3 hours ago.
Noble Etiquette elective class.
The girl had risen from her seat with firmness, defiance.
"Your na?" the instructor asked.
"Violet, from Class E."
The instructor suddenly went quiet. Her expression didn’t change, but Rosalin knew the mont she glanced at the roster that sothing was wrong.
"There is no registration under that na." the instructor said.
The room fell quiet.
Rosalin, seated near the middle of the class, had kept her gaze carefully neutral. Even without looking directly, she could feel the subtle reactions of the other students.
So were confused, and so were amused.
The instructor’s voice was cold. "I do not teach those who are not registered for my class. Leave now," she commanded.
’What’s going on here? There’s no way she would have gotten into this elective if she hadn’t applied for one.’
Rosalin had seen many dismissals before, but this one felt particularly cruel.
Violet did not move, but her athyst eyes burned with frustration. "That’s a mistake. I registered for this elective. If you check with the higher administration, you’ll see—"
The instructor did not even let her finish.
"I will not be questioning the system for your sake, Miss Violet."
Then, from the back row of the class, a calm voice joined in.
"Look at what we have here. It’s not every day you get to witness such audacity firsthand from the commoner."
Julian spoke clearly, never raising his voice, but every word was pressuring.
There was no smile on his face.
Rosalin glanced at Violet, who had stiffened from the cold voice.
The words sliced deeper than any outright insult could. Rosalin felt the intensity of the room. No one openly sneered, but their silence was just as damning.
’What should I do? What can I say here?’
Rosalin was never good with words, she wished she could defend that girl, but she didn’t have the ability to do so.
All she was good at was how to fight with blades.
And yet, what surprised Rosalin the most was Violet’s reaction. She did not snap back in anger, nor did she make a scene. Instead, her fingers clenched against the fabric of her uniform, her knuckles white.
Later, the voices rose like a wave, one after another, crashing against the lone figure standing at the center of ridicule.
"Just leave already!"
"You’re holding up the class!"
"This isn’t your place, don’t you get it? Get lost now!"
"Know your place, you commoner!"
Rosalin remained seated, her grip tightening on the edge of her sleeve, watching as the scholars spoke with ease, as though it was alright to cast her out.
Why? Was it wrong for a commoner to attend a Noble Etiquette class? Was there really a need for such distinction?
Sohow, she was furious with this.
The mont Julian made his stance clear, the rest followed him.
Violet stood still in the face of their hostility, her posture sinking lower and lower. Her dark hair fell over her face, veiling her true expression, but Rosalin saw the faint tremor in her shoulders, and the slight gleaming in her eyes.
’...’
Julian tilted his head, as though considering sothing. Then, with that sa polished cruelty, he delivered the final blow.
"Are you deaf?" He said with effortless authority, the room hanging on his words.
"Get out of here. You are wasting everyone’s ti. Or do you also demand soone to escort you out?"
A hush swept through the scholars.
They really wanted her to break.
And again, Violet did not lash out until the end. Instead, in a voice that was stripped of its forr defiance, she sighed and then spoke calmly.
"I see. My apologies, instructor. I’ve caused an unnecessary scene."
"I will be going now."
She bowed to the instructor, the one whose decision was absolute.
Without another word, she turned and walked away. The doors closed behind her, and with that, Violet ceased to exist in that hall.
The instructor, as though none of it mattered, simply said, "She should have done that sooner."
Then, with a flick of her hand, she resud the lecture, the class moving on as if nothing had happened.
Rosalin turned her gaze to Julian, and at that mont, she t his eyes. Neither spoke, but instead of looking away, Rosalin held his gaze firmly.
*****
Rosalin clenched her rabbit doll against her chest, her fingers digging into the soft fabric. Anger burned inside her, not just at Julian, but at everyone who had laughed, jeered, and remained silent throughout the class.
’How is that even fair...’
She wanted to speak. To rebut. To say sothing, anything. But she knew. There was no place for the opposition.
Not when even the instructor had turned against her. And of course, not when everyone had stood behind Julian. That realization... that helplessness infuriated her deeply.
She hated the feeling of not being able to do anything.
’In the end, I’m not strong enough yet.’
’It looks like I still don’t have enough courage to speak about what’s right and wrong.’
She quietly sighed.
Then, suddenly she rembered the previous event during the joint-session with Class E.
A dark-haired boy who stood up confidently and challenged the instructor head-on and alone. Rosalin had admired him so much back then.
In her eyes, he radiated a strength far beyond any brute force. And when she learned he was from Class E, of all places, it had struck her even harder.
That mont, and today’s event, carved a lesson into her heart: true strength was not born from power. It ca from beliefs... the will to stand for what was right, and what was wrong even when you stood alone.
That was the strength she longed for.
The strength she vowed to seek, to learn, and one day, to embody.
’If I truly want to beco soone stronger... stronger like Lady Calyra, then I have to toughen my heart first.’
Holding onto that thought, Rosalin promised herself that this will be the last ti she’ll look away when soone was in need of her help.
She won’t repeat the sa mistake again.
’Hmm... now that I think about it, what was his na again?’
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[Chapter 86: The Second Piece Moves (3)]
Plot Points= 14,080
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