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Because the position of Blanche Duchess was not something to be easily ignored.
The children who had gathered around Rosia scattered when Freya stepped forward.
"Everyone, don't be so sudden, Rosia might feel pressured."
The noisy lecture hall quickly quieted down. Freya approached Rosia with a friendly smile.
Looking at that alone, one couldn't find any trace of the hostile attitude she had shown Ayla earlier.
"Hi, Rosia? We're meeting for the first time."
"Ah, are you perhaps Freya?"
"You know about me?"
"Yes, my father told me to get along with you."
Then a bright smile appeared on Freya's face. Freya immediately linked arms with Rosia.
"That's perfect, Rosia. My parents said the same thing. They told me to get along with you, who has excellent Magic skills, and learn a lot from you."
"Thank you for the compliment, Freya."
"Oh my, but your smiling face is really cute."
Rosia blushed on both cheeks and lowered her head as if she were shy.
Then, she subtly looked at Ayla.
The moment her eyes met Ayla's, Rosia's eyes curved into crescents.
Ayla thought.
'Is she smiling like that for me to see?'
If Ayla knew nothing, she would have been deeply hurt by the smile Rosia was giving her now.
My family, my friend.
Who wouldn't be angry when the person who took everything away is wearing the smile of a victor?
But Ayla, far from being displeased, smiled back at her.
'No matter what others say, I'm a proud daughter of Blanche.'
Rosia felt displeasure at Ayla's actions.
Originally, if you don't react to something done to make someone angry, it's bound to be frustrating.
Ayla thought to herself.
'In the original story, I tried my best to be nice to Freya and Rosia.'
She did her best to adapt to academy life as a commoner.
Even acting somewhat subservient to Freya, who used to be her friend.
'But no matter what I did, Freya tormented me.'
Ostensibly, it was because Ayla had stolen Rosia's childhood, who had become her friend.
But the truth was different.
She was enjoying tormenting Ayla, recalling the days when she had to be mindful of the Blanche Duchess.
'Well, is that all? You don't need a grand reason to torment someone. It's just that they're only that kind of person.'
Perhaps as Rosia adapted to the academy and became closer to Freya, they would begin to torment Ayla more openly.
But Ayla wasn't afraid at all.
She knew through the original story who to make her allies and how to act.
Ayla shrugged her shoulders and calmly began to prepare for class.
Rosia's face gradually hardened at her nonchalant reaction.
The class time passed more peacefully than expected.
Rosia proved with her outstanding abilities that she was the daughter most suitable for the Blanche Family, and the students looked at her with sparkling eyes.
Originally, everyone would have openly ignored Ayla around this point.
However, perhaps because of the previous argument, everyone treated her as if she didn't exist, but they didn't recklessly mock her in front of her.
Thanks to that, Ayla was able to enjoy lunchtime with a lighter heart.
As soon as the long bell rang, Ayla got up from her seat.
She intended to get the planned work done before others paid attention to her.
'I have to go meet him.'
In order to graduate from the academy safely, Ayla also had to create her own backing.
'The enemy of my enemy is my greatest ally.'
Ayla walked to the infirmary with a nervous face.
Because there was an important person she had to win over here.
It was Felix, who had become the academy's official outcast due to his outstanding swordsmanship skills.
Ayla carefully entered the infirmary.
As befitting an academy that required enormous tuition fees, the infirmary was also lavishly decorated.
And from there, someone's groaning could be heard.
"Ugh..."
Ayla slowly turned her gaze.
Beyond the translucent curtain, a boy with bright silver hair was faintly visible.
An exclamation came out as soon as she saw him.
His disheveled hair and round glasses that half-covered his face were the very cliché of a nerd.
He was Felix, the lost son of Duke Argenta.
Felix was in the Swordsmanship Department and was one year junior to Ayla.
'A nerd with glasses can't be an extra. If he takes off those glasses, he'll be incredibly handsome.'
Around this time, Felix was being severely bullied at the academy.
This was because Felix, like Ayla, was a Mana insensitivity patient who could not use Mana.
Since Mana training was essential to becoming a great knight, the professor of the Swordsmanship Department, who had accepted him only after seeing his outstanding five attributes, was greatly disappointed in his abilities.
'But even in that situation, Felix didn't bow down to the nobles at all.'
Felix relentlessly surpassed the nobles in basic physical training or swordsmanship sparring that did not use Mana.
His stiff attitude, which rarely pleased them, made the bullying even worse.
"How dare a commoner who can't even feel Mana presumptuously have higher scores than us?"
"He's just a commoner anyway."
"With that lowly status and ability, he won't even be able to become a proper knight, so what's the worry?"
Ayla knew.
They were saying that, but on the other hand, they were also afraid of Felix's talent.
They knew that if he awakened Mana, he would be able to surpass them.
As they expected, Felix would overcome Mana insensitivity in the distant future.
'Thanks to the discovery of my research log after I died.'
In the original story, Ayla did her best to overcome Mana insensitivity as a commoner.
She may not have been able to feel Mana, but her brain was very sharp.
With that effort, she finally figured out how to cure Mana insensitivity.
'But I couldn't cure it.'
Because the herb needed to make the medicine was very rare.
In the original story, it was only after her death that it was revealed that the herb was in the Argenta Dukedom's territory.
That's why Ayla was thinking of making a contract with Felix.
To give him back what he should have originally enjoyed more quickly, and for her to receive Felix's help.
As she slowly approached, Felix could be seen slowly opening his eyes at the unfamiliar presence.
His light green eyes, breathing roughly, were full of vigilance.
"Ayla Blanche?"
Ayla sighed.
'Even Felix knew me. Well, there probably isn't anyone who doesn't know me.'
The pitiful girl who went from noble to commoner.
There wouldn't be anyone at the academy who wasn't interested in this sensational news.
Ayla held out her hand to him.
"My name is just Ayla, I was abandoned by the Blanche Family."
Felix only stared at Ayla's hand that was held out to him with a sharp gaze.
Soon, he asked in a stinging voice.
"What are you up to?"
"It's nothing much."
Ayla smiled softly and continued.
"Would you like to have a contract relationship with me?"
At her words, the wariness on Felix's face grew stronger.
As soon as the morning class ended, Kadin headed to the academy's garden.
He sat blankly, staring at the entrance of the garden where the green was completely fading.
As if he were waiting for someone.
'By now, Ayla must know how difficult it is to attend the academy as a commoner.'
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