Megara was annoyed by the sudden news of Valentine's visit.
Megara didn't like Valentine. In fact, there weren't many people in the noble society who liked Valentine.
As the daughter of a prestigious family in the empire, everyone tried to get on her good side, but she was stubborn and foolish, and who would like someone like that?
At least her older brother told her what to do, and she was still young, so maybe she would change as she grew up.
Anyway, suddenly showing up like this without warning was quite annoying. It would be better if she gave some notice so they could prepare mentally.
Of course, it would be better if they didn't meet at all, but... that was impossible in the noble society.
"There's something to gain from this."
Valentine, who was quick to anger, might be fighting well with Neris Truede. Megara thought this with interest and greeted Valentine, who had just entered the reception room.
"Welcome, Valentine. Thank you for coming to see me first. How have you been?"
Megara's dignified response was flawless. If Sheridan, the etiquette teacher, had seen it, she would have applauded the elegant gestures and speech.
Even Valentine, who had received etiquette lessons since she was young, recognized Megara's excellent posture. However, Megara's lovely behavior only made Valentine angrier.
She was like a seductress, dressing up in her nightclothes and flirting with men. Did she think women wouldn't notice such tactics?
In reality, Megara had chosen that outfit to pretend to be in a hurry when she left the dormitory during the test incident, and Abelrus hadn't been interested in her nightclothes at all.
Abelrus liked beautiful women, but he was a normal young man who liked women his own age.
However, in Valentine's mind, Megara's behavior seemed like a very seductive tactic.
With such thoughts, Valentine's gaze couldn't help but be cold. Despite her polite response, Megara received that cold gaze and habitually smiled sweetly.
"What's wrong with her?"
"Why, Valentine?"
"Miss Megara."
Valentine sat down in the chair offered to her and asked sharply.
"I heard there was an interesting incident last semester."
"Last semester?"
Megara tilted her head. There had been interesting incidents every semester, at least from her perspective.
Valentine's eyes narrowed.
"That, the test paper...! It disappeared, didn't it?"
"Ah, that interesting incident."
"What's going on?" Megara thought that Valentine had come to scold her for not exposing Neris as the test paper thief when she had the chance.
It was really tiring. She was the one who had done well.
"It was nothing. I really thought Neris was the one who stole the test paper, but it turned out that Idalia was lying to me. Idalia betrayed me, and it really hurt my heart."
Megara's explanation was subtle, conveying the point to those who understood without leaving any evidence.
Valentine had heard rumors in the imperial social circle that Megara had pushed Idalia aside before entering the academy.
At the time, she thought it was just a useless fight between servants, but now it seemed that Idalia Kendall had betrayed Megara and sided with Neris.
The situation was understandable, but the reason Valentine had come all the way here was still unresolved. She hadn't come to ask why Megara hadn't exposed Neris properly.
Valentine spoke with a scowl.
"Walking around in just your nightclothes?"
Megara's hand, holding a small pink teacup, stopped. Her pretty purple eyes narrowed slightly, and she drew a smile-like expression.
"...What are you talking about?"
"That's what I heard, Miss."
Valentine had brought up the main topic, so now she looked at Megara with a bold gaze.
"What happened? I was really shocked when I heard."
The "what happened" was not a question asking for an explanation, but a condemning one.
Megara felt annoyed. If she thought about it, all the problems she was facing now were caused by the Elancia family.
Why did they have to support Neris Truede's tuition in the first place? If the ducal family hadn't done such a useless thing, Megara would never have met Neris.
Naturally, Megara's tone became prickly.
"I didn't do it because I liked you. I heard the news that the test paper was missing during breakfast. I was in a hurry, so I didn't have time to dress properly."
The outfit she had chosen to make it seem like she had rushed to the scene as soon as she heard the news was now being criticized.
Megara's mood worsened. What did it matter to others what she wore, whether it was her nightclothes or armor?
Valentine's arrogant voice replied, as if it was ridiculous.
"You..."
"Miss, as a noble lady, you should refrain from behavior that goes against etiquette. I was really shocked when I heard. I thought you were really gentle. But how could you go in front of the Crown Prince like that, without any etiquette? That's a method used by low-born mistresses who can't compete with noblewomen like us."
Megara almost opened her mouth in shock. Although Valentine used the phrase "noblewomen like us," it was clear that her words implied "you're no different from a low-born mistress."
Was she here to scold Megara for her behavior? Had she lost her mind?
Moreover, the Crown Prince?
Was she worried about what other women wore in front of the Crown Prince, and was she here to scold Megara for her inappropriate attire?
Everyone knew that he was involved with Natasha Grunehalst, but did this kid?
"Valentine, when you say that, I'm embarrassed..."
"Of course, the education style of the viscount's family may be different from that of the ducal family. It's probably more free-spirited. And what can you expect from the person who educated you? But I believe you have at least some sense of dignity. Don't you?"
A spark of anger flashed in Megara's eyes.
The "person" Valentine mentioned was the woman who had been brought into the Rikandros household by Megara's father, the Viscount, after her mother's death, and who was now acting as the Viscountess.
Megara despised that woman, who had a poor background.
Megara decided on a punishment for Valentine in her mind. However, she still smiled sweetly on the outside.
It wasn't hard to smile, even when she was angry. Especially when she thought about Valentine's expression later.
Valentine chattered on for a few more minutes, sipped her tea, and left Megara's reception room. Megara had a servant escort Valentine out and then went to her own room.
And she called out to someone who was there.
"Have you been waiting long? Alekto."
The room was bright due to the sunlight, but it wasn't a place to leave a guest alone. However, Megara didn't care.
Alekto Israni couldn't demand to be treated as a guest.
Megara had hidden Alekto in her room just before Valentine arrived.
It wasn't that anything would go wrong if Valentine saw Alekto, but the value of information increased when fewer people knew about it.
"I've been thinking about what you asked me."
Indeed, Alekto didn't even complain about being left alone in the room, nor could he look directly at Megara. Alekto's gloomy eyes looked down at Megara's feet.
Megara gazed at Alekto's appearance with satisfaction and continued speaking.
"'Please take me in' was a bit of a disappointing phrase. Honestly, what's there for me to take in? We're classmates, so it's only natural that I help you out a bit."
Alekto had come to Megara because he was being bullied by his classmates and asked her to help him graduate without any problems.
Even the kids who had tried to kill Alekto yesterday would calm down if Megara just said a few words.
Looking at Alekto's hopeful eyes, Megara spoke softly.
"Since we're friends, you can also grant me a favor, right? Actually, I want you to play a little prank for me."
***
"Ahhhh!"
Who would scream like that in front of everyone? It didn't sound like a 3rd-year student, so it must be a 1st-year student. Typical 1st-year students.
When a shrill scream was heard from the next classroom, the 2nd-year students politely lamented, as if they had forgotten their own past.
In that moment, Megara smiled faintly. She had recognized the screaming voice as Valentine's.
Neris also smiled. She had been waiting for a reaction.
"Whether it's a bag or a spider, it doesn't matter."
Whatever it was, it didn't matter. The important thing was that Valentine and Megara had gotten under each other's skin.
Isabelle, who was waiting at the back of the classroom like the other attendants, also recognized her mistress's voice.
Her face became slightly anxious. She was curious about what had happened. If something had happened to Lady Valentine, it would be a great opportunity to curry favor.
"Let's go."
As Neris and Diane headed towards the classroom door, Isabelle and Betty followed closely behind. The 2nd-year students walked down the corridor, pretending to be dignified, but they couldn't help sneaking glances at the next classroom. Neris was no exception.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Lady!"
Valentine's maid was pale and begging for forgiveness from Valentine, who was much smaller than her.
"How can you not even do your job properly? Do you know how shocked Lady Valentine is?"
Delma stood next to Valentine, scolding her maid as if they were in the Elancia mansion, not in a classroom with other students.
The other 1st-year students watched with a mixture of confusion and admiration.
The maid was at a loss for words. Valentine stood frozen, her face pale, with something red dripping from her hand.
Is that blood? Some people whispered.
Neris nodded at Isabelle.
"Go find out what happened."
Isabelle, who had wanted to rush to Valentine's side as soon as she saw her, quickly entered the 1st-year classroom.
When Valentine saw Isabelle, she glared at her, her face twisted in anger. Neris smiled.
"What's going on, Lady? Are you hurt?"
Delma looked at Isabelle with a mixture of annoyance and surprise, as if she were Valentine's personal maid. The maid who had been begging for forgiveness earlier was about to burst into tears.
Valentine glared at Isabelle, who had asked loudly.
"There was a package with chicken blood in my bag. You don't know anything about it, do you?"
The children were shocked by the word "blood," but they were relieved that Valentine wasn't hurt. If the duke's daughter had been injured, it would have been a huge scandal.
"What?"
Isabelle blinked in surprise. Who would dare play such a terrible prank on the only daughter of the Duke of Elancia? How could they face the consequences?
Isabelle knew of only one person who was crazy enough to do such a thing. However, she soon realized that it couldn't be Neris, who had been with her for the past few days and didn't have anyone else to order around.
Delma, who had been observing Isabelle's expression, also realized that Neris wasn't the culprit. Then who was it?
In Delma's mind, the name of a noble girl who had visited Valentine a few days ago and had a grudge against her came to mind.
Megara Rikandros had come to Valentine's place, and with her many attendants, she could do anything.
Delma foresaw a terrible war between the two proud ladies and rubbed her temples in worry.