/
The whispers stopped only after I entered the separated office in the student council room.
To be exact, it was because the students who were whispering couldn’t enter this office.
They were likely making up an interesting story about me and spreading it outside.
“I should have introduced myself sooner. I’m Mago, clerk of the student council.”
“I’m Marianne Miller.”
She introduced herself with a very friendly voice.
“You don’t need to care about the rumors spread by the students outside. It’ll calm down in a few days anyway.”
She comforted me with kind words.
“They’re probably only jealous of your great capability, Miss Marianne. Well, you attracted the attention from both professors, the new professor in the magic department and the young duke of this empire who’s the professor of swordsmanship class.”
A kind tone.
With a gentle face, she said something quite hurtful.
At least amongst the students I had met so far, I could be sure that she was the most proficient in hiding her feelings.
Silence lingered between us.
Soon, after opening the heavy door, she let me in.
The room was full of documents, making me dizzy.
“Excuse me. Because of the new semester, there’s a lot that has started so the office is a mess.”
She lightly stacked a pile of documents in another place as she gestured with her hand.
“Sit here, please.”
“Thank you.”
As I sat on the pointed seat, I saw she rummaged through the documents.
She smiled as if she had found the document she was looking for between the documents of various kinds and handed it out.
[Notice of Disciplinary Action]
It was a document of punishment regarding disturbing the lecture and insubordination to the professor.
Because this much was already anticipated, I calmly accepted it.
She, who observed me accepting it calmly, added.
“I think this ended so lightly thanks to your status, Young Lady. There had been no one ever to point out that the actions of the professor particularly invited by the Academy were wrong.”
There was nothing wrong with what I said.
However, if it wasn’t for Jeremy, then I would never stand up to catch his attention.
“This is an issue that is decided in the professors’ meeting, but if you think this disciplinary action is too far, you can submit a petition to ask for lowering the level of—”
“No. I’ll accept the disciplinary action.”
In the first place, I had no intention to make a comment about the professors’ decision.
There were already a lot of people who hold animosity, so there was no need to make the professors also hold animosity.
Although some of them already hated me awfully.
It might be better to just leave the academy if I had to disobey the disciplinary.
That must be an action that tarnishes the Miller Family’s reputation.
I stared down at the notice of disciplinary action.
It was an assistant role for the smooth progress of the swordsmanship lecture during this semester.
Organizing the budget plan for the lecture this semester, reviewing the ledger of the previous semester, and also organizing the list of products purchased this year and its budget.
This is usually the work of an administrator.
For the work of checking the ledger every day, if it wasn’t done by a specialist, it would become so troublesome.
It was a disciplinary action that showed how desperate they were in wanting to harass me.
“Will it be fine with you? I can help you with managing the ledger.”
Are you adding to the work by pretending to help me?
She was smiling, but she was clearly examining every response of mine.
“About the disciplinary action, Professor Grein said he will be monitoring it personally.”
They even attached the professor who really disliked me as the supervisor.
Their intention to screw me over was clearly showing.
“I’ll try to do my best.”
She smiled hearing my words.
She looked curious, as to how long would I be able to be confident.
* * *
Fire sparked in Rany’s eyes after she read the notice of disciplinary action.
“These bastards.”
“This is annoying, but it’s fine. I’ve already prepared for this much.”
After checking the notice, Jeremy quietly looked down.
Even though I didn’t say anything, there was no way he couldn’t know that what happened yesterday was for his sake.
Benji stared vacantly at Jeremy.
By the way, should I tell him about Jeremy?
It would be no wonder if Benji soon realized that Jeremy was somewhat different.
Things like his appearance that were oddly different from when we visited the guild, his figure desperately avoiding the young duke when he found him in the swordsmanship lecture.
That much was enough to lead curiosity, but Benji didn’t ask anything.
“He didn’t say anything about seeing Zen yesterday?”
“He knows from years of experience that he should never speak of any problems regarding Zen.”
He might be wondering why Zen was in the academy.
On top of that, he wore an assumed name and even gained the professor position.
Well, we can’t explain everything to him, anyway.
I couldn’t tell everything to him just like what I did to Jeremy.
Honestly, it was possible with Jeremy because he had no ‘acquaintances’ he could tell