Chapter 11
After breakfast, our planned walk was canceled because my parents were suddenly called away for urgent business.
Holding back tears of blood inside, I called for the physician.
For the first time in my life, I had indigestion.
One of my greatest strengths had always been that I never got an upset stomach, no matter what happened.
It wasn’t serious enough to make me miserable.
I was just looking for an excuse to chat with the doctor a little longer.
“It’s just indigestion.”
For the record, his name was Victor.
Despite his delicate, refined appearance, he had an unexpectedly bold name.
Adjusting his glasses with a tired expression, he replied,
“If you take this medicine and go for an hour-long walk every day, you’ll recover quickly.”
“Before meals or after meals? Victor, have you ever had indigestion? When you do, do you make your own medicine?”
“…Good day.”
The moment Victor left…
Teachers began quietly flooding into my study that very afternoon.
“It’s been a long time, Miss. Do you remember me?”
Not just any teachers, either.
These were the very tutors who had personally taught the original Leta.
According to my parents, they were trustworthy enough to keep my amnesia completely confidential.
Now, here’s the important part.
Notice the word teachers.
I hated studying…
But hadn’t people always said that true friendships blossomed under the harshest conditions?
For the record, I’d even been close with some of my professors back in college.
Several of them belonged to my unofficial “Silver Town” friend group.
Let’s ignore the possibility that this friendship was entirely one-sided.
“You’ve always been exceptionally gifted, so something like this should be… Hm? Why are you looking at me like that…?”
At last.
A fresh shipment of people from outside the mansion who might actually become friends—and who weren’t terrified of me.
And what did that mean?
Exactly.
The kind of natural, fate-driven friendship introverts loved so much!
Beaming brightly, I looked at the elegant etiquette instructor with her glasses.
“Please take care of me! I’ll study hard, Teacher!”
“…Hngh.”
Thud.
Yep.
By now, I was used to it.
I casually caught her with one arm before she hit the floor and laid her down beside me.
“I don’t know if you remember me, but I taught you history, Miss…”
“Hello, Teacher!”
“Guaaah…”
Down went the skinny history teacher, who looked like a dried anchovy.
Then came mathematics.
Politics.
And several other subjects.
In total…
All nine teachers fainted.
“Wh-What’s happened?! Ah! Miss, did you…?!”
Hearing the commotion, Victor came rushing back.
Maybe doctors developed stronger nerves from saving lives every day.
At least he didn’t faint.
He just ran away whenever possible.
I raised both hands in innocent protest.
“Huh? Why are you looking at me like that? I only greeted them!”
“…I’ll examine you.”
After looking at me suspiciously, Victor eventually had to admit…
I hadn’t actually done anything.
“They’ll wake up shortly. You should still be able to have your lessons.”
As he informed me of his diagnosis, I stepped closer.
“Do you enjoy being a doctor?”
“Goodbye!!”
“…Am I some kind of virus?”
Just like last time.
He was incredibly fast when it came to running away.
One day I’d catch him and make him spend an entire day talking with me.
Maybe it’d be nice if he sprained his ankle just a little…
He already visited every day to check on my condition.
The problem was that he’d sprint in, rattle off his report like an auctioneer, and disappear before I could hold a real conversation.
Though if he got physically injured, he’d probably end up spending even more time treating himself…
Hmm. Worth considering.
“When are they going to wake up…?”
I’m bored, my future friends.
The nine teachers didn’t regain consciousness until well after two in the afternoon.
And because I desperately didn’t want to study…
I ended up causing trouble.
“Tell me about your first love!”
“…M-My heart…”
Complaining of emotional distress…
All nine teachers packed up and went home.
“Hehehe…”
Having successfully defeated every enemy, I let out a thoroughly villainous laugh.
Everything had gone exactly according to plan.
To become friends with them, I needed to approach them in ways that suited their interests.
But…
I hated studying so much that I was perfectly willing to postpone making nine new friends.
Still…
Maybe I should at least learn proper etiquette.
“That’ll help me get closer to Mother and Father.”
“Alright. I’ve decided.”
Next time…
I’ll only knock out the etiquette teacher.
“I’m dying…”
Whatever my parents had said to them…
After only one day, every single teacher returned with nerves of steel.
No more fainting.
As a result…
I spent the next two full weeks drowning in lessons, leaving me no time whatsoever to flirt—I mean, socialize—with the servants.
Cruel.
This is unbearably cruel!
To make matters worse…
There was an infuriating rule that read:
“No chatting during lessons.”
Every time I tried to start a conversation, the teachers unanimously ignored me.
“Teacher, is there anything difficult about being a teacher?”
“First of all, perhaps you should address me less formally, Miss.”
“Oh, come on. How could I do that to my teacher?”
“…The First Emperor established Meliora to stabilize the dragons’ power, and ever since then, Dragon Masters have traditionally become Empresses. While this isn’t enforced by Imperial law, it has long been considered customary.”
“…You just ignored my question and continued the lecture?”
Every lesson was like that.
Still…
Who was I?
Someone who had survived South Korea’s terrifying cram-school education system.
A fourth-year university student just one step away from graduation.
Compared to modern higher education in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution…
This was easy.
Everyone praised me.
“Even with your memory loss, you’re still exceptional, Miss.”
“Remarkable.”
“Splendid work.”
Praise felt nice.
But…
It wasn’t enough.
Maybe they were all introverts and too shy?
Or were they all just Thinking types?
I need something that really hits me emotionally… heartfelt praise!
It wasn’t that I thought they were lying.
It just felt like…
Something was missing.
Thanks to my diligent progress, I finally earned a rare break.
I should’ve been jumping for joy.
Instead…
I felt strangely empty.
Like there was a hole in my chest.
“Ugh… Friends…”
“I need friends…”
Beep.
Diagnosis:
Acute Friendship Deficiency Syndrome.
Immediate friend transfusions required.
…This is depressing.
Without any friends…
I’m just sitting here entertaining myself.
“Sigh…”
Dragging my feet, I climbed the hill.
I wished Pell were here.
But this was when he worked in the library, so I couldn’t call him.
I had to respect my friend’s job.
I flopped down onto the grass.
“The sky’s so clear.”
A cloudless blue sky always had a way of lifting my spirits.
The lush scent of the crape myrtle leaves—not yet blooming—drifted gently into my nose.
“It’s like nature’s own diffuser…”
My vision slowly faded…
“…Zzz…”
And before I knew it…
I was asleep.
.
.
.
“Mmm… It’s cold.”
The night air had turned chilly.
Shivering, I opened my eyes.
A large piece of clothing had been draped awkwardly over my upper body.
…Whose is this?
It’s obviously a servant’s uniform… and it’s pretty big.
Among the people I knew…
There was only one person tall enough to fit it.
Should I check by smelling it?
Sniff…
Yep.
Just as I’d thought.
It belonged to him.
There’s no fabric softener in this world, so why does he always smell so nice?
Does he wear perfume?
Would a servant even be able to afford something that luxurious?
I was deep in thought…
“…Why are you smelling it?”
A familiar voice suddenly came from behind me.
“…! Pell?”
Startled, I dropped the uniform immediately.
Standing directly in front of me, his eyes shook as though an earthquake had hit them.
I probably…
Looked like a complete pervert just now.
Yeah.
Definitely.
Right.
First things first—
Deny everything.
“No.”
“…”
Don’t look at me like that.
I swear…
It’s not what it looked like.
