Chương 18: Vying for Attention

The first morning at the Imperia Academy dormitory was quite lovely. The sun was warm, birds were chirping, and I didn't have to worry about serving Jullius - no washing his face or picking out his clothes. Nevertheless, I still had to wait at the base of the dormitory to follow him to the academic wing, playing my part as a loyal subordinate to perfection. After all, I still need to stay with the Griffin family. Jullius showed up thirty minutes late, his hair a bit disheveled and his tie crooked.

I remained silent, offering no comment as I escorted him to the door of Class A before heading off to Class F. My late arrival didn't affect the lesson; the teachers understood my circumstances perfectly. But as I made my way toward my usual seat, I realized it was already occupied. It was the guy I'd encountered last night, Kale. He seemed to recognize me as well, as a flash of visible awkwardness crossed his face. Oh, so he actually knows how to be embarrassed? Then why did he act like such a jerk last night?

Instead of looking for another spot, I walked right up and sat down directly next to him. The first period of the day was Kingdom History.

"The protracted war against the Demon King in the Kingdom of Averula has lasted for over five hundred years," the teacher began, scanning the room before settling on the new faces.

"Who can tell me the name of the Hero who first sealed the Demon King? Since we have two new Hero candidates joining us today... Kale Derick, would you like to answer?" Judging by the poorly hidden flustered look on my seatmate's face, I gathered he wasn't 100% the "perfect model student" he appeared to be. At the very least, he wasn't someone who spent his time diligently reading history books. So, I flipped my textbook to the page containing the required name and nudged it slightly toward him.

He clearly had good eyesight and must have seen it in a single glance, yet he acted as though it wasn't there and replied bluntly:"I don't know." The class erupted into snickers at his brutally honest straightforwardness. As for me, I was seriously starting to wonder if he held some sort of personal grudge against me. Or perhaps he knew I was Jullius's lackey and was keeping his guard up? Come on, he couldn't be that petty.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The rest of the period passed in peace. During the break, Lealia Castela approached me to strike up a conversation. She looked strikingly different in the white Academy uniform for female students, her chestnut hair curled in light waves and tied back at the nape of her neck.

"Hello. You remember me, right? We met at the congratulatory banquet," Lealia said timidly. I smiled.

"Of course. So, how was your first day at the Academy?"

"The library has so many books on herbalism. It's very helpful."

"I'm a bit curious, why did you choose Class F?"

"Oh, you know I'm not comfortable around nobles. I thought this class would be more sociable. Plus, you're here."

"Is my being here considered an important factor?" Lealia looked around with an embarrassed air.

"Well, I don't know anyone else here. You're the person closest to the nobility that I've actually managed to talk to." Several people looked surprised to see us chatting, including Iris. She walked over to the two of us, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Do you two know each other from before?" I shook my head.

"Not really. We just exchanged a few words when we met at the banquet."

"Ah... I remember you spilled wine on the Princess that day, didn't you? Jullius isn't still angry with you, is he? If he hasn't cooled off yet, I could speak to him on your behalf..." Lealia glanced back and forth between Iris and me.

"You and Asher are quite close, aren't you?" Iris gave a shy smile.

"We talk often. Asher is very timid; if you don't ask, he won't open up about his troubles." My sixteen-year-old self might have been deeply moved by those words, believing this classmate truly cared for me. But after years of growing up and navigating the harsh realities of society, I began to see something else: a silent competition. No. It wasn't that Iris liked me and was jealous of the newcomer. That was absolutely impossible. What she craved was my attention and my admiration.

No matter how much she might hate or despise me, in her role as the "saintly girl who loves all living things," Iris still had to feign concern for me - a pathetic student at the bottom of the Academy's social ladder. She seemed to possess a sharp instinct for how the attention of others could benefit her, and she knew she had to act quickly before that attention was snatched away by someone else. Even if I were a loser, the admiration of a loser can sometimes be useful.

Iris didn't want to share her influence over me with a newcomer like Lealia. This was especially true given that Lealia's skills were directly competitive with hers. Though their methods differed, they were both Healers. A healer is indispensable in a party, but a party rarely needs two. Lealia seemed to sense Iris's subtle exclusion and quickly stood up.

"Well... I'll let you two get back to your conversation. I just came by to say hello." Hmm. Lealia was far too timid; she disliked conflict and had no interest in the title of Hero. Could she possibly stand against a scheming and ambitious Iris? Or should I start considering someone else entirely?