Chapter 7
The moment I realized that the woman secretly watching me hunt the bat from behind the dormitory was none other than the original heroine, Ayla Liner, the very first thought that crossed my mind was—
She’s… unbelievably beautiful…
Perhaps the reason people would one day call her the Incarnation of the Goddess wasn’t simply because of her overwhelming holy power or boundless compassion.
With beauty like this…
A gentle heart…
And strength and talent worthy of being called the strongest person in the world…
Life really isn’t fair.
Just as I was about to grumble inwardly, my gaze fell upon her thin wrists and the worn sleeves of her faded clothes.
She had lost both her parents while still a child…
Then endured years of abuse at the hands of her uncle.
Perhaps the power she would one day possess wasn’t an unfair blessing at all.
Maybe…
It was simply fair compensation for everything she had suffered.
As I remained silently staring at her, Ayla hesitantly opened her mouth.
“I’m sorry again.”
“I noticed someone outside, so I came to take a look… and before I realized it, I ended up watching.”
“It’s alright.”
“I was the one wandering around here without permission.”
“I’m Levy Heron, a first-year student.”
At my introduction, Ayla nodded with an expression of understanding.
“Ah! So you’re Lady Heron, the daughter of House Heron who inherited the Sacred Lion’s power.”
“That explains it.”
…Explains what?
She continued with sparkling eyes.
“When you subdued that bat just now… you looked incredible.”
“I’ve heard that the Counts of House Heron can summon every kind of sword imaginable.”
“It’s an honor to witness it with my own eyes.”
“…Thank you.”
If she knew that much about House Heron…
She had undoubtedly heard the rumors branding me House Heron’s defective heir as well.
Yet…
She didn’t mention them even once.
For a brief moment, I’d wondered whether her “That explains it” had meant so she’s weaker than I expected from a Heron…
Now I felt embarrassed for even thinking that.
This body’s instincts really are deeply ingrained.
The way I reflexively shrank back, terrified of other people’s opinions…
Made me feel a little sorry for myself.
At the same time…
I couldn’t help feeling grateful toward Ayla for looking at me without prejudice.
“May I ask your name?”
“I’m Ayla of House Liner.”
“You may already have heard of me.”
When I simply looked at her as though I hadn’t, Ayla smiled awkwardly.
Eventually…
She seemed to decide there was no point trying to hide it.
“Well…”
“My reputation had already hit rock bottom before I even entered the Academy.”
“I’m the noble girl who has to live in the campus dormitory that even commoners refuse to use.”
“…”
“The rumors have already spread.”
“I didn’t think I’d be able to mingle with everyone at the banquet…”
“So I decided I might as well stay here and unpack my belongings instead.”
There wasn’t even a trace of defensiveness in her voice.
It was as though she had long since given up trying to explain herself.
Resignation filled her sorrowful blue eyes.
Looking into them…
I no longer wanted to keep forcing conversation simply to become friends.
Instead…
I wanted to comfort her.
Without thinking…
Words I’d intended to keep buried for the sake of my own reputation slipped out.
“Actually…”
“The reason I ended up at the Academy isn’t that different.”
“My uncle forged documents and submitted my enrollment application without my permission.”
“He planned to send me away to a villa under the excuse that it was closer to the Academy…”
“Then control the Heron estate however he pleased.”
“…”
“Fortunately…”
“I discovered everything shortly before enrollment.”
“I even uncovered evidence that he’d been embezzling the family’s funds, so I turned him over for trial.”
“…But honestly…”
“It doesn’t make me feel any better.”
Learning that someone related to me by blood had tried to get rid of me…
Simply because he desired wealth and power…
Wasn’t something that justice alone could erase.
Especially when I considered how insignificant he must have thought I was to carry out such a plan without hesitation.
Ayla looked genuinely shocked.
She had apparently never imagined that House Heron carried such hidden scars as well.
After a long silence…
A warm smile, filled with heartfelt relief, appeared on her face.
“I’m glad.”
“It sounds like Lady Heron managed to overcome your uncle’s schemes.”
“…”
“I wish I could do the same.”
“But I can’t escape.”
“Is it selfish of me…”
“To wish I could become someone as strong as you?”
She looked at me with tearful eyes…
Yet still smiled sincerely.
Strong…
It was a description completely foreign to someone who had spent her entire life being called House Heron’s defective heir.
Perhaps because I was grateful that Ayla saw me that way…
Perhaps because, after everything with my uncle, I finally understood her circumstances far better than when I’d merely read about them in a novel…
I found myself wanting to reach out my hand.
“Then…”
“Would you like to spend tomorrow afternoon together?”
“We could look around the Academy.”
“…What?”
Her blue eyes stared blankly at me.
“Together?”
“Yes.”
“Together.”
“If we spend time together…”
“Maybe we’ll find a way.”
Ayla hesitated.
She bit her lip as though worried my reputation would suffer if I associated with her.
I simply shrugged and said lightly,
“In exchange…”
“Please keep it a secret that the heir of House Heron panicked over a single bat and ended up summoning a knife to throw at it.”
“B-But—”
“I’ll bring some delicious snacks tomorrow.”
“Let’s meet here at noon.”
“The chefs at our estate are incredible.”
I deliberately joked as I turned away.
I intended to leave before Ayla could reject me out of concern for my reputation.
But when I glanced back…
A faint blush had spread across her cheeks.
Contrary to my expectations…
She wasn’t pushing me away out of self-loathing.
Instead…
She looked at me with desperate hope.
Normally…
Her timid personality caused her to distance herself from everyone around her.
I couldn’t understand why she wasn’t doing the same to me.
Still…
I reassured her.
“I’m not joking.”
“You can believe me.”
At those words…
A radiant smile bloomed across Ayla’s face.
Seeing that smile…
I could clearly tell how happy she was.
More importantly…
Instead of immediately returning to my family’s carriage…
I searched the area where I’d killed the bat.
Just as I’d expected…
The corpse had vanished without leaving the slightest trace.
The only thing remaining on the ground…
Was the small knife I’d created through the Founder’s Blessing.
Even that bore no trace of blood.
A bat with emerald-green eyes.
A watcher that moved like a shadow and left no evidence behind.
I already knew…
Exactly whose servant it was.
One Week Later
A week had passed since Levy and Ayla first met near the abandoned dormitory.
I can’t believe…
I actually have someone to walk around campus with.
And it happened so quickly…
To Ayla…
Attending classes with Levy…
Eating lunch together every day…
It all felt like a dream.
The first time she’d watched Levy create a knife from thin air and hunt the bat…
She had been completely mesmerized.
I’d heard Lady Heron was so frail that even attending social events was difficult…
Yet…
The instant Levy threw that knife—
An overwhelming killing intent worthy of the Empire’s Sword crushed everything around her.
Even after striking her target perfectly…
Levy had continued staring silently at the spot where the bat had fallen.
Just remembering those eyes…
Made Ayla’s heart race.
Lady Levy Heron…
She’s like the beautiful princess from the fairy tales I read as a child…
And the fearless knight from my secret dreams…
Combined into one person.
Someone like that…
Was willing to walk beside her.
The gratitude Ayla felt was beyond words.
She rarely left Levy’s side.
The combination naturally drew attention.
The infamous defective heir of House Heron…
Who had rarely appeared in high society because of her weak health.
And the abandoned daughter of House Liner…
Whose delicate beauty contrasted sharply with her miserable circumstances.
They were an unusual pair.
One that inevitably became the subject of gossip.
“The heir of a family as prestigious as House Heron really looks after that baron’s daughter living in the abandoned dormitory.”
“Maybe they have something in common.”
“Imagine being born with such a weak body into a family of knights.”
“She must have quite the inferiority complex.”
The students whispering while watching Levy and Ayla suddenly stiffened.
Someone had approached without them noticing.
“What exactly are you all discussing?”
“Hii—!”
The cold, quiet voice…
The eyepatch covering the left eye he had lost in a childhood carriage accident…
There wasn’t a single person in either the Academy…
Or the political circles of the Empire…
Who failed to recognize the middle-aged man standing before them.
Duke Gillian Roas.
A legendary mage renowned as the role model of the Empire’s magicians.
His magical ability was matched only by his stern personality.
He calmly addressed the students.
“Speaking ill of another person’s shortcomings is unbecoming.”
“…We’re sorry.”
The reason those same students—
Who had moments ago been happily insulting even the heir of House Heron—
Immediately lowered their heads was simple.
Duke Roas is Her Majesty Empress Iselda’s only younger brother.
We absolutely cannot afford to offend him.
Outside the Academy…
How else would we ever have the chance to leave an impression on someone of his stature?
With the Emperor confined to his sickbed…
The true center of power within the Empire was Empress Iselda, who came from House Roas.
And Gillian…
Was her younger brother.
If one could earn his favor…
A promising future might await.
“Class on Demonology will begin shortly.”
“Prepare yourselves.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
The students respectfully dispersed toward the classroom as though they had never been gossiping at all.
Watching them gather…
Gillian silently narrowed his eye.
So…
House Heron’s defective heir actually made it to the Academy.
Levy’s father—
Count Elbert Heron—
Had been an exceptional knight.
As the inheritor of the Sacred Lion’s blessing…
His ability to slay demons spoke for itself.
His honorable character had earned him countless followers as well.
Years ago…
Gillian had once arranged a private dinner with him.
His objective had been simple.
To persuade the politically neutral House Heron to support House Roas…
And by extension…
The Second Prince, Fried.
However…
Elbert Heron had politely declined.
“My deepest apologies, Your Grace.”
“House Heron is the sword of the Imperial Family.”
“No matter who ascends the throne…”
“Our duty is to protect both the Imperial House and the Empire’s people from demons.”
“We cannot take sides.”
…
Gillian had attempted several more times afterward.
Every answer had been exactly the same.
Count Heron cared only about fulfilling his duty.
Politics held no interest for him.
Eventually…
Gillian had even considered using Elbert’s daughter—
Who was rumored to be infatuated with Prince Fried—
To manipulate House Heron.
But unlike her father…
That defective girl had been far too sickly to be of any use.
Then…
Everything changed on the day of the entrance ceremony.
One of the bats Gillian kept hidden throughout the Academy had witnessed Levy Heron and Damian Ivelrn speaking together in a secluded area.
Soon afterward…
His connection with the bat had suddenly been severed.
Naturally…
He concluded that the perceptive Damian had discovered the surveillance and destroyed the bat.
That incident changed Gillian’s mind.
I can’t allow people who refuse to stand firmly on our side to continue doing as they please.
At that very moment…
House Heron’s so-called defective heir stepped into his classroom.
Gillian fixed Levy with an icy stare.
Receiving his gaze…
Levy merely responded…
With a faint, meaningful smile.
