Three weeks had passed since Hanna’s aura manifested.

Rowen couldn’t lift his head, and Hanna had left home, saying she couldn’t stand to be there any longer. She stayed at our manor for a while before returning to the academy.

She entered the dormitory, so our next meeting would probably not be until the winter break. Our manor is in the outskirts, and the academy is in the capital city. It’s not a short trip to visit, so it’ll probably be a while before I see her again.

After the academy break ended, I heard news of Hanna from a page in the newspaper.

[Histania’s Third Daughter Triumphs Over Michail in the Royal Academy’s Ranking Tournament, Securing the Top Rank Among First and Second Years… In her remarks, she stated that ‘she was able to stand on that stage because of the person she loved the most.’ While rumors are speculating the man in question to be Michail or her father, Histania Rowen, she has firmly denied these claims.]

Glancing at the photo in the paper, I hid my grin.

She held a trophy and was beaming widely.
It seemed she had finally shed a heavy burden. I had always seen her so downcast and weepy, after all.

Part of me felt oddly proud, and it felt good to think I had changed the future.

What delighted me most was perhaps Michail’s defeat, crushing the arrogance of a man who basked in his own greatness, beaten by a first-year….

Though I longed to see the expression on Michail’s face, I refrained.

After all, Michail and I were ill-fated, doomed to wish tragedy upon each other.

It had been a good while all around. I made a lot of money and formed connections. Was this not the most meaningful time of the year? I was contemplating treating the lady to a meal out when…

Stealthily──.

I caught the lady’s piercing gaze through the newspaper, as though boring a hole through it.

Quickly, I folded the newspaper and hid it under the blankets.

“Why hide it? I’m curious too; let’s look at it together.”
“That’s defeat.”
“No, it’s not.”
“If the lady looks, you’ll collapse with your hand on the back of your neck.”
“I’m mentally strong.”

The lady flexed her arm powerfully, revealing a bicep about the size of a quail egg. The pathetic muscle almost made me laugh, but I pinched my thigh to hold back laughter at her serious expression, squeezing what muscle there was.

“Watch this! Strong, right?”
“Ooh…!”

As I clapped and responded supportively, the lady beamed and showed off her other arm. Seeing her slender arm, I thought I better make sure to feed her enough meat in the future.

The lady couldn’t let go of her curiosity. She pressed on, asking about the earlier article until it seemed blood would come from my ears. I decided to edit the content to make it less shocking for her.

“It’s about Miss Hanna.”
“Homeless?”
“Yes.”
“Why? Did she buy a house?”
“No. It seems she clinched the top spot at the academy.”
“Oh…! The homeless one succeeded!”

The lady, who was much wealthier than us, disparaged Hanna. I chose not to correct the lady’s misunderstanding. After all, protecting the pride of my employer is also a butler’s virtue.

If she knew that Hanna was wealthier than us, she might insist on saving money and start a hunger strike.

“That’s right. I think it’s thanks to us feeding her well and giving her a good place to rest.”
“Is it?”
“Of course. Didn’t the lady once sweep through the first years too?”

Though she wreaked havoc.

The lady laughed and responded.

“Right! It’s because I cast a spell.”
“Indeed.”

The lady, oblivious, laughed brightly. Giving her a piece of my mind had lifted my spirits.

“See… Hehe. I did make a bit of a name for myself at the academy.”
“For infamy, indeed.”
“Eek…!”

There was a touch of wistfulness in the lady’s smile.

It seemed she was simultaneously happy about her friend’s good news and eager to return to the academy. I would like to ask Hanna to visit some time soon, but as you know, Hanna is a busy person.

She’s not lounging at home like us; she’s the most famous person in the empire right now. Besides, I had already asked her for a difficult favor, so I felt sorry to ask for something so trivial.

-Um… Miss Hanna?

-Speak comfortably. You don’t have to be formal with me.

-Ahaha… Maybe another time. I’ve been a butler for 13 years, so honorifics are more comfortable for me.

-That’s funny, considering how you can swear at Ruin so freely.

-…You got me there.

-Phahaha…! So, what’s your favor?

-I was just wondering. Once you gain a position at the academy…

I tentatively asked if she could exert her influence regarding the lady’s return to school. Hanna said she would try her best.

-But I’m afraid it will be difficult until Senior Yuria graduates. I’m sorry.

The expected letter had arrived.

I hadn’t given up or been discouraged.
There’s always a way, even if it takes more time than a direct approach. I hadn’t given up on realizing the lady’s dreams.

In any case. Hanna had left our manor, and we were left at home.

That’s when it happened.

“Whoa whoa whoa!! That… that damn brat is back!”

The lady, looking out the window, was pointing outside and cursing profanely.

I peeked out cautiously.

A deeply drawn cap.
A kid with a brush and red paint standing against the wall.

I addressed the kid.

“Hey, you little rascal!”

The rules of the manor didn’t apply when facing a wall vandal.

***

In the third-floor student council room,

young talents who would lead the empire sat around a circular table.

Centered around Chartia the Third Princess, reputed to be the brain of the empire, was her disciple Ruin, the Crown Prince, and Michail staring at each other.

A gathering of the academy’s heavyweights.

Their faces were all alike in dismay.
They looked as if they were attending a funeral.
Each wore a bitter expression, looking in one direction.

It annoyed them to have been called during busy times, especially since they summoned them even before the pain of defeat had faded.

But what displeased them most was.

“What? Reinstate that woman back into the academy?”
“That’s right. Senior.”
“You’ve really lost it, huh?”

The reason they had gathered the academy’s talents here was all because of a single expelled villainess, at the insistence of an audacious junior.

Ruin, with his feet on the desk, glared at the upright Hanna. Ruin’s gaze fixed on Hanna was loaded with a question akin to “What kind of nonsense is this?”

Hanna did not avoid Ruin’s gaze. Instead, she stared back as if she was stating the obvious.

“Seniors.”

Hanna placed her hands calmly on the table and spoke.

“I, in this recent tournament, surpassed Senior Michail to achieve the top rank amongst the first and second-year students.”

The tournament.
A grand festival where a student’s treatment takes a turn.
A kind of ascension in social status.

The quality of dormitories they use changes.
A form of civil service exam where the quality of the meal plan changes. In that place, Hanna’s words carried weight, having captured the top spot.

It meant she had the most talent within her grade. The gaze of the public was fixed on her, and all the support of the academy was focused on that one individual.

Hanna herself, more than anyone, felt this truth and spoke her sincerest thoughts without any pretense, thanks to someone’s advice to not be modest.

Hanna intended to make use of her privilege.

“So, what is it you’re trying to say?”

The platinum-haired Crown Prince glared at Hanna. He rested his chin on his hand, and he did not seem pleased.

If possible, he would have used all his power to silence her, but in an academy where freedom of speech was allowed, that was impossible.

“I am simply suggesting, for the sake of the academy’s progress, that we should not let go of talented individuals.”

Hanna had no intention of bending.
She wanted to repay a debt.
And to satisfy her personal wish to attend the academy with her butler, she refused to stand down.

Of course, as Hanna’s retorts continued, the Crown Prince’s expression changed.

“Isn’t the academy such a place? A site to cultivate and unearth the talents that will lead the empire’s future.”
“That’s right. The academy is a place to nurture genius, but you see—”

The Prince continued staring at Hanna.

“This is a place to raise people, not beasts.”
“Is that so? Then it’s odd because Ruin still attends the academy quite comprehensively, doesn’t he?”

-Bang!

“What did you just say?”

Ruin created a red orb in his hand. It seemed as if he was ready to shoot it at any moment as he glared at Hanna with menacing eyes.

Hanna answered brazenly.
She had already overcome the barrier named Michail.
She was unafraid of the pebble that was Ruin.

“Did I say something wrong? There is nobody else at the academy who just goes around fighting like Senior Ruin. Even when you came to submit the re-enrollment form last time, you tried to start a fight, and then you were… trampled by the butler…”

“Sh…shut up!”

Ruin’s face turned red.
Hanna intended to provoke him further, but—

“Enough.”

The owner of this place would not permit any more commotion.

Hanna felt that lately she had started to adopt someone’s temper.

It wasn’t exactly a good thing.
Yet she wasn’t displeased either.

Rather, she was glad to be emulating him.
From his righteous character to his boyish looks, her taste leaned more towards someone like Senior Michail, but inexplicably, since school resumed, the image of the red-haired butler kept intruding on her thoughts, despite them merely being a teacher and student.

Hanna steadied her fluttering heart and looked at the woman before her.

The owner of this meeting.
The current student body president, Chartia the Third Princess.

She addressed Hanna.

“So, what’s your main point?”

Hanna spoke politely.

“Please allow Ricardo and Olivia Desmond to re-enroll in the academy.”

Princess Chartia responded coldly.

“Denied. Olivia cannot be re-enrolled.”

Simultaneously, Michail also raised his hand and responded with a brisk, cold firmness, his short silver hair lightly fluttering.

“If those two re-enroll, I’m withdrawing from the academy.”

Both of them were resolute in their stance, but Hanna then addressed them.

“Then withdraw.”

In Hanna’s scale of assessment, Michail weighed less than Ricardo.