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He saw her heading towards the garden at a fast pace, then stopping and plopping down in a corner of the garden.
‘She doesn’t know I’m following her.’
Her lonely figure from behind made his heart ache.
He felt endlessly foolish for only being happy that Ayla had taken the top spot, without understanding her feelings.
As he was wondering how to talk to her, he saw her small shoulders shaking in the distance.
Soon, he heard a small sob.
Gerard was frozen as he watched Rosia cry.
Her figure from behind somehow overlapped with Ayla.
Come to think of it, Ayla had always sobbed like Rosia after taking exams.
“Why am I only this good when I’m Blanche’s daughter?”
Whenever he saw her blaming herself with a sorrowful face, Gerard wanted to do anything for her out of pity.
But the only words he could offer were always the same, predictable comforts.
“Don’t say that. You’re doing well enough.”
Then Ayla would always smile at him with bloodshot eyes, as if she was happy.
Rosia probably needed warm comfort like Ayla at this moment.
Gerard took courage and took a step forward.
“Rosia, are you okay?”
The sobbing stopped, and Rosia slowly raised her head.
“Brother….”
“Don’t cry.”
Gerard carefully approached and sat next to her, then firmly held her small hand.
“Second place is still great. You’re already doing very well.”
But Rosia shook her head weakly.
“It’s not because of the grades.”
“Then why are you crying?”
Thin streams of tears flowed from Rosia’s eyes.
Gerard’s heart ached as if it was being torn apart at her pitiful sight.
“People around me keep whispering. They’re saying that the results of the parentage test might be wrong. Because I, the real Princess Consort, got second place, and Ayla got first.”
“What…?”
“It’s understandable enough to be misunderstood. Since the results of the first exam after I was accepted into the Noble house are like this.”
Gerard’s eyebrows furrowed.
“Who the hell said that? Just tell me, and I won’t let them get away with it.”
But Rosia trembled and bowed her head deeply.
“No. It’s not their fault. It’s all because I’m lacking.”
“Rosia….”
“Really, I don’t care what those people say.”
She said that and raised her head. Her two red, bloodshot eyes stared straight at Gerard.
“But thinking that even Father, Mother, and my brothers might think that way about me….”
“……”
“That’s the hardest thing to bear.”
“That’s not true, Rosia.”
Gerard shook his head firmly.
“Our family all believes in you.”
“Liar.”
Tears flowed from Rosia’s eyes again.
Gerard was restless and didn’t know what to do.
“Even if they don’t say it… they’re all dissatisfied that they had no choice but to kick Ayla out because of me.”
“That’s….”
Gerard hesitated for a moment, but soon continued in a firm voice.
“Ayla leaving the Noble house wasn’t your fault. So there’s no reason to resent you.”
Rosia smiled weakly at those words.
“Even if Brother doesn’t, Mother probably doesn’t think that way. Since she spent more time with Ayla than with me… it’s natural that she feels more precious to her.”
“Rosia.”
“And… Kadin doesn’t seem to have forgotten Ayla yet either.”
Gerard’s eyes narrowed.
“What do you mean by that, Rosia.”
“It’s as it sounds. Kadin still seems to like Ayla. That’s probably why he keeps postponing his engagement with me.”
Rosia smiled bitterly and looked into the distance.
“Sometimes I think this. If I had grown up as the Princess Consort of the Blanche Noble house since I was very young, and if I had been engaged to him first… then would he have loved me?”
Rosia shed tears and hugged her arms.
“I know I shouldn’t be thinking these things….”
Gerard was choked up and couldn’t say anything.
He felt utterly incompetent for not recognizing his real sister for so long and not being able to make up for the lost time.
“So I keep hating Ayla. It feels like I’ve been robbed of my family and my fiancé. I shouldn’t be like this, I should be grateful just for not starving or freezing….”
Gerard bit his lower lip.
He couldn’t bear to see his younger sister in front of him so pitiful.
Poor Rosia.
His poor sister, who had suffered her whole life in the slums because of the wicked nanny.
She no longer needed to be tormented by people’s expectations.
She was Rosia Blanche, and that fact alone was enough for her to be loved.
Gerard decided to whisper the words that Rosia would want to hear the most in order to reassure her.
He held her hand tightly.
“Rosia. No matter what people say, you’re the only sister I have.”
“Brother.”
“So you don’t have to pay attention to what those guys around you are saying. You are, no matter what anyone says, the one and only true Princess Consort of this Noble house.”
Rosia looked deeply moved by his sincere words.
Soon, Gerard reached out and wiped away her tears, smiling gently.
He was so captivated by her bright smile that he couldn’t notice.
How coldly her eyes had turned at that moment.
“Then… can you do me just one favor?”
Gerard smiled softly at Rosia’s words and replied.
“Whatever it is.”
As the end-of-semester exams ended, the academy students were finally given free time.
But the leisure time they were allowed was only a week.
This was because they had to prepare for the upcoming autumn festival soon.
Peony sighed deeply and looked at Ayla.
“Even though the exams are over, there’s so much to do! This is almost labor exploitation.”
It was the academy life she had wanted so much, but she seemed quite exhausted from the endless studying followed by event preparations.
“Still, isn’t it kind of fun?”
When Ayla asked playfully, Peony seemed to think for a moment and then nodded.
“Hmm, it’s better than just lying down sick. And it’s fun to take classes with you.”
Ayla chuckled at Peony’s affectionate tone.
Peony also laughed along with her, then suddenly looked around and clicked her tongue.
“But everyone’s just staring at you. I guess it’s really surprising that you took the top spot in this exam.”
Ayla only shrugged instead of answering.
It was understandable. She, who had always been at the bottom of the Faculty of Magic, had suddenly taken the top spot.
Even surpassing Rosia, the real daughter of the Blanche Noble house.
Thanks to that, whenever Ayla passed by, countless curious gazes were poured on her.
But because Peony was always by her side, no one dared to talk to her recklessly.
Ayla didn’t seem to care much and patted Peony’s shoulder lightly as she greeted her.
“Then see you later, Peony.”
The two’s schedules were mostly similar, but this time, as Ayla participated in Professor Jacy’s special class, their schedules occasionally diverged.
Today was one of those days.
Ayla hurried her steps after parting with Peony.
This was because the probability of annoying people talking to her increased that much more without Peony.
And as expected.
Not long after, a familiar yet unwelcome voice was heard.
“Ayla.”
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