to herself. Izabel was still the same, always trying to be superior to others, even if she pretended to be humble on the surface.
"Then I don't need you. As you can see, I need a maid who can do everything on her own, not a servant who just follows me around like a child."
Neris's attitude was even more resolute than Izabel had expected. Izabel was momentarily at a loss for what to do, her eyes darting back and forth.
The blonde girl spoke softly.
"Kneel again. My neck hurts from looking up at you."
Izabel knelt again, and only later did she realize that she hadn't hesitated for a moment.
Although Neris's voice was gentle, each of her words was a command. And that command had the power to make even an adult like Izabel obey without question.
"If you're like that, it's better for you to leave. I don't need a servant who doesn't know what to do. A servant who doesn't listen to their master is more useless than one who can't do their job... ...Yes, and didn't you say you would correct your shortcomings earlier?"
But that wasn't the end. Neris continued, her eyes cast downward.
"How can you correct your stupidity? Thinking about it, it's unlikely that Nellucia's brother would send me an uneducated child like you. So, you must not have learned properly from your maid, and your brain must be too dull to learn, right?"
Izabel was about to burst out in anger and resentment, but her last shred of reason barely managed to stop her. It was just a complaint, but why did Neris have to humiliate her like this?
All of Izabel's impressions of Neris Trude up until now had been wrong. This girl was a bad seed, with a personality that didn't match her noble upbringing. She was a very bad girl.
It would be great if Izabel could just get scolded by Lady Valentine and be done with it!
It seemed that Neris could see right through Izabel's thoughts, as if she could read her mind. People tend to look down on those who are inferior to them, yet possess something they desire.
And when Neris was adopted into the duke's household, she often saw Izabel's true nature.
Neris looked at Izabel again, letting out a refined sigh.
"Can't you speak? Tell me, Izabel, do you want me to tell Nellucia's brother that you're stupid, or that the maids of the Ellandria family, from the head maid to the lowest servant, don't do their jobs properly? If I were to ask him to send a better maid, one with a good background, he would have sent someone to take care of you as well."
Good heavens, this child knew a lot about the hierarchy of servants! Izabel turned pale and prostrated herself on the floor, begging fervently.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, miss! I was wrong, I was lacking, and I made you uncomfortable! I'll do better, I'll really do better! Please...!"
Neris let out another sigh, sounding like a grown-up. Izabel thought even that sound was sharp as a needle.
She was worried that this child might run to the young master and tell him something bad, and her heart was racing.
A moment later, Izabel heard a voice that was like a salvation.
"I'll let it slide this time. Not because I think you'll be useful, but because I don't want to see Nellucia's and Valentine's faces. Don't misunderstand and work diligently."
"Yes, miss! Thank you, thank you...!"
"Can you do the laundry now?"
"Yes, I'll do as you say, miss."
Izabel added a word, feeling relieved.
"Um, would it be okay if you had dinner first?"
"Dinner?"
Neris raised an eyebrow, her thin and dark eyebrows clearly showing her attitude, as if to say, "How dare you comment on my schedule?" Izabel looked down and spoke humbly.
"Valentine miss said that she wants to have dinner with you by the lake today. She said to meet at the white pavilion by the lake."
"Oh?"
Neris smiled faintly. Izabel, who had a rough idea of what Valentine had planned, barely managed to suppress her desire to gloat.
How long will this child keep acting so arrogant? It would be great if she just fainted or got sick and died!